lessons in life and in horses..

It has been a bit since my last blog, so much has been happening, and yet somehow the words to describe the situation were lost in me. That's only odd since normally they come quite easily...

Shortly after I arrived here my stepmom had a heart attack, this came as a total shock, she is not old, and as of recently we have become quite close. In typical Lara fashion I was ready to deal with it by throwing myself into my riding.

That didn't pan out ither, lena was back in work and in fine form, but the flat work needs to be better if I'm going preliminary. So her days look like dressage, dressage, dressage. Yuck! The progress is amazing, and I am looking forward to more Linda lessons to help us continue to improve.

North however was a different story. When I brought him back to work this fall he started having what I like to call north moments again. It felt as if his brain would totally shut off and he would panic. There would be no real reason for any of it to have started, on one occasion I was walking around the arena on a loose rein, then we were going mach 2 in the opposite direction. After a few weeks of no improvement, I talked to a few different people about a plan. I decided to go back to basics, and work him from the ground. He had days of brilliance, mixed with days of panic. As I watched my special horse panic, and then calm down, I finally decided that even if he was sound something had to be going wrong. Something I couldn't see.

This is the part where I think everyone should know. I got north from a friend because he was talented, but he couldn't ride him. He was a total nut. I honestly believed that the horse had a people problem, North didn't have the best chance at life then. I can remember bringing him home, riding him for the first time, and wondering what I had gotten myself into, if I had made the right choice. The first day I can tell you I thought he was the wrong one, and on many days after, but after the first day I jumped him. Wow. He was a keeper, he jumped me out of the tack constantly, he tried harder than any horse I have ever had, and even on the days I banged my head against the wall trying to figure him out, I know I made the right one.

I started digging, called in some experts, got 2nd and 3rd opinions, and the news still sounded terrible. North has extensive arthritis in his neck, and a few fractures. This might not sound bad, however where they are located is. Every time his spinal column flexes it puts pressure on the fractures, they won't heal. North is constantly in pain. At some point he was in a very bad crash, we believe at the track, but given where he came from I have no idea. The original damage is quite old. The road ahead of North will not be filled with eventing. I have decided to retire North, and let him enjoy his life as a pasture puff. He loves people and attention, but the riding just stresses him out. He is thoroughly enjoying being fat and sassy. I still can't wrap my head around it. At 7 he can't have a job, which believe me is what he wants. North broke my heart. He taught me so many things, but mainly how to listen.

He never will have the chance to canter around a cross country course, but has taught me more than all my other horses combined, he set a very high standard, but mostly I hope I can live up to his.

Hello 2012

Since 2011 was such an amazing year, this one has some big shoes to fill! Last year started off with lots of big decisions, to continue being a "head girl", or venture out into the unknown and freelance? After a bunch of debating, I decided to dive in, and with that LN eventing was created.

I moved, bought some more horses, became mobile, made it to the training 3 day, galloped a race horse or two, groomed almost every weekend, met tons of amazing new people, and traveled. I will be the first to admit that some of my goals for the year never panned out, and some days I just wanted to stay in bed, but in the end that's all part of the journey. 

So in 2012, I have some pretty big plans, but for now the first horse shows have been entered, and the dust has been getting knocked off my boots (literally!). Lena, North, and I are in ocala gearing up for whatever is in store next. While Ned is hanging out in Va enjoying a much deserved laid back winter.

I hope everyone has an amazing 2012! The first horse show is next weekend, and I am ready to get back in the swing of things.

So much to be thankful for

Thanksgiving is just wrapping up, and now I am counting down the days until christmas, moving south, and the start of show season! This time of year I am always reminded of how much I have to be thankful for.

My dad for being supportive, even though he still wishes I would finish school and get a real job! It means the world to me that he was able to see me at the Training 3day, all smiles at the finish, but mostly because of the hug, him walking my horse in the D box, and letting me know he was just as nervous at the start of A as I was. The rest of my family, for everything. They constantly remind me that I am so blessed.

Thankful that I get to ride horses everyday, even the ones that aren't always fun. They have all taught me something, made me stronger, more confident, ready to face my next challenge. My friends, who have pushed me, answered my panicking phone calls, celebrated my victories, as well as my defeats, and through the whole thing kept me being positive, keeping me on my journey. To the people who have helped me with my riding, I have grown so much this year because of all of you. I learned how to gallop, how to fly, and how to make my horse dance. To everyone that has had some impact on my life this year big or small, thank you! I am looking forward to the next year, and the journey that brings.

Which reminds me, I haven't announced my winter plans. I am headed to Georgia on the 6th, to spend 3 weeks with my family, and my ponies. Then I am off to Ocala until the fork HT in April! I could not be more excited, I am looking at events to enter, and have some new goals for myself.

I hope that everyone enjoyed way to much turkey, some eggnog, and lots of time with family and friends...

What happened to summer?

Well the show season is finally all wrapped up, and I must say it went off with a bang! I was not super excited about the snow at va horse trials, however they handled it well. Even after my slight panic about moving the intermediate xc which ended up being perfect, since at 8am Saturday Laura may or may not have had a phone call saying we should pack up since it was snowing in October. Honestly it was just wrong.

The next weekend was a blast, tailgating at rubicon, where I may or may not have been caught in the act! And then finally the final event of the season at Kelly's Ford. It was fun to be apart of there first ever event, and I'm always excited about new venues.

The highlight of all of this for me was my first experience fox hunting.  What a blast! After 5 hours out in the field, first field no less, I was excited to be at the potluck. I am now trying to convince pat to let me ride in a point to point this spring. I mean I can gallop in company now right? I'll keep everyone posted as to how that one pans out. No promises or anything...

Lena is fresh off her 3 week vacation and has started hacking (i almost forgot how much I love riding her... Almost) North is looking forward to the start of his eventing career, and Ned is starting his new post wannabe race (pony) career, with lots of hacking, some trotting and lots of cookies (he's perfect after all)

We are starting to get organized as the great migration is happening much earlier this year! Lena, North, and I will be headed down to ga to spend some time with my family.. 

Reality check...

This past weekend was the t3day at waredaca! This show has been a goal of mine since I first heard they were offering a long format at training. I first made this a goal with red, and then a whole slew of others... Last year I jokingly nicknamed myself the novice champion, I had been there done that on a bunch of horses, and then for one reason or another training didn't happen. I was starting to think it might not! But then this spring a bunch of things happened, I started a whole new program, and with that I have been lucky enough to expand my string. 

When I bought lena I was all about getting to waredaca, I had a bit of tunnel vision. Then it came down to I realistically had time to run 4 trainings, exactly the number I needed to qualify. So no pressure or anything! We managed.

I left for fairhill and honestly didn't believe that once I got back it would be time for me to do my first three day as a rider! And then I started getting nervous, the kind of maybe I'm not ready for this, I haven't ridden in a week! Eeekk. luckily I have some awesome friends and a lesson with Mara to remind me I was more than prepared!

I arrived at waredaca with lena on wednesday, she was all business at the jogs, and she looked sharp! After being accepted, I had my first look at the course, it looked really doable, and I was thankful that Stephen was there to give us all his input on the course! I got lena settled in at turnabout farm (our home away from home for the week!) and passed out early, dreaming of perfect circles!

Thursday was dressage, and lena was as perfect as she could have been. Again we recieved a few 8s from both judges, but I gave away some points for not being acurate in the walk work.  Overall I was so pleased with how far she has come, we scored a 37.9. Not our best score, but I felt it was our best test, and certainly the hardest! Lena and I hacked roads and tracks, and after getting lost once or twice I figured it out! We skipped out on steeplechase practice, because I don't need to practice going fast so to speak....

That night my dad came up from ga to watch xc, and I was super excited to see him.  He hasn't seen me ride xc in years, when I was still convinced that everything happened slow! Emphasis on slow there..... So Friday I woke up feeling totally ill, we picked up lena and headed over to run around the course one last time and then get ready. At 1043 we headed out on phase A, she trotted along, but was certainly paying attention to the horses on xc, she wanted to be one of them! When we reached the end of a, I had time to watch the rider in front of me finish steeplechase, and I guess lena was watching too because when the starter said go, she was off like a rocket! We had a blast, I think I had the biggest grin, and she did too! I pulled up, colleen checked my shoes, and on with phase c we went.  I let her walk quite a bit, and we made it to the 10 minute box, I can't even describe what it felt like to ride into it, normally I'm grabbing the horse, and sponging. The hardest part for me was sitting there, but colleen was amazing! She had everyone doing their job, and made sure I had time to go over my course before getting back on.  Lena was not at all phased, and heading out to the start of d, I could literally feel lena grow.  She is such a jumping machine!

She ate up the course.  I was a bit worried about the second combination, a drop 3 strides to a skinny.  I shouldn't have been the second she saw it she locked on, jumped quiet of the bank and 3 perfect strides out. Love her! She answered all the questions, and was really adjustable between the fences! When we got back to the vet box I was over the moon, I'm quiet positive my feet didn't touch the ground for hours after! Colleen and crew took great care of lena, and we were out of there in 10mins.  My dad was so cute, in typical fashion, finally you learned how to gallop! (atleast someone noticed). My dad sadly had to head home, but I felt blessed that he could come for part of it.

Sunday morning came way to early! (they always do!) Lena looked like a million bucks, and passed the jog easily. I was lucky enough to be in the 2nd division, so I got dressed, and watched a few rides before getting on.  I don't think I realized how nervous I was until I got on, show jumping has been hard for me, I don't trust myself enough and always seem to be making a change 3 strides out. Lena felt great in warmup and jumped around like a champion! I only made one bad choice, I moved up to a flyer, always wrong, but she sorted it out.  We finished on our dressage score in 5th place, and won the award for best turned out!

I just want to say thanks to Mara for all of her help and support, jenn and allegra for riding lena while I'm gone, Colleen and her family for letting me stay at there beautiful farm and putting up with me in the vet box (that deserves a gold star on its own), my dad for coming and supporting me, my friends for all the good luck wishes and reminding me to breathe, and  everyone involved with the training three day it was such an amazing experience!

Monday morning was back to the routine, up way to early, do the barn and then head off to gallop. It was the fastest trip back to reality, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Lena is on a vacation, and I am headed off to the va horse trials!

We're here! Fair hill that is...

I arrived on Tuesday with Sarah, and her 2 ponies.  We had a lovely trip up, catching up, talking about winter plans, and predicting fair hill results! We settled in the ponies and made it out before the mad dash of late afternoon arrivals started.

Laura arrived Wednesday morning, and after round 2 of unpacking, the riding began, and then the washing, braiding, etc. It seemed as if the jog snuck up! But all 3 of the boys were passed. The word accepted never sounded as good!

The 2 3star boys did dressage today, and as per usual at fair hill, there was some rain involved! However that didn't stop us. Everyone had there first walk around the lovely xc courses, tatton has dressage tomorrow, and the 2 big guys have a light day planned.

I'll try to keep everyone updated, and hopefully I don't get stuck in the mud!

Before I run off to bed, I want to thank Mary for the amazing job she does at fair hill! She is wonderful, and I for one am thankful for the job she does!!

Qualified!!

Maryland horse trials was my last qualifying run for the 3day at waredaca, and the pressure was on to make it happen.  Let me go back a second... When I bought lena, we mapped out a plan to make it to waredaca since my qualifications had expired.  The plan however changed rather rapidly as it was clear with my busy grooming schedule that getting lena back in shape was not happening.

So we waited and kept revising and then it ended up being only 5 horse shows. We ran one novice and I waited to see how it went before getting excited about the t3d.  We spent the whole show season taking it week to week, and evaluating if it was still in the cards. After Maryland I can confidently say its on the horizon, but I won't get too excited until I'm there. It is horses after all!

So Maryland was an okay weekend, lena was such a star! Me not so much. I memorized the wrong dressage test, managed to make it through the test with 2 errors, and a few 4s for not getting some of the transitions exactly right.  After all that I still managed to pull out a 41 something. Which kills me, because she should have rocked it. We certainly won warm up. I tried to relax but really the longer I sat there the more upset I was at myself.  I tried talking myself down to no avail, but forward progress had to happen eventually.  Show jumping was not quite our best, as I got a bit to forward to the last 2, but she put in a double clear, she always puts a smile on my face. 

The course was the perfect last run, it had great questions, and lots of terrain.  Lena ate it up.  She is so light and quick across the ground.  We had a fabulous go through the first water, and at the ditch and brush, which I was super worried about! The 2nd half of the course I decided to take it quite slow and just sort of coast, since I had breezed that morning and my pace was a bit off! I was also still wound up about the dressage, so I used it to take a deep breath and relax! She was great, I saw all the distances, and could not feel more prepared.  I brought north along to hang out, and ride around.  He was awesome, doing flat work, hanging out, and stopping to chat! I can't believe how grown up he is, and am excited to see what he's capable of!

This week is fair hill, where I will be grooming 3, and lena will be enjoying a quiet week.  I promise lots of updates, and I really might have a problem with owning red heads...with white faces :)