Just a quick word to say I haven't died. Yankee hasn't died.....but my internet had. I didn't have it for over a week and posting from my phone is a bitch. Which I'm doing now...
Nothing much fun happened since May 23 but a few interesting things did, and I shall be posting soon when I return to Columbia!
After reading a backlog of like 10 posts per blogger, it seems that May was the month of broken ponies in the blogsphere :(
Hopefully everyones ponehs will be on the mend!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
I Can't Even
I can't even think of a title for this post. Absolute fuckery? Of course this happens to me? I might the universes worst horse owner? Wherein I dump all my hard earned money on horse related expenses? Why do I never have GOOD luck? Wherein I almost faint? All those titles are acceptable.
The vet came.
Before I explain the ratchet fuckery that was this mornings vet appointment I would like to make a disclaimer: Shit happens and people make mistakes.
So remember LAST WINTER when Yankee got some weird fungus, his tailbone got infected and all his tail hair fell out? Yeah. Well apparently it never healed all the way and has been festering/growing/something since then and I NEVER NOTICED. How is that possible??? I obsess over that tail. Longtime followers know. They know the pain that was my horses' gorgeous thick tail losing half its volume.
WHen the fungus healed up, it "calloused" as the vet liked to say. The bone thickened at the end, almost like scar tissue. However, verrrrrrrrrry slowly it grew. Which I didn't notice because of how painfully slow it was growing.
Until it started producing copious amounts of pus. Noticed that approx 6 days ago when I went to give his tail its weekly bath. I searched for a wound and couldnt really find one so I washed it with scrub, put fly pintment on it and let it be. There was a lot of hair surrounding it. I kept checking on it until two days ago when it starting bleeding profusely. I chopped a shitload of his tailhair off (Yes, I cried) to further investigate and I almost fainted when I cut all the hair away and the tip of his tail came apart. Yes literally CAME APART from the rest of his tailbone. Apparently the "growth" was beginning to fall off and I never noticed because it was still fused to the tailbone and looked normal until a week ago.
IMMEDIATELY DIAL VET FRANTICALLY.
I think I laid awake for two nights fretting, worrying and telling myself I was quite possibly THE WORST owner in history.
Luckily the vet reassured me I was not and I did the right thing to call. I also told him that I felt bad for not calling last week when it was just pussing a little and he reassured me again that even if I had called then, the result would have been the same.
Remove the bottom 3 inches of his tail head. WHAT.
SO I got to see that ans almost fainted again, mixed with horrendous feelings of guilt, shame and hearing my bank account going cha-ching! cha-ching! OF COURSE I was exceptionally worried for my horse but he never felt it and up until last night his tail NEVER bothered him.
Hearing your horses' tail get chopped off is a sickening sound and I practically burst into tears in guilt, feeling like I did my horse a disservice by not noticing. How much more thoroughly could I have checked his tailbone? I obsessively did. I guess I'm just a dumb ass and he had to pay for it.
So, sedative, farm call, minor surgery, extraction, medications and a biopsy later I can't even imagien what the total for my idiocy will be.
I know for a fact I won't be able to pay the vet in full for the bill, but they at least accept payments but I feel better knowing I did the right thing for my horse. I might be a little harsh on myself but I feel horrible- I feel liek I should've noticed my horses' god damn tail falling apart. He seems no worse for the wear though and I left him happily munching hay.
I'm going to hide under my covers in shame though for a week or 5.
The vet came.
Before I explain the ratchet fuckery that was this mornings vet appointment I would like to make a disclaimer: Shit happens and people make mistakes.
So remember LAST WINTER when Yankee got some weird fungus, his tailbone got infected and all his tail hair fell out? Yeah. Well apparently it never healed all the way and has been festering/growing/something since then and I NEVER NOTICED. How is that possible??? I obsess over that tail. Longtime followers know. They know the pain that was my horses' gorgeous thick tail losing half its volume.
WHen the fungus healed up, it "calloused" as the vet liked to say. The bone thickened at the end, almost like scar tissue. However, verrrrrrrrrry slowly it grew. Which I didn't notice because of how painfully slow it was growing.
Until it started producing copious amounts of pus. Noticed that approx 6 days ago when I went to give his tail its weekly bath. I searched for a wound and couldnt really find one so I washed it with scrub, put fly pintment on it and let it be. There was a lot of hair surrounding it. I kept checking on it until two days ago when it starting bleeding profusely. I chopped a shitload of his tailhair off (Yes, I cried) to further investigate and I almost fainted when I cut all the hair away and the tip of his tail came apart. Yes literally CAME APART from the rest of his tailbone. Apparently the "growth" was beginning to fall off and I never noticed because it was still fused to the tailbone and looked normal until a week ago.
IMMEDIATELY DIAL VET FRANTICALLY.
I think I laid awake for two nights fretting, worrying and telling myself I was quite possibly THE WORST owner in history.
Luckily the vet reassured me I was not and I did the right thing to call. I also told him that I felt bad for not calling last week when it was just pussing a little and he reassured me again that even if I had called then, the result would have been the same.
Remove the bottom 3 inches of his tail head. WHAT.
SO I got to see that ans almost fainted again, mixed with horrendous feelings of guilt, shame and hearing my bank account going cha-ching! cha-ching! OF COURSE I was exceptionally worried for my horse but he never felt it and up until last night his tail NEVER bothered him.
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| I spared you guys pictures of the actual tailbone |
So, sedative, farm call, minor surgery, extraction, medications and a biopsy later I can't even imagien what the total for my idiocy will be.
I know for a fact I won't be able to pay the vet in full for the bill, but they at least accept payments but I feel better knowing I did the right thing for my horse. I might be a little harsh on myself but I feel horrible- I feel liek I should've noticed my horses' god damn tail falling apart. He seems no worse for the wear though and I left him happily munching hay.
I'm going to hide under my covers in shame though for a week or 5.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Trail Rides
A couple days ago the girls and I hauled (not with my truck) to Three Creeks trails to celebrate spring. It was GORGEOUS 65 degrees, perfect for a ride. I was actually a little chilly. I think thats the only time I rode that week though and I haven't ridden since.
I paid dearly for our fun though, and the very next day I came down with a raging death fever and haven't felt very good since then. You ask, "you seem like youre always sick?" Why yes. Yes I am. Thanks to an immunity disorder (not life threatening, don't worry), I spent my childhood with a fever, and my teenage years with a persistent cold. Then in college I pretty much had the flu every month, and now I basically live feeling like death everyday. Like, literally everyday. So thanks to that in ADDITION to allergies, its really hard to get out of bed everyday. More than usual. Ugh. So that sucks.
Anyways, here are some boring pictures of us galavanting in the pretty death flowers and frolicking in the water. Yanks had a good time with his buddies.
I paid dearly for our fun though, and the very next day I came down with a raging death fever and haven't felt very good since then. You ask, "you seem like youre always sick?" Why yes. Yes I am. Thanks to an immunity disorder (not life threatening, don't worry), I spent my childhood with a fever, and my teenage years with a persistent cold. Then in college I pretty much had the flu every month, and now I basically live feeling like death everyday. Like, literally everyday. So thanks to that in ADDITION to allergies, its really hard to get out of bed everyday. More than usual. Ugh. So that sucks.
Anyways, here are some boring pictures of us galavanting in the pretty death flowers and frolicking in the water. Yanks had a good time with his buddies.
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| Bitch, I'm fabulous |
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| The paints :( Fancy LOVED the water |
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| Currently my new fav pic of the boy and me |
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| Love that crazy mane |
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| That tail doh>>>> |
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Easier Muttered Than Completed
Well.
I might be 10% over my meltdown last week. I almost am over losing my entry fee for Mill Creek. I'm 100% over wanting to quit riding. More or less in part to ALL of my horse peeps. Which includes the virtually connected ones. I appreciate the kind and encouraging words. I know its difficult to tolerate whiny tantrums, but I was being almost 47% serious about quitting all together. I didn't ride for almost 2 weeks. Jackie jumped him once and I lunged but mostly I just laid around when I wasnt working.
I had to think REALLY hard for about a week if this is really what I wanted to do. I barely slept most of that time, but in the end, I just cant throw away my whole life. I've been riding most of it and I consider it the most important part of my life. So what would I do if I quit? Most likely go out to bars more. And then I'd most likely become an alcoholic. And that wouldn't be good. SO there's that revelation. And what would I do with all my tack? I thought about the LITERAL thousands of dollas I've spent on it and I just could not force myself to put it up for sale. I just couldnt. I'm a tack whore and I actually have fond feelings for my gear. They're like...weird pets. Pets? Either way, I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. I started thinkign baotu all the horses who've worn my saddles, and all the fantastic times I've had in them. All the blue ribbons won, all the river swims, all the field gallops, all the courses jumped, all the falls fallen, all the transitions taken, all the trail rides...and I just couldn't get ride of it all.
What really hit me the hardest were jackies words-
"You need to suck it up. You're being a baby. You KNOW you couldn't not jump a jump again. You just need to remember what it feels like to have fun, why you love riding. You need to go gallop your horse and let the wind whip in your hair and the tears streak your face from how fast you're flying. Then you'll remember"
She knows me best.
I also spent several evenings just staring at my horse. In the pasture. In his stall. Watching his cute little face. His tail flip off flies. His eager looks when I bring grain or put him out on grass. There's NO WAY I could get rid of that. I listed him for lease for all of 45 minutes before I canceled the ad. I just couldn't. I was being stupid.
So I reevaluted. I can't show this year. OK. Get over it. I can do MAYBE a few local shows if I can get rides, sicne theyre cheaper, but no eventing. So that blows. But. I still have a sound, perfect, beautiful horse to enjoy. And lots of trails. And jumps to jump.
So I need something. I'v enever been good at setting goals without shows, since winning is everything to me. I can't explain it to you guys, but I'm HELLAS competitive and I just want to win. Second just isn't good enough. I was pissed at my first dressage show because I got a 68% and that put me in second. Most people would kill for that. I was not happy. Not happy at all. I have to change. I have to find why riding is fun, even without shows. Lots of people do it.
So I'm going to try to set mini goals. Nail those transitions. School those leg yeilds. Finally teach Yanks flying changes. tackle the problematic vertical fences. Mini goals.
A lot easier said than done though. I lose motivation to ride wihtout shows. I rode twice in the past two weeks. It will be even harder in the summer when its a thousand degrees outside. But its ok. I still get to pet my horse and watch his funny faces. And I love that.
I might be 10% over my meltdown last week. I almost am over losing my entry fee for Mill Creek. I'm 100% over wanting to quit riding. More or less in part to ALL of my horse peeps. Which includes the virtually connected ones. I appreciate the kind and encouraging words. I know its difficult to tolerate whiny tantrums, but I was being almost 47% serious about quitting all together. I didn't ride for almost 2 weeks. Jackie jumped him once and I lunged but mostly I just laid around when I wasnt working.
I had to think REALLY hard for about a week if this is really what I wanted to do. I barely slept most of that time, but in the end, I just cant throw away my whole life. I've been riding most of it and I consider it the most important part of my life. So what would I do if I quit? Most likely go out to bars more. And then I'd most likely become an alcoholic. And that wouldn't be good. SO there's that revelation. And what would I do with all my tack? I thought about the LITERAL thousands of dollas I've spent on it and I just could not force myself to put it up for sale. I just couldnt. I'm a tack whore and I actually have fond feelings for my gear. They're like...weird pets. Pets? Either way, I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. I started thinkign baotu all the horses who've worn my saddles, and all the fantastic times I've had in them. All the blue ribbons won, all the river swims, all the field gallops, all the courses jumped, all the falls fallen, all the transitions taken, all the trail rides...and I just couldn't get ride of it all.
What really hit me the hardest were jackies words-
"You need to suck it up. You're being a baby. You KNOW you couldn't not jump a jump again. You just need to remember what it feels like to have fun, why you love riding. You need to go gallop your horse and let the wind whip in your hair and the tears streak your face from how fast you're flying. Then you'll remember"
She knows me best.
I also spent several evenings just staring at my horse. In the pasture. In his stall. Watching his cute little face. His tail flip off flies. His eager looks when I bring grain or put him out on grass. There's NO WAY I could get rid of that. I listed him for lease for all of 45 minutes before I canceled the ad. I just couldn't. I was being stupid.
So I reevaluted. I can't show this year. OK. Get over it. I can do MAYBE a few local shows if I can get rides, sicne theyre cheaper, but no eventing. So that blows. But. I still have a sound, perfect, beautiful horse to enjoy. And lots of trails. And jumps to jump.
So I need something. I'v enever been good at setting goals without shows, since winning is everything to me. I can't explain it to you guys, but I'm HELLAS competitive and I just want to win. Second just isn't good enough. I was pissed at my first dressage show because I got a 68% and that put me in second. Most people would kill for that. I was not happy. Not happy at all. I have to change. I have to find why riding is fun, even without shows. Lots of people do it.
So I'm going to try to set mini goals. Nail those transitions. School those leg yeilds. Finally teach Yanks flying changes. tackle the problematic vertical fences. Mini goals.
A lot easier said than done though. I lose motivation to ride wihtout shows. I rode twice in the past two weeks. It will be even harder in the summer when its a thousand degrees outside. But its ok. I still get to pet my horse and watch his funny faces. And I love that.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
White Flag
I know I haven't posted in over a week. Thats because nothing good has happened. Of course, because everything was going so well finally.
I shouldv'e seen it coming. I won't go into the major boring details, but my emergency $ fund is depleted, and my truck is broken down. Monica has no money/truck, Monica doesn't get to go to Mill Creek next week.
I know, you guys are all thinking, "Just find a ride!" Yeah. As if it were that easy. Mid-Missouri is the butthole of equestrianism and there are MAYBE 6 eventers in a 50 mile radius. Maybe. All of them have full trailers, can't contact, or aren't going to Mill Creek. Even if I could hitch a ride with someone from STL coming through town, I don't have a stall to stay on grounds because I was going to stay with a friend and trailer back and forth. I also have zero dollars to pay a hauling fee or gas, or a stall now and doubt I can make it up in a week and a half with bills due (thats a whole 'nother story. Mostly, life is trying to kick my ass).
Basically a clusterfuck.
Bye $300 entry fee. Bye $200 I spent on schooling. Bye all the other $ I spend on riding.
In addition to allergies I never knew I had, I've been feeling like dog shit about the whole thing and ridden once this week. Once.
I find it pointless to ride. Even if I were going, it'd most likely be the only one I get to do this year (thanks to my emergency fund being wiped out) per usual the last three years. We would prolly get last place again, per usual. I just don't want to do it anymore. I'm SICK of working my ass off to pay show fees. SICK of having a sub par horse who will never win anything, no matter how much I love him or work with him. SICK of living paycheck to paycheck despite having a college degree. SICK of trying and not getting anywhere. I'm almost 23 and never gotten past prelim. There are peopel at Rolex younger than me.
I've tried for 17 years and I haven't gotten anywhere.
I know. I'm being a baby. Ya'll are gonna lecture me about how I have a great horse, how I have more than most people could dream of etc etc, but to me, its not enough. I've always been competitive and getting to the upper levels has been my dream my entire life. Thousands of dollars of MY MONEY, my hard earned money, wasted on mediocre talent. I know I know, "awww poor Monica, Can't go to the fancy expensive horse show with her big horse because her truck broke down", first world probs to the max. I get it. I'm being ridiculous. But have you ever wanted something so badly you would do anything? Well. I've done all the things...and its gotten me nowhere.
But to me its not enough anymore. I'm not happy struggling my way to mediocrity.
Almost everything seemed to crash around me last weekend and I think its a sign. I just need to stop trying. Its never gonna happen.
I shouldv'e seen it coming. I won't go into the major boring details, but my emergency $ fund is depleted, and my truck is broken down. Monica has no money/truck, Monica doesn't get to go to Mill Creek next week.
I know, you guys are all thinking, "Just find a ride!" Yeah. As if it were that easy. Mid-Missouri is the butthole of equestrianism and there are MAYBE 6 eventers in a 50 mile radius. Maybe. All of them have full trailers, can't contact, or aren't going to Mill Creek. Even if I could hitch a ride with someone from STL coming through town, I don't have a stall to stay on grounds because I was going to stay with a friend and trailer back and forth. I also have zero dollars to pay a hauling fee or gas, or a stall now and doubt I can make it up in a week and a half with bills due (thats a whole 'nother story. Mostly, life is trying to kick my ass).
Basically a clusterfuck.
Bye $300 entry fee. Bye $200 I spent on schooling. Bye all the other $ I spend on riding.
In addition to allergies I never knew I had, I've been feeling like dog shit about the whole thing and ridden once this week. Once.
I find it pointless to ride. Even if I were going, it'd most likely be the only one I get to do this year (thanks to my emergency fund being wiped out) per usual the last three years. We would prolly get last place again, per usual. I just don't want to do it anymore. I'm SICK of working my ass off to pay show fees. SICK of having a sub par horse who will never win anything, no matter how much I love him or work with him. SICK of living paycheck to paycheck despite having a college degree. SICK of trying and not getting anywhere. I'm almost 23 and never gotten past prelim. There are peopel at Rolex younger than me.
I've tried for 17 years and I haven't gotten anywhere.
I know. I'm being a baby. Ya'll are gonna lecture me about how I have a great horse, how I have more than most people could dream of etc etc, but to me, its not enough. I've always been competitive and getting to the upper levels has been my dream my entire life. Thousands of dollars of MY MONEY, my hard earned money, wasted on mediocre talent. I know I know, "awww poor Monica, Can't go to the fancy expensive horse show with her big horse because her truck broke down", first world probs to the max. I get it. I'm being ridiculous. But have you ever wanted something so badly you would do anything? Well. I've done all the things...and its gotten me nowhere.
But to me its not enough anymore. I'm not happy struggling my way to mediocrity.
Almost everything seemed to crash around me last weekend and I think its a sign. I just need to stop trying. Its never gonna happen.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Half a 5th Leg
...wherein I fuck up repeatedly and Yankee acts like its nbd and keeps up the badassery...most of the time.
XC schooling was well worth the 4 hour round trip and $145 I shelled out in fees, gas and caffeine. And my bestie, Jackie and her mare mare, Isis came, as well as our wonderful photographer, B. Quite worth it indeed.
Considering we will be jumping each fence at the event in two weeks that we tackled on Sunday, I am feeling a little more confidant that we won't have a refusal...if I can keep my shit together. Most of Sunday went well, unless you count the wonky barrel line and that damn bank down into water to the pesky bank up/ one stride/ log element. More on that latro.
Most eventers would give their left tit to have a solid XC horse that will pick up the slack when we get tired or royally screw up. AKA, a horse with a fifth leg. I am blessed to have one with half a fifth leg. Why half? He eventually gets tired of my shit and flat out refuses. I deserve it.. *Most* of the time hes like, "oh you arent really sitting back and focused, its fine mom, I got this" but sometimes Yankee is just like, "No. NO thanks. I don't really feel like it since you aren't pulling your weight around here, mother". I appreciate him doing more than his part and I love him for it. He really puts up with quite a bit.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Sunday dawned WAY too early. Jackie and I both had about 4-5 hours of sleep thanks to our pesky jobs. Damn that money. I hate it. JK I LOVE IT LOL. We loaded up and drove to Kansas, chattering about the day ahead, horses, shows, boys and bitching about dumbasses at work. Once we arrived, we let the horses graze for about half an hour, then slowly booted up, screwed in studs and tacked up. There were literally a million people there and of course we all want to ride as soon as we get there, so it was kind of a clusterF.
We also spent a MAJOR amount of time swooning over our new Dalmar XC boots (see front legs. I also have sports wrap underneath for support). Like seriously....best $92 I ever spent. I can't even. We are too legit now. Euro pad, 5 point AND dalmar?? Kill me now, cuz I would die happy
We started out low and slow, letting the horses get used to the surroundings. Jackie was a little tense about the whole XC thing but slowly learned that Isis is kiiiiiind of a XC badass.
From there on out, Jackie jumped most of all the things, even some training jumps, which Isis beasted. I think we might have a nice eventer on our hands here after all! Hopefully she got in to the event, but there was a discrepancy with the online entry.
(So I tried to post these in order, but of course blogger is a dick and decided to do them all at once and OF COURSE wont let me move them, so this will be a little disjointed but its fine.)
Yankee has always been game for pretty much anything, that was until our *incident* 3 years ago, and the rough fall I had XC 2 yrs ago, which shattered my confidence. Shit happens when you event. I LOATHE admitting that, but its true. I no longer have the big girl panties or give no fucks that I used to. Perhaps its a good thing, but I see it as a pain in my ass because I ride like dookey most of the time. I am afraid he will refuse, so I squee forwards, quite riding and brace. Most of the time he jumps. Sometimes he doesn't. And then I get tossed about, lookin' like a fool. When I'm *mostly* on though, he puts for a fantasmic effort.
Sometimes, I tell him to do something (not jump a jump and go around) and he feels he doesn't have to listen and jumps anyways. Then we get reindeer games like this....
I appreciate the effort Yanks, but now I just hauled on your mouth, slammed your back and risked a fall from both of us. But really, I'm not mad. I guess its cool that you jumped a big ass Prelim fence from a horrible distance and angle.
One of our two MAJOR issues that day was the banks up/down in water and the barrels (which I will get to). Normally Yanks is the one with the slight down bank aversion, but with a swift kick and a HAH! HAH! (my eventing scream. If you event, you know what I'm talking about) he gets right over, er, down it. Sunday though the instant I headed towards this bad boy (prelim down element)....
....I saw my ex trainer/employer who I had a HORRIBLE TERRIBLE AWFUL fallout with. I panic. Not sure why I care about her opinion. But I do. So of course we flail and I lose my stirrups, crop and end up hanging off his neck, barely hanging on. I take it again, same result. Ok, fuck that fuckery. We move to the training- up bank, one stride to log. Refuse. Again. Refuse. Again, almost fall off. GREAT. I guess when I'm trying to impress people I actually end up sucking...like really bad. I should try not to do that anymore.
We ended up doing fine once she left so I'ma go ahead and blame her for that one. HA. Normal up banks were Gucci, I just can't maintain my position...Yanks doesnt normally care and carries on while I re situate.
The second issue we had was over these damn barrels. The barrels themselves are nothing to bat an eye at. Not really big, not a hard approach..until you add the most fucked up line I've ever seen in my life. It literally was like this / times like 4. It was steep. I didn't like it. SO Of course I freeze up. almost fall off over the first, get a nice refusal over the second.
All shook up now.
try again over just the first. Refusal. Awesome. Again. refuse. Again, reeindeer games. COOL. So we end that and revisit afterwards. I was crushed. How in the hell could I event if I couldn't even do the course. WE were gonna get elim I just knew it. I *almost* quite right there, but had spent too much on the trip there. SO I cooled off, schooled some lower stuff, then moved on to other stuff, then came back. Nailed it the first time. Yankee is an honest boy, but over a tricky line like that, he needs help. He can't do it alone, so he refuses, with good reason. I suck sometimes haha.
The jump below was also equally as terrrifying, but I stared at the trees above it and he hopped right over. Not only did it look massive, but there is a nice drop afterwards. I'm pretty sure this is on the training course, but it looked scary enough to be prelim.
This last picture is of the scariest fence of the day. I almost peed my pants looking at the width of this fence. And its only training! Are you serious right meow?! Are training fences on steroids these days? Like, shit. I pointed Yankee at it, kept my leg on, stared at the sky and he gave me an effortless jump. God. I love him. Now I just hope we can do that at the event.
We rode for almost 3 hours, not of course all at once. There was a lot of walking. But we also raced. It was...MAGICAL. I've never let Yankee run full out before, or raced another horse. It was full power forward and I was in heaven. Yankee had a BLAST too. I think Isis did as well ;) She is damn fast too.
We gave them nice bathes, washed our tack, let them graze, then wrapped them and headed home.
I gave Mr. Pony two days off and plan to hack out today. Unfortunately he only got one night of turnout before the heavens opened again and rained. and rained. and rained. and rained.
SUCK.
XC schooling was well worth the 4 hour round trip and $145 I shelled out in fees, gas and caffeine. And my bestie, Jackie and her mare mare, Isis came, as well as our wonderful photographer, B. Quite worth it indeed.
Considering we will be jumping each fence at the event in two weeks that we tackled on Sunday, I am feeling a little more confidant that we won't have a refusal...if I can keep my shit together. Most of Sunday went well, unless you count the wonky barrel line and that damn bank down into water to the pesky bank up/ one stride/ log element. More on that latro.
Most eventers would give their left tit to have a solid XC horse that will pick up the slack when we get tired or royally screw up. AKA, a horse with a fifth leg. I am blessed to have one with half a fifth leg. Why half? He eventually gets tired of my shit and flat out refuses. I deserve it.. *Most* of the time hes like, "oh you arent really sitting back and focused, its fine mom, I got this" but sometimes Yankee is just like, "No. NO thanks. I don't really feel like it since you aren't pulling your weight around here, mother". I appreciate him doing more than his part and I love him for it. He really puts up with quite a bit.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Sunday dawned WAY too early. Jackie and I both had about 4-5 hours of sleep thanks to our pesky jobs. Damn that money. I hate it. JK I LOVE IT LOL. We loaded up and drove to Kansas, chattering about the day ahead, horses, shows, boys and bitching about dumbasses at work. Once we arrived, we let the horses graze for about half an hour, then slowly booted up, screwed in studs and tacked up. There were literally a million people there and of course we all want to ride as soon as we get there, so it was kind of a clusterF.
We also spent a MAJOR amount of time swooning over our new Dalmar XC boots (see front legs. I also have sports wrap underneath for support). Like seriously....best $92 I ever spent. I can't even. We are too legit now. Euro pad, 5 point AND dalmar?? Kill me now, cuz I would die happy
We started out low and slow, letting the horses get used to the surroundings. Jackie was a little tense about the whole XC thing but slowly learned that Isis is kiiiiiind of a XC badass.
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| Superman that shit |
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| Novice thing |
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| Training oxer!! |
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| Attacking the training water |
From there on out, Jackie jumped most of all the things, even some training jumps, which Isis beasted. I think we might have a nice eventer on our hands here after all! Hopefully she got in to the event, but there was a discrepancy with the online entry.
(So I tried to post these in order, but of course blogger is a dick and decided to do them all at once and OF COURSE wont let me move them, so this will be a little disjointed but its fine.)
Yankee has always been game for pretty much anything, that was until our *incident* 3 years ago, and the rough fall I had XC 2 yrs ago, which shattered my confidence. Shit happens when you event. I LOATHE admitting that, but its true. I no longer have the big girl panties or give no fucks that I used to. Perhaps its a good thing, but I see it as a pain in my ass because I ride like dookey most of the time. I am afraid he will refuse, so I squee forwards, quite riding and brace. Most of the time he jumps. Sometimes he doesn't. And then I get tossed about, lookin' like a fool. When I'm *mostly* on though, he puts for a fantasmic effort.
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| Training table. Big enough to be Prelim I thought but whatever. |
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| Massive Prelim table. I was scared. He wasn't. |
Video of that HERE
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| Prelim table from another angle |
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| This is a Prelim skinny by the way. |
One of our two MAJOR issues that day was the banks up/down in water and the barrels (which I will get to). Normally Yanks is the one with the slight down bank aversion, but with a swift kick and a HAH! HAH! (my eventing scream. If you event, you know what I'm talking about) he gets right over, er, down it. Sunday though the instant I headed towards this bad boy (prelim down element)....
....I saw my ex trainer/employer who I had a HORRIBLE TERRIBLE AWFUL fallout with. I panic. Not sure why I care about her opinion. But I do. So of course we flail and I lose my stirrups, crop and end up hanging off his neck, barely hanging on. I take it again, same result. Ok, fuck that fuckery. We move to the training- up bank, one stride to log. Refuse. Again. Refuse. Again, almost fall off. GREAT. I guess when I'm trying to impress people I actually end up sucking...like really bad. I should try not to do that anymore.
We ended up doing fine once she left so I'ma go ahead and blame her for that one. HA. Normal up banks were Gucci, I just can't maintain my position...Yanks doesnt normally care and carries on while I re situate.
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| Prelim |
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| Prelim. Note how NOT to eq over an up bank. |
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| Training Rolltop |
All shook up now.
try again over just the first. Refusal. Awesome. Again. refuse. Again, reeindeer games. COOL. So we end that and revisit afterwards. I was crushed. How in the hell could I event if I couldn't even do the course. WE were gonna get elim I just knew it. I *almost* quite right there, but had spent too much on the trip there. SO I cooled off, schooled some lower stuff, then moved on to other stuff, then came back. Nailed it the first time. Yankee is an honest boy, but over a tricky line like that, he needs help. He can't do it alone, so he refuses, with good reason. I suck sometimes haha.
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| The damn training barrels |
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| Training Up Bank |
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| Training rolltop |
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| Pretty sure my eyes were closed haha |
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| Fav shot of the day! Prelim table. |
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| Another prelim table, equally as terrifying |
We rode for almost 3 hours, not of course all at once. There was a lot of walking. But we also raced. It was...MAGICAL. I've never let Yankee run full out before, or raced another horse. It was full power forward and I was in heaven. Yankee had a BLAST too. I think Isis did as well ;) She is damn fast too.
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| You can't tell, but we are FLYING |
I gave Mr. Pony two days off and plan to hack out today. Unfortunately he only got one night of turnout before the heavens opened again and rained. and rained. and rained. and rained.
SUCK.
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