Another dreary day...

...but we need the rain to fill the wells that water our horses dont we? I was able to work Charles before the vet arrived to do Spring shots. He was a his typical charmer self... NOT! Worked him to a lather so he wouldnt give the vet trouble. All the kids got their shots. 5 way, rabbies and two got coggins. Budget is so tight I couldnt do the sheath cleaning this time around. Knowing that Angel will need some work on his Lumbo Sachral - may be able to do something next time. Dr Tusch wanted me to commit to 3 acupuncture sessions to correct some "issues" he has with his back. If I am going to be eventing him ... seriously in June... it must be corrected now to give it time to develope correctly before an event. Thank GOD I have items on Ebay for sale an will be sold to give me play money for Rolex and maintenance money for Angel.

I rode him today in the arena. Avoiding the frozen banks I created by plowing last week. Its worth it to have an area to work them though. I rode Angel with my bareback pad in the rain because I have been dying to get on since WED! I know WED! Well with their shots on Thurday they havent even been themselves until today. The rain the sleet an then down pour sent Angel and I in after 15 minutes... we couldnt take it anymore. He was wanting to just run on the lounge so bad. I want to bring them up to pasture on WED so they can enjoy just that! I will have my camera in hand and ready to capture all their loveliness while they run carefree in the field.

Unfortunately somebody is going to have to stay home.... Charlie heads or Tails Angel. Poor boys... cant have them both up there at the same time right off as Charlie Jerk starts too much trouble and Angel has no idea where the boudaries are. With the girls eating close by I am sure he wont get carried away, but if Charles were there I am sure he would drive him right through the fence or into the puckerbrush and then it would be Charlie Shiskobob time!

So until WED its raining and dont expect a post of me doing nothing but dreaming of the ROLEX! As we are down to 16 days away! YAY!!!!!!!!

This Ones For The Girls....

because I have two girls that love to take vids of their horses, I figured I would post this one I took especially for them.... dont know why but I did. This makes two posts for today!

Being Sick of Being Sick!

Well last week I was able to get in a ride on Wed & Thurs. But by Thurs it was evident... I was going to be sick with hacking, coughing, and nasal congestion! I went to bed early, I drank tea with lemon and honey. Then it hit by Fri night and I had to cancel weekend plans that dont come around too often which was unfortunate. Friends up from CT, which my husband was able to attend without me. My father was supposed to come down for a day of shopping. HEP was having a fund raising fish fry in Buxton, and fortunately Joyce offered to be me, the Secratary and lend a hand which I thanked her for. Sun nite another dinner in Sanford with friends and the whole time I am home blowing my nose and trying to get rid of all the crap rattling around in my lungs. I hope now I am on the mend as I have lost 4 days of riding! The first weekend in a long time that I havent rode... and I am none too happy. I have lots to do before I go for that eventing clinic. I will lose another week of riding while at the Rolex. Upon my return I will be heading up to Manchester for a saddle fitting - reworking session at Tresure Equestrain Center. I am trying to make sure all my T's are crossed and I's are dotted before getting too far along in the wrong.

Tomorrow is another day... today is dreary and rainy and all are out with the rain slickers on... and I am in putting tack up on EBAY for sale as I need to raise money for these extra curricular activities I am hell bent for leather on !

A Photography Contest MUST VOTE BY 31st!

Take a look at these nice pictures I entered in a photo contest to win $100 at Dover Saddlery

BUT... as it turns out the photography is not judged on what or how the photo was taken, nor colors or feeling that the photo created within.

Instead it is based on votes within the equestrian club members so...

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME!

link is:

http://www.clubequestrian.com/photos/gallery/best_horse_portrait_supported_by_dover_saddlery/1/3.aspx

bottom row across from left to right

you can vote once for each pic if you so desire ... its easy enough

ENJOY!

Charlie Charlie Charlie

... well.... I wish I could geld you again! You are such a jerk and such a love ... what is it?

I mean really what is your deal? I cannot figure you out. We are always at odds until we finally get to some kind of agreement prior to mounting. Havent you realized yet that I just want to ride? Get you out of the house for a bit and enjoy the scenery? Dont you like that? I mean ... your not like Angel, you dont have seperation anxiety! But the rearing, striking, kicking, fighting, thrashing head has GOT TO STOP!

Teeth are coming in and those gums looked rank for while. I wonder if the feed bothers your guts and your pissed off about that. Are you just an Alpha because Misty has allowed you to get away with it and you think it applies to all areas? Or is it "D" all of the above? I could be just making excuses for you being that I want to "label" it maybe? I dont know but I am sweating and physically exhausted after riding today.

Beautiful day and great idea... lets trail ride up the road. OK ... except its dump day. A short stretch before the pavement ends and cars etc. Good to expose him to and was ok on the way up but did jump down and walk him to the dump. Got back on and rode fine. Way home... MR Dink arrived again... and rearing and traffic... I had already jumped down to get him over... but he wouldnt... luckily I had the rope halter on under his bridle and gave him some of that but he was throwing himself into me as he didnt want to walk on the shoulder.... I mean HE KNOWS what he is going to get when he messes with me... I make no qualms but he just didnt care... so then... unfortunately I had to resort to banging on the bit to get his attention... and I got it! I was mean ... but it worked... he walked ever so carefully home, without running me over and staying on the shoulder... I mounted up at my driveway and rode up the hill. I was huffing and puffing... and cars are going by ... some people wait... others impatient and I was thinking he was going to kick them for sure... as he does have heels that fly quickly out the back.

Somehow way down inside I would have wanted it to happen just to say "well WTF folks... you see me having trouble with my horse on some back road and you have to crawl up my ass? Well that is what you get!" But I dont need the drama in my life either! Been there done that ... years ago!

A SMART ride in Berwick years ago we had to turn around and head back due to an injury and only 3 of us on the side of the road... around this time of the year.... ice puddles... dirt dead end and some lady is coming for us... crazy lady... I was 2nd rider back... a beginner rider in front and behind... and this lady is veering for us... and gooses it to spook our horses as she mashes thru the ice puddles and sends shit all over us... hollering something as she flew by....

WELL>>> YOU KNOW she didnt expect me to haul ass after her either! GOOD ol Spicie up for a fight! We tear assed down the road after her... she cant go faster than a horse on a pot hole infested road... her car is shuttering left and right and she is trying to get away....she didnt take into consideration I would catch up! I came up on her and she smashed on the brakes and I see reverse lights come on! She was trying to run me over too! I cant use the kind of profanity that came out of our mouths at each other on here... but you cant bet I told her she was going to jail for this in so many words. I called the cops when we got back to the trailer an reported her ass.... come to find out ... the license plate didnt match the car description... NO REALLY? HUGH... no kidding that is the kind of people that would do that you know! She lives at the end of that road FIND HER OR I WILL! Apparetly it wasnt the first time! The person putting on the ride has had to deal with her before on several occassions... but not horse riding related. Anyway I had 3 written statements from us explaining what happened... and when it got to court the DA called me prior to, saying it more than likely would be thrown out and that I should vouge for a written copy in her file and somin' or other.... by then months had gone by and I was happy to not have witnessed an accident with any horse or rider. So I let it go. I shouldnt have but I did... WACKO!!!!!

AnYHOO>... didnt expect that story to come out ... but there she be.

On a good note... Charlie is bending beautifully... unexpectedly advancing quickly with that knowledge... HE IS going to be handsome when he fills in and grows up! Might want to check back then!

Last Minute Trail Ride

We decided after we were all done with giving lunch and throwing hay and shedding horses in the sunshine... "wanna go for a trail ride?"

WELL YAH!

So we tacked up and headed up the road. It WAS nice when the idea was agreed upon... then it got cloudy and blustery and started to spit snow! I mean C'mon! We want to get out of the indoor and just breath fresh air for a change you know? A change of scenery for the horses... I am sure they appreciate that right? So off we went anyway... and the spitting snow was really coming at that point... we didnt care... we were out... and it stopped, then started, then stopped, then sun ....

...then came the cars, truck, and dump runners, the soft shoulders, & the mud puddles. Further on up the road, came the ciaotic dump on the left, pavement ended, a dead porcipine and more mud. SOMEBODY... I wont say who... wanted to turn around before we even hit the 10 minute mark... SALLY SISSY WOOOSY!

We pressed on beyond the big culvert with major water to the right and left close to the dirt road... EEEK they said in unison... TUFF I said louder! Then crap... truck coming and snowbanks framed us in ... but a turn around up on the left meant... UGH... crossing that intsy weensie... water run off... Angel the brat... I had to jump down or the truck would never be able to pass... OH GOSH... ya thanks your welcome... now to mount up on the 17H fancy footer.... a rock? Nope not that one... too close to trees that like your knees! Ooooo how about that one... right beside that big mud hole hugh? Great idea... ya... it actually worked and he crossed back over the run off with the girls without question.

Pressing on led us to a deer carcus..... more mud... heavy sleet... deep mud ruts.... and finally our destination atop the big hill overlooking the power lines and mountains.... we made it PHEW!

Oh and looky here... the sun came out and shined down from heaven on our dear Missy Boo.

Then we turned around and Ahole By Night... decided to rear and whip around... making everyone else uneasy and then JIGGED the whole way home.... which is why the picture taking ceased :) :(

Using that opportunity to bend and collect and sidepass... left n right ... left n right.... we marched all the way home....

And that return home reminded me of all the trail riding I used to with Spicie and how tired I was after riding.... and here we are! I have come so far yet... I have so far to go! But below is are darling Baby - Wapsinyowallet... trotting delightfully along with Haley - collected and happy... why cant we all be so lucky.... ??????

You want a piece of me? YOU GOT IT!

I try to get my monies worth when training my two youngsters, which is why I usually bring them both. I can tie one & work the other. OHHHHH but my darling Charlie had something else in mind when we had taken his "girls" to the beach for a ride, making sure to solidify his chances of being the next to be ridden. I had left him with Angel only to come back to find Angel with injury. Charlie of course with the "I didnt do it" look and "But I'm your Angel momma" ~

OH really... well seems like you want my undivided attention hugh? You got it big boy.

But not before he gave me the RANKEST protest by rearing, striking, bucking, pawing & trying to lay down and roll after saddled! I am so onto his ways... and so we just lounged until lathered, then I mounted up the head hanging sod and we worked some more on BENDING -

"oh Charlie did you say you wanted my undivided attention? Oh ok... well then this is what we do ... we entertain momma by bending and bending and more bending... head set... NOPE ... sorry no play time... disengage the hind... NOPE ... some more... awwwwwwwwwww lookie that head come around... tired ???? So sorry Charlie.. that is what you get when your a dinkISSSS.... WORK... work work work... "

Usually I am tired after riding ... but I have been gym-in' it... so my legs are strong... "hey Charlie how are those ribs doing? GOOOOD!" I finally felt confident in my horsemanship EVEN AFTER all his antics which constantly questions my authority. I am tired of it... and its time to LET'ER RIP - LET'ER FLY! He is going to be 3 at the end of this month and I cannot wait until my arena is thawed.

WEEEEZ GONNA HAVE SUM FUN aint we Charlie!!!!!

I hope by then we will work out the "antics" prior to our sessions as they just BORE me now :) & get onto progress in the saddle!

I feel he gave me as much as he could being that its really the first time I have ASKED for inside rein inside leg and trying to maintain that inside eye and headset. I came away with a smile after today. I appreciated Mindy taking vids to allow me to show others! Believe me ... next time we ride... he will have digested all of that so I BETTER have a whole new bag of tricks for him or he will find ME to be a BORE and will liken to make up his own agenda!

Another Day At The Beach

Well today was a beautiful day to ride at the beach and we enjoyed the weather and the sounds of the seagulls and smells of the ocean surf. A birds eye view to see all the sand dollars, 3 total but only two survived the trek back to the trailer - a HUGE snail shell... I guess you would call it... VERY unusual for the Maine coast - the size is more likely for Florida but hey 6" snail shell is awesome!

The Tom Davis Clinic at Linden Woods Farm

What a beautiful day on Sunday. Sunny, melting temperatures. A short 45 minute drive, with Mindy and the girls. Notice I didnt say snot pickers? Well that is because they were such a big help to me. They got us all situated with tack and the chairs and were always there waiting for anything. I appreciated it. I also didnt realize the farm was that close! Monthly clinics to get Angel out and about would be a good thing. Angel was good ONCE he got warmed up. I was trying not to wake the giant upon mounting, but Angel was gettin' jiggy wit it, and that is all Tom focused on... getting his attention and keeping him quiet. As with all riders that Tom works with during a clinic, there was a major change in horse and rider before exiting the arena, INCLUDING myself. I was appreciative to his insight but dissappointed in my first session ride time because Tom had to spend the whole time instructing me on how to divert Angels attention. IF my first ride was AFTER lunch, that would have given me an opportunity to ride it out before the start of our session.... giving me an advantage to gain more knowledge... NOTE TAKEN! NOT saying I didnt get anything out of what he instructed me to do with him. I gained a new understanding of inside rein, inside leg to push into outside rein that maintains bend and outside leg to push him through. Finding rythm and cadence giving lift to his rib cage and maintaining this structure during our ride. It was hard! That is FOUR seperate instructions at the same time with 4 different limbs. Can YOU rub your belly and pat your head? I CAnT! I was tired after that! I wish I was able to go to the back of the arena and work on it while he worked with another student, then come back to fine tune, but our time was up. I think he knew the other students and therefore was able to do more, than with us, and played it safe not asking too much of us before understanding our riding capabilities. Notice how he breaks down the instruction, but giving tons of detail, and rewarding alot. This video shows what we worked on on the flat in the morning.



By the beginning of next video you can see the end of morning session accomplishments... then the jumping instruction. The jumping session brought more bending and aids but adding a few jumps in between, and maintaining rythm. The first thing he did was stop me after my first jump as I had it all wrong. NO excuse except nerves...I dumped on Angel over the first cross rail and Tom let me know it... he stopped me abrutptly and explained what I had done. One must be ON-time or a little behind the motion over the jump. I KNEW THAT! Why then did I do it? My mind and body are not ONE yet... but I am working on it! 3/4 of the way through that he stopped me again and fixed my frame over the jump. Again... I KNEW THAT! But... nobody is beating me up every day to tell me so I THINK I know but I DONT. DONT I hate that! So he gave me insight of the many things that need fixing from years of bad habits and I sure hope they are fixable! I wonder how much that will cost me? Time and consistancy I hope is the answer. He told me riding an experienced & consistant horse over rails would benefit me in learning the jumping frame and being strong in my jumping frame while getting a good feel. Then I would know what I had to do on a horse that is in training. That makes sense too... I may have to do some research on where and when to try that. I did mention that I would like to attend the Tammarack Farm Eventing Camp and he said that would be a perfect start for us. I was happy to hear that I was qualified enough to go for it... because at this point I feel I KNOW NOTHING! Listen to his instruction as he tries to ride with me every moment before and after the jump.



Great advise over and over again. I hope to sign up for April clinc with him too. What patience he has to work with us all! Thank YOU TOM! Thank you Mom and Vi for supporting me, and feeding me. Thank you Mindy and the girls for coming with me and helping with Angel.

Found More Rolex Info

Updated Pics of remodel going on at the park - New grandstands!

Bronze at gate....

Man O War statue below....

who is buried at the park I believe...

and BTW is Hot And Spicies great great grandfather....

as she comes from long lines of racing blood in Oaklahoma :)

then there is this Youtube video of eventing with actual video coverage :)

Enjoy!

Rode Today..... but tomorrow more snow!

Candace rode Angel today so she could get an idea as to what I am working with. Its nice to get the feedback and confirmation as to what I have felt all this time. She worked with him 1/2 hr and then I got on and rode for 1/2 hr and he went well. I wish that I could have recorded me with my lesson but there is no time to mess with Cameras when its time to ride! I just took video of her riding him.

After I got on him and softened him up we went well. Did alot of figure eights and changing direction and transitioned a few times. We did canter on his good side as she had already worked both a couple of times.... we agreed that he is definately off. That is the consensus from Jaimie and Vi too. I have zero cash for chiropractic work so I have been googling "lumbo sacral stretches" that I can do with him hoping to ease any discomfort. It is a noticeable difference in height of his Lumbo Sacral. His right is higher... what that means I dont know. He hops out behind when cantering in either direction when he wants to change leads or bucks. I will do what I can this week before our clinic and then ask yet ANOTHER person what they think. I hate asking everyone but I have never had to deal with this before and gathering all information before making a change is ideal.

Really looking forward to Sunday, as it stands 6 people may be coming to support me and that is nice! I hope they learn something too, I know I will be! I wish Angel could find more comfort in his canter as that will be the pivotal point in the session I dare say. I dont want my whole session to be focused on what he cant do at the canter and therefore not progress to other things I would like to touch on... but I will have to wait and see!

The video is several minutes long and you can hear Candace talking about what she is doing in the first half.