Baby, Its Cold Outside...

...and we have a clinic this weekend!

If you have hot water in your wash rack (or a wash rack at all), consider yourself blessed.  If you have heat lamps, well, you’re just living the dream.  For the rest of us, presenting our woolly beasts looking their best during the cold winter months takes a few tricks and a whole lot of elbow grease.

The Woolly Beast, slightly less woolly to help prevent puddle playing.

First, there is absolutely no substitution for daily grooming.  You’ll run across some people who tell you not to groom in the winter because it strips the natural oils from your horse’s coat.  That’s baloney.  Too much washing or using grooming sprays and stain removers can remove those oils, but good old fashioned scrub-a-dub rubbing is one of the best things you can do for your pony.  Plus it’s an excellent work out and will warm you up quickly.

Along with good deep currying, pick out your horse’s feet, and invest in a good super stiff brush.  Brushes come in as many shapes, sizes, materials, and bristle lengths as custom ordered saddle pads.  Probably more.  Each has its purpose, but you can pretty quickly evaluate which brushes will work best for you.

This is my “Mud Brush.”  I only use it to get caked on mud off legs and on fuzzy, fuzzy horses in the winter (its getting a little ragged and needs to be replaced - I know).  It has very stiff long plastic bristles.  The stiffness will flick the mud chunks off and the long bristles reach through the thickest coats to get the grime up from the skin.  It’s one of my winter staples.  It is also handy for brushing mud off the outside of turnout blankets in between washing.

If you’re lucky enough to have a horse with a relatively thin winter coat, you’ll need a brush with a little less bite.  Long bristles are still important to reach down to the skin and to help flick dirt up, but softer is kinder to those with a little less fluff.
I rarely use a finishing or soft brush in the summer (I usually just use a rub rag), but in the winter, a good quality (horse hair is you can afford it) short to medium bristled brush is great at removing dust and carrying those natural oils throughout the coat.  It makes them shine and helps protect them against the elements.

If you really do groom daily and you keep your brushes clean, you’ll be set with just those simple tools.  However, everybody takes a holiday now and then and occasionally there are occasions that warrant an extra special sparkle.  Even in the winter your steed can turn heads.

My favorite curry.  The big teethe break up dirt well.
The small side is perfect for faces and hard to scrub spots like the hocks.

First, start with a solid grooming session.  Your currying should bring any dirt, dandruff or scruff to the surface.  Now you have two options.  If you’re into disposable and you don’t have easy access to hot water, baby wipes are your friend.  Baby wipes are the best dust remover hands down.  They also work wonders on manure stains.  Scrub-a-dub and use a new one frequently.  They are also great for finishing touches like wiping out your horse’s nostrils and wiping out under his dock.  I also use my baby wipe supply to keep the inside of my horse’s blankets clean.  I just use a wipe or two to wipe out the grime that accumulates around the shoulders.  Just a little attention to detail can really help prevent shoulder rubs.

If you have hot water, you can save a bit of money by “hot toweling” instead of using baby wipes.  I like to work with two buckets of hot water and several towels.  Most people like to use dish washing gloves, but I’ve never been nice to my skin, so I don’t bother.  Basically you wet the towel in hot water, wring it as dry as you possibly can, they scrub an area.  When the towel gets to dirty or too cold, rinse it in the second bucket of water, wring it out, dunk in the first bucket, wring and repeat your scrubbing.  It takes a long time and a lot of water, but if you’re careful to get the towel dry enough each time, the horses seem to really enjoy it.  It’s kind of like going to the spa and having a hot towel yourself.

Finally, if you want your fussy pony to look her best, you might consider making her just a little less fuzzy.  Besides a tidy bridle path, your clippers can trim up the billy goat whiskers (if your horse lives outside, I wouldn’t cut the feeler whiskers on his nose, just the long shed hairs under this jaw bones), outsides of the ears, and the fetlocks.  One note of caution with fetlocks, if your horse is prone to scratches, don’t take off all the hair.  Clip carefully leaving a little peak at the back of the fetlock.  This helps precipitation drip off instead of pooling between the heel bulbs leading to all kinds of unpleasantness. 

I let my horse’s manes grow a bit longer in the winter.  We don’t have a lot of shows in the area and none that require braiding.  I think just a little extra fluff can help keep them warmer.  I certainly don’t like going out without my stocking cap!  If you’re trying to be presentable, don’t hesitate to even things up a bit, or even pull to about four inches.  If you want to leave it long – the French braid is your friend!

For finishing touches, wood putty matching your horse’s hoof color can fill in cracks.  Baby powder dusted lightly into white leg marking can lighten them up a bit, and don’t forget the importance of clean tack!  You’ve scrubbed the horse; don’t ask him to work in dirty equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a lot of work, but pretty much anything in life worth doing is.  So, bundle up and get scrubbing.  The cleaner they are before you ride, the cleaner they’ll be when you’re done.  Grooming is good for them, good for you and more than a means to an end.  Hopefully by Spring you’ll have a Fresh Perspective on grooming.

 

 

Reaction

“A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually.  One must fight for a life of action, not reaction.”   - Rita Mae Brown

There is a lot of reacting in the world right now.  We’re reacting to tragedy.  We’re reacting to prophecy.  We’re reacting to holiday sales and reacting to holiday stress.  Why are we so compelled to react? 

Reaction, an action performed or a feeling experienced in response to a situation or event.  Reactions are a response to physical or mental external stimuli.  We can’t avoid outside stimuli.  Perhaps for brief moments we can escape, but invariably the world will get through.  As compelled as we may be to try and create a utopia around ourselves, it won’t happen.  Something will always upset the balance.  Our horses will throw shoes and people we’ve never heard of will make decisions that leave gaping holes in our lives.  We can’t control the stimuli but we can actively prepare.

Reactions tend to be negative.  Since a reaction is a response, something came first.  You’re already one-step behind.  Navigating life a step behind leaves us feeling like we’re always running to catch up.  It isn’t much fun and lately it has a host of people feeling helpless and out of control. 

With horses and life, you know that someday something is going to go “wrong.”  You’ll arrive at the show late, missing half your tack, the wind blowing, and Mr. Sleepy breathing fire.  Will you react by blaming the weather, the traffic, your work schedule or your lack of planning, all while hyperventilating or will you have a plan for how to deal with the circumstance?  That’s the difference between reactive and active thinking.

You obviously cannot plan for everything.  There will be unimaginable circumstances, but if you’ve practiced dealing with situations, your brain is going to handle a new “crisis” a little better.  Take the example of Mr. Sleepy hopping off the trailer breathing fire.  How will you handle the situation?  Will you react by getting upset at the circumstance or will you actively take steps to make the circumstance better?  Stay positive.  There is a lot of power in visualizing your desired outcome.  So Mr. Sleepy is dashing around the dressage warm-up like a barrel horse, ride him like you want the ride to go.  Post slower, breathe deeply, smile!  You’ll be amazed how well actively choosing your ride can make it a reality.

Due to current world circumstances, I wouldn’t feel right ending without mentioning that there are situations that we have absolutely no control over.  No amount of preparation will prepare us for them because they are unimaginable.  However, that doesn’t give us a free pass to react out of pain or anger.  Be actively compassionate, but look to the future not the past.  There is so much more I could say about choosing to be an active thinker both in and out of the saddle, but for now I'm going to leave you with this.  Be active in your life.  Make a difference to those around you, because you choose to, not because they do something to prompt it, and that’s my Fresh Perspective.

Yo-Ga Girl!

Time to hit the gym.

What?!?  I thought the holidays were a time to slack off a bit.  Let yourself go.  New Year’s is the time for gym busting.  Well, with a swim suit clad vacation looming and the horses on their self-inflicted winter break, I figure this is the perfect time to start the toning.

Normally I rely on manure bucket slinging (64 calories per stall), wheel barrow pushing (63 calories every ten minutes), hay bale hauling (20 minutes – 249 calories.  Straw 20 minutes – 181 calories) and the ever present hike for the horses (ten minutes – 40 calories) to help maintain my fitness, but this season we’re stepping up our game in the saddle which means I need to step-up my game outside of the tack.

It’s nothing fancy and it’s fast.  I have to fit my “work-out” in on my lunch break, which makes me feel a bit like wonder woman by the way.  I dash to the gym, do a presto-quick-o change of clothes, a set of twenty-five decline bench sit-ups, elliptical or stair climber for a mile, then a second set of sit-ups.  That leaves just enough time for either stretching or a quick cool down walk followed by a shower.  It might not be glamorous, but it’s a great way to refresh your brain before heading back to work.

After a couple of weeks, I’m really starting to enjoy the routine.  Hopefully the horses like the idea, because unbeknownst to them, they are getting ready to hit the gym too.  Nutmeg can throw her shoes and Admiral can spend every day recreating his mud pack, but when dinner rolls around its yoga time!

Nutmeg and I ventured to a new chiropractor over the weekend.  There were a lot of little things nibbling at me telling me she needed to visit the chiropractor, but I just couldn’t get to the big city to see our previous expert.   It was an informative afternoon and she didn’t beat around the bush.  She pointed out that compared to her neck and hindquarters, Nutmeg’s back is pretty weak.  Enter horsey sit-ups!

If you’ve ever goosed a horse by getting cold water under their tail before they were ready, you’ve seen a horsey sit-up.  You can stimulate that tucking motion without the cold water enema by stimulating a point on either buttock about a hand's with from the top of the tail.  We will also be doing belly lifts and shoulder stretches.

I’ve always said Nutmeg was a stiff horse, but our discussion with the chiropractor was really enlightening.  Just like I desperately need to stretch every day to keep my mobility, Nutmeg needs similar stretching to keep her limber.  There are a plethora of loosey-goosey horses that stay limber all on their own, but Nutmeg is not one of them.  Since I’ll be taking her to the gym each evening, Admiral is going to participate as well.  Stretching and muscle building will compliment his recovery program very well and it’s something we can do even when he insists of remaining covered in mud.

The holidays are a great time to take a break.  Your horses need time to relax and let down just as much as you do, but that doesn’t mean you have to turn them out into the wild and turn a blind eye for a month.  There are lots of ways to take a break, without losing all the hard work you put in over the year.  Spend time working on ground manners, go for some leisurely trail rides, groom, groom, groom and my Fresh Perspective for this winter, pick up the habit of horsey yoga!

Blessed are the Flexible

“Blessed are the Flexible, for they will not get Bent out of Shape.”

Tis the season and when family gatherings begin, you can nearly guarantee that someone will get a wee bit bent out of shape.  Whether the traditional Thanksgiving dish got assigned to the wrong person, schedules conflict, or personalities clash, the holidays always present their own unique challenges.  So do horses.

Last weekend, I had the privilege of attending a Dressage Clinic with Cynthia Spalding.  She’s a unique lady with a wealth of knowledge and a passion for teaching.  Anyone who listens to her clinic for just ten minutes is bound to pick up a fresh perspective or two!

My lesson with Nutmeg focused on flexion.  After our less than stellar performance in the Dressage ring at Heritage, I was hoping to gain some insights on our new found bunny hop presentation.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  It’s a chronic problem.  Before we could canter, we needed to trot and the trot presented lesson number one.  I have a habit of pushing the beat.  Basically I am always thinking a hair in front of where I am and this causes me to rush.  It’s a problem when I try to dance as well, and play the piano, and walk up stairs, and through doorways and, well, you get the point.  Cynthia’s solution: Sing!

Once we had our tempo more correct, we could turn our focus to flexion.  We discovered that the resistance I’ve been getting is likely related to Nutmeg being out in her pole and jaw.  It’s time for another visit to the chiropractor.  Merry Christmas to her!  The great thing is, even working with that limitation, we were able to get her flexing better with slow calm work. 

The change came when we got my leg moving and in turn her moving off my leg.   Move my hand, move my leg.  Movement promotes movement.  Stiffness leads to stiffness. The second she got it right – release the pressure.  The release is the reward.

 It works great with horses.  Now if I could just apply it to family conflicts around the holidays.  Try as I might, I can’t master the skill, so I’m giving it a Fresh Perspective.  No amount of leg and rein aids will make the people around me flexible.  I can encourage them, but I’m fighting generations of habits.  I think I’ll just stick to making myself flexible.  Maybe that way I won’t be the one getting bent out of shape.

Priceless

Well, this has taken a while.  It’s that time of year when things spin a bit out of control.  Who am I kidding, they’re always out of control around here, but this time of year I have trouble catching my breath in the whirlwind.  Thank goodness for the occasional weekend when I can immerse myself in the horse world and breathe deeply.

That’s just what we did at Heritage, although caution against breathing too deeply was needed.  Temperatures stayed in the 30’s during the day and dipped into the twenties by night.  Even with woolly winter coats coming in, I don’t think anyone was worried about over heating their horses on cross country.

I really couldn’t have asked for a better weekend.  I got to catch up with dear friends and pilot Miss Nutmeg around her first Training Level cross country course.  There were definite instances that showed how much improvement is needed, but I still came away from the weekend wearing a huge smile and terribly proud of the pony.

Dressage is going to be the game we play this winter.  Although we’ve truly made some great strides (no pun intended, well maybe slightly), there is still much to be desired.  Here’s the best descriptor of our dressage test.

Photo by Merrick Studios.

There were some decent moments too.

 

And some moments where the judge’s comment of “transition a little late” was more than generous.  For whatever reason, I was paying more attention to staying on and in the ring then I was to riding a precise test.  Still, as my coach said, “She went in at A, did most of the movements, and came out at A.”  I’ll take it and we WILL improve from here.  Gives me plenty to work on through the dark of winter.

As less then polished as our dressage may have been, Nutmeg earned every one of her blankets, cookies, and pets around cross country.  I did not ride my best, but she rocked it. 

 

Looks innocent enough, right?  I don’t know what it is about the first fence at Heritage, but apparently Nutmeg doesn’t care much for it.  Last year it caught me completely off-guard, this year I was ready.  It took being ready and then some.  Fence one was probably my best ride of the course!

Fence two, I threw my shoulders a bit and we got a funny spot, but Nutmeg pulled it out.

Then I remembered to turn on the camera!

I almost pulled up after three.  Cantering from three to four things just felt a little funky.  I couldn’t place my finger on it so I just eased up a bit and things seemed to sort themselves out on the way to five and six.

Headed to the water, I didn’t get it together.  It didn’t occur to me until over a week later, that I could have made a circle and set things up better, but at the time I was just completely focused on forward.  Unfortunately, I also focused down.

Big Praise to the Pony.  I could have ended up very wet and cold if she hadn’t kept going!

It took me a bit to regroup, but Nutmeg trotted over the “boat house” like a pro with me bopping along on her back.  I still wasn’t completely settled back in as we headed down to the dreaded trakenher.  All the while I was yelling to myself, “Get it together!  This has to be right!  Eyes up!  Eyes up!  Eyes up!”  I managed to keep them up almost all the way.  Nutmeg had a legitimate peek at the ditch, can’t blame her, she’s never seen one with a log over it before, but in that instance, I quit riding and prepared for disaster.  She’s amazing.  She really is because she piled us over that log and landed at nearly a complete stop.

Onward and forward!  After that it was all icing on the cake.  The bank up to the table wasn’t super smooth, but she read the question and answered it.  The combination I was most concerned about was probably our best combination on course.

I threw my shoulders again at the chevron.  Another jump she’s never schooled but piled me over in spite of my distracting flopping.  I really need to get back to the gym or at least off my rear more often and get my mental longevity back.  Over the end table and home free.

 

I thought we’d gone double clear, well inside the time (26 seconds), but later discovered I’d set my watch 30 seconds slow.  We had a few time penalties, but I view it as a blessing.  By setting my watch incorrectly, I made the time a non-issue.  I was planning on “ignoring” the time anyway, but you always have just a little pressure from that watch on your wrist.  This way I faked myself out.  I am very confident that time will not be a problem in the future.

Photo by Merrick Studios.

For those of you who have never ridden by the seat of your pants, had your horse save your hinny, or even had just an exhilarating gallop around the pasture, I can’t put into words how great I felt after cross-country.  It is one of those experiences you really just have to experience!  Say what you will about riding, it is teamwork on the highest level.

Sunday dawned not quite as chili, but still frost clung to the grass well after nine.  The Show Jumping course looked like it would be a real challenge for us.  There were several downhill turning questions where I could have easily lost Nutmeg’s shoulders and when the shoulders go, we’re sunk.  We would also be returning to the ring where she pretty much ran away with me last year, but we’ve been working on submission ever since and I was literally praying it paid off.

Photo by Merrick Studios.

She was a champ.  One hundred percent more ridable then the year before.  I was thrilled with the round.  We had a rail.  Possibly she just didn’t see it.  It was have black and half orange.  I rode to the black half to give us just a hair more room in our line to the next fence, she pulled the rail.  Oh well.  The rail did mess with our ride to the following oxar which in turn affected our ride into the one stride.  It twern’t pretty, but it was amazing.  The horse that grabbed the bit and plowed around courses earlier this year listened to my voice alone as I steadied her up for the one stride and somehow we came through it unscathed.  Good pony.  Good, good pony.

That really sums it up.  I am still completely overwhelmed with how good she is.  It was nice to get a pretty pink ribbon, but I’d trade a hundred pink or even blue ribbons for the feeling she gave me repeatedly that weekend.  “Mom, I can do this, just come along for the ride, or at least stay out of the way.”  She’s happy and she is loving this game.  If you haven’t watched the video through to the end, do.  The look on her face back at her stall is priceless.  My Fresh Perspective from our weekend at Heritage: I am truly blessed to have such a creature in my life.  

Photo by Merrick Studios.

Why Compete?

Two months ago we were well on our way to Kentucky to compete in Nutmeg’s first out of state event.  I expected the competition to be even tougher as we headed east, so when a co-worker asked if we were going to win, I laughed.  “This isn’t the kind of sport where winning matters.  Sure it would be nice to get a ribbon, but the chances are quite low.  We’re going because it’s fun.”

No doubt this confuses many people.  Heck, it occasionally confuses me.  Why do we get up at crazy hours, spend precious resources driving across the country, punish our bodies, brains and emotions all to occasionally come home with a ribbon?  Why do we compete?

Cliché, but for me the reasons are like an onion.  The reason I generally verbalize is to have something to work toward.  It really helps to have an event to look forward to where you can showcase the skills you’ve been honing.  Hand-in-hand with that is the chance to check our progress.  When the crows and the cows are the only thing watching you ride, it’s easy to become complacent and overly confident.  It’s also easy to miss the improvements you are making.  An event is a great place to check your progress, not by comparing with others (although, really, who doesn’t), but comparing your performance to past performances.

The next layer of my Eventing Onion I stole.  Sinead Halpin wrote a great Blog for The Chronicle of the Horse (read it here: http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/inspiration-so-much-more-warm-and-fuzzy-feelings) about Inspiration and where it comes from.  She made an excellent point in that when we watch our peers and our betters compete, we are inspired.  Hopefully we are inspired to raise the bar and to become better, to emulate the greats, but occasionally the inspiration comes in the form of, “I’m NEVER going to look like that.”  At least that form of inspiration offers a bit of comic relief.  Whatever the form, competitions are a great opportunity to open our eyes and get back in touch with what’s going on around us.

It’s selfish to some extent, but I also like competing because it’s a chance to see my friends!  We may not snuggle around cups of hot coco sharing feel good stories, but I cherish the time spent braiding or tack cleaning as the sunsets.  Its real and its comfortable and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.  Which brings me to the final layer of my Eventing Onion, quiet.

The world is a hectic place.  Every day we have more “to do” then we can possible get done.  Demands are made of our every second.  Why take a needless stroll around the office when you can check Facebook one more time?  It’s hard to find solitude, a place away from computers, cell phones and people.  Whether its braiding in our stall, doing the late night check, hand grazing or riding cross country, eventing brings peace and solitude to my life.  Not that I don’t like having friends and family along, somehow even amongst the hustle and bustle of the show schedule the solitude is waiting.

I’m heading for that solitude now.  This weekend Nutmeg and I will go on a search for the predawn tranquility we find in a barn full of horses munching away before dressage.  We’ll seek out our own patch of grass to nibble on in silence.  We will leave the sound of the start box timer’s count down in the dust as we gallop into the stillness of cross country.  That’s why I compete.  I compete to find quiet in this chaotic world.

A Horse and Her Girl

“Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this.  For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.” – Henry Ford

Everyone has heard the “eyes are the windows to the soul” quote.  I wanted something more.  But, I have to give eyes credit.  They are what started this whole train wreck of thought.

Normal people talk of starring into the eyes of their lover, of getting lost in their gaze.  Being a far from normal person, I’ve been studying horse eyes.  To even the most casual observer, the eye can speak volumes.  Take for instance the whites of the eye showing fear or anxiety.  For the less casual horse watcher, the eyes tell a story.

 It’s not something I can always find words for.  I floundered around for a full minute when a co-worker asked me how I knew my horse wasn’t feeling well.  I couldn’t put her expression into words, but I knew exactly what it meant.  As hard as it was to explain, “I don’t feel good” is a pretty easy feeling to see.  A horseperson can generally see it in any horse, not just the horse’s with which they are well acquainted.  That being said, I’ve been eye gazing looking for something deeper.

Twice now I’ve been privileged to watch the evolution of a horse’s eyes.  Ironically, both horses have been mares.  It may be that Admiral came to me with his darling personality already in place or maybe mares bond with me on a different level.  I don’t know, but I’m beginning to believe it’s more than a fluke.

Icy Dawn and Nutmeg were both mares without much personality when I started working with them.  They’d show up for work and do the job.  Some days we’d fight.  Some days things went well, but that’s about as far as things went.  We weren’t companions and their eyes rarely spoke more than, “oh it’s you, food?”

I don’t remember when I first started noticing the change in Icy, but before the end we definitely developed a partnership that went beyond walk, trot, canter, and jump.  In the end, it was the look in her eyes that finally told me it was time to put her down.  Horses might not speak human, but their eyes hold a depth of communication.

Nutmeg has been a slow transformation.  I’d say it started when she had a small round of colic (stomach ache, but a little more serious).  I think being there to help ease her pain helped break down the initial wall.  From then on she understood that I could help and she was a little less off-put by my presence. 

We’ve done a lot together since then and each little excursion cements things a bit better.  Each time I take only Nutmeg to a show, she gets my undivided attention for the weekend and becomes a bit more comfortable in her personality.  This summer, while Admiral has been laid-up, she received the majority of the pampering.  She’s now wearing an almost constant expression of pride.  As much as it has pained me to watch Admiral withdraw his personality a bit, it’s been wonderful to watch her’s bloom.   There is a new depth to her eye.  It says, “I know who I am.  I’m your partner.”

The great eventers talk about the traits they look for in a horse.  Sound legs, big heart girths, athleticism.  I believe it was Jimmy Wofford who encourages riders to find a horse with “the look of an eagle.”  I’m not sure horses are born with “the look of an eagle.”  I think it is developed.  The long hours nurturing through an illness or injury, the time spent hacking down the road, sharing triumphs and defeats, hand grazing on a sunny afternoon.  Time matters, you can’t develop a relationship without it.  We develop as we experience.  Our relationships evolve as when share time.  So, take time.  Develop character.  Build relationships.  The best part, this Fresh Perspective doesn’t just apply to a horse and her girl.   

Big Girl Pants!

Oh boy!  Have you ever dreamed or even obsessed over an item of clothing?  Maybe a sparkly dress or a fine pair of pants that catches your eye every time you are out window shopping.  You want it so badly.  Even if they are out of your price range or you’ll only wear it once, you can’t help but try it on, maybe more than once… Me either, clothes just don’t do it for me.  Now horse accessories… The point is when we identify something we want, it tends to consume a large portion of our brain and if you are anything like me, that portion of your brain is the logic center.  We lose our focus.  We forget logical progressions and we leap right for the reward.

The Kentucky show went so well.  It’s not so much that our score was phenomenal, it wasn’t, but the teamwork was finally there.  Nutmeg and I were clicking.  I knew what she needed and she was responsive to my suggestions (you try telling a chestnut mare how it’s going to be).  Two big pieces fell into place over the weekend.  One, we both stayed relaxed in dressage and show jumping and two, we were balanced on cross country.  The Horse Park might not have any mountains, but it has its fair share of hills.  For the first time competing, I felt we were balanced enough at any point to jump and I didn’t have to win a war to get the balance.  Nutmeg was happy to balance herself.

Well, that got my brain rolling.  We’d thrown around the idea of moving up to training at the beginning of the year if we could get the balance and communication in place.  So, what to do?  Play it safe and do one more event at Novice to see if Kentucky was a complete fluke?  Move up and pray my gut feeling is right?

Nope, never fear, that is NOT a Training Fence.

I’ve been eyeing the training fences since the last time I galloped around a training course (let’s just say it’s been a few years).  I really like that level.  It’s challenging enough to keep me interested, but friendly enough that I don’t have nightmares or want to pee my pants galloping down the fences.  Understanding that my desire to get back at it might just be clouding my judgment, I sought professional help.

Last Training.  Icy Dawn ~ 2007.

For many riders the decision to move up a level is made by their coach or trainer.  Sadly, living in the middle of nowhere limits my access to my long term coach.  I’m not getting weekly lessons.  In fact, I’m lucky if a second set of eyes watches me ride every couple of months.  The children playing tag across the street don’t count.  Fortunately, I’ve been given a wonderful basic education.  I can blunder along and at least manage not to do more harm than good.  We might not be accelerating toward our potential as fast as we might be with consistent instruction, but we make baby steps.  So when I sent out the cry for help, I received a predictable response, “If you think the cross country is there, move-up.”  No pressure, right?!?

I do think it’s there.  I really, really wish I could school the course we’re headed to first.  I think there’s a big old trakehner lurking out there and it might just make me pee my pants, but I have an amazing amount of confidence in Miss Nutmeg.  I’m not sure why, and that’s what worries me that my logic center has gone bonkers.  She isn’t a terribly clean jumper, but out on cross country she’s a dream.  She thinks it’s a walk in the park and hardly bats an eye.  She just gets the galloping forward and respects the solid fences.  Am I nuts?  Yeah, probably, but if we don’t take risks we never grow.

It looks friendly enough, right?

The second bit of advice I receive from my long distance coach, “It will make you work harder.”  Well, that’s true.  I told myself one way or the other I was going to prep for Heritage like we were moving up to training.  Well, now we are, so bet your buttons we’re going to be working hard! 

Today’s Fresh Perspective is Focus.  That’s what I need to keep moving forward.  Now we have a definite goal to focus on and stepping stones to reach that goal.  Stepping stones like balanced 15 meter circles, lengthening of the trot and canter, and the ever constant improvement of transitions.  The first stepping stone, find my big girl panties! 

Technically, it's my sister showing off the pants.  I'm always the one on the horse.

 

Better than a trip to the spa, our outing to the Kentucky Horse Park was terrific.  We made it a girl’s weekend, just me, a girl friend to groom and keep me awake, and the Chestnut mare - Nutmeg. 

We had no traveling trouble.  In fact, Nutmeg who is a notoriously awful traveler handled her first three plus hour trip like a champ (actual time in the trailer just a bit over nine hours each direction).  Fuel prices certainly weren’t comfortable.  I gagged when we paid over four dollars a gallon.  Little did we realize that Indiana has a sneaky little tax system.  When you think you’re paying $4.03, you’re actually paying $4.35.  Shocked, I asked the attendant why the difference in prices between the billboard and the pump, his response, “It’s an Indiana thing.”  Apparently Indiana and Washington are the only states that have a “hidden” tax for their residence.  Kind of strikes a nerve in me, but we weren’t going to let it ruin our trip.  After all, on a girl’s weekend out, you get what you pay for, right?

The staff for the Kentucky Classique Event deserves a great big thumbs up and a heartfelt thank you.  They were organized, friendly, helpful and efficient.   I have never seen a more efficient show jumping day.  Everyone was concerned with the eminent arrival of Isaac and they pushed us through quickly and politely.  Such a refreshing atmosphere.

Of course the Kentucky Horse Park is one of the nicest venues.  Ample room for warm-up in all three phases, great footing, and a back drop to make any horse enthusiast drool.  With a popular venue comes shopping!  In the Midwest we don’t get a lot of vendors, so we took full advantage of the various options and did what girls do best, especially around horses – shop for horse stuff!  A sparkly brow band and crop for the pony, some reading material for me, a few necessities like studs and rubber bands and we were about done in.  Of course, I spent about fifteen minutes drooling over the Kentucky cross country boots.  Someday… sigh.

While the great traveling conditions, the staff and the setting would have made the trip pretty good, the fact that Nutmeg had on her polite shoes sent us over the moon.  We had a wonderful time together.  She seemed to really enjoy hanging out “with the girls.”  Extra treats, grazing, and being a bit spoiled seemed to really bring out her best attitude.  Our dressage ride was so-so, but it was polite.  We didn’t get into any big fights.  Mission accomplished.  The icing on the cake was our canter work.  Perhaps not the most brilliant, but for us, a huge improvement.  No more bolting forward, rocketing me out of the tack or jumping out of the arena.  I’ll take it and we’ll move forward from here.

 

Honestly, cross country was a bit disappointing.  I expected to be challenged, but we shared what seemed like about half the course with baby novice.  If it hadn’t been at The Horse Park, it really would have been a snooze fest.  As it was, we enjoyed a nice canter around the country side.  We took advantage of the stress free trip to hopefully be ambassadors for the sport, hamming it up and waving to a group of school kids on bikes.  That was probably the highlight of our cross country trip.  Nutmeg rocked it as usual and was well pleased with herself.  I’m eyeing the training fences with increased hunger.

Show Jumping showed the greatest improvement and I left the ring grinning from ear to ear.  We had our first fight free trip.  We pulled a rail, but it was completely my fault.  I started celebrating too soon and forgot to regulate our pace quickly enough.  Lesson hopefully learned.  I am so pleased with Nutmeg.  She was completely cooperative, and that is a BIG change.

I tried a new warm-up strategy for both cross country and show jumping and it will be interesting to see if it had anything to do with our improvements.  Instead of doing a minimal quick warm-up, we did a minimal long warm-up.  Between each jump we took time to walk around the arena at least once.  It really kept us both settled.  It’s a totally different plan then most people take, but this weekend it seemed to work really well.  We will definitely be trying it again.

Yay for good weekends, great friends, wonderful horses, dedicated volunteers and magnificent venues.  I’m blessed to be able to enjoy them all.  Showing doesn’t have to be stressful, it can be as relaxing and as refreshing as a trip to the spa, and that’s the fresh perspective we brought back from Kentucky.

Sir Isaac, Rain!

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”  - John Ruskin

With Isaac preparing to pound down on North America, some are bracing, some running, and those of us in the Midwest are dancing barefoot and praying it will rain.

Oddly enough, it feels like we’ve been battling a hurricane for the last month, but have little to show for it.  I’ve been drowning at work.  Responsibilities, deadlines, and juggling balls have been pounding on my head.  I thrive on a fast pace environment, but I’m not a fish.  I don’t have gills, and eventually, I must come up for air. 

My husband has been blessed with wind beneath his wings as he starts a new and exciting job.  It’s an excellent position and something he enjoys.  It’s also a challenge.  He has stepped into some major responsibility and the same wind that lifts him one moment, will just as quickly turn and slap him down.  Thankfully, we’re used to the wind and he loves a good battle against the elements.

We received some chilling news a couple of weeks ago.  Fifteen to five on a Friday afternoon I received a call from my father-in-law.  “Call me as quickly as possible; Riki (mother-in-law) has been hurt.”  One quick trip in a life flight helicopter and a very long weight in the ER “waiting” room later we learned she faced a long but promising recovery.  For someone who has never before broken a bone, seven broken ribs, a broken clavicle, fractured vertebrae and a punctured lung is quite a laundry list.  As serious as it was, we were reminded daily that it could have been much worse.  A hospital is not a place where you see people at their best.  I could never work there.  Nearly every person I saw had dead or desperate eyes.  They were so tired, so distressed, clinging to any hope they could find and slipping.  Time in Riki’s room was a breath of fresh air comparatively.  We’re such a fun loving family, even though the “No Laughing” rule had been enacted, we failed miserably.  Instead of huddling in a shell and wishing the cold bitter snow would go away, we made snowmen, through snowballs, and enjoyed the fluffy white.  I just wish I could have lobbed a few snowballs at some of the other visitors.

There have been a few glimmers of sunshine admits the storm.  After Admiral’s trip to MU, he’s been healing quite nicely and seems to be sound.  He’ll start back to work next week, fingers crossed, and although the 20 minutes we’re spending a day hand walking him could easily become tedious, he’s such a gem, that I think I’m actually going to miss our walks.   Nutmeg’s run in with a strange sinus issue resolved in the best way possible – quickly and without complication.  We’re headed to Kentucky this weekend for some fun at the Kentucky Classique Event at the fabulous Kentucky Horse Park.  This will be my first event without my trusted side-kick (husband) since our wedding, but a good friend and knowledgeable horse woman is traveling along to help with the sanity and take in the sights. 

We’re also proud to announce a new addition to the family.  Nope, we haven’t purchased a new animal, and I am most certainly not expecting.  This baby is all my husband’s and it packs a punch.  While dashing back and forth from our farm, to his parents, to the hospital, we stumbled upon the find of the century, a ’74 Charger in pretty darn good shape and at a to-good-to be true price.  I couldn’t turn him down and now he’s grinning from ear to ear just thinking about “her” purr. 

It’s been storming, but the worst always seems to skirt right by.  Even with the craziness, confusion, and daily grind, we have so much to be thankful for.  Roger Miller once said, “Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.”  Right now, I’d like nothing better than a splishy-splash day to go walking in the rain.  Maybe Isaac will send some our way.  Won’t you join me, and enjoy a fresh perspective?

Stalled

  From the Fresh Perspective of Admiral Nelson

It’s been an exciting month.  At the present, I find myself bouncing off the walls as I can hardly contain myself.  Where to begin…

You know the grass is always greener saying, well it’s true.  I can prove it to you.  Just come visit.  Since moving to our new home last November, we’ve been cooped up in paddock just big enough for me and my pals.  Although there was plenty of room to dodge Nutmeg’s attacks, the food was basically limited the dried stuff supplied twice a day, and the pony is an awful pig!  To make matters more aggravating, just across the fence loomed lush pasture.  Well, they finally let us out there and boy was it glorious.  I ran like I haven’t run in years.  Still can’t figure out why they retired me from the track.  Who cares if my style is tail held high?  It doesn’t create that much drag… but I digress.  I’m not going to complain, I’ve got grass after all, but if you take a good look you’ll see the grass in the next field is just a little greener.  Maybe she’ll let us out there next.

Well that was the first treat, then I got to go to a show!  It’s been a really long time since mom gave me the privilege of going somewhere by myself.  We’ve made a few trips with Nutmeg and we’ve been to a couple of schoolings, but she keeps making me stay home when pampering and performance is in order.  Something about the pocket book.  Anyway, I got to go!  We even spent the night.  It was a beautiful old brick barn with nice big stalls.  They hold something called the State Fair there every year, but I think it should be a year round horsey spa.  I didn’t get to jump, just prance around between the white boards and flowers, but I tried really hard to behave myself.  I’m a little out of shape and that makes it difficult to hold myself together, especially in the canter.  But mom was pleased that we made mostly straight lines and roundish circles.  She gave me extra cookies for putting on my brave pants.

Nutmeg was extremely jealous that I got to ride in the fancy new trailer without her, but after about five minutes she relented and welcomed me home.  We spent the next couple of days relaxing and stomping flies.  Mom finally relented and gave us our fly sheets.  It been so hot and dry I haven’t been able to get my daily mudpack and the flies were beginning to get very irritating.  I guess that’s what sent Nutmeg over the edge.  Maybe she thought I was an over-sized green head.  I don’t know, but boy can she kick.  Now I know why mom likes to ride her.  She’s got some muscle in that hind end!  She nailed my stifle, but it just barely nicked the skin, so I figured no big deal.  Oh did it hurt though.  I tried to be tuff and not let it show.  I did a pretty good job too, if I didn’t have to move.  My grazing muscles work just fine thanks, but mom got worried.  She harassed me pretty thoroughly then decided on further torture.  I tried to tell them that getting into the trailer was not a good idea.  It’s like they didn’t believe that my leg hurt and trying to stand up in a moving vehicle wasn’t going to be fun.  Sometimes when you’re a horse, you’ve just got to do what you’re told, so I hobbled up the ramp (I sure hope Nutmeg was too busy throwing a fit to notice) and away we went.

It was so hot and it hurt.  I know mom was driving carefully, but it was still stressful.  I was pretty sweaty by the time we reached our destination.  Talk about horsey spa!  They had cool air!  I didn’t think we were in the trailer that long, but the place we ended up had a totally different climate.  It was wonderful.  Plus I had a whole host of people petting me and telling me I’m such a good boy.  I mean, I know it’s true, but it’s still nice to hear it every once and a while.  After the petting, they did some interesting contorting of my body.  True to form I was an all-star.  Maybe my next profession will be a horsey Yoga instructor.  Mom was so pleased with me.  She petted me and scrubbed my forehead and refused to leave my side.  My entourage did a little more poking, but then they left me alone in a comfy stall.  Thank goodness because I had to pee!  I don’t know what it was they stuck me with, but my bladder went into overdrive.  That would be my only complaint, some bedding to prevent splash back would be much appreciated.  Mom got a big old goodie bag, then it was back to the heat and the trailer.

I was so glad to be home and my leg was killing me, so I didn’t mind that I got to spend the night in my stall.  Nutmeg wasn’t very pleased though.  I guess she’s adopted me as her personal fly swatter.  She’s got the pony.  I don’t see the problem, but I guess I’m loved and that’s not so bad.  I’m getting to eat some yummy new food.  It’s all mushy and has kind of a weird after taste, but it makes me feel great!  My leg hardly hurts at all!  Which is why I’m now spending most waking moments circling my stall.  One of these days mom will see I’m all better and LET ME OUT!  She has consented to letting me graze in hand a bit each evening while she grooms me, but I’d really prefer to be out with my friends.

The excitement has come to an end.  Now I’m just looking out my window, snacking on my hay and dreaming of the day when I get to go back outside.  The pony comes in to keep me company each night, but the days are pretty boring.   My plans for taking over the Main Show Pony spot have stalled.   At least I’m here.  I’ve got food, I’ve got water, I’ve got a mom who gives me a good scratch every day.  I have plenty to look at.  I can be content with that.

-          Admiral Nelson