Our Debut

Finally!! I finally went to a show. It has been almost four years and a baby ago that I have put myself out there and competed with a horse in anything. Today was the dressage schooling show.

I managed to stay calm and think about enjoying the day rather than stressing about it and I think it paid off. Tokaj was super. She tried so hard to do what I asked and she did it in fine style. It is somewhat intimidating to know that I finally have a horse of such talent. I am SO blessed, and I sure hope that I can do her justice and improve my riding.

It was also Tokaj's first ever dressage show. We competed in one class since I was comcerned about remembering the test, and about overdoing it the first time out. I just did not want to stress! We competed in Training Level Test 2...nothing fancy in that test, just very basic work. Tokaj received a 69.2%. In dressage anything over 60% is pretty good, and anything over 65% is pretty darn good! Wow! She ended up taking home the blue ribbon which was completely unexpected. I am on cloud nine. I could not have asked for a better partner, or a better day, rain and all... it was fabulous!

I wish I had some photos of the show to post. Perhaps next time I will remember my camera!!

P~

Here We Go.....

Tomorrow is the dressage schooling show. I did not end up entering Savannah, which was a rather crazy thought to begin with! But I did enter Tokaj and we are entered in Training Level Test 2. I was going to do more than one test, but then decided that between volunteering at the show, and lack of real preparation due to having houseguests for the last two weeks... I think one class is going to be just fine.

I am trying not to be nervous and so far have been successful. I don't know, there is something both nice and cowardly about going unprepared. On the one hand, there is no pressure to be awesome so I can chill out, on the other hand... it is kind of cowardly to have a built in excuse as to why it is not going to be good. So I will work on that next time and try to be prepared to wow the judge!

Other immediate plans include Tokaj's first cross country schooling session and first schooling horse trial. All that madness will take place on the 2nd and 3rd of May. I will amp up our training sessions the next two weeks so that we can make a decent showing at those outings.

I have found a prospective jumping coach and look forward to getting my first lesson with her in the upcoming week as well. I chose to try a hunter/jumper trainer since she is local, but also VERY good. Although she does not do cross country jumping, hunter riders are masters of creating an optimal jump each and every time. I have prided myself in the past on being able to stay out of my horse's way when jumping (like not yanking their mouth over the fence, or bumping their backs), but there is a lot more to it, and HELPING the horse a bit rather than being a polite passenger would sure be nice! I will write about our experience after we have it.

I better get out there and give Tokaj one last ride, and a nice cold bath (poor thing... but what do you do with a nearly white horse?). She is going to look lovely tomorrow even if our performance is just so-so!

Later....

Moray Clinic

So... here it is. My Clinic Report. On Saturday, March 21st, I had my first lesson in... goodness... almost five years. What can I say? Moving, building, horse shopping, and family have taken some time.

I ended up riding Tokaj at the clinic. After trying out my good friend Tammy's mare again, I realized that I would need a few rides on her to know her "buttons" and since the clinic was a week away... it wasn't feasible to get enough time on her. Also, Miss Tokaj was doing 100% better and I had gotten some nice rides on her so I decided to take her and just let Moray know that she was having some issues with arthritis.

I was very excited about the clinic. It has been a long time coming. The morning of the clinic I pushed away my nerves and went determined to just have fun.

I explained to Moray about our difficulties and he asked me to show him some of our regular work so he could see what was going on. After we finished walking, trotting, and cantering both directions we approached Moray to get the verdict. And he said: ... What would make you satisfied? Most people would have a ride like that and be quite happy with it. It must be something you are feeling that feels wrong because it looked good.

My response? I cried. Sigh. How unprofessional. At least it wasn't loud BOOO HOOING or anything, but the tears just came. I have a lot invested in these horses, and perhaps too many of my dreams. It all seemed so hopeless just a little over week before.

So we got down to work on our dressage and improved things to the point that I am looking forward to a dressage schooling show next month. We learned that we needed to be more forward, and that Tokaj is strong enough to carry herself more in a dressage horse way (big chargy energetic horse), and that I needed to insist when I ask her to go forward in a certain speed that she know it is her job to continue and not have to be "nagged" to keep it up. I learned that I collapse at the waist to the inside at canter, and some fun exercises can really help that and thus help Tokaj really step under herself and get a nicer canter outline.

All in all, it was a big boost that I desperately needed. I learned so much that I am going back tonight for another lesson before Moray departs and I am left in the trainerless void again. Thankfully, Tammy caught our lesson on video for future reference.

Another nice development is with Savannah. Thanks to the beautiful Spring weather, Savannah and I have had some time to work. She is under saddle, going forward at the trot, and is even beginning to understand rein contact and to stretch into the bridle a bit. Her trot also is a surprise in it's non-Quarterhorsey springiness and nice overstep. She is the easiest horse I have ever started under saddle, and I have had some easy ones including her brother Bailey. No question though... she is the easiest. I feel the need to test her some by trailering her somewhere and seeing how she is away from home. A crazy idea that I am mulling over is the enter her into the Dressage Schooling Show with Tokaj. After around 12 rides? That would be something.

Well, enjoy the nice weather!
P~

Physical Issues, Mental Blocks, and the Fun of Riding

Hello from S.C.E.T Headquarters! It has been a long time since I have updated this blog. I have been having some issues with the 'girls' (Tokaj and Savannah if you are wondering who the girls are...).

PHYSICAL ISSUES:
Miss Tokaj went back into steady training... and steadily did worse and worse until I could no longer blame myself for bad riding, and realized that she is having physical issues. On one hand, it is nice to know that I don't stink that badly at riding, and on the other hand... my hopes and dreams horse is uncertain. Tokaj has been off for three weeks following my second attempt at fox hunting. She started having trouble getting her front feet out of the way of her hinds. In four days she destroyed three sets of bell boots. I thought it might be that she was shod differently than she was last time she was in training (before the baby), and that she needed something else done. My farrier suspected lameness and did some flexions tests and they came up positive. Sigh. My super tough Hungarian mare is now mortal. She has arthritis from years of jumping which is not unheard of or unmanageable. So, I have rested her for three weeks, put her on Adequan and injectable joint fluid enhancer (for lack of a better explanation). She also has been given a feed additive for joint care that has anti-inflammatory properties kind of like a human on ibuprofen. Today was her first day back in work and by the happy expression and springiness in her step, I would say that we are finally back on track! She is slated for a few weeks of slowly returning to work with constant evaluation of her soundness.

MENTAL BLOCKS:
This has been hands down the hardest return to training that I have ever experienced. I used to ride anything and everything without fear and with confidence that while I may not be the best rider, I was certainly competent. Well... not anymore.

I have spent the last several weeks, during Tokaj's downward spiral, beating myself up about how awful I am. Everything feels wrong and instead of feeling at home on a horse, I feel like my body is an alien. I know that I need to get into some clinics and lessons to get this riding season started, but I am so nervous because I don't know myself, or my horse at this point. I can just envision myself telling Mr. Clinician that, "I don't know" what level I am at, "I don't know" if I can still jump any sort of fence, and "I don't know" if I even belong at his clinic!! It is really an unsettling thing.

My friend Tammy has been a wonderful support system and has offered me her lovely, and well-trained horse to take lessons on... but even that intimidates me. I know, I know, for those of you who know me, you are needing to pick your jaw up off the floor. Tammy has a nice, enormous Clydesdale Thoroughbred cross who has a lot of training and is completely reliable. I am nervous about messing up Tammy's horse... and nervous about generally making a you-know-what of myself at an upcoming clinic. By the way, the clinic is in ONE WEEK. It is taught by Moray Nicholson, a British trainer who I liked when I audited his last clinic. Tokaj is not going to be ready for the level of work necessary at a clinic, so I have comitted to riding Tammy's mare Chloe. Did I mention that I have ridden Chloe once, and while some things went well.... I had to ask Tammy how to get her to canter? Tammy says I have a mental block and need to just get out there and do it. So... I am taking her advice. I will write about the clinic in two weeks. Yikes.

FUN OF RIDING:
What I learned during this downturn of luck and subsequent fall-out, I have at lease re-prioritized not only my competition season (what competition?), but also my reasons for riding. I am going to focus on the step I need to take today and enjoy it, rather than focusing too far into the future and trying to be show-ready each day. Someday, I hope I will look up and realize that I am ready for a competition, and lo and behold, there will be one waiting for me.

Happy Riding (literally!)
P~

Jumping Strides

The Second Chance Team has finally made it's first steps toward jumping. Tokaj has been just great on the flat for me, and we finally decided to start jumping. Unfortunately our first attempt was not so successful. I have not jumped a horse in quite some time, save one leap at the indoor a few weeks ago which does not count. Tokaj has had quite a bit of education in jumping during her past career as a show hunter. Even though I had not jumped in a while, I felt that I could pick it up quickly, and so I set up some trot poles to a crossrail, and also another combination that included two crossrails set up on two strides. No big deal right? Wrong.

I basically committed the cardinal sin of too much rein contact. Tokaj got nervous that I was not going to let go of her mouth over the fence and the rushing began. In the old days, I knew better than to ride, especially a hunter-type horse like Tokaj, over fences with a dressagey contact. The unfortunate result of my riding, was that Tokaj was cantering down the line of trot poles, and rushing the combination. If I had been working with someone knowledgeable (even if I could have been on the ground watching myself), it would have been nipped in the bud right away. However, I missed the forest for the trees for the entire lesson and put Tokaj away wondering, "What the heck?".

After mulling it over and remembering other horses I had ridden who had done the same thing and how I fixed it.... I recalled that perhaps it was ALL MY FAULT. So the next ride focused on cavaletti (poles spaced on the ground for those who don't know) and I rode Tokaj on a generous huntery rein length. It was as if she breathed a huge sigh of relief and went about her business and did all the exercises perfectly. Well, all I can say is... lesson learned! Or should I say lesson recalled?

Even though I made mistakes the first time out, I am happy with our progress and that we did not keep doing what was not working and then create a habit of rushing. We are going to hang out and do cavaletti and low fences for quite some time until Tokaj and I are a partnership. I feel I know her in dressage.... but don't know her jumping style, willingness, or ability over fences. So that is going to be our work for the next few months.

Happy riding!
P~

And the Clouds Part!!!

I told myself that I would not post again until there is some horse news. After all, that is the POINT of the blog! Being in horses, definitely has it's ups and downs.. and I think... just maybe... the Second Chance Team is on an upswing! The winter, while coming in like a lion, now seems somewhat lambish (not to any Californian alive... but for Missouri.). We have been having some wonderful breaks in weather and have experienced some downright tropical-feeling 30s, 40s, and dare-I-mention... even some 50s!!

The horse news is that I have been riding. Not the dedicated five days a week that I would like to, but definitely enough to get Tokaj going and to start changing her physique from hay-belly, rafter hip, to somewhat tighter and rounder! I have been able to haul her to an indoor on the weekends, and have experienced the aforementioned tropical temps which allowed riding at home! And when my wonderful husband is home to help care for our son AND the weather is cooperative, I have gotten to ride during the week too. So far so good! Tokaj has retained the wonderful work ethic she demonstrated when I rode her last winter before becoming too pregnant, and we still have a bond.

Tokaj is easily the smartest horse I have ever ridden (sorry my gentle Mr. Monte!). Perhaps she just seems that way since she sometimes uses her powers for evil as well as for good? Monte my World Champion Paint Jumper was smart, but he was a people pleaser (not a bad thing!) whereas Tokaj decides what is best for HER, then decides if it is worth upsetting YOU, and IF you are lucky, the answer is no... and all will be fine. I am looking forward to seeing how this plays out on cross country! :) Tokaj's brilliance reminds me of a Shetland pony. You can see her calculating the odds at any given time. For example, it took one time for her to get a trailer ride to an indoor arena to "get" what me hooking up the trailer meant... and the next time we ended up having a lesson on being caught up from the pasture. The good thing is that she also can calculate quickly when she is engaged in a losing battle and gives right up. But, you better be able to out maneuver her to her satisfaction. She keeps me on my toes.

All joking aside, I am very excited about our partnership. I think I may have the perfect horse for me at this point in my riding life. She is not easy, or push button, but she is fair, and gives it her best if she feels that you are treating her fairly and appreciate her efforts. I get off her at the end of a lesson with a big beaming smile. We may have lots of work to do to be competitive in reality, but in my mind, after each ride, we are a winning team. She makes me feel like I can ride well, even when I know my fitness is not great at the moment, and that my timing and aids may be a bit off. Who could ask for more than that? Oh... okay one thing more... we took our first jump. We should not have, but it was beckoning from the center of the arena, a leftover from someone else's jumping lesson and I could not resist. We had just had a wonderful ride, and I wanted to see what would happen. She jumped it with ears up and lots of power. It was a great feeling.

I am happy the winter has so far been kind, and also that the indoor arena, which is very limitedly available, is being made available to me. I am going to be able to ride consistently three days a week and hoping to add more days once my husband is able to be home more and that is right around the bend.

The meat of my training right now is just basics for both Tokaj and I. Fitness is priority one, and dressage is priority two. We are working the very basics of quality of gait. Moving freely forward, without hesitation, while maintaining balance. We are only doing training level dressage, so there is no real uphill balance for the moment, but my contact with her mouth is consistent and soft, and we are working on her pushing actively ahead. I have been reading alot through my off-time and had an AH HA moment when I read that the gaits should be forward enough that the rider feels he might even need to restrain the movement slightly. Hmmm.... I had not thought of that! I had always heard that the movement was to be forward and energetic... but did not know how to quantify that into what was enough and how to feel that it is enough! In other words it is like someone throwing you a baseball... it might be going forward, but fall short of the catcher's mitt. The energy of the ball needs to be enough so that it reaches and can be received without pain into the soft spot of the mitt... like the energy of the gait into the soft, steady rein contact. AH HA!! So that is what I am working on with Tokaj. And she is very agreeable about it so far.

Savannah is embarking on lungeing lessons. She is right now learning to walk, trot, and canter on the lunge in a quiet, responsive manner. She is doing quite well at it, and once she is more established, I intend to introduce the side reins to encourage her to stretch her neck down. Savannah likes to carry her head very high with underneck muscle bulging. If you look at the photo on my blog and you would never know it, but it's true.

Well, that's the update. Thanks to my friend Molly for her kind comment. I needed that! I am going to chill out and become a bit more Type B+ ish, or more realistically, more Type A- ish, and if the winter gets worse, I am going to take your advice and hang with the little guy who brings me more joy even than riding. :)

P~