5 Day Challenge: Day 5

Fifth and final day of the 5 Day Challenge from Fly On Over.

21. Favorite classes to watch.

Bromont CCI3*, 2010

Eventing at the Advanced or 4* level. Nothing like it in the world, watching horses take those big XC jumps in that incredible leap of strength and grace.

22. What’s in your cooler at horse shows?

Water, fruit (usually dried), yogurt, cheese, baked goods of some kind - usually banana bread, cookies, and muffins.

23. One thing about showing (or riding in general) you wish you could change?

So there's absolutely zero way to change this, but - why does showing take so freaking long? Everything involved with a day of showing is intensely time consuming and exhausting and you're busy constantly. On the one hand, that's great! It makes the day fly by. On the other hand, it would be nice to go somewhere and do a dressage test or two without it being such a major undertaking.

24. Your ringside crew.

Previously, my whole barn would go to events together, so we'd be crew for each other. Most often, Hannah would be my wingman. Now, just me, really. My boyfriend has exactly zero interest in coming to horse shows, and this barn doesn't event, so I'll be on my own.

25. Best prizes.

The best prize I've ever gotten at a horse show was the mug on the right that I won at a barn show, made by Lindsey Epstein, who was barn manager at the time and is a brilliant artist and potter. I still use it all the time. In general, should I ever be lucky enough to place well, I think the halters, coolers, and saddle pads that are the usual are pretty nifty.

Stick Season

I'd never heard the phrase "stick season" until about a month ago, despite a cumulative 7 years now of living in Vermont. I think it really describes beautifully that long, held breath between the end of fall and the beginning of winter.

After a few early wintry days with overnight lows in the single digits or below zero, we're back in proper fall weather: 30s during the day, fog in the valleys, and bare trees (hence the "stick) outlined against gray skies.

Part of me hates this weather; it is, after all, cold and wet and gray and dreary. It's too cold to really spend a lot of time outside, but too warm to really dig in to winter activities.

But part of me loves the feel of nature on hold, paused, and mustering energy for its next big show. My favorite stories are origin stories, and I love that glimpse of normal life we get before the hero's world is changed forever because it feels like setting a baseline.

It's stick season for me at work right now, too, and I'm trying to translate that calm new baseline to my horse work as well: getting into some better habits by spending just a few minutes cleaning tack, or organizing my trunk, or picking through his tail each visit, so when it's so cold I can hardly breathe I'll have that rhythm down.

Here's to the calm before the storm.

5 Day Challenge: Day 4

Day 4 of Fly On Over's 5 Day Challenge.

16. One thing you’d like to change about your horse.

I do wish Tristan were more forward. Not hugely! But enough so that I didn't have to kick - every - single - stride, or at least be thinking forward with every single stride. 

17. Your horse’s future.

With me. Forever. Always. My goal is to retire him to my own farm, somehow, someday.

18. Your worst show ever.

Oh, God. There is actually video evidence of this. Brace yourselves.

Shortly after this video ended, he really truly lost it and flat out bolted out of the ring. He didn't stop for another 50 yards, until I grabbed the rein right by the bit ring and one-reined him into a spin. Good times.

19. Favorite horse show venue.

I've never ridden there, but I have a deep and enduring love for King Oak Farm. It's by far my favorite venue at which to volunteer, and it was going to be my pick for our first recognized event until Tristan's foot problems started.

20. Your show day routine.

I don't know that I've shown enough to really get a routine down, but it usually starts with a stupid early wakeup call, an egg sandwich and lots and lots of tea, and in the middle there's a frantic re-memorizing of dressage tests, at least one major smudge on my white breeches, me cussing out Tristan while he has a bratty moment while tacking up, and ends with at least one pair of socks soaked through for one reason or another and me flopping in utter exhaustion.

Lesson Notes

Hooray and huzzah, back in the lesson swing!

This was just a 30 minute one that ended in 40 minutes of work if you count the walk warmup and cooldown. I primarily asked for eyes on the ground to recalibrate our sense of forward: not to let me either get him almost there and then give up OR shove him into rushing instead of forward. End result, develop a more honest reaching connection to the bit.

It was a fast, energetic 30 minutes and we were both pretty tired at the end of it, which was great. It was my first lesson with the barn manager, who teaches through the winter, and I was glad that we clicked nicely and I saw a lot of things we can work on.

Takeaways:

1) Ask for acceleration when coming to the long side when first asking for more forward. Going forward out of the turn weights the inside hind, which helps develop lift, and gives him the length of the arena to really motor through.
2) Get transitions crisper; we worked on this on a 20m circle going walk-trot-walk-trot with a step or two in each, setting a baseline of a quick but firm aid. Our best transition was actually a bit muddled - there was a split second where I felt the offer of a canter in there - but that meant that the lift and the forward I wanted were contained in the transition, it just wasn't quite clear enough.
3) Keep my hands further forward, and resist the temptation to fiddle with the reins just to get him stretching down and through. Leg, not hands! (Story of my life.)
4) Use cavaletti to encourage hind end action and stomach muscles, which will help make forward easier. Start with a regular distance and then shorten them slightly to make him think a bit harder and step a bit more quickly.

This was followed by a massage which had good and bad news. In good - he was quiet and responded really well, and J. confirmed that he's back at a good weight. In bad - still not muscling up quite enough. Continue with tummy tuck and sternum lift exercises, and really commit to a regular exercise schedule with more work than he has been doing.

5 Day Challenge: Day 3

Day 3 of Fly On Over's blog challenge.

11. Critique your horse’s conformation.

Conformation is not really my area of expertise, but here goes! (Photos taken about 4 years ago.)

The good: He is the cutest! Objectively: he has excellent bone and rather nice leg proportions, both front and back. His back end especially is rather nice. Good depth of barrel. Very expressive eyes and a kind look. Not built downhill, but just about even. Not over or under either front or back. He is ever so slightly cow hocked: just enough for smoother gaits but not enough to impact the joints. Excellent feet: big and tough.

The bad: Holy shoulder, Batman. It's massive. And overall, his entire front end is disproportionate to his back: there is a lot of weight there, even if he's not technically downhill. His heck is over-thick and his throatlatch is basically nonexistent, leading down to a poor tie-in of neck and chest. He has the Roman nose to end all Roman noses. His top half is generally out of balance with his bottom half: he has the build of a 16hh horse on pony legs. His head is several steps beyond ginormous.

Overall: he's got a functional conformation, but he won't win any prizes.

12. Horse’s favorite riding exercise.

Sleeping and/or eating. No, really. Oh, fine - hacking out for a short distance, perhaps 20 minutes or so, ideally with some undergrowth to crash through. Followed by a snack and a nap.

13. Favorite spa day products.

Cowboy Magic Shampoo & Conditioner, clippers, sunshine.

14. Three best things about your horse.

1. He's genuinely adorable, with an avid, expressive face that charms absolutely everyone.

2. His brain. His default is to be chill and laid back and still. He puts up with an awful lot.

3. This past year notwithstanding, he is tough as nails about so many things: doesn't need a blanket, never runs in turnout, will hack just about anywhere, and is overall a very easy keeper.

15. Favorite picture of your horse.