Chattahochee Hills is an amazing facilty as it is but its not finished, so when complete by next years AECs it will be an incredible venue. One which I plan on going back to and already planning out in my head next years event schedule for me and Toby. I'm thinking we might go there for there CIC** in May. One thing..it's well spaced out...so plenty of walking and if you come get a golf cat you will need it big time.
I recaped our XC ride but didn't mention Dressage. Our warm up went well, Toby was relaxed and straight into work. Mary Darcy work with us to get the best out of us and when we rode off into the impressive top Grand Prix arena i was looking forward to a good test. Just as we got to ours the middle arnea a big gust of wind flapped the 3 large flags and Toby spooked and then got tense.
I rode on and top at the each of the two judges to do the normal greetings..Toby seemed to mellow out a bit..but as we passed that end of the arena again tension came back in and he start just slightly grinding his teeth..as soon as he does that his neck and back get tense and the swing and lenght of stride shortens..But i rode the best test i could out of him and kept his slight nerves under control. i wanted to finish below 40 and we did with a 39.2, scoring 9 for our finally movement. With so many people in the divison scores were going to be close..from me in 35th place to 1st place was only 12 pionts!!
Show jumping was in the same arena and there was plenty to of activity around the arena. I had watched the advanced top riders school in the morning which was interesting to watch. You don't think of them having lessons like us lesser mortals, so it was good to see what problems and training solutions they have to go through too.
The course for them was different that our OI course but we still had last line of fences as them a triple which was oxer, upright then oxer and then 5 stride to another upright, all of course maxed out.
They had had a triple bar as the jump before this line, this same fence got reversed became our first jump!!! lowerd a hole and not quite as wide but still an impressive first fence esp. as it was facing the main covered seating area which was busy!
Only got to walk the course once as I was first in. So listen well to what Mike had to say about each fence and line..ran through it couple of times doing the "finger jumping"and then hopped on Toby who was a bit wound up..But settle down once we warmed up and jumped well and was listening. Mike tried to find out when I was going and so we chilled and just walked around. Then boom I needed to be in NOW...Mike was not happy and managed to get us some more time as he argued we where not ready...we jumped a couple a LARGE oxers and one upright and off we went...all way to hurried. Soon as I was in whistle went and we were off...
As i made our approach to the first fence"triple bar" I could feel Toby suck back a bit, I'm sure in his end he was think "what! what? we don't jump this first..its a triple bar!!!" about 4 strides out he switched on it was our fence and boom we took off and jumped the crap out of it. The first part of the course was a bit of a blur and I can wait to get my video just so i know what happened. I know i got in his face too much on 3 fences and heard rails..by the time we made the turn to the second to last line we were more in sink. and the last line was brilliant..and then we were done.
Finished and completed something I didn't get to do with Jeri at this level at the championships as she was not her normally self that day and I pulled up.
Toby however was still full of beans and I'm sure would have run around the XC course again if I asked him.
When we got back to the barn which was already half empty and it was time to pack up quickly ourselfs and hit the road.
So we didn't finish quiet were I wanted but that was more my fault than my horse's, but we did finishe and we had a great time. Plus learnt so much more from the experiance, I know now my horse is a bit of a XC machine and I need to let him do his job and I need to bloody well concernrate on mine. That dressage is always going to depend on the day, but still work hard at improving both of us. And Show Jumping will maybe always be NOT Clear...but we can sure work at getting our act together.
If you get the chance to quailify this next year, try and make it to the AECs it is so worth it for so many reasons and well done to all those Area V rideres that went and completed, and a few that came home with ribbons and prizes..hopefully we will bo one of those next year! Cheers
Monday, September 20, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Round Up
Its been a week today we were finished with XC, and it was one of the biggest and hardest XC I've done and I know it is the biggest for Toby..so what did he think of it? To be honest i think he loved every minute and know of the fences even phased him for one minute total star. His rider well she was another matter!!!
Worst show nerves I've ever had...man did I feel like crap Saturday morning. But some of my issue may have been a stomach bug as Martha who I was sharing her LQ with was ill first two days we were there poor thing!
Not going into too much detail but dry heaves not any fun! Know I get a little neverous I had brought plenty of over the counter substances to get things sort of normal.
XC time was 12.45 so lots of time in the morning to get ready and had time to watch a load of the Advance riders go...some bad it look way too easy like Becky Holder and Will Faudre and others not so lucky..
By the time I needed to get tacked up, I actrauly felt pretty decent. Toby was full of beans as we hacked the close to a mile down to the start box at the bottom of the hill. The warm up areas was large and had a really good range of XC feneces to practice over which was great. Heather was there bang on time to help me..they were running a bit ahead so once we were ready ...off to the start box 3,2,1 and off we leap. First four fences were a range of table likke jumps well spaced out to gallop and each got a little higher and wider. The first real question was a roll top at the bottom of a mound which yu ran up and at the bottom was a very narrow but wide rolltop tooth pike with brush...no problem..got to the top of the mound and Toby had already locked on it.
A croos the lane and 1 minute...next up were two GOOD size tables on an angle with 2 strides inbetween.They were numbered sperate but we where going straight. Which we did, mike had said to come in with good canter for us to make the two strides which i did. Toby landed after the first and shortened up and then on second stride launched himself just to make the jump even bigger!! we ran up the hill to the sharks teeth and took a flyer at that fence too. next was an oxer with a solid top..I got in his face a bit too much and we got a awkward stride but he made it work and we flew up the hill to the brush box..whee..prefect stop!
Other side was a STEP hill down and then a quick up to a roll top log thing..which I took a good hoe after as next question a pretty drop fence to 5 stride to a bloody big narrow brush fence.Which when i stode on the down side of it, it was taller than me (I'm 5'5")..Toby easily jumped down and not phase at all by the brush fence got a great spot and cleared no worries!!Net was a roll top we shared with Advanced which seemed small compared to what we just jumped... Then carted me off at full gallop into the out field!! The next fence was another big table thing and was suppose to be ou set up fence before we did the massive brush box we shared with Advanced and either 7 or 6 strides to a very narrow corner with a good angle to it.
The turn to the brush box helped set up and before I could think we were clearing the corner right it the middle and making the turn back to yet another big arse table and then the coffin. The coffin was a palsade with brush at the top one stride to a ditch and then three bending line to a mushroom feeder thing..To be honest it was way easier to do than it walked.
By this time I was well hot and the air burned your throat as you filled your lounges, Toby had been doing a good amount of pulling and I think I did a brilliant job of getting him fit...to the piont he was way too fit.
I decided to make thing a little harder and angles the log hut jump and the roll top befor the climb up the hill to the brush before the water which I also angled...coming down the hill Toby was trying to gun it.
I wanted to have enough power for the water jump but didnt want to blast it.. I thought i had got him back enough and that normally water backs hem off a bit.. not Toby. Even with the BLUE dyed water and all the people and vechicles a round the water jump he locked on and we were off...in my chase literary. He jumped huge over the brush and logs into the water.
Looking now I should have been way way back in the take . But even so i managed to stay on and get back in poisition quick cicle and boom over first and second jumps in the water and we only Had one more combination and and couple more simple fences and we would be home.bounced up the bank and roll jump and flew down the other side straight of our next corner and then off for finally jumps..came through finish line with plenty of running. i was so wanting to get off him as soon as possible that forgot to unclip my air vest and puff I was all inflatted.A bunch of friends were at the finishe to help coool toby down...Yeye we finished..
Worst show nerves I've ever had...man did I feel like crap Saturday morning. But some of my issue may have been a stomach bug as Martha who I was sharing her LQ with was ill first two days we were there poor thing!
Not going into too much detail but dry heaves not any fun! Know I get a little neverous I had brought plenty of over the counter substances to get things sort of normal.
XC time was 12.45 so lots of time in the morning to get ready and had time to watch a load of the Advance riders go...some bad it look way too easy like Becky Holder and Will Faudre and others not so lucky..
By the time I needed to get tacked up, I actrauly felt pretty decent. Toby was full of beans as we hacked the close to a mile down to the start box at the bottom of the hill. The warm up areas was large and had a really good range of XC feneces to practice over which was great. Heather was there bang on time to help me..they were running a bit ahead so once we were ready ...off to the start box 3,2,1 and off we leap. First four fences were a range of table likke jumps well spaced out to gallop and each got a little higher and wider. The first real question was a roll top at the bottom of a mound which yu ran up and at the bottom was a very narrow but wide rolltop tooth pike with brush...no problem..got to the top of the mound and Toby had already locked on it.
A croos the lane and 1 minute...next up were two GOOD size tables on an angle with 2 strides inbetween.They were numbered sperate but we where going straight. Which we did, mike had said to come in with good canter for us to make the two strides which i did. Toby landed after the first and shortened up and then on second stride launched himself just to make the jump even bigger!! we ran up the hill to the sharks teeth and took a flyer at that fence too. next was an oxer with a solid top..I got in his face a bit too much and we got a awkward stride but he made it work and we flew up the hill to the brush box..whee..prefect stop!
Other side was a STEP hill down and then a quick up to a roll top log thing..which I took a good hoe after as next question a pretty drop fence to 5 stride to a bloody big narrow brush fence.Which when i stode on the down side of it, it was taller than me (I'm 5'5")..Toby easily jumped down and not phase at all by the brush fence got a great spot and cleared no worries!!Net was a roll top we shared with Advanced which seemed small compared to what we just jumped... Then carted me off at full gallop into the out field!! The next fence was another big table thing and was suppose to be ou set up fence before we did the massive brush box we shared with Advanced and either 7 or 6 strides to a very narrow corner with a good angle to it.
The turn to the brush box helped set up and before I could think we were clearing the corner right it the middle and making the turn back to yet another big arse table and then the coffin. The coffin was a palsade with brush at the top one stride to a ditch and then three bending line to a mushroom feeder thing..To be honest it was way easier to do than it walked.
By this time I was well hot and the air burned your throat as you filled your lounges, Toby had been doing a good amount of pulling and I think I did a brilliant job of getting him fit...to the piont he was way too fit.
I decided to make thing a little harder and angles the log hut jump and the roll top befor the climb up the hill to the brush before the water which I also angled...coming down the hill Toby was trying to gun it.
I wanted to have enough power for the water jump but didnt want to blast it.. I thought i had got him back enough and that normally water backs hem off a bit.. not Toby. Even with the BLUE dyed water and all the people and vechicles a round the water jump he locked on and we were off...in my chase literary. He jumped huge over the brush and logs into the water.
Looking now I should have been way way back in the take . But even so i managed to stay on and get back in poisition quick cicle and boom over first and second jumps in the water and we only Had one more combination and and couple more simple fences and we would be home.bounced up the bank and roll jump and flew down the other side straight of our next corner and then off for finally jumps..came through finish line with plenty of running. i was so wanting to get off him as soon as possible that forgot to unclip my air vest and puff I was all inflatted.A bunch of friends were at the finishe to help coool toby down...Yeye we finished..
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Saturday- this time next week XC
So woke up early, with out alarm. You know when y our head just switches on and that's it no more sleep!
This week has been super busy at work and horses too.
Tuesday I rode super early as Toby was getting reavulated and then some re-ajustment by Dr. Willard again. Since he was done last week he has been going fabulous. His lateral work is so much easier and way more swingy and bigger steps. His medium work esp. his canter work is so more up hill, bouncey and forward...love it. I even got to swim my mile on way home from work and some food shopping..so it was after 9pm when I finally got home...long day!
Wednesday had a lesson on the flat with Mary!!! In the rain/storm front! Brill..don't get me wrong SO HAPPY it RAINED but typical of Texas it has to be a massive down pour! It wasn't too bad to start off with but when I could no longer hear Mary or see where we were going because of the rain/wind time to through the towel in..everything was soaked even my socks as water was running down in side of my boots!!! Toby was a star even in that crappy weather, got to love his work ethic. Even with the rain we managed to get a lot done.. and a reminder that I need to be super organised and focus on riding each part of the test. Sounds pretty obvious but its not...and Wednesday my brain was not firing on all cylinders it was more like mush from work!
Thursday am got rained on again riding but so nice to have cooler weather ... then Toby got new shoes. My farrier Mike Lewis is the best, Toby does not have best of feet and Mike always makes them look and feel (for Toby) so good.
Each morning this week I've been up at 4-4.30am..so I can get work done before doing horses and riding , then quick showere and off to office..working later there coming home and then after checking the horses crashing or doing more work.. I lucky that my Hubby Anthony can do the eveing shift of bringing in and feeding.
So this week has been long one..thursday up until midnight working and Friday back up at 4am to start it all over again! I know I'm one of many Amateurs that does the tricky job of balancing work and horse/competitions...it sucks sometimes...but the pay back when you are at a event with the wind in your face heading for a XC fence on your best equine mate is well worth all the hassel and crap to get there!
Friday ..more flat work early before heading to office...so glad have health certificate out the way..
So now its Saturday morning..off out to do horses before head out to Goldchip for jumping lesson!!
Cheers
So the fact that
This week has been super busy at work and horses too.
Tuesday I rode super early as Toby was getting reavulated and then some re-ajustment by Dr. Willard again. Since he was done last week he has been going fabulous. His lateral work is so much easier and way more swingy and bigger steps. His medium work esp. his canter work is so more up hill, bouncey and forward...love it. I even got to swim my mile on way home from work and some food shopping..so it was after 9pm when I finally got home...long day!
Wednesday had a lesson on the flat with Mary!!! In the rain/storm front! Brill..don't get me wrong SO HAPPY it RAINED but typical of Texas it has to be a massive down pour! It wasn't too bad to start off with but when I could no longer hear Mary or see where we were going because of the rain/wind time to through the towel in..everything was soaked even my socks as water was running down in side of my boots!!! Toby was a star even in that crappy weather, got to love his work ethic. Even with the rain we managed to get a lot done.. and a reminder that I need to be super organised and focus on riding each part of the test. Sounds pretty obvious but its not...and Wednesday my brain was not firing on all cylinders it was more like mush from work!
Thursday am got rained on again riding but so nice to have cooler weather ... then Toby got new shoes. My farrier Mike Lewis is the best, Toby does not have best of feet and Mike always makes them look and feel (for Toby) so good.
Each morning this week I've been up at 4-4.30am..so I can get work done before doing horses and riding , then quick showere and off to office..working later there coming home and then after checking the horses crashing or doing more work.. I lucky that my Hubby Anthony can do the eveing shift of bringing in and feeding.
So this week has been long one..thursday up until midnight working and Friday back up at 4am to start it all over again! I know I'm one of many Amateurs that does the tricky job of balancing work and horse/competitions...it sucks sometimes...but the pay back when you are at a event with the wind in your face heading for a XC fence on your best equine mate is well worth all the hassel and crap to get there!
Friday ..more flat work early before heading to office...so glad have health certificate out the way..
So now its Saturday morning..off out to do horses before head out to Goldchip for jumping lesson!!
Cheers
So the fact that
Friday, September 3, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
ONE WEEK !!!
This time next week we will be just about to hit the road..its just before 5am!!!
So why am I up and already on the computer??? Work/deadline is the simple answer. We have until this weekend to get our design together enough for our 3D computer renders to start on the model which in the end will be animation of the casino design. As our deadline is 1st of October which of course too is the weekend of WEG, which I have tickets for!
It always seem to be sods law that if I have competitions or something planned..work will have deadline right at the same point. Balancing the two,three and sometimes four or more things is a full time job in its self.
So early starts and working weekends has been the normal for a while now.
So since I last wrote this is how things have paned out.
Toby had his body worked on my Dr. Willard on Wednesday, his poll,left shoulder,left side rib cage and left stifle were in need of some work. I had ridden him early before Bob arrived and then I could ride him on Thursday evening. The weather had finally broken yey and it was a pleasure to ride in the late hours which has still been hotter than hell till now..He felt so much better and through, and had real swing to his movement and better in the poll. Monday needed to catch back up with Dr. Willard and he was going to come out and check if he needed more manipulations.
Friday while a lot of area V where off at Feather Creek, we headed out to show jump in the morning, jacked up the fences and off we went. He jumped really well and we got good spots and even canter.
Saturday off to Torra Vista Stables in Celina, this is a dressage barn that holds rider test on a regular basis with Dressage judge Clare Morrow. I had forgotten quite how many traffic lights on HWY 380 there are and I think we caught every single buggering one on red!! So didn't get as much warm up as I would have liked but still we did a decent test scoring a 34. Getting to work with the judge and hear their comments is brill. She was complementary about my test riding except for my serpentine which needed some work and we could get at least another point or 2 out of the move and some work on our haunches in and extend walk..
All good stuff plus it was another new place for Toby to see and work at, super indoor arena and really nice people to allow crazy Event Rider to come and ride an USEA test.
Sunday back to the track at Normandy for canter sets...it was prefect morning with a great breeze and Toby was on his toes and ready to go.
I had notice the week before in our foot tracks that left hind was leaving a bit of a drag mark, this week no sign of it so Dr. Willard work on him had fixed that.
Monday our day..well Toby's.. I was busy with work and also with getting things ready like Health certificate which means pulling blood for the parvo. test you need for GA. Also, trip to Dover saddlery as Toby's happy mouth mullen mouth we do dressage in broke! So good excuse to wiz over and cruse the store, I'm lucky that our office is only 10 minutes at most from dover!
So here we are Tuesday morning!!
Will be riding before Dr. Willard is back out this morning to check on Toby see if he needs some more work and take his bloody. Then Wednesday late afternoon have a lesson with Mary Darcy which will be our last tune up before we leave on the flat work.
Need to get in touch with Heather/Mike for a jump/xc lesson sometime this weekend!!
Sounds like Feather Creek was fun and i know my friends had great rides out there so hope rest of you that went did too..
Back to work now!!
So why am I up and already on the computer??? Work/deadline is the simple answer. We have until this weekend to get our design together enough for our 3D computer renders to start on the model which in the end will be animation of the casino design. As our deadline is 1st of October which of course too is the weekend of WEG, which I have tickets for!
It always seem to be sods law that if I have competitions or something planned..work will have deadline right at the same point. Balancing the two,three and sometimes four or more things is a full time job in its self.
So early starts and working weekends has been the normal for a while now.
So since I last wrote this is how things have paned out.
Toby had his body worked on my Dr. Willard on Wednesday, his poll,left shoulder,left side rib cage and left stifle were in need of some work. I had ridden him early before Bob arrived and then I could ride him on Thursday evening. The weather had finally broken yey and it was a pleasure to ride in the late hours which has still been hotter than hell till now..He felt so much better and through, and had real swing to his movement and better in the poll. Monday needed to catch back up with Dr. Willard and he was going to come out and check if he needed more manipulations.
Friday while a lot of area V where off at Feather Creek, we headed out to show jump in the morning, jacked up the fences and off we went. He jumped really well and we got good spots and even canter.
Saturday off to Torra Vista Stables in Celina, this is a dressage barn that holds rider test on a regular basis with Dressage judge Clare Morrow. I had forgotten quite how many traffic lights on HWY 380 there are and I think we caught every single buggering one on red!! So didn't get as much warm up as I would have liked but still we did a decent test scoring a 34. Getting to work with the judge and hear their comments is brill. She was complementary about my test riding except for my serpentine which needed some work and we could get at least another point or 2 out of the move and some work on our haunches in and extend walk..
All good stuff plus it was another new place for Toby to see and work at, super indoor arena and really nice people to allow crazy Event Rider to come and ride an USEA test.
Sunday back to the track at Normandy for canter sets...it was prefect morning with a great breeze and Toby was on his toes and ready to go.
I had notice the week before in our foot tracks that left hind was leaving a bit of a drag mark, this week no sign of it so Dr. Willard work on him had fixed that.
Monday our day..well Toby's.. I was busy with work and also with getting things ready like Health certificate which means pulling blood for the parvo. test you need for GA. Also, trip to Dover saddlery as Toby's happy mouth mullen mouth we do dressage in broke! So good excuse to wiz over and cruse the store, I'm lucky that our office is only 10 minutes at most from dover!
So here we are Tuesday morning!!
Will be riding before Dr. Willard is back out this morning to check on Toby see if he needs some more work and take his bloody. Then Wednesday late afternoon have a lesson with Mary Darcy which will be our last tune up before we leave on the flat work.
Need to get in touch with Heather/Mike for a jump/xc lesson sometime this weekend!!
Sounds like Feather Creek was fun and i know my friends had great rides out there so hope rest of you that went did too..
Back to work now!!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Two Weeks!!!
last two weeks have been a bit hectic and i've started writing about 5 times..so here's the last two weekends and more!
After the weekend before last being so busy with work and only just fitting in getting to ride.
Last weekend made up for all that as I was able to have Friday off from work thanks to all the hours I had worked over the weekend. One good thing about the firm I work with they allow for you to flex your time.
So first off Friday Mike Robins the equine dentist who I had to postpone twice finally came out to do the horses Teeth. Toby was up first so he would have most time to get over the calming drugs before my dressage lesson with Mary Darcy at 12! Yep busy day!!!
The last month or so notice Toby had been grinding his teeth when we had been show jumping and just recently doing flat work. At Heritage Park he had done some in the our test too, so time to fix that and I had learnt after a couple of months when I first got him that he did this when he got nervous or excited or worried. He does it with his front teeth and its because he is missing a top tooth on one side!! Looks a bit like one of those old boxer photographs when you lift his top lip up!!LOL! Due to this missing tooth the teeth below have nothing to wear on and just keeps growing. So Mike gets out a horse version of some of those drill you might see your own dentist use but I sure would not want that in my mouth. But as normal Toby is “Mr. Best patience” and Mike has his front teeth all flat and even then on to his back teeth in no time. Next up is Jeri who is also very patient about those sort of things too, that one of the reason I love having horses with Quarter Horse Blood in them . Only thing with Jeri she is a big girl and has a big head which she likes for you to help hold it up..that why I had big biceps when we did Dressage!!! After Jeri is was going to be her Filly Chloe’s first time having her teeth done but she got a rain check as she had some caps due to come off in 30 days or so and Mike would have had to come back and messed about again as she needs her wolf teeth pulled too. I’m in the process on braking her in (when I have time) but don’t plan now to get on her until after Fall Season and Toby takes a well earned brake. I like to give him about a month sometimes more off.
By noon Toby and I were over at Lynne’s (she kind enough to arrange for Mary to come for a day and teach in her arena) ready for our lesson with Mary. It was pretty hot by then so we would do about 10 minutes of work and brake in the shade for 5 and walk over what movement we had done or about to do. Giving Toby and myself time to cool some!!! f that’s at all at the moment with this Texas heat!!
Toby was working well and seemed so much happier with his teeth floated and his front teeth nice and flat. We concentrated on mostly on the moves that are in the B test we will be doing at AECs, so mostly shoulder in and haunches in and then the loops in canter and transitions. Each time I ride with Mary I’m so impressed how she is able to get the best out of both me and my horse sometimes with just the smallest of changes to my positions or use of aids or Toby’s position. We always leave feeling like we have improved but have homework to do ready for next lesson. It was a great tune up and totally worth being out there in the heat! Also, after Heritage park and going back to my normal dressage bridle and the way he went he went in it. Totally decided that he is far happier and better head carriage in the Michlem bridle .
Saturday we were off to Gold chip for a Jump lesson with Mike Huber and get to play with some of his new XC fences …yippee!
We started off with some training level fences in the arena with related distances and bending lines consecrating in riding the right canter and keeping our lines between fences. Canter quality and balance in SJ has been a bit of an issue with us . Toby is not the easiest horses to ride and it’s taken a lot of hard work and patience over the years to have what we have now. He also not the carefulness as far as keeping poles up but besides a little phase he went through coming back from his trailer accident he will always try to jump what in front of him even if his rider is doing a crap job of getting him to that fence.
Saying that if the jump is big and impressive so is his jump, sometimes I think he really cant be bothered with smaller fences and knocks them down just because!! The other thing he does which I’m sure many of you have seen, is clear the fence with ease then kick out with one back foot and knock the pole down! It’s his way of telling be I’m too much in his face! It use to be if I had my leg too far back on the jump (bad habit on my part) he’s now pretty much fixed me of that!
Then we were off into the XC field so try out some new fences and combinations of fences. One lines was pretty tricky especially when you have not walked it and first time we didn’t get the line out of the water over the skinny to the corner and my reins were too long..I think Toby would have carried on and try to jump it but I aired on the safety side and pulled away, last time we got the line to a corner wrong ended in me dislocating my shoulder!!! The second time we came through was bang on the money even if Toby decided to jump the wider part of the corner. All in all it was a great tune up and hope to get one more in before we head of to GA.
Sunday up way to early again this time off to Quail Run to do their schooling CT, Jan was kind enough to extend the divisions to Intermediate and her dressage arena in the pecan grove. Which had some issues well just two but the trees seemed to have been planted in just the right spots for Intermediate test B!
Not one of our best test but on hard ground and me getting one of the simple changes in the wrong place it was worth the outing.
Even more so the Show Jumping course that had been set up and then me and Lynne went round and put them up higher and wider. Not an easy course and all three of us had some issues, Joni and Ransom were the other test pilots! Mine a normal leaving the poles up!!! But we were just a bit fast for my liking with Toby still thinking we were still doing XC.
Jan allowed another round and we all improved. The course was a good test and tones of fun for us to ride.I think the spectators enjoy watching us doing the bigger fences too.
Monday day of rest for both of us from riding, for me it was off to Life Time fitness and another mile of lap swimming. I try and swim at least 3 times a week swimming, I do just over 60 laps which is roughly a mile of freestyle(crawl as we call it in UK). It’s the best thing for my shoulder(I’ve dislocated them both) and for my knees too(again through injuries) its great way to keep fit plus I love swimming.
Tuesday a hack and some flat work..
Wednesday and Thursday Toby had as rest as I had to Alabama for work.
So Friday was another day of hacking under the trees and some flat work in the arena.
Saturday was an early start and off over to Lynne’s with Shelly too, as Lynne had a gymnastics exercise for us all to play with. One of my favorite things is grid work, it reminds me of being in the Pony Club and all the jump training I did with the Show Jumping team for my local club. Loved doing the jumping shots with no reins and often no stirrups too…But we kept our reins and mostly our stirrups this time. It was defiantly good for all of our horses and we decided Saturday will be gymnastic day from now on if we don’t have a event.
I like working with my friends, we all help each other out everyone is allowed to make comment and shout at each other for our faults and good moments too..
Sunday early …packed Toby and the ice chest into the trailer and we were off to Normandy Farm’s North property were they have a track. Jo has always been a great supporter for many of us Eventers especially the Young Rider Teams too, to go over and do our canter sets at her place. It is such a great treasure when the ground is too hard to canter and you are still trying to keep your horse fit especially at Intermediate level.
Toby is an ex-Quarter horse Race horse and no the first race horse I have given a new career too (had several ex0-TB race horses back home)..
One thing about Ex-Race horses they never forget the “track’, and Toby is no different. Not sure who he thought he was racing. Maybe the huge male Hare that ran along with us before cutting in front and disappearing in the long grass in a split second!. But our canter sets were a tad faster than the 400-450 we were supposed to be doing !! The first 5 minute set didn’t take much out of him and at the end of the second he had only just broken a sweet but third he was working it but finishes with lots of steam.
Lucky for us the clouds kept the sun hidden the whole time but even at 7am its still bleedying hot…roll on Autumn and make it snappy.
Good luck to all that are off to Feather creek this coming weekend and the forecast is for cooler weather and I hope it turns out cooler than they forecast. We has decided not to run there for several reason but will be back there in the Spring to try out their new Intermediate course.
Saturday we will be off to one of the dressage stables to do a Ride a Test on the test we will be doing at the AECs.
Two weeks tonight we will be packed and ready for a very early morning start to GA…bugger where did that time go!!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Five weeks and counting
I'm sure like everyone else, dealing with riding in Texas in August HEAT..is no fun even if you ride at dawn its still nasty,sweaty and dusty. So thanks goodness for the cool front and the rain we got yesterday in our area. It made Jumping this morning way more bearable.
So how is my plan going? Not quite as plan but then that's par for course.
Between the HEAT and work, getting Toby exercised and working on getting better scores is still a focus. So this week we mostly stayed in the arena working on square halt with all feet esp. that left back which either wants to do some ballerina toes pointing thing out the back or just rest up their like a dog on the porch! Also, the unending perfect shoulder and hunches in or we just hacked under the shade of the trees.
No need for canter sets this week..too hot, ground too hard and Toby had already done plenty Monday evening when he and the other two went galloping round the feild like idiots because of a Wild Turkey passing through!!!LOL very scary turkey!!
This weekend we should have been off to Dressage clinic. However, due to the heat they did not have enough riders for both days and then Sunday I have too much work for deadline that goes to China to get over to take part. So phewie!!!
So went over to Lynne's to hack and jumping early as consolations, jumping always makes the days feel better.
So looking at the AECs entries website there is a load of people taking advantage of the early bird $100 off special. Even the likes of Phillip Dutton, Karen O'Connor and more are already in the line up. only reason i say those two names as they are riding in the same OI division as I am!!! It will be interesting to see quiet how well my part "Cow horse" does. I also saw some more familiar names Jacob and Emma from our Young rider pool and Becky Roper.
I know there is a good size group from this area going, lets see if we can show the two coasts just how serious we are about our eventing and our partying too!!!
Next weekend is Quail Runs Schooling CT, and Jan who is Fabulous for holding these schooling events is allowing me to do Intermediate tests which will really be our warm up outing before AECs..As another work deadline does not allow for me going to Feather Creek. So hope our hard work on the flat will show up in our test next weekend, I'm also going to be using the Micklem Bridle to do my test in. I've done a few other schooling shows in it and got good results, at Heritage park i changed back to normal bridle and not so good. So give it another run.
Also, next week hope to go XC schooling with Goldchip, hope we get some more rain and cooler weather. Toby gets his teeth done this week and then a good check over and chiro tune up with the vet next week too.
But for this weekend like last have to work most of it...so cheers for now and I'll catch up again next week. Sam
So how is my plan going? Not quite as plan but then that's par for course.
Between the HEAT and work, getting Toby exercised and working on getting better scores is still a focus. So this week we mostly stayed in the arena working on square halt with all feet esp. that left back which either wants to do some ballerina toes pointing thing out the back or just rest up their like a dog on the porch! Also, the unending perfect shoulder and hunches in or we just hacked under the shade of the trees.
No need for canter sets this week..too hot, ground too hard and Toby had already done plenty Monday evening when he and the other two went galloping round the feild like idiots because of a Wild Turkey passing through!!!LOL very scary turkey!!
This weekend we should have been off to Dressage clinic. However, due to the heat they did not have enough riders for both days and then Sunday I have too much work for deadline that goes to China to get over to take part. So phewie!!!
So went over to Lynne's to hack and jumping early as consolations, jumping always makes the days feel better.
So looking at the AECs entries website there is a load of people taking advantage of the early bird $100 off special. Even the likes of Phillip Dutton, Karen O'Connor and more are already in the line up. only reason i say those two names as they are riding in the same OI division as I am!!! It will be interesting to see quiet how well my part "Cow horse" does. I also saw some more familiar names Jacob and Emma from our Young rider pool and Becky Roper.
I know there is a good size group from this area going, lets see if we can show the two coasts just how serious we are about our eventing and our partying too!!!
Next weekend is Quail Runs Schooling CT, and Jan who is Fabulous for holding these schooling events is allowing me to do Intermediate tests which will really be our warm up outing before AECs..As another work deadline does not allow for me going to Feather Creek. So hope our hard work on the flat will show up in our test next weekend, I'm also going to be using the Micklem Bridle to do my test in. I've done a few other schooling shows in it and got good results, at Heritage park i changed back to normal bridle and not so good. So give it another run.
Also, next week hope to go XC schooling with Goldchip, hope we get some more rain and cooler weather. Toby gets his teeth done this week and then a good check over and chiro tune up with the vet next week too.
But for this weekend like last have to work most of it...so cheers for now and I'll catch up again next week. Sam
Monday, July 26, 2010
Entry Time
Tomorrows the big day opening for the entries and if you didn't know if you enter early you get $100 reduced cost which is fab.
Last time Toby and I went to the AECs it was a last minute thing, as I had not realised we had qualified. I was flicking through the horse names and their was his! We had only qualified for Prelim horse but still we had time to enter.
This year is totally different as our First at Poplar CIC* in the fall last year qualified us for Am Prelim and we had already qualified for Prelim Horse again. So very happy we could do Am Prelim but then our Intermediate runs went so well in the Spring with three clear XC rounds we now are qualified for Intermediate championship too!! "never rains then it pours"
So decision time!!
I had left my decisions until after Heritage Park HT which Siobhan O'Brien and I travelled up to weekend before last. We wanted to do a summer event and with no Champagne Run HT this year. We decided to check out Heritage as we had heard good things from others. I was their only IP entry but they were more than happy to accommodate us. We had a great time even if it was a bit hot and humid but totally worth it for the fabulous footing and well run event. The XC course was a good prelim course not all maxed out but lots of great combinations and different questions over rolling hills in a park setting.
I tied to make some of the questions a little harder but it didn't matter..just another jump as far as Toby is concerned. So really he found the XC not very taxing at all and we just cruised around in the time easily.
So decision was made then...Intermediate Championship he we come. Not expecting to win or anything close but would love to finish in the top 12 but that will be tough against all the pros! but at Poplar Place we were in a class of 17 riders and 90% of them were Pros and we finished 8th so there is some hope!!
In the meantime, working on a plan for how to get ourselves totally healthy, fit and mental ready for this.
For Toby, making sure he gets new shoes bang on time, his teeth need checking and a trip to the Chiropractor too. I would love a new pair of shoes with the price tag he has for his. Not so keen on a trip to the dentist but my chiropractors will defiantly be seeing me a few times before we go!
We have a dressage clinic to go to with Sherry Guess in a week or so and get some more time with Mary, Mike and Heather too in the next 6 weeks or so. Also, get our fitness work planned out for both of us. Toby and his canter sets and me with my lap swimming!
We have our ride just sorted out we are sharing again and have already a small convey going.
lets hope that August is nice to us with the heat and that we get some rain for the footing too. But very early morning riding seems to be the norm for now.
Will be back with more soon.
Last time Toby and I went to the AECs it was a last minute thing, as I had not realised we had qualified. I was flicking through the horse names and their was his! We had only qualified for Prelim horse but still we had time to enter.
This year is totally different as our First at Poplar CIC* in the fall last year qualified us for Am Prelim and we had already qualified for Prelim Horse again. So very happy we could do Am Prelim but then our Intermediate runs went so well in the Spring with three clear XC rounds we now are qualified for Intermediate championship too!! "never rains then it pours"
So decision time!!
I had left my decisions until after Heritage Park HT which Siobhan O'Brien and I travelled up to weekend before last. We wanted to do a summer event and with no Champagne Run HT this year. We decided to check out Heritage as we had heard good things from others. I was their only IP entry but they were more than happy to accommodate us. We had a great time even if it was a bit hot and humid but totally worth it for the fabulous footing and well run event. The XC course was a good prelim course not all maxed out but lots of great combinations and different questions over rolling hills in a park setting.
I tied to make some of the questions a little harder but it didn't matter..just another jump as far as Toby is concerned. So really he found the XC not very taxing at all and we just cruised around in the time easily.
So decision was made then...Intermediate Championship he we come. Not expecting to win or anything close but would love to finish in the top 12 but that will be tough against all the pros! but at Poplar Place we were in a class of 17 riders and 90% of them were Pros and we finished 8th so there is some hope!!
In the meantime, working on a plan for how to get ourselves totally healthy, fit and mental ready for this.
For Toby, making sure he gets new shoes bang on time, his teeth need checking and a trip to the Chiropractor too. I would love a new pair of shoes with the price tag he has for his. Not so keen on a trip to the dentist but my chiropractors will defiantly be seeing me a few times before we go!
We have a dressage clinic to go to with Sherry Guess in a week or so and get some more time with Mary, Mike and Heather too in the next 6 weeks or so. Also, get our fitness work planned out for both of us. Toby and his canter sets and me with my lap swimming!
We have our ride just sorted out we are sharing again and have already a small convey going.
lets hope that August is nice to us with the heat and that we get some rain for the footing too. But very early morning riding seems to be the norm for now.
Will be back with more soon.
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