Never Let Go...

Wow, I've really got to get better about updating this thing!

For starters, I would like to congratulate Jamie Aldrich of Ill. on her purchase of Stretch. He has found himself a wonderful home with her and her young daughter. It makes me so happy to know that he is with a family that loves him and that values his skill set and abilities. Best of luck on the show circuit this spring!

Next on the agenda is the fact that I DID IT! I graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelors of science in animal science production in December of 2012! Upon completion of my degree, I accepted a position at Woodridge Farm and Duels and I made the trip to Claremore at the end of December. I will keep y'all updated on this endeavor, but so far it has provided me with plenty of hard work, good foaling experience, and some more quality horses to ride.

Moving on to Duelly... He definitely keeps me on my toes! He came back from his little vacation (aka my injury) in top form and ready to conquer 2013, but then something began to change. He began getting more resistant to work, more cranky about tacking up, more unhappy overall. He didnt want his grain, he began dropping weight, among other things. We suspect ulcers. I took him to the Mary D'Arcy clinic at Feather Creek the beginning of February and that was when we knew something was wrong. He schooled really well overall, for being a green youngster with little cross country experience. Mary loved him and confirmed what we already knew about him having serious upper level potential. However, throughout the weekend he kept acting out in ways not typical of his "get'r done" attitude. While trying to figure out this puzzle he has had a couple of weeks off since the clinic. I am trying him on a couple of different supplements and we will see what happens. Hopefully I will be able to get him out to a local dressage schooling show in two weeks, but that is completely contingent upon whether he is up for it or not.

(Very) Tenative 2013 Schedule:
March 17: GCC Schooling Show - Claremore Expo
April 14: SHRA Schooling Show (beginner novice) - Okemah, OK
April 20-21: Holly Hill HT (beginner novice) - Benton, LA

I suppose this post is about remembering the past and never letting go of the future, no matter how dark it may seem sometimes. Things will always get better and tomorrow is another day. Horses really have a way of teaching us to slow down and take things a day at a time, even when we may want to plan two years in advance (spring 2013 BN, fall 2013 N, fall 2014 T). Well played ponies, well played. Until (hopefully a much sooner) next time, keep kicking!

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!