All the Little Things

So lots of stuff that has happened over the last couple weeks.  I was able to ride the Red Plowhorse as I like to call him or Prince of Ponies or the Red Rogue Pony when he's being naughty or throwing a tantrum.  But usually it's the "I was a Clydesdale in a previous life" pony and not one of those cool ones that pulls the beer wagon but one the ones that you see standing in a field waiting patiently and happily for his farmer to stop jawing with the neighbors so they can get back to plowin.

But I was able to ride him last week before Superhubs and I went down to Charlotte, NC.  Our trip was a two fold manuever. Months back I had bought Superhubs a package where he could drive a real NASCAR race car around a real track.  And then he wanted to do it again at another track. We chose the Charlotte Motorspeedway because we potentially might be moving near there when I finally get free of the evil blue beast that owns me right now better known as the Navy.

I have my eye on Monroe, NC because it's an easy drive from Charlotte and it's two hours from Aiken and an hour and a half or so from the Carolina Horse Park.  Sounds perfect to me.  Superhubs wants Mooresville because it's where the mother ship of Lowes Corporate is docked.  While Mooresville has lovely rolling countryside and also not a bad drive to Charlotte its 3hrs or more from both CHP and Aiken.  No.  Not just no, hell no.  I swore after living in the furthest part of VA from all HT's that I would not live more than two hours from either Aiken or CHP.  I can deal with losing distance to one but not both.

I want to live in a horsey concentrated area. I want neighbors to trail ride/train/event with all three would be nice but any one of those would be awesome.  I want to live in a place that it doesn't take a miracle to get a great clinician out to.  A friend and I were just discussing after seeing that Dom Schramm would be giving a clinic about 3hrs from us what it would take to get him out to us. At least three months of planning, aggressive advertising and a lot of begging around for enough eventers in my area. Damn the Navy why can't they have a Navy base in Aiken? I'm sure there's a lake out there big enough for Admiral So and So to park his Air Craft Carrier in.

Superhubs and I also did a lot of other fun stuff including a food tour.  If you've never done one, DO IT! Delicious food, new friends, history and usually lots of wine/beer/mixed drinks. This is where we booked ours. Awesome woman who owns the business and does a lot of the tours. http://feastfoodtours.com/  We also visited the US White Water Center, totally cool and we saw a movie in a theater that had not only a resturante that served you while you watched the movie but a full bar!

Back to the horsey side of things. We returned last Sunday but I didn't have to go back to work until Wednesday.  Monday I spent being a house slug. But Tuesday I planned ahead fed early, got some housework done, then rode the pony.  Usually not a big deal except this would mark the first time I would ride without Superhubs being home.  I had a ton of stuff to get done in the afternoon and sometimes by the time Superhubs would roll home I'd lose all my motivation.  So pulling on my big girl pants I tacked up and got on.

If it had been the High Queen I was swinging a leg over I probably wouldn't have ridden alone.  But Fox when he's doing his Plow Horse routine is pretty unflappable.  I decided that if he acted like an ass while I was grooming and tacking up I'd just turn him back out and wait for Superhubs. But he behaved himself and we actually (despite the over 80 degree and stifling humidity weather) had a really great dressage school. Lots of bending, changing direction and practicing the test for the CT.

What else is on the horizon for us? Well the perfect opportunity to take Fox off the farm to a place with other horses that weren't either of his farm mates presented itself. Two local h/j associations are doing a double show at a place about an hour from me this weekend. One of the associations is very...Hunter Princess. The other is more laid back.  The laid back one had THE perfect class for us.  A Beginner Hunter Over Fences class whose 4 baby fences max at 18 inches!  Yes this is perrrrfect!  This situation will almost completely mirror what we will be doing in two weeks.

 And Superhubs will be able to come with as the official photog/videographer/driver.  I have an absolute terror of taking my full rig to a place I haven't been before or at least eye balled for parking. I am always afraid I'll put it someplace I won't be able to get out of and have EEEK! back up.  *shudder*
So Superhubs will take that anxiety off my shoulders. Not that I haven't taken my rig out solo to unknown venues but all of them I had double checked that they could easily accomodate larger rigs ie they had massive fields to park in so that even if I got there late there was always a large space for me to manuever in.

I need to pop the pony over some more cross rails today or tomorrow just to give him a refresher and he needs to load in the trailer a few times to make sure we don't have any issues there either.  But all in all I think this is going to be awesome. Despite having to become a Faux Hunter Princess and infiltrate their ranks, although I REFUSE to wear a jacket (not required but idiots will do it anyway, its going to be in the mid to high 80's with mad humidity for the love of all things sacred!)

Until we return from the alien planet of Hunter/Jumpers keep it between the flags everyone!

Baby Steps

I admit between work and weather I lost my motivation again for a little bit. But somewhere during my 24hr watch (babysitting the buildings so wild hooligans don't destroy it) I found it again.  Mostly I have to thank Facebook otherwise how would I have known that one of the local Pony Club's was having a combined test only about an hour away from me?

The event is at the end of June so not much time to prepare but I am at this point only taking Fox in to the Grasshopper division which maxes out at 18" and the dressage test is the Intro B which I've done a hundred times at least and there is no cantering in that test.  The sweet bonus? I can school the XC course after the combined test. WIN WIN!

This will however be one of Fox's first forays on his own and I have a bit of anxiety about that, wondering just how my super unmotivated but clingy pony is going to deal with going some place by himself. I'm thinking I need to trailer Fox out a couple times by himself and see what we see.

And a trip to Lowes is in order to pick up some landscaping timbers with which to make jump poles. The PVC as I stated previously isn't gaining Fox's respect and he just barely picks his feet up over them. Even though we will only be doing the 18" course I want Fox to start using himself more rather than just doing the Plow Horse Amble dance.

I could have chosen the 2ft division or Kangaroo division which if Fox's attitude towards picking his feet up improves I might still do but I really, really want him to have a good experience so unless he developes some springs we'll trot along over the smaller fences and make it a good day.

And of course no new endeavor should be embarked upon without a new piece of gear. This would probably be the reason I have something like 9 bridles and only one horse that is rideable for me. But that thought didn't stop me from ordering a new fly bonnet for Fox with a custom monogram for Midnight Hill Eventing!  We are going to look fabulous when we strut our hopefully calm and collected stuff at the combined trial!

Hooray for an attainable goal that will hopefully propel us on to bigger and more exciting things! Keep it between the flags everyone!

Mugging Monday

Even though it's Tuesday I took this photo yesterday.  All day Fox had been acting strange or strange for him. Usually the screamer is Seneca the Drama Queen. But yesterday when I tried to be extra loving and put him out in the front yard where the grass is lush and green he screamed every 10 minutes because OMG! I cannot see the mare! 

Even though Fox was in a strange mood I was determined to ride anyway.  Other than a few tenative attempts early on to find all of Fox's buttons I hadn't done an real ring work with him.  Mostly as previous posts have attested I have just been seriously unmotivated. That needed to end. If I ever want to event Fox I need to stop lazing around when I have the time and weather to school my horse.

So mood be damned I was going to ride. I just had to wait for Superhubs to get home because even though Fox is perfectly trust worthy my two accidents (both while Superhubs was thankfully home) have convinced me that riding alone is a no-go.  So when the man returned from work I went out in to the pasture to reset the jumps that Cowboy had pushed over.  Its always fun having my very own Pasture Poltergeist!  While I was setting the jumps to rights Fox pretty much stalked me around the pasture and when I took my phone out he became instantly insanely curious which is how I ended up with the Fox selfie above.

Our ride was actually pretty good. Other than screaming at Seneca a couple of times Fox behaved himself and did most of what I asked.  He did have a few moments of stubborn/laziness.  The first time I tried to pop him over the extremely low cross rails he bumped them with his feet.  Seriously?  They were like 18inches high!  But he did go over which we were having an issue with in the fall.  And we did some bending circles and lots of walk breaks as Fox is not that fit right now.

Then after a little post ride grooming I loaded him in the trailer without fuss and then put him away for the evening.  Although I did strip his halter off because Mr. Sensitive was having all his facial hair rubbed off.

Right now I am aiming for a low key H/J show in mid-July.  But to do that we need to be at least trotting 2'3" which is the height of the two classes I want to enter Fox in.  So that's the goal right now.  To get there I think I need to invest in some real jump poles. Fox isn't exactly respecting the PVC poles I have right now. Seneca on the other hand never wanted to touch anything but she was also more naturally forward than Fox.  I may just have to break out the spurs.  Until next time keep it between the flags everyone!

Eventing Training Old School Style

(Fox and I at the Genito Trail Head)


Last Saturday Superhubs and I packed our two boys and headed out to the beautiful Genito Horse Trails in La Crosse, Virginia.  Its about a three hour drive during which Superhubs and I passed the time listening one of two series of books on tape that we both enjoy.  If you haven't read or listened to the Janet Evanovich "Stephanie Plum" series then go do it!  Its hilarious!

Anyway after finding our way to a parking spot next to my trail riding friend Laina and her lovely Friesian/TWH cross Harry, Superhubs and I unloaded the boys who looked around for 2.5 seconds then proceeded to be plow horses eating at their hay bags.  So nice to have horses that don't fuss in new places.

Then soon enough it was saddle up time! I didn't know what to expect not having ridden at Genito before but I'd been told their were lots of rocky places. So on went Fox's Easy Boots, though I ran out of the special tape the Farrier Fairy gave me to make the boots have an ultra secure fit. This would come back to bite me later, and needless to say I went out and bought some yesterday.

The terrain was varried with lots of soft dirt trails through meadows and pine forrest, up and down hills and some small banks in the early parts of the first half of the trail.  There were no bridges in the first half which Fox hadn't liked the last time we went out trail riding last Fall. But there was a water crossing with a steep bank descent to the creek side.  Harry crossed without fuss, Cowboy followed after a second's hesitation at the bank but Fox stalled then stopped.  Errr!  But I'd been prepared this time and left Fox's halter on underneath his bridle and had brought a lead line.  So off I hopped, clipped on the lead line walked down and then in to the water. Fox followed submissively after as if to say "I just wanted you to make sure it was safe first Mom."

Somewhere between the creek crossing and some heavy clay mud the boot without the hoof tape on it came off.  Not good.  Superhubs was going to go back for it, but Laina volunteered saying it would be faster.  Superhubs, the boys and I chilled in the shade while Laina retrieved Fox's wayward boot.  I reapplied it and on we went.

More up and down hills, some of them I even got Fox the trotting fiend to canter up!  That is an achievement for the world's least mostivated ex-racehorse. We halted for lunch, which was the standard grilled out fair of hotdogs, hamburgers, soda and water.  Fox, Cowboy and Harry got a bit of grazing done and then we were off again.

By this time we'd been riding for four hours or more.  I was tired, Fox was tired, and the security of Fox's boot had me and Superhubs deciding to try and find our way along the short trail back to the trailer rather than another three hours on the long trail.  Laina gave us directions and we parted ways.  Which would have been great if Superhubs and I had a lick of directional sense between us.

We ended up riding along a two lane road where Fox had his first encounter with Seneca's nemesis, COWS!  They weren't close up to the fenceline that ran along the road otherwise I think Fox would have been more upset.  He didn't lose his mind like Seneca would have but he definitely gave those cows some long hard looks. Eventually we saw some other trail riders crossing the road ahead of us and we decided to fall in behind them.  Laina caught up to us there. Somehow our jaunt down the road had short cutted us in front of her.

It is at this point that my love for Fox grew even deeper.  Cowboy was leading but we came upon a huge, steep decline down a hill.  Cowboy decided at that moment that he'd used up all his bravery points and would someone else please go first.  Okay says I, we can do this.  I nudged Fox and he took a long moment to eye the steep hill then very carefully began picking his way down, Cowboy fell in behind us. My SUPER BRAVE PONY! I so wish I'd gotten a picture of that hill, it was truly an ugly descent.

But Fox's bravery didn't stop there.  He crossed the one and only bridge, FIRST, with no horses to lead the way in front of him and then the piece de resistance!  Another water crossing.  We were all supposed to walk in to the creek then walk down stream to the easier up bank.  Fox walked calmly in to the water, then Harry, then Cowboy.  Fox was busy doing his impression of a camel when two other riders who didn't want to go in to the water(one of the horses had a history of rolling in creeks) came along and I pointed out the narrow but there path to another crossing further up.  They passed us and Harry took that as permission to leave the water and follow them, which Cowboy did as well. Fox was still filling his second hump with water when he looked up and realized he was being left behind.  I did try to point him at the bank but the horse who wouldn't even cross water in the Fall, and needed a lead across earlier in the day suddenly become a sea horse and forged his way down stream to rejoin his group.  He even gave a little call to tell the others, "Look at me!  I can trot through water like a real event horse!"

There were a few other obsticales but nothing as major as creek or the steep down hill escapade. But the best, the very best, and one of the reasons I love, love, love my pint size OTTB!  After we got back to the trailer, untacked, checked everybody for sores, rubs, and cuts, then made sure they had their fill of water Superhubs and I decided to load up before we partook of the free dinner being provided to the riders.

This was always the moment of truth with the High Queen, will she or won't she?  I grabbed my chain lead shank (Only there to provide a little extra nudge) and the little green feed bucket I always bring with a handful of either the boy's grain or some alfalfa pellets.  I made sure Fox knew I had the bucket, then walked around to get him pointed at the trailer door. At this point he was trying to mug me for the grain.  Then I strode off, head up, jumped in to the trailer and without a second's hesitation my beloved red pony hopped in after.  YES!  He got a mouthfull of grain, then secured in the first stall of the trailer.  I handed off the bucket to Superhubs who attempted to get Cowboy on.  Ehhhhhh. Wrong answer Sir.  Cowboy balked.

I didn't want to be amused but I was so freaking happy that it wasn't my horse causing the issue this time.  Superhubs tried for a few more minutes before handing me the leadline.  I swapped his leadline for the chain shank, shook the bucket then walked in to the trailer.  Still no go.  Bucket shake, shake dance.  Cowboy got half way in then stalled for a few minutes.  I slid the bucket under the divider to give Fox a mouthful which he crunched loudly, and then Cowboy got all the way in.  Never underestimate the food motivated and jealous gelding.

All in all we rode close to 15 miles that day. At the end we had two tired ponies, one sore Superhubs, and a very happy me.  On the ride home I was thinking about what eventing training things I might squeeze in to my schedule then realized I just had.  All the things Fox and I had done today required endurance, bravery and trust,  three big things all eventers need.  Plus alot of the things we did I would also see on a XC course, water crossing, up and down banks, and lots of spooky stuff.  By summer's end we'll be ready and fit to go out and really do a XC course. Yippee!

Keep it between the flags everyone.  

My Motivation or Why I Need a Team

(Fox sporting his new trace clip and getting ready for a trail ride with Superhubs and Cowboy)


I realized this morning while goofing off catching up at work that I hadn't posted in awhile. Lately I've been thinking about the importance of goals and their impact on motivation which further has sway over my own self confidence.

I'll admit it I am not a self confident person, I'm not assertive, or outgoing. Which is one of the reasons that eventing appeals to me so much. It forces me to find my confidence, be assertive(even if it's only with my horse)and with the gregariousness of the eventing community I don't need to be outgoing I just need to sit still and eventers usually fall all over themselves to help, give a friendly word or throw out an enthusiastic good job!

So when this link to a blog on COTH popped up in my Facebook feed I was intrigued, clicked, read and felt a sense of connection with the writer.  This blog by Kristen Carpenter Plugging Away in a Program really made me realize the importance of a Team, whether that team is a barn crew, a coach, your vet box pit crew, or just a group of friends on horses at a similiar level.

And looking back over the last six years the most forward momentum I had with getting toward my ulitmate goal which is to complete a recognized BN event was when I took once a month lesson's with Chris.  But then he moved away due to personal reasons, Seneca went in to lame/pasture status and I was in limbo not knowing if Seneca would ever be sound and if not what did I want to do about my riding?

Enter Fox, LOVE!, and I suddenly had a new horse but no coach and most of my friend's horses we're all going at levels way above us. Then throw in a horrendous winter, my job taking a turn that I didn't expect that requires me to spend with it and the fact that I haven't been taking any regular lessons.

Swirl all this together and I get the realization that I need to find my own team.  I need other eventers with tadpole level horses, I need a good coach to motivate me, help me to be brave, and move me forward.  I need a group of people to go to HT's with even if it's only to make sure I can get my trailer out of anywhere I park it(I cannot tell you how much anxiety I have about getting my rig stuck some place, or EEEK backing up, although watching Dom Schram's video on that subject has bolstered my confidence a little.) Find that great video right here at Eventiontv's YouTube page, Overcoming TRA.

So I will be spending the spring trying to find a coach that I can really connect with, along with taking some dressage lessons from a GP rider around the corner from my farm.

What's going on other than epiphanies about Teams?  Well this weekend Super hubs and I are supposed to be going on a group trail ride with our trail riding club.  I may or may not be riding. Sunday afternoon when the weather got decent I put Fox in the side pasture.  He was fine for about five minutes, grazing happily and then he realized he couldn't see Seneca.  Screaming, flailing, flying up and down the fence.  I just let him do it, sort of like letting a toddler cry himself out.  He quieted down after awhile and went back to grazing.  But the damage had been done, I just didn't know it yet.

The Fabulous Farrier Fairy came out yesterday and Super hubs was on hand to hold the horses for her.  Fox was not exactly welcoming.  Apparently he tweaked a muscle in his right shoulder when he was running around and when K. went to pull his right leg forward on to the stand so she could round his hoof out with a rasp he protested violently.

When I got home I went to catch Fox who was out in the side pasture so he could get tucked in with his dinner next to the other horses.  I watched his movement and sighed unhappily. He was now gimpy on the right and feeling around he was a bit flinchy high up between his wither and the big muscle above the knee.  I gave him some bute and told Super hubs that if Fox wasn't sound I'd leave him home but still go with Super hubs and Cowboy so they could at least enjoy the day.

Here's to capricious horses and keeping it between the flags. 

Eventing Wonderland

Today I finally got home from my trip to watch the Carolina CIC.  From my first minutes in Southern Pines I was immersed in the eventing culture that we all love so much.

After a quick stop in Jacksonville to pick up my mother who was accompanying me on this trip we pulled in to Pinehurst dropped our luggage and immediately headed back out in search of food.   We intended to go to Chili's but accidently wandered in to Bone Fish Grill instead.  And man am I glad that I did.  Not only was it full of eventers, but just as we were being shown to our table Jimmy Wofford walked in! Then I had to try explain to my mother why I was practically bouncing out of my chair and craning my neck like a Justin Beiber fan who has just sighted the object of their obsession.

Ever try to explain to a non-eventer why Jimmy Wofford is a big deal?  It got complicated, but onwards with my story. After a good night's sleep Mom and I availed ourselves of the free hotel breakfast where I smiled over a parent's excitement over bringing their daughter all the way from Texas for their first 1*.

Then we headed over to the horse park.  After pulling out my fancy shmancy camera and some folding chairs Mom and I went over to start the day with show jumping.  As I am settling in to the bleacher seating I glance up and HOLY MOTHER OF EVENTING!  David O'Connor!  Again with the trying to look casual and still watch the eventing God.

Can you tell I've never been to a really big recognized event?  After watching some amazing show jumping Mom and I walked over to check out some cross country action.  Since my Mom's rhumatory arthritis makes it harder for her to walk and I didn't want my Mom witnessing a possible accident I plunked us down near the beginning of the course at the Stone Henge complex.

Loads of talented people flashing by on gleaming horses. I didn't get a whole lot of great photos from that position, too many things between me and the horses and because of the way the course ran it would be almost impossible to stand anywhere safetly.

Sunday dawned colder but the rain was supposed to hold off until the afternoon.  More free breakfast then off to the horse park.  The day before my mother had overhead the announcer talking about a rider who had gotten ditched in to the water jump. "I want to see that!" She exclaimed.  Seriously? I've created a monster.  So Sunday we found ourselves a spot by the water jump.  But I soon realized that the spot for spectators was great for watching but sucked for photos.  Looking around I spotted a couple of professional photographers and being bolder than I normally am made my way over to hang out with them.  Two of the ladies were from Brant Gamma photography, the other was a hobbyist with an awesome camera that I grilled her about.

Again tons of fantastic riders and lovely horses doing their thing and making the water complex look easy.  Not only did I see my most favorite rider Sinead Halpin galloping past but Karen O'Connor and Marilyn Little.  Through out the day I also spotted Ryan Wood, Buck Davidson, Sharon White, Charles Plumb, Doug Payne, Michael Powell, and jeez too many eventing Gods and Goddesses to count.

The whole experience was one I will always remember. The staff were friendly and helpful, the venue was great, the food was excellent and you can't fault the scenery.  Below are some of my favorite shots from the weekend.  Enjoy and keep it between the flags everyone.

Star Struck

I had a few minutes down time at work and decided to cruise over to the Entry Status on the Carolina CIC*** page just to see which riders were going to be there. Can you tell how excited I am!

I was scrolling through the list and saw not only is Dom Schram(SQUEEL!) going to be there, love his and Jimmie's videos, but my long time idol, the one and only Sinead Halpin will be there with the phenom New Forrest Pony, Forest Nymph aka Farrah, but Sinead will be riding Manoir de Carnival aka Tate in the ***

HOLY GODS of Eventing!!  I have followed Sinead's career since I saw her on an episode of that short lived eventing series on HRTV. But I've never been able to make it to an event where I might actually see her ride without a TV or computer screen between us.  I am soooo excited I can barely stand still. 

There will definitely be some photo stalking and if I can get a chance to have my photo taken with Sinead, or lets face it I'd be just as happy with Tate, I think I could probably die a happy woman.

There will be lots of other famousy eventers there, Kim Severson, Doug Payne, Will Faudree, and what's that guys name again? Oh yeah Boyd Martin.  I cannot wait for my adventure to begin! 

Until next time I am definitely doing a happy dance between the flags!