Day 3 at Devon

Been busy getting back into my flow of things.

So our class wasn't schedule until 5:00! So that was a full day of me fretting.

Let her get her craziness out in the morning. She was a bucking bronco.

Got her super clean and shinny with the help with Tina.

Got to the arena a tad early, found out I had to get a handler's bracelet, so I had to trek all the way back to my stall, and go to the show office.

Then I came back. My handler had the last 4 horses to show in the IBC classes. The App colt before Lilly busted loose and was running around crazy.

So Lilly goes in. She looks at me like why are you out there and I'm in there. She was like who is this guy. But she set up fine. She was totally chill.

All that prep work and money for 4 minutes. lol.

She got 60% and 2nd place.
Her commets from the judge were:
long back, short croup, front legs short.

Her movements comments were:
walk: regular marching but downhill.
trot: regular, but downhill.

But I'm proud of her. She was so relaxed and laid back. She was like "I know what I'm doing."

Tina drove back home with me. It was good to have company. Got hamburger from Burger king. I don't know but it's an awful burger but it was so good.

We got home at 1230. The mp was like where you going? Me: Stable. He looks at the trailer and was like duh.

So we've been home and I haven't ridden yet. Hopefully the weather will hold out and I'll ride tonight. I've been so freaking tired lately.

:)

Day 2 at Devon

So Day 2 was pretty much eventless asides hanging out with people.

Meet up with Wendy Rhodes and her husband Rusty. Then we sat in the stands with a lady named Martha Mitchell. Two Appy people with the last name Mitchell. Meet a L judge Lea Ann Hansen who I actually had contacted for judging at Quantico, but it didn't pan out. Dates didn't work. But she was nice, may have to ask her to come out next year.

We talked about Appaloosas for like 3 or 4 hours. Being a younger person I really didn't know there was so much discord between the App sporthorse folks. Us Appy people are prideful folks and being women we can get catty. But it's unfortunate because it really doesn't get us to work towards a common goal of breeding good apps that can excel in the Olympic disciplines. I'd really like seeing an Appy in the Olympics in my lifetime.

Another thing that KWPN or Oldenburg or other breeders don't have an issue with is their types. Yes there are different "types" the heavier, medium, more modern types, but not like the App world.

There are so many people breeding so many different types of Appies. Not only that it seems like if we do get Apps in dressage, the roof seems to be 2nd level. Then extensions come to be a limiting factor.

Plus there is the trainers who say if you want to go past 2nd level you need a WB.

There are Appy purist who just want to breed foundation lines. While I see no problem with that, there are dwindling numbers of the baroque type of foundation stallions.

My favorite baroquie (know that's not a word) stallion AK Pisko Hunka.
He's such a lovely horse. I'm not sure but I think the highest he competed was 2nd or 3rd level. He was 16.3 and beautiful. That's the kind of Apps that are going to get people looking at the Appaloosa breed and want one. Too bad he passed away last year. I would have loved a baby by him.

Growing up and wanting to breed horses I got this in my head I think from Arab people that the horse must compete and prove themselves before they can breed. When I start up my farm, doesn't matter what the breed the horse is, stallion or mare they have to show. Since I don't plan on having a huge operation I can be picky with my choices.

But we need to grow as an association and as a breed. Our horses in jumpers and eventing are doing well. Those classes deal less with judge's opinions and more ont he rider and horse. But dressage is still a field where a judge can be a little stinky if they want too. The hunter arena is like that too, but I think the judges don't mind the chrome, just depends on the judge.

But it's going to take our breeders to breed a true sporthorse type and market them to really be successful. Which in our economy it's a little hard to do. But like our Appies we'll periserve in any bad storm.

I wish I could start my breeding operation right now. I'm not of the purist train of thought.
I just want a good looking moving horse that has a good temperment and color. If I can use straight App to App breeding to accomplish that I will. But I do want to cross it with Oldenburgs or RPSIs to get a little more of the bigger movement and then the third generation breed it back to App lines to keep the color.

But eh big dreams. Need the credit, capital, and rich hubbie. lol.

My First Day at Devon

Just because I'm an early riser I was way to early at the barn. I had to mull around a little bit before I could head out on the road. I live in the Washington, D.C. area. That equals a lot of traffic and towing a trailer in rush hour traffic was not my idea of fun.

My brake plug was being a pain, so I had to bend over and mess with it. Well my cellphone was in my jean pocket and bugging me. So I laid it on the bumper of my truck. I was driving and wanted to text my friend a real quick message. It donned on me of where the location of my cellphone was. !!!!

It made it to Woodbridge, roughly 10 miles on the back of my truck. Thank god. Incredibly lucky.

My GPS was on some sort of crack cocaine and wanted to get more, so it took me through downtown Baltimore. Parts of Baltimore I've never been in. Not cool, plus some of the roads were a little patchy.

So finally get back on a normal road. I went through a toll road. $23.00 freaking dollars. So I set my GPS to avoid tolls. I ain't got money to spend on useless tolls. I need my money to shop at Devon.

So I finally get there at 1:30ish. I was so nervous. I've never been to a show this big. So I unpacked as quick as I could and drove to Motel 6. When I got back Tina was there. Tina is Caroline's friend. Caroline works at the feed shop that I get my feed and she got us to be together.

Lilly was being super good. We walked and the only thing she spooked at was the flowers. She doesn't like flowers for whatever reason. I guess they all look like they're going to kill her.

Tina's friends with Christine Smith, who's a handler. She's really nice. Meet up with Bruce & Stacy Griffin who's handling Lilly Thursday. Got the run down on what's going down.

When I was standing near the show arena with Tina, Christine, and one other gal I forget her name I heard my name and Lilly's show name. It happened to be the ApSHA president Wendy Rhodes. So we got talking. We talked for a while. She wants to do a group photo and lunch so I have that for today.

Apparently my appy caused a stir already. Christine's assistant handler said people were talking about her. I'm like omg already. When I walked around the showgrounds people were starring. So it's up to miss Lillers to shine.

I got to get. Got to use the restroom feed and find allergy medicine.

ugh

I wanted to ride today. I feel like I've gotten out of my routine past few days. I had to do a make up assignment for our barn, so that took up my barn time.

But yesterday and today my back has been killing me. I'm not sure what has set it off. My shoulder blades are really tight. My back is so ouchie.

So tonight I'm getting a massage. So no day of riding. :( But Wednesday is the next riding day. yay.

Saturday

I had a lesson on Saturday with Abby Carter. She did a lesson with my friend. Apparently in the last lesson, she rode Lilly. She said she liked her work ethic and her ridability.

She was trying to get me to get her more responsive to my leg. She really worked with me on my position. Which is amazing why sitting taller and deeper does.

We worked on turn on the forehand as well.

Then we worked in the canter. She was trucking. I've never felt her go so fast under saddle before. But she felt really good. She was really driving with her hindquarters.

She showed me little things that made a huge difference. So I'll be working on that.

One of the kids at the barn wanted to trail ride, so I went out with him, with my friend's horse. Lilly get's nervous on trail so I didn't want a fight. I need her to get use to trail, because we can't always work in the arena.

I'm a big wuss! But I let myself trust Dakota and me and Mikey started gallopping up a series of hills. It was so much fun. Dakota really can get. My knees though were creeky.

I wanted to ride Lilly, but I've had a huge allergy attack all Sunday. So with the exciting trail ride and I had to paint something for the barn it was dark and I was dead tired.

I went to the VADA/NOVA Fall show. It was fun. I volunteered. I never been a ring stewart and they wanted me to do the big arena. I was a little freaked out. So I told the volunteer lady and she had me do a smaller arena where I could talk to the other ring stewarts.

Saw UB40. Not impressed on his website, but in person he's a nice stud. Very lovely. I'm not a huge chestnut fan, but he's a nice color. Very good boy too.

It was a nice show and the weather in the morning was lovely. Morven Park is a very pretty showgrounds.

melon colly?

Lilly's been in most of the week due to the weather. Not that it's been raining as much as they've been predicted.

So I went to the barn at 6:00 and turned her out. The sky looked like it was getting darker, but I figured she'll have some turnout before it rained.

So I went home and cooked dinner. The rain hadn't come yet so I went out and rode. When I tried sitting the trot my stomach protested. It said you ate way too much spagetti to be sitting the trot. I know they say you should wait an hour before excercising, but I never usually eat dinner before I ride. I learned my lesson. No full stomach and sitting trot.

On Tuesday all I did was lunge her. Very lightly. Then yesterday I rode. At the trot she was fine, but when I asked her to canter she was very relucant and when she did canter she was four beating. She never does that. So I thought maybe it was me riding dumb.

So I got off and checked her legs. No heat or swelling. So I got out my lunge line and lunged her again. No head bobbing no missed steps. She did look a little stiff. I figured maybe I just hadn't warmed her up enough. But I was tired too so I just ended early.

I think my little pony is tired. I've ridden her every other day for the past two weeks. I think her right hindquarter is very sore. So I put some liniment on her and gave her a really good rub down. She really likes the right hindquarter worked, but when I got to her left she's like no touchie!

When I went to the barn this morning she hadn't eaten all her hay and she usually does. Plus she drank most of her water. She usually only drinks 3/4 a bucket a night, but both buckets were almost gone. But she was eating her grain like it was going out of style. I couldn't take her temp because my thermoter was broken. So I'll ask my friend to check on her make sure she's fine.

So she'll have today off and Friday off. Saturday I might have a lesson. The girl that my friend did a clinic with Lilly is coming to the barn. So if the other gal at the barn doesn't take the 1230 spot I'll take it.

OMG!

eeee. Devon released their time sheet and competitors.

Lilly is showing against two yearling boys.

I'm excited and nervous.
17 days until Devon.

If you're out there she's showing Sept. 24th at 4:45ish pm.

ah Labor Day

I needed this holiday. I found out my co-workers got laid off. My boss's boss called me Friday and told me my contract told him he needed to pick 5 peeps to keep. I was his top 3 pick. Since my performance record is good I stayed. The newer folks fell into that last to hire first to go column. My other co-worker I know he doesn't like so I doubt he was on the top 5.

I've been writing a story on and off for the last four years. Paranormal romance. If you like Sherilyn Kenyon and stuff like that my story is kind of like that. Werewolves, vampires, angels, oh my. I've been very inspired.

So has my pony. I've been riding every other day pretty consistently since Sunday. When I haven't been at the barn I've been at Borders. When I was there Saturday I saw that they had 101 exercises for dressage riders. I didn't have any cash to buy it, but I did flip through it. So Sunday when I rode I incorprated a few of the exercises in.

One of the simple ones was bending. Trying to get her to step more under neath herself. She's better going to the left. The right it's really hard for her. She's more resistant.

Then there was a loopy exercise that I tried. Again same thing she was going above the bit more towards the right. Her turns are better to the left.

Then there was a simple trot exercise. Slow trot at the corners and on the straightaways working trot. While I did this one I worked on my sitting trot. I was doing real good with my posture and using my body to slow her down instead of being hand heavy. Because my posture was good I did well with the sitting trot.
When I get hunter minded I tend to not be able to sit the trot real well.

Then I worked on canter. I think because I worry that I'm somehow going to mess her up at the canter I don't canter for a long time. But then I was thinking maybe I'm plateauing her a little bit. So I worked on the canter both directions for a bit.

I even did walk-to-canter transitions. She nailed them on the head. While she has a harder time flexing and bending to the right she has an easier time getting "uphill" to the right. Logically it makes no sense to me, but she does. Her right canter is better than her right trot.

And my mare neck reins. It was something that I taught her 'cause I thought she was going to do western pleasure shows. But now she really gets a hang of it.

When I let her stretch down and forward at the trot I had my hand at the buckle. I wonder what my scores are going to be like for Training Level 3 at that element. We'll find out Nov. 1st.

cool and frisky

So the cooler weather is upon us. First I have started to blanket. It feels to early, but since Devon is a few weeks away I don't want her too fuzzy. Plus considering last week we had 90+ weather and it now is 70 going into the 50s I figure might as well.

I rode her last night. I rode her in the arena that she gets spooky in. She didn't shock me with any major spooks, just kept on looking in the dreaded evil corner and down the hill that is the home of horse eating deer.

She was being heavy again with the bit. But I got her to go light a few times at the trot. Cantering to the left was okay. I've lengthen my stirrups to try and help me sit back, but I still get into a hunter frame in my saddle.

She did toss in some playful bucks going to the right. Nothing I couldn't handle. I just pushed her onwards and she was good. Once the bucks were out she gave me an awesome canter. She was using her hindquarters and doing that mythical "uphill" canter that a few judges tell me to achieve. It's hard when she's downhill, but she tries.

I'm debating on either entering her in the VADA/NOVA schooling show on Nov. 1st or the Chestnut Oak schooling show Nov. 8th. I think Chestnut Oak will fit better in my schedule, but it'll help to show her at some Morven Park shows so she can see the showgrounds and screw up this year so next year when the scores count she'll be use to Morven.

If my friend pays me money today I think I'm calling Budi for a lesson. I need one bad. Budi is going to hot shoe her next time. It'll be interesting to see how she'll handle that.

ha!

This is Lilly this morning. She's so cute. haha.

Last night she was being really heavy on the bit. It was like she wanted to fall on her face and take me with her.

I really want to take lessons again, but until Devon I'm trying to sip my money. I want to make sure that I have enough. Which I do. Bruce already has his money and so does Devon. The only thing that needs to be paid is gas and hotel. I switched to a cheapier hotel. I forgot what it was called. But hey it was like $30 cheapier.

I have two clinics in Oct.

Oct. 4th: Greg Andrews. Greg is one my friends. I bought my first horse from him. He's a good guy has a good eye and is good with the ponies. Not harsh and works you without killing you.

Oct. 10th. Pascal Martin. A clinic hosted by Vada/Nova.

And I can't wait to hook up with Kelly to start with fall/winter training. yes.

Here's the icky scrape. The hair is growing out. Microtek Rebuilder to the rescue! Hopefully it'll be nice and grown out by Devon.