The bronze age.

Long trip home so sorry about the quick note.

Achieved USDF Bronze today with the pony, what makes it even more special is that it was my birthday. Thanks to everyone who came out, celebrated and has been more than supportive of Sinari's career.


Go Pony!

Up that great big hill

It's bleeding hot out here. July hit and I think the weather finally figured out what it's supposed to be. Which is unfortunate, because while I'm sure several girls enjoy sweat rolling in unmentionable places, the rest of us do enjoy less balmy conditions.

It would seem that a more brilliant person wouldn't move south to school either, but that's another logical question for another time.

Despite the crap weather, Sinari and I still managed to put in a full six day work schedule. On the nastiest of days we hit the fields for brief hill and gallop sets. We ran through 3-2 with good results, and with this past clinic we are as prepared for this upcoming show as we can get. We even finished out on a technical high note.

The highlight of the weekend among other things was the pony doing half steps, running through fours and threes, and working on canter pir's. We were nailed on extensions, preparing, executing and finishing them. Had a bit of difficulty on my end on keeping the neck loose. But, people have noticed a huge positive change in her topline, her energy and her training.

Because of a few circumstances, I had some extra time and for giggles, I got on a horse of the 17.2 hand variety.

I've been wanting to get on larger horses for sometime. I love working the ponies, but I feel to improve the candidate pool (and myself) and ride them out to the max, different horses are necessary. Larger horses just have a different feel entirely, you have to be twice as effective, and in many ways, more tactful.  

I got on a really nice mare. Probably the nicest I've sat on pedigree wise and ability wise. She was a huge reflection of those qualities and her training. What a fantastic feeling. By no means was she easy to package. A mile long neck and many buttons to push. Doesn't tolerate people hanging on her, or nagging her. But what a grand mare. The timing is what through me the most. With Sinari, there is a lot of wait and prep time between movements with this girl it was a quick half halt and always go. I had forgotten how much easier it is not having to manufacture extension and I've definitely have an idea of big changes now.

But it also creates impatience. I can't wait for Sincere, who has the best of both worlds to come under saddle. He's looking great, I wish I had the cajones to enter him in VA. They have a pretty competitive breed show, but I want him to really prep up and gain topline before I let him hit the road.

On the list was a few major plans formed along the way. But right now, the push and prep for VA has begun. Monday is a light day off with me shipping out the laundry, doing coffee and a few minor errands. Tuesday is chiro and pack.

We're arriving two days early to work out the kinks and get her loosened up after the long trailer ride. But lord, if it's anything like the ride home today, I'm going to have to double up on the electrolytes.

Everyday I'm shuffling

If there is a downside of a fit horse is that there are more buttons to push.

Sinari has been going nothing short of gangbusters within the work recently. Despite the heat and wacky work schedules, she's gained a lot of expression and carrying power. The trot is still hard for her, but her canter has become much nicer and her lateral work is very clean. She can easily do four's and threes. We began working the pirouettes in earnest to help create more sitting power and uphill balance. Going out in the fields really helped clear her mind and prep her for the upcoming journeys.

 June Goals:
-Majestic Show
Check. Got out there, in odd circumstances and managed to put in a decent show back after two years off.
-Finish Bronze
Negatron. Tough judge panel plus equipment issues plus just wasn't firing on all buttons.
-Finish out requirements to test for L program
Need one more score.
-Halts and transitions
Doing much better, but still a little inconsistent in the balance in the halts.
-Send in entry for Dressage at Lexington
Check, attending DAL this month.
-School through 4-1
Check, ran though all the elements. She feels comfortable, but needs more fire in the extensions, and a hair bit more expression in half pass.
-Put show trunk together
Check. I need to learn to unpack it.
-Continue conditioning
Check. Out in the field twice a week until the ground becomes rough. One word: hills. 

July Goals:
-Clinic in TN
-VA Show
-Finish Bronze
-Halts and transitions
-Condition, condition, condition
-Decide level for NDPC
-Finish Kur.
-Tempi's, big, bold tempi's.

Momma was a rolling stone

I have a rare easy weekend this week. Despite downtime, the next two upcoming trips (and a few projects) are weighing heavily on me.

The pony is on a small arena hiatus. The weather is too nice not to play out the fields, so the focus has been cleaning up the forward and back transitions. We'll be back in it by this week in the arena running through third two.

I know summer means traveling. If you're a horse person, it means your trailer never gets unpacked and your social life becomes slim pickings.

I had forgotten what it means to be a gypsy or at least a temporary one. I forgot what it means to live out of a bag, with a mobile and a laptop.

There would be summers before I was 16 where I would spend weeks away from home. When I was 18, and became a working student there was a time where I and the horses would be on the road once a week for at least four days at a clip. When I was a regular journalist, it became weeks.

Over the years, I and the herd grew roots. Leaving town became a pill, packing became a chore, the crowds became too much, gas became expensive and frankly I tended to like my hermit status (not to mention bed).

Last weekend we went north to compete, this time we went south to condition and to prep up for Virginia.

I had never been south of Kentucky before with a trailer, I haven't personally hauled by myself over that much of a strange distance or for that long of a time or over mountains. It was well worth it. I loved seeing everything and meeting everyone. It was nice being on the other side of the fence, if just for a little bit.

It was a good productive week leading into the weekend. I got Sinari over the mouth thing and had someone pointed out that my curb was too low. Have to punch some holes and chop some billets. Was left with a bunch of things to work on, and a few more problems to resolve. Met the loveliest, most generous people in the sport and saw what could be the most inspiring view to practice around in a long time (but sorry no photos or video!!)

The next few weeks will be concentrating on what we lacked during the Ohio trip. I also am in the process of finishing up the kur music. In the interim, she was adjusted and got back to business with Sincere. But the summer is going to be a long one.

Sister golden hair

I took a two year hiatus from showing, namely to figure out what I wanted to do, get re-organized and to figure out if we were cut out for the upper levels.


The weeks spent with JK proved we could hack the training, the two years allowed me to obtain transport, solid education and a new team, and all that was left was to enter to figure out whether or not we could still pull a test off.

We slipped off last weekend to Ohio for the first time since Pony Cup. Paxton, now called Majestic hosts a regular series of dressage shows throughout the year. 

The show itself was as small, laid back show, especially for a CDI* in a qualifying year. 15 CDI competitors and the majority of regulars from around the region. Despite the laid back nature of the show, the judge panel wasn't handing out any freebies. Very few people broke above 60 percent at second and above on Saturday and Sunday, and even the people who were regularly scoring well into the 60's and low 70's a few weeks ago were struggling with the panel.

The first day was done cold turkey with mistakes and we were properly hazed for it.

On our way up we hit a four car pile-up that held us for three hours, we didn't arrive until nine. This was coupled by high winds, torrential rain, thunder and hail. So no practice. Her being in heat didn't help. During second level she popped a change during the counter canter and in third level she broke after the extended canter.

The second day, we redeemed ourselves. She put in two solid consistent tests, despite slipping in and out of tension, that I'm extremely proud of. We broke the 60 percent barrier and managed to salvage a little bit of the goals I had set out for us. We ended well in the collectives. She earned no less than 7's on her gaits and 7's on harmony and impulsion. Sinari was also really consistent in her balance and I was consistent in my position.

I also need to obtain more wardrobe. Namely breeches, a few shirts and I need to take my jacket in to have a few inches shaved off.



Along the way, I finally figured out that showing is different from training. The idea and concept of preparing and entering the arena for a test instead of a session is something I'm still working to master. In the 10 years I've ridden the sport, I've maybe shown three to four seasons total and it shows.

In the end the summary is: good to be back, have some items to work on, we're going to make it.
This week, we're taking it a little easier, going to be hacking and galloping out on the fields until Thursday

In the meantime, yes, photos and video will be up as soon as I get to it. This weekend we're out of town again.

Fortunate son

The more I play with Sincere the happier he is.

He becomes intensely jealous of Sinari whenever she goes out and works and seems to skulk about the idea of a day without getting attention.

So with that, I started throwing more variety at him. In the normal addition of going in and out of the barn, eating and sleeping, he now has a minor job description.

He wears a sursingle (no side reins), a saddle pad, wears an in-hand bridle with his chifney, goes for long walks, knows his vocals pretty well, and is being worked more frequently on the triangle. No two days are the same, and the sessions maybe last 10 minutes.

He has no trouble doing any of these things, in fact none of the routine bothers him and he doesn't mind obliging to the requests, where the other two year olds in the barn is more reactive and far less tolerant.

The next step with him is to develop his consistency in the same short sessions.

He has three good, uphill gaits, however because of his maturity he doesn't always have the strength to sustain for more than a little while. I want to develop his topline and more elasticity and suppleness. This is a lifetime of emphasis, but the more he can develop on the ground the better it will serve when he is under saddle.

Devil in the details

T-minus six days until show season kicks off and I feel a hair under prepared. The pony however is primed and as ready as she'll ever be, putting in consistent works for the last week.

Possibly because it's been two years, tests have changed, facilities, people and my team have changed. Everything is different. Now there is the added expectation of completing out my goals in finite time.

Or it could be that I've been running around like mad trying to find where all my show equipment actually went. Found my coat, stock tie, pants, gloves, had to order a pair of tall boots, can't find my nice sunglasses, my last good Fleck whip was stolen, my stock pin is probably in the black hole under the bed and my bucket and bridle hooks seem to have gone AWOL as well.

Until yesterday I haven't memorized the full tests (normally I would have them memorized forwards and backwards) that I'll be riding. Just have been stringing bits and elements together and should be running through the full things this week. I'm very thankful that both have large canter tours and the trot work is uncomplicated and in good spots. 

Also in a change, I've loaded the tests onto iPad to practice on the whiteboard application, and because I'm not helping, volunteering, sitting and only showing one, I loaded books onto the iBook reader. Heck, if the show office has wireless, I can even watch Netflix between rounds. Also loaded the little camera up for hopefully some video.

Expecting a bit of a curve rejoining competitive society (not to mention a full schedule), I actually began packing today. I did a quick clean over the equipment, unpacked the box which hadn't been touched since we got back in early May, emptied the contents and began to sort.

With horse shows, you need doubles of everything you have at home and a few bits of specialized equipment that stay with the trailer. I'm lucky that Sincere and Sinari now share a regular grooming kit and I can augment the left over brushes shampoos and other items into a new bucket. But eventually, more things will probably become permanent fixtures in the trailer and new supplies will need to be purchased.

Made up new grooming buckets and bath buckets, checked the levels of the supplies (it should get me through July, or worse case scenario, end of June). Found Sinari's show halter and lead, shipping boots, found the snaffle bridle, loaded the trailer down with the spare buckets, extra basic supplies and started with the other items. I still need to copy my paperwork, and stick that in the portable folio, find the saddle cover and bridle bags, the shipping fuzzies and a few other items.

In between, working with Pennfields and a few other people we've developed a nutritional plan for the pony to create peak performance before and during the show. So far, it's worked out great. 

All in all, it seems like we're on the right track, but the real devil is in the details.