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! 

New Year. New Season. New goals...

I have successfully completed a few more chapters in Denny's book and continue to be inspired by the rider profiles and his advice. All of this has also made me start thinking about what I want to get accomplished this year with Stretch. This time I am definately taking into consideration his best interests and mine.

After talking with a good friend and judge, KC Campbell, I have decided that I am going to drop back down to beginner novice for a little while and work on some issues that really became evident with our move to novice. Stretch can easily jump height and has become very competitive in the dressage ring, but he still lacks alot of experience required to successfully and consistently jump clean around cross country. Thus, that brings me to some new and improved goals for 2012. I want to successfully complete a few more beginner novice horse trials, preferably winning some along the way, and want to earn a USEA medal with Stretch. If all goes well, I would like to move him back up to novice in the fall. That move will only be made if we can consistently go double clean xc, place well, and he tells me that he is ready to move up.

Looking back, Im not exactly sure what possesed me to make the move up a level. Especially considering that we had only done well in one horse trial, which we won. Both of us definately need to get some additional SHOW experience under our belts before we again try our hand at novice and ultimately the novice three-day at Heritage.

I have officially circled February 28th on the calendar. You might be wondering "What is so special about that day?!" and the answer is, other than my cow/calf exam, the closing date for the Meadowcreek Horse Trials. I am planning on moving Stretch back up to Stillwater next weekend, the first of February, and have full intentions of getting back to work! The idea is that I will be evaluating him for a few weeks and have an idea of whether I can have him ready or not by mid month. If he remains sound and willing, he will be entered into the Spring Social at Meadowcreek at the beginner novice level. Fingers crossed that on March 16th we will southbound and down to Kosse, TX!

"I wasn't a naturally gifted rider... But for some reason I always had this inner drive to succeed in the sport." -Mary King