Foal Watch 2010 Update

It hasn't been very long since I last wrote, but some funny things have happened during Foal Watch 2010 that I wanted to share. First thing is that I finally decided to double check Tokaj's due date. In truth, I had not paid a ton of attention to her due date because when I had her bred I believed that I would not be foaling her out myself and figured I would move her to her vet's barn to foal since he has a great set-up. I thought that I would be very busy with other things that ended up not materializing this year and since I find myself freed up... I decided that this experience is not one that I want to miss. In the last few days, Tokaj seems to be showing physical signs associated with imminent foaling and it seemed too early for them. So I double checked and found that she is actually due a week earlier than I thought, and according to her vet (the super patient and generous Dr. Jim Long) she could foal up to two weeks early and be normal for a maiden mare! That means she could foal any time and I need to be very vigilant next week! Yikes.

Tokaj has been removed from her hillside paddock due to her size and weight and how hard it has been for her to move about comfortably. Now she is spending her nights in her double sized stall, with matted floor, and comfy soft straw bed. She has her own fan for warm nights and two open dutch doors to catch a breeze and for scenery. In the daytime she walks 30 feet out to her own 60 foot round pen where she stands, lays, and rolls in soft comfy beach sand. Speaking of rolling, as of a few days ago I saw her almost get stuck on her back trying to roll from one side to the other with her big giant belly flopping all around. She made it from one side to the other though.

Yesterday, during my son's afternoon nap, I heard a commotion outside. My other horse Savannah, was whinnying for Tokaj. I knew immediately that if Tokaj was in her round pen that Savannah would have no reason to holler for her because she would be able to see her, so I peek out the window and there stands the open gate to the round pen. Tokaj is the Houdini of horses and can open latches and untie herself if she is not good and secured. She finally figured out the mechanism to the round pen gate and let herself out. She went into her barn and proceeded to burglarize the feed bin nearest to the door... luckily for me, that bin was almost empty and she did not get much more than a regular sized feeding if even that. She ripped the lid completely off it's hinges, threw the empty bin into the aisleway, and dumped over a wheelbarrow of poop that I had been too lazy to empty before it was full. After wreaking as much havoc as she could, she waddled out onto the sideyard lawn to eat more, and then Savannah the tattle-tale became frantic and alerted me to Tokaj's doings.

I went out to retrieve Tokaj from the sideyard. In her old form, Her Impishness would have run away from me and went directly to the lush green pastures of our neighbor and I would have had to take a second to outthink her in order to secure custody. This time, she looked at me with that old impish sparkle, and then found herself trapped in her 11 month pregnant body. She waddled about 10 steps, went to cross the driveway, stepped on the now painful gravel, and gave up. I had to laugh at her. So, I went up to her, patted her neck in sympathy... I've been there too.... and she followed me to her barn and her soft floored stall to rest from her exploits. She definitely knows when the jig is up.

I know more comedy will ensue when Houdini Jr. arrives. More later.

Here She Is.... My Hungarian Princess!

Well, I finally decided to change my blog photo to show off my Hungarian mare Tokaj. In the photo she is about six weeks away from having her foal. Her due date is around September 26, 2010. This is my first go at breeding and I am hoping for all the good luck I can get.

Her Highness has a double stall, bedded with straw. I have found a wireless surveillance camera sold by a company that outfits the Secret Service and Homeland Security so that I can watch her every waddling move and butt scratch. I can monitor her all night in my sleep deprived stupor if the anxiety gets bad enough. Don't know how my husband is going to stand the glow of the large TV screen depicting equine boredom at it's finest towering over our bed..... but I am certain that it is a necessity and the guest bedroom is mighty comfy if he becomes desperate enough.

We are approximately four weeks out, and I am just now getting fencing contractors out to create the perfect foal safe paddock for Tokaj and her foal when he/she arrives. The temporary fencing that I put up that was supposed to buy a few weeks time until I could go out and install a proper fence for my horses.... has now been up for three years. The horses did so well in it that other projects took priority, but there is no messing around with foals and anything less than super safe fencing. I am lucky to have contractors do quite a bit of it, but the poly wire is all mine to install. Yuck. When I left Idaho some years ago, I promised myself that was the last fencing I would ever have to personally install, and yet here I am preparing to do it again. I love doing projects myself, as long as there is no deadline or pressure. This is big pressure. My (hopefully) dream foal is on the way!

I also need to spend some time researching more about attending a foaling mare, and what to do to keep the foal healthy. Oh don't get me wrong, I've done a lot of research and asking questions, but I haven't settled on what I want to do. My sources suggest slightly different things it seems. In all though, I am hoping all my fretting is not necessary. Tokaj's line of horses bred and foaled themselves in only slightly less than feral circumstances and they are all alive and well. Hopefully she inherited their hardiness and will drop the bundle and get on with it like it was a breeze. :)

If you are wondering what I am hoping for.... well I could tell you that I am just hoping for healthy... which is relatively true, but to be perfectly honest, I would love to have a colt just slightly more than I would like a filly. I have had wonderful mares in my past, but also some pretty silly ones. In fact, I have had a lot of mares. I am just wanting to balance out the picture and ride a gelding again. I was dreaming of a gray colt, but recently found out that even though gray is a very dominant color, that Wistar (the dad) throws nearly all bays, and has never thrown a gray, even on gray mares. So, if I get a colt or a filly it is likely to be bay. Genetically speaking, I could get a gray, bay, or black. All of the above sit quite well with me anyway.

Well, that's it for now. We are on heavy Hungarian watch. I will let you know as the date gets closer and I get more anxious......

P~

The Long Lost Blog Post

Hi. Sorry about the year long absence. Last April I was contacted by a law enforcement agency that my email had been compromised by someone wishing to do me and my family harm. I have not posted anything on the internet since. The online world can be very dangerous in that it can really help shield cowardly people who wish to spend their time harassing others anonymously. The person has been caught, and I am hoping that was the end of it. I have restricted myself from normal freedoms for long enough.

The Update

This year has been one of big changes and big plans. After the last posting in April of 2009, we had a giant rainstorm that took out 1/3 of my newly installed riding arena. My arena is small to begin with, so 33% of it being gone made training impossible. And honestly after all the work and investment, it took a bit of time to not feel defeated by the situation. That rainstorm happened in May of 2009 and we did not have much dry weather until a week or so in the Fall. My riding time really suffered.

In the Fall of 2009, I did go to a dressage show out of desperation for losing yet another entire show season. Tokaj got a few rides in our tiny demolished arena... went to the show to do Training 2 and Training 4 (move up? why not? :) The night before the show, there was a giant rainstorm that soaked the outdoor warm up ring.. and made the footing very slick and dangerous. No cantering in the warm up basically. It wasn't ideal, but everyone except the people who were regular boarders at the barn was affected the same. Tokaj ended up going into her classes and giving me the best dressage rides I have ever had on any horse in competition. She ended up scoring in the mid to upper 60% range and getting two second placings. I was very excited. We would have won our first class had I not had circles that were not the right size... and I put that down to practicing in my micro-arena.

After the show, I made a snap decision that I am happy I made, but can't believe how fast it happened. I decided to breed Tokaj. I had never been interested in breeding horses before. I have always wanted the experience of raising a foal, but there are so many nice horses out there and too many being bred without regard for the actual result. But, I had never had a mare as nice as Tokaj either. I truly feel it would be a shame to not have her pass on her wonderful ability and disposition. Aother aspect of my decision to breed her is that I was not sure I was finished creating my own family. I knew if we decided to try for another baby that it would put my riding off for a couple more years and Tokaj was already 10 years old. Not that she would be ancient or anything, but it is very hard to return the fitness and soundness of an older horse (or human for that matter) if they don't maintain the fitness level throughout aging. I couldn't help but wish that I had found Tokaj four years from now instead of wasting her prime when I was so busy!

So I decided to breed Tokaj in the early Spring of 2010, and I began researching stallions in the Fall of 2009. Tokaj is a Hungarian warmblood with an incredible history behind her bloodlines. In short, Tokaj's direct ancestors from the 1940's were taken from the Germans by U.S. Army General Patton during WWII and shipped to the U.S. to Ft. Riley, KS as the spoils of war, to improve the U.S. Cavalry mounts. Once the cavalry was decomissioned shortly after, the entire herd of Hungarians was purchased by a couple of cattle ranchers. One in Montana and one in Nebraska. Believe it or not, there is a herd of Hungarian warmbloods currently grazing the sandhills of Nebraska, owned by the son of one of the cattle ranchers who purchased them from the Army. Tokaj is directly from that herd. And she is the most incredible horse I have ever been around. If you wish to know more you can find out all about them and their wonderful history at: http://www.hungarianhorses.org/.

So as I began looking for a suitable stallion I wanted to look first within the Hungarian breed. I was not limiting myself to them, but hoped to find a suitable prospective sire. That led me to HS Wistar. Wistar also has a wonderful history dating back to WWII. Wistar's damline is a mare whose relations were shipped to the U.S. by a Hungarian countess who was fleeing the occupation of Hungary by the Germans in WWII. She brough a small herd of Hungarians to the U.S. about the same time that General Patton brought the others. She and the two cattle ranchers ended up meeting and helping to keep the Hungarians pure and without too much line breeding.

HS Wistar stood out due to his breeding and performance history. I believe Wistar is 14. He has been competing at grand prix dressage for a couple of years with his rider/trainer Jennifer Williams. Jennifer and Wistar have grown up practically together and last year were training with Steffan Peters. Wistar is a great horse. His most important features are that he is SOUND at 14 after a long career at high levels of dressage, lots of competing, and traveling. The other important feature is that he has a great disposition, work ethic, and mind. He is very athletic and throws athletic ability, temperament, and soundness to his foals. When looking for a stallion, I was hoping to match Tokaj's wonderful attributes, and I ended up going one step better. Breeding is always a gamble, but I would bet on this pairing any day.

So, I contacted Summervale Farm in Washingtong state to inquire about Wistar... and was told that he may not be available to breed early next Spring as he and Jennifer were going to train again in California with Steffan Peters, but... if I wanted to breed right then, in the Fall of '09, they would accomodate me. So snap decision made... I now have a pregnant Tokaj! She is due in September of 2010. It turned out to be a good thing that a had her bred last Fall, as Wistar and Jennifer have accepted a U.S. Dressage Foundation grant that will allow them to compete in Europe at grand prix. Wistar will be in Europe for much of this year.

The winter of '09 was brutal here. No riding took place as I don't have an indoor arena. I did fix my washed out outdoor for Spring riding. Now we have nice weather, and I am getting some riding done on Savannah. Savannah is a Paint, and she is 5 years old now and not at the training level of a 5 year old. I decided to ride her western. She has not matured to a point where her withers are level with her croup. I am not certain that she ever will level out. Dressage, and collection will be hard for her if she does not at least level out, so I am focusing on making her a nice riding horse for trails and family.

That's our update. I hope all of you are well too!

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~

Two Steps Forward, One and Three Quarters Steps Back!

Hello! I have been dreading blogging. This post is read by quite a few family and friends, and it keeps me honestly evaluating my progress, or lack thereof. Despite my best intentions to get my training underway, life intervenes! Am I not dedicated enough? Is that it? Is it that now is not the time? Perhaps in the Spring when mother nature is kinder and baby is older and on solid food? Will that be the perfect storm of circumstance that I am needing? Perhaps when I am 80 I can be the oldest eventer alive? ;)

The weather has turned bitter. It was 12 degrees without figuring the wind chill this morning. Snow lingers on the ground, and the footing of the arena is frozen solid. I was hoping the footing would somehow have just a bit of fluff on top so that I could ride, but that obviously was just some California Dreamin'.

A couple of setbacks have been suffered by the Second Chance Team. Firstly, we have lost our staunchest supporter... at least for the short term. My husband's work has been taking him away for weeks at a time, and therefore the morning riding has been a no-go as the baby needs supervision. Until his workload becomes more manageable and LOCAL, we will be searching for alternative ways to get the riding in. If that is at all possible.

The second setback has been what I call a Monster Cold that both my husband and I caught. I have never had a cold like this. On Thanksiving I started coming down with it and had 48 hours of fever and chills. No riding out in the cold (first snow at Thanksgiving too!) for me. I ended up wussing out and going to an Urgent Care clinic on Sunday because my husband was leaving for a week on Monday and I wasn't sure how I would do without his helping take care of the horse chores and the baby. I went through a whole course of antibiotics that week and had to call and get a different prescription so that something would help. Luckily the sweet baby has not caught the cold. I was envisioning us at Children's Mercy if he did.

The horses are utilizing their stalls and barn at night in this bitter cold. They are doing great as far as pasture/stall ornaments go.

And... we are back at square one. Is it kindest to myself to just lay off the ambition for the winter? Do I keep pushing and making myself crazy? It is times like these when I wish I were a Type B personality.

Until next time.
P~

Long Time.... No Post!

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted to my blog! I have been trying to ride at 0' dark-thirty in the mornings... and that, along with motherhood has definitely left me with little time and energy for posting updates! :)

Let me see... where to begin? Well, Miss Tokaj has had the dust groomed off her saddle patch and has been an absolute ANGEL for having been off work for many months. We are mainly working on both of our fitness levels. I have ventured into the jumping saddle too. Wow, that used to be my home! Now it feels so foreign. Did I really ride with that short of stirrup? I am definitely more comfortable in my dressage saddle. So, basically since eventing is 2/3 jumping, I will be doing far more time in the jumping saddle this winter. I am still hoping to attend some of the Fort Leavenworth Hunt Club outings this year, but need to get in much better condition for that. It is definitely not for the unfit or faint of spirit!

The arena is riding really well. The footing may be a tad deep in places, but I recently acquired a springtooth rake to redistribute some of the depth. It is holding up just great with the rainfall we have had. Now I am envisioning a course of really beautiful fences out there this Spring... of course "someone" (me and perhaps my husband with some bribes) needs to paint and build jumps first.

I have ridden Savannah some more. She is very unimpressed with the whole riding thing. She turns her head to the side, cocks an ear at me like, "What? Like this is a big deal? Sit there all you want!". She is looking more and more like she is going to make a great all around horse, and a future schoolmaster for my son! She is now learning to go forward, stop, turn, and back up. She is a lot of fun.

The bad news is that winter is rolling back in. Wasn't it just here a few weeks ago? I have had one morning of riding in the twenties. And this is only NOVEMBER. We will see how it goes. The time has changed and I am riding in the darkness... well, I have lights on the arena, but there are lots of shadows. It is not like stadium lighting by any means. It is somewhat disorienting to ride in the semi-darkness too. I am not complaining though. When I force myself out into the cold for a morning training session... the rest of the day goes much better. It is rather like exercise in that you hate to get up and do it, but when you do you feel a million bucks all day.

Happy Riding!
P~

My Office

They say a picture is worth a thousand words... so here are some photos:

The sand is finally here and the arena will be ready in a day or so! Is it Christmas already?

P~

Stutter Steps

Well, I did not get the start that I had anticipated in my last blog posting. The rain came in, and boy did it ever rain. I was out in the downpour with the tractor digging out the drains off of our driveway to the barn, and laying railroad ties with my super-patient husband to divert the rainwater from the arena. It sure was stressful trying to save the forward progress that we were making on the arena. Sand is due to arrive on Monday (although we have more reports of impending rain!!!!).

Needless to say, I did not get the start with Tokaj that I had hoped either. The grass became wet and slick, and with no sand on the arena... I had to quit working with her. So she is back to burning hay, and rolling in the mud. She's quite happy with that.

You will notice a new photo on my blog. The photo is of Savannah. She is my three year old half Thoroughbred Paint. I caught her up last weekend to trim her feet and groom her. I realized that the horses are growing their winter coats, and I decided to get photos before they do. I did not get Tokaj that day though. I hope to start Savannah under saddle this Fall.

One sad piece of news. I made the very difficult decision to have Bailey put to sleep. Bailey developed cataracts a year or so ago, and also had that lump which was strongly suspected to be bone cancer which was growing larger and in an inoperable location. Bailey started behaving strangely and I don't know whether it was his eyesight or other physical issues, but he was becoming so fearful that he would shy and bolt at anything, even people like me who he has known for years. The last deciding factor was my attempt to get Bailey into the barn before the storm hit. He shied while being haltered, as he has been a million times before, and he reared up and came down hitting me on the head and knocking me down. I thought he had broken my neck or at least compressed my vetrebra after I heard my neck pop. Thankfully, I only suffered some whiplash-like effects. If it had not been wet and slick out, and my feet had not come out from under me immediately... I think worse would have happened. It seemed in the best interest of everyone to make the decision. I felt sorry for Bailey having to live in such fear all the time. I have said it before; Horse ownership can be so heartbreaking.

P~

The Starting Line

Finally, I am starting the horses back into work. Tokaj has just finished her second day of Lunging for Fitness... which basically means that I am working her from the ground on a long line to get her muscles and cardio system more fit before I heft myself onto her unsuspecting back. :)

Tokaj came back into work with gusto. She bucked and played on the lunge and made me afraid that she would slip and fall on the dewy grass... but she is very agile and didn't have a mishap. She got herself all worked into a sweat before we really even got down to business and worked on communication, obedience, and transitions. By the time we were finished, she was ready for a treat and a bath.

This morning was Tokaj's second morning back, and it was rather like watching a weekend athlete get out for the second day after a day of playing weekend warrior. This morning Tokaj did exactly what was asked of her and no more! I think she was a bit stiff and sore. Kind of like me starting to work out. Tokaj looks pregnant. It is all the good food she gets, and no competition for it. I envisioned going to a clinic and having the clinician say..."Ummm...YOU recently had a baby... and Tokaj is GOING to have a baby right?" Sigh.

So, for those of you wondering... here is how the schedule is playing out: 5am... I get out of bed to feed the baby. 5:30am... out to the barn to work Tokaj and then feed horses since my husband can watch the baby until he has to go to work. 7:00am... back to being a mommy. 6pm or 7pm... out to the barn to work either Bailey or Savannah and feed for the evening. Dedication you say? Absolutely.

And no, the arena is not finished. I am guesstimating that it is about three weeks out, and so I am lunging the horses on the grass until then, so that by the time the arena is ready, the horses and I will be ready for under saddle work... in other words: RIDING!! YEAH!!

So the other area of work is my fitness level. If you've ever had to put on a pair of english riding breeches... you understand my pain. They are little better than spandex tights. They don't look so good on pregnant ladies or post partum ladies either (or really ANYONE except 12 year old girls... but I am trying to minimize the shock impact). So... during the afternoon when baby is napping, I get in a workout in our small gym. I have never been so sore. I used to be the Ab Queen (yes that is a self-designation!), but after the baby... I was apalled to find that I could not even do ONE full sit up. It was as if someone removed my abdominal muscle. Yikes. Dressage (the first phase of the Three Day Event competition) necessitates the use of your core muscles. I definitely need to find mine again. So I am embarking on a fitness regime that I used during my law enforcement days. It will kick my considerable assets into shape in no time. If you are curious you can check it out at http://www.crossfit.com/. However, if you embark on the challenge of completing the "Workout of the Day"... don't blame me if you are very sore or get injured. The workout is very hardcore, and although I love the results, you have to leave your ego at the door and go very VERY slowly at first.

Another great thing has happened that I have to share. I have been asked a few times lately about being a riding instructor again. (For those of you who don't know, a long long time ago, I used to teach riding and really liked it... but I wasn't making enough $ to support my other habits like horse collecting). So, rather than hang out a shingle here where no one knows me, I got in touch with the United States Eventing Association to discuss their Instructor Certification Program, and it turns out, that despite my long absence from teaching and competing, they still would welcome me into their workshops and later the assessments for certification. I am very excited to get back into teaching and to get closer to the USEA.

So I am busy. Happy busy. Hope you are too.
P~

The Long Walk

Suddenly progress is being made on the arena! The base is fully in, and there is a mountain of railroad ties wating to be installed as a border to keep the base and sand from migrating down the hill during Missouri rainstorms.. otherwise known as "gullywashers" to the local folk. The base looks really good and I am in the process of speeding along it's curing time. The base is made of crushed lime and when wet and then dried it compacts to the hardness of concrete... which is what you want in an arena base. So I am sprinkling it and planning on driving the tractor over it many times to speed compaction, and then let it dry in the heat we are suddenly having... hey, I'm not complaining after all of that rain. Summer is finally here... although I bet Fall is like two weeks away!

We are busy intalling the railroad tie border and once that is in... then I get the icing on the cake which is the sand that makes an arena so cushy to horse hoofs during exercises like jumping!!

The title of this blog entry is "The Long Walk" because I thought I would share my experience this weekend. My husband and I decided to get out of the house with the baby. We went to a local walking trail that is around a pretty lake. I had not really thought about how exactly out of shape I am until we attempted what would have been a short walk in my former life.... 2 miles or so. Well, I am sore, blistered, and tired from a short walk! Sigh. Guess I better get to working out. My arena sand will be here and I won't have the core strength to ride my wild beasts on it! Wish me luck.

P~

Slow Beginnings....

Just a short update.... I have finally gotten my hands on the horses for a significant amount of time (defined as: longer than the couple of seconds needed to push past them to put feed in their bins!). I had the horses' feet trimmed exactly 8 weeks prior to my son's due date. So, obviously I could not have the shoer out due to my inability to help him. Unfortunately I cannot boast about having horses that will stand tied while being trimmed or shod. They have been off work and not exercised since February and so they don't act as if they have manners anymore! I couldn't have my wonderful farrier, Russell getting hurt and refusing to come shoe for me. So I decided that after I had the baby, I would be in a better position to help Russell keep the horses in line.

Well, turns out that Russell is either very busy, or he is hiding from me and my unruly menagerie of horses. Hmmm. So, I decided to trim Savannah and Bailey myself. A lot of my horsey friends wonder why any horse lady would actually do farrier work (it is back breaking and somewhat dangerous if you are working on horses that are prone to naughtiness), but I have always felt that hoof care is such an essential part of horsemanship, that I wanted to know how to do it myself if I needed to for financial or other reasons such as if the farrier is in hiding until I can train my mob. Sigh. Special thanks to Danny, Jack, and David who mentored me. One of whom said, "Hey, that's a pretty good job... for a girl!"

Savannah was the first victim. She stood quietly in the crossties while being groomed, and then I trimmed her feet. It was painless and she was a very good girl...hmmm could they have missed me and now are on their best behavior?

Then came Bailey who I expected the most trouble from. Bailey decided that he too could be a good boy. Despite being a little snorty and spooky, he let me trim his overgrown hooves in record time. :) Now I REALLY want to start riding. I forgot what nice horses I have.

Tokaj is next, but I am hoping to coax Russell out to shoe her so that I can get going on some under saddle training and jumping with her.

Arena update: The arena is going to get some work done on it on Monday. Hopefully this will be the last week and all will be complete until the base cures and we need sand for riding!

Happy trails!
P~

Rain Rain Go Away!!!

Rain Rain go away, come again some other far far away day! So there is some WONDERFUL BIG news, and there is some bad news.

First, the WONDERFUL BIG news: I delivered a healthy, beautiful baby boy on July 5th (hence the absence from posting on this site). I am a mom, and still getting used to the title. I love love love my baby boy and am the happiest (and tiredest!) that I have been EVER. Life just keeps on getting better. My life as it is right now is what I have been waiting and hoping for, even during times when I wasn't sure I ever wanted to be married, or have a family. Now I can't imagine continuing down the path I was on prior to meeting my husband and my life changing for the better.

The bad news is on the horse front. The blasted RAIN just keeps on coming. The horses are sad looking drippy things that are probably growing fungus under their fly sheets (since I don't get out enough to check!!). The arena construction has been at a halt for over a month since the ground is unworkable when wet. I am now a month post-partum and ready to start a training program with my horses (lunging for fitness at the very least!)... and there is nowhere with safe, firm footing on which to get started! AHHHH! I did not realize when we moved to Missouri that we would be facing rain similar to Seattle's... after the long winter, now we are in the extended wet spring or something. Someone give me dry and arid for a few months... HELLO....global warming anyone??? Just kidding. Last year, after the 4th of July, it was so dry that the grass started turning brown... not so this year. I hope we don't go from constant rain all spring, summer, and fall and then right back into frozen winter!

The arena builder will be here on Monday to try and finish this project. I am hoping and praying for some dry weather for at least an entire week. It is supposed to be terribly hot and humid outside, which is bad for the contractors to work out in, but hopefully there will not be any more rain. I will just have to keep lots of ice cold water on hand to keep away any heat related illness for the poor guys working outside.

Well, the next focus for me, besides of course mommyhood, is to get back some physical fitness. The horses are likely to be quite wild when I start them back under saddle, and I can't be jiggling like a bowl full of jelly! So, when I get the Doctor's blessing, I am going to get into a fitness routine again. I will let you know how that goes. I am interested in seeing if pregnancy has changed my body enough for me to notice when I am riding. Right now though, I need to focus on losing some significant weight and riding is on hold until after the rain.

P~

The Sandbox

I don't need diamonds or pearls, or fancy clothes, or a sportscar.... someone please build me a giant sandbox! A sandbox that does not get sloppy or muddy in the rain, a sandbox with large enough dimensions to set up a course of jumps in, a sandbox that is not dusty, and one that will last for years.

There are some things in life that are truly worthwhile to spend money on. If you will love and use it year after year, then it might just be one of those things. I remember getting my first horse trailer and truck and feeling absolutely liberated. No more begging for a ride to a show or event, no more waiting on someone else's schedule to fit with mine. That is how I feel about having my own all weather riding arena. I don't have to pay to use someone else's all the time, and then feel like I need to make extra efforts to not be in their way when I am there. Now I can train colts and if they are naughty... there is no one to apologize to for ruining their ride. This is wonderful.

Big Big thanks to my wonderful husband, who was not a horseperson before meeting me, but who has put up with the trials and tribulations of horse care and continues to be of great encouragement. At this point, not only is he okay with turning a large piece of our property into a sandbox, but because I am four weeks away from delivering our first baby, he is even having to feed and water horses before and after work! Don't worry, I will be sure to find a way to thank him for all the joy he has brought to me. I don't know if I can ever repay him.... it means so much to me to be able to have the opportunities I have now, but I will definitely strive to make sure I do whatever I can. Big Thanks Honey!

The photos of my riding arena show the 6" lime base being put down over some geotextile fabric (aka polypropelene filter fabric). The filter fabric keeps mud from migrating up into the base layer. It will keep the base from breaking down or getting dusty. Another perk of filter fabric is that it distributes the weight of any vehicle, horse, or other load that travels across the surface and prevents low spots that can collect water. Also the fabric is water permeable so that it allows the base to drain. It is wonderful stuff. My excavator and arena builder had never heard of it and was quite skeptical about using it. After much research into arena building in rainy/muddy states, I insisted and found a supplier. Last night after 3/4 of the arena base was put down it rained hard for two hours. We got two inches of rain. The driveway where we did not lay filter fabric under the road base was wet and squishy. The arena base could be walked on without making more than a 1/2 inch footprint... if that. Now the builder wants all the information on how to get filter fabric for other jobs. :)

Well, that's the update. The horses are fat. Tokaj has a big belly that is reminiscent of mine. Bailey and Savannah are doing great and loving being outside more now that it is warm and sunny most of the time.

P~

Horsemanship?

Horsemanship: For those of you unfamiliar with what the term means to me, I am going to explain it. Horsemanship is not only riding. It is not winning at competitions. Horsemanship is the overall goal of partnering with a horse, caring for it properly including feeding, thoughtful methodic training, grooming, shoeing or trimming, providing proper shelter, exercise, and training along with veterinary care. Competing and winning is not horsemanship. Competing and winning MIGHT be the culmination of very thoughtful horsemanship... or it might be the unfortunate result of pushing a horse too far too fast and just being lucky enough to not break the animal down in confidence, training, or health.

Horsemanship has returned to my thoughts recently. As you know, I am attempting a return to competitive eventing once I have the baby and get my horses going on a comprehensive training program (likely to start this Fall). In preparation for that time, I have been following competitive eventing through my membership in the United States Eventing Association (USEA). The USEA has a website devoted to eventing. I encourage you, if you are interested, to check out their website at www.useventing.com.

The USEA has recently begun to contemplate the safety of the cross country phase of Eventing. In recent months, at several different events, riders have been critically injured, and horses both injured and killed during the cross country phase. Cross country, and to be fair, riding in general carries with it some risk. But, in past years... when I was initially involved in the sport, the injuries and fatalities were absolutely not occurring in the numbers that they are today.

The USEA is holding a safety convention in Kentucky in early June (which I will miss due to the impending birth of my baby) but they have asked the members who cannot attend to send suggestions for making our sport safer. I have drafted and sent the letter that I will attach to this long-winded blog post for you to read if you are interested.

In contemplating safety and the reasons that our noble horses are having a harder time safely negotiating cross country courses... I have been considering that perhaps we have forgotten some aspect of our horsemanship?

This past weekend I attended a clinic that was taught by an upper level event rider and I witnessed some actions taken by riders and the clinician that greatly disturbed me in terms of horsemanship. The question we need to be asking ourselves is whether or not our horses are being trained competently and systematically to succeeed at the level we are asking them to compete?

Upon arrival at the venue of the clinic I immediately picked out a gorgeous gelding to watch (I will nickname him Mr. Mischief). He was a very high quality animal and was being ridden by a young lady who was obviously a fine rider. Before the clinic started, the rider put the gelding on the lunge line to warm up.

A thoughtful warm up for a young horse who is full of steam like Mr. Mischief is to put them on a lunge line (rope) that is about 25 feet long, with no rein/bit pressure, and ask them to alternately walk, trot, and canter in a 50 foot circle around you. Once Mr. Mischief was finished blowing off some steam and was ready to get down to work, then side reins could be attached which ask the horse to come onto the bit more, stretch the critical muscles in his back (which are now warm), and to get down to work. The generous 50' circle is used because it is hard for horses to balance on smaller circles, especially young horses, and requires more athleticism.

Unfortunately, Mr. Mischief's rider, put him immediately in side reins on an approximate 25 foot circle which is like warming up for a long run by sprinting madly about. The warm up for a horse is as much about his mental and emotional state as it is about the physical. Mr. Mischief was not allowed any gradual warm up. He seemed stressed and anxious and never relaxed or warmed into good work. By the time Mr. Mischief's rider mounted, he had a full head of steam! Mr. Mischief's rider tried to settle him by riding him, but Mr. Mischief was having none of it. He was determined to gallop away with her at the least provocation.

I was interested to see how Upper Level Clinician, was going to address Mr. Mischief and his rider. I have been to several clinics over time and was used to the warm up for jumping consisting of some work on the flat to test a horse and rider's communication, and then jump over a super easy single fence a few times to get the horse into the midset that now we are jumping... and also to warm up his jumping muscles which are used in a different way than while working on the flat. Clinician did not do much flatwork at all with Mr. Mischief before jumping. She asked Mr. Mischief's rider to canter him and then hand gallop him (fast work)... she ignored that he was pulling like a train on the reins to run away with his rider and was improving minimally if at all by the end of this 'warm up'.

Clinician then set up a technical question consisting of a rail on the ground to be approached in canter off a hard turn, two short strides to an airy oxer (a jump with width). Mr. Mischief wanted to fly through the sequence. He got in wrong several times to the oxer and was becoming more upset rather than calming into his work. He was then asked to jump the aforementioned sequence... and add an airy vertical two short strides from the oxer. Mr. Mischief would hit the ground after the first jump and madly scrabble to the second. It was getting more and more dangerous and the horse was losing his confidence. Then Miss Clinician set up a third fence on a bending line. The sequence was now, tight turn, to a ground pole, two short strides to an oxer, two short strides to an airy vertical then a bending line to another airy vertical. Mr. Mischief and his rider were barely making it through two fences without crashing, and now they were going for a third. Well, Mr. Mischief finally had the melt down that he was threatening to have since his poorly planned warm up on the lunge line. He galloped down to the third fence and then stopped and whirled. His rider was catapulted to the ground. It could have been very bad. It seemed so unnecessary. Both horse and rider had their confidence shaken after paying several hundred dollars to be taught by the Clinician.

In my past, many times, as I am sure most honest riders will say, I have shortcut the warm up, or a necessary training step in order to push to a competition or other goal too soon. I am not saying that Mr. Mischief and his rider are bad simply because they did this (although I am disappointed that Upper Level Clinician did not identify and address the issues). I am saying that this incident at the clinic, along with the real consequences being experienced on cross country courses in upper level eventing, have served to remind me that when I embark on my second chance at a competitive career in eventing, that the thing that I should stake my life, and my horses lives on... is good horsemanship... not simply praying for a one-time blue ribbon ride. My pride needs to come from my daily thoughtful approach to my horse's well-being first, and any competition successes will be further down my line of equestrian priorities.

P~



Dear Karen and USEA Officials considering the safety of Cross Country as it currently stands in our sport:

I wanted to write because I will be unable to attend the safety summit in June due to my baby being due shortly thereafter. My opinion may not be as informed or matter as much as those folks who have dedicated their lives to eventing and I expect and rely on those folks to lead us in a healthier direction. However, I did want to have my tiny say so that I felt like a contributor rather than solely a critic.

I am a returning adult rider who was a very "gutsy" (my trainer's words) jumper as a young rider who had time to dedicate to my riding. I would jump anything. I left the competitive equestrian world as so many young riders do, because of a lack of resources, including the time and money, that would lead me to the lofty goals I had been wishing to attain. I am now at a point in my life that I can once again enjoy the sport, but perhaps I will be more timid (and perhaps not...), and perhaps I will not have such lofty goals as I am now embarking simultaneously upon the task of raising a child. When I left competitive eventing 10+ years ago, there were safety concerns, such as table fences being too square, but it did not seem like there were nearly the accidents that are happening now. Also, the long format Three Day Event was still in operation.

When I was eventing before, when I was younger, I was concerned that the new safety regulations would "dumb down" the cross country that I so loved, so that the sport would largely revolved around the dressage score. When Eventing adopted the short format, I again thought that the change was going to benefit the dressage horse type. This was a type of horse that I could not afford. There are no track rejects that are also fancy warmbloods. I felt the sport was going very elite and leaving me behind as competitive dressage and showjumping already had.

I am very surprised, upon returning to the sport, that the changes in cross country have in effect created a situation that may be too dangerous. What I offer is a viewpoint, not of someone who has been so involved in the sport that they might miss the change due to gradually implemented rules, but the viewpoint of someone who has left for a while and returned to be very surprised by what I am seeing. It is rather like someone not seeing another person for years and expecting them to look the same... and being shocked at their age or other appearance issue that gradually happened over time.

I know that Eventing's short format was implemented for the safety of the horse, but it seems as if eventers wanted to toughen the course so that it would also weed out those not elite enough to be competing at that level since the horse would not be tested as an endurance animal. This is not a bad goal... but unfortunately the changes at the top end of the sport also trickle down to the lower levels because that is where you will find the young horses and riders who are preparing for those upper level divisions. As a young rider, I would not have wanted my Training level course to be so different from Prelim, or Prelim so different from Intermediate and so on, that I was climbing a ladder and getting stuck at a rung that was missing. The effort to keep cross country relevant in the outcome of short format Eventing has resulted in higher technicality, and more crazy questions (if you will excuse the term). By crazy, I mean jumping a carved duck to a bounce over a boat etc. To a human, these are cute and artsy and fun to look at. To a horse, they don't make the least bit of sense. Cross country is not showjumping.

In showjumping the horse is trained to expect the arena to be full of crazy jumps. They are desensitized through good training. However, they have some things in their favor that cross country jumpers do not... for example, they are in a contained area that changes very little venue to venue as compared to various cross country courses. They can usually expect flat, and good footing. And they are expert at jumping off of bends and turns by the time they are at the upper levels. This then requires the cute, and artsy crazy fences to help determine the best showjumper.

Cross country horses have to adapt to footing changes even within a course. They don't get to see the course ahead of time so they don't know for sure that there could be a fence off this blind bending line as a good arena horse will. They get distracted by sights that they may have never seen before. I recall jumping at Ram Tap in Fresno, CA when the train went roaring by. Showjumpers do not have to deal with that. Why then, are we making our cross country courses caricatures of showjumping courses? The horses seem overwhelmed with all that we expect of them. I don't think riders have fallen in their skill levels. I think we have missed what it is that MAKES a cross country horse such a special animal.

Eventing evolved from a military/cavalry foundation. The horses it rewarded were tough, agile, smart, willing, and loved their jobs. This is the type of horse that I want to ride and compete today. And the cross country courses, like dressage tests, at each level should challenge AND TEACH… not destroy our noble partners.

My vote would be to take a long, hard look at the evolution of our current cross country course design, and take a look at years past where the accidents and fatalities were lower, and try to get us back to tests that are reasonable challenges for our wonderful horses.

Thank you,
P~

Spring Update

Spring has begun... I think.... here in the Kansas City area. We are supposed to get some low temps in the 30s a night or two this week though.

The horses are doing great. Here is an update on each one. I will take some nice photos one of these days after they have fully shed their winter coats. The weather has been making it difficult for them to get into their sleek and shiny skivvies for the summer!

TOKAJ

Miss Tokaj is still queen of the Second Chance Team. She is quite a character. She goes from being an aloof princess, to being in-your-pocket depending upon her mood of the day. She rules the horse pasture and eats more than the other horses, and makes sure the tastiest morsels are hers. Tokaj and I had to have some serious discussions recently about her ground manners, and not charging through stall doorways in an effort to get to the feed bin. Now we enter the stall in a step-halt, step-halt fashion. She is a quick study once she understands that there will be no discussion about why she can't just trample me on the way to the feed! :)

This winter with all of the mud, I had been putting Tokaj's tail in a sock to keep from losing the few hairs she had left and it seems to have paid off. She is no longer wearing her sock as the flies are coming out and with all of the swishing... she was forming a dreadlock. But with the tail out and brushed, I realized that we have gained a thicker and longer, pretty silvery white tail! I hope it survives the summer and that we can show it off at a clinic or competition in late Fall or next year.

BAILEY

Mr. Bailey is doing better than expected with his jaw mass. The mass has not enlarged save for a cone shaped place where the bone biopsy irritated the mass. Bailey is gaining weight (always an issue for him... I call him my anorexic horse) and is looking quite nice. I can't wait to start riding him again and especially to start him over fences when I have some nice and consistent sand arena footing to work on.

Bailey's tail was also in a sock this winter. He has the thinnest tail of the three horses. He gained some length in his tail... but maybe only three or four extra hairs thickness! Sigh. Oh well, rat tail or not... it won't matter on cross country! :)

SAVANNAH

Miss Savannah has been the biggest surprise of all! She is finally growing up into a nice horse! I wasn't so sure Savannah was going to be proportioned very well once she entered maturity, but the last couple of months have proven me wrong. Horses grow height in their hind end and then catch up with the front... well, I have never seen a young horse that was as lopsided as Savannah! She was nearly a full hand (4") different from front to back! Now she is leveling out and as a consequence it seems her neck is shaping up as well and it appears more in proportion and longer. Another surprising aspect of her development is that she seems to be losing her short and walk and trot strides (which would really hamper her development as a dressage horse or in the dressage phase of eventing). She is overtracking at the walk, and tracking up at the trot!! Who'da thought?

Also, it seems like Savannah is wanting to be my cross country horse! When Tokaj and Bailey go around a fallen log or creek to get to the other side... Savannah is perfectly happy to jump it! Although Savannah is the shortest of the three horses... I think she is only going to mature to 15.2 hands... which is 62 inches at the withers where her neck intersects with her back... I think she might be a lot of fun to try over fences!

Savannah also has some appearance points in her favor... besides her flashy spots and her one blue and one brown eye... she has a full and ever so lovely tail!! It nearly reaches the ground and is just a beautiful glossy black, with two white stripes at the very top.

Last thing about Miss Savannah... she appears to be a houdini when it comes to getting out of her shoes. I had Savannah shod in the front two weeks ago because she has thin soled Thoroughbred feet and she was getting sore. It's been two weeks since Savannah got her shiny new shoes, and she has lost them both!! My shoer and I will have to think up some sneaky options like perhaps squaring her hind toes and rolling her front toes so that she does not step on her front shoe with her hind foot and pull it off. :)

THE ARENA

The arena work is at a standstill. We have gotten some really hard rains and so far no heavy equipment can be driven onto our very soft arena location. I had hoped to have the arena base in by now so that it would have plenty of time to cure before Fall... but again, I am having to learn patience.

ME

I am huge. Pregnant and huge. The horses have been lovely to me. I lead them into and out of the barn each day to and from their pasture and they are happily walking slower and slower, and are happy to take breaks to grab some grass while I catch my breath before continuing on. It isn't that far to the barn... but for someone with lungs being squeezed by a big baby... it is! :) Otherwise... no complaints! I am happy Spring is here!

Till next time,
P~