Mountain at my gate

Summers are a balance between financials and goals. 

On one hand you have the pursuit of goals, hours are spent at home riding, plotting, planning from early in the year. 

On the other hand your wallet screams in pain at every rip of the check book when the vet, farrier, coach, voodoo priestess, nomination, registration, show/clinic entry comes along. 

It's a nice relationship. They play, I pay.

My team and I have started a little later for our qualifiers, and this year the big goal is the USEF Four Year Old Finals in August. 

The calendar year for qualifying is short, and not every show counts for scores. There is only one qualifying class in the entire show and you need two scores, preferably three. 

 On top of this you have to count for growth spurts, horses doing stupid things to themselves, weather, crazy judge panels and a few other things. 

I'm also notoriously choosy about shows. Having been to the majority of grounds in the U.S., I know what I like and what I don't like. I also know since it's my money that I'm bleeding I get to make that decision. 

Our first qualifier is later than expected, Kentucky was a nice stepping stone but with young horses and KHP you never know what you're going to bring out. We were lucky that it went well on a basic level for materiale. 

Two weeks later there was another semi local qualifier that we passed on due to footing, panel and prep time. 

Instead, we traveled to Tryon over Majestic (six hour drive versus an hour) for better footing and a better panel. It's also the last score Fahrenheit needs for HOY materiale. 

The facility, which is new, is beautiful. You cannot really want for anything out there. The stalls are

great, matted, with fans. They lead out directly to the arenas. There is a dedicated horse path that takes you around the property and there are shaded wash racks. Live scoring, shopping, restaurants  and accommodation on site. If you live locally, you can haul in and out and work off the trailer for the day. It makes showing much more easy. 

They're still expanding. A new covered arena is developing, the cross country course for AECs is finalizing. You can see direction and joyfully, logic, for competitors and spectators. 

The show itself for us was a mixed bag. The first day was brilliant, Fahrenheit scored beyond expectations, a 79,9 with a giddy judge panel that confirmed what we've always known- he's a horse with a stellar future. They gave us things to work on.

 The materiale was better but, the score wasn't reflected, we still out scored the other horse by a solid 10 percentage points, but it brought our average down. Sitting second in the nation isn't such a bad thing especially given who is leading. 

The next day we were all exhausted. Between running around getting the truck fixed on the road, showing, socializing, strange beds all week (I shifted houses since my air conditioning broke and it was 100 degree heat index) and scheduling things, we made a calculated error in over warming him up. He lost the electric sparkle but still put in an obedient, quality test for a middle of the pack placing with a fair yet tough international panel. Impressively he still scored a 7,9 on the canter work. 

We are a bit bummed by not achieving that one goal this year, but really at the end of the day it's about producing an FEI horse. He will easily be that. 

Also in perspective we achieved something in 90 days of work (you're average horse has had about a year of under saddle time doing this program and has at least three shows already this year) that stood up to a good standard, it was a positive experience for him and for us and we're into our second year of producing from gate to arena. 

We're thrilled about the initial successes and what's coming down the pike, we got home safe, and the horse had a positive experience. You can't ask for much more.

Perhaps then it's a bit ironic and bittersweet that because we do so well in developing, that they sell well. 

It was exactly three days after the show, that a professional came in looking for her next Grand Prix horse and scooped him up. It's an excellent match, and she clearly adores him and will do a fabulous job and we're excited and pleased. 

But it means, as usual that we begin again. It's the nature of sales and young horses that we always start over and there is a lack of permanence in the barn. But we're not for wanting, there are two new horses coming in, one sales, one long term horse, and my breeders are breeding or buying more with their now consistent income from the work from my team. 

Flair is still being aimed for Fall shows and the IBOP, so I'm not without a ride. However, the barn will feel a little emptier and a bit more quiet that the goofy German chestnut is gone. 

I spent a lot of nights on the run

It's been a few months since an update happened here.

It's not because there isn't anything going on, it's actually the opposite. Myself and my team have been busy, and to the point where I just didn't have time to update. 

Spring is here, and that means a lot of things in this region. It mostly means that we've stepped up to a full week of training, that foals are being born, dams are being rebred, horses are being sold, and the rigs remained fully hitched to go places. 

It's been a lovely blur. 

May we started back out showing. 

First up was the Spy Coast Young Horse Series, a show that I've come to love and really appreciate as a relaxed starter for my guys. We brought everyone out except Flair (who aged out of contention this year), and came away with qualified horses, ribbons, highpoint and cash. 

We then turned to Kentucky Dressage Association's Annual.  

This has been a staple in the community for 30 years, and I occasionally come to play there. It's my way of catching up with people, saying hello, and getting to sleep in my own bed at the end of the day, which if you travel the circuit, you come to really appreciate. 

It's not my favorite to bring untested young horses out since the atmosphere can be too intimidating, but we took Fahrenheit out for just a materiale class. 

The problem is that both Mike and I couldn't ride. Mike had to have some unexpected time off (he's fine), and my allergies had become so bad I had to carry an epipen incase I went into some weird attack or had a reaction to whatever happened to be in the air. 

So, I asked a favor and got a nice junior rider to pilot him instead. With four rides, he confidently put 

out a great result (78,9 and 81,5), and handled everything that the Kentucky Horse Park threw at him.    We're now focused on USEF Four Year Old Qualifiers at Tryon, Dressage at Lexington and a sale. 

Then there's Flair, who has become savant-like with work. On great days, she gives you changes (right to left is fab, left to right is... interpretive), piaffe/passage work, working pirouettes, walk pirouettes, super lateral work; and on the bad days well... the walls take a beating. 

She went in front of JJ in April and we've been taking semi regularly lessons off the farm.  It's been a tremendous amount of help in developing her since it's been a bit of time since my last young horse and my expectations have undoubtably changed. 

But putting it in perspective is that she's only been under tack for a grand total of a year. She's vastly 

changed from the Alberta Brown Cow to a lovely, modern sport horse.  

This year she has IBOP on the menu and I would really like to get her out at third if we can get our acts together.  

Then there's the steady drippings of sales, and looking at prospects. Already this year two have sold sight unseen. Justus SSM (Diamond Stud/Flemmingh/Ferro) and Mirage CBF (Balta C'zar) sold pretty quickly to their respective homes. 

My contacts in Germany are already looking at another young horse to come in, I have another client wanting to breed mares, and then there's another partnership in the works with another nice, young, horse, which will be sorted as soon as everything else gets sorted out. 

As for the rest of the year, Tryon will play a pivotal role as to if we pursue the rest of the Young Horse classes, or if we go more for the HOY items. Then there's the year end things of Inspection and Keuring, with no less than two or three to attend to in the fall, and the fall clinic schedule to host. 

Lean On

The last few weeks have been the stretch run of summer. It's the quiet lull of the routine between shows, clinics and events that make the days drone on. Every day is a little like Groundhogs Day. I live in the same twenty meter space or out in the same wide open field.  Every day, the same, but a little different.

Mostly the weather hasn't cooperated in our favor. It's rained about 3/4's of the summer, and when it hasn't rained the fields have become utter slop.

Thankfully, the season is over half way done. 

Still on the girls' docket is KWPN Keuring, Devon and maybe Tryon YHS if the calendar leans toward it and if we feel like traveling out again.

The KWPN Keuring has been the first priority in the books.

Both mares are putting the finishing touches on the IBOP test and working in hand. There are some other minor details to take care of but, those can only be taken care of over time or at last minute. The difficulty of Keuring isn't it's just a one and done deal, and if you flop it there's very little chance of a good re-do. It's a lifetime impression. So I'm pretty bent on creating this solid impression for both horses.

Despite my worries for the Keuring, I'm so thoroughly happy with how both girls have developed this year. It positions us really well for for 2016, and focusing us on the young horse things. 

Flair has begun the transition to becoming my main horse. I'm having a blast just starting up with her. Most of the rides have been comprised of just stretching over the topline and getting used to her gaits which aren't together yet. Like every green horse, they loose balance, speed up, slow down or become disconnected over the back. She's no exception.  I enjoy her work ethic, which is outstanding, she gives you 110 percent every time out. 

Haiku has gone through growth spurt after growth spurt. With the Keuring approaching I just have to put blinders on somedays and hope that she doesn't look downhill and like a mule. In her growth, she's put on a full hand and at least 100lbs of topline in the hind end. Her weight looks great. I wish she would gain some width in the chest, but I think that will be given with time.

Still I know I'm being picky, for a three year old she's very much ahead of her group. I'm lucky to get to view other US based three year olds frequently, many of which aren't started or in any shape to be started.

Over the past weekend we went out and trained with Elly Schobel, who came by to teach over two days. Elly, aside from being a good friend,  is an excellent teacher with a very straightforward approach that is rooted in producing good basics. She's very good with not just with the mature horses, but has a really solid view of what young horses are. Plus we jive well.

Having a fresh on the mares was really important to me- simply because I see the same horses day in and out and sometimes the training becomes plateaued or I'm getting stuck in an approach. Despite having the August 30 outing on our calendar, Elly encouraged us to keep focusing in on the smaller details while focusing in on the larger picture at hand. Even in the arena, I forgot that we could change things up with different little gymnastic exercises to focus in on making the bodies more reactive.

Overall, things are cooking and in spite of my personal opinion things are progressing once again. 

Tough skin, Elastic Heart

Bringing out young horses is always an adventure, and much like Forrest Gump's saying, it's much like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.

Flair has been off the property in an unofficial capacity a few times. She gone to the local parks, went and did opportunity classes at the little show venue, and even has done materiale over at Spy Coast.  For the most part, she's done very well.  Not everyone can say with 30 or so rides that they have a fairly straightforward horse that goes places and scores decently.

I can confidently say, we do.

Sometime around June I felt it was necessary to take her out to her first recognized show to start giving her an official record. I'm always nervous about this because developmentally, she's still on a huge learning curve and not every place is a good place to take a horse like this out.

Venues are really important to me, and I'm known for being particular about where/how I show up.

The Virginia Horse Park isn't too far off from the Kentucky Horse Park in the way of atmosphere- it's large, with active arenas. But unlike Kentucky, it's fairly quiet and the riders who ride there are mostly professionals bringing out their kids or gaining scores for Devon or Young Horse Championships. It runs an active breed show alongside it. The footing is decent and the management does a great job hosting and running the event itself.

It was an ideal match and I wasn't disappointed with the results.

Flair, through torrential rain, deep footing, wind, kamikaze pony riders,  twirling umbrellas of doom and arena switches was unfazed and managed to pull out a solid score at Training one, ending third in a class of 12 experienced horses.

It was good to be back after a hiatus. It was good to see familiar faces and be in the fold again and I'm looking forward to eventually getting back myself.

Back at home the focus has shifted to the Keuring in August. I love inspection and there's a certain amount of pride this year going in. 

First is that Haiku is peaking just right for this. She's fit, and cooking right along in training. She's now regularly going off property, and is doing regular work. 

Flair with now about 45 or so rides is developing her gaits while maintaining her usual rideability. Over the next few weeks, the IBOP test is our biggest focus. Making it smooth and rideable without loosing the quality of the paces. 

Between rounds with Flair, I've begun to take back the ride. I finally got tired of sitting on the sidelines and so we have begun transitioning her over to me. She now rides five to six days per week. Three days is spent on new concept, three days are spent just stretching and the final day is either a lunge or hack day. 

Either way, we're over halfway through season, with one, maybe two more shows left in addition to keuring.

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.

On the road again

For the last two years, my summers have been relatively quiet.

Yes, we did travel a little bit, taking trail rides and going to clinics; but for the most part my herd and myself were homebodies.

It was for a variety of reasons. Sinari needed to then concentrate on the GP work, Danzador needed to grow up (or get over cellulitus) and the dynamic duo of Flair and Haiku weren't around yet. The homefires were strong and the trailer was regulated to it's parking place at the house.

The homefires are put out and we're already off to a running start for the summer season. The season is steadily going forward with the girls working about six days a week, and trying to keep the appointments on schedule.

The trailer this year has barely been unpacked and remains a consistent fixture on my hitch some weeks. Good, bad and otherwise, I've missed the travel. 

Flair, for now, going out more frequently than Haiku, who had some unintended time off due to rolling in an ant pile. Both girls are again steadily progressing within the work. It's amazing how far they've come.

I know I'm bias, but Haiku is just flat out pretty and exceptionally mature looking for the age. I was so lucky to have found her and receive the backing to bring her along. While I'm itching for a four year old bid with her, I know that she will probably sell by the end of this year.

Flair who has been nothing but a joy to bring along, is more of a power ballad than anything else. She's my cup of tea. She has about thirty or so rides under tack and already has a steady balance point with a very powerful canter. Sometimes she just doesn't know where to put everything, but at the same time, she comes out and works 110 percent everyday.

The focus for both mares really has been the materiale and to see if we could make them land in the year end standings, and then later in August, the IBOP at the KWPN keuring tour in Indiana. We have been focusing on the tests, and ultimately it's where we will most likely end up this fall.

This July we're heading out of state to do one of my favorite dressage shows- Dressage At Lexington (just Flair, Haiku is staying home). I missed this show for the last two years for a variety of reasons. But namely just didn't have a horse peaking at the right time to send over.

Because of the required three scores, from three different judges from three different shows the goal to land in the year end awards is a tricky one.

The problem that we're facing with the materiale is that the majority of shows do not have it, or if they do have it, it's not being judged by sport horse breeding judges, which leaves us with some weird feedback or the class being judged more as a dressage test. So that leaves us scrambling for the scores on a local level (more oddly the new local USDF BC qualifying breed show doesn't have a materiale?) and spending more miles on the road.

Flair's schedule is Dressage at Lexington, Dressage at Devon and one more TBD show (either Virginia or Ohio). Haiku's is tentatively Devon, and then probably the Ohio shows. We are invited to the Spy Coast Championships (non rated), and most likely will qualify for the USDF BC in the Midwest. But doubt that we will attend simply because of the timing of the clinics I host and that I feel that we need to reserve the horses for Winter.   

If this was five years ago, there wouldn't be so much travel. But the economy and several other factors have really done away with the shows.

Breed shows, no pun intended, are a dying breed. They're expensive boutique shows that are highly contingent on economics, how good the organizer is, timing and how liquid/available the young horse market is. 

The other problem we're facing is time.

The normal season runs from October to September. Which, if you have an older horse doing tests isn't bad. You have plenty time to gain your necessary scores and qualifiers.

However the focus with the young horses, it becomes tricky because of the some of the age requirements (you have to be 36 months to be allowed in the materiale-- which leaves the the population starting to show in May/June/July), and the majority of the breed shows are either late summer (read: very hot, very flat horses) or fall (cutting it close to the deadline).

If your focus is the Young Horse Championships, like what ours will be come next year, qualifiers run from January to July, due to World Young Horse Championships. You also have to declare no later than April and then guard your average and hope that you make it to the top ten or get shipped out.

Combine with lets say, having a bad winter, inevitable growth spurts, real life items on your to-do list, getting training so you have guidance in development and your season gets pushed back or shifted around.

Despite all of this my group continues to push on and we'll see where we all end up. 

Only looking up when my head’s down

We've been on the struggle bus since coming back from the show.

My horse trailer looks like it's had a bomb set off in it. I have laundry up to my eyeballs, my tack wasn't cleaned until Monday, I still have hay in the back of my truck, and a stack of emails and paperwork I've been ignoring (sorry) since last week. I was also not the smartest scheduler- I did 8am lessons the day after, and then had an 8am farrier appointment the day after that. Tuesday was the first day I "slept in" until 7am and then promptly went to yoga.

I also found out that my supplies from the trailer need to be replenished. I normally carry two of everything around in that trailer simply because I don't like packing and repacking. Over the year I used up things or repacked them elsewhere. The inconvenience of trying to find extra treats, the spool of wax thread or my cleaning supplies during a show just kind of added into the small chaos.

I also will happily pay that price again if it means I could have every weekend as well-done as that one.

The quality of the show was really high, with several people trucking above five hours in, and the horses reflected the investment of the time spent putting them on a truck and bringing them down.  

Haiku pulled out an early monster score of 8.64 for her first show for the three year old materiale with the highlight being 8.5 for rideability. Her in hand class was also highly competitive, and was overall second, despite being flat from working earlier in the day, she came away with an 8.7, second out of 15 horses and a fanbase.

Flair followed suit, pulling a 7.6 - a huge positive considering the show was her 15th ride under saddle, and was behind the winner of the class by two points. Her canter work was the high point- 8.5.

The judge was kind enough to take me aside and not only give the mares huge complements on their breeding, training and manners but also give some ideas towards development. This was a lot of personal validation of what I've been doing over the last months from a very respected source. 

What's even more impressive is that both mares were exceptionally professional about the job. Yes, they had green moments, but went in with no lunging, or calming supplements in their systems. They went in and knew what they were supposed to do. The cherry is that they are both qualified for the finals in November at Tryon and depending on how that weekend will run, we might just attend. 

Which leads me to the next show schedule. It's very tempting to throw them in again and just keep pushing for year end awards.

My focus on Haiku is more or less just one more show, at training level, before going to IBOP and quitting for the year. To me the three year old year is a learning curve. Yes, they need a record. Yes, they need to do stuff, but they don't need to be trucked from here and beyond to show extensively and potentially develop a bad reputation. Haiku has already answered a lot of questions for us, and continues to mature beautifully. 

With Flair it's get her into the regular tests as quick as possible. She can do training level tomorrow if we asked but I would like to see more condition from her at first. I also don't necessarily want to put the investment toward the lower levels, a mistake I made with Sinari. My focus for her is in honesty, next year for the six year olds. So we're focusing on Virginia to get some miles under her belt with me in the irons. Dressage at Lexington is on her radar because of the nature of the show and my clients who go.

So the focus is really on the fall and winter seasons, with the eye towards Dressage at Devon, IBOP and other fun items. But for now I think we have all the right pieces in the right ways. 

All alone she moves

One of the toughest things about what I do is being 4,000 miles away and ahead five hours.

By the time I'm going to bed, I'm getting updates from the U.S. and the rest of the world. Majority of the time it's great, it's students who are checking in or my barns giving me updates or my other calling me and asking me how my day went.

It's a voyeur lifestyle being able to look, but not actively participate in something very far away. My news is sometimes second hand. It also screws with you just a little bit.

Homesickness is a bi-product of the job. It's what everyone, regardless of industry, faces at some level when their ambition takes them beyond the familiar recesses of their current life to achieve something. 

I love traveling, and I've done it actively since I was 14. I'm used to going away for extended periods and miles. I'm used to long horse show weekends and training trips. I've learned to be lonely but at the same time, I'm lucky that 21st century technology and social media has allowed me to keep abreast without committing to hours on the phone. Plus being busy all day, everyday, leaves little room to think much about anything else but what's in front of me. 

So, by the end of the day, only three primary emotions really exist with me: exhaustion, hunger and because I'm honest, a twinge of jealousy. 

I'm not really a jealous person. But like what most people experience as they go through expansion, you go on it alone and you question everything. Everything from: did I that make that corner correctly to did I just tell my boss that stallion is a little schnitzel?

 You also ask the question why a lot. Why did I just leave my country to do this? Why did I leave steady income behind? Why do I have heartburn from that currywurst? The list goes on and on as you muddle through exhaustion and the other emotions du jour. 

You also romanticize your lifestyle at home (bed, TV, barn) and become somewhat jealous as friends, students, other pro's, even people you've barely met post photos and statuses belying their successes, their general satisfaction about their life or goings on or even the commiseration of just how utterly crappy the weather is. 

So while I can't commiserate on the weather (it's been seriously lovely), and I've become jealous at the early season successes of some while I'm here; I also find myself knowing a few things. 

First, that while ribbons and riding time is nice, I'm also here because for me. I have to be uncomfortable to progress. I have to make my mistakes and be put into situations where I know I'll make them. It's given me a sense of purpose to do more things and be a little hungry. 

And secondly, that Europe is the sport and standard of which we compete with within the discipline. Even though I'm not in Florida (the nearest moral equivalent) or at awards banquets collecting trophies, I know that what I'm doing here is having an impact on my career and business and I have to do it now. My mom always said, the circuit will be there when you return, and she's right. I'm putting together my schedule for teaching, showing and hosting and it seems like its going to be an active year. Coupled with a new venture starting in Europe, I'm starting to put the foot to the floor and go hard for the next six years. 

I genuinely love it here, I'm finding myself getting excited about going to the barn, but what I'm doing and seeing. I'm equally eager to put things in motion when I get back. So while I feel left behind, I know in the end I'm uncomfortably ahead. 

Everywhere I Go

First, thank you all for the well-wishes and support. After the last post, the phone, Facebook and my email filled up really quick with support and good tidings for the upcoming trip. A few close readers even sent some wool knit products as a surprise, which is beyond generous.

All of this was actually rather unexpected.

I've always kind of done my own thing. Notoriously, sometimes stubbornly and stupidly have gone my own way. I don't expect support because I was raised taught you do what you feel is right, and often times, it means going against what is popular or what other people feel you should do. The support comes at a time when I'm transitioning from the image of being the amateur / organizer to a professional rider. That one image has dominated the conversation all year, and breaking with it while still keeping parts of that identity, such as the organizer part, is tough. So when people actually flag wave and support, it's a very pleasant surprise.

Right now, there's a lot of holiday bustle at the barn and trying to finish up the last part of the year. Haiku is working three days a week, and going swimmingly. She's doing very well for herself and maturing quickly into lovely dressage horse. She is talented, and is very reflective of her pedigree gait-wise. When she gets more strength and maturity she's going to be much like Gal's Undercover, not uber flashy, but very much a power horse.

Sinari has been back out walking and keeping company with Haiku when she hacks out. Recovery is slow, as are all things when it comes with being older and tendons. At this point we put the idea of lease on hold until she's fitter. She's the same as ever, chipper, but five laps around the arena and she's pretty winded. I can only guess what her resolution is going to be in the New Year.

Flair's drop date has been set, she will be here shortly after the new year. I wish we could have shipped sooner as I would have liked to had more time with her before leaving, but there will be plenty of time after I get back to continue the relationship.

The big news is that Danzador has been sold, but will remain close to home (actually, same stall, same facility) as the other half of the ownership has obtained my share and now owns him outright. He truly is a lovely amateur's horse and should be happy being spoiled.

Cleaning has also being going full throttle for my departure.

I dumped my tack trunk out and sorted through all the odds and ends. Gone are the old, outdated, half full bottles of God-know's-what, evicted is the last of the summer laundry, gathered items in for repair (those five muzzles will be reinforced...), halters that were too destroyed were tossed, those that looked salvageable went in, took home the quarter sheets, the fleece and knits for washing, monogramming to go with the girls. Even the feed bins were wiped, labeled and sterilized.

In are the fresh supplies for the girls for the three or four months I'll be away.

Shampoos, soaps, liniments, a 90 plus day supply of feed and supplements, fresh supplies of medications, clean pads, rags, standing wraps and fresh sponges that aren't harboring strange new life; topped off spray bottles,  and put back clean brushes. Everything has been Sharpie'd, taped off, tagged or monogrammed so none of it would be lost or "confused" with other items.

There's still a few more things to purchase. Like bungee cords, a wash garment bag, a new trash bin for a separate type of feed, a few locks, and maybe if they're on sale- box fans.

Things that aren't going with the mares, or won't be used, will go home.

Thankfully, the human side looks easier to pack, as all the laundry from the prior trip was stuffed into the laundry basket as soon as I got home. But even then there are bits and bobs everywhere. Taking a chapter from my running friends, I went to the Under Armor outlet to get some base layers. Also, thankfully SmartPak was having a sale and I found a pair of nice schooling gloves and liners so I don't experience bleeding fingers again (or being cold).

My leave date has been also appointed as well, I'm officially out January 12th, with the Haiku leaving on the 31st. Sinari will be staying field boarded through winter.

Which makes planning a show season a little tricky and with the focus on the USDF BC's it means hauling, and with one, maybe two qualifiers around Kentucky and Ohio, it means also making sure the truck and trailer are in running order when I come back.

I also sat down with my students and began developing their plans for the 2015 calendar. One part of me wants to stay and push their development more over winter, the other part of me goes, I can't develop them unless I come back more developed. It's a tricky Catch 22.

I never watch the stars, there’s so much down here

The last few weeks have been a blur.

Since Haiku has arrived, things have been in overtime. I'm out at the barn now at least twice a day with her and working with the others, in addition to planning the final clinics of the season and alongside trying to sort winter plans.

Writing itself has been troublesome, every time I start a post, I get distracted, my poor feed is littered with half-completed thoughts.

The weather hasn't been cooperating either. The region has been slammed with storms, most notably over the last week were we experienced what felt like two feet of water. Region 2 Championships were utter slop, and I ended up scratching anyways due to the usual pre-show culprit of cellulitis.

I don't think I missed much, except the effects on my wallet. The quality of the horses were really nice, and the show was huge with about 1,700 rides over the four days. It still makes me highly eager to get out and do something in 2015 and kinda disappointed it probably won't come back until 2016, which makes me ship out to either Missouri, Michigan or Virginia.

I was still out there coaching, and my students had decent results under a solid panel of judges. Many of whom got valuable lessons in riding and perspective.  In all cases, I was proud of them under the given sloppy circumstances and how they cared for their horses afterward.

The idea that the year has passed by this quickly is scary. While it doesn't feel like I went out there and beat the band for results, I still feel I accomplished something. Things are progressing, the quality is growing and the clients and roster of students are developing. At least one of my students will be cantering down the centerline of their first PSG next year.

Sinari continues to recover, we're up to four days of trotting, cantering and tack walking. She seems very happy to back at the center of things and with the reduced expectation of going back to FEI. She however, is fat as ever, in her full winter coat. I have no intentions of changing this aspect.

Danzador is spending his first part of winter being bored, we're waiting for the cut that caused the cellulitis to heal up to return to work. The last thing I would want is to irritate the leg from arena sand.

Haiku is about perfect for a two year old. My investors got really lucky with what we ended up. The mare is a workaholic. While still a little unsure of herself, I've never met a two year old that picks up on things as quickly as she does. If everything goes right for November, the plan is to do 15 days of backing and then leave her for winter and readdress in the spring.

Flair is also set to make her way down to Kentucky within the next two months, and I can't wait to see her, as out of shape as she is.

Otherwise, we're set to sit in for a long winter and hopefully an interesting end of the year.

Only know you love her when you let her go

Photo: Alexa Snowden

Winter has been dealt a death blow around here with the temps rocking in to the 60's.

My productivity has finally shifted away from my desk to the barn. It was about time, I was running out of paperwork and at home projects. The horses are in regular work again, the schedule is going forward, the season with the entire team is preparing to get underway. I can't believe it's almost March.

My guys are gearing in for an active season. Asanto HPF, Denia HPF, Danzador MSM, Flair, Sinari and a few others in the wings are kicking into active training with shows, clinics and events on the near horizon.

Except for one.

My time with Reba has come to an unexpected close.

Reba is fine, physically doing great, and after a clinic looks like she's ready to come back into form. However, a situation occurred where, through social media, I found out some things that I wasn't aware of or included on. It changed the nature of my relationship with the team and opened up a conversation that was due. Through a lot of discussion and thought process, the lease has been handed over in it's entirety to Anna Kate and her mother.

It seems only fair for the little mare who has found her place not in 20x60 meter box but running meters per minute to have a rider that is just as enthusiastic and good with her. Going from pasture puff to fit to winning in about two years was an endeavor, one that I was apart of and was exciting to watch.

I think in another time and place she would have made a really good dressage horse, but her calling is jumping and with limited time and with the end result of creating a broodmare, you pick and choose your battles.

For the most part, I'm actually pleased at the way things have turned out. Were they perfect on my end? No. But that's the risk you take when you take on an unknown. In this case, it gave another rider a chance and Reba a career path, and I'm all for that.  I'm happy to see her onto her next phase and with a decent team.

Good luck to both of them and go Team Fancy Pants.

What will become of us

Winter has become equally as busy despite the adamant refusal to move everyone south (I will regret

this later) for the winter season. It's snowed on and off again for two days, leaving my woods covered in unfashionable post Labor Day White.

Starting in December with a double convention days (USDF/USEA Area 8), each week is booked out with something to do, whether it be clinic, show, symposium, meetings, hosting and travel.

Before I even start making rounds I still have the horses.

Danzador, even through some awkward stages, is getting the knack of things. As a four year old, he offers a lot of glimpses into a really bright future. He just gets the lateral movements and has a really lovely balance point. More importantly, he never stops trying. The adjustability is being developed, which I think will come when he figures out more collected work. He's not going to be FEI five and six year old material but will be a good candidate for the Developing Horse or the straight FEI tests. He still has a lot of maturing he needs to do over winter and with some changes in the program he'll be just fine.

Sinari is still going on, she's come back into work and is regaining a lot of the fitness she lost. The little mare is pretty much getting the idea of the zig zags, and reeled off three's today without really thinking. The main goal is to push for the I1 next year and be schooling all of the Grand Prix work. She's working solidly every day, I just wish the footing would cooperate so we can get out of the arena more often, hacking up and down the driveway isn't what I call fun.

Reba's first year and a half with my team and her rider has come to an end, and I couldn't be more proud of what they've done in less than a half a season of eventing and showing. With Anna Kate in less than 10 overall events, she finished with minimal penalties and usually on sub 30 dressage scores. She won Beginner Novice at American Eventing Championships, was Reserve Champion on the Area 8 Leaderboard and started showing Novice at the end of the season. On a horse that has had barely a season of jumping and has only really returned to work last August this is very quick progress.

I honestly can't wait to see what next year, the second/third year of this project holds for everyone, in the meantime we're celebrating with some holiday downtime. The horses were chiro-ed on Tuesday and have had yesterday and today off. We'll return on Friday with some light work to finish out the week. Plus there's a few changes coming up that I'll announce when they're confirmed.

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.

The luxury of knowing

News does not travel fast when you are in the middle of nowhere.  So, I'm surprised when I walk in to a place when I have full network/bar connections and I have 10 phone messages and 12 text within 10 minutes as.

It's a little unnerving to be without full communication for a week, unable to check things at the drop of a hat, and to make fine tweaks to my program. I was lucky that I can pirate internet connections, and iPad has allowed me to do chat, but phone calls are rare, if impossible.

I've been worried most of the week about two of my entries, the National Dressage Pony Cup and the Dressage at Devon entry. I entered in NDPC quasi last minute because I wasn't too sure about rolling through the FEI again, I sent Devon in advance but didn't receive a confirmation of it.

I seriously hadn't practiced a test (lower level or FEI) in about six months, all this time has been training and conditioning, mentally stepping away from the last three years of the circuit and developing to the last stage of Sinari's career, and having to redevelop key assets in my team. 

The first PSG test I rolled through was a train wreck, everything about it was rushed, hurried and not johnny on the spot. Sinari still feels clever about the counter canter to change at C, and while the pir's have improved, it's still not my cup of tea. The changes were adjustable went from fours to twos in three strides (had to deprogram the two's) and the mediums and extensions felt blasé. 

But we forcibly kept rolling through it and just before my self imposed exile sans horses, it felt solid again and I shoved my entry out knowing this year was going to be a big class (and it is! Five entries! Including Jane Pride's Ilja, Lauren Chumley's Newyn, myself, Jack Flash and Spar Trek) and knowing that we will have to show a lot more to be competitive.

Throughout my trip up, I kept on checking. When my name didn't appear on the list, I was

becoming really worried. My USPS is bad sometimes to the point of why bother. So it's why I tend to utilize online entries or mail drop at the main hub where I know it will be stamped and sent the same day. Which also made me worried about Danzador's entry for Devon. 

A couple of emails, a few phone calls promising various things (first born not included), both my entries are confirmed. I'm entered with times for NDPC, and the Devon was confirmed late last Wednesday (with email confirmation on Sunday) as I was leaving the "green zone" of cell phone usage.

Huge sigh of relief as I begin packing again for the fall and starting to hammer home tests and to catch up with the rest of the herd.

I started riding again yesterday, and I had forgotten how bad the humidity can be in Kentucky after being adjusted to NYS air.  I've never felt more sick in my life in the saddle than I did on Monday- I think my blood sugar completely tanked.

I completed the two works with equally tired, dripping horses, managed to look in on a friend who was having green horse issues and went home, grabbed the nearest bottle of Advil and have a piece of bread (carbs). Today, we get back to it in cooler weather and start rolling through tests again, the weekend I know is fast approaching. 

Rain Dance Maggie

My busy summer is coming to a close, and while it felt the summer that never was due to the weather (really, I think this is the rainiest I've had in a long time), and the lack of show miles.

I broke the showing hiatus last week with the young guys. Initially, it was going to be three weeks of showing in a row (schooling, HTBB, and then Meadow Lake) it ended up being: Hasslers, HTBB, and screw this we need to school.

The show went well, I could harp on lack of management, and other things, but really why bother? The boys did well, they didn't set the world on fire, but they got around, made their baby mistakes and ended up scoring decently. Fritz outscored Danzador in the in hand, while I disagree with the placing (and point spread), the consolation is that Fritz has been worked with for five months and has developed- Danzador has been ours for just about two months, and two weeks of that have been spent on a trailer. So in reality, I'm not worried.

Sinari has been going strong, to the point where I feel very confident entering her in the NDPC at PSG. She's handling the pi/pa/pir work (we've been doing a little every day) a lot better. It also makes me debate about bumping to the next level. As much as I want a move up show for I1, I want the two's to be more solid before I venture forth (she reeled off a set the other day) . There's been some debate about doing D@D with her as well, but I think I'll pass since it's fourth level and I really just don't want to go there again with her.

In other news-I've been writing for Horse Junkies United, a Canadian blog about the boys' prep up to Devon. You can follow along the adventures here.

This is all I need

My hiatus from the world is coming to a close.

This year, after Florida, I made the decision to shut my barn doors for a little while and just regroup. For the last three years the pony and myself have been campaigning hard with the sole focus of reaching FEI. It's been an all consuming, ass-kicking goal. Now that we're here, the only other place to go is to finish out. But this meant stepping back and into a different place mentally.  

So the summer has been a nice break from the usual trek around the country I do.

But all good things...

Not only is the fall season near, but a few events are on the horizon. In July I have to trek to Hassler Dressage to manage Courtney's Emerging Athlete Dressage Program (EDAP for short).  It's about four days of intensive learning for the under 21 crowd. I couldn't be more pleased to be invited along to manage the day-to-day operation. I'm hoping to bring the pony or Danzador along for the ride for some extra education by Lendon, JJ, Debbie or Courtney herself, but we're still hammering out details.

I also have three days with Alfredo Hernandez which is great because I finally get time working P and P with better timing and feel and during the same week I have lessons with Cathy Fox, Lendon and JJ. 

One thing I will miss this year and it seems terrible, is Dressage at Lexington. I loved this show since I first started going to it two years ago. It's about a five hour haul from Lexington, Ky, but the facility, the management and the competition are very nice. It's low key, but not short on quality. It does a lovely job with Amateurs, awards, and making sure everyone feels at home. It's also the only show my family attends to, so I may or may not get to see my parents this year.

It's also one of the few shows that I can catch up with everyone all at once. I was debating about Danazador or Fritz for this show, but Danzador needs to develop more (not to mention my relationship with him) and Fritz, while he enjoys traveling, needs more conditioning.

With July here, and fall on us, it's time to ramp in again. 

This week Sinari really started comitting to I1. We aren't leaving PSG entirely behind, but really started working the elements of the I1 test, her trot work felt pretty good, her canter needs to be more adjustable. Her two's are going to be very fun, if only I could learn to half halt quicker. She's steadily doing trot sets for 1 hour with 4 minute rest periods. Canter-extended canter-collected canter hill sets are coming. The transitions are getting sharper. Pir's still feel interpretative somedays.

Danzador had the majority of the week off because he decided to roll on a nest of ground bee's and came in looking like Phantom of the Opera. Dork. We cleared him to ride again three days ago, and despite being ADD, he's a good boy. We're figuring each other out. He's fun as all get out and when he stops being a baby, he'll be very special. Overall he's really coming up in the balance, and forcing me to ride and lay a correct foundation. His main issues are curling, and sucking behind the leg.

Fritz was a serious star the other week as well- he went on his first official conditioning ride out in Shakertown, a historical farm out in Harrodsburg. This is where a lot of the hunt clubs, serious trail riders, and endurance riders ride and condition. The trails are spectacular out there and well maintained. He answered all the questions and was a happy boy. We're aiming him towards the IBOP in Coatsville, PA, with the thought of doing materiale and suitability in the summer and fall.

Fastest girl in town

Bi polar weather is here. One day it's 80 and the next it's 30 and raining. We're battling funk, mud, and the lack of time outside and being stuck in the indoor. When we're not indoors we're battling the gopher holes in the field on the tracks we use to do trot sets.

We're finishing up on the heels of Courtney King- Dye's clinic during derby week (learned lots) and have a lot of take home lessons to work on for fall. 

Sinari is slowly, but surely coming back into fitness and regaining strength where she was sore. A week off is essentially a month lost in fitness, and with a lighter season it's really imperative that we come back to fighting weight.

Her sessions are wonderful she's much lighter and seems to have come back to her normal cheerful self. However, when she tires, she tends to become a bit offended about asking her to dig deep. This is the residual from working with a sore back. I don't blame her, and I know eventually she'll work through.

Conditioning becomes harder because of the grass in Kentucky. With an all-you-can-eat buffet out in the field (we've been muzzled since early March), it's hard managing things to keep everyone on the right track as diets swing very wildly (bye bye good hay, hello first cutting grass...) 

We'll probably hit KESMARC fairly soon to help with the conditioning issue.

Fritz is rapidly growing up into a horse that I deeply admire. He's pretty much a goof on the ground, but a really solid citizen under tack, walk, trot and cantering both directions on the bit and actively stretching. He went out on the trail with another rider to start giving him a break from the arena and to start conditioning him on the hills. 

I've learned a lot from him in a short time. The Fresians, are not unlike other driving breeds, they have a hard time stretching over the back, they plow through the aids as an evasion, they aren't too laterally supple, they pick things up quickly, they generally are steadier and they prefer to trot above anything else.

Fritz is a bit of an odd ball in that way- he loves to canter, and his canter for 60 days under saddle is really very nice and he's more laterally supple than most, but comparatively he's still not as flexible as a normal dressage-bred three and a 1/2 year old. 

Despite all the drama lately, there is good news on the horizon. Debbie McDonald is coming to clinic in the fall, I think David Marcus will be coming in summer, and I think I have a game plan for consistent access to trainers and to make the final climb to Grand Prix with the pony. Not to mention those new faces on the horizon.

I'm still on the fence about showing the crew until we're more established at I-1 for the pony and solidly fit enough to do training level with the others. We definitely have a few fall shows, but actually having this time and break to just work and develop things without the pressure cooker of going to shows.

I was tempted by doing a few local schooling shows, but timing just hasn't cooperated at the moment.

Might as well jump

I've learned over a period of years doing this sport, not every horse is meant to do it, or for

that matter, wants to do it.

There are multiple reason why a horse fails out of dressage, but it generally has to deal with really signing on to the job description. 

Reba was supposed to be a nice upper level horse. Her bloodlines dictated it (Rotspon), her wins in hand proposed it, but in the end the lure of leaving temporarily leaving gravity really won out.

I initially sent her on during my stint in Florida to keep her legs moving with Lauren Neathry who starts my young guys.

A few weeks have now turned into a few months, and everytime I go out and watch the flat, she's a miserable sod. Compression? Too much. Submission? Not interested. All the things that make a dressage horse? She'd rather take a lark.

But put a few jumps in the arena and toss in a few questions, she becomes electric and is keen, the same kind of keen-ness that I enjoy about dressage horses that love their job.

So one spring day last week, we put the fences up and really asked a hard question. Can she do the height?

Resoundingly yes.

This past weekend we entered her last minute at Masterson Station fun show (pretty much all you can jump for 60 bucks), her first rounds were a tad shakey, but by the time that the final class rolled she locked, loaded and produced wins and fast times without being pushed. She was happy and a lot of the problems that she was having on the ground, evaporated.

Needless to say, I'm happy she's happy and she'll continue down this path.

Cause after all

I initially started writing about breeding season, but really words about reproduction right now escape me. I have breeding plans this year, but right now, I'm not up to discussing anything that involves a blue container and getting to know my FedEx delivery guy.

Show season kicked off for the barn, I had friends go out to one of the local schooling shows at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The Snowbird shows are very basic shows, sometimes even with questionable semi-frozen footing and weather to go along with it. You see the whole of the local Kentucky dressage universe there, but it also makes for good times with friends and cohorts. Intially I wanted to show but lack of transportation (just finishing up truck shopping again) and willingness to put management through extending the arena for a PSG test (I don't like being a prima donna), so I opted to help a few people out while fielding the occasional question  of when and where I'm going out next.

Truth is, I'm having trouble focusing in on showing this year after three years of being driven on the circuit (the bi-polar weather isn't helping either).  Kentucky's judge list plus the temptation of good footing is really asking me to go out just to do a PSG test. But really I want to push back to July.

Despite the doldrums, things have been going forward.  

Sinari has been schooling fantastic, County came out and reflocked the saddle and we're now cooking right along. Having these few months of taking her out of going and just doing the movements and now creating the power behind the movements while cleaning up our acts makes a huge difference. Her best pirouettes were done this past weekend I felt they were small and very balanced.

Now it's time to seriously up the ante and get eyes on the ground to really get behind the drive. The one's are trickling in, but the zig zags tend to allude us (I get stuck in PSG mode of school the big zig, instead of doing centerline-quarterline-centerline ones).

There are a few clinics planned for her that I feel she would benefit from and get out. 

Reba is doing well too, her schedule is going to ramp her schedule in May. She's becoming more forward at the canter and more solid with the connection. Fitness remains her biggest challenge, but for a horse that was maybe total ridden 5 times last year, this makes sense. 

There are also some new faces on the horizon, but more on this later.

My heart's on the loose

First week back is the hardest for everyone.

Every time I go someplace I miss my horses. iPhone has made things easier by carrying photos and video of them wherever I go, but getting to watch people ride, and work can be exceptionally difficult especially since you want to take part and join in. I have a blast getting to know everyone and watching progress happen, but secretly I am a little jealous.

The weather hasn't been helping. I went from 70 degrees and sunny to cold, mud, slop and rain in Kentucky. Motivation has been lacking. Freezing my fingers off in the wee hours in the morning doesn't help.

Last week proved to be busy with make up appointments, riding, trying (and failing) to get the house cleaned, dinner with family/friends, phone calls, creating my 2013 calendar, running errands, attempting to go to a movie, and catching up on the ever elusive sleep. Riding time was carved out by the skin of my teeth and with more emphasis on correct spurts than full sessions.

The best part about coming home is getting to try out the work that you've learned.

Last week I had a fantastic lesson with an old friend and former local rider- Chrissa Hoffmann. Chrissa was one of the first to see the pony start out (four or five years old then), the first to get me to Florida to host, and the first rider in the area to really break out to the CDI and international levels. When she left for Florida and to further build her business, I have to say she left a hole in this part of the woods. While there are a few people moving to this area, I don't know if that void will be filled completely. I've had a lot of respect for her over the years, and she has a great eye for teaching and horses. 

It was my first lesson in a few months, and it really served as a vollying point to kick off the season. 2013 is bringing some ambitious goals and an equally ambitious calendar that spans a solid portion of coastline for all three horses. Plus those who are incoming. The calendar includes two weeks at Hilltop for training, some time in Florida (still feeling a little grumbly about this), a trip to Canada, and travel to shows.

Sinari has been on again and off again since October, she was turned out for a week and has been hacking ever since. She's had a tough schedule of travel, training and competition; so I felt that the downtime was really needed. I wasn't expecting much from the lesson to be honest because of this. But instead we ramped in and up into the I1 and some of the I2 work. Even did half steps and worked our butts off in the pir work. I feel pretty stoked for January and February if the trends continue on.

Reba sat this one out, I wanted a few more key details sorted out before we really go public. Her first real clinic will be in Florida, if I can squeak in a test that would be awesome too, but really I'm aiming her to be a spring pony. Right now, the focus is correctness and fitness. Something that is always going to be a long term project. But I'm super happy with her ability to collect and work the half steps from the ground.

Sincere on the other hand will be aimed towards eventing this year. The young man has a lot of ground to cover and if he's still around by fall I would like to see him at the AEC's as a BN or N horse. I'm not a fan of shipping to Texas for the championships, but we'll see. He's not FEH material and I don't necessarily agree with the program criteria. I'm really pleased with his training overall and he should be a sub-20 horse based on how well he carries himself and gaits.