I spend my money on regular miracles

The last week has been foot to the floor busy, not only are all horses training for full weeks and baths

have been administered, clip jobs have been dispensed, but with Spring in full force, it also means my season has kicked off (until Sunday, when the wintery beast returned and temps plummeted with "wintery mix").

First on the agenda was the Alfredo Hernandez clinic which, for me kicked off last Thursday with organizer duties. I was looking forward to seeing an dear friend and mentor as well as good clients. Wasn't disappointed. Alfredo is full of good insight, not just for the piaffe and passage work but for trouble shooting and gymnastic work.

Despite the up-down nature of weather, most of the horses have been fairly well prepared for this clinic. I was somewhat worried about Danzador, because he's my walking, talking results- for better and worse.

Danzador has had confirmed half steps in hand for awhile now, but I'm a little wonky for asking him under tack (my lack of coordination).  He also has a lot He's less fussy about the connection. He just does it, no fuss, no muss, just six quality steps than a couple laps around the arena. He accepts the bamboo as well.

It's almost his learning habits, where, he isn't comfortable, expresses it, and then over time just accepts the pressure. It's also really a useful tool, it's helped improve his balance and his trot and canter work, but to also identify where he's feeling particularly stuck that day.

He didn't really disappoint. For a four year old rising five in two months, he did a wonderful job, and was complemented on his correct basics and foundation. With Alfredo saying he's more than in the correct direction, and for all intensive purposes ahead of schedule. It's a huge sigh of relief especially after going foot to floor to play catch up on major holes in his training. He also complimented on his piaffe and passage work in hand.

It was also a good chance to get a game plan for him. At this point there's three ways of approaching the season. First is the FEI five year old path, which, while I want to do, I know that we're barely pushing the quality that we'll be going up against. Secondly is the national path, which is your normal tests, and finally there's the furlough path- where we take a light year.

Even though he's mentally progressed and is very fit, he's still physically gawky. He's a stork. He grew another inch, he's still gaining width, and needs, my solution for everything: needs more top line. His gaits are still developing into what they will be, and some days it's great and some days it's not. Part of me wants to just furlough for another year, take it light and then in the six year old year, hammer down and go on. But ownership (including myself) needs him to show to have some version of a record as a young horse, and getting him out and giving him exposure would be good too.

The advice was a light year at national shows wouldn't hurt, but let the focus in on developing the gaits and letting him mature physically. Develop the passage and piaffe to develop the canter and trot.

Overall, I'm very happy with him, and even kinda excited about having him develop so quickly. In short, he's fit, and he's ready to roll, now just to bite the bullet and start sending a few entries in. But I don't want to repeat the mistakes of other riders and push too far too soon, and we're carefully guarding him against it.

There was snow, white snow

The first week of the new year and things seem to be looking up, minus the temperatures, which are unfortunately approaching unwanted single digits and negative wind chills. I'm preparing to loose two days of training while everyone hunkers down and tries to stay warm.

In something out of Rip VanWinkle, I got to the barn on New Years Day and all my just-cleaned saddles and bridles (everything gets wiped off post ride) were covered in what looked like a year-long buildup of dust and dirt. It almost looked like I stumbled back in my tack room after a year's hiatus.

I was a little miffed about it, but privately, I took it as a sign that whatever happened in 2013 is long done and over; and that this is a new year and a brave new world.

The new year also feels like someone flipped a switch on my horses. They've all been working exceptionally well.

Sinari has been riding great, she's seems to have blown past a bunch of issues, and now it's just refocusing in on the basics. We've been working transitions in, out and between gaits. I wish the weather was more cooperative for fitness, but after the freezing cold is slop. I can't knowingly run horses in the mud and risk a tendon.

The other fun variation I've been playing with is riding the different movements within those transitions. It's definitely challenging especially as you try to press the balance, connection and keep the half halts in order. Her piaffe/passage work is becoming stronger which gives some exciting moments (I wish I had more ground help to operate a whip, my timing is off) and I wish I the tempi's would come back in order, which I'm sure they will when things truly get going again.

We finished out the week with just stretching and loosening, which with the impending weather is good set up for keeping mobile despite the likelihood of being stall bound.

Danzador is quickly stealing the show. He's turned in stellar work for being very young. The focus is creating, keeping and driving the balance up in the paces and through the movements. Even though he's gaining strength I definitely see him as a good candidate for the upper level work. He's smart, talented, willing and is developing really expressive gaits. I seriously cannot wait for him to start working changes, I think they're going to be fun for him.

In the last few weeks he's been schooling baby half pass, solid shoulder in/ haunches in, walk-canter-walk transitions, 10 meter circles, medium to collected, walk pirouettes and some half steps. It's hard work for a young horse, mentally and physically. Mentally, he can take the pressure with very little issue and it's important in this stage to introduce the expectations of the pressure and work in a fair way.

Because he's so willing and ready to do the work, it's mostly play with the emphasis on developing the strength and carrying power. His old evasions, going behind the vertical, locking his ribs and running sometimes still come into play especially when he's tired.

Interlaced with the riding is lunging days, just days where he can purely stretch. It's been a huge help developing his hind end and creating expression through cavaletti and a few other techniques.

Overall, I'm happy, but it's only week one, 51 more to go.

Bring the action

By the end of November, I was pretty much mentally floating away to Margaritaville. No horse shows in sight, and the thought of hitching up to go anywhere was pretty much met with cold sweat and that queasy feeling that if I did this one more time, my head might just explode.

A few weeks off, a few successful clinics hither and yon, time home with the herd and my family and developing a plan of attack for 2013 put us back into the game.  I'm ready.

The horses are rocking right along with prep, I'm becoming happier with each one of them and I can't wait to come out to the season.

Sincere takes home the gold star, not only does this 3.5 year old know his job, he does it with a lot of enthusiasm. He jumps small fences, he has a green lead change, he hacks alone, he loads, he's safe for the AA and flashy enough for the Pro. He goes to strange arenas and does just about everything. He loves his job and there's not a single 'no' in him.

Sinari is equally on good terms, schooling piaffe, passage and pir's. Her trot work is the strong point at the moment with the best mediums I've ever felt and the pir's are becoming rideable. It will take me a year to solidify the pi/pa and finish her one's. I've been insisting on straighter changes, simply because I don't want to leave points on the table on  what is one of her highlights. She's coming back strong and I need to find a schooling show to take her to so she can click into getting back into show mode.

In the meantime we had to re-clip. She grew about a solid couple of inches of hair when she was let down after the BLM's. Normally I don't mind fuzzy, but since things are gearing in quickly and the European sport that ironically doesn't like hair, the fluff had to be defluffed. Spent a rainy Sunday afternoon doing this, I now sport a bear suit and have a naked pony. 

Reba is working consistently as well. She is progressing nicely. Her topline is returning and she's gained more muscle. She's still not 100 percent focused on her job and I still think though she's a few months out from actual showing.

So with a trip coming up quickly I made the decision for her to stay out of the Wellington fishbowl and in training up in Kentucky. It kinda dissapoints me simply because I wanted her to go in front of a few people and she is Florida quality. But, I also know I want her to show and reflect her breeding and the training, so I think the money and time is better spent up here still gaining fitness, still going forward in a non-pressure situation.

Good Day Sunshine

After two weeks of not riding, hiking a couple of times through the tundra to get to the barn, nearly getting the truck stuck in the snow drifts, and facing icy paths with a hot bucket of mash, we're back.

At least temporarily.

Sinari, who hasn't been out consistently since the weather, rediscovered the joys of turnout. She also discovered the joys of giving me a few gray hairs as well.

The snow was actually a help for collected after most of the ice cleared out.

As a person who was used to having a body of water (the Atlantic) to work in occasionally, the snow makes the nice seasonal substitution to teach a pony to flex hocks and make the trot more passage-y. Lacking an ocean, we worked passage in the snow drifts. Fantastic cardo workout (for her, I just had to occasionally get her forward to leave her alone) and the desired side effect. Wish it would snow like this a bit more to get the work in.

We returned to our regular work on Friday, under lunge to get her back in shape. We got to try out a Christmas purchase which worked out well for what we're trying to accomplish (uphill balance, fitness and relaxation). We're far from competitive at the moment, but everything is still there.

We hope to be under saddle by midweek next week and back to the full work by week three. Barring the return of snowmageddon.

Dream on

It's getting cold, and the days are growing shorter, and I'm retreating back into my indoor more and more these days with the odd gallop out on the crisp, indian summer afternoons.

The season is over and I'm breathing a temporary sigh of relief until December when we begin all over again. This temporary sigh includes remastering the freestyle, redoing a few websites and getting through second level.

Not to mention catering to my "real life". You know, significant other, potentially going back to school and J-O-B.

No one said being an amateur was easy, no one said the sport was a cake walk either.

Don't get me wrong, I love to compete. It brings something different to the table every year. But by Regionals time though, I'm ready to call it a done deal. This year wasn't any exception. I competed two under saddle for the first time, next year I might have three to four at various levels.

It also leads me to re-assess my goals. Everyone has a laundry list of stuff that they would like to accomplish short and long term, and I'm no exception.

Next year:

• I would like to earn my final scores towards bronze (just four away!). Be schooling/showing fourth level.
• I would like Bella to be confirmed first level.
• I would like May's foal to be going to the MSEDA breed show (preferably beating up on all the warmbloods;-)).

Long term:

• Confirm piaffe, passage, changes with Sinari.
• Condition Bella for second level.
  
• Qualify for the two year old jack pot with May's baby.

Then there are the lofty, perhaps unattainable, such as going after the Brentina Cup. Yes. I said it. I have the odd ambition to qualify for the Young Adult class. I know, I have sucker for punishment written all over me.

Unfortunately, due to rules, I can't qualify with the pony (no ponies or mules allowed) and I don't have a Grand Prix (or I2) horse. So I have a stick horse's chance in a fire so far.

Compounding the problem: you need to qualify via three (3) competitions with an average of 62 percent or better, and I think they need to be CIC* or larger. Luckily, there are two in my area, Paxton and Kentucky Dressage Association. The third international would be in Lamplight, a solid EIGHT HOURS away.

Like I said, it's a huge reach, but for some reason my crazy ambitions have a way of turning out.