Blue on Black

I've had been sidelined until recently.

Two days before Thanksgiving, Fahrenheit, showed how athletic he could be, and cow kicked my upper thigh.

It wasn't his fault, he became scared over a noise and as young horses are, reacted. I was also at his shoulder, so for him to plant one solidly on my leg took some talent; I'm not only reminded of this from the lump but also from the increasing pile of dead bellboots from when he's having a '10' day.

It hasn't been my year for injuries. I went to keuring with a black eye, and I remember doing a few naughty things to myself in Germany. I'm a klutz of the first order for 2015.

So, I was temporarily sidelined with a sleeve of black and blue bruises and an Easter Egg sized lump. The lump has gone down, but for the first few weeks I was miserable.

I was cleared to ride again about two weeks after that, at the walk and the trot, I was still doing yoga and I went through the repetitive motions of lunging everyone as much as possible.

But honestly, when you're used to walking a half marathon everyday, five miles is boring. It wasn't until a week ago did I feel honestly comfortable enough to canter, and strong enough to really do good work.

As boring as my rides have been- they've been more productive and I've been able to address Flair's trot more and little habits.

Flair has been roughly under saddle for close to eight months.

She has vastly changed from the Alberta broodmare to a sport horse who keeps on developing day in and day out.

At first, we were just focused on getting through all the physicality that she had to process, and now, my main focus has been developing her carrying capacity and balance. It's a tricky line to walk with her. She gives as good as she gets. If she's feeling physically great, she gives you everything, if she feels less than stellar then you have to discuss things and keep her mentally fresh. 

This is a mare who finds all the upper level movements easy and without question, fun.  There's not a day that goes by that I don't feel that she will be a very competitive FEI horse, but apart of the entire lifestyle change that she underwent is keeping up and ahead of the physical upkeep, she's doing well.

Winter is going to be full of refining basics, which is a welcome relief versus gearing in for spring.

Fahrenheit continues to progress, he currently has nine rides under saddle and is solidly walk/trot/canter with a smidge of lateral work and lengthening. Outside the arena, he hacks. Alone.  He's a great combination of sensitive, forward but with a brain firmly between the ears. He's just a neat horse.

Sinari continues to work well for her AA rider. I'm really pleased with how this pairing has turned out. She spoils her more than I do. She's not fully accepting that she's not the FEI horse anymore but I think she's much more comfortable in her roll.

I'm ending my year at home, something I rarely do these days, as my current schedule is fairly booked. Something I didn't expect. But at the same time, it seems to be the theme of the year; not quite what I expected.

I ended up in Europe (subsequently I was invited back but had to defer this year due to obligations at home), I met amazing people, I developed riders to their first medals, coached riders to the FEI, sold horses world wide, I have two regular clinics in Ohio and in Virginia, I developed horses to the top 10 and number one spots for the KWPN NA, we took two green (and I mean out of the field unbroke) and won, a lot, with scores breaking in to the 80's. I started importing my own horses from my source in Germany, and my investors and partnerships continue to expand.

My team and I did it. We were on the books successful. 


But for every success there was a setback. There were untimely deaths, there were friends who contracted crappy diseases, there were accidents (both personal and from friends), political backbiting and unprofessional antics; some from the usual sources and many from unexpected sources, there were unexpected bills, there was heartbreak for both myself and friends, lots of proverbial slamming doors and lots of tears.

But like time, I and my team, kept going and will continue on.

2015 Goals:

1. Expand clients, horses in training and investments that are capable, at minimum, of shining on the national stage and continue to be fiscally solvent. 
 
Done and continuing. Haiku, Flair, Fahrenheit were wonderful additions to the 2015 herd. The herd is also set to temporarily grow again with two more training horses for winter. Still working on growing fiscally.

2. Continue to increase fitness (human and horse).
Done. My average walking distance (according to iPhone) is 10 miles. A day. I conservatively burn 1,500 calories from just walking. 

3. Pursue the young horse track. Develop horses for the USEF Young Horse Championships alongside the USDF Breeders Championships with the aim of looking toward Verden. 

Done in a big way. Flair is pursuing the Developing Horse track, we need more time. Fahrenheit is working towards the four year olds, and if someone doesn't buy him by the end of the four year old year, he will be my Verden bid. 




4. Dedicate personal educational opportunities once a quarter with my coaches (in a non-clinic capacity) to keep developing. 
Kinda done. My first quarter and my second quarters were booked with Germany. By third quarter, we were hitting our stride and four quarter was a flop.

2016 Goals:

1. Pursue young horse track. Get into the observation sessions. 
2. Continue to increase fitness (human and horse). 
3. Continue to sell and source horses world wide. 
4. Continue to create and dedicate personal educational opportunities once a quarter. 
5. Continue to develop Flair.

The show must go on

I, like most competitive people in this sport, show my and my clients' horses on a frequent basis. It means like everyone else I have to scrape money together to get five minutes in front of a judge to get scores for what goal du jour I have that year.

It's tough but it's apart of the job.

It's a tentative, balanced relationship between organizers, who put on recognized events in a waffley economy and with a scattered population, and the people who show and expect things like nice ribbons, low entry fees and reasonable scores. 

Recently, Region 2 lost a local show venue. It was a small Regional Qualifier show with just two arenas that ran a total of three weekends a year - six shows total.

I competed at this little venue on again and off again. I've taken my horses also to school there occasionally. It's not bad, but it's not the best. The footing was average, the stabling was alright, the warm up in one of the arenas was sketch city, and the secretary wasn't exactly all there somedays. You go there when you need a last minute score or just need to get a green horse out there for miles. It's quiet and it's about 20 minutes from my farm. It's not my favorite, nor is it my least favorite, it's just average and served a purpose.

Over the years, the organizers have poured countless hours, dollars and ideas into the show series. It's endured for better or worse, secretarial changes, horrible weather, and a few other items only to really see an overall decrease in population with rising costs. 

In other words, the ROI sucked and it became the white elephant. It had to go. With the show gone it leaves one host and venue in the state to dominate the area. Kentucky showing for dressage, and some parts of eventing has become a monoculture.

Not soon after Eventing Connect put out a piece on organizers not stepping up enough to do for competitors.

The timing between the closing and the article struck a small nerve for a variety of reasons, but mostly it's serving as a personal wake up call as an organizer that the business has irrevocably changed. 

I've been on both sides of the fence, as competitor and organizer. I frequently organize large-scale clinics, and I've been apart of show management before (both local and international). I respect that hard decision to cancel or not host. It sucks. However, if it's a choice between fiscal solvency and being a community player, I choose the money.  Every time. 

Because I run large-scale clinics, I'm privy to the numbers and to people's wishes. I'm literately a one man band when it comes to running things.

 

It's a point of huge pride for me to be able to give twenty something people at my largest clinic a goody bag of stuff (valued by the way at: $300-$500 per bag), an even larger point of pride that people; riders, sponsors, staff, facilities come back and invest their dollars into my program, business and trust the quality people I bring in.

 

But at the end of the day, this is a business. I need to earn a living, and at minimum break even, and I'm not shy about saying I need to keep a roof over my head and food on the table.   

If you run the numbers, at minimum to host a recognized show is $8,000 (for reference: large scale international clinics you're looking at closer to $10-20,000, for schooling you're looking at $3,000).

That's $8,000 before a single competitor (or sponsor) steps foot on property. That's your licensing, officials, travel, accommodations, food, prizes, advertising, et all., that an organizer is taking the liability on.

It's a huge gamble to take responsibility of that checkbook.

It takes at minimum, a three month lead up time, and an average of 60-100 hours to pull off a recognized event. Again, before the event ever goes off. That time, an organizer will most likely never see a penny for those hours, or if they do, they make the child labor in India look rather well-off. 

So to break even at a show, at $35 a ride (going price in Kentucky for Intro - 4th level), you need roughly 115 rides over two days (at worse case scenario assuming everyone just does two rides over the two days and no FEI rides). 

This cost and volume has also lead to an increase in schooling shows and the USDF Opportunity Classes, which show a stronger ROI and lower base costs associated with hosting. 

This forfeiture of the dates, alongside of the outrage of "why isn't my show organizer doing more and giving me more free stuff?!" has caused a big community outcry.

Which really makes me wonder, if the show and it's venue was that important- why wasn't there more done on the competitor side to assure the success and helping underwrite the costs of doing business?

Do you want free things in your packet, better ribbons, prizes, et all? Then volunteer to sign on sponsors. A lot of them. Or donate your own money, goods and services to buy the ribbons.

Do you want to help lower show entry fees? Volunteer for any position with management, not just the during show operations. 

You want a friendly, non-stressed out staff? Become apart of it. 

You want more regional/national qualifiers? Organize.

The answer is, and always was if you want the show venue to continue, if you want the organizers to keep organizing, support them. Not with words but with actions. We know we will never be millionaires and a thank you, alongside an appreciative crowd that pays its bills on time, goes a long way to keeping the population in ribbons and scores.

Show business is a business, and businesses aren't run off of wishes, they're run off of numbers and facts. If you want to support the economy of showing, clinics or any event then become an active part of that economy and put your wallet where your wishes are before they become relics of nostalgia.

How quick are you gonna get up?

The season is officially put to rest.

I got back on Thursday evening after I drove home from William Fox-Pitt's clinic that finished the day prior. I can barely remember how Friday was spent, except that I ended up at the barn riding that day and I was happy to be back to some version of normalcy.

With 200 plus people on both days, and some fun situations in between, it was well worth it and I had a blast. But somewhere between the final airport run and getting turned around on Route 50 because of construction traffic, I hit the wall.

I pulled over at an overlook and just sat there for awhile, wondering what I had just done and what it will mean. Probably sat there for a solid 10 minutes just looking out before my phone pinged with people sending on media, Facebook, and emails of congrats (Virginia has sketch signal and I guess things catch up when you stand on top of a hill). I found myself wishing for my horses.

The ponies didn't make the trek with me and earned some time off from the under saddle work. Prior to leaving, they were working really well. But at the clinic I found myself really wanting to ride in what little down hours I had and experiment with what was going on.

The horses didn't mind the absence so much. 

Prior to taking off, Danzador was working a little passage in hand and doing more than a solid training level/first level work, we even schooled a green change here or there. The last day with him was spent trying to find his gear for the lengthening, the horse doesn't quite trust where all his feet go yet, and can only give a solid five steps, but at least it's progress.

The last few days have been spent stretching and just getting him back in gear but yesterday, for giggles, we put him through a trail horse clinic. After the initial snorts and spooks, he became almost bored with the process as he tried to eat the tarp, the flowers, the sparkly confetti things.

As much as I raise dressage horses, they are horses first. They need to be exposed to a bunch of things that make them good citizens. Often times, as riders, we forget that, we try to sterilize the environment to make it safe, when in reality we're only doing ourselves a disservice. I also believe that submission, one of the core tenets of the sport, is first developed on the ground.  What you do there also reflects what's being experienced in the saddle.

I think he's missed the work, and the attention because he's come back looking more mature with a better trot and walk, his canter can be a tad scrambled but he's willing to collect and hold himself together. His walk canters are coming along very smartly. He's ready to do a show very soon.

Sinari's post hock injection work keeps improving, she's way more comfortable in the work and has returned to the level that she was at prior. We're still taking stuff slow, she lost a little bit of fitness due to the compensation she put her body through, but already she's lighter and softer in the bridle, she's not stuck in the back and she's happy about the work.

She's comfortable handling the three's and two's again, and I've been working on cleaning up the pirouette work. It's coming, it's just going to take time. But already she's willing to sit and wait more, just needs the strength. But already things are looking up.

Everything that kills me makes me feel alive

I'm heading down a busy week of travel and riding.

First on the menu is the final prep for William Fox-Pitt's clinic, I'm pushing just over 200 people (riders, sponsors, auditors) for two days- during the week. It's by far and away the largest weekday clinic (if not clinic, Edward Gal was large, but not like this). This means packing the car, coordinating, doing laundry and having barn coverage.

Also during my trip out East I get to meet up with some old hunt friends that I met at Breyerfest in 2012. These guys are awesome and I haven't seen them in two years. So, I'm using this as an excuse to ditch the dressage gear and go have end of the season fun. I have a feeling that I'll be wrangled in to something that goes across country. I also get to see an old high school riding buddy and another few good friends. Either way, I'll be fine, hopefully alive after all of it.

It's also the week I generally start planning travel and shows.

On the docket for 2014 is air tickets to Europe for February to Holland for the KWPN stallion show and also co-oping it into a few other things. I would like to graduate with my L, and campaign the youngsters a little on the East. I will most likely make an stop in Canada at some point as well.

This week is also a heavy week for vet work.

While Danzador is clipped for the next few months, Sinari still needs to be clipped. Normally I'd have this done same day as the others but the one foible about Sinari is that she's petrified of clippers. No amount of coaxing, convincing will ever convince her otherwise. So drugs are necessary. Which means calling the vet out. 

We're going for a two for one special.

After a recent chiro session, we found that Sinari was also hyper sensitive on her hock and hock points.  This is a horse that's in six days a week of work, upper level work and has had joint support throughout her career (a daily oral, and a bi-monthly Adequan until Adequan decided to do some interior decoration of their plant then over to Legend) plus regular body work and has a good farrier. She goes on good footing, has properly fitting tack and everything has been done within reason.

But at 14 the work is hard, and has come time to inject the hocks.

I loathe injecting for the sake of injecting. I've been in barns and situations where the first answer is the needle and not really sourcing the issue (ill fitting tack, questionable footing, lack of development, no support, ect). My vets know this as well, as does the majority of my team that I'd rather avoid doing the unnecessary until options are exhausted and the horse dictates.  

Right now, she's dictating. She's still a little uncomfortable in the work, her normal good changes are sticky, the departs are a little rough going and she's not as fluid over the back. Then after her chiro work, she started telling us directly where it hurt. To make her comfortable for the next few years of competing/training, this is necessary.


After a decade of work, it's time. I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten away with it for so long and to have an honest horse to tell me when it's time. The injections went undramatically.

Danzador is doing exceptionally well, he's maturing into a fabulous young horse and gaining topline and fitness. He's so easy to ride, and as he's expanding his horizons, he continues to really try to figure things out. The other day he started doing changes, while they're green and all over the place he's getting the idea. He also started playing with baby half passes and park a bus in them pirouettes. While I still feel Sinari is smart, this guy is a brainiac sponge.He's just that quick to pick up on things and go for it. It's interesting, and very surreal when you have a horse that at four, can pick up on your mistakes quickly.

Don't want good, don't want good enough

There hasn't been a moment to breathe on my part since last week. Everyone has been training steadily for the last week or so in and out of the arena.

Sinari is doing fabulous. Aside from being due for chiro, she's been doing well with the pony yoga routine. The concentration hasn't been so much the movements, but riding through. Every movement, every transition has to be ridden through, no exceptions, and has to be ridden for an eight.

This, of course, has been a sticking point with the pony because she likes to throw herself around sometimes, but she's getting over it.

We've been working a lot more lateral work, adding power to the half pass, cleaning up my mental fart of a pirouette (which with this past clinic really cleared up some notions and gave a lot of solutions), even the changes are better.I'm slowly starting to get the idea of piaffe, but without mirrors or a confirmed pair of eyes, it's difficult.

About midweek, we took a break from the arena with her, and went out and galloped on ground that had dried out. She clicked off five miles at a solid pace and had recovery time in 10 minutes.I'm exceptionally proud of her fitness, which is making a huge difference in how long we can last in the arena, and in the test. By fall, with the crisp weather we should be cruising very well. 

Last week also marks one month since the bay dorky thing arrived. Danzador has done a lot for a month, and probably has seen more of the Western part of the country than I will in this lifetime.

It's been a busy month for him. Two chiro sessions, pool time, never ending work and very little time off, the poor guy isn't too sure about what he got himself into. 

Though, this week, it's been particularly intense. Danzador has taken the brunt of the time spent in the arena, simply because the weather and footing outside has been atrocious from all the rain, and my schedule and KESMARC's hasn't been meeting up.

Even when we get a reprieve, the footing is still saturated. This past weekend we were cleared to go out on the grass and we clicked off a few laps around the hill, it was fun to get him out and let him roll. His energy is fabulous, much more forward and uphill, and for a four year old, he takes compression with very little fuss.


In the arena, I introduced piaffe/passage work not too long ago and already is seriously latching on to it. He's not 100 percent comfortable in it, and it's a long way to being finished, but the idea of sitting and going uphill has already started to translate into the other gaits and under saddle. He can do about 5-6 steps in hand, which is a lot considering it's been seven days since we initially started toying with the concept and he needs to gain a lot of strength and topline to really develop.

The good news at one month is: he's becoming immensely stronger in the work as well and gaining definition. He's getting a better neck, his back looks fuller, and he's starting to get a hind end. I'm kinda excited about him for next year, considering this year is almost over. We have an outing with him next week, for a materiale class in Ohio.

This week my schedule gets interrupted to go to Hassler Dressage to manage Courtney King Dye's Horsemastership Clinic. It'll be my first time up at Rivers Edge. I'm looking forward to seeing what is a paragon of barn architecture and an epicenter of American dressage. Not to mention I get to hang with cool people. Always a bonus. 

It's time to begin

I know I listed the 2013 goals already, and there are things that are changing, rapidly for the better, hence the amendment in the prior post.

When things are finalized I'll mention, but until then it means that I have a full roster for 2013 and I'm going to need a bigger trailer.

Winter is in full force in Kentucky, and just as the doldrums set in I'm going down to Florida to do some work, and to visit with some friends who I haven't seen in awhile. It will be nice to be in the land of sunshine and sand for three days.

The girls (and boy) are going well.

Reba is doing a lot of lateral work and getting fitter. Ramping up the balance on her isn't difficult at all, she can go zero to FEI balance in 2.5 seconds if I ask, it's keeping it there and keeping her head on her shoulders is the main challenge. She's also still very much not in shape, and will take another three to four months to put on the basic muscling that she needs. She's already svelted up quite a bit and she's gained a lot of topline but for where I want her to go this year, she's going to need to gain a lot more, she's going to need to learn to be more confident in the arena. Where she should begin her season has become a bit of a question mark. I would like her to begin in Florida, but I think the time and money are better spent northward where she would have the extra space to develop into a stronger candidate and I'm also debating about which shows where.

As much as I love training and first levels, I think schooling shows are best for these classes especially in a first year relationship. Her main goal this year is obtaining her Elite Mare Candidacy in the summer inspection tours and it would be complete icing to take her out at Third. But we'll see.

Sinari is working terrific, if not a bit out of shape due to the holiday and winter scheduling. She recently had the dentist out, and is back in full swing with a lot of Dover's and Hoffmann's work outs (that canter pirouette to walk pirouette to canter pirouette is seriously kicking butt), and we're up to five one's, some pi/pa stuff and getting things otherwise cleaned up. I'm really rooting for this to be a big year for her, and I think she'll shine. I'm aiming her for a fourth level test when we're both down in Florida later this year to complete out the Silver.

Sincere has been an absolute rock star with Lauren Neathry. I sent him on before the holiday to start back, and by jove, he loves his job. He walk, trots, and is very much building stamina in his canter. He's already hacking out confidently on the new property and doing some small jumps. Super pony. He is seriously going to take someone somewhere, and I'll put my money on a CCI* or a meter class or two in the jumpers when he's mature. There's not a 'no' in his mind and he's very chipper about his career. 

In the meantime, it's laundry and pack and prepare for the very early start of the season.  Just sent all the dry cleaning out, and my show bag has been hung to start putting the 2013 supplies in it.

The High Cost of Education

I don't frequent message boards, but recently there was a thread in the COTH that made me take a long pause.

It was about why clinicians and clinics are so expensive and why clinicians charge so much for their day fees.

I make no bones about my occupation. I host and organize clinics.

Actually, a lot of clinics (in the vicinity of 20-30 a year, across North America some public, some private), all handled through a professionally managed LLC, not my personal bank account.

A lot of clinics with a lot of good people from all over the world (Ulf Moeller, Christoph Hess, Edward Gal, Shannon Peters, Lendon Gray to name a few).

I really count myself lucky to be a side benefactor to playing host. I'm paid fairly well to do a job that is just easy for me, I meet my heroes, I get to hang with some seriously cool people, and I help people achieve their goals. If there's a glass of wine in there, it's a bigger perk.

Yes, I occasionally ride depending on who it is, where it is (I'm not driving my trailer to California), expectations for the clinician (Ulf only wanted young horses), and where I'm at in my training with the horse (bucking bronco is not worth it).


Do I make a million bucks? No. But the education, the people and being in the community has been priceless. It's opened a lot of doors.

All in all, I do it because I believe that education, shouldn't be closed door and everyone should have access on some scale to quality instruction. Everyone should benefit. My advertised clinics are and will always be open to the public with very few strings attached (three tenets: 1. Pay on time. 2. Show up on time and give it your best effort. 3. No assholes).

And as froofy as this sounds: people should be inspired to a greater level. I believe being in an environment that demands quality only makes you rise to that level.

But education, at any level, isn't cheap.

Neither is the associated expenses of hosting and bringing people to the physical location. This all costs money and is a huge fiscal responsibility.

As much as I try to be fair in the pricing to clients and to everyone, I still cringe at putting it out. I still worry about my clients traveling in good distances for what amounts for two days of really intensive training. I still worry about fill and fill rate, I still ham through the details.

While there are good, regular, teachers abound (I still train locally) and I will always say go with the person you're most comfortable with, get to regularly and can fiscally afford, the very best in the world cost especially if you have ambitions to eventually reach their level or step up your game.

But what constitutes the price per ride?

Among factors: you're paying for their time, expertise and teacher's ability to help. You're paying for potential networking time/sale, the wear and tear on a facility, the staff that has to take care of the teacher's horses while away, the staff that takes care of your horse and the facility while you're here, the insurance and a number of other items. You're subsidizing my efforts putting it all together and the fiscal liability factor.

Everyone needs to share their fair share of the costs.


But, if you want to clock out the math here we go:

Average theoretical budget for a US based clinician for two days, locally:

$3,000 (for two days of education by a rider/coach that is actively competing internationally)
$   500  (flight)
$   300 (food for three days)
$   600 (arena)
$   100 (insurance) 
$   300 (hotel, if you don't have a spare room or house)
$   300 (gas for transport for yourself as you gallivant across the county for three days)
------------------------------
$5,100 -- Total

Now take that number and divide by the allowable number of participants, which is usually 8-10 over two days. Divide by 16 as your BEP.

$5,100/16 = $318.75 a lesson. Round to $320.

If you noticed one thing missing- its accountability for your time.

You know, the time you take to contact the clinician and negotiate dates, the time to email/call/sky write people/organizations to tell them about the clinic, the advertising that you have to do, handling the last minute add/drops, the coordination between you, the facility, the camera dude, the photographer. The time setting up the arena, inspecting things, arranging flight and accommodation, asking for payments, et all. Never mind the time spent physically on location making sure details are attended to. Or the time you have to take off from your regularly paying job or horses to do this. 

You're looking at about 30 hours of work for one, two day event.

This is the reality of a clinic and of a sport that is growing in a world that is more expensive to live in.

I'm not bemoaning it, or complaining (I'm right down in the trenches with you on this), but what I am asking is this: if you can't afford it, don't pick apart something that is benefiting a community and helping riders grow in their own personal path. If you want to contribute, host, do something that helps people in this capacity.

It's only when we really truly respect each other and stop trying to put our personal vendetta/petty justifications on each other do we progress as a sport and grow as a community. 

Turkey trotting (or 300 posts later)

I've been kinda quiet lately, namely because things, as usual are busy despite having no shows to attend to, and just coming off a two day clinic with Ulf Moeller and a trip up and down the East Coast (I think I did roughly 3,000 miles round trip) and then turning around and hosting Robert Dover plus planning a few fun projects for the Florida season next year. I'm very excited for the new year.

Like fall, things are changing, hopefully for the better. I have a few long term projects coming to fruition and others that are finally being put to rest. Either way, it's been a long climb this year with great moments and not-so great moments.

For two, very nice Indian Fall weeks, I was at home with my family and horses celebrating the holiday. After my last wandering into the yonder, I'm at home for, get this, a solid five weeks. I'm ecstatic.

The phone was mostly put on quiet throughout the holiday (alright we were playing Words with Friends) and I got to ride consistently and sleep in my own bed. This, and a stocked fridge, nothing really makes me happier.

Really, I am lucky to have this life, and while it isn't always wonderful, I'm thankful for the ability and support to pursue this path, for the horses that have come into my life, and for the people that continuously teach me.

Drive by

Normally, I'm a Sunday blogger. Sunday's are my day away from the barn where I get my laundry, house and billing done. I also get a coveted day of sleeping in to 8am and taking my morning coffee, with whip cream, on the couch (you can stop laughing now).

For the last three weeks I have been waking up at 5 or 6 am to do things. I don't regret it, in fact a lot of it was necessary, but by the end of last week I was more fried than anything. To the point where a vodka and cranberry sounded really good and turning off my phone felt fantastic. But I had one more push before I could really rest. 

Friday was the final edit for the Run Henny Run website that I retooled for Peter Atkins. I met Peter July last year through Jim Koford at the July Dressage at Lexington show. Peter, who is a great rider and a brilliant natural marketing guy, isn't so clever about his web presentation.

After that show Peter and I kept touch, and eventually I made it down to slow-cala to stay at his place where we really started sculpting the website. 

The end product is based off the iWeb platform, and will be switching over to another, more flexible one, but it's definitely better than the 1996 Geocities look that it was sporting. While the push was in the afternoon, I was pretty much spent after a full day at work. But I am very proud of that work and of the team it reps.

Speaking of, please go visit and support Peter and his chance to go to Badminton.

But because of the whacky schedule I carried last week, this week was a bit of a leftover.

Sinari is starting to regain much of the strength that we backed away from, the tools and exercises from the clinic have really helped in giving me a way to get myself settled and make things much easier on the girl. The suggested positioning in my body has really given me twice as much power with her especially in the lateral work. The collection that we felt in Florida is returning, and the half halt has been re-established. The trot work feels really fantastic.

I've decided to forgo the April show for a late May. I know this wasn't apart of the plan (I really wanted a PSG test at Kentucky) but really what is these days?

What also made us forego the April date was shedding season. It's out of control. The weather has caused most of the horses to shed either rapidly or get rain rot. So most of those working right now are half bald or really patchy, Sinari included.

Speaking of hairy things, Sincere is set to come back to civilization April 15. Can't wait!

Welcome to Oz

In Kentucky, the weather can go from blistering to sub zero in a span of a half hour. Within 15 minutes, we can go from tornadoes, hail, and flash flooding to rainbows, sunshine, partially cloudy and 65. This week alone we were in the high 70's and then dropped to 50's from a torrential storm.

Really, this weather is for the birds.

Because of the tornadoes there wasn't a heck of a lot of riding done and because of the travel (six time zones in a single week, plus clinic this weekend, so no rest for the wicked), there was more rail birding than actual saddle time. Which leaves both of us in a bind for the upcoming schedule of stuff and behind the eight ball for actual training.

This time last year we were in a similar corner, only less fit and on a different level entirely. Now I feel a huge amount of pressure to produce and go farther.

So I feel very much at a loss as to what to do for April's entry to the first show. Part of me wants to push back until late May, giving time to re-address the issues and the other part wants to jump in and just do it, and get through with it.

I feel like we've lost a lot of compression and sit over the last two weeks to the point where the pir's feel sticky. The half steps at the trot feel alright. But overall (and more truthfully) it was one crappy ride after another. It was becoming a serious bummer.

Enter one James Houston.

James comes from the same family tree as Jim Koford. The two have known each other for years and have worked alongside each other pretty extensively. Until this weekend I only knew him by proxy and probably still would if Koford didn't get the nod to go do World Cup. But life has a funny way of pointing you to the right people.

The first day I was still mentally checked out, we worked a lot on me, my position, and just had a 45 minute stretch session with the mare. In my push the collection, I forgot about the entire picture. Despite audience, it was a no pressure session. Just get unlocked and it was exactly what I needed.

Second day we picked up where we left off. It was seriously interesting to get his perspective from the driving world (he formally coached four in hands) and totally got the pony's driving background. Some minor adjustments here and there, and we were back to our old happy selves. Even got to show off a little and not look like total morons.

He's a seriously laid back instructor with a positive attitude and quick eye to make fine adjustments that have huge impacts on the horse. But what I appreciate the most is his honesty to get to the core cause of the problem and not BS the situation or the horse.

Thankfully, he'll be back in April. Until then we have our work cut out for us.

February:
-Compression: there and lost it.
-Half Steps: there but not there.
-Fitness: better, she's now on her spring diet.
-Changes: good, but needs more wait.
-Roll through 4-2, PSG: Negatron.
-Compression, rotation: Better. Should be much more comfortable now that she's had some work done on her.

March:
-Compression
-Changes
-Roll through 4-2 and PSG
-Rotation
-Soft connection

Shameless promotion: James Houston Clinic

For those interested and/or in the area, James Houston is coming to Lexington, Kentucky.

James is an FEI rider and trainer, who has ridden for Silver Wood Farms (Art Deco, Sympatico, Hall of Fame), has helped out numerous riders of all disciplines up the ladder. His students encompass everyone from adult amateurs to professionals, from FEI horses (eventing and dressage) to young horses.

I think this is a nice opportunity for people who want a low-key clinic to prep up for the first few shows of the season with a rider who has a good eye for not just riding a test, but really addressing and fixing issues.

Rides are $145, open to everyone.

Interested people should get in touch with me at: tempichange@hotmail.com or 859/699-7383

Eyes up on the horizon

I hate packing.

The only thing worse is driving.

I did both a lot as a student, and eventually had it down to a science. Packing came down to three big boxes and a few minor bags. Driving came to don't stop until you run out of gas.

Packing for horses is a little different, especially when crossing state lines. I thankfully have people in Florida who are making the transition that much easier, helping me find good sources for bedding and general supplies, giving me tips (like bring your own hay) along the way. But it also means counting pennies.

The hard part is the 30 days prior to take off when all organizational hell breaks loose, especially when you're trying to get your horses conditioned and your barn packed up not just once, but twice.

Sinari is getting her traveling shoes back on. She is being moved again prior to going to Florida, just as a way to leg up for the up coming season. Between that it's a clinic with Koford, my trip to Wellington and a number of other things as well. I need to get the vet out next week to do some clipping, chiro work, fresh coggins and I think a few miscellaneous pack items.

Sincere is going to his wintering grounds to grow up a bit before being brought back as a three year old. I'm really excited about him coming under saddle again.

I hate splitting the herd up, it's very hard not getting to see him every day or play with him. I enjoy seeing both, but for now, he belongs outside in a herd to grow up.

It's finally December and we're down to the last 30 something days on the calendar year. I don't know where November went at all, it's actually hard to imagine that it felt like September two weeks ago. 

November goals:
-Fit and hack out
Check, as many times as I could with the weather.
-Clip
No.
-Winterize trailer, small welding project and lay mats down
No.
-Continue with 30 days
Finished, with flying colors.
-Work lateral work
Check, I think we lost our half halt
-Prepare for Florida
Check. Preparations are well under way.

December:
-Condition, fit and hack out
-Clip
-Clinic in TN
-Pack

Little lion man

April is the cruelest month, said T.S. Elliot, but I don't think he's lived in Kentucky in March.

Between a basketball-obsessed town (local team made it to the Final Four) and the weather, sometimes things just don't work out to plan.

Came home from Stephen's clinic and we hit the ground at first with a stumble then a solid run. The pony didn't want to leave her vacation spot, Sincere wanted to help in assisting to catch the pony, and I spent a solid hour walking up and down hills, much to my behind's amusement. 

We worked a solid three days this week (with the intent of doing four) and Sinari felt great, reeling off changes, doing consistent, difficult lines and getting good works in. Zero tension. Then the temps tanked and like the water on the ground, her back froze and everything that she could do, went underground. 

No bueno.

She feels prepared to see Christoph again, but not prepared enough to show what she really knows. Either way it will be a learning experience and I should have interesting video to post here.

HeLlo HeLlo

It's the wee early hours of the morning (alright it's 7am after the time change) and the weather has been too nice to stay inside. So no blogging.

The week was busy to say the least, between three clinics (Stephen Bradley this week, Christoph next and two weeks after Debbie McDonald) to execute and prepare for, finding riders, creating media campaigns, attending the L program, riding and that pesky thing called a day job it's hard for a girl to catch a break.

Last week I went up to Ohio to finish out the B session of the L program. Everything went well and all participants, from my experience had a good time. These sessions only serve to improve the community and create better future judges. We went through the entire scale and the use of marks. Plus there was also a lot of side discussion of judge fetishes. In the end, I came home ready to work again. There is something strange about the effect the program has on me, it creates the expectation that if I am to judge then it's my responsibility to ride the test as physically as best I can.

The pony is doing fantastically for coming back into fitness. We worked thoroughly on bending and quality of movement through short periods of time. Sessions maybe, at most last a half hour at this point before she's tired. She is still a little sticky in the walk-canter transitions.

In two weeks we have Christoph Hess (I Judge) coming to view us and eight of our closet friends and then maybe the Debbie McDonald clinic.

The world on a string

I'm slowly waking up. This week was a blur of last minute appointments, hand shakes and clean up.

It's day five of WEG, and I'm in the thick of it. I'm sitting in the hacienda-styled IALHA booth. I've made a few friends, and caught up with people that I haven't seen in awhile.

The booth sits across and adjacent to the Parelli and Lyons booths has actually been interesting. Both are very nice individuals, and offer fellow vendors coffee almost every morning. No Kool-Aide yet.

The horse community is my extended family of sorts, while we may not share the same DNA, we occasionally share the same dysfunctional and addictions.

Life isn't too bad here.

The bus (amazingly) runs on time and is a great drop off location. There is a huge variety of people and things do to, daily.  And, yes, while prices are very high (minus the Bit of Britain people who are amazingly cheap), I think the general feeling is a happy one among the visitors.

The equine village is huge, and the Alltech experience is by far amazing. The only thing I have to really fault is that they need to develop more variety of their already outstanding line of beer.

The place is literally a candy land for horse people and I'm sorry for those who are missing it, I'm also sorry my time here is short.

Although short, it's busy.

I also got to chat to the heads of the GOV, to catch up with breeding news and to ask them their opinions about the ponies in question. We'll be attending inspection next year barring a few items on the agenda. I've talked to potential sponsors, talked to potential clinicians and venue sites. I've also caught up with the current ones to say thanks and to keep them in the loop of things.

I literally have walked about 15 to 20 miles.

It also means I haven't seen too much of the ponies lately. I know Sincere is alive and well, Sinari is being ridden infrequently at best. Which, doesn't surprise me (considering schedule) and also disappoints. I was hoping to use the week off from work to bring her back more consistently. We are cleared to canter, we are cleared to go back to quasi-normal work, it's just been a pill as far as scheduling a ride.

Otherwise, it's been a great adventure so far and I can't wait to continue it.

Grace be with thee

If you asked me ten years ago what I would be doing in 2010, I would tell you I would be riding, and be in the north east. I would have told you Germany would still be earning gold medals and the US would still be an alright team. I would have told you I would have been a professional something-or-other and an Adult Amateur.

I would have been fine, if not accepting of this.

I moved to the south east for university, not expecting to stay, but ended up staying. I ended up working as a staff writer, an editor, a website developer and photographer. I found Amazon to actually pay. I found a pony, and lost the horses. The Dutch team came to power, and has remained there. World breeding has improved, and we now have amazing individuals. There is even a large event in my backyard on occasion.

With the start of Team EnGaged and the evolution of the 2010, 2011 roster I feel more than blessed with my team, the teachers, the trainers, and the opportunities that have developed for this region. I feel privileged to be one of its stewards to help guide and shape it for coming years. I feel honored to have met, and learn, from the very best.

While I can give some insightful report to Edward's clinic, I'm going to leave that to the auditors and the pundits. What I will tell you is he is the real deal.

Above anything else, yesterday, I was reminded grace exists. That community, no matter how battered, still is able to ban together and create new foundation and that the occasional risk does pay off.

I cannot thank the individuals enough who had made that day special in my mind and others. Let us continue building, and growing. Let us continue to celebrate education, and our accomplishments. Together, we can move forward.

Don't make much of it

The loading series of Legend is over, and we have one more of Adequan to finish off the series.

The change has been remarkable. Her gaits have amplified, she's gained about 7 to 10 pounds of muscle in all the right, hard to develop places.

The gaits and more importantly, the level of comfort within the work has notched up as well. Which makes me very happy.

The last few weeks were dedicated to solidifying the basics for the upcoming Christoph Hess clinic, and it's paid off. The more recent sessions have included working on the fours with the occasional threes, starting quicken the half pass to include rapid changes of bend, more definitive half steps/passage transitions, and the ever elusive pirouettes.

Ah, pirouettes the bane of my current existence.

It's not that I dislike the movement, it's just conceptually hard for me to size them correctly.

Sizes run large and currently entering the next county. It's not that we can't do small ones, it's just we haven't done them, and the concept of space in a 20x60 meter box on a 900 pound pony can be skewed.

Meanwhile, Sinari, for the most part gets them when I conceptually sort things out. Go figure that the pony read the manual before I did.

Because the pirouettes are becoming better, everything else (the canter on the spot, and the cousin of the pir, the half pass) is benefiting from the attention to the little topsy movement.

My current favorite workout exercise is the half pass to centerline to pirouette at the canter to a single or if we're feeling particularly great to a line of fours.

I think we're prepared as prepared can get for this.

This upcoming week promises already to be more than active with last minute preparations and moving about. Did I mention my work schedule now runs from 6am to 2:30pm to avoid the heat? I wonder if I'll survive till Thursday.

I cannot grow old in Salem's lot

I finally got a chance to catch up here.

It was a whirlwind tour of clinics, photographs and other things that have landed across my desk all at once. Not to mention the regular work, taking care of the ponies and making sure that the laundry (an ongoing battle at my place) is getting done.

First, the Stephen Bradley clinic went off wonderfully. I met dedicated riders, exquisite facility and fantastic horses. Not to mention the technician himself- Stephen Bradley, the most down to earth individual you'll ever meet. We will be having him back on a quarterly basis. So, if you event, come join us for a good time.

The photo on the left is from the second day.  But you can check out our facebook page here for more photos and to check out the upcoming events.

Sinari has been gaining more and more consistency over the past few days. Consistency has always been an elusive for us, some weeks are better than others, and having strings of good ones can be rare sometimes. But we've changed a few things. Acupuncture is a huge part of it but we've started on a new course of stuff that is really making the difference. Can't be happier at the moment. I'll post photos to illustrate the difference soon.

Sincere too has worked into his new digs and is continuing on in education. But he's standing butt-high at the moment and I'm just trying to ignore the gangling weed in the yard.

Edward Gal is in my backyard.

When I was young, on of my online friends and I used to try to guess what we'd be doing if we had the cahones to ride at the top. I said train and work with the best.

About 10 years later, the cosmic joke is on me.

I work in and around the very best the industry has to offer. I've worked with super-cool judges, riders and trainers from around the world.

I've learned a lot while helping others learn as well. While I may not have the best horse of the group, it's helped us all signifigantly.

In short, it's a sweet gig.

But nothing was cooler when I got the email from Nicole Werner of Stal Werner-Gal confirming that Gal will be clinicing for Team EnGaged on September 18th.

This is a limited rider clinic, five rides with some of the best up-and-coming pairs in the nation (the rest will be just down the road at WEG).

Yes, we are allowing auditors. Get your tickets in fast, I don't imagine that they will stay long when word gets out. For those who can't make it, it will be live webcasted.

Taking it a step further- we're holding a benefit raffle for the Para Equestrian Team, with sweet schwag from our various sponsors.  Stay tuned for schwag deals.

I look forward to seeing a few of my blog readers there.

If you want a revolution, evolve.

The week prior to Rolex is always the hardest. I'm on call for the event to cover the event, and this year we had massive freezes.

The karma was well rewarded- I not only experienced excellent shopping, I picked up a number of potential sponsors along the way for the Team. I'm happy.

The week lent itself to a lack of riding, so when my partner and I hosted our kickoff clinic with Patience Prine-Carr and a rider dropped at last minute, the pony took the spot (company perk). I felt horrible for not preparing. Thanks to Lindsay and company the pony got there, in style and was warmed up for Saturday.

To make the situation more interesting, we're trying out a new saddle, and it was my first serious ride.

The first day was a tuning day. Patience had us ride in and out transitions and ultra forward canter and trot sets to get rid of the up and down pony trot. Patience is on par with everything. By the end of day one, we had crisper in and out transitions and clarified the changes.

Second day we switched to the double, I wanted Patience to see Sinari in this, and some of the problems. Thankfully due to the expectation laid down the stoppy-ness has stopped. She worked mostly lateral work, going to mediums in haunches in and shoulder in and half pass to working pir's to counter canter. Patience also gave us numerous exercises to play with. She also said the pony is getting too whip smart about the changes and I should go do more counter canter work for flexibility and carrying power. Sinari also needs to work on flexibility. I need to work on my position.

In the end, FEI is getting more and more in reach. Give us six weeks and we should be schooling in the sixties at PSG. But it's not easy.