New Kid on the Block...

New year, new season, new... horse? Yep! Meet Whiskey Bent, known around the barn as Bourbon. He is an '08 17.1h Thoroughbred by Storm Day out of Jenny O/Gold Case. Bred and raced in Louisiana, he just couldn't hack it on the track. Thus, his race record is definitely less than impressive but he liked the turf and was retired sound.

I acquired this horse a few months ago and it was a rocky relationship in the beginning, to say the least. This ridiculous Oklahoma winter certainly didnt help matters because it made consistency difficult. One really REALLY awesome thing about this horse though is that he retains his lessons very well. We can typically pick up our training sessions where we last left off rather than having to reschool countless times. Respect was definitely a major issue and he was quite the cocky boy! I blame the Storm Cat in him, but once I was able to channel that energy and attitude, Bourb has become an awesome partner! His dressage is coming along nicely which is good considering that it has been our sole focus for months. Jumping has recently been added to his training regime and he is taking to it quite nicely. Those big long legs of his tend to get in the way on occasion during grids but he is figuring it out. We went for a cross country excursion over the weekend and I was thrilled with how he behaved! Bourb was happy, quiet, and game to jump anything! We kept it small and positive but there is definitely room for more! This boy is proving to be a one person horse that thrives on a bond but once that is established, he will try his heart out for his rider. I love that in a horse!

I am looking at focusing on schooling shows with him for a while just to build his confidence and gain experience while staying on a budget. Holly Hill is on the calendar as his first recognized HT debut at BN. I have high hopes for this boy in the years to come!

So very much has changed since I last wrote on this blog (as usual) and to say that life got turned upside down might be a bit of an understatement. A family situation prompted me to leave Woodridge and head back home for a while, which is bittersweet. On the plus side, it allows me the opportunity to reflect on the events of last year and truly decide what I want to do in life. I have a pretty good idea though and hopefully that leads to a big announcement in the coming months!

Some of you may be wondering what has come of sweet Scottie boy lately and that is really exciting news! After lots of testing and watching and rehabbing, along with a few serious conversations with my vet, it was decided that a competitive comeback just wasn't in this phenomenal horse's future. That was a tough pill to swallow. The suspensory had healed nicely and there were no residual side effects from the EPM but something still wasnt quite right. Every once in a while a mystery lameness would pop up but it did not seem to effect him any other time. Without spending thousands of more dollars trying to diagnose the problem, with a not so promising outlook, we just couldnt pinpoint the issue and it was decided to officially retire Scottie. He had other plans and apparently "retirement" isnt in his vocabulary! I will save the details for next week, once everything is certain, but it looks like Scottie may have a new lease on life and a new job in which he LOVES! 

It has become quite obvious that thirteen is NOT my lucky number, as 2013 was a long and frustrating year, but it is what it is. I have grown to appreciate the little things in life and am working towards much bigger things than I could have ever dreamed of! Here is to a wonderful 2014, the year of the horse! More updates soon. Until then, keep kicking! 

Progress and Research...

On the brighter side of life, Scottie seems to be improving. We are almost four weeks post treatment and about ready for our retest. He is getting stronger every day and keeps packing on the weight and muscle. His toe dragging is virtually eliminated. His tripping is gone, except for the random hole here and there. I am still trying not to get my hopes up too high just because sure as I do, it will end in heartbreak, but my fingers are crossed nonetheless. On the not so brighter side, now that his EPM is residing it is becoming evident that he has a stifle problem. We are unsure at this point if it is injury or aging joints and I do not really want to pursue that until after his EPM test. Dynah is now referring to his case as "peeling away at an onion" while trying to resolve his issues and piece together his history. We are definitely still in agreement however that this project is worth the time and it will all work out. While speaking with the vet, the subject of joint injections came up and I was a big unsure of exactly how they worked so I did a little research on my own... The AAEP has a wonderful short article that clears up ALOT about joint injections, and all types of joint medications/supplements actually, so if you are like me please check it out! AAEP Lameness and Joint Medications

Scottie is not the only horse in my life that is improving by leaps and bounds... The Woodridge Farm girls are doing wonderful as well! Allouette III, or 3Lu as we call her, has recently been started over fences and she absolutely loves it! This horse has jumper or eventer written ALL over her!! Her canter is coming along surely and she gets more confident in herself and me as her rider every day. Today we actually hacked out around the property, by ourselves -Shock and Awe- with only one tiny spook! Such a grown up! Wiebella, aka Wiebit, has been working on her self carriage and is coming along nicely with that, thanks to some help from Laurie Hedlund. She gets a little lighter and more sure of herself every day. We are still working on collecting her canter while in self carriage but it will come with time.

3Lu exploring the property on our morning hack

Overall, I am very happy and content with life and horses right now. Things seem to be looking up and heading down the right path (for once!) and that is a huge sigh of relief. Look for a new post shortly regarding Scottie's test results and any other random happenings! Until then, always remember to keep kicking!

Why can't dressage have an easy button? Staples does.

Dressage is my kryptonite. Stretch and I can be a cross-country machine and have the finesse to jump a clear stadium round, but oftentimes, and especially now, dressage eludes us. Nine out of ten times we cannot get a proper transition. Trotting on the bit, good luck! Bending to the right, well, that is a thing of the past. This is not a comforting discovery when MeadowCreek is only three weeks away! If dressage basics are so far out of reach, how the heck are we supposed to make it through an entire test?! Every great once in a while the sky opens up and the Dressage Gods smile down on us as a glimmer of hope emerges. I realize that the perfect dressage pony I had a year ago is still in there... somewhere. But, alas, the consistency and fluidity quickly fades away and I am once again left riding the equine version of a llama.

I really figured that working at a dressage farm would help improve MY dressage, and to some extent it has. My position is better and I can get good, quality work out of every horse but my own. Sigh. Dressage remains an ellusive little creature that frequently escapes our grasp. However, it will not win. Stretch and I will conquer dressage, eventually. We were so close before he got injured last year and I keep trying to hang on to that little ray of sunshine. If nothing else, MeadowCreek will be a learning experience. Right?

Saddles and Sales

First of all, I FINALLY got a dressage saddle, and it was no easy task! I tried contacting roughly 5 tack stores all across the U.S. to find dressage saddles with no such luck. They either never returned my emails, couldn't find the saddle I was asking about, or just flat didn't know. To top off fighting tack stores, I was also fighting my horse. Stretch is extremely hard to fit because of his high, narrow Thoroughbred withers that go down into a wide, sloping shoulder and a flat back. After doing some research, I realized that the medium gullet saddle that I was using previously was pinching his shoulders. I ended up going with a Duett Largo dressage saddle that I found on consignment at the Southern Hills Tack Shop in Jenks, OK. I was concerned about how it would fit because it is stamped a 36. Fortunately, it fits his shoulders nicely and a wither riser pad will easily fix the rest. Not only did it fit him, but I love it as well! It is virtually impossible to get into a bad position and the wide twist from the wide tree fits my hips much better. Cue sigh of relief! I must say, if anyone reading this gets a chance to stop by the tack shop, please do so. They are helpful and have a huge inventory of quality products!

Now how about a Stretch update? His weight has improved drastically since bringing him back home, as well as his happiness. He is back to his constantly playful self and just looks healthy again. Nothing could make me happier. Previously I mentioned that I was having his shoes pulled for the winter and that seems to be creating just as many problems as having shoes on. Stone bruises and thrush oh my! It seems like I can't win with him sometimes. The farrier is supposed to be out Friday and we will re-evaluate the situation and go from there. At least his feet LOOK good now! Im trying to find the positive here, Okay?!

As for work, things could not be better. The babies are coming along great and there has been an immense amount of interest in the older sale horses. A updated Frederiksborg Horse Farm website is also in the works with a goal of being launched by the end of the week. Fingers crossed! Pictured below is FHF Kristiana. She is a 4yo Frederiksborg mare that is currently offered for sale. Doing W/T/C under saddle, goes over cavalettis, and is learning leg yield. She is a wonderful dressage prospect with good self carriage and three smooth gaits.

Meet My Mounts...

I have finally started my new job at Frederiksborg Horse Farm and am having a great time riding and learning about each horse's personality. Thus far I'm pretty sure that I have cleaned more tack than is needed by a small army and if we opened a store, we could make a fortune! My first full encounter with all of the horses was deworming day. Oh the excitement! We had to catch and deworm twelve horses, which took a total of about three hours. The horses consisted of broodmares, green broke youngsters, two-year olds, and babies. Some were much easier than others, of course, and this gave me an oportunity to get hands on each individual and begin to figure them out.

Now that all the boring stuff has been touched on, let's get to the part that I know you all have been wanting to hear about! The horses themselves...

Kristian:
4y/o Frederiksborg gelding
Kristian is a great horse that I am sure will make a fantastic kid's or adult amateur's mount. He is very quiet and laid back, but still rather cautious about new things. I love riding him, as he is a quick learner and reminds me a bit of Stretch under saddle. He is a lovely mover and knows walk, trot, halt, and turn. He is also learning how to go on the bit at the walk and trot and his canter is coming along nicely. Kristian left today to head out to the East Coast where he will be training with a young rider schooling under a upper level dressage trainer. I think that will be a great experience for him that he is more than ready for and will hopefully help to promote the breed and influence some sales!

Kristiana:
4y/o Frederiksborg mare
Kristiana is just about the exact opposite of her half-brother! She has a fiery redhead personality and is extremely independent and curious. I think she would flourish in the hands of a professional at the upper levels. She certainly has the potential to go to the top! Due to her "Imma Be Me" personality, Kristiana is difficult to catch which means alot of ground work is in her near future! Under saddle, she is currently working at the walk in the round pen and can halt and turn quite well. Still working on giving to the bit though! She is quickly becoming a favorite of mine! ;)

Pete:
4y/o Thoroughbred gelding
Pete is definately a cutie and would have a nice career in the hunter ring. He has a gorgeous flat-kneed, long strided movement when working free and on the lunge. His trot is so smooth that it is easier to sit than post! He definately needs some miles under saddle to get comfortable enough to relax and allow his movement to shine through. He is working w/t/c and goes over cavalettis. Soon to be evaluated over fences. Hopefully he is just as nice over fences as he is on the flat!

Liselotte:
3y/o Oldenburg mare
Lotte is my favorite of the barn and if I had five grand sitting in the bank, she would be mine in a heartbeat! I am extremely excited to get to start her under saddle this fall. I have done join-up with her in the roundpen and have worked on giving to pressure. Lotte is extremely smart and gorgeous to boot! (Greys are my weakness!) Although she does not seem to be quite the mover that I thought she would be, I am interested to see how she will go over fences. If her jumping form is on par, she definately has a career as a jumper! She accepted a saddle with absolutely no fight and did well with a bridle as well. I was able to lay over her back yesterday and it didnt even phase her. Hopefully I can actually sit on her the first of the week. Fingers crossed!

Paint Design:
2y/o Frederiksborg/QH gelding
Paint is a nice horse but seems to have some trust and respect issues that we are working through slowly but surely. He gets a little more confident every day but it is going to be slow goin' for a while. He is getting lots of roundpen work, saddled every day, and goes on the walker.

Way To Go:
2y/o Appaloosa gelding
I havent came up with a nickname for him yet, but it is definately in the works. Way To Go is just too long to say all the time! I definately have a soft spot for this little guy. He almost died two winters ago because he got extremely ill and emaciated and just flat gave up on life. Now he is back to 100% and is an absolute sweetheart. He has taken to saddle and bridle with no fight and also goes on the walker. I layed over him yesterday as well and he was a little nervous but very cooperative. However, dont let his cute looks and sweet baby antics fool you! He is definately a little spit-fire when he wants to be!

Well, obviously I have my hands full. However, I have certainly found my dream job and I think it is going to get even better once breeding season is in full tilt. I could be content doing this for the rest of my life. What was once a 'pipe dream' is quickly becoming a reality. Life is good.

Lessons Well Learned...

Saturday was the learning day, put on by Oklahoma Eventers and hosted at Woodlands Equestrian Centre. The high for the day was 34 degrees and the wind was bone chilling, but being the dedicated horsepeople that we are, there was a decent turnout. I had an 8 am dressage lesson on Stretch with Chrissy Pappas. Although she didnt really tell me anything that I didnt already know was a problem, she helped me put it all together so that I could work through the problems which is exactly what I needed! It was a great ride and despite the cold, Stretch and I had both worked up a good sweat. Throughout the day were unmounted sessions pertaining to eventing, and of course lunch was provided. At 3:30 Alex and I went out on cross country for a lesson on O'Malley and Stretch with Meg Ferguson. It was a great school! We did all of the training jumps, and several prelim. Stretch also schooled the water great, which included jumping a bank in and cantering through and off the prelim bank! That was my goal for the day and anything beyond that was a bonus. We had a minor mishap at the steps into the second water, and luckily there was no water at the time! It was a prelim question jumping a series of three banks down into the water. Stretch made it halfway down the first one before changing his mind, sending me flying through his ears to land on the bottom step. After a quick body checklist, I shook it off and remounted. After a bit of an argument and several attempts, we made it down the banks in one piece. We also jumped our first trakehner, brush fence, and ditch and bank. All in all it was a good, worthwhile, and productive day! Those rides certainly give me a new bout of confidence going into the Spring season, which kicks off Feb. 4 with the hunter/jumper schooling show in OKC doing the .95 and 1.0m jumper classes.

The beginning...

Alex and I discovered that Heritage Park is going to host a novice three day and training three day in August 2011 about two months ago. We decided right then that that was going to be our goals for next year. However, this is the first novice three day to be held and qualification requirements had not been posted. After much anticipation on my part, it was announced the other day that qualifications will be the same as for the training division: 4 qualifying rides. That consists of a dressage score under 50, no cross-country jump penalties, and no more than 16 show jumping jump penalties. Last night we sat down with the 2011 omnibus and a calendar to map out our plan of attack:

Go Schooling Show - Feb 6-7
Corona HT - April 16-17
Mill Creek HT - May 14-15
Briar Fox HT - May 28-29
Queeny Park HT - June 11-12
Briar Fox HT - July 28-29
Heritage Park N3D - Aug 26-28

Unfortunately, a slight kink may have been thrown in our plans. We discussed Stretch's loud breathing with the vet today during the annuals and decided that we need to scope him. Originally we weren't going to worry about it unless it starting bothering him, causing exercise intolerance, but it is turning away buyers and we need to know whats going on before going into a three day. Fingers crossed that it isnt anything that cant be easily managed by Flair strips and a good conditioning program!