Alot has happened since last we read....

Angel's session determined I would be taking Baby to the schooling clinics. Sunday was her first clinc at Rest And Be Thankful Farm in Lyman Maine. What a gem of a spot... I mean a real find! I happened across the website while scrolling through the MeCTA omnibus and happened upon Babette and the clinic that she was giving there. Perfect segway was my thought, into the following day at UNH with Babette and Tom Davis clinic.

Hmmmmmm well not so much. Although I have been making great strides maintaining rythm in my arena and at HEP ~ it was hard to do that while being coached to do several new techniques and then jump. It just was. It was informative for sure and will certainly give us a new direction of training to work on. I look forward to the next clinic with Babette at RABT July 18th & 19th.

At UNH on Memorial Day I was less than impressed. Babe wasnt in a positive mind set either, as many things werent in black & white and organizers ASSume that partakers know the ropes and/or have been to UNH before. Of course they all had, or most of them, because they are followers of Tom Davis' clinics or students of his. Some were new or had new mounts. I didnt bring my own water, so borrowed some from a fellow rider. I believe I was the only one that didnt have a stall for the day at $25 and BYOBedding and strip before leaving. I am lucky to be able to go to a clinic let alone spend additional fees to have a stall let alone a $13 lunch. It wasnt as organized as I would have liked to see. Then again I am the one that goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is at home, comfortable, part of any conversation, or goings on. That is just me. Thinking about things before they happen and trying to sort out all the what ifs. But anyhooo, it could have been better worth my while had I requested for "FIRST RIDE GROUP" instead of the getting what I got which was second ride group after lunch. So check in at 8:30 and ride at 2pm. OMG! Sun was hot. We were lucky to have the HUGE breeze that allowed everyone to be comfortable in the blazing sun. I tied her to the trailer on the shady side until noon and then opened up the 3 slants inside and gave her the whole trailer with bucket and dropped all three windows. She wasnt happy even though Chloe and I sat outside the her window and gave her an occassional treat and even grass clippings! Spoiled finally settled down with her pawing and tried to nap just before the riders reappeared for lunch.

The noon speaker stood us up, and therefore the second group would be ready to ride sooner than later. I tacked up while talking to a new found friend about our horses, only to find I had no helmet just moments before mounting up. Walking around frantically to anyone at a trailer asking, "have an extra helmet I can borrow?" with the most pitiful look I can imagine. One similar comes to mind when you throw up in front of people you dont know very well... you know that feeling and that look of pitiful. FUN!

All went well until Baby wouldnt take the LOG jump. 5 times they instructed me to try, NOPE NOPE NOPE>.... finally the 5th time I said in my most stern aids... YES YOU ARE! .... low and behold I found myself dangling between her ears.... and she lowered her head to eat grass in front of the log jump ... but also in front of two instructors, 6 other students on horses and endless autitors looking on to learn "what not to do" :) again FUN!

I was stuck in my stirrups because my leg aids were so firm and my legs were so tight on her but most of my weight was up over her shoulder and it was hard for me to get back into the saddle in that most awkward position. SOOOOOOOOO I had to do the most ungraceful dismount and walk her away from the jump and my heart was pounding, my face was red and my throat was aching so hard I almost started to cry ... but I swallowed them back and laughed it off as they tried to tell me all that I had done to make it work that time. WELL! If I could have just cantered to the jump and flew over it in my BRENDA fashion NONE of that would have happened. Then they could have said "well not the most pretty way to do it but it got the job done"... that was of course the vision I had over and over after the fact. SAD but TRUE. Next time ... another day... another way... a different log!

DONT think I wont be going over to school every single freeking day at HEP cross country... OH YEAH... and it will be over the table top, the coupe and rock walls Baby!.... well after my shins heal from the beating they took... and then the rain that we will have through the week..... BUT then we will master that course and will be able to jump ANYTHING!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT! HAG!

The Good The Bad & The Ugly....

I have been googling the crap out of this computer it seems for weeks. Whether it be supplements, eventing clinics, Rolex info, flights, accomodations, more eventing clinics, dates, Herbal stuff, local event farms, calenders, group clubs, blah blah blah... its no wonder that Mon Dr appt determined I had moderate carpal tunnel. Wonder-fn-ful. I am just trying to get my life in order and set myself up for sucess in the coming weeks, months, years. GEEZ. I cant seem to find much in the way of clinics in the cold Northeast. Rather you have to bring your horse down to FL, SC, NC for "eventing camps" - NOW WHO can afford that? Who? Even if I was working? I mean is that what "they" all do in the winter months? UMMMM ....Equestrian Gypsies? C'mon... where is reality? Do they have lives? I mean I would love to live and breath horses, actually my husband would beg to differ to say I havent been all these years but how do people afford to do this and afford to live let alone pay for all of it? I know horses are an expensive "hobby" but I have tried my best to make sure they all earn their keep. When I was younger they WERE just hayburners, BUT now... if they dont get worked at least once in a week I start wondering if its worth having them. I love them and want them, but I MUST utilize THEM.
When Tessie was laid to rest, I felt that I was free to go and do all that I wanted to do.... I dont know why that is. Maybe out of guilt ... I made some hard choices in the days that followed in order to simplify so that I could afford to do more with my horses. I determined, you do need two, its the insurance for "just in case". Well two under age to led to, "I cant wait anymore!" - and now I have three! If I would have only waited I wouldnt be worrying about who gets worked every week equally. It kills me. I am always justifying who what when and why.

Time and energy allowed me to attend Sundays clinic in NH with Tom Davis. What a knowledgeable man. He breaks the whole session down into bite size pieces for horse an rider to digest. Amazing transformations within an hour session in horses and riders - something they could take home and work on. I (well ....we - 2 students & fellow dressage enthusiast Joyce) sat there freezing but taking mental and physical notes on what I needed to work on before next months clinic. I have another goal... FINALLY!
I couldnt wait to get on and ride Angel today - but as fate would have it... I was unable to catch him. FIRST TIME for everything... no respect.... from now on... he will be waiting for me ... ALONE in the front paddock... EVERY DAY... and he will be happy to see me come for him when I do. Instead I took Baby and worked her. Headset, rythm, and transitions. Exhausting. She will be 4 April 27th... and I will be eventing her this summer - but not without fixing all that needs to be fixed first. Isnt it the simple things that trip you up?... and watching my newly purchased video "Step By Step" for riding the USEFD tests for eventing - I can see that my coming 4 year old is plenty mature to start - actually what we are working on now are things she should already have mastered. Regretfully I feel like I have let her down - but thankfully Charlie coming 3 will be working very hard on these things this summer and he will be on schedule for next summers EVENTING - Finally! OMG yes! It is coming quicker than we realize!
On another note as darling as Angel is... he needs some polishing and MUST find his new rider - as I will not have time for him with the two youngsters in training fall of 09. None other than a mindful, knowledgeable rider with soft feel and assertive aids & loving heart need apply. I have several books coming and ordered the 09 USEF Rules for Eventing.
Jumping in both feet which I should have just done YEARS ago! I am not only setting my sights on attending the Rolex this Spring but also heading to VT for a week of Eventing Camp at Tamarack Hill Farm - check it out: http://www.tamarackhill.com/AdultCamp/adult-camp.htm and Tom Davis just happens to be one of the trainers there too. I guess it would be perfect experience for me and whatever stead I chose to grace myself with. Well kids.... its time to turn on the charm... who's it gonna be!