We Are Flying Solo

The David Intervention: Pt. III

2012-02-06T15:23:00.000-08:00

Encore looked at me like I was crazy. You put me on the trailer, we drive 5 minutes, you take me off. I run around for a while, you put me back on trailer, drive 5 more minutes, you take me off. I nap, you want me to get back on trailer? Does anyone else see how psychotic this woman is? Anyone? Bueller?

Despite his skepticism, Encore stepped on with a sigh and we trundled back over to David's farm for YAY, JUMPING! Except before YAY, JUMPING comes OMG, DEATH CIRCLE OF ARM-KILLING WARMUP.

My favourite part is when David said, "Hey, he learned something yesterday!" I don't think we caught it on the video, as he was trying to save my battery, but I was so proud of my brown pony. And I had to laugh at his unconscious clucking when I was supposed to apply leg. As riders, none of us can help ourselves -- we all cluck for horses we are watching.

We didn't catch the canter work, but it was very good and Encore was able to maintain a slow balance. The most important point I took from this warmup, especially the trot work, was that right now, we need to gooooo slooowwww.

You can see that Encore really struggled with the trot poles. This is not because he has never done them -- we have done rows of five poles many times. But he has never done them ROUND AND CONNECTED. I could feel that it was very very difficult for him. We continued to work on them several more times both directions and David assured me not to worry, he just needs to learn to find his feet without sacrificing the roundness and balance.

After this (and me shedding several layers of clothing), we moved on to a massive gymnastic. Our first attempt:

To complete the sentence, David instructs, "When he lands, encourage him to canter away and move forward after the jump." This exercise was difficult too. We've certainly done gymnastics before, but not with an approach in such a slow, round trot. It took us a few more goes to work that one out too; I had to really focus on softening my hand at the first pole, letting him lift his head to look at the jump, and keeping my shoulders back, not changing my position. We did finally sort it out....

I felt like I rode this line rather craptastically, but there is more good advice here. And I'm going to pretend that was one of the dogs belching, LOL.

Completeing the David sentence again: "He a little bit ran out of distance there, but that is just him being green and figuring out where he needs to be. Don't worry about it, that's just a matter of getting out and jumping lots of things."

We then did a myriad of courses, which I do have video of but got too impatient to upload them all. Encore began to work out his footwork. The oxers seemed to go better for us, but the short turn to the perpendicular vertical was very tough for us both (you will see in video). I wanted to lean forward in the turn and hold him to the base of the fence. I think we all know how successful THAT particular technique is. Yep, I just got a hollow jump with a pulled rail behind, my bad, sorry buddy. About halfway through, a woman entered and began longeing her horse on the corner -- I always welcome extra challenges, I feel it is good for the horse to learn from, but it made our turn to the diagonal line quite short and added another unexpected level of difficulty!

This is our final course:

There are many fantastic tips from David in these videos, but I won't retype them all, else this entry would be ten pages long! Leave it to say that I will be watching these over and over. And over. And over.

But that was the end of it. David and Lauren saw us off and I spent the next 1.5 hours on the way home trying to digest all I had felt and heard. I turned my hard-working horse back out in his paddock when we made it back to the farm and went home to nurse that post-clinic funk. Yeah, you know it, when you go, Awww, man, it's over? But that was so amazing, I wanted it to last forever! However, I am quite sure my shoulder sockets would have separated, which does put a damper on one's equitation.

So thank you again, Ryan, we couldn't have done it without your help, and THANK YOU, DAVID (although I doubt he reads this unless he googles himself, which doesn't seem quite his style) for an incredible two days of shoving us over a training hump and untangling my ragged mess of a brain.

Bets on how long before I tangle it up again?

So I shall leave you with that. The red boys saw their vet today for their annual shots and Me Annoying Dr. Brian (Dr. Bob's alternate) With 10,000 Detailed Questions About Everything. So all are resting and we'll see what we have tomorrow!

The David Intervention: Pt. II

2012-02-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

I had a lot to think about as I drove....around the corner. As I mentioned, Ryan had graciously offered Encore and I berth at the little farm where she works, conveniently located 3 miles from David's. Ok, so it happens to be Charlie Plumb's (quite the family legacy) farm, so this is what you see when you come to the stop sign:

How do you get grass that green in the sandhills in January?

It's a nice enough place, as you pull into the drive...

They have a little arena with a few jumps scattered here and there...

They even let me park my rig where it would be shaded by trees!

What? I haven't shown you my traveling rig before?

I tucked Encore into the barn. I guess it was ok....

Ha, it was, naturally, a lovely place. I only saw Charlie for about four seconds, as he was busy with a clinic, but he offered a friendly hello (and escaped smurf picture recruitment, dangit). As dusk settled, Encore devoured his well-earned supper and settled in.

I sought to digest some of what I had learned that day and fought to retain David's advice and instructions (although I still giggle every time in the video where he yells, "Work it! Keeping working it!"):

-The Duo bit we are dressaging in now is great to introduce babies to contact and great for a finished horse who is light. But we might want to try something a step up for the sake of my jello arms, which will encourage Encore to soften faster and more readily. As he gets stronger and is able to be lighter, then perhaps we can go back to rubber finger bit.

-Keep the pace slow and NO RUSHING ALLOWED. In order for Encore to stay balanced at the stage he is in, he must stay slow and resist the urge to run off his feet and get tense. As he feels more comfortable in his balance, you can gradually ask for more trot. But you have to have that balance before you can have forward.

The journey with Solo and now this new endeavour with Encore has, I think, taught me, more than anything, about what real contact is. We are always told, "Don't pull on his mouth, stay out of his face." That is, to an extent, true. But real, working contact is not a feathery light touch until your horse actually has the balance, muscle, and training to carry himself completely. That doesn't happen at the beginning. Unless you have a freak horse that I just don't want to hear about. When you see me riding in those videos, none of that is easy. My upper arms are screaming and when David asks us to reverse direction for the last time time, after I comment that I have noodle arms, my brain cries, "Dear cod, NOOOO!" Contact is CONTACT -- you are asking your horse to push power from his hind legs through his body into the bridle and until he learns how to do that on his own, he needs your help at times and the reminders are constant.

As I said before, it's not locked, it's not a pull, it's just a steady, almost a resting feeling against the bit. But it's alive and I am asking half halt with the outside rein, just little bit rounder with the inside rein, just a little bit straighter with that outside rein again. And when he complies, I do not "release" as we normally think of it, not in a physics sort of way. Rather, I go passive -- my resting contact is still there, but my forearm muscles soften and my hands are quiet, saying thank you, proceed as you are. The horse's mouth can feel this subtle difference in energy. The hard part is for the rider to regulate exactly the right amount at the exact right time. I figure I'll have that worked out in about 60 years.

But for now, it was time for both horse and rider to sprawl out and rest for the day to come.

Charlie might have escaped, but his lawn jockey didn't....

The David Intervention: Pt. I

2012-02-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

I needed an intervention. I was getting all tangled up in my head. Encore would warm up lovely and soft and compliant and rhythmic and then we would take a walk break and then he would be rushy and stiff and hollow and blah. His back didn't hurt. His legs didn't hurt. His saddle didn't hurt. I was very frustrated.

Encore is a poser with Ryan and our smurf.

So I invented Brena's Personal David Clinic, Februrary 2012. I packed up all our ~~excessive crap~~ gear and drove down to Vass on Friday afternoon. As luck would have it, Ryan from the Insanity in the Middle blog works for another trainer at a (lovely) farm three miles from David and she generously offered to allow Encore and I to have a sleep-over there. Ryan rules. Check it on the left. Sadly, her horse, Pop Star, was already turned out, so he missed out on his smurf photo opportunity.

I wanted to do flatwork on Friday afternoon and then jump on Saturday morning. Encore did not get a vote. I also wanted David to sit on Encore and tell me which parts were Encore's problems and which parts were my ~~idiocies~~ problems.

It's about a 1.5 hour haul from the farm to Vass so I had plenty of time to convince myself that (a) David would sit on horse and pronouce him lame, (b) I would not be fit enough to do what I needed to do since there is crazy shit going on in my life and sleep is hard to come by, or (c) I would pee myself with nervousness because even though I love David and he is the kindest person imaginable and we have ridden with him for perhaps two years now, I am still intimidated as heck by his accomplishments and the fact that he is so generous with his knowledge with Nobody Me.

But we made it unscathed, although I did have to pee because I had worked very hard to mega-hydrate myself all the way down (it makes a HUGE difference in your fatigure level in your lesson, try it), slurping down a liter of water even when I didn't want any more.

I will try to let the videos speak for themselves. Not only is David cool enough to pose with a smurf, he is also awesome enough to videotape for me while he taught.

He hopped right on and this is where it began and lasted for about 20 minutes. While you are watching, you notice that he moves the bit A LOT in Encore's mouth. As he explains, which I know I caught in later videos, racehorses are taught to lean into the hand and rely on it for their balance. They HAVE to re-learn how to carry themselves without you holding them up. And if you are tempted to get judge-y and feel that David is being too harsh, remember that Encore is wearing a HS Duo bit (right), which is basically a soft, rubber finger.

Sometimes, it does take a little tough love to retrain a horse how to use his entire body. Training is certainly not always pretty butterflies. The key is knowing what your horse's mind can handle, fairness and immediately letting the horse know when he has offered you the right thing! David points out that because Encore is stable-minded and has raced for three years, he is tough and sensible and won't lose his shit when you have to make a point. He often prefers the OTTB's for this reason, and says it's a completely different approach than with a horse who has been started gently only a longe line with side reins and knows only quiet paddocks and arenas, who can be a bit of a "delicate flower" without the mental and physical toughness of a horse who has known the ups and downs of track life and didn't break down.

I do want to know how come I get in trouble for riding with long reins! But without further ado -- the beginning:

Then we move to canter. David emphasized afterwards that balance is very hard for Encore right now. He focused on straightness above all else and would give up everything, not caring where his head was, cross-firing, whatever, as long as he maintained straightness and then balance.

Right lead came first, Encore's easier side. You can see at the end the canter work has already improved the trot work from when he started.

Then we move to left lead. This is VERY difficult for Encore to do while maintaining his balance. But David maintained, that if he breaks, fine, if he cross-fires, fine, but he MUST stay straight.

I was enthralled, but apparently, I was expected to remount my horse and replicate what I had just watched. Encore is a fast learner, but you will hear David talk about how hard the new balance is for him. Not to mention for my arms. Ouch. The contact I have here is a very firm, but elastic one. I am not locked against his mouth. When I soften, it is a subtle softening of the arm and elbow -- you CAN'T throw the contact away, he has to have something to step into.

Then we have the left lead with what arms I have left. Thank cod for all that hydration!

Compare those canters with the one we were playing with in October. He's getting stronger and we are learning together.

Up next.....Saturday, JUMPING day! Will my arms stay attached to my shoulders? Will my horse decide this roundness business is for the birds? Will I throw myself at David's feet and beg to move into an extra bedroom? Anything could happen....

Do You Know Why David O'Brien Is Awesome?

2012-02-04T14:34:00.000-08:00

Yeah, he rode around Fair Hill and Rolex and those little events overseas.

Yeah, he coached some Young Riders teams to gold and silver medals in 2009.

Yeah, he and his wife, Lauren have brought home a bit of loot in eventing's upper echelons.

But you know why he is really awesome? (Aside from putting up with me and my desperate efforts to do everything right at once)

Because he has Smurf love. And yes, that is the official Area II Indian Smurf, who is entrusted to my custody this year.

Encore has his eyes closed in the presence of greatness.

Watch Carefully

2012-02-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

I was directed by an acquaintence to a video that is part of the Retired Racehorse Training Challenge that I posted about here. By the way and completely unrelated, if you've observed how clean, attractive and awesome the RRTP website it, it was designed by a friend of ours who is a fellow member of the Area II Adult Riders. So if you are looking for some kick-ass graphic design, you need to go check out Wow!

Back to my original topic. The video shows Eric Dierks, a trainer here in NC who was chosen for the challenge. He grew up with dressage, Pony Club, and eventing all the way to Rolex. Here, he talks you through the fourth ride on the challenge mare he chose, a striking grey named Brazilian Wedding. Watch it, I command thee! Hopefully, he won't hate me for sharing his video.

It is a 34-minute master class in a working a green horse, a young horse, or warming up any horse. Pay attention to his softness and patience. He doesn't make a big deal out of anything (I need this reminder printed on my horse's browband). He doesn't demand more than the horse is able to give. He doesn't worry about where her head is. After 30 minutes, barely off the track, she is supple, confident, and happy.

And what struck me about halfway through is that its basic exercises are very similar to David's death circles that he inflicts upon me. Well, dang, I'm doing something right after all.

I know who I am going to be trying to emulate next time I sit on Encore's back.

An Event Horse Isn't A One Trick Pony

2012-01-31T07:43:00.000-08:00

It's no secret I'm a firm believer that an event horse MUST NOT be an arena baby. They need to learn balance on uneven terrain, surefootedness, confidence in new situations, problem solving, and endurance. They must be able to deal with mud, rocks, sticks, water, brush, dogs, crazed animals running around, golf carts, ATVs, weird buildings, rustling leaves, holes, and any kind of footing you can imagine. I don't believe in manicured footing everywhere and I don't believe in protecting your horse from distractions; I think this makes a weaker athlete with a weaker mind and I believe it does a disservice to our partners.

It is well established in the world of physiological science that in order to strengthen a system, you must challenge it. This goes for bone, tissue, respiration and brain. So I take my horses everywhere and I welcome umbrellas and terriers and strollers and bicycles and rocky mazes and steep, muddy hills because all of these things are tools to to shape the animal that an event horse should be. And I shouldn't have to make this disclaimer, but I will: always handle yourself and your horse with SAFETY in mind. Just...don't be a dumbass.

So I present to you, the "wild, hot, crazed" OTTB who at 6 years old goes on his first "off-road" experience (our trails at home are, shall we say, a bit tamer) and I actually remembered to turn on the helmet cam. With us are Louie, a big chestnut Irish TB who is an ex-steeplechaser turned Training Level eventer; a gorgeous mover who has just come back from a suspensory injury at 22 (or somewhere around there). We also have Buck, a 15-ish-year-old bay OTTB who also competes a Training Level (although I heard a rumour he may give Prelim a shot) who can rack like a Saddlebred -- who says TB's aren't versatile?

PS I am not responsible for the helmet habits of my friends. The rider's names shall not be mentioned for the sake of privacy and avoidance of public shaming. That includes you, commenters.

PPS The videos are in HD but I can't get YouTube to default to that. So after you push play, click the little button on the bottom video bar that looks like a gear and you can increase the resolution/video quality to it's HD awesomeness. And if you want to hear the inane commentary, you have to turn your volume all the way up. I'm still messing with mic levels on the helmet cam.

Encore goes all-terrain and Louie reluctantly follows. Encore actually loves water but he does NOT like super soft squishy mud, which is why he has so much hesitation on the bank. He is not a fan of his hoofies sinking!

Our canine companions. Oh yes, the terriers really are named Jack, Russell, and Pumpkin. I kid you not.

Louie and Encore jump a massive log. Louie does a very amusing dance when he gets excited, like when horses pass him. Or trot in front of him. Or when it's Wednesday. But I never did really capture it, dangit.

Just a nice canter in a beautiful field.

A Little Promotion For A Really Big Project

2012-01-29T06:37:00.000-08:00

You may not know who Steuart Pittman is, but let me introduce you. He owns and runs his family's farm, Dodon Farm, which dates back to the 18th or 19th century. But today, not only does it produce eventing Thoroughbreds, it's also stands Steuart's amazing Jockey Club Throughbred stallion, Salute the Truth, who took Steuart to the advanced level and is highly sought after by mare owners across the country for his propensity to pass on incredible bone and athletic talent to his progeny. His website also has a great series of essays on, well, just about anything. I dare you to click "Steuart Says!"

But while all that is great in and of itself, that's not what I'm really here to talk about. You see, Steuart is passionate about the off-the-track Thoroughbred and is a major force working to promote these horses for second careers in sport, as he is more than familiar with their heart, agility, intelligence, and try. I HIGHLY encourage you to take the time to read a paper he put together for the National Throughbred Racing Association on expanding the ex-racehorse market. He and his wife (Sorry, Erin, if I got that wrong, but I'm going to go with that) have started an incredible force in motion. Titled, "The Retired Racehorse Training Project," it creates a place where owners and buyers can search bloodlines of horses competing today for trends (enter YOUR TB in the Bloodline Brag, I put Encore in there!), where people can contact trainers who work with the OTTB, and where, perhaps most fun of all, you can follow the "RRTP Trainer Challenge."

Much like the Mustang Makeover, this challenge takes four horses, fresh from the track, and pairs them with three trainers: Eric Dierks, Terry Blackmer and Tiffany Catledge. They have just chosen their horses from the pool late last week and from the drop down menu on the RRTP page under "Programs," you can follow the blog of each one as they bring these horses along. Each horse will be for sale at the end of the challenge, which lasts five weeks.

Steuart designed the program to be a showcase for the OTTB and to educate the public about just how wonderful these horses can be. They are not bolting, spooking, fire-breathing dragons, fit for only the hardiest pro. They are often, in fact, kind, willing horses who go on to perform with all their heart as amateur hunters, eventers, dressage horses, and even western and trail horses.

So I encourage you to go check it out and follow along -- I can't wait to read more from each trainer and see how each horse develops in what, to them, in a whole new world.

Up Down Up Down Up Down

2012-01-25T18:01:00.000-08:00

I am thinking hard about transitions right now. They are the key to so many things and can also reveal all of your weaknesses in one step. Maintaining contact, keeping your horse's energy coming forward and through the transition, bringing his hocks underneath him, all of these things are incredibly difficult to package and deliver at exactly the right moment.

I wanted to share with you some passages I have been reading and re-reading from Dressage in Harmony, by Walter Zettl (an excellent book by the way, and not terribly expensive). He has great sympathy for the horse and stresses fairness and patience above all else. He is a Czech trained in Germany under Col. Aust, a master of German classical dressage. After coaching many successful students in Munich for decades, he became the Canadian eventing coach for the 1984 LA Olympics. In this book, he makes some vital points to ponder (excerpts in italics).

The stages of any upward transition:
Preparation through improvement of the lower gait, a clearly given signal, and then allowing the horse to move freely into the new gait.

From walk to trot:
First, the walk must be engaged enough so that at any point the rider is condfident that the next step can be a trot step...The transition can only be as good as the walk before it. Every gait should be ridden not for itself, but as preparation for the next transition...The key problem is to give forward with the hand without losing the contact...If the rider gives with the reins too much, the horse can fall onto the forehand or raise up the head and hollow the back.

From trot to walk:
The downward transitions are always more difficult, because the rider...thinks he must pull back to get the downward transition. In fact, in the moment when the rider is closing and holding with the hand for the half halt, he must already be thinking of giving, and riding his horse forward into the walk. After the transition, the rider should keep the horse on the aids in the walk so that he could immediately ride a transition back to trot...As in all of riding, the rider must constantly change between active and passive aids: active when the horse tries to escape the aids and immediately passive to show the horse everything is OK.

Walk to Halt to Walk:
The weight aids for the halt are often misunderstood. Lowering of the heels brings the correct amount of weight into the horse's back in the correct, vertical position. Leaning back drives the seat into the saddle too much and sends the horse forward because of the pain the horse feels in his back...One should not expect that the horse will come to an immediate, perfect halt...Never lose the patience. When the horse comes to a very good halt, the rider should praise the horse so the horse knows he did well. One should praise the horse a lot.
One often sees riders fooling around with the hands, both at the halt, and through the transition. When the rider tries to keep the horse round at the halt with too much hand than a correct transition is not possible--the horse is afraid to go freely forward because he expects to get holding aids in his mouth.

Trot to Canter:
The preparation for the canter depart...holds the secret for success. The quieter and softer the depart, the quieter and softer the horse will stay in the canter. A wrong lead, aids given in the wrong moment, or aids given too strongly are the most common mistakes.

When asking for the canter from the trot, the rider should collect the trot very slightly--almost unnoticeably. The correct moment for the depart is when the outside shoulder goes forward. The reins should not be thrown away. As soon as the horse lifts himself into the canter, the rider needs to let the stride out with the hand slightly. Through the forward driving aids of the seat and leg, the rider brings the canter strides into a steady flow. Each stride of the canter should be ridden as if it is a new departure stride.

I'm going to keep reading. And re-reading. And reading again. There is so much contained in these passages and the paragraphs around them to think about and to process. I visualize my body doing each thing, sitting calmly centered and creating a shape for my horse to fill. Now we just need to add smidge more patience.....

What do you think? What do you read in these passages? Revalations? Old hat? Blindingly obvious? Complete insanity? Are there pieces you would like to add to your schooling or things you can adapt to the peculiarities of your horse? Share your impressions, I have been reading and absorbing like an obsessed little sponge lately and I've not filled up yet!

We Won Stuff!

2012-01-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

As my sidebar declares, I am very proud to be a member of the USEA Area II Adult Rider Program. You should go and join yours today -- not only do you stay abreast of clinics, horses for sale in the "network," and reports of the most recent horse trials, you meet wonderful, generous, knowledgeable people who are just as crazy about this sport as you are! I can tell you without a doubt, Solo and I would not have had some of the opportunities we did without the support and generosity of this group.

This past Saturday was our Area II Annual Meeting in Virginia. Sadly, there was no room in my budget to go and I was sorry to miss it, because I drove up with a neighbour last year and learned a great deal. Also at the meeting is our Annual Awards Luncheon, although I have not been to that because it is also out of my budget range. BUT, the point is, our Adult Riders group gives out a host of awards every year that are not based on racking up competitive points, but instead on contributions to the group and to the sport. Started by eventer Yvonne Lucas of Red Moon Farm and honouring our smurf heritage inspired by Captain Mark Phillips distaste for the adult amateur rider, which we adopted with great pride, these awards single out eventers with heart!

Now I never win anything. I am not that person. I'm a very good clapper though. So just imagine my surprise when one of my fellow Adult Riders informed me....

I had won the Indian Smurf award, for "great personal strength against adversity, showing toughness, heart, and perseverance!" I admit, I remain slightly bemused that I won the award for bad things happening to you, it truly could be no other way!

But that was not enough excitement, because I was also named...

Area II Adult Rider Member of the Year!

I am floored, stunned, honoured, and frankly terrified that I have so much to live up to!

I don't feel like these awards are really for me though. Because I would be nothing and nowhere without Solo, who, even as we crashed to the bottom of the heap, believed in me and never stopped greeting me at the door with that look that forever connects us. The word "partner" cannot even encompass what he has been to me and cannot describe the strength of spirit and forgiveness and patience he continues to offer me.

And my world would be darker indeed without the bright hope that Encore brought into my life. We are certainly a work in progress, but if he will just bear with me, I think we can have a lot of fun together.

So it is really the horses. It is always the horses. The reason for trying, the air to keep breathing, the passion to tackle the next course.

To Solo and Encore and to all our partners who do more for us than we can say, as well as to my fellow Adult Riders who nominated and supported me...

Thank you.

Don't Forget To Not Ride

2012-01-20T17:11:00.000-08:00

I spent this evening in the aisle with Encore. A mild rain tap-tap-tapped the metal roof as I ran my hands over his neck, back, and hindquarters, seeking out knots and tension to ease away. Each time my thumbs dug into a hard burl of muscle, Encore's lower lip quivered and his head dropped lower...and lower...and lower. He licked his lips and sighed in thanks.

Remember that our partners are athletes. It is hard work, especially as they are building muscle, learning new skills, and adjusting their bodies to sport. Tendon, muscle, and joint each need time to rest and recover from micro-injury and stress. It is our responsibility to respect that need and to ensure that we are not asking our horses to work in pain or discomfort.

We finished with some carrot stretches to each side -- I make him stretch his nose at least to his flank (no cheating and moving his feet!) in each direction, which was very difficult for him a few months ago, so we have progress. Upon recheck, his back muscles are softer, his withers no longer sore and the knots in his neck are smaller. It's a continuous process, but one I need to be sure not to forget in the race to have a better ride. Happy body = happy horse. Happy horse = happy me. It's that simple.

Encore Furthers His Jumping Education

2012-01-15T19:42:00.000-08:00

As projected, Encore and I did indeed meet with David on Saturday; Encore's first stadium jumping lesson and his introduction to David's "death circles" of warmup (they only make the rider want to die, not the horse). My tired brain will attempt to share it with you. I offer no guarantees of lucidity.

The wind was icy cold, the high temperature of the day was 42 degrees, and the Canada geese next door splashed in the pond at the end of the arena. Encore took all this as an invitation to try out his new "I iz STRONG pony" routine on a very tired me. Thanks, buddy. Nothing impresses your trainer quite like panting like an asthmatic grandmother on a stairmaster.

Encore's big brother demonstrates bend.

Despite his antics, David seemed to remain thrilled with my little brown boy and reinforced that I had been working in the right direction. Establishing a steady contact on the outside rein on the warmup circle, we used inside flexion, moving the bit in his mouth to soften his jaw, at which Encore obligingly (at least most of the time) came round at the trot. If he starts cocking his head, don't forget to use your outside rein to straighten his head on his neck, keeping it all in line, even counterbending a little so that he can't brace against your hand.

Walk/trot/walk/trot transitions in quick succession, which we have begun to introduce at home recently, making sure he stayed soft through the transition, prepared us for canter.

David made the observation that I really needed to stay off his back at the canter and to focus on working that way for a while, as Encore learns to lift his back at that gait. He reassured me that it is very normal for the racehorses to remain uneven behind for quite some time, which put my mind at rest a bit on that count.

Once we began jumping, Encore got much stronger than I am accostomed to! Whether it was weather or excitement or both, my shoulders got tired in a hurry! But it was gratifying to see my work at home paying off -- he felt comfortable finding his distances on his own and he skipped through a mini gymnastic without a hiccup.

Because Encore was getting heavy in the bridle, perhaps because his young muscles were beginning to tire, David had me just lift the inside corner of the bit on the long side for one step to lift his shoulder and then half-halt and then lift his poll and release as we turned to the jump. Result: immediate shift in balance, bringing him up in front of my leg, where I could then soften and wait for the jump to come to us.

Both David and I had a smile at the end; there were some lovely sections of rhythm and nice jumps. Encore came calmly forward to every fence and jumped well up to about 2'9". He is not as naturally round a jumper as Solo, but he feels already like he will be much more comfortable with height than Mr. Shiny ever was.

Now, if anyone has suggestions on how to convince Encore that he no longer needs to transition to canter as if he is leaping from the starting gate, I am ALL ears...

Mollusks, Musings, and Magazines

2012-01-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

Multi-day meetings about mussel ecology and endangered species planning keep me away from my equine musings. Well, at least from writing about them.

My truck hurtles back north at night, escaping the museum meeting-room in the city as fast as possible in its farm-quest. Encore and I are working on contact and connection.

He accepts the contact quite willingly and is steady, but I think he is ready to do more. I ask for more connection, building on what I learned from the video clinic and in our lesson. The first day I tried it, it was brilliant -- his hocks were underneath him, everything was incredibly connected and through and THERE. Replication....is a good bit more difficult.

We walk that fine balance between riding forward into the contact (good) and pulling back into the contact (very bad) and it takes a lot of concentration to stay on the correct side of the line, despite the fact that my brain knows good and well what my body SHOULD be doing.

Piled next to my bed in a haphazard pile of paper and cat hair:

--Training the Three Day Event Horse and Rider by Jimmy Wofford (buy it now, I command thee)
--The Principles of Riding by the German National Equestrian Federation, the same yellow paperback that's been on my shelf since the mid-eighties, cheap glue and all
--Two recent issues of Practical Horseman
--Dressage in Harmony by Walter Zettl
--Henry James' Midnight Song by Carol de Chellis Hill (Hey, even a hardcore eventer needs a brain break)

I pick out passages and read and re-read and visualize and read again. If I can just do this enough times, it will surely stick.

We have a date with David on Saturday for a jumping lesson and a date with UPS on Tuesday for a dressage saddle to try. Rest assured, you shall hear about both.

A Free Lesson For You -- On Your Couch

2012-01-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

That's right, it's YOUR turn to giggle in sadistic glee while someone else has to do two-point sans stirrups.

This week was the annual George Morris Horsemastership Training Session down in Florida. Sans George Morris due to illness, from which he is now on the mend, fortunately. I confess, I don't usually watch it because George Morris is so fond of, well, George Morris. But I tuned in this year because his shoes were filled by renowned jumpers Anne Kursinski, Beezie Madden, Kent Farrington, and Mclain Ward and it was generating a lot of chatter over on COTH. And if Chronicle folks have their knickers in a twist, I just HAVE to check it out.

Go watch it now, particularly the first day.

Anne Kursinski gave a masterclass on flatwork. Each and every horse in there went better at the end of the session and each and every rider became more effective and more connected to their horse. In essence, she told them, don't pose up there like a phony equitation zombie, be inside the horse, not just on top of him, breathe with the horse and improve him.

She got on a horse who was giving his rider quite a bit of trouble, resisting the contact and rearing. I'm a very visual learner, so watching her work through that and seeing the quiet, patient way she taught him to accept the aids with incredible steadiness and fairness to the horse was like an epiphany for me. None of it was terribly new information but for some reason, it brought everything together for me.

The next morning, I got on Encore, I translated what I had seen into the feel of my body and we crashed through our dressage roadblock like a runaway transfer truck.

I guarantee there is information in there for you too. Anne does two groups (I only watched the first, about 1.5 hours) then Beezie does a demo ride with a new horse of hers (the last hour of the 3 hour session of day 1). Beezie explains that the horse has been showing 1.5 m (4.9') jumpers but is very green to flatwork, which baffled my mind, but ok, I'm not Beezie Madden.

There are still two more days to watch; I've checked out the farrier session, picked up a few handy tips, finessed my gymnastic work with Kent, and introduced a horse to the big water with Mclain. All for $0, exactly in my price range. I've included the link to the channel on USEF Network above, but in case you missed it: click here.

Solo's New Relationship With An Old Friend

2012-01-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

With three horses to ride (our BFF, lifeshighway, is out for 5 months following rotator cuff surgery, so I am teaching Pete the coarser points of dressage, which he is phenomenally cute at), I am blessedly busy, but with the irritating requirement of actually showing up at work every day, there are just not enough hours to give them all the time they need.

Solo at his last event, last May.

I have been trying to keep Solo doing SOMEthing at least twice a week. He still has good days and bad days; the good days are magical, the bad days are disheartening. I have his Adequan lined up and ready to inject once I have a clear time window. I can't keep up with his hay belly, though, and his hopeful eyes torment me.

I'd been working on a friend to ride him, but alas, she did not jump at the chance to absorb free Solo karma. Fortune finally saw fit to give me a moment of epiphany, however, and I sent a text message to a young girl who used to ride the BO's enormous Oldenburg mare prior to her sale:

"Would you like to ride Solo?"

Within ten minutes, I got back, "Yes, I would love to!"

I was thrilled -- Charlotte is a high schooler who catch-rides 3' to 3'6" hunters for an area trainer on our local C circuit. Not only is she the most selfless, kind, and well-mannered teenager that I think I have ever met, she is a lovely, quiet, soft rider who can win a hack class like you would not believe. I would not have to worry about Solo for a second and she would be the perfect match, a light ride for his temperamental back.

We met at the farm last night so I could show her Solo's quirks and brief her on the type of ride he needed these days. She has ridden him before, back when he was fit and muscley (sigh) so I tossed her up and proceeded to show her where his buttons were.

Keep in mind, Solo has rider-trust issues. He's been beaten with whips and generally, when anyone except me rides him, he watches me with a white, wide eye of worry. He behaves, but pathetic, concerned face with wrinkly nose and unsure ears betrays him. As a result, I have to be very careful when faced with a choosing a person who will ride him without my supervision. 90% of the time, he will offer no problems, but if he has a strong opinion, he can turn into a lot of horse and he can spin faster than anything I've ever sat on.

So my heart was happy when Charlotte asked him to trot and he stepped out in a lovely, swinging hunter trot with a relaxed neck and a bright and perky expression. I told her that she should feel very special, as she is the only one I have ever seen given the Solo "seal of approval." He was happy.

I could tell from his energetic and easy trot that he was having a good day, so I warned Charlotte that when she asked for canter, she'd better sit up tall and be ready. Sure enough, Solo leaped into the air and gave an enthusiastic buck of joy as he struck off in his favourite gait. As I laughed, I was so grateful for Charlotte and what she could offer to my very special guy.

I hope that she can continue to ride him at least once a week for me. It's a wonderful gift that she is giving and I so hope that this works out for a while. I would like for spring to find him a bit fitter and slimmer than his current state and he certainly needs to keep moving, both for his physical and mental wellbeing. I will continue to ride him lightly as well, but with much less pressure on time now that the responsiblity of keeping Mr Shiny going can be shared with someone else who loves his wonderful red hide too.

You Are Not Forgotten

2012-01-03T17:33:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it is just very hard to write. I try not to let my personal life (well, the non-horsey parts) bleed into the blog. I don't think it's relevant or very useful for you or even very entertaining for the most part. But when the universe kicks you in the teeth -- and then follows up with some kidney punches -- and then takes a bat to your kneecaps -- and then runs over your prone body for good measure -- it can be difficult to compartmentalize, despite that being my speciality.

I will keep trying, though. I cannot promise overflowing humour for a bit but I will try to avoid strangling noises, that doesn't make for very fun reading.

I am back home and back to my red boys. Solo insists on tormenting me with loving cuteness, following me around the pasture with big eyes, begging me to put a halter on him so we can go play.

Encore is very irritated with my attempts to play saddle fitter and find a dressage shaped something for him. We tried out a Verhan Odyssey, a Passier Nicole, and a Prestige 2000D today -- I only rode in the Verhan, but set the other two on him, along with a Baines endurance saddle, just to eyeball the tree. No winners yet, but I took lots of pictures and made a lot of faces. I still want to try an Albion on him, a County, and perhaps a Stubben, but haven't found a demo yet.

It's cold, with a 30 mph gust of ice-wind cutting through you, so it's hard to focus on your work. Winter has finally wandered in and I'm holding my breath hoping it wanders right back out very soon.

Just Relax

2011-12-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

Sadly, I shall be away from blogland for the rest of the week, as far as I know. This renders me unable to share my ~~dorkiness~~ genius and impeccable humour with all of you for a whole five days. It's ok, just let your sobs out.

So I leave you with this: when one does not clamp down, grit teeth, obsess, nitpick, nag and expect instant perfection during training rides, when instead you relax, keep goals simple, realistic, and light, those rides go 1000x times better.

Thank you, Master Of The Obvious.

You'd think that after enough years, a person would not need to be reminded of this. You'd think.

So ponder away, enjoy your rides, have a wonderful week, and prepare for next week's posts, which will include detailed instructions on how to buy a unicorn and some more totally awesome Stuff Saturated With Solo Karma for sale!

Is It A Coincidence That "Saddle" And "Satan" Begin With The Same Two Letters?

2011-12-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

I don't think I can describe saddle fitting any better than I did here: a form of torture akin to holding one's hands in a campfire while being poked in the eyeballs with sharp sticks. If you have any special needs whatsoever, it adds an extra layer of "fun," like a rabbit slowly chewing off your toes while your hands roast.

Encore and I got to spend three hours with the fitter today. Oh, did I not mention that he's a different shape than Solo? Of course he is.

It's not so much width -- comparing their tracings shows that Encore is only a bit narrower than Solo, which will no doubt change as the former continues to gain muscle and weight. It's the longitudinal profile, withers to hips. Solo is very scoopy, with a big dip in his back and hollows behind the withers. This is a saddle fitting nightmare. Don't buy a horse like that! Encore is fairly flat and short-coupled. Saddle fitters love horses like him, lots of saddles can sit there nicely with relatively little effort.

In case you didn't figure out the nightmarish part yet, it's the fact that I bought saddles, especially my beautiful dressage saddle, to fit curvacious Solo, with obligingly scoopy tree. That doesn't work so well with flat horse. Naturally.

The jumping saddle wasn't too bad, we switched to the medium-narrow gullet (Encore's giant withers!) with the understanding that as he develops more, he will probably end up in the medium by spring (Solo was medium-wide, just for reference). I'm not a fan of the changey gullet trees anymore, the tree points are so short, they made lots of pressure points on Solo, plus, we can't quite get the wither clearance we want, but it's what I have, the saddle fits me well, and it rides well, so I wanted to try and work it out. I've just ordered an Ecogold half pad and we think it will provide enough lift and cushion to tide us over till his back develops enough to lift the saddle a bit more. We think. Only way to know is by doing, so once the box arrives, the moment of truth shall come!

My beautiful, wonderful dressage saddle that fits me perfectly? It will probably need to be replaced at some point, but I'm not willing to let it go yet. Not only does it fit me perfectly, I still need to ride Solo in something and he sure as shootin' isn't going in a medium-narrow jumping saddle, LOL! So, I told fitter to see if she can buy me some time.

Turns out even time has a price. $130 to be exact. Apparently there is some worldwide sheep shortage that has driven up prices (I am not kidding, she actually told me this). Perhaps I should invest in some Merino lambs?

At any rate, between flocking shifts and front and rear shims in our fancy new pad #2, we were able to flatten out the saddle enough that it no longer rocked on Encore's back and he was once again willing to lift and come round.

As my horse is now the proud owner of a small fortune's worth of saddle pads, I fully expect him have mastered at least the Beginner Novice dressage tests by the end of the week. Since they also had a Herm Springer Duo bit (which I've been dying to try on Encore) on super bargain sale, I further expect extended gaits and shoulder-in by next Tuesday. Little bugger better get cracking.

Weekend Update

2011-12-18T18:22:00.000-08:00

Owwwww.

No, I didn't fall off again. Damn, I hate that I have to put "again" at the end of that sentence. The cloud of "fall-down-go-boom" still lingers over my shoulder. Or is that behind my knee...

But today, the reason my whole body hurts has a name. And that name is David. Now, before your mind goes slinking off to the gutter (don't go there, I'm pretty sure his wife, Lauren, can beat me up six ways to Sunday), let me elaborate.

I like to torture my horses with clippers.

Saturday saw a bleary-eyed me pointing Encore into the trailer at o-dark-hundred to tromp down to SoPines and meet David for a XC school. I wasn't quite awake when we arrived, but once that cold wind blew down the back of my vest I found a new level of alertness.

The next 45 minutes were...wonderfabulubulous. One word wouldn't cover it, so I had to smash a few together.

We were the only lessoners that morning, which means David had us at his mercy. When you are alone with him, this encompasses your breaks to catch your breath:

David: Ok, let him walk for a minute.

Me (mentally): Whew.

One and a half walk strides later --

David: Ok, let's canter to the log then turn to this ditch and canter back to the stone wall...

Me: So much for breathing.

I didn't realize how hard I was working until I got up this morning. Or rather, until I tried to stand up this morning and my legs screamed for mercy.

Encore, on the other hand, was a professional phenom. So much so that by the end of the lesson, David was really excited about him, labeling him, "a really lovely package, with an incredible mind and a wonderful eye."

Mm'kay, when a four-star rider gets psyched about my horse, well, this is new to me, so it makes my brain skip in circles like a happy little clapping bunny. Yes, a bunny, roll with it.

I don't see David get really excited very often -- encouraging, yes, but very calm and easy-going.

"Do you know what I have to do to have him canter along in a great, perfect little rhythm like that?" I asked him.

"What's that?" He humoured me.

"NOTHING!" I shouted with glee. "He just gives it to me!" David giggled with me and it was great to share this step in Encore's education with someone else who knew just how special that kind of horse is.

Once he masters some details, like, uh, bending and canter transitions, this guy is going to be unstoppable. I can't wait until spring!

PS: Dear Universe, please do not take my enthusiasm as an invitation to smite me. Your lessons in humility, pain tolerance, and patience have been well-learned, I promise. Please please please let Encore just be a happy, healthy horse who gets to go have fun with me and run and jump things. It makes him happy and it makes me happy and there's really no harm in that. Thank you.

Someone Slap Me!

2011-12-13T12:06:00.000-08:00

Encore has discovered his jump. His big, powerful, sit-on-your-butt-and-leap jump. Holy mother of cod, I had a lot more horse under me than I expected on Sunday! But it felt really REALLY good -- he saw a jump, locked on, came up in front of my leg in a strong, balanced canter (where I sat up VERY tall so he was not tempted to dash at it), found his distance, and soared.

His confidence was just plain fun and we even tackled a couple skinny brush boxes, about four feet wide each. It took a couple tries for him to understand, but we got the light bulb and finished with a very proud pony. He is jumping regularly at about 2'4" to 2'7" these days, which is mind-boggling to me since he jumped his first vertical in September.

It was a welcome relief for me, as I had found myself unexpectedly frustrated the last few weeks. Starting out with Encore, I knew he was green, so I expected little and just rolled with it. I was relaxed, it was fun, all was good. Then he made great progress, I started making plans, I got an agenda, and I pushed. It didn't help that stress from other areas of my life piled on. And on and on and on.

Of course, this did not become clear to me until we had a dressage lesson on Saturday, during which Priscilla was forced to give me a mental slap in the head. Everyone should get smacked in the head from time to time, it does a world of good. I felt like I just remembered to breathe again. As Priscilla reminded me, when I am wound up tighter than a tick's belly and trying to shape my horse with sheer willpower, I will only make things worse. For me, I have to take a deep breath and tell myself, "It just doesn't matter, it just doesn't matter, RELAX, IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER." Obsessing over the little things, fixating on details, wanting problems fixed now, can put my brain on overdrive. Fail.

I also watched a session from last week's USEA convention, ever-so-helpfully uploaded by John over at Eventing Nation and one section in particular brought everything back into focus. The videos encompass a Q&A session with 4-star riders, open to any audience inquiries. Someone asked how much correctness they should demand from a young horse; does everything have to be right right now or do you just focus on one thing at a time?

If I obey the Law, will my horse do that?

This is my problem, I epiphanied (it's a word now, baby) to myself. This is where I need to refine my approach to youngsters. Buck Davidson summarized it best: make a goal for the day and when you achieve it, be done. Even if it only took ten minutes. Don't go out and do your transitions and then do your ten meter circles and then do your canter work and then do your lateral exercises. You will overwhelm a young mind if you just keep piling on. Leslie Law (at right) agreed and elaborated that, if pony "loses his fizz" after 15 minutes, that's ok, do some hacking instead and just relax.

Clayton Fredericks, Phillip Dutton, and Karen O'Connor also reminded me of the cardinal rule: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS KEEP HIM IN FRONT OF YOUR LEG. He can be counterbent, he can be hollowed out, he can be cross-firing and swinging his head and swishing his tail, but he better be in front of your leg.

For us, that means picking our goal for the day and sticking to it, resisting the temptation to practice everything at once. That means overlooking what is not-quite-right and keeping my eyes instead on the incremental progress. That means not letting Encore get lazy and behind the leg (not much of a problem with that one, who still transitions to canter like he's leaping out of starting gate, ha!). I feel calmer, more focused, and better prepared to go forward from here.

Now if it will just stop being dark all the damn time...

Me Vs. Me: The Internal Monologue Of An Inveterate Self-Critic

2011-12-07T08:23:00.000-08:00

If I ride him just right, he will get it.

This is the thought that runs over and over through my head as I worked with Encore last night. If my position could just be a little better, if my aids were just a little more accurate, if my balance was just a little more consistent, then Encore would succeed in doing the right thing.

Self-flagellation is, of course, default mode after a ride that had some very frustrating moments. There was a section of the most incredible stretching at the trot, where Encore's whole body was an upside-down U of supple, lifted, connected engagement, with his nose down to his knees and elastic springs in his legs. I thought, just, WOW.

Statler: Well, that was different.
Waldorf: Yep. Lousy...but different!

But then there was a period of tension, rushing, and falling in through the shoulder. My irritation mounted as I thought, What am I doing wrong? If I was just a better rider, I could get my horse to do this. I am just going to end up with a crooked horse pointing the wrong way because I can't seem to communicate this correctly.

I was bone-tired, I've gotten far too much bad news this week, it was dark, and my temper was short. I will never let that out to Encore of course, but it still wreaked havoc in my head (a confusing, scary place at best). Over and over, I wondered why I couldn't just be better.

None of this actually improves one's riding, naturally, but it seems to be an inevitable destination for us at some point or another. Perhaps there are people who can remain eternally cheerful, but I suspect that we all have our moments of exhaustion and weakness. I remember when I didn't canter Solo for months on end, as I could get nothing but an unbalanced gallop out of him. I told myself, you should just sell this horse, you have no business owning something you are not even capable of riding a basic gait on. Dejected does not even begin to sum up how I felt then.

Looking back, I can see that I was wrong, of course, and those months were simply something we needed to both work through and learn from. With the help of one very good clinician, we found our canter again and went on to many triumphs. Objectively, I know that the journey with Encore will progress in the same way, but it can be hard to trust in that view of the forest when you keep banging your head on the tree in front of you.

My point to this musing is simply to share with you the internal argument between two ~~of the voices in my head~~ aspects of my brain. So that when you are in your own dark, frustrated, jaw-clenching throes of a not-so-smooth training phase, you can remember that you are not alone. If horse training was easy, everyone would win Rolex, but alas, it entails an indescribably complex lifetime of lessons that would probably take ten actual lifetimes to absorb.

I have two choices: I can (a) give up or (b) give Encore a treat for trying (he also did some big, voluntary stretching in the left lead canter, good boy), take a nap, and come back another day. After that nap, it only takes one look into big, kind, innocent brown eyes to choose option b.

In Which I Discover I Have Jinxed Myself

2011-12-06T06:31:00.000-08:00

My blankets are fabulous, I said. My blanket never tear, I said. Waaahhhhhh....

Yes, Solo saw fit to once again stomp my dreams to dust (ok, I might be a little dramatic). Twice, in fact. This was his attack:

Encore wears blanket. Solo bites Encore. Blanket loses.

The carnage.

That is Solo's blanket, the trusty 5-year vetran of Carolina winters. Torn asunder by vengeful teeth. I guess Solo did not like the fact that Encore was wearing his clothes. Fortunately, I have exquisite seamstress skills. In fact, I think I should probably quit my job now and become a plastic surgeon.

The repair.

Stop laughing.

It gets worse. Solo, apparently still seething with rage, also exacted his punishment on Encore's new blanket a day later, so I had to ~~mangle~~ fix that with my peerless needlework. The seam is sealed with my tears of sorrow for the disfigurement of blanket loveliness.

They are generally so peacefull out there. Everyone has been blanketed up with nary a problem. What, did someone start a fiery debate about politics out there? Thanks so much, guys.

A Dark, Cold, Ecstatic Night

2011-12-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

Encore is bored with my circles and I need to come up with new ingeniuos exercises for his quick little mind. So he got last night off and I saddled up Solo. Last time I rode Mr. Shiny, he felt like crap on toast and his canter was gone, but when I longed him last Wednesday, he had some spring to his trot, even though he still fell out of canter at times. But he still needs to move and I looked forward to riding a trained horse with buttons fully installed.

He strode out and stretched down at the walk and trot well and I picked up the reins to work on some bending. Imagine my surprise when he immediately lifted and carried himself on the bit at the walk (he HATES walk work) and then pushed off in a lovely trot transition. With a cautious smile, I did a bit of lateral work and he was strong and forward (Solo code for I feel good). As I bent him around the corner, he started cantering vertically, trying to pull the reins from my hands and find his hand gallop.

I was stunned -- this meant he felt REALLY good which pretty much...makes my heart sing. With a giggle, I brought him back to trot (insert annoyed orange ears and gnashing of teeth here) and made him find his rhythm again.

Me: Ok, buddy, NOW it's your turn. I asked him for canter with a soft outside leg.

Solo: WAHHOOOOOOO!!! He lept into the air with a flip of his head, then twisted into an exuberant buck and launched forward. Thank goodness he didn't do his trademark QH spin or I'd have been eating footing for dinner.

I couldn't stop myself from laughing out loud. It was like coming home.

After a couple laps of insisting that he NOT gallop all-out at this point in time, he came back to a rather round, rhythmic canter. We did a couple more transitions, er, caprioles, Solo celebrating the joy of motion and energy and fire, and I grinning ear-to-ear at my partner's rediscovered power, lost since springtime. I dared not let him hop over a tiny fence as I was certain it would become a 6-foot leap followed by potentially unrideable acrobatics of glee. But he finished with a big, powerful, sweeping trot, stretched and rounded nose to tail, lofting with huge strides over the ground.

I don't know that he is magically fixed. All I have had to give him is time, so that is all that he has gotten. Maybe it was just a good day and maybe it won't last. Everything is measured one day at a time and it is impossible to predict or guarantee anything. Nonetheless, I can't stop the little chirp of hope from singing quietly in my chest. What if, what if, what if, its soft melody teases.

We'll see, we'll see, we'll see...

Photo by Pics of You

Bits Of Our Past, Moving On To The Future

2011-12-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

I wore the cross country vest through Solo's first cross country schools and flew through our first horse trials in its faded blue. We never had a jumping penalty while I was wearing it.

Solo wore the brown and brass bridle on trails in the Carolina mountains and salty shore, as well as during his first dressage lessons. The clinchers survived more than one red-headed temper tantrum, even though the cavesson didn't.

We sported the black bridle to our first dressage show. With brown reins. But we stayed in the ring and did the test in order. Then we went on to do the same for many after that.

The white dressage pad lay on Solo's back during our first and only Training Level horse trial. He felt fantastic in that dressage arena, even though I never got to show off his amazing extended trot; he was so exuberant that morning, he chose to canter instead. My heart swelled with pride after that test and that weekend was both the high point and the end of Solo's hard-won but cherished competitive career.

As I mailed off these and other pieces from our tack sale, I was sending out pieces of Flying Solo history. As my hands brushed leather and fabric, I couldn't help but reminisce where each item had been and let my memory cradle and admire the flickering slideshow of adventure each one represented. I hope that all of them bring you good Solo-karma. There has to be a little bit of luck in a chestnut hair lodged here or there.

It may seem odd or overly sentimental, to wax nostalgic about selling some stuff that I am not using, but it does feel like the transition to another chapter, even moreso than bringing Encore home. I know there will be many changes in the next year, some big, some small, but they will not diminish or make any less special the five years I spent pointing an orange Quarter Horse against the odds.

The Fix Solo Sale of 2011 continues, although I have updated the sale listings, removing items that I have received payment for and shipped off. Thank you so much to winter and Erica for your kind and generous gifts and once again, to everyone who has been a part of helping us raise some much-needed funds!

Vacation's Over, Baby

2011-11-29T17:12:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to all of you who have participated thus far in the 2011 Fix Solo For Christmas Sale! I have a bunch of things stacked up to ship out this week when I can get the address labels made. There are still some fun things left, should you find yourself in ~~want~~ need, including reins, dress sheets, a riser pad, girth, bit, and crupper!

Meanwhile, I have been trying to recover from driving 1200 miles to Kentucky and back this weekend. Zzzzzzz....eh? Oh yes, recovering. Not quite there yet. I made it out to the farm last night to take care of my boys and longe Encore. I assumed after four days off, he'd be a bit wild with unspent energy.

Not so much.

He's in a new (giant) pasture with Solo and Solo's BFF, Danny, now. He was forced to break up with Pete as Pete decided that Encore was most entertaining when used as an oversized tooth sharpener/punching bag. Not cool, Pete. So Pete found a new buddy in Big D, who doesn't take sass from anyone, and Encore was turned out with his teammate, Mr. Shiny himself.

He freaking loves it. And while I'm happy that he's happy, it has had some unexpected consequences. After hooking up our longeing gear last night, we headed up to the arena. Where I proceeded to longe my ~~lovely, forward, willing, sweet,~~ nappy, dead slow, snippy, pouty TB.

Neener, neener!

I was flabbergasted (I really just wanted to use that word). He pinned his ears and struck out with a front leg when I pushed him in the trot. He flat refused to canter more than a handful of strides each way. I worried that he might feel colicky (of course, I envisioned him dead within 12 hours, sigh) but he had pooped and his belly was gurgly and he ate hay and drank with gusto. It appeared that he was in a full tantrum that he could not be out in Happy Pasture with his new friends, so there!

My horse had gone and ruined himself in four days!

In good news, I rode him tonight, despite the cold wind and rain (you get desperate after five days off), and he was lovely. It's odd though, he always starts off beautifully, puts himself on the bit, carries himself in a lovely rhythm and just feels amazing. Then, the more we work, the more inconsistent he gets. It's almost as if he says, hey, lady, I did it already, what's the deal? But we had some actual yielding to the leg at the walk without rushing (OMG!), and finished with some good canter rhythm each way and some excellent stretching at the trot, so apparently he was done mourning his lost vacation time.

Thank goodness. I was not a fan of nappy pony. I shall not miss him.

This Is How We Roll: Turnout Blankets

2011-11-23T14:49:00.000-08:00

It's getting chilly at night (although not this week!) and the stall doors are adorned with blankets, sheets, and coolers to keep the horses from shivering off that perfect weight we finally got them to this summer. So what do the Flying Solo boys strut around in?

Encore is trying a new look this year; he has a full length turnout rug from the friendly folks at EquestrianClearance.com. I had not tried this type or brand of blanket before, but so far, I am thrilled with it. Fresh out of the box, it was a lovely navy blue (yay!) with yellow piping. I loved the generous drape of the leg and tail flaps and the easy-open snaps on the chest. The 81" fit Encore surprisingly well (is he really that big?) and even better now that he has gained some weight; the only part I had to adjust were the belly straps, which were much too long for him, but it was easily solved by knotting them in the middle and voila! Fit. No rubs thus far, it has a smooth nylon lining that makes Encore's coat shine. I got the medium-weight and it is SUPER MEGA WARM. I'm not sure what the insulation is, but it's wonderful stuff and much less bulky or heavy than my other medium-weight. Obviously, it is colder in England than it is in North Carolina! (Duh.)

Check out the butt billboard!

I wondered how durable a 600 dernier blanket could be, but pasture-buddy, Pete the Arabian/Monkey cross decided to test it for me. On the second day I had the blanket (grrrr), it was sitting in the grass outside the pasture, waiting to be applied to Encore. Pete decided he was bored and snaked his little nose through the fence and dragged the blanket into the pasture, because it apparently looked like an Entertaining Plaything. He proceeded to do a tapdance on top of it until his whims were satisfied, at which point he wandered off to find something else to ~~destroy~~ play with. I found the blanket in a dirty, trampled heap and moaned in dismay. I had it ONE DAY, Pete, ONE DAY! But I picked it up, brushed it off, and stared in disbelief -- not a scratch on it. No tears, no bent hardware, it was completely fine. So rest assured, when your horse is wearing this blanket, he will be completely protected from tapdancing Arabians! I'm very happy with it and I hope that Encore will get to wear it for many more years! It's also very affordable -- if I used my currency converter right, 50 GBP equals US$77. Even with shipping to the US, you are still getting a good deal on a super toasty turnout!

Solo may not be decked out in snazzy imports, but he still stays warm. He wears a Weatherbeeta Landa medium weight turnout. This is the first blanket I ever bought for him, in a second-chance auction on eBay, and I believe this is at least the fourth winter he has worn it, if not the fifth. Mr. Chunky wears the 78" and it has a nice length to its drape as well. Also nylon-lined with a shoulder gusset, it has never once rubbed his big shoulders. I have had to replace the leg straps once, the cheap snaps on the back froze up on me and broke, but it was an easy fix. I've sewed up a hole or two in the lining over the years -- it once got run over by a tractor (sans Solo, thankfully) and some of the stress points have stretched and worn, but nothing a quick stitch-up couldn't mend, so it's still going. The outside is impeccable -- all of the stitching is still tight and it has never ripped. I have had it cleaned and re-waterproofed one time (yeah, I'm cheap) and it remains waterproof and breathable.

The boys share a rain sheet, which is one I bought secondhand from a friend about two and a half years ago. It's a very simple Rider's International turnout sheet from Dover. I didn't pay a lot for it, but I have been very impressed with it; the horses stay dry and it's a great windbreaker. No sexy horse modeling pics of this one, sorry. It's mesh lined with nylon at the shoulders so it doesn't rub either. No rips on the outside of this one, although I have plied my impeccable seamstress skills to the inside a time or two. I would guess it's about four years old at this point, but doesn't show any signs of stopping soon.

We have other dashingly fashionable items of horse attire, naturally, but I'm not about to admit in one post how many. But that is the extent of our turnout wardrobe and I can happily give a confident thumbs up to all three!

Jumping For Joy

2011-11-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

I want to first thank you all for your emails regarding sale items and your perusal of my equine flea market. I am always overwhelmed and stunned by people's random kindness (you know who you are), as most of you do not know me. I hope that I can prove worthy of the generosity you have shown.

A few sale details: (1) I have added a loose ring snaffle, check the bottom of the post! (2) SillyPony, I have added rein lengths and one set is 58". (3) If you want items shipped before the holiday, I need to know before 10 am Wednesday morning, otherwise, you have to wait until next week. (4) If you have expressed interest in an item in the comments and still want it, but have not contacted me at teamflyingsolo@gmail.com, email me now!

In other news, there may have been a little jumper show this weekend, that a certain chestnut wunderkind attended that I imagine some of you might be interested in hearing about. It went a little something like this:

Carefully check online show bill Friday night and confirm show starts at 9:00 am. Plan accordingly. Curse loudly and often when alarm goes off at 5:30 am Saturday morning. Kick wildly to clear felines from pathway and stumble into 14 layers of clothing to protect against 30 degree morning. Unplug My Precious (truck) and rumble to the farm.

Hook up trailer in chilly dawn and load horses (Encore and Big D) at 6:45 am. Roll out a little before 7:00 am with Cindy (Big D's owner) wishing I had a chicken biscuit. Arrive at showgrounds around 7:40 am and OF COURSE, we are the first ones there.

Fall out of the truck and head to arena to walk freshly dragged course. Run into course designer/judge who informs us show ACTUALLY starts at 10:00 am. Cindy and I exchange a look and whimper for that extra hour of sleep. Oh well. At least we won't feel rushed.

The rest goes smoothly. Encore is bright and alert but trots around nicely. Since it's a schooling jumper show, we can cheat and warm up in the show ring and jump any jumps we like. So I school a narrow-ish chevron and both the brick and stone walls, which have formidable large cubic standards. Encore is fine with it. We now remove 13 layers of clothing because all of a sudden it is 65 degrees, a detail which Weather Underground failed to bring to my attention.

My plan is this: do two courses in the 2' - 2'3" division. Dream of 2'3" - 2'6" course if Encore feels magical. The rules have been somewhat bastardized -- unlike an actual jumper show, there are no jumpoffs. Quite simply, the fastest time around the course wins. I'm NOT racing kids on ponies; my goal is to teach my horse to be relaxed and businesslike on course, so I do not ride for time.

Our first course:

I kept him at the trot for the first half. The last thing I want is a horse who barrels around a course; I want him considering each fence and focusing on the task, not lost in a speed high. I ignore the "helpful" railbirds clucking at us with a giggle.

Encore finished strong and I let him canter the entirety of his second course. He never rushed and I felt it click in his mind: my job is to canter around where the nice lady tells me and jump the little jumpies. Got it. On it. Done.

Video capture of the post-course grin.

So yeah, I went for the 2'3" to 2'6". I'm not thrilled with my riding; I am still trying to adjust from the style I adopted for Solo. Encore is a completely different ride, on top of which, he still jumps like a green horse, so staying out of his way can be challenging! I felt too far behind him, much of the time, but I did the best I could and hoped he didn't hold it against me.

There was no hiding my glee. That rhythm? That was all him, just doing his job. I have ridden more than a few horses in my life; I have never before sat on one who was so...I don't even have a word. He waited for the explanation of his job, I gave it to him, he went ok, and he just did it. Checked the box and ready for the next assignment. There was no "how can I get out of this, how can I make this easier on myself, can I spook at that, how about I race really fast." None of it, just honest, wonderful, amazing trying. I thought I would explode from sheer happiness, which terrifies me, but is completely freaking awesome.

As an extra bonus, even though we totally ignored the time, Encore still won his first ribbon, even if it is heinously pink (must have been four ponies in that class, LOL!).

Look who is getting more muscle-y! Hint: it's not me.

And for you Big D fans (and, of course, those who can't get enough of my appalling videography), he also was an excellent boy, taking very good care of his very nervous rider! He and Cindy did a wonderful job in their first jumper show - check out his flying lead change! They did both courses in the 2'3" - 2'6" class and I hope very much to see them going Beginner Novice in the spring (write in and tell her she just must, she needs some peer pressure, LOL!).

I also want to give a shout out to Macnair's Country Acres for hosting the show, which was fun and relaxed enough to give us the flexibility of a great schooling opportunity. Then another huge shout to Tom Pollard who designed the courses and judged -- the courses were lovely and made sense to my young pony and I have not talked to a friendlier person in a long time. From the time we met him in the morning and throughout the day, he was gracious, funny, kind, and warm and made it a pleasure to be there, so thank you (because I am sure he totally comes home and reads this blog every night)!

Help Me Help Solo And Make YOUR Christmas Great!

2011-11-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

My buddy is not doing that well. He's content enough in the pasture, but his back is still sore. I ride or longe him lightly twice a week and he feels a little better afterward, less soreness and little more supple what with warming up and moving and stretching. But his trot is flat, his canter feels terrible and I just don't know what to do. I can proceed with an SI injection, which my vet suggested. That requires going to a special consulting vet about two hours away and paying at least $400 or so with no guarantees it will work. I can try another loading dose of Adequan, which isn't cheap either, but might help? He's fat and that topline I slaved for is gone, it kills me a little every day. I comfort myself knowing he LOVES hanging out with his BFF, Danny, in the pasture and begging treats and scratches off of everyone at the farm while ambling around his favourite huge pasture. He's hardly suffering!

The point to all this is that I do want to try to fix him, I am not giving up yet! However, cash will be needed either way. This is where you come in. Give us cash, muahahahha! No, just kidding. Sort of.

I have a, uh, teensy bit of extra horse stuff that is ready to move on to new homes. This is your chance to do some Christmas shopping early! None of it is super-fancy, my apologies, but I can guarantee that there is something within your budget range! Buy a backup in case you have a wardrobe malfunction. Thinking of getting started in eventing and need a vest to get yourself legal? How about some inexpensive schooling equipment to save wear on your nice gear? You are in luck, so peruse at your leisure and drop me an email (link in right sidebar) about anything you are interested in.

The gory details: Shipping and handling for all items is a flat $7.00 in the US. If you are in Canada or elsewhere, I'll have to figure that out. All items will ship as soon as I can upon receipt of payment. Payment is accepted via check or Paypal, email me for information. I will also take reasonable offers or do package deals. I have done my best to accurately represent, photograph, and measure all items. Everything is kept clean, nonsmoking, I have cleaned and conditioned all the leather, blah blah. Please inquire if you need any more details.

Ready.....set.....GO!

LEATHERWORK

Collegiate reins -- never used. Brown laced leather reins. I just don't like laced reins, so they are new! Total length is 116" so half is 58". Retail $75. $30.

Laced reins -- brown leather. I think they used to be black. Well, they're not now. These were my everyday reins for several years, still in great shape. Total length is 118" so half would be 54". $5.

Hunting breastplate -- dark brown, plain raised leather. Lovely condition, nice leather. Horse size. Retail $150. $50.

Dover jumper girth -- dark brown with lighter brown inset. 42", measures 46" from tip of buckle to tip of buckle. Stainless steel roller buckles. I was schooling a very small QH, LOL! Retail $50. $25.

Zilco crupper -- ok, technically not leather, I believe it's made of beta biothane, but it's very nice and like new. For your mountain getaways! Brown with black padding and brass toned hardware. Horse size, very adjustable. Retail $40. $30.

BLANKETS

Big D dress sheets -- THERE ARE TWO OF THESE. Blue/hunter/burgandy plaid with burgandy trim, very nice, hardly used. One is a 74", one is a 78". Leather-reinforced fittings with nice hardware. Closed front. Surcingle and leg straps on both. The 78" does have a 1" tear near the butt dart, pretty easy to stitch up, pictured. Retail $70. $40 for the 74" and $30 for the 78"

SADDLE PADS

Roma riser pad -- fits most saddles. White. Lifts rear of saddle. Orange feline included at no extra cost; I'll poke holes in the box. Retail $35. $15.

MISC

Lead rope -- blue/green/black polypro lead. 6' long with brass snap. Hey, we're desperate, don't judge. $3.

Loose ring snaffle -- looks like a KK with copper-y type mouth. 5.5 inches. $10

Solo says thank you for looking! We hope you have a fantastic holiday! Remember, I take offers and will make package deals!!

Drink More Beer

2011-11-17T06:48:00.000-08:00

I often have to remind myself these days of this post I wrote almost two years ago. There is no "1, 2, 3, success!" in horse training.

Instead, I muddle along -- Encore is doing really well, but some things, he doesn't quite get yet. And sometimes he gets bored. And sometimes he'd rather go in the barn with his friends. And sometimes something in the woods is far more interesting than me. So he'll fidget or pull or try to rush and bend all kinds of wrong ways.

Which then makes me question myself: what am I doing wrong? Less contact? More contact? Less leg? More leg? I'm leaning! I'm uneven! I am riding like crap! Fail!

Amy wrote some very good reminders here at the end of her recent post: progress is incremental. I remember when I first got him, I was trying to teach him one of my core cues: when I sit down, close my thigh and say whoa, you stop. It's very simple, we do it at a walk. Solo is a pro at this one and I love it. But it was a foreign concept to Encore and he didn't get it for a bit. I remember being so frustrated inside, wondering why he couldn't instantly get such a simple thing. Of course, I wouldn't let any of that frustration out, we just picked at the cue slowly.

And last night, at the end of our ride in which there were moments of good and moments of "omg, please cooperate," I sat down, closed my thigh and said whoa and Encore stopped right there, as he has every day this week.

We must not lose our perspective (perhaps I need to print this on the top of Encore's browband?) and we must remember that the journey proceedes one stride at a time. When we forget that, well, that's why there's beer. Then we try again tomorrow.

Higher And Faster: A Night At The Grand Prix

2011-11-13T13:08:00.000-08:00

Last night, a packed crowd gasped and cheered 23 horses around the course and through the jumpoff at the 2011 Duke Children's Benefit Grand Prix in Raleigh. When I attended a Grand Prix last year, my experience was one of mass flying pole carnage and horses whose jumps made me close my eyes in fear. Not so, this time; the caliber of equines had obviously made a massive leap in the upwards direction.

This was a 1.5 meter course (4.92 feet for you non-scientific people), as demonstrated by this brave competitor. I can only imagine such a course walk: "Ok, jump is at eyeball level. Fine, no problem. Next!"

Quite thoughtfully and appropriately, the venue saw fit to pay tribute to Solo and all his contributions to horsedom. As they should. Ha.

And it began. Meagan Nusz, a young rider from The Woodlands, TX, stole much of the show with her four phenomenal horses. I think she is all of 24 years old and has been winning Grands Prix at least since she was 17, which leads me to believe that apparently I should have been born in a parallel universe that she obviously lives in. Ridiculous! But fun to watch and she rode the pants off those horses. If horses had pants. Each of her horses was more fantastic-moving than the last and they all had HUGE, lofty jumps, like 1.5 m was a walk in the park.

A beautiful moving liver chestnut named Why Not.

Our favourite, a gorgeous grey named Cilantro. The name is all charm.

We were a bit confused when she brought this one in, a bit of a chestnut named Dynamo. Compared to the instant "wow" factor of the other 3, this little guy looked like just your average horse. Then he lofted the first jump.

Another show stopper was 5x Olympic rider Manuel Torres, a Columbian rider with a butt tossing stallion named Chambucanero. WARNING: do not Google this rider's name without some sort of equine qualifier! Apparently, an identically named actor is quite famous for films of the pornographic genre. What has been seen cannot be unseen. Yeah, I know you are googling it right now. Nonetheless, Manuel and Chambucanero rode at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, although it looks like they had an unfortunate 21 fault round there. Not so on this night!

We had some local favourites, too; like veteranarian Fernando Cardenaz, of 3H, a Raleigh-based clinic which specializes in lamenesses. His horse, Orphan Car, is a regular in this ring.

Harold Chopping competed for the Canadians in the past, but now trains hunters in NC. He rode two and I did not get video of the witchy, but talented mare on which he won 3rd place for the night. This was his other horse, Big Air.

I also really liked this grey horse, Wattesson, even if he didn't go clean.

Then it was time for the jumpoff, which was a surprisingly large field, with 11 or 12 riders.

Thaise Erwin, an Australian rider based locally, and her mare, Matilda, set the pace.

Then Manuel Torres and Chambucanero blew it wide open.

The next 8 riders couldn't touch him, although Harold came very close. Until Meagan and Dynamo came back.

It was impossible to restrain oneself from yelling, "Go, pony, go!" and more than one of us leaped out of our chairs as Dynamo shot through the finish timers like a rocket. The atmosphere was electric (unless you were Manuel Torres) and even the horses fed off of the energy. What a fantastic way to spend an evening! And so much more relaxing when YOU are not the one picking stalls and cleaning feet and shining tack and walking courses....whew!

Gymnastics (Not The Kind I Sucked At When I Was Seven)

2011-11-11T18:38:00.000-08:00

The sound of winter blowing in is the clink of blanket buckles against a stall front and the rustle of dead leaves under hooves. It's a bite to the wind that sneaks under your helmet and belies the bright sun.

But you're still sweating after you set 10 jumps with ground lines and complete your warmup trot circles.

Indeed, it was jump school day for Encore, with the help of his ~~peanut bribery accomplice~~ friend, Cindy, who graciously picked up poles AND shot video.

We began with just a few single jumps; straw bales between some barrels, single verticals, a plank oxer. Encore took me readily to each jump and lofted over, clean and clear. He felt good, confident, and we even had a modicum of steering to the fence!

Then it was time to tackle the gymnastic lines. And how exactly DO we tackle them?

I am a big believer in letting the horse work things out -- you have to allow him to make mistakes to teach him to solve problems and think for himself. Unless you can ride an entire cross country course without making a single rider mistake (superhuman, are you?), your horse MUST learn to find the solutions on his own while you stay out of the way.

Now, I'm not suggesting you sit up there like a dead toad (although sometimes I feel like that is my approximate level of usefulness); it is your job to set him up for success. You give him rhythm and balance and then you sit back and let your partner navigate the obstacle. Your reactions are not fast enough and you are not strong enough to do anything more over a jump than pull him off balance and invite disaster. Therefore, it's up to you to lay the groundwork beforehand so he is equipped save your sorry butt later!

So when riding a gymnastic, you should be balanced, with your legs wrapped around the horse, your butt off his back, your shoulder up, and a soft, preferably loopy reins. Your horse should have complete freedom to navigate the line.

"But, OMG, he will rush!" Probably so. The first time. That is why I use placing poles every stride to direct his footfalls. If he screws up, well, he's going to step on a lot of poles and bang himself on the rails while he's at it and that's just uncomfortable. A smart horse will only make that mistake once. Don't feel cruel -- the jumps are set low so he has a healthy margin for error. Far better he make a mistake and bang a shin now and learn from it then at full gallop on course where it might flip him over on you.

I set up three trot poles to a crossrail-bounce-vertical-one stride-oxer. We started with just the trot poles to the crossrail and the rest were ground poles so he could feel it out.

No problem. So we continue with the sequence -- ideally, you want to add a new element each time they go through successfully. The lesson is "always pay attention, stay quick with your feet, don't rush, and be ready for anything." The only thing constant is change. You are encouraging proper form, careful jumping, and quick thinking.

The trot poles stayed put for the entire school to set the pace. The second time, the exercise became a crossrail with a bounce to a low vertical. Then crossrail-vertical and one stride to a second vertical. Then the last vertical became an oxer.

Oh, and look who learned how to canter trot poles without stepping on them. Cheater.

Then we raised the first vertical one hole to up the ante. Surprise! Someone forgot they had back legs...

It's ok to mess up, everyone will -- but the crux is, what happens AFTER you mess up. Since Encore's a clever boy, second time is the charm.

Just to finish off the day, with the help of some guide poles, we also conquered two slumbering trolls who have received much hairy eyeball from Encore. I'd been able to get him over the tire after about six tries a couple weeks ago, but only in one direction and he did. not. like it. Today, however, a gamer, more confident pony conquered his worries with ease.

Just A Thought

2011-11-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

In the quiet just before bed, there is lots of time for thinking.

Always thinking.

I used to just ride. Get on horse, squeeze legs, make some circles, follow the trail. Riding.

Nothing wrong with riding. It's good for the soul. It stills my clamouring heart.

But I grew some sport goals. Only I didn't know how to get there.

Then someone whose name starts with a "W" and ends with a "d" and has "offor" in the middle taught me about being a thinking rider. Not just thinking about riding, but Thinking about Riding.

I discovered possibly the most powerful tool in the arsenal. I began asking "how" and "why" and "when" and "what's another way" and the momentum began to build.

There are always speed bumps, of course, but I analyzed them too and even those had something to teach me.

The Thinking Rider watches every step, feels every breath and adjusts, listens, waits, plans, and adjusts again. And that is all before the next step. They've thought an entire essay by jump #2.

I am only a Thinking Rider padi-wan but I can feel the power of the Force waiting for full realization.

(Is that one geeky enough for you?)

One problem, though. Once you kick-start the Thinking, you can't turn it off. Lying on the pillow at night, looking out the office window before lunch, driving home in the afternoon, even dreaming.

You are adjusting, listening, waiting, planning, all to the rhythm of hoofbeats in your head...no time for sleeping, working, or eating.

It's a double-edged sword. And I gladly hold out my hand every day for another cut. Because I think tomorrow I can ride a better jump.

Crazy, Scary, and David

2011-11-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

Crazy: We had a XC lesson scheduled today with David O. down in Southern Pines. The plan was to ride with BO in the big farm trailer. Except when I got there this morning, her truck was sitting in the garage, hood up like a baby bird's mouth, sipping electricity from her husband's hybrid.

Uh oh.

Unsurprisingly, that little battery failed to start the truck, so we hooked it up to my heavy duty diesel batteries. Dead as a doornail.

Sadly, I cannot haul the farm trailer because my truck does not (yet) have a gooseneck hitch, so we threw everything into my trailer and begged and pleaded with BO's finicky horse to please get on a new trailer nicely. I crossed my fingers, horses seem to really like my trailer, and lo and behold, he loaded right up and we were saved. We even got to the lesson a bit early. Whew.

Scary: About halfway through the lesson, one of the other women was simply cantering her horse around a turn in the field. I watched as his feet shot out from under him and he slammed to the ground on his side, sliding across the pine needles. He was wearing a standing martingale (please do not do this, my eventer friends!) which he snapped in two trying to get his head up to balance himself, but he could not do so in time. His unlucky rider stayed in the saddle all the way down and hit hard, ending with a solid blow to the head and helmet.

All my first aid alarms went off, but I stayed put and let David check on her. I had no doubt she had a concussion, a fact confirmed by the hospital later. She is very fortunate it rained all day yesterday -- the ground was soft, saving her from a certain smushed leg otherwise. Luckily, it looked like nothing else was seriously injured and her husband picked her up and took her horse home. WEAR YOUR HELMETS PEOPLE; SHIT HAPPENS.

Later in the lesson, ANOTHER horse pulled a dirty stop at a log, flipping another friend over his head. Happily, she landed softly and clambered right back on to finish the line. No harm, but definitely pony foul. Bad pony. Poor David.

We're finding some stretchy trot!

David: Unfortunate spill notwithstanding, the lesson was full of excellent reminders for myself and Encore. The Unicorn's foster mom, Suzanne, came to see him go for a bit -- she was the one who got him restarted under saddle so wonderfully and she had a new CANTER pony who was just as nicely built! But I had to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

(1) Do NOT get ahead of him, no matter how slow he gets at the base of the jump; weighting his forehand by moving your body forward only prevents him from rocking back on his hocks and jumping up. Wait wait WAIT. This is particularly true up a bank. Stay behind him, stay upright, and let him jump up the bank to you. If you lean forward as he goes up the bank, he'll jump flat and out and that will bite you in the butt.

(2) Encore is a methodical, careful horse -- when he starts analyzing a problem, his feet slow down and he wants to figure it out before he tackles it. I like careful, it will keep us out of trouble, but I need to use a lot of leg and keep his feet moving while he thinks. He must learn to go forward and analyze at the same time. I admit, this surprised me a bit, as he is quite forward-thinking and I never have to use a lot of leg, but as we tackled harder questions, I saw that David was definitely right!

(3) If he offers to canter, let him. It is him offering forward and that is a good thing; stay soft and go with it.

(4) Go jump stuff. Lots of stuff. It doesn't matter how he jumps it right now, just jump it. Give him jump miles so he can figure out what to do with his body. David: "People worry about too much technical BS too early when we just need to get them out there and JUMP. Technical comes later. This horse wants to do it, he's just not quite sure of the details yet."

Encore did VERY well on all the fly jumps, the baby sunken road, plenty of ditches, banks into and out of water, and he LOVED cantering across the water and jumping a fair-sized log out. We tried jumping the log back into the water, but he just did not get it, so we let it be and will come back to it later.

We're tucked in our respective blankets tonight, digesting dinner and nuggets of information. I've got to figure out the most efficient way to get said mileage -- David is two hours from us and no longer teaches at my friend's farm nearby, so I'm going to have to get creative (or find a money tree in the woods to pay for diesel). There are definitely more gymnastics in Encore's future as well, to show him where his feet are supposed to go. I am chomping at the bit....now, if this silly job would just stop getting in the way.

Do Equine Epiphanies Have Giant Lightbulbs?

2011-11-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

I've made a warmup routine for Encore -- since we don't yet have much of a bend button or a leg yield button yet, I use circles to soften his body and regulate his rhythm. We work in a figure 8 of two 20-meter circles at the trot, first thing, every time. I want him to recognize that ok, it's time to soften and bend through my body and pick up a quiet rhythm.

I think the unicorn horn grows out of his star. See it??

We change directions back and forth until he begins to soften and lower his head, offering moments of pliability each way. Tracking left is markedly harder, I can feel the tightness on the right side of his body, resisting the stretch. Then we spiral the circles in and leg yield back out (in a fakey sort of way) and take a walk break.

Tonight, after our walk break, I thought, let's start some transition work. I put Encore in the bridle at the walk and asked for a trot. I'll be damned if that little horse didn't lift his back, soften his jaw, and step into the softest little trot, perfectly on the bridle -- and stay there. Perhaps you heard my squeaks of glee as we figure-eighted around the arena in this delightful gait. What took Solo a year and a half, this horse just got, CLICK, in six weeks.

And just like that, he had it. We did a few transitions back and forth to walk, a couple of which were lovely and balanced. It took all my willpower to end the session with some brief canter work and not just trot around in that blissful shape for the rest of the night.

Ohhhh, this winter is going to be fun.

It Only Takes 30 Minutes To Feed The Horses

2011-10-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

Especially on a cold, rainy evening. There's only six of them, easy, right? Bring horses in, dump the feed, turn them back out, done!

Except the water on the beet pulp's gone cold and I want to run some hot water in there.

Except since it's raining and 45 degrees, I want to put a rain sheet on Solo.

Except he's got festy gnat bites on his belly that won't heal and I want to clip around them and spray tea tree oil on there.

Then I decide to go ahead and clip his back white foot because the fungus is always attacking.

Then I need to smear some more desitin on that foot anyway.

Then I need to take Solo's rain sheet off of Encore and put it on Solo.

Now Encore gets Solo's mid-weight blanket because it's not QUITE cold enough for his winter blanket but he's skinny so he needs more than a sheet.

Then Danny needs his sheet because it's wet and cold.

Danny and Solo can finally go out but now I have three leftovers.

Tigger's pasturemate is out of town and he can't stay alone. I can put Tigger with Pete and Encore but now they all need their own hay piles.

Except there are no open hay bales so now I need to climb the stack in the extra stall and roll a couple down.

Then I need to take hay out to each horsey so no one feels left out.

Then I have to scrub all the feed buckets so they are ready for the next morning.

Then I discover Tigger and Pete both left presents in their stalls for me.

Then I need to sweep up fallen hay and make sure everyone has water.

An hour and a half later, I can finally go home.

T Is For Training

2011-10-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

3D is for Awesome. Together, they make Waredaca T3D, the phenomenal long-format event run by our very own Area II Adult Rider program, which I had the distinct pleasure of volunteering at most of last week. Exhausting, yes, but exhilarating and educational. I first experienced this event in 2009 and had made it my goal to achieve with Solo. We didn't make it, but the quest taught us a great deal about ourselves and I went back to work the event this year with a new perspective.

It did not disappoint.

The terrible shack I had to stay in, also known as my friend, Beth's beautiful house -- the picture doesn't show the delicious hot tub in the back...

Waredaca is in the heart of Maryland horse country, NW of Washington, DC.

A groomed area awaits the first competitor.

Wednesday was the first jog-up and I stewarded each horse to the indoor arena gate in the windy drizzle. It rains at least one day every year at the T3D, just like Rolex! The point of the T3D is not just to complete a long-format event, although that would be more than adequate motivation to come! It is also built as an educational experience, with lectures, clinicians, vets, and farriers on hand to offer assistance, coaching, and years of wisdom to nervous riders. Dinner that night included a talk from the event vet, the ever-helpful, ever-cheerful Dr. Julie, on what to expect in the ten-minute box between Phases C and D on Friday and a raffle. I would like to note that I LOVE THE T3D RAFFLES. Simply because it is the only place ever that I actually win stuff and I am now the proud owner of 5 free bags of feed and an awesome Cosequin bucket.

Thursday, I was in charge of the dressage warm-up ring and bit check before riders entered the ring at A. You can see the little "C" I marked next to each rider after I felt up their horse. Horse's mouth. Ha. No edges, no rollers allowed. But I had no rule-breakers and I sent each one up to the ring with a smile and a "good luck!"

After dressage, riders switched off their tack and went off to meet Stephen Bradley and Tremaine Cooper for steeplechase practice. I ate lunch and lounged in the stables to regain my strength for Friday!

"What happens Friday," you ask?

Only the pure awesomeness of endurance day of a true 3-day event. Explanation here.

Thursday afternoon, I'd also participated in a coursewalk with Tremaine Cooper, who just so happens to build a lot of courses, including the Prelim and higher courses at our very own Carolina Horse Park. I learned how to better read terrain on a course and to really think about how it will affect your horse's gallop. He stressed multiple times, don't be yanking on your horse two strides out from the jump; do your balancing 10 strides out, then soften and go forward to your jumping effort.

It's hard to take a picture while trying to look like you are not taking a picture.

"Your horsey needs to go over, like this..."

Michele, my hard-working co-volunteer, works it for the camera.

But it was Friday now, which meant time to get geared up and send some horses out of the start box! Michele and I were the starters and finish timers for Phase D, the cross country course and Beth kept communications going. By the time horses and riders got to us, they had already done Phases A (Roads and Tracks I, aka lots of trotting), B (steeplechase!), and C (Roads and Tracks II, aka more trotting).

It takes a lot of gear to run the start box. We have to have sychronized timers and backup timers for both the start and finish line. Then we need a radio to talk to Jim, aka Master Of The Timers, and to Brian O'Connor, announcer and XC control. Add to that scoresheets, pencils, chairs and...

A LOT OF CLOTHES. Hey, that wind was cold.

The view I long to have.

5..4..3..2..1...Steve Fulton and Ticket To Ride get the countdown from Michele.

Barbara Bloom and Fabulous Fiction are on course!

We were rejoicing as the morning rolled smoothly along. Most horses went clear with only one or two runouts and the cool weather meant everyone passed the vet box with flying colours. I think we jinxed it. Right at the end of the day, the second to last rider, Steve's charming daughter, Savannah, on the flying chestnut, FMF Royal Guest, took a nose dive into one of the water jumps. We held our collective breaths and bent straining ears to the radios -- icy water, a cold wind, and a hard fall are not a good combination. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when she was loaded safely into the ambulance and her mare walked back to the stable. Although Savannah ended her day in surgery for her broken arm, we were all glad it was not a broken neck or a head injury for this gutsy young rider. The last rider, after a long hold, was eliminated shortly thereafter for a missing a jump, but she got to complete the course and at only 13 years old, riding a horse trained by Phillip Dutton, I'm sure she'll be back to try again soon!

After all of that, Saturday was almost uneventful. I had walked the course the evening before with Stephen Bradley and was interested to see how it rode. After the Saturday morning jog, I was again warmup steward and gate master of the stadium ring and was thrilled to see all the remaining riders successfully complete the event with just a few rails here and there. Mountains of prizes were handed out, including Best Conditioned, Oldest Horse, Oldest Rider (I mean, "Rider Farthest From Junior Status" as Brian so tactfully put it), Best Groom, Good Sportsmanship, Most Cross Country Enthusiasm, and Best Turned Out.

I cannot stress enough the value of getting out and volunteering at events like these. Not only do you get to benefit from lectures, course walks, etc, but you get to meet members of your area, check out courses, watch warm up rides (these can be very enlightening), listen to trainers, see what types of riding strategies work or don't work....the list of benefits is nearly endless. And this doesn't even include the fact that eventing NEEDS you. When you compete, crowds of people are there working, for free, so you can ride. Turn the tables and give back because events can't happen without the labour of love that is volunteering.

When I pulled into my driveway Saturday evening, I was exhausted (although I still had to go ride Encore and pack for our horse trial) but excited. With a little education and mileage, I could already envision Encore rocking that event....is it too early to send in my entry??

The Most Fun You Can Have On A Horse

2011-10-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

It's the first time they experience cross country, the way their whole body comes alive with excitement when they realize that, hey, my job is FUN! It's impossible to hide my ridiculous grin when I feel that joie de vivre pulsating beneath me and the exuberant leaps over tiny logs hardly worth a step. A horse's first eventing experience is indeed an exercise in uninhibited glee. But I will let the pictures tell the best stories -- thanks to lifeshighway and our friend, Cindy, who both manned media recording devices to capture the Encore debut.

Someone thought my hairnet wearing skills were ~~hilarious~~ awesome.

The unicorn is all ready for dressage.

Showtime!

I can't say I was overly thrilled with some of the judge's comments -- I get a little irritated when they write "could be rounder" on an Intro test. The point of the Intro tests as marked on the score sheets and judging guidelines is a horse who moves forward into a steady contact with a clear rhythm. If they know how to go round, then they should be at a higher level!

Nonetheless, I was THRILLED with my boy.

For the photographer's caps of us, you can click here. If that site gets you lost, we actually have pictures under #62 and #63 (62 was a friend of ours who scratched the day before, perhaps the photographer got confused?)

Now I'm jumping poneh.

Tying your own pinney: always an exercise in contortion.

The blue stripey jump

Stadium jumping was quite the adventure for baby Encore! He was so busy staring at the XC horses during our warmup that it took a few tries to get over the oxer, but eventually he managed to pay attention. The course was VERY bright and colourful (you can see the jumps as expertly demonstrated by Solo here). As Encore trotted into the ring, he was game to try but I'm not sure he'd really figured out what he was supposed to do yet! Having never jumped a course before, I just wanted him to take his time and let the course educate him. The second jump on course, though, was the one with the crazy blue striped sail standards (at right, with Solo at Novice) and here Encore picked up a baby stop, running out to the left. I don't think he'd really focused on the task at hand, so I turned him back around to the right and represented. He jumped it very willingly and then I felt him click and go Ohhhh, I get it now! It's ON! And the rest of the course.....went off without a hitch! Giant daffodil standards, pink, orange, black and white spots, even a skinny on top of a mound -- no problem. He had it all worked out.

Which left us....the start box. That crazy Thoroughbred walked in, sighed, cocked a foot, and stood licking his lips as my favourite starter counted us down. At which point I promptly forgot to turn my helmet cam on. Devastated sobs. But for most of the course, I looked like this (sorry for the blur. And what happened to my breastcollar?):

And Encore looked like this:

WHEEEEE!!!!!!! FASTER, MOM!

My goal was to have him finish happily, but not run around like a crazy horse. As Allie Conrad told me, with great wisdom: A quiet mind is a trainable mind. So we attempted to trot each jump (ok, there were a couple deliciously uphill canters) and upon landing, we would return to trot and sometimes even walk.

A few extra great candid shots of Cindy and her Percheron/Friesian Diesel (aka Big D) who also competed Sunday and landed a freaking SWEET 37! We were so proud of these two, they have worked so hard and D is not an easy horse. But he has a good heart, a fun jump, and a really great canter and they deserve all the success in the world!

Big D can turn on the charm.

I'm not sure if this is a smile or a grimace. Oh wait, it's before dressage. Definitely a grimace, then.

Not everyone can rock my awesome coaching boots like this. Don't be jealous.

Big D and Mini D! This pony was adorable.

Don't let the body fool you, this guy can JUMP.

Don't look so excited about the sandbox...

Remember to breathe....

See, mom, I can dressage....

This is what makes it all worthwhile....

I couldn't be more thrilled with our day and I couldn't be happier with Encore's performance. He came through those finish flags high on life (possibly egged on by me yelling GOOD BABY for the entire course, which reportedly could be heard back at the start box...ummmm....) and I gave him a giant hug. I can't wait to see what happens next...

When Do I Get To Sleep Again?

2011-10-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Exhausted. Training 3-Day at Waredaca was awesome yet again. Many tales to be told. All competitors made it around safely save one, who had the misfortune to fall and break her arm, but she is young and will heal with time, thank goodness.

Upon arriving home from the sprint from Maryland, I (a) thanked the heavens for sunny warmth, (b) slept for an hour, (c) ran to the barn to ride Encore, (d) leaped off to let farrier replace his pulled shoe, then (e).....zzzzzzzzz...what? eh? oh....uh, yeah.

Tomorrow! Encore makes his horse trial debut at FenRidge Farm! His dressage test is at 12:06, we trot into stadium at 1:54, then we wiggle around XC at 2:08.

My hope is to let Encore have a fun, safe horse trial run, get the feel for how the day goes and just experience his first miles on jump courses. I don't care if the score is 100 as long as he tries and has a positive go. Our cross country will not be timed so we can take it easy and look at one question at a time. With any luck, it will be a completely uneventful day!

I Feel Pretty

2011-10-17T18:03:00.000-07:00

At least that's what Encore sings. He finished our FIRST solo (not to be confused with Solo) trail ride together and he did a great job. He got a bit anxious and quick in the second half, but he still listened. After a post-ride snack and a shower:

Check out that trademark Flying Solo shine!

I am pulling my hair out trying to find time to get ready for the big trip up to Waredaca's Training 3-Day this week. I absolutely love volunteering at this event, it has taught me an incredible amount of information to add to my "competing an eventer" knowledge files. Both Stephen Bradley and Tremaine Cooper will be working closely with competitors and volunteers this year and I especially look forward to Tremaine's insights on the course, since he designs courses himself. And of course, Brian O'Connor's entertainment is not to be missed. Then Sunday...it's Encore's first Horse Trial!!!

Autumn

2011-10-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

This forest has been cut over multiple times. In the clearing where Solo and I stopped, I could see tertiary growth, immature pine trees at close ranks, the usual suspects in recolonizing slashed hardwood stands. Except for one: a solitary oak, half dead limbs, half tiny leaves, hanging on at the top of the hill, gnarled boles refusing to give up the last gasp. It has survived at least two clearcuts, the only thing standing as far as I can see that is more than ten years old. Perhaps it knew the original denizens of this ridge and I wonder how it got lucky and weathered the storms and the saws and the years.

An autumn wind rushes through the tree tops; its sound is the soft roar of surf on sand. I close my eyes, blocking one sense to open the others. Solo shifts his weight beneath me, grazing on his favourite weed and the leather of the saddle creaks. There's a soft jingle from his bit, the grind of his teeth and a muffled stomp as he discourages a torpid, late-season fly. A few fall grasshoppers chirrup in the trees and I can hear the footsteps of a young buck who passed by moments ago as he moves among the already-fallen leaves. All else is beautiful silence.

And the air. Cool, but sun-warmed when it hits your skin, it smells of Forest, it smells of Life, of the clean, sweet breath of the woods that is Home. You can almost hear a patient sentience in that air, of the intricate and vitally alive, yet so incredibly quiet many-geared mechanism that is that ecosystem. To participate in that and to breathe in that sense of being is a gift that grows no less cherished with numerous givings.

Turning for home, Solo swings readily onto the trail and part of the spell is broken as I must open my eyes and duck the spiderwebs that are too high for his bright ears to break. But it's still a treasure, shared with a best friend, the memory of which will tide us over until the next visit.

It's Hard Work Being This Cool

2011-10-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

Decked out and patched together in a mayhem of, let's call it "repurposing," with a touch of shabby chic.

Rockin' Solo's old sneaks for happy hoofies.

Why yes, that is a stirrup leather tied together with hay string to make a bombin' neck strap!

The black tape gives you ninja powers. My sports medicine guy likes experiments...

X Is For Xray, eXpensive, and eXplode

2011-10-13T12:48:00.000-07:00

The first is what Encore got, the second is what the credit card got, and the third is what my head did.

Hold on, back up....what?

Oh yes, my theory holds. And by that I mean my theory is that if you have one horse, you will just have a lame horse and no spare; if you have two horses, you will just have two lame horses and no spare; three horses, yep, three lame horses and no spare...you get the picture.

I've been noticing that Encore has a bit of a bobble on his left front at the trot. Not always, but I can see it and I can feel it, especially on the longe. Well, he's an underweight, undermuscled, crooked ex-racehorse with bare feet in recovery who flexed clean so it was hard to say it was a true lameness. But last night, it was a definite, though slight limp (insert head explosion here) and I decided to take him to visit Dr. Bob (or rather Dr. Brian, the sidekick of the very busy Dr. Bob when you call last minute) this morning.

Of course, by the time I parked my truck in my driveway yesterday evening, I was already sure that he had ringbone and would either (a) never jump again or (b) snap off his leg and die. Cue Anxiety Girl.

We flexed again and we shot a couple radiographs and then we tucked Anxiety Girl back into her bed:

(1) Despite my diligent, yet sporadic application of Durasole, the sole on his left front was soft enough that you could see it flex beneath the pressure of Dr. Brian's fingers. Owie, so not comfortable. You're getting front shoes, my boy!

(2) I wanted a lateral view of each front ankle and foot anyway -- the rads are such a powerful tool for understanding what exactly you are dealing with mechanically. Both fronts were remarkably clean. There are a couple of osselets on the right front that are old and set and a small P1 bone spur on the left, also old and set, no problem. Otherwise, P1/P2/P3/navicular bone have clean joint spaces and nice edges, yay!

(3) I would never guess it from looking at his feet from the outside, but Encore has a TON of toe which needs to be lopped off. Said lopping will hopefully go along way towards correcting...

(4) P1/P2/P3 should line up on a nice straight axis. They don't -- each has its own angle in there (can we say cattywompus?!). The rear end of his coffin bone sits too high and things are jammed up. By slowly changing the hoof angle, we can realign this whole support structure to avoid problems in the future (cattywompus = bad).

All in all -- fixable. No ringbone, no legs snapping off. We will put our lovely farrier to work and hopefully go on about our business. And may farriers who don't pay attention to bone angles find their underpants invaded by fire ants -- no one likes to fix your messes!

One Moment

2011-10-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

A moment of silence for Andrea and Gogo.

A moment for the love and lessons and loss that encompass our lives with horses and the other animals we embrace in our hearts.

It is hard for me to read her posts, as I am still struggling with the loss of my best friend, Smokey, who I let go this spring. There is no healing such a gutting wound, really. All we can do is try and carry the love left behind as a gift forward into our other relationships.

It will be a new saddest day, but I think we have all lived that day and I hope that Andrea can take solace and know that she is never alone. Remember that nothing lasts forever, but we have been lucky to have had the soft breath of a beloved horse blow across our hands and that is something that neither time nor man nor life nor death can take away from us.

Many of us shed tears for your very special mare, Andrea, and we extend our support to you in your grief. Nothing makes it easier to do the right thing, but we are here for you nonetheless.

Yield, Sir, Yield!

2011-10-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

I confess to weariness after a long week and a busy weekend. My boss and I ran a three day fish meeting in the mountains and that was enough to do us in twice over.

I am sure Encore felt the same way last night, as he spent the weekend hard at work.

Saturday, we met P for our second dressage lesson. We are attempting to coerce Encore into a shape resembling a leg yield with about 50% success -- either he gets it...or he doesn't. (Ha, sorry, old statistics joke)

Tracking right, he is beginning to get the gist of things (I recommend full-screening all videos if you want to see what's going on and you have a 'net connection faster than a dead tortoise). You start on a 20 m circle, then spiral in to encourage the horse to bend. Make one revolution of your smallest circle, then give the aids to leg yield. The idea is that the horse will WANT to move back out to the larger circle, as it is much easier. Use physics as your aid! I have introduced the concept on the longe and Encore's done reasonably well with it.

To the left...not so much. On the circle, it was a FAIL, despite using every aid I knew (if I remember, I'll upload that video tonight). However, P's bag of tricks is bottomless, so we asked for the leg yield at the walk heading up the quarterline. While I gave the aids, P walked next to Encore's shoulder, using her energy and a light touch to show him how he was supposed to respond. With the ground-person-aid, the young 'un finally went Ohhhhhh! I get it! and lick, lick, chew, he got it and stepped over to the track.

I'm also introducing small bits of canter at the end of a session, just to start building the muscle and balance. It's certainly not pretty (or comfortable!), but it will be fun to compare three months down the road! He has a solid right lead, while the left is tougher, as per normal for racehorses (who work to the right, race to the left and are often taught to break from the gate on their right lead, swapping in the first turn).

We used a crossrail with placing poles on both sides, trotting in and cantering out to attempt both leads. Clever boy would land and if he was on the wrong lead, would swap in one step over the placing pole so he was correctly balanced to turn. This one is going to be handy with his feet on a jump course!

He reinforced my suspicions when we trailered one county over on Sunday for a trail ride with lifeshighway and Pete. We got into some steep hills and it only took Encore one slope to figure out how to lift his back and balance on his butt on the way down. He was careful and patient, never crowding Pete when I asked him to wait, finding safe footholds and making smart decisions. As he picked through brush and fallen trees, he never panicked at the branches around his legs (face/belly/butt/chest), even on a tough slope where we lost the trail. Despite catching the terrifying scent of ZOMBIE DEATH COWS around the property, he steadily followed Pete over scary bridges (even the steel ones) and sometimes even led the way with a confident stride. A fat, juicy bucket of beet pulp, alfalfa, timothy, and rice bran was a well-earned reward back at the trailer!

Sunday night = sleepy pony, sleepy rider. Alas, no bucket of treats and day off awaited said rider. Ah well, one out of two's not bad.

Shout Outs And Miscellany

2011-10-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

PetAg nutrition is sponsoring an awareness campaign for National Pet Obesity Awareness Day (I don't think they mean just NOTICING your pet is fat, but rather noticing the detriment to their health that goes along with it!) which is October 12th. Now this is a topic near to my heart -- when I was a sophomore in college, I dissected a very fat cat in my zoology lab. I will never forget the sight of his heart and all his vital organs encased in individual fat cocoons; it was horrifying. I realized that allowing your pet to be obese is just as irresponsible as allowing it to become emaciated; both caused damage to internal organs and physiological systems, shortening your pet's life and increasing your annual vet bills.

PetAg has chosen five pet bloggers to interview for the month of October and Solo was chosen to represent healthy horses everywhere! But we need YOU to help us win the prize -- a gift certificate we can use for tasty treats or giveaways! What to do: go to the blog post here and like/+1/tweet/comment/email it (your choice) in the lefthand column. Whoever has the most clicks wins the prize!

I also have some shout-outs that I have been remiss in posting! I first wanted to say a huge CONGRATULATIONS to lifeshighway and Pete, our riding buddies. A few weeks ago, they completed their FIRST 50-mile endurance race up at Biltmore Estate. Not only that, but they actually went 60 miles -- and we are not talking walking, it's a race! Now THAT is a serious accomplishment and they deserve a standing ovation. They have worked hard, doing it the RIGHT way, keeping Pete safe and sound, and I am so proud of them!

I also have a shout-out for Ashley, who came up and said hi to us over at Encore's first dressage show -- it was great to meet her and see a friendly face at the show!

I have more product reviews for you coming up, as well as a report once Encore has his second dressage lesson this Saturday. I have been gone at a fish conference all week, so he has been on vacation. He did hop over our black and white gate last night, which made me very proud, and successfully went up and down our 2' bank. Progress!

We're (In)Famous On The Interwebz!

2011-10-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

Check it out! Katie, over at Equine Life, has just posted an interview with Team Flying Solo! Solo told me he reckons that if he's made it in New Zealand, he can now rest on his laurels. I informed him that we are at too low an elevation for laurels to grow and resting is boring.

While you're over there, also check out Katie's stories about the mischevious Jack -- it's a good thing he lives in another hemisphere, because I'd HATE for Solo to ever get any ideas!

A big thanks to Katie -- she has started a series of blogger interviews that are great fun to read (and to participate in). For direct links:

Our interview is here.
The first interview, with Now That's A Trot, is here.

What a great idea to get to know new blogs and bloggers!

Track To Trail

2011-10-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

Stardate: 1st of October in the year 2011.

The scene: Umstead State Park, site of 13 miles of lovely bridle trails, located conveniently about 30 miles from the farm.

The players: Pete and Encore, on his FIRST off-site trail adventure. Accompanied by two gaited paint mares to add friends to the fun.

The verdict according to Encore: Bicycles - meh. Hikers - meh. Runners - meh. Dogs - meh. Stream crossing - meh. Trotting through the woods on a perfect, 65-degree day - BEST ACTIVITY EVER (To be fair, he hasn't experienced a cross country run yet).

Superstar!

Yeah, I rocked it. Whatevs.

For Keeps

2011-09-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

Encore has to stay now -- he is officially labeled. Wow, my phone takes terrible pictures.

He's Still There

2011-09-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

The setting sun makes a bright corona around orange ears as we ride directly into its fierce shine. The light brushes seedheads and the leaves of volunteer corn stalks with an auburn glow. A familiar, muscular neck defines my view of the edge of this cutover field.

When I last rode Solo on Friday, he felt flat, tired, depressed. It made me feel ill and I couldn't summon the energy to let it go. Determined to prove to him that his life wasn't over, we struck out on the trails on this heart-stoppingly gorgeous evening in early fall.

It only took two steps of trot to breathe the life back into him. It was like watching a cardiac patient gasp their first lungful of air after resuscitation. And it felt great. I let him strike into canter in the next field over and he rolled proudly along the treeline with the easy stride I know and love so well.

Fixed? No. He remains just trail sound. But my buddy, my partner, is still in there. He is not lost or gone, he is just a bit sad because he thought the fun had ended. It filled me with joy to show him he was still The Man, he could still explore the world in a swinging trot among the tulip poplars and the bottomland sycamores we both live to experience. It was a dose of much needed medicine for us both and I, too, feel like I can breathe again.

Please, Just One?

2011-09-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

I think Solo's feeling a little bummed out. You would think he'd appreciate hitting the horse jackpot; his life consists of grazing in his favourite pasture with his buddy, Danny, like they are Siamese twins. A couple times a week, he is subjected to short, light ride to stretch and move his muscles. Otherwise, he is stuffed with treats and rubbed with his favourite brushes.

He reckons it sucks.

Well, I don't think he minds the grazing part terribly, but that's not a new thing. What he minds is the part where he lost his job.

We trot up the hill to the arena, passing through our jump field. By the first jump, Solo leans hard towards it, begging pleasepleaseplease can I jump it??! My heart hurts as I have to say, sorry, buddy, not today. With a sigh, he continues on past the second jump. He leans again. How about this one??! Again, I have to deny his request. Each jump merits the same pleading from him and the same sad rebuttal from me. It kills me.

Stretchy trot work in the arena garners only resigned acceptance from Solo, so I give him some canter figure eights with flying changes in the corners and a hand gallop down the long side. He is ok as long as we keep a soft, long contact. That seems to perk him up a little bit, so I feel slightly better.

So now I must formulate plans including "things that make Solo happy" and I must make sure those things do not include any "things that make Solo more sore." It's a fine line. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we can do a trail ride later in the week, that always perks up some red ears.

I am waiting and watching, as instructed, but I am not seeing huge improvements. The vet that did Encore's PPE suggested a bone scan to isolate problem areas, since we cannot see into his back sufficiently with other imaging technologies. It could very well be telling, but last I checked, bone scan prices hovered around $1200. He said he could "work out a deal" with me, but unless that included a discount of, say, $1199.... I am researching the details anyway and keeping it in mind. If it could pinpoint something we have not yet identified, then perhaps that information could lead us to a fix. That would be worth twice that price.

Learning Curve

2011-09-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

Encore finally got to meet Priscilla and her dressage magic this weekend. For the first time, I was actually able to capture his mind on the task at hand. Previously, he was always quite busy watching the pastures and checking everything out. The simple requests I made did not even require his focus for easy fulfillment. So P put us on a circle and set to introducing the leg yield.

"It doesn't matter that he is green; ride him like a trained horse." I heard those words often. You want to give the horse a space to fill with your body and aids. You create this space out of expectation: I will apply the aids for leg yield correctly, giving you a space and a direction to move in and then give you the opportunity to come into that space.

We spiraled down out of the 20-meter into a circle just small enough that Encore had to work hard at it. Then I applied the inside leg, directed my core and energy to the outside of the circle, opened the outside rein, and kept the inside rein soft and mobile to try and hold a little bit of bend.

At first, he did exactly what you would expect: Oh! Leg means forward, ok! I calmly said nope, wrong answer with an engaged core and gentle closing of the rein. Then I reapplied the leg yield aids, asking try again, opening up that expectant space again.

I could feel him thinking and then he went, Ummm, this way? as he stepped back out to the big circle. Good boy!

Brain is fullz! No more dressaging!!

After several successful repetitions in each direction, we did a shallow serpentine exercise on a 40-meter line, seeing how he would react to changes of bend. No problems there, he balanced nicely. We then attempted a leg yield on the straight line, but he said Unnnggghh, brainfulldinnertime. Which was fine, we had accomplished quite a bit and just wanted to finish the day with a couple hops over a crossrail to practice picking up all four of our legs at once -- as Encore loveslovesloves to jump, it would make a nice closing and reward for a good lesson.

With a placing pole on each side, I again presented him with a place to go and sat quietly as he attempted the exercise. Trotting between the standards, he was intent on the horses coming in from the pasture nearby and as a result, hopped over the tiny X with his front legs, neglecting to bother lifting his back legs and whacked a pole to the ground.

P raised the height to about 2' in the center to present a little more obstacle and we headed back. Steering is not yet Encore's forte so he ended up a bit off center at a higher section. Determined not to whack himself in the legs again, he bounced up off the ground as I wrapped my legs around him, giving that cross rail a healthy foot or so of room! P announced that he lifted his shoulder beautifully, curling his front legs up like a showjumper and tucking his little hind legs neatly up behind. She asserted that once we got him going steadily at the jumping, he sure would not be the one pulling rails in stadium!

I led him back to the barn with a big stupid grin on my face. Well, ok, I do that every time, but I really felt like we took some good steps and I'm looking forward to the next couple weeks of homework. I'll continue to build the leg yield, while focusing very hard on my own body. Riding Solo for five years, I've developed my own riding quirks, like locking my left arm and riding off the back of my calf for a strong leg aid. Those have to go and I must be very careful not to bring those forward with me in Encore's training so as to keep him as light and straight as possible!

I'm Afraid Of Good Things

2011-09-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

There, I said it. Because I have to admit, the magic of Encore scares the hell out of me!

Are you on crack, crazy woman? you query incredulously. He's a great horse, full of promise and potential, enjoy it!

Psssh, I can't afford drugs, I have horses! That detail aside, his awesomeness is exactly why he terrifies me.

I longed him today, his second longeing session (we'll not count the bolting gallop-fest that was his pre-purchase exam longe initiation). He politely walked, trotted, and cantered in both directions on a perfect circle. In vienna reins. All on voice command. And automatically switched directions when he halted because I showed him how one time.

See, in my world, this horse is too good to be true. He has a perfect mind, he is perfectly built, he is perfectly trainable, he is perfectly rideable, he has a perfectly professional attitude. He's like a damn unicorn -- absolutely amazing, but not something you'll ever find in your own backyard.

Therefore, I tiptoe through the barn almost afraid to watch him move, sure that he will go ridiculously lame or drop into a deadly colic. I am certain that there is no way the universe would EVER allow me to have a horse like this without some form of serious repercussions that I cannot possibly guess at.

I do remind myself that he still needs a lot of work. His feet are in need of some dedicated rehab; he's quite underweight; neither muscle nor balance are in very good supply and he breaks into a sweat after five minutes of work. So we do have a long road ahead of us and there WILL be speedbumps.

I think I just need him to have a good, old-fashioned idiot day, to just freak out about something ridiculous or do something incredibly stupid and assure me that he is not a hallucination from Fantasy World, but instead a real, flawed, and fully attainable creature who is not lying in wait to crush my soul when I least expect it.

In the meantime, however, I am having a freaking BLAST with this horse -- my barn friend stopped and looked at me the other day. "I don't think I have ever seen you smile so much since I have known you," she offered. "You've had a grin on your face all week, I had no idea you could be that happy!"

So, Jessica, Allie, Suzanne, mum, trainer in Delaware that I don't know, universe -- I am scared out of my wits, but I love it -- THANK YOU.

This Is How We Roll: Bell Boots

2011-09-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

Every time I sit on this young horse, I get more excited about him. He has all the goods to take me wherever I want to go and he just blows me away anew each day. I feel sure he will go lame very soon, he IS a horse! After some transition work tonight, I did a few little jumps and pointed him at a 2'3" vertical with a mess of hay bales and orange cones piled beneath. He had not been presented to it before so I grabbed some mane. He analyzed the rail in one breath, sat back on his hocks and hopped right over. After I got over being weirded out by feeling a horse who sits on his hocks at the base of a fence, I hugged his awesome little neck. Kickass.

But what I am SUPPOSED to be talking about now is bell boots. With Solo, it is always a conundrum as he wears them full-time when he is in work. The best ones to use were the gum pull-on type. However, when competing on a regular basis and changeing boots around all the time, it is a MASSIVE COLOSSAL ANNOYING PAIN to pull those on and off over shoes all the time. I tried the velcro type for a while, but we shredded about a pair a month and buying bell boots in large lots got old quick. The no-turn kind pretty much always turned and stayed too wet for my liking.

I settled on this solution: petal bell boots. Yup, retro to the max. But they are inexpensive and were more durable than anything else I put on him. They moved constantly which kept air moving in and let dampness dry out. You can replace petals and straps individually; I love things with spare parts. And the most fun: you can colour coordinate! Well, to a point -- thus far I have only been able to find them in red, black, white, navy, and grey. But you can mix and match petals should you so desire. I got them from VTO Saddlery and always keep a pair in the trailer.

Baby's First Dressage

2011-09-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

I HAVE THE BEST BABY RACEHORSE EVER!!!

Now that we're clear on that...

In some fit of insanity, I decided to take Encore to a dressage show today. Because I've had him all of, what, seven days? I figured it was the perfect opportunity to get him out there in a dressage arena and start racking up the miles. Our goals: staying in the arena, not getting eliminated, and successful exposure to a show atmosphere. What could possibly go wrong!?

Yesterday, the temperature dropped 20 degrees and a layer of silky, grey clouds unrolled above us. Perfect weather for Horses Gone Wild, right?

I'd selected USDF Intro Test A, so simple a 3-legged pig ridden by a blind gerbil could do it. Except I've only ridden this horse twice in any sort of arena. And he doesn't know how to bend yet. Or half halt. And oh, there's my tendencies towards Idiocy Upon Entering At A.

After nearly falling out of the trailer upon arrival in his haste to check things out, Encore proceeded to....be perfect. Well, he was about 17 hands tall for the first hour, but he still never put a foot wrong. Funnily, he was more interested in the woods than the people and horses and trailers and fences and booths and flowers. That little racehorse never spooked, never flinched, never rushed, never protested for even a moment. THIS is why I buy horses for their brains. The evidence does not lie:

I apologize for video quality -- the only thing I had charged was the helmet cam and given the high chance of rain today, I decided waterproof was the way to go.

Naturally, I managed to mess up even that simple test. Being trained for years to trot boldly down centerline upon arena entry, that's exactly what we did. Even though you are supposed to transition to the walk at X and walk all the way around to M. Ooops.

But Encore was a superstar; he held a rhythm, he even did some stretching! And we won! First place in our class of, oh, well, one. Ha! I can only thank the amazing CANTER ladies for what they have done for him. They took a horse who was sour and hated people (it's true, this babyfaced ham wanted nothing to do with the pink apes) and gave him a chance to blossom into the amazing horse he is already becoming.

Back To Good (For Half Of Us)

2011-09-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, two shiny red boys went to visit Dr. Bob's trusty sidekick, Dr. Brian, who does lots of bodywork.

Encore was first; he needed his fall shots and a bloodwork panel (all normal, hooray!). In addition, his lumpy back and pelvis, all jammed up from exploding out of starting gates, needed some serious chiropractic attention. So Dr. Brian adjusted his withers. And lower back. And hips. And elbows. And neck. And pelvis. Did I mention he was jammed up? Afterwards, it was amazing, even his topline changed and softened. He gave a sigh of thanks and stood very still for his ministrations. I am very excited that we've reset everything to baseline so I can rebuild his muscle and condition from there.

Solo was next, the problem child. Dr. Brian went over every joint in his body, adjusted a few things, and then said, "Hm." The same sore spots in his loins and behind his hips tweaked as reliably as ever. I'd given him two weeks off to see if complete rest made any difference whatsoever. It didn't. Per Dr. Brian's recommendations, which agreed with Dr. Bob's, we'll keep up the light work schedule for another month, then re-evaluate. We don't want to let him down completely -- he's difficult to condition and just letting bad muscles sit merely gives you tighter muscles and less body support. That miraculous cure I was waiting for? Poor Dr. Brian didn't have it and got to watch my crestfallen face again.

So we'll keep on keepin' on. Encore has been threatened within an inch of his life to stay sound so I can stay busy with Project Horse 2011. Yesterday, he conquered the Blue Tarp of Doom without even a flinch over the course of about 30 seconds. I am baffled by a horse who learns faster than I do so new lesson plans are in order for the weekend!

The Ubiquitous Foot Post

2011-09-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by the cutest face, which I finally managed to capture!

It's impossible not to love me.

Two brothers meet at last. I hope Solo didn't tell him too many stories in the trailer ride.

Unskippable cuteness out of the way, I shall move on to the Encore Foot Examination 2011. The study of hooves is fascinating to me. They are constantly changing with their environment and physical demands. Encore came to me barefoot, I believe his racing plates were pulled when he came off the track in December of 2010. I wish I had taken baseline pictures the day I brought him home, because believe it or not, they have already begun to change. In five days. Mind-blowing.

His hoof walls look good -- they are strong, smooth, and fairly even. They were a little chipped up until last night when farrier cleaned up the edges a bit and balanced the heels, but just nothing further than cosmetic issues. He'll finish the trim next week when he comes back for Solo.

When you pick up his feet though, that all changes. Up front, it's not too bad -- his frogs look decent, although his heels are still contracted and he's got some thrushy bits living between them, ewie. Racing plates rarely do any favours to horsie feet.

Left front

Left front solar view

Right front

Right front solar view. This one has smashier heels and there's some goop down in the crack at the center of them.

Then you pick up his hind feet and it's a different story. I know you probably won't believe me, but there has been a big change in these already. Both had thrush in the grooves along the frog and the heels were crammed together very tightly with more thrush between them, even more ewie. I kid you not, those creases between the heels were crammed together tighter than gator jaws, not even space to stick a hoofpick in. And the frogs were dry, tiny, and shriveled; they definitely were not performing as they should.

These pics (and the ones above) were taken this evening and his heels are ALREADY spreading, opening up that central crack. His frogs? Suddenly revived and looking plump again. The farrier did almost nothing last night, just cleaned the edges and took a bit off the heel bars, I swear. He has worked for four days on harder ground and coarse arena footing, quite a change from the sandhills! But he shows no soreness. The saddest part is that his soles now look as good as the BEST Solo's ever were barefoot. Poor wussy Solo feet, just couldn't hack it.

Right hind

Right hind solar view

Left hind

Left hind solar view

I can't wait to see what happens next! I will probably need to shoe him eventually, but for now, he will stay barefoot unless he tells me he needs otherwise. I've gone to town with the Thrush Remedy and the Durasole, so we'll all be goopified for a while.

First Dates

2011-09-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

Encore is used to having a job, so I decided to spend the weekend introducing him to our trails around the farm. We've got hours worth, winding through woods and fields, so it should keep us busy for a while!

I met up with a friend on Saturday so that her horse, Diesel, could provide Encore with a steady buddy. Not that he seemed to need one! He trucked right out in a huge TB walk -- I could feel his shoulders swing out beneath me in a smooth, open stride, what a feeling! With steady steps, he booked right by cars, mailboxes, dogs, shady woods, fallen branches, dead leaves and quite willingly dipped his toes in the ponds. Until....

ZOMBIE DEATH COWS!

As we came around the corner where a herd of Herefords were calmly dozing in the shade, Encore suddenly grew to 18.2 hands and stopped, shaking and blowing as if his life was over. I quickly decided that since he wasn't going within 50 yards of them and he had only known me for a day, I was dismounting. Poor little bugger was convinced they would leap the fence and fang him to death. We just hung out and watched them for about 30 minutes, until Encore returned to normal size and started breathing less like a steam engine and more like a horse. He dropped his head and licked his lips a few times, although still keeping a careful eye on the beasts. I felt that was very good progress and I certainly wasn't going to pick a fight or drag him past them, so we turned around, remounted and headed home.

Project Cow Terrors filed for future work.

Today, we headed out with lifeshighway and Pete for a brief ride just to stretch everyone's legs. Encore was fantastic and led the way most of the time with eager curiosity. He seems to thoroughly enjoy exploring new places -- as soon as we got on a trail we had not ridden yesterday, his pace tripled! When we got back, we walked over two small jumps, a tiny crossrail and an 18" bright green and yellow vertical with flower boxes. As soon as he hopped the cross rail, he said "WHEEEEE, JUMPS, YAY!!" He peeked at the vertical but jumped readily over, even remembering to pick up his back feet.

Finishing off the weekend, was a good scrub in the bath, a hair trim, and a brushing-out of everything. The shine came out in the sun and he reveled in the hearty devouring of clover patches.

He might want to be a poser after all.

Inside of front leg.

Front of cannon.

Encore shows off his pinfire scars. The theory behind this practice is that you use a red-hot bolt to burn through the outer layer of the cannon bone and stimulate the flow of blood and calcium to heal bucked shins. Valid? I'm not sure, but it sure looks insane!

I see shiny-ness!!! Clover noms...

Thoroughbred Heritage

2011-09-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

Warning: longest blog post in history commences.

One of the exciting things about bringing home a gen-yew-wine (that's how we say it in NC) racehorse is that he comes with a paper trail. His every move has been watched and logged since he set foot on a track and his family tree has been carefully charted. So, as you can imagine given my irrepressible curiosity, I set out on a google quest and discovered that I had stumbled upon a pot of gold.

Watch Encore (running as "Joyous Jester") break his maiden with a bang at Pimlico in 2008. Well, now I know he can gallop.

Encore was bred for speed, stamina, and heart; his pedigree reads like a review of the TB leading sires list. Great names that have almost been forgotten in modern racing spring off the page, as well as a few horses who were founders of the modern jumping sporthorse. Settle in for a tour of the kings of racing and of the unstoppable heart of the Thoroughbred horse.

AP Indy

As I mentioned in my previous post, Encore is an AP Indy grandson. AP Indy was purchased as a yearling in 1990 for a whopping $2.9 million, which turned out to not be such a bad investment. In racing alone, he won almost $3 million and was crowned Horse of the Year in 1992. He went on to even greater heights in the breeding shed, where he stood for $150,000 per cover until 2011, when he became infertile. In 2003 and 2006, he was the leading TB sire in the country. He sired many fantastic horses, one of which was Bernardini, the 2006 Preakness winner who was the first stallion chosen to breed the champion racemare, Zenyatta.

Encore's damsire is Allen's Prospect, a Kentucky-bred stallion, purchased at Keeneland's famous yearling sale for $560,000 (that was a heck of a lot of money in 1983). A son of Mr. Prospector, he ended up siring a greater percentage of winners than the famed Storm Cat (who has a $500,000 stud fee) and topped both Seattle Slew and Unbridled in national stallion rankings. He is also known for siring a number of VERY good jumpers and eventers, particularly through his broodmare line.

It only gets better from here. His papers include, from the USA:

Secretariat: Does he even need an introduction? Just in case you live under a rock, I wrote about him here.

Seattle Slew

Seattle Slew: The only undefeated Triple Crown winner (1977), the renowned tough guy Slew won the Eclipse Award in 1976 AND 1978, was awarded Horse of the Year in 1978, was the Leading Sire of 1984, and the Leading Broodmare Sire of 1995 and 1996. Before he died, Slew sired an amazing 7 North American champions and 1 European champion. Encore inherits his toughness and speed from both his sire and dam's lines.

Mr. Prospector: Descended from the Darley Arabian through Eclipse, Mr. P earned the affection of many. He had the misfortune of racing in the same year as Secretariat AND Forego and it is a testament to his courage and speed that he came second to both. A Leading Sire 6 times, Mr. P sired a winner of each Triple Crown race, as did his grandson, Unbridled. He is buried at Clairborne Farms between his old rival, Secretariat and the Canadian legend, Nijinsky.

Swaps

Swaps: This 1955 KY Derby winner broke records left and right. Named Horse of the Year in 1956, reporters wrote that Swaps would "go to the front of the race and say goodbye." Also in '56, he fractured his leg in three places and most parties agreed he would have to be destroyed. Swaps would have none of it -- he hung in a custom-built sling in his stall for four weeks and trotted out at the end of it to live a long life.

Nashua: In 1955, he beat Swaps in a match race when the latter had an infected foot. The two were hearty rivals and Nashua won out as Horse of the Year in 1955, when he won both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. He won over $1 million and was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1965. He stood at Claiborne with his sire, the Irish champion Nasrullah.

Citation

Citation: In 1948, Citation won the Triple Crown and went on racing until he was 6 to become the first horse in history to win over $1 million. Inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1959, he held the American record on a dirt track for 30 years until Spectacular Bid blew it wide open. Citation is listed as #3 on the list of Greatest Horses of the 20th Century (he trails only Man O' War and Secretariat) but he won far more races than either legend.

War Admiral: Contrary to what Hollywood would have you believe, this son of Man O' War was only 15.3 but he won both the Triple Crown and Horse of the Year in 1937. He was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame and was a Leading Sire in 1945.

Bold Ruler

Bold Ruler: As a colt, Bold Ruler was so accident-prone that Bull Hancock (owner of Claiborne Farm) would hide him behind the barn in his own paddock so visitors wouldn't see him. He was forever cutting his legs to pieces and once nearly bit off half of his own tongue. Nevertheless, he grew to win the Preakness in 1957, even though there was a 2 inch splinter from his fetlock imbedded in his leg tendons for some time. As a result he won the Eclipse Award and Horse of the Year in 1957 and was inducted posthumously into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1973. He sired Secretariat and was the grandsire of Foolish Pleasure, Bold Forbes, Ruffian, and Spectacular Bid.

Round Table: Foaled on the same night at Claiborne Farm as Bold Ruler, this stallion was the greatest turf horse in US history. He dominated the world of racing in 1958, winning every award there was, including Horse of the Year. In 43 of 66 starts, he won $1.7 million and set or equaled 14 records, including 2 US records and 1 world record. He was the Leading Sire of 1972 and when Queen Elizabeth visited KY in 1984, she requested her own audience with the great horse when he was 30 years old. He is noted for contributing jumping talent and good temperaments through his genes.

Buckpasser

Buckpasser: Often called "the most perfectly conformed Thoroughbred ever seen," this stallion was an international record-winning two-year-old. A quarter crack kept him out of the Triple Crown, but he still was Horse of the Year in 1966 and was the first horse to win over $1 million before the age of four. He was syndicated for $4.8 million and was the Leading Broodmare Sire of 1983, 1984, and 1989 and is noted for passing on soundness. His sons include Spend A Buck, Lil E Tee, and Silver Charm.

John P Grier. I had to note this guy; he was the only horse who would race Man O' War in the 1920 Dwyer Handicap. Although he did not win, he remains the only horse who ever ran neck and neck with Man O' War for a mile. That, my friends, is guts.

There is a lot of very impressive international blood there too:

JJ Babu

My Babu: I admit, I squealed when I found this one. This French Thoroughbred is one of the most influential jumper and eventer sires of all time. He set a stakes record in England in 1948 and in 1955 was imported to America for $600,000, the highest price ever paid to import a Thoroughbred to the US. Syndicated for $1.2 million along with Nashua, he stood at Spendthrift Farm, where he was the Leading Juvenile Sire in 1960 and sired 47 stakes winners. Even more notably to me, his blood produced Bruce Davidson's 1984 gold-medal-winning mount, JJ Babu, Anky van Greunsven's Bonfire, and the Grand Prix jumper, Sympatico, who set the world record for puissance (high jump) in 1973.

Princequillo

Princequillo: Bred in France, his dam was shipped to Ireland, where he was foaled, to protect her from World War II. His sire was less lucky and was killed by German artillery fire in France. Princequillo and his dam were then sent to the US as the war escalated. He nearly died on the boat ride over and was sold due to his poor condition. His owner no doubt regretted the decision, as Princequillo went on to become the greatest distance runner in US history besides Kelso. He was retired at 4 to the breeding shed of Claiborne where he was the Leading Sire of 1957-58 and the Leading Broodmare Sire of 1966-70, 1972 and 1973. He is the grandsire of rivals Secretariat and Sham and known for passing on soundness, good temperament, and large hearts.

Northern Dancer

Northern Dancer: The most successful sire of the 20th century, he won 14 of 18 races and never finished lower than 3rd place. He set the KY Derby record until Secretariat broke it (who still holds it) and in 1964 he was Canadian Horse of the Year, North American Champion Three-Year-Old, and an Eclipse Award winner. In 1965, he was also the first horse inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (he now shares it with Big Ben) and in 1999 he got his own Canadian postage stamp. With a $1 million stud fee, Northern Dancer sired a mind-blowing 147 stakes winners.

Nearco: This Italian Thoroughbred was named one of the most important sires of all time. He had his own bomb shelter in World War II. He produced Nasrullah and Nearctic and was the grandsire of Northern Dancer. Over 100 of his sons have stood at stud around the world, which is a world record apart from St. Simon.

Carbine

Carbine: This incredible horse from New Zealand won 33 of 43 starts and was 1 of 5 inaugural members of both the New Zealand and Australia Racing Hall of Fame. He won the 2 mile Sydney Cup in record-setting time as a 3-year-old and won the 1890 Melbourne Cup while carrying 53 more pounds than the 2nd place horse. He failed to place only once because of a cracked hoof. Imported to England in 1895, Carbine's descendents include 8 of the 9 horses to ever win more than $10 million. From 1914-1978, half of the Melbourne Cup winners descended from Carbine and in the US, both Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra can trace back to him.

The Tetrarch

The Tetrarch: An undefeated, white-spotted grey called "The Spotted Wonder," was named Britain's top 2-year-old of the 20th century. An injury ended his racing career at 2, but he was Britain's Leading Sire in 1919. His most important progeny was a mare named Mumtaz Mahal, called "The Flying Filly," who became one of the top broodmares of the 20th century.

Gainsborough: He won the English Triple Crown in 1918, he was the Leading Sire in Great Britain and Ireland from 1932-1933. He left a legacy of conformation and stamina behind.

Cor de la Bryere

Dark Ronald: Yes, that is his real name. His sire was Bay Ronald; the owners were apparently not very inspired. This stud stands at the roots of the modern show jumper. He was purchased in Great Britain by the German National Stud in 1913 and his blood has produced horses such as Landgraf I, Cor de la Bryere, Furioso II, and Ladykiller xx.

Teddy: Another founder of today's showjumpers and one of the most influential sires of the 20th century, Teddy was a French horse that raced in Spain and France in the mid-teens of the 20th century. He won 6 of 8 races and was the Leading Sire of 1923. Imported the US in 1931, he sired 65 stakes winners.

A Stork Came To My Barn This Morning

2011-09-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

He was delivering red thoroughbreds. SURPRISE!!!

Yes, the best picture I have so far is a crappy one I took with the farmhouse growing out of his back. He minored in architecture...

Ok, jokes aside, THIS IS MY NEW PONY!!!

What?? How??? Ehhhh??? You ask -- rightfully so. My amazing, wonderful mum stepped forward during my abysmal grief over Solo's lingering injury and offered to help find a Solo-understudy. Yes, I do know how awesome she is. I started poking around, rifled through my backfiles of all the fantasy shopping I had done over at CANTER's website and snuck down to Southern Pines last weekend to meet this guy.

Crucial stats: 6 year old Thoroughbred gelding by an AP Indy stallion named Crowd Pleaser, out of an Allen's Prospect mare. He's about 16.1ish feeling to me right now, might gain another inch with groceries and fitness. At present he is barefoot and very athletic, despite his pinfire scars from the track. He ran about 26 races, breaking his maiden at Pimlico as a 3 year old and fnished his career at Delaware Park, retiring sound after winning his owners about $80,000. His Jockey Club name was Joyous Jester, however, that just doesn't do anything for me, so he is now wearing his new moniker: Away Again. In the barn, we'll call him Encore, a tip of the hat to his sire (who has a race at Delaware Park named after him!), as well as to his role in following in the giant hoofprints of the one and only Solo.

Crucial-to-me stats: He is quiet, impeccably mannered, kind, honest, and brave. Hacks out on a loose rein with a lovely, marching walk and hops over Novice sized logs without batting an eye. He has jumped all of 3 times so far and is very green but has a heart of gold. AND HE HAS A FORELOCK. Don't tell Solo, he might get jealous.

He was picked up from Delaware Park in December of 2010 by Jessica Morthole up at CANTER's Delaware Branch. He was tired and ready to be done with the racing game and his trainers were kind enough to donate him into a retraining pipeline before he was run into the ground. He quickly found his way down to NC, where Allie Conrad and Suzanne Konefal did a FANTASTIC job turning his mind and body towards a new career. He is gaining weight after a hard post-track crash and he is muscling up in all the right places.

I have to sign off for the moment -- I am now going to run laps of my living room yelling "PONYPONYPONYPONYPONYPONYPONYPONY!!!!!!!"

This Is How We Roll: Girths

2011-09-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs a little something to hold the saddle on. But with 1,001 choices out there, how to decide which will suit your needs best?

My priorities: AFFORDABLE -- I don't need a dang $300 strap that no one can see that will just get covered in hair, sweat, and mud. Comfortable for the horse -- no chafing, slipping, etc. Easy to care for -- I have enough stuff to clean and keep track of, please make my life easier. Must have roller buckles -- I think this is standard on all but the cheapest girths now, but billet protection is necessary!

Over the past few years, I have discovered the magic of the synthetic girth -- breathable and after your ride, give it a quick hose and it's dry in 15 minutes. LOVE!

My favourite: SmartPak Breathable Hunter/Jumper Girth. At $40, it won't break your bank. It does not tell you the colour in the product description (I took my chances when I ordered) but it's a nice havana brown and the waffle material feels good. The elastic on mine is actually all brown, so it looks quite nice and so far, after over a year of hard work, it still looks new. When I pulled it out of the box, I really was surprised at the heft and quality feel and look of it, leather snobs need not feel cheated.

I have a similar one for my dressage saddle. I believe it's the Ovation girth, similar waffle weave fabric to the SmartPak one. It's not quite as nice as SmartPak's, but it's certainly not bad and is still durable and comfortable for Solo. Another great bargain at $31. The stiching pulled out on the middle of the billet loops at the top, but they are not really essential, so I don't worry about it. The rest of the girth is completely intact, I've had it for probably three years and it has climbed mountains, bogged down in mud, and sweated with the best of us.

I do generally use a leather one for stadium jumping, just because it's pretty (hey, we're all shallow on occasion). I save it for shows mostly as I try to minimize leather cleaning and I got it on a crazy clearance sale and want it to last a long time! It's Dover's overlay girth (no way did I pay even close to $100 for it though!). I think my elastic is green (why are elastic colours so subject to change?). In all honesty though, I think my synthetic one is lighter and more comfortable for Solo and use it for all jump schooling and XC.

Tying Up Loose Ends

2011-09-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

Just a few updates and teasers!

(1) Ecogold is still completely awesome. I decided my magical pad really was too big for my saddles and for Solo, so I contacted the company and asked what the dimensions were on the standard size (I had ordered the XL). John Da Silva wrote me back and said, "Well, why don't we just make you one that's exactly the size you want?" I was flabbergasted, to say the least! I sent my dimensions, they spun up the machines, and voila! Now I have perfectly fitting custom sized magical pad! Very very cool.

(2) On a less exciting note, Solo's back is not feeling much better. His muscles feel smooth and knot-free, but he is very sore in his lumbar area, so I have reduced riding dramatically. I have a call in to Dr. Bob to discuss several things, but we will probably just have to let time take its course.

(3) On a more exciting note, I will have an introduction to a new character coming up soon. I will not give any hints, you will just have to wait and see. I can say, thank goodness, it's not another cat.

(4) I also have several product reviews filed in my brain for soon-publishing. Need to replace that girth with saggy elastic? Looking for durable, customizable, inexpensive bell boots? Well, stay tuned!

Thank you again for all your kind support for Solo and I -- while it's sad to watch his hind end muscles fade (So. Much. Work.), he seems shiny and happy wandering about the grass, so I'll take that for now.

Remembering To Be Lucky

2011-08-31T17:07:00.000-07:00

It is hard not to let the heartbreak take over. Solo does not feel good, despite my plea with him to make the hock injections magically fix everything, despite what logic says. I almost cried riding him tonight; I have finally gotten him where I want him. He is trained. As long as I stay in a long frame, he can do a lovely, round 20 m circle with consistent bend on a steady, round contact. Down the long side, he steps easily into shoulder-in which we can then shift immediately into a strong leg yield. Back to a cadenced sitting trot on the short side, then springing out into a bright extended trot, flipping his front feet out (extended gaits are his favourite). His canter is balanced and he can stretch down and still hold a metronome of a rhythm. I can create and change strides to a jump or pole, jump at angles, and make balanced, focused turns. And the second I try to shorten his neck and really engage his back, I can feel him go, "Sorry, mom, but that part is very sore." No more A game.

But I am still lucky.

I am lucky that I can walk into the barn and wrap my arms around his muscular orange neck, inhaling that beautiful scent that is his alone.

I am lucky that I can lean against his shoulder while he rests his nose on my thigh and I can feel the energy, the bond between us in that quiet moment.

I am lucky that I can still ride him, albeit lightly, but we can still explore some trails and we can still canter through the last, most beautiful day of August.

I am lucky that we can still hop over a few jumps; they are small, but they still make Solo's ears prick and lock on as he gets taller and brighter with happiness.

I am lucky that I have a great circle of supportive people in my little horse world, especially a fantastic mom who is always a million percent supportive whenever we need help, no matter what.

I am lucky that I ever met Solo and all his untapped energy and heart which were just waiting for someone to open the door.

I am lucky that we will get a tomorrow, even though it may not be the one I expected or planned or wanted. It will still be another day to cherish the inexplicable, indescribable relationship which has changed my life and has come to define what my center really is.

That, my friends, is lucky indeed.

Soggy And Somnolent

2011-08-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

It's a rainy day as Irene hugs the NC coast on her way north. Good for over-thinking, exaggerating, despondency, rallying, napping, and compulsive eating.

I want to say thank you to all of you who took the time to say a kind word. To say it is meaningful is cliche, but no less true. My job exists because of the crimes all people commit in the name of selfishness, greed and laziness, so human kindness always catches me by surprise.

Solo will do what Solo will do, as always. Anyone who knows me knows that I will move heaven and earth for him. I would sell everything I had (all $14 worth!) if it would make him better (it won't) and I certainly will never give up on him. He has given me immeasurable gifts, awed me with his heart, and taught me a lifetime's worth of wry wisdom. Special, unique, they don't do him justice, and I have known a lot of horses. So, hell or high water (hmmm, both in existence today!), I will see him through and we will not be lessened or defeated or cowed in the face of it.

With that battle cry out of the way...

Having spent the last, long several days chasing fish in the rocky shallows of a piedmont river, I have not yet had a chance to visit the farm and check on things. I am sure Solo has been happily partaking in his daily pond swims, where, submerged up to his eyeballs, he has perfected his hippo impression.

Meanwhile, my front yard is perfecting its riverine impression and I think I hear some chocolate calling my name. Stay safe, stay dry, and give all the ponies a hug.

In Which Dr. Bob Breaks My Heart

2011-08-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Someone once said to me, "Treasure every ride, every run, because you never know when it might be your last one."

And I always have, because if I have learned one thing about horses and about eventing, it is that the sucker punch is inevitable.

I took Solo in to Dr. Bob on Tuesday for his fall hock injections, but I also wanted his back investigated some more. He has been doing relatively well until about two weeks ago, when suddenly the soreness escalated to the point where on some days, he wouldn't let me pick up one of his hind legs. Concerned, I was.

Dr. Bob poked, Solo protested. Dr. Bob said, "Hmmmmm...." and stared thoughtfully. My blood pressure turns into a geyser when Dr. Bob is stumped. Dr. Bob is never stumped.

He proffered several possibilities, each of which was tough to diagnose. He talked about xrays where they hang the horse by his back feet from the ceiling after cashing your $2000 check. I heard the words "ossification," "restriction of vertebral movement," and "then he could only jump crossrails." I think my brain shut down at about that point. :Please stop telling me about impossible things," I begged. I am sure he could read the yawning chasm in my soul quite plainly on my face.

This is the best I can gather - best case scenario, since I have worked out most of the knots in the injured muscle, the whole hip area is very loose and the muscle has to rebuild itself and will do so. However, in the worst case scenario, the body will attempt to stabilize that area by laying down bone around the vertebrae, at which point mobility goes away. Which means Solo's career would be over.

All I can think is that had I simply listened to my gut reaction and scratched that Sunday morning in Virginia, none of this would be on the table. One small wrong decision can bring that house of cards crumbling down around your ears when you least expect it.

For most people in this sport, they could simply pick up a prospect and let the healing take its time. I can't seem to figure out a way to make the money magically happen though, so I am just as stuck as Solo is, everything on hold while his body decides what to do. That event in October I've been looking forward to all year? Probably not going to happen. Fall season? Not looking good. Spring season? Oh, if there are any universal powers out there, please let good things happen.

Little Red Rearing Hood, Pt II

2011-08-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer Again: I am not, nor have I ever claimed to a professional anything (except maybe Professional Dispenser Of Sarcasm). Horse training is not for the inexperienced, faint of heart, quick of temper, or slow of reflex. Be safe, ask for help, and BE SAFE!

He leapt and spun and dug in to a scrambling gallop. I called him a not very nice name that started with a b-a-s and ended with a t-a-r-d, but otherwise, remained impassive, holding the end of the lead and letting him tear around his melodramatic circle. When he began to slow, I lifted the end of the whip slightly and asked him to continue, which propelled him into a new frenzy of drama.

When I was ready, I asked him to stop, an opportunity, he gladly seized, licking his lips and begging forgiveness. I patted his head and we turned to the trailer again. He assumed his position on the ramp again. I prepared to ask him for another step again. I was presented with a view of his front ankles again.

So he found himself on the circle after he was done twisting and bucking away.

"You're doing this to yourself, you know," I informed him as he scrambled madly around me. I was not chasing him with whip or rope. I kept my body quiet and still, simply following his circle. He knew what I wanted. He simply didn't want to do it and was using all the tricks he knew to end the dance.

We repeated this a few times. It was hot and he quickly worked up a heavy sweat. I stayed quiet and kept the directions clear: you can walk nicely into the trailer and hang out in the shade or you can stay out here and work in circles and be hot and unhappy.

I'm not usually a proponent of the circling thing. I'd rather use a tap as a forward cue and a simple pressure and release approach. But to tap, you must be able to touch the horse with the whip. Which you cannot do if he is standing all hi-ho-Silver at skull level. You could touch him, tap him, with the whip all day long anywhere else, but on the trailer ramp, abandon hope all ye who enter.

So we circled. And we approached the trailer again. And he stood up again. As I looked up at him, I saw pinned ears, flat against his head, and I saw his anger as he turned his head and glared down at me. I had called his bluff and he was pissed.

We circled some more and stopped again. He was hot. I was hot. A fit young TB, he could probably keep it up all day, but I did not want to push him into a black rage OR heat stress. I never hit him, I never hurt him, I never chased him, but his penchant for drama might write checks that neither of our bodies could cash.

"Take him for a walk for a few minutes, let him have a mental break." I handed his lead to his owner and sat down to nurse a drink and ponder.

I knew he knew what I wanted. And I knew he knew I knew he knew. I also knew he had not yet conceded that apes should get full respect; that was a much longer, deeper project. He was an intriguing mental puzzle, one I longed to unravel. He was not dangerous in that he would intentionally hurt you -- had he wanted that, I would have been finished 30 minutes ago. He would just rather not toe the line unless you made him. But it was not a physical battle (we'll always lose those in the end), it was a mental one, which is what made it so interesting.

He and his owner came wandering back. "Ok," I said, "put him on the trailer."

She walked him to the ramp. He stepped on, hesitated for about five seconds, then sighed and walked in. In the shade, they stopped and he licked his lips and lowered his head. Lots of pats and finally, a rest. After that, he proceeded to unload and load a few times, then we were done.

Over the past week, he has continued to march on readily. When the rope halter goes on, his body language changes and he becomes alert and obedient. I would love to keep working with him, but he is not my horse, so I must respect those boundaries. But I think he got the message, at least for the time being. Will it stick? I hope so, but I feel certain he will need reminders, although they will undoubtedly be far easier than the first drawing-of-lines-in-the-sand.

Sweet though he is, he is smart, fit, energetic, young, red, and easily distracted. A challenge for anyone. His owner is an excellent rider and an experienced horse owner, strong and intelligent, just a little out of practice on the groundwork. Her horse, as all of ours attempt to do (and often succeed!) has found a few small openings in her armour and made the most of them. Fortunately, he will soon be hopefully back on course and continue on his way to becoming a well-trained, mannerly eventer.

He is lucky enough to have an owner who understands the bad manners lead to other problems, that eventual caving in to bribery does not equal trained horse, that you must have the body AND the mind to succeed. Because of this, he will get to lead the happy, well-adjusted life of a horse who is obedient and safe. And his owner will get to enjoy her horse with a little less frustration every day.

Little Red Rearing Hood, Pt. I

2011-08-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I am not, nor have I ever claimed to a professional anything (except maybe Professional Dispenser Of Sarcasm). Horse training is not for the inexperienced, faint of heart, quick of temper, or slow of reflex. Be safe, ask for help, and BE SAFE!

I watched as she tried to load her horse on the trailer. He stepped willingly enough onto the ramp until his back toes met the edge. There he stopped, craning his neck inside, but refusing to move his hind feet to any point of committment. She coaxed and tugged and bribed and begged, he looked around, pointedly ignoring her requests in a show of subtle defiance.

After 45 minutes of this, he gave in and wandered into the rig with a sigh. His handler fumed with the frustrated fury any of us have felt when thwarted at that critical loading moment.

"I need help," she told me.

"I hope I have some to give," I answered.

And so it began.

"You don't have a trailer problem," I said. "You have a leading problem and you have a respect problem. He is not afraid, he just doesn't feel like cooperating on any terms other than his own, if he can help it. He IS a redhead."

We talked about leading, about controlling the horse's feet, about never letting those feet stop. The key to trailer loading is a reliable forward cue and a commitment to seeing it through, as well as NEVER EVER EVER losing your temper.

"Ok," I started, "Give it a go and make sure, whatever happens, he is not allowed to stand still. If he backs up, let him go back without pressure, but as soon as he stops, move him forward again."

I was interested to see how he would respond -- not only was he a bit cocky, he was also on the sensitive and dramatic side. Much like Solo, he could NOT be forced into things unless you fancied yourself trampled into a human pulp.

He wore a rope halter and a head bumper, just in case. They practiced some leading away from the trailer -- she was confident and strong as always, he was obedient, but distracted.

Approaching the trailer, he quickly got wind of the plan and in an effortless shift, pushed her in a veering line off the left side of the ramp with his chest and shoulder. She turned him and came again and the second time, he was even faster in his re-direction.

After watching four or five times, it was clear he had little regard for the pink apes at the other end of his lead rope. He has never been a mean thing, in fact, he is very sweet-natured and gregarious. But like any kid whose boundaries have not always been clear, he knew how to take an opening when he saw one.

"Do you mind if I take him for a second?" I wondered how he would respond to a different-smelling ape.

"Oh dear god, please do!" She practically threw the lead rope at me.

Here we go, I thought.

I began by asking him to yield his hindquarters to my touch in both directions. Ok, good. Now lower your poll. Ok, not great, but passable. Ok, now move in a circle around me. Oh dear.

"Kindly move in a circle, please" was apparently translated by this equine brain as "race around at a speed trot bouncing off the end of the line." His head was cocked pointedly to the outside of the circle, most certainly not giving me the time of day.

We continued to circle until he began watching me and flicking an ear in my direction. My heart wept for our property's lack of a round pen. But you make do. We stopped and started and reversed and repeated until he was willing to walk the circle with considerably less frenetic energy.

Ok, let's walk to trailer. We get to the ramp and he assumes the position -- front feet firmly at threshold of door, back stretched out and hind toes against the base of the ramp. I have his lead softly in my left hand and dressage whip in my right. I begin to lift my right wrist to gently touch his haunch with my whip.

Did I blink? Because suddenly, he is standing on his hind legs, his front hooves dangling at my eye level. For the first time in my life, I find myself wishing I had put on a helmet. For groundwork.

To be continued...

Quiet As A Mouse, Still As A Rock

2011-08-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

We always used to play that game with our babysitting charges when we were younger, trying to get them to stop moving and shut up, even for a short period of time.

It seems it is also a key to riding, or rather jumping in particular, that I stumbled on this weekend.

Solo and I had a nice little jump school, with some gymnastics and small single fences set up. As I finished and dropped my stirrups to cool down my horse, I realized something: the key to jumping well is just staying the heck out of the way. Which sounds a lot easier than it is.

It's all about establishing your rhythm and balance and then allow the horse to work. Point him at your fence and then wrap your legs around him and JUST SIT THERE.

What usually happens? We fuss about our two point, omg is the angle right, omg is my heel down, omg. We fuss about the horse's head, we fuss about the reins, we fuss about strides and distances. And we get in the dang way.

Just stop. None of that matters. If you find a steady rhythm with your horse balanced and forward and you are over his center of gravity with your butt out of the saddle and soft hips and knees to absorb the motion and you stay out of his face, you'll get a good jump. Of course, there are a lot of details involved here, but I'm talking about the essence of the thing.

Try it. Prove me wrong. Or better yet, prove me right.

It's A Bird. It's A Plane. Oh, Wait, It's SuperVet!

2011-08-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

That's right, it's Episode 59 of Dr. Bob Presents.

It was time for fall shots (a perennial favourite of Mr. Orange Wimpy Pants) which is code for time where I stockpile all my equine questions in a marathon Dr. Bob Inquisition. Only there is no torture. Unless you consider me asking questions torture. Which he might. But I pay him. So too bad.

Question 1: I've noticed Solo's heels tend to underrun. Should I be concerned? Should I try to fix this? Can it be fixed?

Dr. Bob's Treatise On Feet (may be cropped to fit this screen and typing energy level): When a horse's heels get crushed by bad farrier work, they cannot always be fixed. Which is why I freak out when I see this happening. The heels will, over time, continue to grow at the new, undesired angle and you can cause more damage and spend a horse's whole life trying to fix it. What is important is that the heels are fully supported, the toes are kept short, the angles of the whole foot and leg are balanced, and the horse is comfortable.

Question 2: My massage fingers are paranoid. Is this part of his butt supposed to feel this tight and is this part suppose to twitch when I press on it and does his ass feel better?

Dr. Bob's Treatise On Equine Musculature (definitely abbreviated to allow for approaching bedtime): This muscle group goes this way and this muscle group goes this way (lecture on muscles and fascia commences which is fascinating, but too long to type). Yes, this part is supposed to feel tight and yes, that is supposed to twitch, and yes, he feels much better. Your massage work is excellent! (here I throw a self-congratulatory internal party)

Question 3: I would like to bring Solo back to competition at Novice level in early October. We will not go Training again until at least late November; I will not rush him.

Dr. Bob: Sweet. Sounds good. Thumbs up. (Hey, it's not all treatises.)

Question 4: My friend's horse is a chunky, black, PerchieX and he has terrible anhydrosis. He's been on OneAC for months and they are both miserable. I heard a rumour about accupuncture helping -- can you fix him?

Dr. Bob's Treatise On Anhydrosis (I've already heard the accupuncture treatise): Sure, I can staple his ears; this commonly is very successful. I've had a horse start sweating within 15 minutes of staples going in. I've never had much luck with OneAC. Thyroid supplements also often help, but take about a month to start working.

From here, we launched into a discussion of the equine glandular system and feedback pathways throughout. I don't think it's good for business to let science geeks talk to each other, we have notoriously poor time management skills. In fact, Dr. Bob's lucky I don't have any money or else I would schedule appointments just to peruse his seemingly boundless collection of horse knowledge.

Your summary: Solo's healing. His feet and muscle look good and a comeback looks hopeful. I can begin adding more jumps to our rides while keeping up the massage. Solo was a week overdue on worming and his fecal was at a 2 for worms, so we obviously have undead zombie worms on the farm and I shot that wormer in as soon as we got home. Of course, he spit it out, so I scraped it off the floor and shoved it back in. He swallowed that time. PerchieX needs some ear staples and my bank account needs CPR. But it was worth it.

From The Horse's Mouth. Or Guts: Feed Needs

2011-08-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

I have been horrendously remiss. What with all the medical issues and whatnot, I have fallen behind on, well, everything. Mea culpa.

Around about the time I was ever-so-gracefully kissing the dirt in Virginia, the folks at Woodruff Sweitzer and Zinpro Performance Minerals sent me a CD-ROM about horse nutrition and their 4-Plex EQ Performance Mineral line for my ~~rambling~~ genius review. I finally managed to watch it! It is in part a description of the Zinpro equine mineral line, but also a lot of information about equine nutritional needs. I was actually quite surprised how thorough and informative it was! They've done a good job condensing a very complex field (I know just enough to be dangerous) into some very useful highlights, focusing, of course, on the horse's unique mineral needs.

The disc was made up of four chapters, two focusing on your horse's nutritional needs, both generally and specifically. Included: fun facts (oh, they know my weakness...).

-The mature horse at rest drinks 5-8 gallons of water a day. On a 100 degree day, that amount will increase to 20 gallons. Put him in intense work, make that 25 gallons.

-While the energy needs of each horse vary, even very light work increases his need for fuel (calories) by 25%.

-The horse's small intestine absorbs proteins, sugars, starches, fats, vitamins and minerals.

-His large intestine absorbs (large colon) volatile fatty acids, B-vitamins, and (small colon) water.

-Minerals are generally considered in two classes: (1) Macro -- phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, sulfur (2) Trace -- zinc, copper, cobalt, manganese, selenium, iodine, iron

Each of these have different vital roles to play in your horse's body and many will have more than one job to do. For example, calcium is needed for muscle contractions, bone structure, and milk production in lactating mares, while phosphorus is used in the nervous system, for energy transfer, and helps calcium on bone and milk duty.

Looking at trace minerals, zinc influences your horse's coat, immune system, skin & hoof function, muscle development, and appetite, just to name a few.

Now, before you go hurling things into your horse's feed pan, there are some important points to remember. Chiefly, all things in moderation and you CAN have too much of a good thing. Selenium toxicity is very real and you can watch your horse's hooves slough off. Raise his zinc levels too high and he will be unable to absorb any copper, which he needs to run his nervous system, among other things. The zinc:copper ratio should lie between 3:1 and 5:1 to keep one from blocking the other. Which is why BALANCED nutrition is so important.

We as owners need to know what we need, too. Where I live, selenium levels are highly variable and I am also on the edge of cobalt deficient soils. If you really want to dig, check out your water as well; it can contain all kinds of minerals in differing ratios that are very much a part of your horse's diet.

I know, I know, you are already slavering about the mouth, "ZOMG, tell me where I can order a perfect mix of minerals so my horse will be a healthy champion RIGHT NOW!" That's what I thought Zinpro was going to tell me, too. Turns out, their Performance Minerals are already in many horse feeds and they do not sell them individually (quantities fed out each day would be ridiculously small). Speaking of which, they can use the word "performance" because their product has passed a certain level of research, testing, and certification, so there is some measure of security there that at least SOMEone has checked the stuff out before chucking it in a bag. Just as important though, these minerals have been formulated to be highly bioavialable to your horse -- meaning they have been bound to "carrier substances' which will allow the intestine to absorb the minerals. Otherwise, Dobbin just craps it out with the rest of the stuff that doesn't make it through the lining of his gut.

You, however, have to read your feed tag to find out if it's in your bag -- which their handy CD helps you do. While you will not often see their logo on the bag, the ingredients will contain 'zinc methionine complex, copper lysine complex, manganese methionine complex, and cobalt glucoheptanate.' Bite me, spellcheck.

There is a great deal more information contained on the CD -- you can request a copy of your own at the Zinpro website listed above and I encourage you to do so if you'd like to learn more about what makes your horse tick. It's got several great tools, including more feed bag label tips, a water analysis tool, and a link to some other health educational materials.

I'd like to thank Emily Stoutenborough for taking the time to contact me and send me the materials. My sincere apologies again for taking so darn long to actually look at them. You can be sure I'm going to wrestle down some feed tags tomorrow and start digging for information.

We're On The Bandwagon

2011-08-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a trend hater. If it's mainstream and popular and all the cool kids want it, I automatically don't trust it, don't like it, and don't want it; I'm going to approach said thing with very critical thinking and questions galore, because usually, said trendy thing ends up being ridiculous (giant sunglasses that make you look like a moronic alien, anyone?). And I'm not going to call something great unless it meets some pretty high standards. Call me contradictory, I'm ok with that.

So when I started hearing about Ecogold saddle pads, I kind of rolled my eyes and thought, here we go, another trendy saddle pad, the next magical Mattes pad that everyone just must have.

But then something unexpected happened. I attended our Area II Annual Meeting back in January and John Da Silva presented the Ecogold product line to us. OMG, there was science. Someone actually tested the product, used common sense and data and THERE WAS SCIENCE! Yeah, yeah, I'm a science whore.

I was intruiged and impressed and I started watching a little more closely. But the things weren't cheap and I wasn't quite ready to be convinced yet.

Summer came along and I was riding as I usually do -- with ThinLine pad plus baby pad plus (when jumping) sheepskin pad. Ugh. And the Thinline does. not. breathe. I needed to combine real shock absorption with breathability, as the more I learn about equine tissue, the more I realize the importance of keeping things cool when working. My mind wandered back to that wintery presentation.

I sent an email to Mr. Da Silva with an embarrassingly long list of questions. Which he answered almost immediately and by answered, I mean covered all the bases. So I took the plunge and ordered a Secure Jumper pad. I talked to the ever-helpful Patricia and she even checked on some material colours for me.

Oh, yeah. Crappy cell phone pic.

When I pulled it out of the box, the first thing that struck me was how lovely and well-made it looked. I put it on Solo and it was definitely shaped with withers in mind! The girth loops fell EXACTLY below my billets (almost never happens!) and the grippiness to horse and saddle felt great. I ordered the XL as per the website since my saddles are 17.5 and 18" and it's a little bit big for both my saddles; in fact, it looks kinda silly with my dressage saddle (I can only buy one, sheesh, so I decided the jumping saddle was the priority to pad with grip and bounce) but fortunately, I have no qualms about looking goofy.

I have three rides on it now, one with the dressage saddle and two with the jump saddle. I LOVE IT. And I think Solo approved as well. In the dressage saddle, we had some of our best long, stretchy trot ever and he was sooo consistent in the bridle, which he'll only do if his back is super happy. In both saddles, the sweat marks were about the best I've ever seen on this horse and El Finicky Topline. I could tell air had been traveling through the material -- I didn't have to peel it off like a piece of tape (re ThinLine). The grip kept the pad in place without billet straps too. We still had a tiny bit of saddle shifting to the side, but given my current extreme lopsidedness (and Solo's), that is hardly surprising; there is only so much a pad can do! I feel confident that once I get my left leg rehabbed to some semblance of normalcy, that will no longer be an issue.

So far, so great -- I've yet to really put it to the test of XC or a hard-core trail, but thus far, I can say that it's a great-looking, great-riding pad made by great people with a lot of potential once we get back into real work!

Does this mean people are going to think I'm trendy now?

Just A Quickie

2011-07-31T08:24:00.000-07:00

Field work has kept me away from both horse and computer for the past week as we've been out snorkeling Carolina rivers, in our endless quest for freshwater mussel population data.

This morning, Solo and I did get to resume our interval training, looping in a stretchy trot around cut-over farm fields. Not entirely fun as it clearly demonstrated how much fitness we've both lost. But we bulled through three 15-minute trot sets and a sad, single 4-minute canter set. Gotta start somewhere and 95% humidity never helps.

On the walk back to the farm though, I was reminded why Mr. Shiny exudes awesomeness: deer bursting through the woods? Transfer truck jake-braking around the turn as it passes us on the shoulder? Turkey flying at our faces? Empty bottles of Sprite and flattened Natty Light cans crunching underfoot? Hay tarps whipping off a passing trailer? None garner even the flick of an ear from my seasoned campaigner. I smile when a passing car honks, trying to elicit a spook from my horse. Not gonna work, suckers, he's busy looking at a tree.

Coming up, I'm trying a couple exciting products that may just make our lives better. We also see Dr. Bob in about a week for a check on Solo's injury and his fall shots -- who knows what fascinating information he will impart this time! I am hoping for good news, as Solo's butt is much less lumpy when I massage, which means I'm finding fewer knots and less pain. Stay tuned!

Passing The Time

2011-07-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Might as well be useful, right? I always love a project and we have jumps that always need to be maintained so every once in a while the bug strikes and BO and I attack unsuspecting wood with a vengeance. Our latest project: a ten gazillion pound lattice gate that had some rotten bits and a broken top board. This is what it looked like after I spent about an hour and a half ravaging it with a paint scraper (through at least five or six layers of old paint) and ripping off rotten bits. Amazing that after ten years, there is still good wood under there on most of the pieces!

Stripped and scraped.

Then the fun part: putting it back together and repainting. BO's horse has just informed us that he is not a fan of black and white jumps. So we made this gate into a present just for him.

Finished product!

He's going to learn to like them now!

In Solo news, there is little to report. I am working my arm muscles to exhaustion massaging his giant orange butt, I guess it keeps my shoulders toned. You haven't felt an ache until 1200 lbs of horse leans on your finger. On the plus side, it has been very useful to really explore the feel of his muscles and I am getting very good at finding knots of tissue that need attention. I would encourage all of you to get out there and start digging around in the muscles and getting to know what the baseline is for your horse -- equine massage is NOT rocket science and I always say, why pay someone to do something you can learn yourself! Your horse will let you know what feels good and what doesn't (if you own a mare, may I suggest knee pads?).

We did do a teeny jump school today. I convince myself that Solo is feeling a little better; he feels more willing to use his back stepping up into trot and canter and he held his rhythm well even when stretching down in the canter. This has also given us an opportunity to firm up some holes in our basics; I am really focusing on keeping an equal weight in both reins, in making Solo keep an ACTIVE walk in the arena, in keeping his back up and hind end under himself during transitions down to walk, all the little things that we sometimes let slide when we are focusing on bigger goals.

It's hard to say where we really are on the injury curve. On one hand, I feel like he is moving better. On the other hand, I can feel allllll the places in his gluteal muscles that are tight, scarred, and sore. On the other hand (there's an unlimited number of hands here), I don't know what those muscles felt like before the injury. All horses in work have tight spots and knots, so how many are new? On the other hand, he's quite willing to jump, even tucked up to the base of the jump, although these jumps max out around two feet. I ran through the bottle of Robaxin so now he is on nothing but the occasional gram of bute. So I guess I'll just keep both hands digging in to those muscles and see what tomorrow brings.

Buckin' Good

2011-07-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

A hot Saturday proved perfect for meeting a friend in Winston-Salem and checking out the new documentary about Buck Brannaman. If you have no idea who that is, Buck is both the equine advisor and the man upon whom Robert Redford's character was based in the 1998 film, The Horse Whisperer.

A great theater always helps, so we tucked in at the Aperture in downtown Winston -- you can order up a beer and a baked-from-scratch treat and enjoy your film in fine style.

And enjoy we did. I knew Buck by reputation, had read about him, seen video of him and his incredible bridle horses, and tried to attend one of his clinics when I first bought Solo. Alas, they were always full. He has remained one of the only touring "cowboy" clinicians that I truly respect, perhaps THE only one that I know of. After you watch the film, it's clear why.

Despite a brutally abusive childhood, Buck became a sensitive and empathetic horse trainer who studied intently under Ray Hunt, who in turn learned from the legend, Bill Dorrance, the man who first showed America that you don't have to hurt and terrify a horse to train him. Buck Brannaman took all of this on the road and nine months out of the year, tries to help horses by teaching people feel, compassion, respect, and understanding.

The film itself is getting a great reception, both from horse lovers and those outside equine circles. I think even without being a horse-crazy nut, it's easy to connect with Buck's story and there is something simply beautiful in watching him interact with horses and humans. His family and friends provide glimpses into a man of a quality that everyone wants to be closer to, either simply in association or in emulation.

Not all stories end in triumph and there are horses so damaged, ironically by people who thought they were being kind, that even Buck cannot undo the havoc that human betrayal has wrought. But here, too, Buck is able, through what is I am sure extreme frustration and sorrow, to teach and to guide people in hopes of avoiding repeated experiences in the future.

You may have to do some hunting to find it; check your local independent theatres and call and request if they are not currently carrying this movie -- it is worth the effort and worth the watching and I hope it continues to build its momentum!!

Getting My Crew On

2011-07-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

The athlete at rest.

I am fit to burst with excitement -- you have observed, if you check Solo's calendar with due diligence, that in mid-August, I am scheduled to crew for lifeshighway as she and Pete tackle a tough endurance race in the NC mountain rocks. Ever since she started racing, I have been itching to go and crew one with her and watch what happens when you assemble a crowd of horses at varying levels of fitness and training and turn them loose to race through the woods for miles.

Last night, I pummeled lh with questions about what duties entail. My primary responsiblities are to make sure that she and Pete are properly pulsed in and recharged during the mandatory vet check around about the halfway point (the race is 25 miles). Horses are required to stop for 40 minutes here once their pulse has dropped to a pre-ordained level. They are untacked, cooled off, fed, watered, and monitored for soreness or injury, much like the 10-minute box in eventing, only with a longer time interval. Oh, and the riders get a drink and a snack too. I also get the dubious honour of trotting Pete out for the vet, so I can only hope my prancing skills are up to snuff for the ground jury. Thankfully, unlike eventing, I don't have to bathe the horse or wear a skirt.

My goal: to be the awesomest crew ever. Thanks to Solo's sweat-monster habits, I do have mad hosing and scraping skillz. Now to practice speed-tacking and snack-courier methods...

I hope to be able to get lots of pictures and video for lh for posterity. Do I pack the cheering pom-poms? Might be hard to wave them with a camera in one hand, bucket in the other, sweat scraper in my teeth.

The course will be steep, rocky, narrow, and muddy so it is going to be a challenge and hopefully I will not witness anyone falling off the mountain! Pete and lh are a saavy, experienced team and I have no doubt that they will have a thing or two to teach their competitors. I could ride Solo till I was blue in the face, but he will never be as fit as that little Arab is; it never ceases to amaze me how he just keeps. on. going.

Three weeks to go and I'm counting down!!

The Nail In The Coffin

2011-07-18T16:44:00.000-07:00

At least, in the tire. Or I guess I could title this post "Why You Should Always Check The Air In Your Trailer Tires Before You Haul."

Why does my trailer look like this right now? Well, the good part is that it's at home, parked in front of the barn. I had been wondering why I had one tire that would drop from a healthy 60 psi to a downright anemic 40 psi and hover there. I could fill it back up and it'd be good for a trip but by the next haul, it'd be back down to 40 again. Since I am taking My Precious (ok, I admit it, I have a thing for my truck) in to have the rotors turned tomorrow, I figured, why not throw the tire in the back and have my guy check it out.

Well. He won't have to investigate very hard.

You can't tell from photos, but this thing has a good 1/4" or more diameter to the spiky bit. Wherever I picked it up, they were obviously nailing together....sequoias? I just bought the tires like a year ago -- of course.

Apparently, it's not just horses that are suicide machines, it is anything that has the word "horse" in its name. It's a good thing we don't fly in horseplanes or get operations from horse surgeons.

A Day At The Farm

2011-07-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

First, if you didn't already catch it on Eventing Nation, I MUST share the utter brilliance fellow blogger Anastasia posted over at Team Taco!

The Five Stages Of Lameness

I think I am working my way through "depression" and on to "acceptance." Well, if it's been a good day, LOL -- that means I'm almost to the part where the horse is healed, right???

Because today was a good day. Well, it didn't start out that way, but it improved! It was a beautiful summer day, the kind you don't think can happen in the Carolinas, with a perfect breeze and a marked absence of marrow-roasting heat. Between hoofbeats, I caught the strange, heady scent of ripe, sun-warmed tobacco leaves as we trotted between the carefully planted rows of deep green. Even the squirrels moved slowly, as if they to were trying to savor this unlikely weather.

Moxie and Danny: Did you see that?

Tigger

Solo: Grazing time's a-wastin'.

Nom.

Things IN the barn were not quite so peaceful. The yearly crop of barn swallows has nearly molted out and were demanding their insect lunches. As they perched precariously on nest and rafter edges, I warned sternly of the feline danger that lurked below. Kids. They never listen.

Nest mothers take a break for gossip.

PUT FUDS IN MAH BELLIEZ!!!!

We no skeered. No need parentz.

I dunno, man, it's a long way down.

Yeah. Like, really far. And...and...cat?

If catz, he comez, I PECKZ himz.

Lessons From Dr. Bob, Vol. 38

2011-07-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many ways it is possible to say "I LOVE DR. BOB." I mean, my plan is to lure him into a stall and then lock him up so he can never leave. He can reside there and just impart his seemingly endless stream of knowledge through the bars. He can have all the fresh carrots from the garden he wants.

That man can tell you more about your horse using his eyes and his hands and a lifetime of horse care than most vets I've seen can with bone scans, MRIs, ultrasounds, nerve blocks, and blah blah blah. AND he stays up to date. I'll be all smart and say, "Hey, I just read about this cool study online..." and he'll come right back with the history leading up to the study, the complications with it, whether or not the results are any good, and situations where it would be applicable. Priceless, he is priceless and if I ever have to move, I'm kidnapping him at hoofpick-point. Too bad other clients, Solo trumps you all!

The POINT of my unadulterated worship is yet another conversation we had today about Solo. I have been dutifully massaging the Orange Butt and a funny thing happened: I would start at the top of his hips near his spine and work down the gluteus muscles (the top pink butt muscles on the right) to where they join the head of the femur. I found knots to work on, but not overwhelming pain. But then I would work back UP the same muscle, bottom up to spine, and Solo's leg would twitch and buckle like crazy. I quickly surmised it caused agonizing pain.

Well, science girl chirped into my head and said, "Wait, you have no control variable!" So I tried it on Solo's pasturemate, Pete. Similar response. Hmmm.

Dr. Bob: "Yep, if you go down the muscle, you are massaging correctly. Going back up, against the 'grain,' you are pinching nerves and pinching muscle fibres against bone, so they don't like it that much and if you really go for it, you can damage nerves."

He then followed up with a scientific discussion of the intersection of acupuncture, physiology, and 3000 years of muscle work.

So, my horse is not in agonizing, leg-buckling pain after all. I was just doing it wrong.

Thank you, Horse Master, good to know!

Brain Drool

2011-07-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

Broken horses leave far too much time for thinking.

I pace the barn aisle restlessly, wondering what my options are. My crazy addiction to the pursuit of this sport is unrelenting, but like many others at the moment, my wounded partner cannot oblige my goals.

I hold desperately to the hope that he can come back for fall, although I have no guarantees that that will actually happen. If he does come back, then what? Can he actually make it to my goal of a Training 3-Day? I don't know. We will certainly try but it will not be easy for him. I kick myself for not knowing 5 years ago what I know now -- had I started this journey then, oh, how I might have defeated the enemy of time while my horse was a little bit younger.

I have to accept that my horse is probably limiting me. I know that I have the desire and the ability to achieve my goal and then some, but because my horse always comes first, I have to move at his pace. Which right now is practically zero.

In some fantasy world, the solution would be simple -- pick up a CANTER horse (heck, I've already got three picked out that I'd throw in a trailer today) and start bringing it along as The Next Horse. Problem: I could probably buy it, but I sure as heck can't board it as I'm pretty sure BO does not offer "two-for-the-price-of-one" sales. I only have enough quarters to keep Solo in housing and rice bran.

For some, this would probably be a quick solve -- sell Solo, buy prospect. But I can't do it. In so many ways that I cannot elucidate, the Orange Beast is uniquely in-disposable. I still remember the change when Mr. I Don't Really Trust People placed his faith in me at last and that is an agreement I cannot betray. I feel that I owe him a safe future. Not that this couldn't happen with someone else, maybe it could, but until I could guarantee that, I am not releasing him to the winds of fate. I guess that makes me a Rider Committed To Horse instead of a Rider Committed To Sport. Each has its tradeoffs, I suppose.

Which leaves me back at stuck. Anyone want to be an owner, I'll take your horse to 3-Day stardom, LOL?

Solo has taught me an immeasurable volume of lessons which I actually am SO excited to apply to another horse but I do not begrudge him one second of massages or handgrazing and I enjoy spending the time with him as he rests his nose on my knee. I generally don't ride much in July and August anyway -- it's just too damn hot for woman or beast, so in all honesty, we're not missing out on much as long as I can hold SOME condition on him.

Yes, those echoes you hear are just a brain spinning itself dizzy in hypotheticals and dead-ends. Keep a rider out of the saddle too long and she starts to go crazy(er).

It's Worrrking, It's Worrrking....

2011-07-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Despite the 17 layers of sweat, Solo and I had a great ride today! Funny how two months ago, a great ride meant powerful extended gaits and lofty oxers. Because today it meant even stretching in the trot and 18" crossrails.

He's got some spring and swing back in his trot, once we get warmed up. The jumps are easy and balanced and rhythmic and relaxed. He's even stretching down at the canter, which is slow and metronomical (I just made that a word, ha!).

This means, in short, that I've finally struck a combination of things that are working. Magical tape + Robaxin + deep massage with Surpass + stretching till my eyes roll back in my head = IMPROVEMENT. The massage is slowly breaking down the scar tissue and I can feel the knots in the muscle getting incrementally smaller. The Surpass is taking away some of the pain in partnership with Robaxin, which relaxes clenched muscle fibers. The tape and stretching are helping to increase circulation and rebuild new muscle and heal injured spots.

Ok, that wasn't so short.

But I am thrilled to finally see some progress in this slow slow recovery. Yeah, we should be leaping 3'3" jumps right now -- but instead of being ticked off that that's not happening, I am instead pleased that we are meeting new objectives; we are doing better than we were a week ago!

I try hard to keep my eye fixed on what happens tomorrow and what happens next week. I am single-mindedly focused on those muscle groups: moving them, stretching them, working them through their protests and gradually, oh so gradually, bringing them back up to par. There is nothing more to be gained by wishing we were doing more (ok, I admit, I give in a little sometimes) but everything to be gained by the baby steps we are doing today.

It's Feeling HOT HOT HOT!

2011-07-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

Brown grass crunches underfoot and I swat only half-effectively at deer flies. Solo's neck stays permanently wet with a white crust of salt along his mane. It's summer and in the Carolinas that means you do everything just a little bit slower.

Since we are both sidelined, it also means we take to the trails. I can't do much good in the dressage arena, but that doesn't mean I have to give up on fitness. And just because my knee aches and my back cramps in protest doesn't mean I have to stay on the ground!

So Solo and I redneck it in true style (oh yes, those ARE blue flames on the bareback pad) as we wait for rain (bring back the green!) and healing to find us both. A little time, a lot of stretching and a dose of muscle relaxers and magic tape seem to be moving things along in due course.

What are YOU up to with your ponies as the sun's rays go from "warming" to "bone marrow broiling" level? Swimming? Dashing through sprinklers? Sweating contests? Competitive fly swatting? Do tell!

The Sticky Is Sticking!!

2011-06-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

In the midst of doing 20 other things, I do have to share...PT came out for our combined FOURTH attempt at making the kinesiotape stick to horseyness last night. I have clipped Solo's sore spots again with a pair of face clippers and washed and buffed his butt till there was not a stray hair or speck of dirt to be found. PT also sprayed on some Magical Sporty Sticky Spray For Sweaty Athletes before applying the tape. I put Solo out last night with his fly sheet on and when I came out this evening...

THE TAPE WAS STILL INTACT!!!!

I failed to contain my excitement as I sent a text in all caps to PT (who replies, "sweet.") and professed my undying love for his skillz. Now we shall see just how long it stays on.

After a long chat with Dr. Bob on Monday, I've also added methocarbamol (Robaxin) to Solo's treatment repertoire, and when the tape comes off, I'll do some deep massage with Surpass creme as well. The Surpass is diclofenac creme, interestingly the same drug that I have used in medicated painkiller patches on my back which were VERY effective!

I am frustrated with Solo's nearly invisible healing progress, but Dr. Bob assures me it is normal -- the back muscles are huge, 5-6 inches thick and it is a long, slow process. When queried about alternative therapies, such as shockwave, accupuncture, or injections, he maintained that those were most effective for localized areas and would likely have little effect over such a huge zone. Saves me money, but bummer for my mad desire to speed up this process.

I did ask if he thought Solo could be back in the game by September, when I would like to do a Novice HT at the Carolina Horse Park. Dr. Bob thought that was probably realistic, although he might not be back to Training Level jump heights by then, as full recovery varied widely by horse. That at least gave me something to hope for, especially when I told myself, hey, that's only like eleven weeks or so! (That sounds better than three months.)

I'm Not The Only One Held Together With Tape And Velcro

2011-06-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

Well, the MRI verdict is in for my knee as of an hour ago! The good news: soft tissue looks good. The bad news: both the tibia and fibula have fractured ends. But they are healing and in another month of wearing the brace, should be set. I am supposed to do only necessary activities but frankly, I can't see the point of that after I've been walking around on it for the last month while they took their sweet time imaging it. But I will do my best to avoid super high impact, I suppose. No falling allowed. No problem, it's not like I am clumsy or anything.

On the other hand, as anyone who's ever had one will attest, soft tissue injuries are a bitch. I've been dutifully massaging Solo's back and stretchy-trotting till he sighs with boredom, but he's still definitely sore in his lumbar area. So while PT was working on MY back, I hit him up for massage tips.

"You know what," he says, "I'll just come out and tape him!"

OMG, really???!!! Ok, since I know you are thinking, what, are you going to scotch tape your horse back together?, let me clear things up. We are talking about kinesiotape, magical stuff that has been stuck to my back more than once. If you want to read the gory details of how it works, you can do that too. But basically, it lifts the skin and fascia, allowing increased flow of blood and lymph fluid, ostensibly speeding healing and reducing pain in muscles. It has been used on racehorses, but I have not heard much about it's application to sporthorses.

So yeah, I was psyched to hear PT volunteer for this. We gave it a first shot last night, but I discovered in about two minutes that sweaty horse hair is not very sticky. I set out tonight to remove said hair for optimal stickability.

The initial haircut. SOMEone had his hip cocked when I was cutting around the spine...

Now perhaps I have not mentioned this before, but PT has magical hands. And it's not always good magic. He manages to always poke right onto some spot where you didn't even know you hurt. Well, he had printed out a diagram of equine musculature (that's how awesome he is, because he doesn't usually work on animals) and examined it and then he walks up to Solo and says, "Hey, I bet he's sore right here too," and pokes his finger into the muscle posterior to his flank. Solo's hip dropped like a rock. How does the man do that???

Time to expand the clip job.

Then you just sit back and watch the magic happen.

First, you measure the tape out.

Then you peel it...

Stick it...

And voila! You are magically taped with magic tape!

I eyed the edges of the tape suspiciously. They were pulling up on the stubby hairs -- my clipper blades would not allow me to cut as close as I had hoped. I could at least nail down the front pieces.

Solo's marvelous vetwrap girdle.

As of the time of my departure tonight, it was still on there, but I suspect it will be gone by the time I get there tomorrow, sigh. Next plan: shave the hair down shorter somehow and give Solo a bath to get rid of ALL the fuzz and dirt! The tape WILL stick, dammit!!

This Is How We (Don't) Roll: Majykal Cooling Products

2011-06-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

I've often eyed those fancy CoolMedics vests online -- they claim to keep your core temperature down through evaporative cooling. But at almost $200 a pop, I wasn't going to "just try it out." However, our BO just bought one and I soaked it up and put it on yesterday evening. I mounted Solo and awaiting my cooling miracle.

We only rode briefly and if you know anything about Carolina summers, you know they are filled with the air you can chew. Did the clouds part and angels sing as I was miraculously cooled? Ummmmm, no. I basically felt like I was riding wearing a heavy, wet towel. Ick. I suppose you might have better luck if your summer includes low humidity and constant breezes, but since that doesn't happen here, I'm going to keep my $200, thank you very much.

I am going to try their (much cheaper) neck scarf to see if it works any better -- cool water on the neck always feels good and doesn't block air from getting to your body. But as far as the torso goes, I'm sticking to my wicking shirts; they WORK and even better, they are often less than $10. That's what I'm talking about!