We can be heroes

I haven't talked about Sinari in a bit.

Sinari has been a mainstay in my barn for over a decade and is the reason behind my career, and this blog title. She is the original dressage pony of Dressage Pony.

Back in 2012, we finally made it to PSG, and in 2013 after much hammering at fourth level, we achieved the Silver. She also earned my Bronze as well. She still remains a firm highlight in my career so far; but in 2014 looking at her age, and how much effort it was taking to do the grinding work of the Grand Prix it was time to take a step back out of fairness and also to keep her in good health.

I was disappointed that we couldn't do it. It's was a huge thrill to knock on that door. At the end of the day- we had our time in the sun and more importantly, I have to do what is fair for her. 

I left for Germany, she stayed at home to winter, hacking occasionally with a friend, not really knowing what to do next.  Sinari has never been, and never will be for sale. She's earned her retirement, but at the same time, she's not ready to retire.

At first I really wanted a junior for the FEI ponies. It would professionally be a blast to have a kid reach the highest point in a pony ride. After interviewing a few kids, it wasn't 100 percent the right match, plus the idea of pursing USEF Championships, as tempting as that would be, wouldn't be the right thing for her at this time after a long four years of putting together two medals, she still needed time. After a little bit of time, I found that person and Sinari was pushed back down the levels for her new adult amateur.

I've been quietly sitting on the sidelines as they've been getting to know each other for the last few

months with the focus of getting Bronze scores, as Sinari regains fitness and as her rider figures out her the buttons are.

It hasn't always been easy to watch her with another rider; and I'm sure she hasn't been the easiest horse to figure out especially after being developed to be a hotrod. I'm also admittedly a bit jealous (this includes after getting the rides on Flair, Haiku and Fahrenheit) from time to time. I miss the familiarity.

It wasn't until the the other day though when I was sent some photos and I knew in an instant it was the right decision to do this, and I can't wait to be the loudest fan in the cheering section as Sinari brings another rider out and gives them the dream I have. 

Hot, flat and crowded

I rarely talk about the day-to-day realities of being a pro. One side of it is that it's busy, so the ability to write and write well about any subject but carving out 20 meters in my sand box tends to get lost around 8pm. The second reason is that like the Great and Powerful Oz, there are certain things that should be left behind the curtain at the end of the day.

Being a professional in any industry is tough. But when you're industry is more luxury versus necessity, the playing field for capital resources tends to be very tight and ultra-competitive.

Capital resources in the equestrian community can run physical, such as barns, arenas, horses; to the human element, specifically speaking, ownership.

I have zero qualms with putting out there that the majority of my horses, minus Sinari, are either owned or co-owned. My ownership is diverse ranging from breeders to PhDs to Executives of major corporations. There's not a day that goes by that I feel that I'm not appreciative of the business they've allowed me to have.

My business is run more as open community. While some people (namely the attorneys) view this as a socialist experiment with hippie-dippy flower power, I realized a long time ago that I cannot be everything to everyone. Nor can I got out and make every horse an FEI horse (nor do I want to). In short, no person is an island.

A prime point for this are the babies.

I stopped backing horses years ago. I really feel that I'm not in a position anymore to a) take that risk or b) be fair to a horse that's just starting out. I hand the reins over to a rider who does nothing but babies. It's a great relationship. He rides quality horses and moves his career further in the direction he wants, and I get a sane baby  with a job description at the end of it.

Same goes with horses that I don't get along with or who are really out of my depth. Over this year, I've given up two rides to other riders who the horse simply went better for them. There's no guilt or shame over it.

So, for a lack of better term, I outsource.

Outsourcing, which is usually a negative thing, is a great resource for professional riders building their community and network. Got a horse that doesn't go well for you? Find a rider that will make them shine so they can be sold on to another home. Need help finding a barn for that big clinic because your barn can't handle the capacity? Network so both facilities can benefit. Student having trouble? So and so has this neat-o exercise to give a go. Or my favorite- co-oping through outside disciplines to source good horses (e.g. one man's trash is another man's GP horse).

But this kind of relationship is a two way street. Yes, it does take an understanding. Also, unfortunately on some occasions made people overstep bounds and pilfer or use the reference as an excuse to behave in a less than stellar fashion.

I had this happen three times recently. Once, with a young rider, once with a client and one professional in the community that indefinitely overstepped their boundaries. Each time I was lucky, either the damage was minimal or the ownership and contract was in place to secure my spot; and the rides were unavailable.

Pilfering is nothing new in the community. It happens, a lot. It's why riders vanguard their owners heavily throughout their careers with them. Owners are huge investments for riders and finding good ones, are like finding rare gems and developing a long term relationship is a very big deal.

 Which in many ways is sad as well because owners, like the Mrs. Mars, the Akiko's, the Thomas' should be shared and developed within a community of riders to help them achieve goals. Because even though we are a global sport with a long reach, the truth is, our overall resources are shrinking and the competitive landscape has become much more hot, flat and crowded within the last decade or so.

So while those peoples' ambitions and actions were incredibly short sighted it reminds me that while the community is changing with an overall perspective more in mind, it's not very long before the overall community's perception is changing for the better.

If's, and's and but's

I've been very familiar with crowd-sourcing for awhile now.

The first time I experienced the collective capacity of a population was through my former corporate job when they reached into their network to launch a project that would allow research for the production of quickly decomposable plastics (really exciting stuff right?), and the technology to turn former plastic soda bottles into shipping packaging. By allowing the publicly to own it- it allowed the expansion to happen much faster.

Crowd Sourcing has been around the equestrian world for a little while as well. I've seen riders fund everything from breeding endeavors, to major vet bills to funding the next big horse to regular show seasons to Olympic ambitions and European tours. While some were successful, and some faded off, the ability to pull the crowd together was interesting to watch, and provided good lessons.

So when I started looking at the bigger picture, I needed to look at what I'm doing and where I'm going.

Danzador is on the market, he will be sold later this year. Sinari, while still climbing the levels, needs time to develop into that last push without feeling pressured. Then there's Flair- who isn't remotely ready to do anything but give birth, and a gaggle of kids behind that. All the basics are there, but there's gaps and pauses in the talent. For

Starting a few weeks ago, I started my own version of crowd sourcing.

Personally, putting your hand out and asking for hard money without something return innately seems wrong at my level, if not awkward. While I am very emotionally invested into my horses, business and my work- it's still a business. There are bottom line numbers hanging around, it's not a charity, nor would I ever expect anyone to give me a leg up without expecting something equitable in return.

My first foray was to find potential syndicate members for re-sell horses. While I didn't expect people to whip out their check books and frequent flier miles to head off to the Elite Auction, was honestly surprised at the response. It seems like a viable idea to create quality investment horses and cash options with multiple parties and interests. The full idea is being hashed out while I put my nose to the ground for viable young prospects.

It also started a dialog with potential investors that I don't think I would have been able to reach for single ownership options.

This kinda led me to another crowd sourcing endeavor: finding a Grand Prix horse, to lease.

If you think finding a quality Grand Prix horse is hard, try finding one as a slightly affordable lease. It's like finding hens teeth, or more appropriately- the perfect test. It's a very unique situation between owner and lessor that involves a lot of trust and leeway. Even worse, is finding a schoolmaster who

So I posted this to Facebook thinking I'd a) get no response and/or b) get laughed at:

In about 48 hours, the response was surprisingly, very positive. The dialogs have been really opened, and there are a few viable prospects. More so, I'm incredibly grateful that a lot of the other professionals in the community have reached out and have given support, whether it be a prospect or words of encouragement.

Gravity wants to bring me down

Gravity got the best of me a few Tuesdays ago.

It's the joy of riding very fit babies in Spring. Even the best of them can have an ADD moment, and in the next instant you can be on the ground. Aside from bruised ego and soreness, everything is fine, got back on and rode through some of the issues.

I get some feedback occasionally about pushing young horses or having expectations. While I agree that there is an often fine line, the kids need to have expectations. They also need to know that there's a few things that are non-negotiable.

Sometimes, the side effect of those expectations (this goes for any horse), is that they push back and gravity takes over.  At least it's a lovely shade of blue that goes with the spring decor.

The last few weeks have been all over the place.

Danzador sat out on JJ's visit, which kind of disappointing, because JJ has so many good things to offer in between rounds.  But at Alfredo's, he was confirmed in what he needs to be confirmed in and is gearing in for the Sayre school show. At this stage of the game there's very little you can do except work on building things, one slow step at a time. The other day we diversified and took him over some jumps and on a hack. He was relatively good, but world-class show jumper he will not be any time soon.

Sinari also sat out JJ's clinic as well, despite feeling positive about her training since last year, she came out of the field looking a little wonky and so I made the decision to sit her out and get her checked by the vet. Nothing is worse when things are going so well to have a bump in the road.

A few tweaks in the support system and she's back into work preparing for Alfredo's clinic and preparing for the season. She's becoming much stronger. I really credit CORE Therapies, Dr. Tummlin, Dr. Metcalfe, Back on Track, Sore No More, Surpass and the new perspective from the ground. She's confirmed three's and two's, her half pass zig zag is really gaining power, and now, we're just putting together the I1 test. The pirouettes still suck, but she goes out and does five to six piaffe steps, so there's a trade off.

The spring also brings the busy season of babies. I'm no exception this year, breeding another prospect for the future. Flair also surprised both her breeder and myself turning up pregnant. Prior to her being sold to me, the plan was to do an ET in the summer of 2013, and then ship her down. We honestly thought she had reabsorbed (normal checking at 30, 60, and double checking at 90) and was just packing on the winter pudge, thankfully, she was ultra sounded and it revealed a healthy new baby running about 280 days at this point.

I'm sure she'll do everything with her usual style and panache and the foal will be beautiful.

Mirror Mirror

It's April, and life has been one giant blur since mid-March.

Since Alfredo's visit, things have been kicked into high gear, despite minor herd reduction.

I walked into my arena when I got back to discover brand new sets of mirrors have been erected while away. My barn owners are awesome that way. I love them already and I don't know how I lived without for a lot of years. On the other hand, mirrors are hard. They're very much tattlers on your position, your body, your horse, just about everything you don't want to see, you see it in 20 foot glory.

My herd was reduced back to three with a few horses coming in and out with their riders for teaching.

While I love the fact my business expanded, I also enjoy the small, quality herd that I have. There are some things that haven't changed, that I ride everyone five to six days a week, and that I know all of them and their idiosyncrasies. But sometimes, adjusting to life on a time budget kinda sucks. When you have five in your barn and they all have to be ridden, tack cleaned, bathed, videoed, ect., you're going to have to limit time. On the upside it teaches you to ride very effectively.

The weather has cleared up consistently now to the point I don't have to worry about being frozen out. April brings rain and the ability to get out of the arena and go start conditioning for the season. We're backlogged for doing sets, and have lost a few weeks of regular training thanks to the horrid weather, pipe bursts and terrain.

Needless to say, Weight Watchers would have a field day.

We started last week taking the horses out, one by one on their first gallops of the season.

Sinari, who had the luxury of having the majority of the last few weeks off (weather, chiro, dentist, clinic, ect) went back into serious, consistent work. Last year's problems are fading away, especially since we've changed around the level of support care and the way we view things. The pirouettes are already stronger, the tempi-sequences are getting faster, and the pi/pa stuff is getting there.  But she lacks overall fitness that would help her endurance.

Yes, endurance.

With the FEI tests, the movements are secondary to fitness. The tests are much longer than even a second or third level tests and everyone is expected to be strong enough to hold themselves together for three to four minutes at a time going through the sequence. And from PSG out, the movements do not let up. 

Sinari has traditionally been very hard to condition from the get-go. She easily looses it and is hard to gain. So the sets help immensely with just getting around. Plus it's a nice mental break.

Her schedule at the moment is two days (barring weather) out in the field, five days in the arena. This might change as things progress. But for now, she's gearing in pretty rapidly.

I'm debating about which show to really start her in. The temptation is the KDA, the footing for the FEI classes is really nice, but it's also a CDI, where we're judged by panel and also judged alongside the CDI. Not exactly a nice move up show where we can bury our heads. So, time to shop around.

Danzador has also started doing little sets. His fitness is much better than Sinari's to begin with. He hasn't been out too much, much of the focus has been on developing him physically in the arena. Also mentally as well, even though he's great in the arena, he's still a kid and has a big case of baby ADD, so hacking him was always a challenge as a klutzy four year old.

He's still not ready to tackle the track Sinari has been doing, but he has been going for walks up and down hills in fenced off paddocks with a bunch of questions- like a smalls stream, uneven footing, rolling pitch, cows and a few other things.

He's doing better, where he would spook or be immature, he's now mentally buckling in and really settling into being a good egg despite distractions. He hasn't gone out and galloped, but he does decent trot sets in company.

The winter has done him a world of good, and he's already much more mature. The photos are slowly coming back from the clinic and he's already less of a stork. But, the ubiquitous solution to everything is: needs more top line, and he's no exception. He's come out of the clinic really well, not sore, and still on a progressive track forward in his training. Right now, aside from conditioning, it's about playing with more forward and back. Getting the medium trot in an uphill balance, and coming back and not loosing the balance or rhythm.

It's a huge challenge in the trot. But he's getting really well.

As for me, my own fitness has become a priority this year. Back in January, I started back on the treadmill, and going to yoga three times a week.

I hate doing this part of the job.

I was never a gym person, and I feel very socially odd in those settings. I can walk into any room normally and feel fine, but at a gym I feel compared, and very much lesser than the girl who just cranked out a six minute mile or who did that flow-y inversion thing to another difficult pose.

Plus there's the mental stigma. At one point I felt yoga was just about having that nice stretch and eating your random protein shake in your yoga pants while driving a compact hybrid to feel socially better about yourself. And running was running.  

Not to mention my body is physically awkward in yoga, and holding the postures for four to five minutes at a time is a screamer. Running, well, I just hate running and I did two marathons.

While I do don yoga pants (I like getting my protein from a different source and I drive a truck), this yoga is anything but a gentle stretch and mediative period, it's active and it makes running look like a walk in the park.  But I'm glad I'm doing it, and I'm elated that there are two other people going through the same thing and keeping me motivated to keep going.

However, it doesn't make wearing white pants any better. Perhaps somethings will forever be uncool. 

Eight days a week

This is the first real work week back for all horses, and in a way it felt like spring cleaning- a chance to air everything out and get the house in order.

It's the first time in a long time that all the tack was stripped, not just wiped down, that all the windows were open, that I didn't shy away from anything water based in fear that I would be frozen to it and I could wear a short sleeved polo instead of the eight layers of StayPuff jackets for warmness.

Also on the housekeeping list is updated videos, and photos of the horses and pony parlor days of grooming.

Because our show season was pushed back to April instead of February, it gives the opportunity to really prepare grooming wise. All this week horses were scrubbed, washed, a few had their mains pulled, the rest had their braids put in. Tails are being deep-washed, getting the grease and gunk out of them and then being conditioned and picked through regularly until the strands feel better. They also got their first taste of post-workout wash downs.

My wash rack looks like a disaster zone from the mud and embedded dirt that's come off the horses. But they're starting to get their blooms under the wiry winter hair. Hopefully the weather will keep going so they can really get the deep-set grime out.

Spring is also the time to evaluate feeding programs, so Pennfields is due out to look over the new horses, adjust the old, and see how things are going. Their regular bags- Fibregized and Ultra Balancer, have been staples in my barn now for the past five years.  I can't wait to add in the Progressive line again. Their electrolytes, Topline, and hind gut formulas are excellent complements to the Pennfields line.

Fantastic, shiny summer coats start with good baseline nutrition which is supported by good grooming.  It also gives me time to create a game plan for how each horse's meals should be developed to address their needs.

So while we're waiting on the visit, the stock in Suave has risen by a few cents due to massive purchases of coconut smelling shampoo and conditioner.

It's also time to break out the clippers and get goat hairs, old man hairy ears and strays out of the picture. The Hidden Pond Farm horses are going to get clipped so they don't look like they're out of the ice age.

But the best sight is the wet saddle pads hanging outside, showing proof the higher temps and sweating it out in the sandbox. I can't wait until the trails clear up and I can get back to conditioning, walking up and down the driveway is fun for all of five seconds.

Sinari continues to come back in good form, she's really becoming more solid in the FEI degree of self carriage. Its now just a question of sharpening the movements. Four's and threes are no issue, as are the trot half pass and mediums/extensions, I need to solidify the twos and keep working the full pirouettes. Her half steps are stronger, as are her pirouettes. I need to start playing with the zig-zag again.

Danzador is motoring, he's had a few intensive days of on the lunge with some p&p work to get his head back in the game. He also went through a growth spurt during the heavy part of the winter. He's gained height and looks like he's about ready to gain width again. He continues to be clever, finding his gears in the trot and schooling walk-canter, canter-halt transitions. I'm hoping by the end of spring we can put a change on him which should gear him nicely for the end of the year. I think the idea is to have him schooling close to third level and be showing/working second. I also need to start working through his lateral work and make it more educated and more on the spot.

Denia HPF is a little superstar. She's stepping out everyday trying to improve. While she doesn't have the gaits like Danzador or Asanto, she's a very game, balanced mare who is very clever and observant. Even though she's not very fit and doesn't last very long within the work, every day she's stepping out and accepting the progression. Her main challenge at this point is keeping the relaxation to maintain thoroughness, because she's so anxious to please often times she over thinks. The time with her is split lunging to help her gain her balance, and riding. She will be looking to do a couple small schooling shows in the next few weeks to get her around.

Asanto HPF is also progressing. His personality is actually growing on me. When he first came he was a bit stand-offish. But now, if he's not at the center of attention he will get it immediately with an playful little nip or lipping your hair. He's English schoolboy cheeky, and a pony stuck in a very large package. The main thing we've been focusing on is straightness, strength and like Denia HPF, relaxation. His time is also spent between the lunge and also playing in hand. Even though he has an uphill balance point, right now his hind end over powers the front because he can't hold himself together for more than 15 minutes, lunging helps strengthen him and the in hand piaffe/passage work helps him get the concept of straightness, sitting, pushing, upping the balance point and engaging without loosing the entire package.

Flemmiro SSM is preparing to make the trip down to the US shortly. I wish she would have come in January so Alfredo could see her in the March clinic and get a better idea about developing, but knowing what we went through this winter season, it wouldn't have happened anyways.

All you need is love

I and my horses for the better part of a week have been grounded and I've been spending more time at

my desk or at the gym working through the winter woes.

If there's an upside of this winter, it's that my shirked paperwork is getting done and I'm setting down a firmer calendar and there's a myriad of holidays that involve chocolate.

For the first time in three years, I'm at home with my other. Valentines day isn't so much a big holiday with us and normally he makes the visit to wherever I'm staying, but it is something we try sit down, have a nice meal and watch a few movies. My other isn't horsey, but for all the stuff that I do and the time I spend, he's my biggest of fans and supporter in this sport. I know I'm incredibly lucky to have him in my life.

My other, however, isn't the first love of my life. Sinari is.

Sinari is one of those ponies that has always been there. She's really the foundation of everything that goes on in my life, she's the first to ride, and the first to really get the credit for where I'm at today. She's been my blackboard of mistakes, trial runs, first attempts and my go to when my confidence has taken a thorough pounding. While there will be many horses, there will always be her.

I know while I can never replace her I know I have to eventually choose another for the long haul. Danzador is great, crazy talented, but I also know that he's always on the market. As are many of the horses that are coming to me. I don't know if the relationship will last one month or nine. It's the way of things.

Leave it to Valentine's Day to really intercede.

A while back, I alluded to Flemmiro SSM a 2010 Canadian-bred KWPN filly by Flemming out of a Ferro mare. Flair, is that heir apparent. She's really good quality, and has the brains and ability for the upper levels. She was already to commit to come in for long term training, but with the breeder looking at the finances and the next horses down the pike (which are spectacular), we ended up striking a deal that would leave ownership to me and provide retirement to Flair when the time comes.

Seriously better than chocolate.

Edited:
Video as a two year old here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv7Mj6kC93g

There was snow, white snow

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hope is a four lettered word

2013 is over. I can't say I'm unhappy to see it go, it was a tough year for a lot of reasons, but it also

showed that we've come a long way.

The holiday time for me has always been about downtime, the horses aren't pushed, I can pretty much have a glass of wine and take time to say thanks and plan the new year.

There's a lot to be thankful for- I'm thankful for supportive owners and clients who've been very supportive and supplying the equine talent and funding to start achieving goals. I'm thankful for my team: Dr. Laurie Metcalf, Jake Burdine, Dr. Lark Carol, Dr. Kimberly Tummlin, Doug Leavitt and a host of others who keep us all running on track.

I'm incredibly thankful to my owners who have stepped up to the status change to keep me mounted on quality up and coming horses: Noble Spirit Farm, Sunshine Meadows, Rosanna and Carey Gage; Wendy and Kelly Spencer and a few more who are coming up . Without them I think honestly I would still be bopping around not really doing much. They make me better, not just as a person, but as a horseman.

A big thank you goes to Alfredo, JJ and a number of others, who got me out of a slump. I really look forward to continuing the relationship and growing the team with some really passionate individuals who are in my corner and want to be apart of everything.

My goals on paper for 2013 weren't overly ambitious, but they involved hard work. I took the year to be a building year, I did a grand total of two shows this year, both I wish I would have forgotten, but for the most part they were apart of the learning curve that is being an under-30 rider.

2013:
1. Finish Silver, start the Gold.
I completed my Silver, in 2012 I had a mis-scored test that I didn't catch until after I left the show grounds. There wasn't a way to correct it so, I had to wait until 2013 to finish out my one fourth level test (seriously fourth level) and get my medal in January. I didn't start my Gold at all, I took a year off with Sinari to let her down after three hard years of campaigning and training. We went out all of twice (January and September) with so-so results. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail again.

We will go out with some more frequency in 2014- but will be picky about shows for her. We are on our last two years of showing, and at 15, it's hard find an excuse to keep her campaigning continuously without being unfair. The focus also shifted to the younger horses, developing them to find the next heir apparent. Which is hard, because a horse that steps into those shoes is going to have a lot of expectations.

2. Be training I2/GP
We can roll through about 65-70 percent of the sequences of the GP at this point. It's no where near show ready. Still need to put on one's, a firmer p&p sequence, and clean up a bunch of other things.

3. Find investment horses.
Did this and a little more. Initially, Reba's Song was an investment back up horse. However, she showed her preference to jump and with Anna Kate did exceptionally well for her first year showing (I think winning a major national title is cause for celebration). The Spencers purchased Danzador MSM and put me onboard as rider/partner. Flemmiro SSM is also her breeder's investment for the long haul as well. There are also a few more coming in as client sales horses and potentially a few big horses as well.

4. Devote two weeks of intense training per quarter
With the notable absence of an integral team member by May, I had to scramble hard to find a solid pair of eyes on the ground that took us at least somewhat seriously. We were left floating really until July, until things changed and I found people who not only clicked with me but really made a huge change in what I do. I've now added one more set of eyes and started utilizing technology to keep up with things.

5. Continue to grow the business and remain fiscally solvent.
The business grew and had some ups and downs. There was a lot of change in dynamics and how things developed. I'm now the tour manager for Christoph, I'm developing clinic locations and the clientele has expanded. I got to work with William Fox Pitt and I look forward to expanding my network with eventers and getting to know them a bit better.

2014:
1. Start Gold. Be schooling the majority of GP.
2. Have national rankings on each horse. End up in the year end awards for All Breeds and at minimum be qualified for regionals.
3. Increase fitness (human and horse).
4. Expand clients, horses in training, and investments that are capable, at minimum of shining on the national stage, also continue to remain fiscally solvent.

I'm dreaming of White Fences

The weather has been nothing short of disastrous.

The area has been nicely coated in a crystal casing of ice, doused with snow, and thawed and refrozen several times to make for very interesting travel conditions.

The horses have also started to get cabin fever as friends start making their way down to Florida for the season I'm slowly going just as insane. 

Literally our area has become a desolate polar paradise with little chance to escape until the ice breaks up and the sun starts shining consistently.

Sinari is an old pro and is used to the winter blues routines. She's wintered many times in the north. But  still can get very fresh under saddle. But for her, it's manageable and cool to have that focused, amplified energy to work with. It's literally refreshing for me as well to just sit there and play director. But even then managing her day-to-day energy outlet of a pony coming back into fitness can be hairy at best. Keeping her from stiffening up is also become easier with Back On Track products (hock boots and a sheet). 

Danzador is still adjusting to things a little. While he's used to being confined for a few days, he's not used to the swinging temperatures in the area. The first ride during the big drop was hairy, he was electric and while it was great to have the energy his concentration wasn't focused. He also physically isn't mature enough to keep loose, so we stepped up the body work on him. The next few days he's come in and has went better, but for the most part things have been about stretching and keeping things low-key. He has a show this weekend, which while I want to go I'm not looking forward to. 

Also with the downtime for Danzador, we started adjusting some of the support systems he's getting. He already receives regular chiro and massage, but with all the development he's undergoing he needed more support with shoes. 

His feet are solid and he's done alright without them, but he gets a little tentative in his body when he can't get traction, combine that with a natural propensity to tighten the back it's stagnated some development. Already I can see and feel a difference. His balance is lower, he's more confident and his overstride has already gained at least a few inches. 

The weather has also screwed with my schedule.

My last full clinic has been canceled, and I'm busy applying for several more to keep busy for the new year. Show organizers haven't put out their prize lists, so I can't really start picking and choosing where I want all of us to go. It's literally the dead time which I dread and enjoy all at once. 

The last cancellation left me with an open date and around a horse show time. With both horses actually feeling good, I tossed both of them in at last minute thanks to a generous secretary making space. The weather is decided to add value to the horse show by going from 40 and sunny to 28 and freezing rain. 

Then there's a huge step down from FEI.

It feels odd to be doing training level again. Especially on a baby that's pretty fit (ps. it's never a good time to show babies, you just have to go) and a test that's a fraction as long as the one you're used to.  I'm used to seeing two pages of test, a movement-by-movement breakdown, and now I had 14 grouped movements to get a good score on a four year old that is still physically developing, in a cold arena. 

I'm exceptionally proud of him in what could have been easily a mental undoing of a lot of horses. He was high, and cold, but the minute the bridle went on he started to click in, he warmed up great in a busy arena with kids trying to run into him, he gave me great balance, and minus stopping and staring at things, he thought it was the most fun he had in a long time.

I'm not happy with the score, because it felt appropriate. But the comments were somewhat valid.

There are things that can be improved off the bat- like the drunken sailor line, general crookedness and tenseness that comes from lack of showing. Mentally he was half in the zone and half baby ADD.

He does need to lengthen his top line out. But, I also know that comes from building carrying power to lengthen the entire frame. His main avoidance has (and possibly always will be) been behind the vertical, it comes from me asking for the balance and power. I honestly don't really think he's going to be a world beating training level horse, he's going to start to shine around second level. But until then he's going to keep going out at little shows to get experience until his mediums/lengthenings and lateral work are confirmed, which hopefully will be spring.

Otherwise, I'm proud of both of them. 

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 let me down

Last week wasn't a competition highlight.

Sinari walked in tired and we both walked out frustrated with ourselves. We were fully on track for a 65 percent things came apart in the canter work on each day. The heat didn't help, nor did the footing, the crooked FEI warmup, I didn't help by intensively schooling throughout the week, plus having zero body work done prior to it. It didn't also help it was our first time back in six months in an important show. It was just a bad point in our career, and poor planning on my part. 

I look at the photos and the video from this year and the last, there are changes, huge changes in the muscling and balance points for the better, but like learning the walk pirouettes, it comes with a bit of an attitude at first.

Also downgrading her from I1/I2 work to the PSG also made her a bit mad throughout the weekend, and because of the new muscling- people were questioning whether she was a he.  A lot of mare owners quickly inquired to our breeding status and whether she was available for stallion services.

We'll work on through the issues for the winter with a good pair of eyes. I'm happy that's upcoming soon, and find a number of schooling shows to get our groove back. In the meanwhile I've gone back to playing around with the curb bit, maybe that'll sort things out a tad quicker.

The show itself was a great place to catch up with everyone. I ran into a lot of old pony friends, clients and caught up with them. It was the largest pony show to date with 73 pony entries and a huge FEI class. It was finally great to see this event enter into maturity and get the numbers.

Because it was local, I had to commute between barns so everyone was still being worked whether on or off grounds.

Danzador was surprisingly the highlight of the week, by the end of the week he was greenly schooling half passes and getting more consistent in the balance point. I like where his half steps are going. He too is lacking body work and it shows... badly. On the ground he's going over cavaletti, developing his mediums and trying to develop his back more. It's painfully slow work, but he'll come around. 

Devon is next week, and we hit the road again. 

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. 

No one puts baby in the corner

I used to hate lateral work, I found it tedious and a means to the end. Go side ways, move this or that,

look cool doing it. That was about it. My half passes lacked power, my pirouettes were interesting and that shoulder in could definitely be muddled through or cobbled together.

It wasn't until very recently (read: four weeks ago) that I really began to understand and find it useful beyond making whoever obedient to the leg.

Yes, prior to that I was sufficiently nagged to include more lateral work, and I did to some success. But, it was the same old thing.

After Alfredo's clinic, I caved in and started warming up in lateral work, not because I thought it was particularly useful at the time, but the way he related it to me made sense.

Basically long straight lines are served as cardio, they do warm the horse up, but not as thoroughly as it could get. The purpose of a warmup, as explained, is (along with several other reasons) is to mentally click the horse in, create a better balance and create flexibility.

I used to think a few laps around the arena and let the movements do the work, and we have liftoff. Until over four weeks ago, I was comfortably ok with this scenario and then I was introduced to this new way and perspective shifted.

The work is very basic, specifically shoulder in, haunches in on 20 meters (and variations on it). Different horse entirely, different human too.

I added in using the deep corners and making a working pirouette out of them. Part of this was for the horses, the other part was for me to make sure I was using my body in an effective way. Either way it's a neat exercise.

Push forward a few weeks, everyone was warming up more and more uphill, and mentally clicking into the work faster. I started building on the corner exercise again in regular work after I saw old tape of another rider. After the corner pirouette, I start to add in the half steps and pseudo-passage.

The ponies picked up on this way too well, and upcoming dressage competitions (I think we're out of the NDPC, because USPS decided to do naughty things) I've started to downgrade a lot of the new material.

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.

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. 

Just a little bit of everything

Physically, it's been a very busy week.

There were multiple training days where people looked in on us, friends in town and travel days to new parts of the world.

Combine this with my birthday, a bunch of work, vet, doing entries, and chiro appointments, I'm happy to be back with an extra day to sleep in. Unfortunately there won't be a day off, there are horses to work that need catching up on and laundry. Never ending laundry.

The other reason for the straight ride through is the week after next is a trip to Maryland for the EDAP at Hasslers and then a short prep to  two back to back shows, HTBB and Meadow Lake, for the boys to compete at.

The big success story of the week was the three day clinic with Alfredo Hernandez, after what happened earlier in April, I really thought I wouldn't have another person to really push me along let alone be in my corner. Life is funny in that regard.

There's a lot that was covered and a lot of exercises were given. Many of which have become fast favorites, several more which were incorporated into the babies' programs.

We are also now confirmed in piaffe and passage. I knew Sinaris piaffe would be nice but in the passage she about unseated me because of the height and volume. I was laughing so hard not because of how high she bounced but the fact we were 60 meters down the pike and we were really doing it, when I thought I would have to truffle shuffle along into it.

In the process we scored more ability on the half pass and pirs through developing gymnastic ability versus just doing it over and over and over again.Which is what I was doing (and the definition of insanity in the process).

The entire funny bit was I was on the verge of not going, because for the most part I've felt in a rut for a long time and there was (and still is) a never ending list of things to do. I'm thrilled that I went and I'm more than eager to get back in the game.

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.

I've closed enough windows to know you can never go back

Transitions are a universal theme in the sport, we have a lot of them, and they aren't strictly regulated to tests.

About three years ago, I started something that's lead me to where I'm at now. Along the way, people, horses and events have come and gone. Some have stayed longer than others, some not so long. Either way, those people, horses and things have contributed in various ways.

Recently, a equestrian related-relationship that I've had came to a final conclusion. It did, and still does, have a major impact of where I've gone. It didn't necessarily open doors, but it gave me permission to break out and pursue goals. I have no bad feelings about moving on, just a wish that it was handled differently.

This transition was tough, simply because it was on top of a few weeks of tough riding. In addition to coming down with a low white cell count, Sinari came into a hard follicle that was simply stuck and causing bad back issues. She became sore to the point where any push was met with uncharacteristic resistance. This mare, while not uber fancy, takes pressure and compression with very little complaint.

I'm loathe to reach for a pharma-solution without first going to body work and seeing if it's a human issue (tack, fit, farrier, feed, schedule, dental), but in this case after body work robaxin and regumate were the go-to's.

The effects were great, and she's come back to her normal self minus some minor residual muscle memory issues.We're now just really starting back after a week off.

There's also a new face in town. Fritz, the three soon to be four year old is a fun new project, and is super fancy. He's also a Friesian. Normally I don't pair fancy and Friesian together, but this guy really has a wonderful way about him, he finds the work easy, and can take a good amount of pressure given the age. 

He's also the kind of baby that everyone hopes for, uncomplicated, quick to learn and pretty interested in being under saddle. I have good ideas for him, and considering he's going to be around for sometime, I think he's going to be fun none the less.

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.