Training Level

John and I moved up to training level. We are still dealing with him being super forward at shows. Its very frustrating to have such a rock solid horse at home and get to a show and deal with a crazy man under saddle.

We arrived a day early at the last show just to settle him in a bit. We had a lesson and walked all around the grounds. He was up but a good boy.


The next morning all that changed.  As the energy of the show built he felt it and his tension rose with it. He was not horrible. Better than the last show, so we are making progress. Our first try atTL2 was ugly. scored a 54 ....by the time we rode again he was wound down and we scored a 62 in TL 3.  We will take it!


We are doing our first rated show the end of Jan.  in the meantime we are going camping and trail riding!  Will let you know how that turns out!

I Love Fall!

My prayers are with all my friends in the north east. Usually after a hurricane down here we have to contend with the heat and mosquito's and the drone of generators. I can not fathom dealing with the aftermath of such a storm in freezing temps or snow. Please stay safe..our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Johnny Cash and I are loving the work we are doing! Well, I am anyway....I had my first longe lesson sans reins. WOW what a difference. I was really sore in my abs and shoulders. Rode again last night with reins and I can not fully express the difference I felt in my riding.  So excited for the upcoming show season!

Ready for Fall already....

Wow, what a summer...Were all melting down here ...still. Its incredibly humid and just makes doing anything out side miserable.

Started riding again about 3 weeks ago and its going great! John seems to be glad to have a job to break the monotony of his days. I find that riding first thing every morning energises me for the entire day! Johnny is slowly coming back into condition...don't want to overdo it in this weather. He is being shown this coming weekend by someone else TL2 & 3.  He makes my horse look fabulous!

We bought a goose neck trailer w living quarters in May which meant we had to buy a truck to pull it with.  Good news is no one was killed by me in the process and my marriage survived the dealership experience. I just immediately have an anxiety induced attitude when it comes to car dealers...

We practiced trailer loading today and will have our first camping trip at the end of the month! I am so excited about visiting all our horse friendly state parks and giving John some arena free riding time. Should be a fun fall with great friends!

July in Florida

Yep....Its smoking hot. When its not smoking hot its raining and the arena is slop.  Then the sun shows up again and its hot and HUMID. 

Had a couple rides. Too hot for me...... I admit it...I am a whimp.

I have been working with my dressage club and volunteered to find judges for our fall schooling shows. Its been fun and I have spoken to some wonderful judges in the state of Florida.

Goals...hummm...yep not so easy to talk about them as I haven't been riding cause its soooo HOT. The thought of doing intro again makes me want to cry.

I need to schedule a lesson to get me motivated I guess. Paying out money and the fear of being humiliated and or passing out during a ride is somewhat motivational......

PSA FOR THE DAY! HELMETS ROCK!!!

Went to the barn this morning for a nice ride and to practice a few jumps. Weather is beautiful! Tack up, warm up, pop over a few jumps....  La lalaalaa..la, poof. I got off balance. Came off my horse and he struck the back of my helmet.

I caught my breath, borrowed hubbys helmet and popped over a few more jumps!

 As you can see if this had been my skull I would be in the hospital. Instead I am home, safe,  playing on the computer.   I am so glad I have my brains intact and today is an amazing day!  Just ordered a new helmet!

We all love you with helmet hair and want you to keep you around!

PLEASE wear your helmet EVERY RIDE!

E is safe and I think she knows it!

What a difference 12 days can make!

Happy to report that L(girl) met E(horse) and decided to take a chance on her and has claimed E for her own.

E has been a super star so far. She has a cranky senior mare she shares a barn and 2 pastures with. She has learned her routine quickly and is very easy to be around on the ground. She is eating several small meals a day, Lots of hay and WATER! She appears to have filled in quite a bit just from drinking alone.

L has had the vet out to check her over and they have a plan for worming, vaccines etc. The farrier has snipped her toes back for now and will be making frequent visits to get her feet right. 

She is lucky! She has found a great place and will be nursed back to health and given a job!

There are so many others around here who are not so lucky. We hear about it every day and its so depressing.

Why do people wait?

 And last Sunday the text message came...

Need to find a home for "mare".

Now, a year ago "mare" was given to a young woman who was a working student for a trainer. She had been working with "mare" under said trainer for a year or so.  Mare was the picture of health. Good weight, appropriate supplement's, feet up to date, vetting done regularly.

 (Girl is in her late 20s,  good job, articulate and charming).

Girl and the trainer have a falling out. Girl decides to move mare to her parents home where her father immediately decided he didn't want her to have run of the back yard.  They fence her off a 40 x 40 paddock, throw up a blue tarp between some poles and I believe that was the last time she was taken our of the 40x40 pen.

She has been confined in there for 8 months. In Florida, In the sun, In a sandlot.

I went from upset to pissed in 2.2 seconds after seeing the mare and her surroundings.  (I cried..uncontrollably) 

Her feet have not been tended too, she is a rack of bones, her coat is ....well, I could go on and on.  Girl  hacked off her tail rather than take the time to comb it out, same with the mane, gave us a full unopened bag of cheap corn based feed, can not tell us how much she was getting nor what kind of hay she was on. She can not find coggins, worming records, registration papers...............

 WHY DID SHE WAIT TO CALL?? Why Why Why   I have seen this young lady several times a month. Loaned her books, sat with her at shows, chatted with her many many times about the horse.  The whole time she knew she was starving this animal hidden in her back yard!

IN THE BACKYARD! Not an hour away, OUT THE BACKDOOR 50 FEET AWAY FROM HER HOUSE!!!!

Ok...... thanks for letting me vent. Important thing is mare is now safe, her medical needs have been addressed, her feet will take a year to repair with good trims, She is on good hay free choice and small meals throughout the day. She will heal.  She has people now who care and she will be loved and cherished. Happy ending for mare!

Work..work...work...Blah!

I haven't been riding. Hardly have had a moment to spend at the barn with my boy! This week is not looking to be much better time wise.

I sure do miss riding and just spending time with him!  It will let up and he has a huge paddock to roam in so he is not stall bound all day or night.

He gets many visitors during the day and I know he gets lunch and treats.

Makes me feel so guilty!

Cash is now the boss?

Johnny Cash has asserted himself. He does now believe he is the boss. Chance is having issues accepting this!

I moved him 2 weeks ago. Seems he has become more independent and self assured. He does not call when Chance is out of sight any more. I have been keeping them apart even during turnout now. Cash was being very mean and somewhat aggressive in the pasture.

(We will be watching from the rail!!)

Nothing seems any different under saddle or in hand. I am curious to see what effect this has on his show day behavior. Our next outing is March 11th. Chance is showing and I will be riding Cash around. No point paying for classes when last time I just threw money away. I will take him places and expose him to different crowds and when he has some composure we will go back to the dressage ring.

                                                    (Looking forward to doing more of this!)



Rearranged! Take that herd bound boy!

Yep, Mr. Johnny Cash has been rearranged! I spent several hours yesterday moving his living quarters to the other end of the barn. FAR FAR AWAY from the horses we frequently travel to shows with. I am looking into turning him out with horses that never leave the property just to distance them even further!

I took him out for a trail ride Tuesday. He was a good boy. We rode about a mile from the barn, stopped at A's arena and did some trot work, visited with Harley's mom and Snappy the Arab. Came back via the canals and back roads of our neighborhood. (The only jerk who didn't slow down or give us room was the mail man of all people. I was waiting for him today when he dropped the mail. He won't soon do it again. I bet he gives horses in the neighborhood a wide birth from now on.)  I had my horse back.. He was same ol same ol LAZY JOHNNY!  Never had to argue and hardly spooky at all. Funny the things that do get snorts. Like pine cones...really? You live with them in the pasture but somehow on a trail the look scary?

I am hoping that doing these things will help him be more independent and less reliant on his buds at the barn when we go to shows.  I can't believe how he acted at the show last weekend and I am in no rush to repeat it! Any suggestions on helping  herd bound horses be,  well,   less herd or buddy bound?

More ribbons! 2 pink 2 white!

What a day! We packed last night and were at the barn at 5 this morning. 

Horses fed and braided and off to the show!

Arrive at the show and half the braid has undone itself.

Immediately tack up and start to warm up and my horse was a MANIAC! I am sure after 2 or 3 hundred shows my boy will settle down.

My husbands horse was a SAINT! AMAZING! WONDERFUL!

I was so worried about him because we have never had him in this environment, Not sure why I worried, he acted like he had been in this arena every day. Hubby had tons of help from friends getting tacked up and he was in good hands!

Johnny and I did our intro A and got a 58. I will take it cause its better than the 50 we got last month. We then did our B and scored a 48....BOOO!

He decided he was going to call, and call, and call and call.... hubby's horse and have a full blown temper tantrum meltdown deluxe.

I did my best to get his attention and resume our test but I didn't do so hot. The judge was very kind in her remarks about him not being confidant.

Hubby and his horse were amazing for there first show! They scored a 55.4 in Western Basic 1 and a 60.5 in Western Basic 2!!!

They probably would have done better if my boy hadn't been so distracting.......

I am sun burnt and exhausted but Blessed beyond belief! What a great day with my husband, horses and friends!

7:30 am....really?

Well, I have ridden early, very early,       but I wasn't being judged!

Much less dressed, braided and trailered across the county....

Talk about inspiration to work our behinds off so we can advance and ride later in the day...HEHE

 Our first test of the day Sunday is at 7 flippin 30 AM!

Can you say...Sonya needs COFFEE???

....Well, at least it will be done and we can relax and watch our friends show there stuff! 

Hubby and me!

                                                             Had a great ride tonight!

ROLEX!!!

                                                              WOOOO HOOOO!!!!  

                                The girls and I have bought our tickets and planned our escape!

                                                            Kentucky....here we come! 

                                                This is exactly how I feel! I am so excited!

 This will be my 2nd visit to the Kentucky Horse Park.

There is so much to take in! I hope we manage a day to explore the park itself!

I am saving my money........ because you know the vendors at Rolex are like no other! Rather than bringing home random junk I would like something useful like a dressage bridle just for John. His is made from 3 donor bridles....lol. It fits and it works but he deserves his very own. He wears a cob but he has a chubby face and the noseband has to be fullsize. Like his momma!

84 days and counting! 

We are doing a dressage test this weekend at a schooling show. After our last test I feel much better about this one. I am anxious to see if John is as Up Up UP as he was at Rocking Horse. This time I am ready and have a few new tools in my belt to deal with him and all that energy.

Hubby is doing his first western dressage test. His horse is a rock star and they should do well together. He is not happy about wearing a helmet but TOO BAD. No one at our barn wears one except me. Maybe I am the only one afraid of cracking my skull and being fed baby food? I am glad the show requires it and he picked out the one he is willing to wear.

Weekend at Longwood Farms South

         

Just beautiful views!

 D tacked up and we headed over to walk XC. I immediately wrecked the dirtbike into a fence. Dont worry, the fence and dirtbike are fine. I have a perfect 6" bruise on my left arm and my right wrist is jammed but I untangled myself and we forged on. Stupid bike, why didn't I bring my horse? At least I can drive that!

This place is just beautiful. Everywhere you look is manicured.

                     I will post more this evening!



NO GO!

I am sad...But I have learned yet another valuable lesson! People can be mean and discouraging and intimidating. (as they are taking your money and being polite to your face)  Oh well, there will be other shows and I know who my friends are. They are the best! They are encouraging, supportive, motivational and I am lucky to have them on my side.

I just got done pulling John and myself from the show. I will still be going to act as groom, photographer and cheerleader for D.  I am looking forward to seeing the facility and the top level riders and horses that are sure to be competing.

John and I have more work to do and we will be ready in the future. I am looking forward to the next dressage show where my husband will also be competing in western dressage. We will  also be entering the March 3rd jumper show to test our stadium skills!

My next post will be full of pictures and details of the show!

BAD case of nerves!

Yep, I feel ill everytime I think of the schooling show thats quickly approaching!

I have had several lessons and John is doing great......but.....I am still a wreck!

We are doing beginner novice Jan. 22 in Ocala.

 Never been to the facility but I hear it is one of the best.

http://www.longwoodfarmsouth.com/

Of course my schedule is busy busy the next 2 weeks, so I will be riding before daylight every morning.

I feel truly blessed to be able to start my day at the barn with my horse!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a great holiday!  Mine was BUSY! Worked up till 2pm on Christmas eve. Cooked,  cleaned and decorated for 25 guests for Christmas dinner. It was 85 degrees and beautiful here for Christmas. Had a great day with  friends, family and neighbors! My son was in from school in PA. We made a trip to see the other kids on the other side of the state and had a great day visiting with them.

                                                       (Fred the rescue cat in his new home)

Temps dropped to 35 last night. How rude! LOL Supposed to be 30 tonight so everything that's green and tropical has to be covered today. I love my yard with all the lush vegetation except for the few nights that I have to pull out drop cloths and sheets and cover a half acre to protect it from freezing.

Rode Johnny Cash for the first time in 2 weeks yesterday with yet another new trainer! She was great! Affordable!  I feel very lucky to have found  trainers to work with on jumping and dressage. Both are very knowledgeable and come to my barn.

I officially put my real estate career on hold yesterday. I am working with a great agent at the office and only doing referral work. WHAT A RELIEF! I have been struggling with this decision for a long time and now that it has been done I am very relieved. I like to think I will go back to it one day and be successful again.

                                           ( Happy November orchid that smells AMAZING )

Haven't made any resolutions really. I just plan to continue being healthy as possible, riding often and enjoying all the blessings in my life!

Happy New year friends! Hope that 2012 is everything you want and more!