Monday, December 31, 2012

When Did I Buy a Hunter Pony?

     Since my last post, things have been progressing with Stoney better than I had anticipated. As I was hoping, the horse did become a bit more mentally sane once he started cantering and doing more each week. Because he was so out of shape and was cantering for longer periods each week, he was usually dog tired any way by the time we finished our ride. To have survived with only getting thrown off once is almost unfathomable. 
     Because I'm not working for Mike anymore, I had to move Stoney somewhere that was more affordable. After weeks of searching around, Lynne Partridge offered to let me keep him at her farm temporarily since she had just sold one of her horses and had an empty stall. I can't tell you how thankful I am to have the Partridge's in my life. They are such kind people, always offering to help me in whatever situation I am facing, and I am so thankful for them. They truly are wonderful people. Although I miss seeing the girls every morning out at Gold Chip, being at the Partridge's is so peaceful, a lot like how my time in the barn used to be back home.
     About a week before I left to come home for the holidays, Dr. Anderson came out and did another ultra sound on Stoney's tendon. It looked great, but after attempting to lunge him (with hooves flying at his assistant's head), we were able to see (eventually) that he was a little off on that leg because he was sore in his heel. We didn't want to risk him injuring the tendon by compensating for the soreness in his heels if he were to jump, so we decided to insert some wedges between the hoof and the shoe before he jumped again for the first time. I can't tell you how immediate and obvious the change was once Lynne's farrier put the wedges on his front feet and lifted his heels up, relieving the pressure. It was an incredible difference. It was so incredible that when Dr. Anderson came out to look at him again, he was absolutely amazed, saying he'd never seen the horse move this good.
     Stoney has also been happier since being turned out. Granted, he is only in a paddock the size of a stall, he THINKS he's turned out, and that's contributing loads to him becoming the horse he was before being put on stall rest. We've been doing a lot of long walks as well out at Quail Run after I ride him, and that's helping a ton as well.
     So, that Friday I jumped Stoney for the first time with Mike since the beginning of July... in the rain. No, I didn't mind getting soaking wet all that much, but it amazes me with the odds, seeing as it NEVER rains. I wasn't sure how he'd act, and even Mike admitted that he thought we wouldn't progress past a cross rail that day. However, Stoney proved him wrong and didn't act out once. In fact, he loped around like a hunter pony for the majority of it. I felt like a novice rider seeing as I was missing quite a bit and for once he was the one helping me out. He acted so well that Mike put together a few combinations (all set very low) for us to do. He got a bit fast towards the end, but by this point the rain had come pouring down and we decided to stop.
     The next night was the Gold Chip Christmas party. Between the great food, getting to see everyone, and Jacob Fletcher crowd surfing, I'd say it was a pretty fun nigh.

Me, Jess, Erin, and Jacob making up the group of Arkansans at the party.

     So Sunday I made the drive back home to Arkansas with Stoney. I'm happy I got to bring him home with me because I'm sure I would have died leaving him in Texas for four weeks. Even though I've adapted to him being boarded for the past year and not having to take care of him night and day, I haven't disliked taking care of him and the other horse that's here to keep him company. Though pulling a full wheel barrel of manure through eleven inches of snow I could have passed on.
     It's safe to say I'm not all that thrilled about the weather here. Yes, I secretly enjoyed the snow, but I really didn't need eleven inches. Or to be put under blizzard conditions and lose power for two days. In the two weeks I've been home, I've gotten to ride a total of three times. I should have known with the weather here. It's a week later and the snow is still on the ground trying to melt away. And guess what, more rain this week, starting today. I'm thinking I may get a chance to jump Stoney once before I go back to Texas, and boy am I more than ready to go back.
     I've loved spending time with friends and family, but I have to admit I miss my room, my friends, and the barn back in Texas. Not to mention Texans hold themselves to being more polite than a lot of people here do. Oh, and I've come to realize how terrible the radio stations are here compared to Texas. I mean awful. Arkansas should be ashamed of the terrible music they play. I'm ready to get back to Denton and back to where it will be nice and dry. I'm hoping I don't have to see rain for a few weeks, and I'm sure that will be quite likely.
    

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

“There is no life as complete as the life that is lived by choice.”

     Where to begin... I've gotten terrible about keeping everyone up to date on things. Then again, this blog was initially created to keep everyone updated with Stoney and I, and it's safe to say we haven't been all that busy since July. On a quick note though, keep your eye out for a new layout on my blog that will be coming real soon! Going back to my grey, obnoxious monster, I'll let everyone know that his injury is healing better than my two vets could have wanted, and they are quite thrilled with the process. They are so thrilled that Dr. Hersman decided to not do the second stem cell treatment upon examining him for the second time this past weekend. 
     So, after a month of walking under saddle, we are now on to trotting a little each day. Just like Dr. Anderson and Dr. Hersman, I am relieved his rehab is going so well, and I am equally relieved he's able to be in some sort of work in the hopes that he will stop attempting to throw me in the dirt. I will tell you, he has already succeeded once... And I have absolutely no idea how it has ONLY been once (I am knocking on wood as I type this with one hand). I am quite positive I will be reunited with the ground again (probably more than once) when Stoney is allowed to begin jumping again.
      Now that he is in a routine of spooking at absolutely everything, even if it only exists in his mind, a neck strap to hold on to when trying to stick to the bronco has become a normal every day piece of tack that is put on. Let me say, it works way better than grabbing mane, which usually results in me pulling literal chunks out in my attempts to stay on. Oh yes, it has been quite an exciting, entertaining (for others who get to witness his wicked moves), and not so boring time bringing this horse back. The perks of owning a thoroughbred. It's true when I tell you that up until now, I've never ridden a horse that I wondered every day for quite some time if I would even stay on for the half hour I was in the saddle. Nevertheless, I will say that after this is all said and done with, one thing I won't be is loose in the tack.
     It's safe to say Stoney has been feeling quite good about himself lately. The more he is allowed to do the more mentally sane he becomes... at least for the first week or two. He then becomes bored again, is convinced he is good enough to do more, and I am left holding on for dear life as birds, other horses, and motorcycles from two acres away cause him to leave the ground off all four. Literally, this horse finds anything he can as an excuse to act out, and when there is nothing, he results to making it up in his imagination. I am then nicely left with a ticking time bomb underneath me, unable to predict when the next round of bucking and rearing will occur. All this started out quite harmless, with him just acting out once or twice a week, but after succeeded in getting me off, it has now turned into a full on attempt (multiple times per day) to just have me hit the dirt again. The neck strap and myself refuse to let this happen.
     Like I said, it's been interesting to say the least. As for school, of course I'm still absolutely in love with North Texas. I am planning on rushing in the spring and getting more involved on campus and am really looking forward to it. I'll go ahead and let everyone know that after a lot of thinking, I've decided that it is time for me to take a break from the eventing world and competing for a little while. While you retrieve your jaw from the floor, I'll tell you that I was just as surprised as you are that I've come to this conclusion. 
     To say this last year has been tough for me in the horse world doesn't quite cover it in my mind. It's always been tough, but this year just hit me with one thing after another. There's only so much one girl can take. I believe you need to fight for what you want to achieve in life, but I have put up a fight for quite a long time. After numerous times of thinking there was none left in me, I found a will to stand myself on my two feet again. I just can't seem to do that anymore.While I believe you need to fight for what you want to achieve in life, I also believe that you need to do whatever it takes to make yourself happy. 
     Like I said above, this decision to take a break from the sport has already been considered a few times in the last three or so years when I've faced hardships and defeat. I can tell you, it is not a new feeling. A big factor in all of this was the fact that to own a horse and board it down here would require that I work to help pay some of it off. Owning a horse and working come as a joint package with no exception from my parents. Keeping up with both of those means not having enough time and energy to focus and get the grades I need to keep my scholarships and eventually be accepted into pharmacy school. I'm afraid if I don't focus on school, I will not be able to get a profession that will allow me to comfortably afford this sport in my future, and yet I'm also afraid if I don't have a horse, there will be a huge gaping void in me. A downing situation? Tell me about it.
     After a lot of discussing with the family, we've decided to just put the money in the bank that we get out of selling Stoney once he is better and let it sit for a while. Part of it will go towards getting me another truck with less miles, and the rest will be saved until I am ready to buy myself a really nice and talented novice level horse. Do I think my break from competing and owning a horse will last more than six months? I doubt it. I'd give it a year tops. And even if I find myself unable to take that long of a break from owning a horse, I know I could be very happy for a few years just having a young horse and bringing him along with the help of Mike and Heather but not necessarily competing all that much (that much meaning about four events a year). If I chose that, like I said, I would have to work as well, and that is just not something I can handle at this time.
     I honestly can't see where my life will go once Stoney sells, because for the first time in ten years, I will not own a horse, and my horse will not be the complete and utter focus of my life. However, I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing; it's just a very unfamiliar and somewhat scary thing. Although it's frightening, I find peace in knowing I don't have to worry because God already has it all planned out for me. I've decided it's time for me to stop spreading myself thin and for me to stop sacrificing everything for a sport that I haven't even been given much success with in return. 
     All this time, I've chosen for my life to be as difficult and exhausting as it is. I've made the decisions to take on so much, and now I'm just choosing to make my life easier. That's what's so great about life. It's yours. You're in control of it. Getting to live your life by your own choices is the greatest freedom you will ever encounter. Your life can be whatever you want it to be, and right now, this is currently what I'm choosing to do with mine.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Juggling Upside Down

     I know, I know. Long time no see. Honestly, there hasn't been much to write about. Weird right? Try having actually lived these past two boring months.
     So, I thought I'd start with an update of how Stoney is doing, seeing as this blog was mainly created to keep up with him and myself. Stoney's rehab is going great, and he is healing faster than Dr. Anderson could have ever expected. He was actually blown away by the progress. The good thing about this horse (and no, it is not his obnoxious personality) is he is quite a fast healer. In the few years I've owned him, anything minor he always recovered from ridiculously fast. I guess you could say we're pretty lucky in that aspect of things. So, after that great news, we have now gotten to move on to walking under saddle. Just walking on a lose rein, even for only thirty minutes a day, has drastically changed this horse mentally. I think just getting back into the routine of things of me sitting on him six days a week is making him mentally sane again...and me as well. I went from riding/working with this horse six days a week to not sitting on his back for two and a half months. Saying that was mentally difficult for me just doesn't quite cover it. Before progressing to being under saddle, Stoney was coping well with the stall rest, but he had his days (just as I) where he literally had the expression of "I hate the world" (to put it nicely) tattooed on his face. I can assure you, he is a much happier pony now. Are plan now is to continue with the walking under saddle for a half hour each day for the next month, and then we'll see where we're at with the recovery.
     As for school, I am now moved in at University of North Texas and quite settled into the place. Just this week, I think I finally am starting to somewhat know my way around when driving...kinda. One thing about starting college is that you rapidly become aware of the direction of every step you take so that you don't get turned around in your head. I became really good at this in only a few days and am now a walking compass. Also, I have thankfully not experienced any face plants going up the many flights of stairs I take or any other humiliating experiences. However, I've already locked myself out of my room and saved myself from nearly face planting up the sidewalk that came up out of no where and tripped me, so I'm sure those even more humiliating moments are yet to come.
     It was very difficult having my world flipped upside down. For the past year, the barn has been my life. Now having school become the number one priority and the barn second is quite a change. Not to mention, I found out exactly why most people that have a year off between high school and college either don't go back or drop out.  Why you ask? Because it's hard. A lot harder then you can imagine. I thought I struggled at math before, but now I struggle with it even more after not doing it for a year, to the point that it's embarrassing. However, it seems to be getting easier day by day, so let's hope it continues in this direction.
     Socially, I haven't had huge buckets of success. Mostly that was because of my work hours, but I'll get to that in a minute. I have become really close to a friend I met at orientation who lives a few doors down from me. Watching movies, going to the rec center, and eating in the cafeteria together are becoming rituals for us two girls. Just this past week alone I've already gotten closer to a few people in my classes, so that's promising. And as always, I still have all the girls at the barn.
     I have to say, although I was hardly even around campus these past few weeks and running all over the place trying to juggle life, I have been lucky enough to enjoy some mean green football. Yes, I am aware that North Texas has not been known in the recent past for their football team, but they have REALLY improved in the past year or so just with the new head coach. I feel these next four years here will be really exciting with the football program, and what better place to enjoy it then at the SUPER nice new stadium that was opened only a year or so ago?
     The people at this campus are better than imaginable. It didn't take long here to get the vibe of how accepting everyone is of one another. With the amount of diversity that there is at this school, that is such a great feeling. Most everyone is great with everyone, and you get the feeling with these people that you can just walk up to a random person and start having a friendly conversation and by the end of it, you've made a new friend. Everyone is super nonjudgmental, and let me say, the school spirit here is CRAZY. So, long story short, I AM LOVING COLLEGE.
     As for work, I guess you could say I was a little crazy thinking I could work thirty plus hours a week, go to school, take care of Stoney, do homework, and still be functioning. After a few weeks of that, my body made it very clear to me the idea I had was not going to be possible. I was mentally and physically drained, and the combination of those two were making me emotionally drained. What a mess. After talking to Mike and him being the great man he is, he is now allowing me to work fifteen hours a week and just deduct those hours from his monthly boarding rate. Because a week has not been enough time for me to play catch up with my mass amount of school work, I am still very stressed mentally. However, seeing as I'm not spending ten hours straight away from my dorm each day and my body doesn't feel like it's barely functioning, I am able to handle the stress a lot easier and with more joy.
     So, back to homework I go. It seems to be my life lately, though it won't be tomorrow. Tomorrow is game day here at North Texas against Troy. It's safe to say it'll be a good day! Go Mean Green!!
    
     
    

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Area V is Where it's At

     I couldn't help but write a post about Area V today. Yet again, Area V has made their voices known at the NAJYRC in Lexington, Kentucky this year. Our two star team had some unfortunate events occur, but our one star team pulled it out to bring home the team and individual gold once again. Not only that, but one of our other team mates placed fourth individually, and one of our riders who competed individually placed sixth. It really is bittersweet being home and getting to follow our teams throughout the weekend, whether it be on eventing nation or the live results. I wish so much I could have been there, and even more that I could have been apart of the team this year, but I couldn't be happier for our area and how well our teams did. There is an overwhelming since of pride that goes with being apart of Area V.
     Last year when I was back on the east coast, I remember a girl there telling me that when you finish in the top five at one of the events over there, you know you're really good. She said it's a lot different than finishing in the top five in other places of the U.S since eventing is so big on the east coast. Well, I guess that isn't neccesarily true these days. Seeing as Area V not only brought home team and individual gold this year in the one star, but also brought home team and individual gold in the one star last year as well, it's safe to say that when you're competing against these girls and doing well, you know you've done something right. And that's what I did. I got the great oppurtunity to compete all season against the girls that played apart in taking home the gold this year and last year at NAJYRC. In the video on Eventing Nation of Tori being interviewed, she says that Area V is a special team because we're all very close. It's the truth. Everyone is so close and looks out for one another in our area, and I couldn't imagine a better group of people to be surrounded by. We're all a big family.
     For many years now, I have wanted to be able to represent such a great area. It looks like my time and chances of that are up for the one star team, but there may be some chances left for the two star team one day. That being said, there is a point when you have to look at your life and know when to let go. There will always be a time where you're going to have to let go, even of something you've dedicated years to achieving. It may be time for me to let go of the goal of being able to represent Area V some day. It might just not be in the cards for me. I take a look at the amount of stress I took on this past season, the fact that I was literally sleeping on people's couches this past year, and the amount of financial stress I put on my family, all in the hopes of going to Young Riders this summer when ultimately I wasn't even chosen. I look at it all and I honestly don't know if I should keep this hope alive. It sure wasn't fair to my family, and at this point in time, I can't imagine doing that to them again. To push forward or to let go? That is the question. Obviously it won't be answered now, but hopefully I'll have more answers in the future.
     As for Stoney, he is getting better and lazier as time progresses. After only a few days of stall rest, he was practically about to kill me when I took him out for walks, and I wasn't sure how this was going to go on for the next couple of months. However, he has now realized that being on stall rest (with the exception of not being turned out) is actually quite nice. He is enjoying not working six days a week and getting carrots for no apparent reason. At least, that's what he thinks. I give him carrots every time I walk him and he doesn't spin around, rear, and strike out at me. I can only hope he'll make the connection that when he doesn't try to "play" with me when we go for our walks and has composure, he gets treats. And we do A LOT of walking. So as you can see, the horse is getting a lot of carrots and being spoiled for no apparent reason. Of course he doesn't mind. With the exception of having to deal with the new found obnoxiousness he has ALL THE TIME, he has been quite easy to handle.
     Until next time, I hope you enjoy the amusing picture and the facial expressions I get out of my horse. Every time the potent fly repellent systems come on in the barn, he never fails.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Taking a Second Blow

     Sooner or later I would really love to be able to post a non-disappointing post on my blog, but life isn't handing me much else to say at this time. Earlier this week, I was hit with yet another disappointing and heart wrenching blow when Stoney came up lame after galloping at the track early Sunday morning. After having my vet, Dr. Anderson, come out to take a look at him, we found my horse to have suffered from another minor injury yet again. I guess life figured it hadn't thrown enough at me in the past month. 
     So, Stoney is currently on stall rest (which he made very clear today that he is not approving of). I am hand walking and icing him more times in a day than I can keep track of, and this will continue for a little bit longer until the initial pain has passed. He will not be in work for the next few months, and I have also made the decision to not go to Kentucky with everyone on Sunday to NAJYRC and will instead stay back at Gold Chip, working and taking care of Stoney.
     So what's the plan now you ask? Well, after talking with Mike and Heather, I've come to the decision that I will be selling Stoney after he has healed and will start looking for a new and young horse to purchase that has potential to run at the two star level. However, it will take a while before Stoney can go back into work, and he then has to become fit again and worked regularly so that he is able to be sold. THEN I have months of waiting for someone to purchase him and THEN even a few more months of horse shopping before I will probably find myself a horse and I can regularly ride/train again. With all of this, we are looking at at least another year passing before I have another horse. Unfortunately, we do not have the financial means to buy a nice horse until we sell Stoney.
     So, do I think I'm crazy for still even remotely wanting to keep doing this after all the hardships? Yes. You may think I'm a little strange to continue in this and move on, but it's all I can do. I can only accept that life is incredibly hard. It is far from fair and always will be. However, if I chose to be mad at the world every hour of every day, it would only result in misery, so accepting things for how they are is my only option...unless I go with Mike's idea of winning the lottery and buying myself a two star horse. In the mean time of keeping my fingers crossed for that one, I will continue working and taking care of Stoney. I'll be sure to give updates on his progress soon.


 A picture of the grey monster enjoying his time off.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

"Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal"

     I promise you all I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Seeing as I've hopped from living in the New's trailer to Jacob's trailer, things have been a little crazy. Also, living here at the barn doesn't give me any internet access...except when I get a chance to steal Jacob's massive laptop. So, I can guarantee this will be short and sweet.
     For every one who doesn't know already, I was not chosen for Area V's junior team this summer. After having a not so great ride at the selection trial (I'll get to that in a minute), I was told a few days later that I was chosen as the alternate and that Stoney and I (along with my groom, Erin) will still be going to Kentucky to help the two teams out. If something is to happen to a horse on the junior team within 48 hours of starting the competition, I will be put on to the team. Do I think that's going to happen? No, not really, but we are still training daily like that's the case.
     I had one of my best dressage tests ever at Texas Rose (with the exception of a flying change in our counter canter), which put me in 7th after dressage with a 33.9. However, later that day I was elimnated in show jumping after landing off a big oxer and coming to the next fence on a half stride. After crashing through the fence, we made our second attempt after it was put back into place, where I then got the same ride in again. Stoney had already scared himself the first time, and there was no way he was going over it.
     Even after getting eliminated, the selectors had me talk to the officials and they agreed to let me ride cross country Sunday. My confidence was completely shattered, in my best phase none the less, and I couldn't get it together in warm up. Before Heather went out on course to watch, she told me I better "ride him like I stole him." From the way she put it, I knew better than to screw up again and have to face her afterward.
     We ended up running around clear and in the time, and it was quite a perfect ride all around. We then had to jog our horses up for the vet afterward, and Stoney jogged up great, expecially seeing as he had tweaked his leg in the paddock earlier that week and was a bit sore on it. We got through the week leading up to the selection trials with lots of icing, no turn out, and just flat work.
     I honestly think that part of the reason we got eliminated was because I hadn't jumped in a week. My eye just isn't that good. At least I, Mike, and Heather now know that from now on I can't go that long without jumping. Whether it be on Stoney or another horse, I definitley need the practice. I also think that it just wasn't our day. Freak things just happen. In the years that I've been competing, that was only the second time I've ever been eliminated, and it just happened to be on a weekend that my stepdad (who hasn't seen me compete in more than four years) and my mother were there, as well as at the show that was one of the most important ones of the season.
     However, it's all in the past now. There is nothing that can be done. I have continued training every day, and Stoney seems to be improving each time I get on him. Because this goal has been my focus for so long, it's hard to figure out what the next step is. I feel like I have been staring at a bright light for a long time, only for it to have been shut off, and now I'm left in the darkness with no sense of direction of where I need to go. Completely lost pretty much sums it up.
     That being said, I was reassured this past week when I attended my orientation at University of North Texas that it is the place to be. Afte being there for three days, I felt like I actually belong there and that I'll have a blast at this school. I honestly can't wait to start there this fall.
     As for the riding, I haven't made any decisions on what to do next. I feel that I'll be taking things a lot slower this fall. No, I'm not giving up riding or competing while I'm in college, but I definitley won't be going as hard core as I was. I think it's time for me to just focus on school, relax a little, and enjoy my time at UNT and out at the barn. Winston Churchill once said that “success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” There has never been another option for me than to continue, and that is just what I'm planning to do.
     I"m sorry for not updating this sooner and also for the fact that I won't be letting everyone know what is going on these next few weeks due to my living arangements and lack of internet. Until next time, I will most likely be relaxing in Mike's pool most afternoons with the rest of the gang, having movie nights in Big Bertha, and enjoying myself in Kentucky in just a few weeks.
    

Monday, May 28, 2012

Brick By Brick

     Yes, yet again I have failed in giving an update within a few days after a competition. Instead, I've noticed I wait until I have the time and mindset to sit down and type, which happens to take over a week to do. I've realized that seeing as I've competed at eight competitions this spring, it seems like I'd have a lot of updates if I created a post after each and every show, so I decided to combine a recap of my CIC* at Greenwood and the prelim I ran at Feather Creek Horse Trials last weekend.
     To say I got my last qualifying round I needed at Greenwood by the skin of my teeth would be quite the accurate statement. My dressage was horrendous, only being a qualifying score by less than five points. It was bad. Stoney got ridiculously tense, and it didn't help that I got tense as a result of his actions. We had a nice warm up, but as soon as we got into the ring it all changed. 
     As for cross country, it was hot and the ground was HARD. Even after having a thunder storm roll in the night before running cross country, the ground went from unbearably hard to bearably hard. Stoney went around like a champ (if you didn't see the video on my Facebook page, you should really check it out!). I'll admit, I was REALLY nervous about the water complex, but Stoney showed little hesitation and jumped in quite confidently. I think it's safe to say this horse is beginning to get over his timidness at water complexes. Unfortunately, the course took its toll on him, and he was quite tired when I came down to the third fence from home. The poor guy was literally shaking when I pulled up, but he cooled down fairly quickly like always.
     So, after lots of icing and walking that afternoon, my horse was quite stiff behind. Even with walking him all afternoon and that night after the Area V dinner, he hadn't gotten much better. Sunday morning started EARLY for me. I was at the barn by 4:30 that morning, where I then walked him, iced him, and then eventually rode him (as soon as it got light enough outside) to let him work out of his stiffness behind. I then had to bathe him (gotta love greys) and get myself ready for jogs, which started around 7:30 that morning for the one star competitors. Although he was still just a teeny bit on the stiff side, we passed the jog.
     Show jumping was quite bad too. Just being brutally honest. We had four rails, which is the limit you can have to getting a qualifying round. I missed at the swedish oxer, being too worried about the strides Mike told us to get instead of riding it off my eye and ended up adding a stride where I shouldn't have. The other three, however, were due to Stoney's exhaustion from the day before. I'm not even exagerating when I say Mike purposefully put a placing rail on the ground (too close to the fence) in order to make my horse crash through it, causing him to wake up and pick up his feet. After taking down poles and standards numerous times, my mother finally had to walk away because it was such a stomach twisting episode to watch. Most of my rails didn't come down until the end of the course. We somehow managed to hit all four back to back (at least for the most part I think). We hit our fourth rail the next to last fence from home. I did whatever I could to get my horse to clear the last fence and somehow we did. I swear, I've never had to work so hard to get that horse off the ground at every fence. He was beyond exhausted.
     I was a little surprised seeing as the CIC* at Poplar was just as long/fast (with lots of hills!), and he jogged up great there, feeling fantastic going into show jumping on the third day. It was because of this that I kept our conditioning the same going into Greenwood. I guess the two underlying factors were the extremely hard ground and the heat that took effect at Greenwood. I had no idea it would create such a change in my horse.
     So, somehow we managed to pull out a qualifying round and ended up placing fifth. I can tell you I have never felt so much pressure in my life these past few months, and I've never felt such a huge amount of relief as I did when I left that ring. I come out to Mike, who shrugs his shoulders and gives a small smile, saying, "Well, you got it done."
     The two major things I learned from Greenwood: I needed to increase my horse's conditioning schedule and we needed to figure out how to simmer down and relax in dressage as to manage a better score. My first thought was, "Great. My horse is so fit that he can't stay relaxed and calm in dressage, and now he has to become even fitter."
     I came home that day and Heather decided that since I was going with her to Feather Creek anyway to groom, I might as well enter Stoney there. It's not like I'd need to run for time or anything on cross country, and if the ground was hard, I could just withdraw on Sunday.
     So off to Oklahoma the very next weekend we went. We arrived Friday, and I rode dressage that afternoon. Just like at Greenwood, he got quite tense once I moved over to the dressage ring from warm up, but I told myself it was schooling, not a competition, and I did things I normally don't, like over flexing him each direction, halting, and trotting in ten meter circles. He got down to business and had a great score. He was 7th after dressage and pulled out a 37.3. That was even with our unfortunate "4" we were given for our free walk. He doesn't quite understand yet that he can't run off in this movement. I practically halted him right in the middle of it and made him pay attention. Even with him trying to exit the ring...twice... *sigh*, we still got some good scores, including an "8" on our medium walk, medium canter, and on BOTH our counter canters! This horse could barely even counter canter back in Florida and he got eights on them in both directions. Collectively, he got a "7" for his freedom and regularity, and I was even given the comment of "well balanced and nice use of topline" in his medium canter. It's safe to say it was a complete turn around from Greenwood. Lynn Partridge was the rider after me and saw my test. Back at the barn she gave me a hug because she was so proud of how we did. She has known for a while that we can come together in warm up but seem to fall apart in the ring, and she was ecstatic for me that things were improving.
     Saturday we show jumped, and it couldn't have been more perfect. I was seeing my distances perfectly that day, and I am now able to set him up and, wait for it... *the key point and ahha moment here* LET GO a stride or two away from the fence. And contrary to what I believed, he won't get faster. Crazy how much better my horse jumps when I can do that and he is able to use himself better to clear the fences. 
     After A LOT of rain, I ended up running cross country Sunday morning...practically in a lightning storm. Complete truth, I promise. The weather was quite eerie. Later after I rode they ended up putting the show on a two hour hold because of it. Turned out, the ground was extremely muddy and slick. I ran not only because the ground was soft, but also because Feather Creek had completely changed up their cross country course, and it was no way on the soft and easy side of things. It was definitley a test of accuracy, with plenty of bending lines, corners, and skinnies. Lots of skinnies. Most being in combinations. With the exception of having a little bit of a sticky ride through the new coffin they built (which was my fault), everything rode great. Even after coming in three fourths a minute over optimum, we ended up in fourth.
     I was so relieved to have had such an improvement at Feather Creek. Even with the stress of qualifying out of the way, you can't imagine the stress I feel every day towards needing improvement on a daily basis. Not to mention after Greenwood I was so confused with how exactly I needed to even ride my horse. I had no idea the kind of ride he needed anymore. Up until this point, I've had to help him along the entire way. Now, he is learning to hold himself up in dressage instead of relying on my constant leg being there to help carry him, and he is now learning that when I give my hands and drop his mouth in front of a show jumping fence, he has to do his job and jump on his own. No more of me helping him get over the fences, and no more of him relying on me. He has to grow up. 
     Finally, things are clicking. Granted, we have our days (like this past week), but that is what Heather and Mike are for. Heather has been helping me a lot lately on the flat with him, getting on him and riding him on the days that he struggles so much that he needs a professional ride. I myself struggle too, so putting us together can result in a mess on some days. That is why I'm at Gold Chip. There are just days that he needs someone with their skill level and years of experience riding him. Some people tell me, "Well, if you just did this on the flat," or "If you just didn't do this," but it is so much harder than most think. Because Stoney and I both struggle with our flat work, it is a constant battle we face together. 
     At this point, it is just brick by brick. I can only take one day at a time. Earlier this week, I had to accept the fact that yes, his canter work is great, but he very well can't hold himself up in the counter canter yet. It's hard for him. But we have improved. Our trot work has improved, our canter work has improved, and during my trot sets the other day, I can now have him consistently trotting into the contact on an extremely loose rein (for forty minutes I might add!), something that has taken me two and a half years to accomplish and that I used to not be able to do without a training tool to help. We are also completing a trot set after our flat work most days, along with one day a week being devoted to trot sets. Brick by brick. More are being put into place each day (or at least most days). Even though there are still tons more to go, the fact that I can stand back and see the progress being made is what keeps me going each and every day. I can only hope things fall into place next weekend at Texas Rose, the "mandatory outing" for all the qualified Young Riders. All the selectors will be there, and it is after this show that we are informed on if we make the team for this summer. Also, I can only hope that I am not asking too much in the fact that I hope everything can fall into place for Stoney and I...again. 
    
     

Friday, April 27, 2012

Perfection Is the Name of the Game...Or Close to It

     Where to start with last weekend? Let's see. I'd have to say it went pretty well! Friday was quite miserable with the complete down pour the weather decided to give us. I think it was the first time I've walked a cross country course with Mike, sloshing through the water the whole way and with everyone's rain jackets being the life of us. Thankfully both times I rode that day (schooling in the morning and performing my dressage test in the afternoon), I was lucky enough to not ride in the tormenting downpour. I guess God thought I got my fair share of riding in the miserable rain at Poplar. Even with my horse having been ridden previously that day, he never fails to be completely tense, rain or no rain. After cantering in our lengthening trot, a bobble in our canter work, and all of our walk/free walk movements consisting of jigging and trotting in place, I'm not sure how we pulled out a 42.2. This coming from Sally O'Connor none the less. She must have seen some potential in my horse, because it definitley was not a test to be happy with. Like always (which happens a little too often in my opinion), Mike had to give me a "pep talk" in how it "isn't as bad as it feels to [me]." Still, 9th place out of 14th isn't great.
     After putting a terrible dressage behind me (which I'm quite skilled in at this point), I focused on cross country for the next day. The ground was terribly wet/soft and quite slick in some places. With the help of my big studs, we didn't put a foot wrong on the course. I even got compliments on my ride through the water and the bank complex, where after jumping up the bank, we jumped down and continued with four strides over a corner. After thinking about it, I realized this horse never questions what I point him at. With accuracy questions such as that, he never looks for a way out or an oppurtunity to not jump something, but instead never fails to have his ears forward and looking for the next fence I allow him to jump. "A big wooden corner right after a drop off a bank? Let me at it Mom." I can't describe the mind set of this horse any better than that. However, if I was to describe his mind set going into the dressage ring, that would be a completely different and quite defiant story.
     Seeing as I didn't need Holly Hill as a qualifyer and the ground wasn't ideal, Stoney and I just cruised around the cross country, racking up a bit of time. It was more of a schooling ordeal than a competitive outing. Besides, there was no point in running his legs off (in the terrible footing) when we are doing the CIC* at Greenwood next weekend. I will go ahead and say that we finished in seventh (seventh place seems to really likes me). Like I said, it wasn't a show we were striving to win.
     Now, how can I even begin to describe show jumping on Sunday. It was brilliant. Perfect is the only word I can come up with to describe it, and even that falls short. Warm up went perfectly for me, and I was seeing my distances perfectly and forward. I guess only having jumped a few times since Poplar and Stoney being in the round pen three times a week payed off because once we got into the ring, he didn't even touch the jumps. With the exception of a rub coming out of a combination (which was actually my fault), he cleared every fence. Not only did we clear every fence, but it was in perfect rythm in harmony. With no change of speed, the jumps just simply came into our path.
     I can honestly say I had never heard such a loud cheer after crossing the finish line. Everyone from my barn was so ecstatic and happy for me. They all knew how incredibly difficult it is for me to have a clear round and that it was literally the second clear round I'd ever had since buying this horse (the first one being this winter at Rocking II in Florida). I came out of the arena, Heather waiting with a big grin and high five for me. She was just as thrilled with the round as I was. Even after I had gotten back to the barn, Mike came up to me later with a grin and another high five for me, as well as my barn mates congratulating me and giving me hugs. As you can see, this was a big deal. Mike said in the past that with a horse like mine, you have to be spot on every single time to the fences, and even then, you can only pray that he does his job in keeping the rails up. That day, I was spot on to everything, and Stoney did his part as well. Seeing as I've been struggling with my show jumping and had a rough round at Poplar, this was exactly what I needed going into my second ever CIC* at Greenwood. But perfection in just one phase, or even two, isn't enough to do well. To succeed in this sport, everything has to fall into place at the right time, and not just once. You need perfection (or close to it) in every phase of the game.
     Since being back, I've had one dressage lesson with Mike. It seems we finally have somewhat of a break through in my dressage. Even if so, it won't matter unless it translates over into my test at Greenwood. I guess we'll see. After my lesson on Tuesday, Mike flew to Kentucky for Rolex. Heather left Monday morning from Holly Hill with Roe, and we wish her all the luck this weekend in the blue grass state. I was told that if it hadn't been for Greenwood being the weekend after Rolex and I really needing a qualifying ride there, I would have been able to go to Rolex and groom for Heather. Gotta love unfortunate circumstances. I'm glad Mike made the call for me to stay here, because I would have made myself sick if I'd have had to make the decision. Still, the fact that I am in a position where such a great opportunity arose is quite unbelievable. The fact that I can say I have ridden a horse more times than I can remember that is competing at Rolex is quite unbelievable too. Trust me, I am well aware of how lucky and privileged I am.
     So, the barn has been a ghost town the past few days and will continue to be through out the weekend with everyone being at Rolex. Not only am I staying back to ride Stoney and prepare for our one star, but I am also in charge of riding both of the horses Mike and Heather will be competing in the two star, Maisie and Remi. Not to mention a few of the other horses in the barn, and hey, while I'm at it a few of the girls' horses while they got the oppurtunity to go to Rolex. Busy busy me, but I'm having a blast doing it.
     Sure, I'm a little disappointed I couldn't go to Rolex, but no sacrifice, no victory. It's safe to say I've sacrificed a lot at this point. I sacrificed going to University of Arkansas so I could stay down here and train with Mike, and I will officially be attending University of North Texas in the fall. Would I have liked to have gone to TCU? Of course. But buying a comfy sweatshirt from the college you desire doesn't help with attending it if you can't afford it. Although, if I had attended TCU, I wouldn't have been able to keep working for Mike, since it is in Fort Worth and an hour's drive away, meaning, I couldn't continue to keep Stoney at his facility. Since UNT is so close, my plan is to keep my job with Mike, keep my horse boarded there, and just take afternoon and night classes (still being a full time student of course).
     And so the count down begins. Only seven days until our second CIC* and the big last qualifier that I need for this summer. I will add that I am very apprehensive about getting around cross country clean, seeing as Stoney had a complete melt down when schooling Greenwood's water complex right before leaving for Florida. I can only hope he has matured and has gotten over whatever mental wall he had built up. So, fingers crossed everyone as we go into next week!

 Tried Stoney's ear bonnet on today to see how he felt about it. He'll be quite the handsome catch at Greenwood wearing it (;

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Just Surviving is Always a Good Thing

     Well, I can now take a deep breath in the fact that I have one of the two qualifying CIC*s under my belt. Although I was a little disappointed with the weekend in Georgia, seeing as there were so many problems, I can only be thankful that I got a qualifying round.
     We started with dressage on Friday...in the pouring rain. Stoney made it clear that he did not by any means want to be out there in the rain anymore than my trainer, Mike, who was standing in warm up with his open umbrella.
     My horse is very hard to ride. Not only am I a week dressage rider, but dressage is definitley not his strong point either. It is already a struggle as is. Throw in the fact that my horse fluctuated from relaxed to tense on four different occasions in the twenty five minutes I was in the FEI warm up and you have yourself an almost impossible task on your hands. Our dressage test was nothing short of tense and a disaster, but hey, it was qualifying. And no matter how disastrous my dressage tests are, Mike always has a few positive comments afterwards.
     The next day, the footing on cross country was almost perfect with all the rain we got on Friday. Almost. But I'll get back to that soon. The course itself was quite tough. My best friend, Victoria New, said that of all the CIC*s she's done in the past year (which were 5), this was definitely the most difficult one she'd seen that almost compared to the course at NAJYRC. And I can honestly say, the course rode just as difficult as it looked when walking it. Even with cross country being my strongest phase, Stoney and I barely got around. That's saying something. Even with attempting to gallop within the time allowed, I still cam in thirteen seconds over optimum. IT WAS HARD. Not only was it difficult, but it didn't seem to ride all that well for me or for the other girls from my barn. I never got into a steady rhythm when going around the course, and the only things that seemed to ride well for me were the two water complexes (which is really ironic).
     Unfortunately, the footing was still a bit slick in a few places even with the huge studs we all put in, and my friend, Tori, had an unfortunate fall on course with her horse. Her sister, Elle, was unable to get around on one of her horses, had time on the other, and Clair Parker had time on her horse as well. Like I said multiple times already. It was a hard course and a rough weekend.
     Stoney handled his first FEI jog very well. At least when jogging for the judges. He was prancing beside me when walking around the ring, waiting our turn to jog down the strip. It's safe to say he still had plenty of energy after cross country. He jogged like a super star, and we were off to show jump that afternoon.
     Show jumping warm up was a little nerve racking. For the first half I was in there, I couldn't see a distance to the fences to save my life, which got me even more nervous. I could see the stadium ring from warm up, and the jumps looked VERY big. Big jumps don't neccesarily scare me. It was the fact that they were big jumps and I could not by any means see a distance. Even though my eye started to kick in towards the end, I knew when going into the ring, it would be a miracle for me to complete the course without missing badly to one of the fences. It also didn't help that Mike had me cantering up to these big upright verticals and wide oxers in warm up with my eyes closed. This prevented me from helping my horse get to the jump, making him fend for himself and figure out he needed to clear the fences without my help. This only began to work after Stoney crashed through a fence, getting a wake up call. But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.
     So no surprise that Stoney had the second fence down, an upright verticle that I got him to perfectly. He also had ten down, a wide, natural looking oxer that everyone seemed to be taking down that day. After ten, we finished with the triple combination, which I missed badly to. I'm still not comfortable moving him up to a big combination like that, and I am quite picky with the distance I see coming in to these things. So, I did exactly what I shouldn't have which was add a stride coming in. We ended up jumping the first from a standstilll, put two strides in the measured one stride, jumped the oxer (a big oxer) from a standstill (managing to somehow leave it up), and made our way out over the vertical. Like always, Mike had encouraging words. He asked me if the course had finished with the combination 9a and 9b if I would have been happy with the round, and I said yes. He said it was great til then, and we just have a bit more work to do at home to keep things together towards the end of the courses.
     So, Stoney and I scraped by to pull out a qualifying round. Thankfully, our next CIC* isn't for five weeks, so we have lots of time to pull ourselves together to really show the best of ourselves at Greenwood. We also have a chance to get ourselves in check a few weeks before Greenwood when we run prelim at Holly Hill Horse Trials in Louisiana.
     With this week, we have been and are still in the process of working out the kinks in our dressage and trying to move forward. This is way easier said than done. Trying a different dressage saddle may also be of help in improving our flat work, so I can't wait to try that tomorrow. Seeing as Stoney doesn't like to pick up his feet and relies way too much on me to help him in show jumping, he spent today in the round pen and will have plenty more sessions in there, where he gets to jump without a rider on his back, forcing him to fend for himself and pay attention to where his feet are.
     So to wrap things up, I want to make sure you don't get the wrong idea from this in thinking that my first CIC* was a disappointment. I was quite happy that we survived it. Being Stoney's first FEI event and mine too, it was a lot of new things to take in, and he handled himself well (for the most part). Seeing as we also got a qualifying round, it would be crazy of me not to be happy with it. However, I am only human and can't help but be a little frustrated that our best did not come through in dressage or in show jumping. It was just a tough weekend all together, so in the end I am just relieved that we got through it. Now that we have, I have time to polish it all up before our second CIC* in Weatherford, TX.


Two of the four lap dogs Mike has, Harley and Sooner, on the 13 hour trip back home from GA.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Bring on the CIC*

     I am finally back in the good o'l state of Texas. With the exception of driving through LOTS of rain after over-nighting in Baton Rouge, the 20 hour trip back home really wasn't too bad...with the help of many cups of coffee.


A very happy horse his first afternoon back in Texas.

     I guess I could start by saying how Rocking III went my last week in Florida. Stoney was quite brilliant. Besides hitting one rail in show jumping, he was fantastic. Even after our rail (the 2nd fence), he jumped a foot over everything. He stayed very calm, relaxed, and collected in his dressage test, pulling out a smooth 39.1. I honestly thought the test deserved a lower score, but I was still happy with it because both Mike and I knew it was the best test I'd performed so far. What's there to say about cross country, really? Stoney was a superstar like always. He jumped into the water so boldy and confidently, and a little inside of our fixed line to the skinny out of the water, that I pushed him for a nicer, going stride to it. He decided at the last moment he wasn't THAT confident and added a step where there wasn't one, scrambling over the skinny. With the exception of my dumb and overly ambitious decision there where we weren't quite on the same page, we tackled everything smoothly. It's honestly gotten to the point where the thought of cross country and being in the warm up isn't even too nerve racking anymore. It's the one phase where Stoney and I become perfectly in sync. With a double clear cross country and just the four penalties from our rail, we ended up in 8th place.
     Back to Texas. Stoney is currently at Gold Chip, and I have five more days here before leaving for my first one star at Poplar in GA. 5 DAYS. What's even more nerve racking than that is that I only have three more lessons before we head on down. NOT. ENOUGH. TIME.
     Stoney and I have gotten comfortable with the height of the stadium fences, so I don't think even the slight difference in height will be too big an issue. Also, we are both so confident with all our cross country runs that I think we are ready to tackle the questions on the one star course. I will be honest in saying I was a little freaked out about my dressage test, seeing as I've never done a test in the bigger ring and with the added letters, but once Mike set the 20x60 meter ring up for me, I realized how it's actually a lot more enjoyable with all the space it allows. I don't feel I'm turning every five seconds when riding in it. Since I've also gotten a chance to ride the parts of my test, I've gotten more comfortable with it. Even though it's long, it is actually easier than the tests I was doing in Florida (with the exception of the rein back). Stoney did not know how to rein back until two days ago, so that's still a working progress. However, he's picked up on it quickly so I don't think it'll be too much of an issue. We'll see...
     As for today, Stoney jumped quite well (for Stoney) in our jump school. Things are coming together, which in turn is making my anxiety level lessen. Still, in the next day or so, I will already begin the packing of my bags, the polishing of all my tack, and the whitening of Stoney's tail. We may come to our first CIC* a bit nervous, but we will definitely come with our best presentation and ready to represent!
     

Friday, February 24, 2012

"Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Yeah"

     An update on how Rocking II went is finally here! It's only taken me all week. I'll start by saying that with how the entire week leading up to Rocking II went, I did not in any way expect to finish in second place and as well as I did. With a frustrating week, I embraced the coming weekend with as much optimism as I had left (which wasn't all that much).
     It rained yet again on Friday when I did dressage and show jumping. Before Mike got to warm up, I'd already practically warmed myself up (mostly because I am always on way earlier than I should be). I told him I didn't want to do much more until right before I went in. Knowing how Stoney gets very worried and tense with the more I do with him, he agreed and trusted my judgment. After walking for about ten minutes, I picked up my trot just as the girl before me was finishing up her test and entered the ring, pulling out a consistent and nice test. Yes, it lacked a little enthusiasm, but I chose to have the laziness and flopping ears over the tenseness and explosions. Both Mike and I were quite happy with my test even if it was scored higher than the one at Ocala. We both knew it had improved since then, and all the scores in my division were quite high. Later that weekend, I got my test back, and I couldn't help but laugh a little when I read the judge's comment saying, "needs more energy." If she had only seen us at Ocala... He's a thoroughbred. That's enough explanation in itself. Like I said, I'll take the flopping ears any day. Even towards the end of our test, his last two movements were quite quick and tense, and I knew that two movements being that way verses the entire test was definitely the better call.
     Earlier that week we worked a lot with just trotting down center line. Yes. Quite an easy movement... or so you think. For Stoney, it is always a challenge after he has performed leg yeilds, counter canters, etc. It's incredibly interesting how our first time coming down center line is flawless, but when finishing up our test, I can't get my horse to trot down center line and halt without swinging his haunches out every which way. He just gets so amplified on my aids.The more I do with him, the more of a wiggling worm he becomes under me. I can't describe it in a better way.
     This, along with the tension, was also what we were hoping to prevent from happening at Rocking II, and thankfully we did. Seriously, less is more with this horse. In every phase.
     Going into show jumping, I was not too impressed with our warm up. He kept hitting rails and not trying all that hard. Heather said not to worry because he always jumps better when he gets in the ring, and apprehensively I took her word for it. Once we got in there, he was fantastic. Even with jumping a vertical on an angle and getting him in deep to a few other verticles (all of which substantially increased our chances of hitting rails), he tried his heart out for me and managed to leave all the rails in place. I can honestly say that was the first time since owning that horse these past two years that we have managed to have a clear show jumping round without knocking rails. How exciting is that?
     After show jumping, I realized I was in eighth place. Going into cross country, my goal was to not only get around clean (which I'd been successful with our other two prelims), but also get around in the time allowed (something we were not yet successful with).
     The cross country course had some difficult questions for prelim, and Stoney handled them all with ease. Even the water (which was a difficult water for prelim and had quite a big drop into water) rode perfectly. It truly amazes me how each time out this horse just gets more and more confident with his job.
     Once I finally grasped my head around the fact we actually had to gallop between fences instead of cruising in our twenty foot stride, it was quite easy for us to make the time. I mentally made myself gallop on between every fence, even if the next one wasn't too far away in my eyes. It also helped that I was beginning to pull up and balance 3 strides away from the fence instead of 6 or 8 strides out. No wonder I was so slow. I just wasn't comfortable galloping up to a fence like that because I wasn't quite sure I'd have such adjustability. Go me for undermining my horse's ability and maturity.
     Coming in ten seconds before optimum, we managed to finish on our dressage score for the first time ever. This put Stoney and I in second place. Thrilled doesn't even begin to describe it.
      Now that we have our three qualifying prelims, we are entered to do the CIC* at Poplar at the end of March. I think I am more nervous than excited at this point. You can't blame me when I've never done an FEI event. There are many things different with an FEI event verses a regular competition, so it's no surprise I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I'm just happy we have another prelim (Rocking III) this next weekend to put under our belts before competing at Poplar.
     Even with my mishaps this past week with my truck having problems and a few of my items having gone missing at the barn, I'm still trucking on... barely. My horse is literally the only thing keeping me going right now. If it wasn't for his improvements he's made in our lessons this week, I don't think I'd be able to get myself through the week.
     With only 8 more days left here in Florida, I will definitely make the best of it. I myself still can't believe I'm leaving in a little over a week because it seems like we haven't been here all that long. Although I'm excited to compete at Rocking III, I am definitely more than ready to get back home and live with my "second family." It's been a little stressful at times being here by myself (even with everyone looking out for me), and I can't wait to get back to the Ehlers' and for them to come back from Florida as well. They definitely feel like my second set of parents...or technically my third in this case.
     I guess the only word to describe my life at this point would be surreal. I still can't seem to accept it all. Even out hacking earlier this week, I looked at the cross country questions from the weekend before and couldn't wrap my head around the fact that we did them and we did them effortlessly. With others who's horses have done more than they themselves have, it may not come off feeling the same way. However, having a horse who has come from ground zero and only has the amount of experience and miles on him that I've put forth, I find is extremely difficult to wrap my head around it all and how far he has come. It's a feeling I don't think I'll ever get used to for as long as I keep riding this horse.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

I Only Got the Middle Finger Once- Rocking Horse I

     Please contain your utter surprise when I start off by saying that so much has happened since I've been in Florida these past three weeks (almost three weeks). In the few minutes I've been sitting here trying to gather my thoughts on how to explain it all, I've decided it's best to just go in chronological order. So here we go.
     After splitting the twenty hour trip into two days and over nighting in Baton Rouge, Stoney and I finally made it to Rocking Horse at around seven at night on the seventeenth. I was actually making great time, but when I was only three miles from my exit on to the highway, there was a bad wreck on the interstate, resulting in me covering a mile in an hour and a half. Being only 50 miles from the farm after traveling for so long, I was not the only one who was unhappy with the circumstances. After behaving for close to 45 minutes, my impatient horse began to paw and kick (what an angel he is), resulting in my truck and trailer shaking and me ignoring the awkward stares from others in their vehicles. I couldn't blame the poor guy though. Seeing as I accidentally passed the first inspection sight slowed me down as well. Not only did I get pulled over, but I then had to stop and let them scan all my paperwork in at the second inspection sight about 250 miles into Florida. But hey, I'm only eighteen. The fact I made the trip successfully on my own (with that ONE exception) was an accomplishment in itself.
     Mike got to the farm the next day and we, along with Jessica Pye, spent the entire day unloading equipment and setting things up, as well as taking care of the four horses he brought along. I'll tell you, I have no clue how Mike did it. Not only did he drive twenty hours straight through the night by himself, but he spent the entire day working and THEN proceeded to get on a flight back to Dallas that night at seven o'clock. That's just crazy. After listening to him call back the clients who'd left him voice mails that day for most of the hour drive to the airport, I couldn't help but wonder how he does it. 
     Once dropping Mike off, there were just us two. Yes, just Jessica and me. I spent the next few days riding Stoney, the other four horses, and doing barn chores. That, in itself, made for about ten hour days. Did I mention the first day I got to take care of the horses, the Hubers' 17'2 hand three year old, decided to jump out of his paddock when turned out? Yeah. An hour later when I began to bring them in, another of their horses decided to jump out as well. What a great first day to start things off.
     After a few more days (which were thankfully a lot less eventful), Maggie and Claire soon showed up, along with the THREE loads of horses that came that Monday. Eventually once every one made it, we hit a grand total of 32 horses.
     With the week leading up to Rocking I, Stoney and I had a few rough lessons. Don't get me wrong, we improved, but it wasn't without some moments, that's for sure. Caroline O'Keefe would have defined these as some "coming to Jesus" moments for my horse. However, it's safe to say everyone and their mother knows the kind of obnoxious horse I deal with on a regular basis now. 
     After working a lot on our counter canter and leg yields and Mike continuously making me perform my dressage test, I finally felt confident with it going into this weekend. Did I think we'd blow it out of the water? Not really. Did I think we could perform it without embarrassing ourselves and it be decent? Yes.
     Friday morning in the rain, I did just that with my dressage test, scoring a 41.8. Although Stoney "gave me the middle finger" (as Maggie pointed out he likes to do) with our leg yield to the right, he performed the one to the left flawlessly and even got an 8 on one of his counter canters. Of course, it wasn't ALL great, and the judge commented on our other counter canter as "very awkward." Story of my life. But hey, he only flipped me the bird once. It's progress. Mike said it was the best we'd performed the test from start to finish since we began practicing it, and that was definitely the truth.
     After dressage, I began to get the eleven horses Mike and Heather were riding that weekend ready for their phases they were performing. Believe it or not, it actually all ran extremely smoothly and without too much stress. Mike and Heather are incredibly organized in how they handle their rides, as well as being there in the warm up for their students. You could never ask for anyone better. Having Bonner Carpenter, Mary Frances Cargile, and Elizabeth Crowder there helping get horses ready while I was out riding that weekend was a big help as well. I am beyond thankful for such helpful friends.
     In the afternoon, I had my show jumping round. It was a nice course but a disappointment that I couldn't see a distance to save my life. I'd never jumped so many fences in warm up before getting it right. Thanks to my lack of good judgement, we had two rails. However, I was extremely happy with Stoney in that when I saw the longer distance, he moved up when I asked, and when I saw the need to add a stride, he did, still making the effort to clear the rail even after I buried him to the fence. We had an oxer with two strides out over a vertical, and when I asked him to jump in over the oxer as big as he did, I had flash backs to a year ago. You know, the kind of horse that would leave strides out of combinations? Well, upon landing I thought, there's no way we're going to get two strides in here. Little did I know, my horse thought otherwise and somehow left the vertical up as he added in a very tight stride. I can't stress enough on here how much this horse has matured in the fact that he listens and respects (for the most part) my every move now. I even got a tight spot when approaching our triple combination, and he worked it out on his own. I couldn't ask for anything better from him.
     Going into cross country on Saturday, we were in last place. I honestly couldn't have been happier though. I had no care in the world to ribbon, but rather my goals were to create a positive weekend for Stoney and to get a qualifying round in. Go us for achieving both of those goals.
     So back to cross country. Stoney was feeling better than ever in warm up, and my eye was actually working that day. At least I could see a distance that weekend to the fences that wouldn't come down. When walking the course, my only worries were the quite big up banks, one being a one stride to a ditch and the other being a one stride to a hanging log. Of course, I also had my worry of the infamous water. I only worried about the banks because of how I couldn't see a distance the day before. However, we attacked them, and I got to the base of them perfectly. And the water? Well, let's just say my horse was a rockstar. (: When walking my course, Mike and I went through what to do if I had a stop at the water (more so to make it a training exercise and learning experience for Stoney in the future). Thankfully, I didn't end up having to do this.
     After jumping the second fence on course, a pretty decently wide table, I could see the realization come to my horse that these jumps were bigger than what we'd done before. He kicked it up a notch and was quite happy with the fact that he was now getting to jump decent size fences and actually having to put forth a bit of effort.
     He handled the coffin complex and the corner like it was nothing. Absolutely none of the questions that were asked phased him. With every jump, I got him there perfectly, and every single one he seemed to boldly say, "I got this." I'm still having to learn to adjust to the difference in speeds from training level to preliminary, and although I let him go faster between the fences than I ever did at training level, we still had a bit of time. By a bit, I mean only 8 seconds over. How could someone not be more proud of their horse?
     Although I did not go into the weekend with the mindset of wanting to ribbon, I ended up placing seventh. Apparently seventh place seems to like us quite a lot, seeing as three of the four ribbons I now have are purple. I'm definitely not complaining though. Getting a ribbon this past weekend was just icing on the cake. After my scores were posted online, I realized that with redoing the scores for junior ranking only, I actually ended up in fourth. How cool is that? Everyone else did extremely well too, especially for the first show of the season (for most). There definitely weren't many cobwebs to dust off the Gold Chip crew, that's for sure.
     Having my mother in Florida this past weekend made it even better. Although I was working, my mother would leave for large amounts of time, socializing with everyone else but her daughter. We even had "taco night" while she was there, and it's safe to say her taco soup and guacamole dip were a huge hit. However, she was always there cheering me on, and by cheering me on I really mean holding her breath. It's safe to say my mother isn't worried for my overall safety and well being, seeing as she walked my cross country course and wasn't apprehensive about the bigger fences. Her only worries involved dressage and show jumping. I do have to thank her though for walking my obnoxious horse around while I was working and also making him stand still for twenty minutes in his whirlpool boots filled with ice water after cross country (even after he bit her due to complete boredom). I swear, the older my horse gets, the more obnoxious and arrogant he is becoming. It may be because of the vast amount of carrots/treats I give him daily... or because I never discipline him. I'm beginning to think it's a combination of both...
     As for this week, it has been just days of working and training. With every passing day, Stoney and I are improving. Two days ago when schooling on the flat for the first time that week, even Mike was surprised with how great Stoney was. He told me he expected that he would have to get on him. Leave it to Stoney to prove us wrong.
     With this being the only weekend we aren't competing while down here, we may end up doing some fun activities on Monday when we have the day off. With more work and more training the following week, we will then pack up and drive to Ocala for the horse trials there. After Ocala, Stoney and I are planning on competing at Rocking Horse II and Rocking Horse III before heading back home to good ol' Texas.
     With having completed my first prelim, a lot of weight and anxiety has been lifted away. Just that one successful horse trial under our belts is a big confidence booster for the future. I can officially say I have a preliminary horse now, and he is a pretty great one at that.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Short and Sweet and Exceedingly Great

     I told you guys that I would try to write more posts, so let this be proof that I am posting more frequently. Funny how much shorter my posts are when I actually update this more often.
     Let me first make you guys aware that I only have thirteen days left until I am heading off to Florida. As you can see by the continuous mentioning of this trip, I am quite thrilled. (: Since I'm already talking about countdowns, why don't I just add that there are only nine days until my birthday and less than four weeks until Stoney runs his first prelim. Now that I think about it, thrilled doesn't even begin to describe it all.
    Where to begin... I guess I'll start by saying I had an enjoyable time getting to spend the month of December in Arkansas and seeing friends and family. Then again, you have to remember it is Arkansas, and the cold winds and continuous rainfalls did not make for great days for riding. I couldn't help but look forward to leaving.
     A few days after Christmas, we took everything and hauled down to Louisiana where we over nighted at our family's farm. I got to spend time with the family that afternoon and had a great time. The next morning, we were on the road to Texas. Yes, good ol' Texas. The Ehlers are incredibly amazing and have offered to let me live in their house and board Stoney at their place. And yes, I know I move a lot. I have a feeling by the time Florida rolls around, it will be a natural thing to start packing up all my belongings again.
     Let me just stop and say how awesome my horse was for staying over night on a farm by his complete lonesome self. He received my bragging points on here for that one. Of course, the goodness and maturity didn't last too long. Since being at the Ehlers, my horse has not only lost his grip from the unusual sighting of the zebra across the street, but he has also gotten scared out of his skin by the cattle when out on a hack....even after living beside a cattle farm for two years. I don't think I'll ever fully understand this horse.
     Seeing as my mind can't seem to think straight today, let me jump back to the whole Florida situation. Yes, I know you already know I'm excited to be going, but what you didn't know is that I have a full time job down there. Mike, being the incredible man that he is, is letting me work for him in Florida with feeding, turning out, and blanketing all the horses. Unlike most of everyone who is going down on the 21st of January, I am going down on the 17th with Stoney when Mike makes his first trip to Altoona (which happens to be 19 terrible hours) hauling all his equipment and a few horses. While Mike flies back to Dallas, I'll stay there for the next three days taking care of the horses and preparing all the stalls for the horses' arrivals. Since Mike drives all the way through, he will be arriving with around seventeen horses in the middle of the night. By the time you add up all his clients who are hauling their own horses to Rocking Horse, I think there will be more than 30 horses to not only prepare stalls for but care for after arriving. It's safe to say I'll be back to working 10 plus hour days. However, I'm quite sure he's bringing one of his workers, so hopefully the days won't ALL be never-ending. Since we will be competing every weekend we're down there though, I'm not holding my breath. I might as well start stocking up on coffee now, seeing as it'll probably be the only thing to keep me going when down there.
     I can honestly say I am living the life right now. Not only is it because of the opportunities I have been blessed with this past year while not in school, but mostly because I am as happy as can be right now. Stoney is at a great farm and being taken care of wonderfully, I only have to walk fifty feet to get to the barn, and days have just been relaxed lately. I'm sure that may change once I get home from Florida and am forced to get a job, but I may just be a little less energetic; not unhappier by any means. The Ehlers have taken me in as their own and are the best people I could have ever imagined getting to live with, and I think I've already met more new people within the week I've been here than the entire time I was in North Carolina. Yes, it is definitely true in saying I am enjoying life right now. I plan on living it to the greatest I can before heading back to school in the fall as well as keeping everyone (everyone being the few people who care to keep up with my hectic life and read this) up to date on it all.