Study Break

While taking my 7th study break in less than 2 hours, after reading all the blogs, I stumbled upon this wicked cool picture on my friends' FB wall....

That would be Janice Holmes, one of my most favorite instructors of all time. She knows her shit and helped me event BOTH Spirit and Yankee. Best eventing coach ever.

If you live in Ohio, near Cinci, I would look her up and take some lessons. I only made it out twice a month, but since she is an ICP level 2, she is wooorrrrrrth it.

Badass article here.

Its funny, I saw who ran out an grabbed Veronica (Karen O'Conner horse), but thought nothing of it- turns out it was Janice!

Coolness.

Age Old Question: Prospective Project

 Before anyone reads this and gets hissy, this post is a culmination of general observations I have made. There are exceptions, and I know that. So keep that in mind :)

What is the answer to that age old question? Who decides? Ultimately, the buyer- but it is up to the people who produce and train horses to find/make/mold horses into what people want. I want to know what eventers want in an upper level prospect. I know what I want...but what do they? How do I find this out? I start with what I know and like...

I would like to find a horse who I can spend time with re/training, and resell as a prospective upper level eventer. No, I am not selling Yankee. If you know us at all, you know I am leasing him out, since I cannot afford to show him as much as I feel he needs to be to get qualifying scores. Ultimately, I want  him to be a 4* horse, but he is now 10, and even though he has talent, time is not onour side. We would have moved up to prelim 3 years ago, but I broke my arm, and then a multitude of unfortunate occurences happened...and here we are.

I digress.

Age:
How important is the REALLY to prospective buyers?

To me, it is of  utmost importance, and a delicate balance. Horses are creatures. They die. They have an expiration date, a prime age and a dumb baby age. Depending on the horse, dumb baby ages last from 4-10, prime age can be anywhere from 7-15 and they expire (from competition) around 15-20. Granted there ARE exceptions, this is just what I have noticed and others heed as well.

The perfect prospect for ME to SELL, would then be at least 4, but no older than 10, but lets be real, 5-7 is the perfect age. 4 is still pretty much a baby and but you might have a blank slate to work with. Pros and cons! The younger, the more time you have time on your side. YOU get to start the horse and you have time before they become "old".  But also, the more retarded they are and the more time you NEED to let the stupid play out. (for example, it took yankee from age 4-10 to become un-stupid.)

Unfortunately, the competitive society has the modern thought process that we need everyhting NOW. Now now now now now. We need babies to be smart NOW. We need to win all the things NOW. We need to qualify NOW. We need need need. This will be my demise. I want to produce a baby from scratch with PROPER training and cumulative, positive experiences. You can only do this by taking time. But time is money. SO CONFLICTED.

Height:
What is THE perfect height? Depends on who you ask. If you ask a taller person like myself, they might usually say, a horse over 16.2hh. Short, a horse on a smaller scale. And then you have the discipline biased heights. Jumpers are HUGE. Dressage horses are....warmbloods. (I know this is not a height). Hunters are 16hh. Eventers are the rest.

So honestly, it really just depends on preference. If I had my way, I'd ride an 18 hand horse that was light enough to have mad hops over 6 ft. fences. But lets be real. That horse doesn't exist, at least in ample supply. I can settle for a 17 hand horse. But most of them are clunky, fugly and can't jump. Horses under 16h hands are out of the question- I would hit the jumps with my feet. 16.1-16.3. MEH. I still look awkward BUT the smalller lighter horses stay sound longer.

But WHAT does everyone else want? Specifically, what do EVENTERS want (since that is my sport)? I hear answers all across the board. Generally though, 16.1 is the perfect balance between too small and too large. They juuuuuust right.

Price:
I would like to find a prospect between $500-$2000. That is my max budget. For when I get  a budget...

I would like to resell between $9000-$14,000. I sold Murphy (see previous horses tab above) in 7 months for $14k and he was a fugly, hateful, asshole of a horse. Pretty much what you would not consider in a competition prospect.

After the time cost though, what would my profit REALLY be? I'll have an entire post on this later.

Breed/Conformation:
I prefer TBs. Most eventers prefer a TB or a mix of one. Sucessful event horses are usually one of the two. But there are exceptions.

Conformation is really the important thing though. Lets start front to back, being impartial to beauty, JUST conformation (which I have issues with).
-head: clear, bright, kind eyes. Good/effective nostrils
-neck: well muscled, high set on shoulders. No screaming confrmation faults like ewe-necked
-shoulders: much debate on slope vs. no slope. i prefer a happy medium between upright shoulders and super duper sloped shoulders. I feel this produces quality gaits and mad hops.
-cheast: deep, wide chest
-front legs: long, strong legs free of extreme blemishes and previous injuries. Cool and tight.  Equal  pastern angle measurements to shoulder. I REFUSE to buy a horse with sinking pasterns. That is looking for trouble.
-hooves: good angles, 'plush' frog, well hydrated. No crumbly crumbles.
-barrel: deep
-back: happy medium between long and short. If I had to choose, short. Well muscled, free of soreness.
-loins: filled out
-quarters- balanced, muscled,  proportionate to front of body
-back legs: no awkward angles. You can just tell. The rest goes the same for front legs.

All of these horses are TBs. 

Too long back, weird pastern/feet angles

I really like this one. All of him.

Proven TB stallion. I dont like him-chunky, weird neck, downhill build

Not ALL of this is possible. So main areas of importance for me. Legs, feet, hind end. Second importance, barrel/back, shoulder, neck.

Ability:
This is difficult to determine from initial rides. This will come in time, but you CAN note a horse who has balanced gaits, light on the forehand, spring in their step and has a general positive attitude.

Resale Value:
determined by performance and a culmination of previous factors

Gender:
Personal preference BUT stereotypes ARE a part of life. Chesnut, TB mares are to be avoided at all costs. ALL COSTS. THEY ARE EVIL. Evil. Ask anyone.

Generally, people want geldings. Stallions and mares are too hot.

 Time Cost:
This will be an entire post on its own as well.

I have to take into account actual cost of horse, cost of upkeep (board, feed, vet, farrier), cost of additional upkeep (supplements, emeregency vet care), showing and travel cost, advertising cost, etc etc

In a jiff- a younger, athletic, super sound, preferebaly 16+ gelding, TB.

What do you guys think? Since I am only one person with one opinion and limited connections...need thoughts loyal readers :)

What The Friday

 Continuing with my new theme "what the friday" I was going to write about this ...

...I found this gem while searching for stock photos for drawing, on a web page chock full of cray cray pictures. Another day. Another day.

This weeks "what the Friday" is about dressage days at Rolex.

I can sum it up  in about two words. Awfully disastrous.

I don't even know where to start my WTF rant about the abysmal dressage I watched on the USEF network. I will start with the statement, HOW IN THE WORLD DID HALF THOSE HORSES EVER MSKE IT TO 4* LEVEL? How?!

I saw more stiff, tense, disgusting transitions, lifeless extensions, horrid counter canters, messy flying changes, improper free walks and awful gaits than I do at any horse show I attend. AWFUL! I understand they are competing in a massive arena, but a 4* horse should know how to free walk.

Exibit A:

Isn't that wonderful? Working from behind, seeking contact, supple over the back. Lovely.

Exibit B:

Yeah thats not even a free walk at all. Maybe...MAYBE one could consider the slightly more active hind end, but in no way, shape or form does that horse (who resembles what most of these Rolex horses were doing) have an inkling of a free walk in there. Not a glimmer. The thing that makes a free walk different is the giving and seeking/stretching into the contact, swinging barrel and engaged hind end.

I just feel that a movement required at EVERY level of eventing, should at least be mastered by a 4* horse.

Not to mention the absolutely horrific scores. I would die if I ever got anything above a 45, ever. I mean I have once and I'm never telling anyone just how bad it was, but it was my first event, so whatevs) Numerous times I saw 50-60 scores. Yes, again, I know its a difficult test, but maybe the reason they are so bad is because the horses are faking it!!!! Ask any dressage rider (which I did), these tests were the worst I've ever seen at Rolex. I was rather dissapointed.

Makes me feel pretty awesome knowing my little OTTB has a better free walk (and other movements) than some of those big shot ponies. It also depresses me, since I've never been able to shwo above training for lack of $. Le sigh.

Granted, there were some fabulous tests and I wasn't able to catch everyone. Karen O'Conner had nice ones, as did the ever beautiful, Doug Payne, Peter Barry on Kilroden Abbott (a horse I've never seen, but was blown away by) who I felt got jipped with a score of 60 and of course, Arthur and Alison Springer who is in first with a 39!

Overall, I'm just annoyed with the riders not assuring their 4* horses know simple basics.

PUMPED to watch Cross Country all day tomorrow though.

Stillwater Stables

I originally had another post today, but in the light of my favorite instructor putting out her video, I wanted to share with you all!

I rode with Connie before she became a non-profit org., taking dressage lessons. She helped me with Yankeeface and his excitable nature and taught me how to teach a baby dressage. She is a wonderful person and I love what she has done for the community with her farm.

I actually donated Dolly (my first horse, an older Arab mare. See "previous horses" tab above in pages) to her stable in hopes that Dolly would make a god child riding horse. Sadly, when her husband, like my father, got laid off from DHL, they had to sell her. Then, several of their horses had medical issues and they lost almost all of their riding horses.



Over time, and the gracious help of others, they regained their footing and are truckign on stronger than ever.

I just wanted to share her story with you all, since she was such a huge part of my teenage life.

PS I despise this new blogger. Why, blogger. WHY.

I've Had As Much As I Can Take

Just when I thought life couldn't get ANY worse...we put my 3rd min pin down last night.

After tonka died in Dec., we adopted a 6yo min pin from the humane society. I'd had a min pin in HS and loved her, but she died of a rare blood disease. Tonky, suddenly died of a horrific seizure, and now this. I feel like the dog killer.

He was such a goofball!

He constantly had issues with his health and required a special diet and frequented the vet often. Just last week he racked up $500 after getting extremely sick.But we loved him anyways.

He was on the mend, but still weak, and tripped going down the stairs while going outside to potty. He broke his leg in half and we opted to put him down. The damage was severe, and I didn't have high hopes for a good quality of life afterwards. I thought the best thing to do was let him go. I spent my last $40 to my name doing the kindest thing I could think of for the little guy.

So here I am, 4 months later, my heart breaking yet again, only a few short weeks after Spirits death, and a couple months after Tonka's. I feel like people are judging me. I feel like the worst person in the world. Maybe if I had had a couple thousand more dollars laying around I could have tried to fix Vinny. Maybe I just shouldn't have dogs. I've hadthe worst luck, and the only dog I've had for more than 2 years was my chihuahua that I spoiled for 12 years. After him, I guess I lost the dog luck charm. I feel like a dog killer, even though I do my best to provide them stellar care and I sacrifice everything I have for them.

SO now I have no drive to ride. Or do anything for that matter. With the combination of being 100% broke and loss after loss, I feel like I've hit rock bottom.

FML.

JOMPING. All The Things. With All The Horses.

I know you all are tired of seeing us jump. But get over it. Its more exciting than dressage.

Normally I blather about Jankee, but today, since I rode Pronto, I want to deviate from my normal subject matter and talk about the big monster.

Jackie hadn't ridden in a week, and Pronto's owner fell off at the show and got a concussion so we concocted a jumping day for the two of us. Not really sure what her goals were for the day, but mine were to keep the monster from hitting all the jumps, not let him refuse and keep my leg solid (stay with him).

We think we are pretty cool.

Before I dive into Pronto-ness, here are a few pics of Jankee. Since we had to keep the jumps Pronto height (no more than 3' for now) she focused on accuracy and speed/turns.

Like. a. boss.

wicked turn

Knees!

Turning in the air!

They were pretty awesome. Yanks was wound up, since he had just come off a jumping show and a day off. PROUD :)

OK, Pronto.

He has refusal issues. and knocking jump issues. And overall impulsion issues. I appoint it to the fact that he is still pretty green at jumping and needs to be shown HOW. With Jackie's masterful eye, I attempted to negotiate him around a small course (5-7 jumps at 2'9-3')

I was instructed to keep my upper body back, and still but keep my leg on and contact up till the jump. We tried letting him figure it out. We tried me telling him when to jump. Found a balance between the two. If I 100% kept still but rode him through the contact, he remained on his butt, stayed ahead of my leg and jumped WONDERFULLY. He refused the barrel jump once, but I'm 97% sure it was my fault. I rode him to it like I expected him to refuse. So he did.

I found that as long as I stayed still, he was actually EAGER to jump and took everything with gusto.

He had a little trouble with this line...

But after about 6 times, of missing the distance, or me dropping him, we finally nailed it.

Also, when jumping this big guy, its so HARD to keep your leg still. His jump is awkward and huge. It throws me, Jackie and his owner forward. Every. single. time.

I was concentrating so hard on keeping it locked down, and my overall position improved. Check it...

Sup. NBD.

We got this.

Everyone came out to watch and it was a pretty good feeling working with this big guy and succeeding!

Afterwards, we wanted to go have some fun out on our mini XC course. I say mini, because we have like 5 jumps and none of them top 3', but its still fun.

Down-some reluctance at first.

Up!

Down! (first time ever!)

Up! Can we please talk about how he looks like the biggest dork dinosaur ever. EVER.

Double Jomp!

In other news. I'm RATHER pissed at Area 4.

Not only is the selection of shows slim, but the ones they offer are like, HOURS and hours away. I got super spoiled in Area 8 with all the shows at the KYHP. Even more depressing is that my favorite show, Mill Creek has FOUR entries in the Training Level. 4. Meaning I could possible tromp everyone and not only qualify for the AEC's, but win the high point TB award in the T division and the $100 prize, the halter and the pad. Screw walking at graduation. Don't care. HA-RUMPPPFFF!!!

There is a tiny schooling show in Kansas on April 28, but that would mean I would have to scrap up $95 in one day to enter. And its 2 hours away. But Jackie neeeeeeeeeds a schooling event because she has never done XC. Hate everything. First world problems.

F**k You Mothernature!

Before I get to the show lowdown, I wanted my dear readers to check out Jackie's new blog! She is a-bloggin' and about 21x's more interesting than me. So if I were you I'd check her nonsense out :P

This weekend's weather was very unkind. I should have known that the first show of the year would yield relentless downpours, thunderstorms and tornado watches. Fantastic. I spent most of Friday fretting if I wold get my $ back, or if we would just all die from drowning. Fun fact about me- I am literally terrified of thunderstorms and they pretty much render me useless until they pass. I usually curl up in a tight ball and somewhat sob like a little child until they blow themselves out.

Nevertheless, I hooked my truck up, loaded a confused Yankee (he was not braided or bathed- a process he is accustomed to for shows) and made my way to the show grounds, all in the pouring rain. I made it there about 10am, and I had quite a while till 2:03, so I gave Yankee his hay and headed over to watch my barn-mates ride their tests.

Luckily, the weather broke around 11:30 and the sun actually came out for a hot second. I got Yanks off the trailer about 12:45 and let him graze before I tacked up.

This is an extremely fantastic picture of Yankee.

He was a total gem on Saturday. Not at all the cray cray OTTB I've experienced in the past! I was blown away by his serene attitude and our warm-up was more than perfect. We headed into our first test with confidence and executed it wonderfully! Minus the break in the canter as we headed across the diagonal for the simple change. We barely waited 15minutes and we were up for our 2nd test. Our lateral work was pretty crappy, but he was more than relaxed and supple. I'd never felt or seen him act so wonderful at a show and I exited my second test smiling ear to ear! Our third test- 2nd level test 1, went super fantastic as well! His shoulder in right was a bit stiff, but otherwise, the countercanter was flawless, and everything else was just lovely. In all of the tests, his free walk was excellent and the stretchy circles were great! All the practice is really helping!

Overall, I was pumped to see our scores, since I felt he was mostly perfect, and rode better than we ever had before. unfortunately, even though the judge was super sweet, she was uber unfair. Like, whoah. Normally I don't bitch about judges, but we never crested a 68% on any of our tests and I thought we deserved much more than that. Perhaps I am biased, since I know how psycho he used to be, but I figured we would at least get a 70% on the First Level tests.

The girls who beat us had over 70%'s, which I could NOT figure out. Not only did their horses go around with their noses in the air, but they were stiff, spooky and generally unpleasing to the eye. Nevertheless, at the end of the day I was pleased with a first, 2nd and 3rd and a brilliant performance by Yankee, but that tiny competitive part of me was pissed!

Sunday dawned even more stormy than Saturday and I stalked the radar like my life depended on it. It actually probably did, since we had a tornado watch, god bless smartphones. The bad storms were going to hit around 11:25, right before my dressage test. I debated scratching, but went anyways.

I got there around 9am, and they were ordering all horses off trailers and to stand in the indoor. This complicated things a bit, since a) there was no warm-up for dressage indoors because of the already limited space being taken up by the offloaded horses b) I had to haul all of my tack to the indoor, in the rain, since we weren't allowed to go back to our trailers in the lightning.

About 20 riders scratched, so I ended up riding my test at 10 something. With no warm-up. At all. Can we please think about this for a minute? No warm up. At all.

We got to WTC in the dressage ring for like, 3 minutes before our test but this in no way suffices as a dressage warm-up. I usually take 30 minutes to stretch, walk then gradually work up to trot and canter.

Our test was alright considering. His stretchy circle was not very stretchy since he was still cold, and he bucked a mighty buck in our second canter circle, but otherwise he was collected and calm. I thought for sure we would be in last place with that and was rather frustrated. Not the show grounds fault that it was storming, but still....FRUSTRATED.

Jump 30 minutes ahead and we were getting ready to do our stadium round. After the lighting passed, they let people start doing rounds again...in the sideways, pouring rain. FUN! No walking the course. No warm up. At all. Again. I sat there watching the riders go...

(This picture does the rain no justice, it was so thick I could barely see!)

Yankee was not amused.

Since I had about 2 people before me to memorize the course, and not having walked it or warmed up (I hand galloped around the indoor for a few minutes before hand), I was very apprehensive. I came here to practice though, and eventers ride in the rain, so I sucked it up and tried very hard to remember my course. It was to say the least, extremely windy, wet and cold. The course was windy, with a triple bar fan, a swedish oxer, vertical one stride combo and a skinny vertical, among others.

Yankee. was. brilliant.

He acted like he was having the time of his life! He was squealing and overjumping everything. I couldnt help but ride around with a HUGE smile on my face. Not only did my horse go out in the torrential rain, slop through the disgusting ring, jump this training course like a boss, but he did it wonderfully, WITH NO WARM UP. I love him. Love. Double clear!

Again, no justice for the mud

I sprinted back t0 the trialer with him, tore off his sopping, sandy tack, and tossed him in the trailer with hay. I drove up to the office to grab my test and walked into ALL the riders crowded around the table. They were doing like a ceremony type thing. I got my barn-mates tests and ribbons, since they dipped out before the storm and was stunned to hear " Can we please get Monica up here front and center?"

I was like, Me?

Then they handed me this giant ribbon and goodie basket, telling me I was overall champion for the weekend. SAY WHA?

Dude, that is wicked cool. I ended up winning my division with a 30! Imagine if we had warm-up and no buck! I was SO ELATED. God, I love my horse!

"I haz no moar roomz on mah face mom."

"Can I just have treats now?"

Wow. Just wow! My OTTB FINALLY won something huge!

My disgusting tack.

The winnings from this weekend

Our goodie basket!

Coming off my happiness high, I began my chores shift at the barn. I had most of the horses in, less 3 geldings from the far field when mothernature really screwed us. It literally rained for an hour. Solid. It was bad. 2 of the 3 barns flooded, and the lower barn was like a river! I would post the video but the BO asked me not to, so out of respect, I won't. 2 stalls flooded completely...

...and a few of us spent almost 2 hours digging trenches in the aisles in hopes some of the water would drain. It was literally like a river in the lower barn. The water was flowing and it was ankle high! Never in my life have I seen rain like that!

The self care barn flood.

Eventful weekend!