Show Thoughts

I posted a few weeks ago about my thoughts on showing Tyger this year. I have planned to do the Sumter Equestrian Center shows and this Horse Show in the Park series. The first of these is a week away, and I've been really thinking about where I'm going to try and take my partnership with Little Red.

This year, Tyger was dumped into my lap a good two months into the show year. This dictated that we were not going to get as much done as we will this upcoming year. I have her show schedule planned, and while I may cut one series or another depending on how her leg holds up (more on that in a minute) my plans for now consist of two shows a month until November. My thought process on the heavy show schedule is thus: if she can hold up to rigorous showing on the local circuit, then moving on to showing at the Zone and Regional level next year should not be an issue. Up to now she has been holding up to our level of training well. This week, our training will consist of jumping tomorrow, a flat day on Sunday (it's my son's birthday, so it may end up being a day off), jumping Monday, a day off Tuesday, a flat day Wednesday, jumping again on Thursday, flatting on Friday, then the show on Saturday. This is somewhat normal, a back and forth, every other day schedule. Occasionally she will get one more day off a week, but her work load is about 5-6 days, with work sessions lasting about forty five minutes on the flat, half an hour over fences, with time over fences to increase with her fitness level. 

Now, I haven't talked much (read as: at all) as to how I came to acquire Tyger or her past history. The mare has a lot of pretty good training in her. She jumps well over four foot (I tested this yesterday, the first time I've jumped over 3' in a good while... I maybe had an absolute blast) and while she needs a little tuneup work on her approach and move off, her ability to jump and willingness to do so is nothing that needs to be even remotely doubted. Tyger lives to jump. She is an absolute lazy bum on the flat, but the moment you put jumps in front of her she is a completely different horse. I'm falling more in love with her the more I ride her. 

Tyger was imported by her old owner, JJ, when she was 5. JJ, bless her soul, paid 86k for her. ... I blinked a bit at that one. Eighty... Six... THOUSAND. Holy. Crap. I don't think I've seen that much money in my life let alone dream of spending it in one place. Ok, well, maybe I have. I have drooled over multi-hundred-thousand dollar horses before. Guilty. However, I never in my right mind ever dreamed I could come even remotely close to doing anything beyond touching one every so often, let alone own something of a caliber that could stand in the same room as one of those. 

Now, how did little old poor me come to have such an amazing animal dropped in my lap you might ask? 

Tyger doesn't vet. 

She is not at all lame, unsound, in any sort of pain, discomfort, have an OCD, or anything of that sort. She has, however, broken her cannon bone. Currently, she has a pin that resides just below her hock. When she was 9, she kicked the trailer and broke her coffin bone, resulting in about a year off for Little Red. JJ paid for multiple surgeries, all the layup time, rehab, and then sent her to a $1400 a month hunter trainer last year (Hunt Tosh, if anyone was wondering, who did an awesome job with her) to try and give her a less stressful job. Tyger was having none of this, and while, yes, she can pass for a hunter on the flat, she could no way... ever... pass for one over fences. She gets a little too... excited. Beyond all those basics, I really don't know much about the injury. The plan is currently to speak with JJ's vet and find out all I can about the injury, as well as upkeep, but I was told (by Andrea, whom I greatly trust and respect) that she was operated on by the top surgeon on the east coast, and if he says she's as good as new, she is. Remember, I am paying $5 for the mare with the intention of getting a solid lesson horse out of her, with the benefit of being able to show her. Her past injury does not in any way worry me any more than I would not pay more than said $5 because of risk of re-injury. 

So, that's how she came to be mine. And that is why I'm so cautious as to what I do with her. This year we will be closely monitoring how her coffin bone holds up the the strain, and that will in turn dictate what we decide to go for next year. My hope is that by next year the business will be off the ground enough that I will be able to fund a tour of the zone and go after some year end awards with the USEF and USHJA. After that, we will have to see what happens. Ideally, I will have bred Ellie, and she will be ready to step into Tyger's shoes (har har har) in three or so years once Tyger is ready to back off a bit and maybe have a baby or two while packing my kids around. Then, by the time Ellie is ready to retire back to being a local show horse, her foal will be ready to take her place, and Tyger's thereafter. Time will tell, but, a plan has been laid. Keep your fingers crossed for me folks. It's a long road to the Olympics. 

Day Off

I love Florida. The weather has done amazing things for my overall mood, appearance (the ghost-white blonde has a tan!), and overall outlook on everything. One thing I still have yet to learn, however, is an appreciation for is the stupid hot weather. 

Now, I am not at all complaining. Many of you reading this I'm sure are my friends and family from the northern part of this country that had to deal with Nemo. Three feet of snow for you was a day of rain for me. I'll take a day of rain over snow ANY day of the week.Unfortunately though, I am still not acclimated to the heat. 80 degrees isn't so bad on it's own, I must admit. BUT! Add into it a high percentage of humidity, aaaand I am quickly a puddle in the sand. Therefore, shortly after arriving at the barn, I decided that the girls deserved a day off. This might be partially... ok, entirely, due to aforementioned heat. Ellie has cantered for me the past two days in a row, and Tiger jumped a gymnastic yesterday on top of a few courses the day before that... so I left the girls in their shady paddock with some pats and quickly retreated back to my nicely air conditioned house. 

On a side note - I'm not one to sit around idly. I just can't. It literally drives me nuts. Anyone who has watched a movie with me before will attest that if it doesn't hold my attention (or possibly if it's not one of my absolute favorites or I've seen it a thousand times before) I'm off puttering around or playing on my phone. It is just not in my nature to sit and do something that doesn't require a whole lot of brain function. Therefore a good portion of the afternoon today was focused on show schedules!!! 

Besides a single fundraising show back in 2009 (in which ribbons were not even issued), I haven't shown seriously since the summer of 2008 when I was doing my last show season with my old horse AJ. 

New Hampshire Hunter Jumper Summer Festival 2008 - I won this class

The prospect of showing this year is very exciting to me. Until this year I have either A. not had a suitable mount, B. not had the money, or C. been hugely pregnant or dealing with a newborn. Life has just stacked against my showing prospects the past few years. I've been doing a fair bit of research into the local show circuits (H.I.T.S. is just too expensive and I don't feel I've done nearly enough prep work with Tiger yet to even think about dropping that kind of cash, even if it is right down the street) and I've decided on the Horse Show in the Park series and the small shows put on by Sumter Equestrian Center. Both have year end awards and a local following to get my name out there and (hopefully) noticed. Tiger and I will be doing the three foot "training jumper" division (which is cake for her) and I'm crossing my fingers we will do well. Schooling this height at home we are doing very well and getting to know each other better each day. Only time will tell. 

As for Ellie, I've decided to do at least one, hopefully two, in hand shows before her inspection in October. The idea is that I'd like her to get some experience away from home, as well as get my name and face into the eyes and ears of a different crowd. The USDF offers classes for maiden broodmares, which is what I'm hoping to enter Ellie into. These classes judge the mare on her suitability to produce quality sporthorses, and she would be judged on much of the same things she will be at her inspection (hence why I'm interested in bringing her to these shows). There are two shows at the Canterbury Equestrian Showplace (one of the two venues for the Horse Show in the Park series, however part of a completely different series hosted by the farm) that have these classes and aren't too far away. Again, crossing our fingers that works out. Poor miss Ellie will be getting fewer and fewer days off in the coming future. In hand work starts ASAP. 

So, that's the plan for now. Fingers crossed all things go well financially (showing is bloody expensive!!!) and we can stick to this plan. It would mean about two shows a month starting mid-March, but I'd have both girls out in a total of three different circuits. Here's to hoping. For now, signing off. Heels down my friends. 

Apologies, apologies

First and foremost I would like to apologize for the lack of updates lately. There are a few reasons for this, first and foremost being I have been lacking in the interwebs. While I can write posts all night long, posting them without internet is somewhat problematic. I am still lacking a "T" key, but I've learned to use the keyboard to the extent where trying to hit the key in the middle is no longer really an issue.

So, with that being said, let's move on to what's been going on in my absence. Besides becoming an official Ellie-owner, training has also been progressing amazingly well. We had a bit of a hiccup for about a week when she was in heat where she was doing a lovely spinning act. Add to that ducking her head down to the dirt so low she was coming back with orange clay mustaches... it was a rough week.

HowEVER! We have moved past said speed bump (the pony gods must have been in cahoots with the proverbial Murphy that week) and we are now working regular five to six day work weeks. Ellie is blossoming under this work load, and a lot of the fat that was still lying around on her belly and topline is slowly melting away and leaving an even more beautiful mare behind.

Have I mentioned I love this mare? 

The picture on the left was taken a week before I met Ellie back in December. The one on the right was taken almost exactly 60 days later, with 30 days of training under saddle in her. I realize they were taken on different sides, but the sun was working against us. I will hopefully get another picture at 60 days under saddle and I can put up another comparison. 

Continuing on about her training, currently we are working on being flexible and straight under saddle. Currently she has a lovely habit of tiling her head and hindquarters into towards the center of the ring, which we are working to rectify. Each day she understands better and better that if she's soft and straight, I'm soft and quiet. Today we ended our trot work with a nice relaxed trot with a slight contact. 

Now... if you caught the segue... We are now doing more than just trot work!

As of yesterday Ellie is now officially under saddle W-T-C. At the end of our ride yesterday she was being so quiet and supple that I decided to ask for a canter. At first she was confused as to what I was asking, but after a little guidance with my seat she took the cue and cantered for about six strides. Hooray! I asked again, guiding her into the canter with a rhythm from my seat and legs, and volia! We have a cantering pony. A few circles at one end of the ring and we call it quits for the day. 

Today we did the same, a lot of trot work, and then I asked for a canter in the opposite direction from yesterday. She picked up the canter much quicker, and cantered around the circle a few times for me. 

Ellie is turning out to be a quick study, and I can't say enough great things about her. Currently though, I hear a toddler bouncing on his bed, so I must be off. I promise posts won't be so far between any more!

Promised Update

Ok, I promised a longer update when I got the time. This post still isn't going to be overly long, as I returned the Rent-a-Center laptop I had and am now borrowing the boyfriend's laptop. While the 'guts' as you may say of this computer are much stronger and faster than the RaC laptop, it is missing one crucial thing... the "T" key. As you can see, I am still able to use said major consonant, however, if I do not hit the key directly on top of the rather small little rubber nub I do not get the desired letter on my scree, which makes typing for any length of time rather irritating.

I promise a longer, in-depth post regarding Ellie's progress under saddle is coming. For now a short progress report on our lives will have to do.

As of Monday our little family (including the four legged, two legged, and goober faced members) are relocating to the farm! We did not purchase, or even rent, a farm itself, but rather one of the homes on Andrea's property in Williston. Now (thank the Goddess) we won't be traveling for close to two hours a day! Hooray! A short four-wheeler drive across the property and I'm in the barn. To top it all off, there are paddocks and a fire pit within feet of my new home. Paradise in four bedrooms.

In other news...



Wait for it...




A little longer now...

ELLIE IS OFFICIALLY MINE!!!

Andrea and I crossed the "T's", dotted the "I's" and Ellie is, as of four o'clock this afternoon, mine. I have her papers, (she was born eleven days before my birthday, FYI. You may not find this as awesome as I do, but I don't care.) the registration forms for myself, and the transfer of ownership papers. I. Am. Excited. 

For now, dear readers, that is all. Again, I promise a longer post in due time. Until then, signing off. 

Quick Update

So dear readers, it has come to that point. I am exhausted and don't want to update you, not because I feel you don't deserve to know what's going on in the life of dear Miss Ellie, but because I'm pooped and don't feel like writing a big long post. I believe in the long run I'm getting the short end of the stick here, but right here and now, you're getting jipped out of a post this evening.

Rest assured a longer, more in-depth post will be coming soon. For now, I will leave you with this video montage of today's ride, which was Ellie's 2nd in the big girl arena (I'll tell you about her graduation to the large arena next time) and her 10th or so ride (I've honestly lost exact track). She has been under saddle for 16 days now.

Have a good evening, enjoy the show.

Baby pictures

Today's progress in the ring was minimal, but I'm still very happy with Ellie's learning curve. She trotted around the round pen for about half the ring at a time, before stopping dead. Small steps... small steps. I did notice she seemed less than thrilled about even walking today, and I don't want her to become ring sour, so the plan for tomorrow is just easy lunging in the big arena, no tack.

I found a local tack shop that does custom leather work, which is really freaking awesome. I'm having a custom bracelet made for me, and I'm having the back of my noseband shortened. If you recall from this post, I had mentioned that Pessoa makes their nosebands stupid big. Well, that problem will be fixed, however, this means I don't have Ellie's bridle for tomorrow. A nice hack on the lunge line and a good long spa treatment with some love and treats is just what the doctor ordered.

On a side note however - I found a baby picture of Ellie!!!

I was doing some research trying to figure out where her action came from, and was researching Anrijetto, her grandsire on her mother's side. While searching around, I stumbled upon the old website for Ellie's breeder. On here I found a baby picture of Ellie, a picture of Ellie's sister, Fascination, and one of her mother, Pnervana. I was thrilled, and made an audible sqee (which solicited some teasing from the boyfriend). I love my mare, and finding a baby picture of her is absolutely thrilling.

So, with that, I'll quit yapping and let you enjoy the pictures I've found.

Baby Ellie, at what I assume is her inspection. 

El Bundy, her father. 

Pnervana, her mother. 

Fascination, her half sister (Fuerst Gotthard x Pnervana)

Fuerst Gotthard is a son of the stallion I would like to breed Ellie to, First Gotthard

Huston, we have liftoff!

No, I'm not referring to a bronc act. What I am referring to is the spring loaded trot that Ellie has. And I got to ride it.

As Andrea put it (as her horse Antheny rides very similarly to Miss Ellie Mae) - "It's like crack. I've never done crack, but if I had, I can imagine that's what it would be like. You get spoiled by that trot." And boy is she ever right. 

I mentioned at the end of my post last night that the goal for today was to trot Ellie on the lunge line in the round pen. We achieved that and more besides. I. Am. So. Freaking. Proud. And excited. And anxious to do it again. And terrified I'm going to screw it all up. That's healthy, right?

Ellie and I have discussed her tension on the lunge line before. In fact, this was one of the first things  she and I worked on, relaxing and being calm on the lunge line, specifically so that when we got to the step we took today, it would be less traumatic. Well, what I didn't think of was that she had done all that work with me, and not Andrea. Duh. Earth to Wannabe-Horse-Trainer, you need to think of these things!!! 

Learn from every small mistake. That's the point of this journal-blog, right? Moving on.

Ellie was a bit tense, because Andrea was at the end of the lunge line and not me. I was hoping the few days of lead lining would help her to trust Andrea a bit more, but... not so much. A reminder of what I mentioned a few weeks ago - Andrea has never, ever, done ANYTHING to this mare that could be construed as negative. They just... don't click. Mares are funny that way. She seemed a bit touchy today to begin with (she flinched when I pulled down my stirrups for the first time in over a week), so I took everything very very slow today. It was only around 60 (chilly compared to the 75 it's been all week) so I attributed some of her "flichies" to the weather, because beyond that, she was her normal self. 

I started the ride today with a recap of what we did yesterday - walking, turning, and stopping on a long loose rein. She stayed nice and relaxed, and is starting to understand leg and seat aids! Hooray! Baby steps lead to the big picture. Andrea joined us in the round pen, attached the lunge, and after a few steps, I asked for a trot. 

Holy. Crap. 

To say Ellie's trot is like riding a springboard would be an understatement. It's more like riding a trampoline on steroids. And it's AWESOME. To go back to the aforementioned crack metaphor, when I was riding Tiger later, the thought came to mind that it was like going from crack to pixy stix. Still sweet, but not nearly as fun.

We only got a few steps of trot in before Ellie got all confused and halted square, snorting like a fire-breathing dragon. My poor mare. I can just see the thought process. "Holy crap, there's something moving on my back while I'm trying to trot, holycrapholycrapholycrap," then we stop, and I croon to her an pet her. "Oh... it's Mom... well ok," and away we walk. We tried this twice, and decided I was probably safer off the lunge line, where Ellie wasn't worried about Andrea in the middle of the round pen. She retreated, and I again asked Ellie for the trot. She trotted a few steps, then once again stopped dead in her tracks, spooked. We walked... and repeated this once more before trying the same in the opposite direction, which ended in pretty much the same result.

Since getting home, and having some time to think about it while working on some concept art for the farm sign, I've speculated that today's results may have been a product of a couple of things.

1.  She may have genuinely been spooked by my being up on top of her and that's why she did not want to go forward more than a few steps at a time. I would not blame her, and this would be a totally normal and expected reaction.

2. Starting on the lunge line was probably not the greatest idea (though necessary for safety's sake), and Ellie's reaction may have been partly, or even entirely, due to her worries about that. Going back over mental reruns of her past performances on the lunge line, she was doing today the same thing she always does when unsure on the line - stop and turn to the inside looking for reassurance. The only problem being that this time I was the one making things scary by being up on her back and not in the middle of the pen where she could see me.

So, that's the report for today. Plan for tomorrow is to try walk-trotting in the pen with no one in the center, just the two of us. We'll see how it goes.