AF Derby - Quickie summary

I've been too tired to really type out the AF Derby, and mostly, my anxiety about being a terrible rider. If I wait much longer, I'll forget, so here's the highlights:
- Although we got there at exactly the time I planned on, I did not plan on the 30 minute line to get my number. That threw me completely off schedule, so my warm-up consisted of NO lunging, and once over each warm-up fence (still at hopeful height).
- We were second to go. The first horse refused a lot. Therefore, so did Willig.
- We had a refusal on the very first fence, where I immediately gave up the tiny shred of hope I had about actually competing, and switched my whip to my left hand, which I had forgotten to do ahead of time. I DID stop him right in front of the fence and let him look at it.
- Then we lost steering in between fences 2 and 3.
- And a refusal at 3. (With a stop and looking at it.) There were a lot of fences in this area, and poor ADD Willig was completely overstimulated (and under-warmed-up).
- Then we made it over 4.
- He hit 5 with his back feet.
- Made it over 6 and 7.
- Walked through the water.
- Tried to refuse 8, but since I had (cleverly) switched the crop, I smacked him and we went over it.
- Made it over 9.
- And I pulled off and circled 10 because it had looked ENORMOUS to me when I (in a rush) walked the course. When we came back to it at a trot, he was all "holy shit" becuase I had pulled him off, and so he sort of came to a walk/halt, and then sprang over it like a deer. This was actually quite rewarding because if he could jump the fence I thought was enormous from basically a stand still, I can stop worrying about the size of the jumps.

Then we watched for a while, practiced patience at the trailer for a while, got tired of patience (and local hay) and tried to dig to China, and therefore, got to the dressage warm up arena about an hour before my ride.

There, we watched an INCREDIBLE rider warming up and riding her prelim test. She was a delight to watch.
Then we accidentally cut off a kid for her test (as a lawyer, I misunderstood what "two more riders then you" meant), rode our test with only one spook, watched Amy Tryon jump a training level course (and some other riders), and then got my worst dressage score ever ...
46.9.

Until that point, I felt like the day was success. Since that point, I have felt like a total failure of a rider. (First place was about a 30.5.)
The major comment is an up arrow (increase?) "bit". As best I can tell, it means increase my contact with the bit. The only other negative comments are his spook ("counter bent"), his down transition from trot to walk ("abrupt"), his free walk ("lacks energy/march").
And me - the rider - I got a 5. He also got a 5 for submission.
The judge's comment says "Horse has nice gaits & appears to be kind. (Surely I am reading that wrong.) Needs positive direction from you."

Last summer's BN test (I could only find one of two), was a 39.5, with a "crooked on center line", "circle too small and off center". He got a 5 for submission there too, but I got a 6.

At that show, he got 2nd. The show before that he got 3rd.
At the last two derbies, he has been in the bottom quartile - which means the bottom 5.

So, we appear to be getting worse. How this could be, I'm not sure, since we are riding better (it feels - I mean, obviously not the refusals). I guess it is going from hopeful/grasshopper to BN, but that shouldn't change my dressage score, and he has the ability to jump the fences.

In line, the women in front of me were talking about how it was "too embarrassing" to ride BN. Maybe my standards are too low. Maybe I've been working with him alone too long, so I think that not spooking = success.

My plan is to see how the next few months go. We have the ideal set up for success now - rapid improvement: lessons with Mike, clinics with Jonathan, boarding at Forest Park, and a few more unrecognized derbies and stuff. If he hasn't improved at BN by fall, I think I should rethink my riding ability and what I'm doing with him.

In other news, Stampy came with us, and T said that he got many, many "He's going in Hopeful, right?" and "How many hands tall is he?"

And for those of you who are Strokes fans, here is Willig's theme song:
"Take it or leave it" from "Is this it?"
The words are sort of ...
"Leave me alone, I'm in control, I'm in control
Girls ask too much, boys act too tough, enough is enough
....
I said just take it or leave it (repeat)
I say, he's going to let you down (repeat)
I'm going to break your back for a chance
I'm going to steal your friends if you dare
We're going to win some day

I fell off the track
I can't go back
I'm not like that
Boys ask too much, girls act too tough, enough is enough
On the minds of other girls, I know he was
I said just take it or leave it (repeat)
I say
He's going to let you down (repeat)
I'm going to break your back for a chance
I'm going to steal your friends if you dare
I'm going to win some day
...."

The Boys at AF Derby

This was the best picture I took of the boys at the derby.

Wilhelm Museler book

I'm reading "Riding Logic" which is genius and should be read by everyone.

"Harmony between rider and horse ... is best expressed ... by the complete and constant accord of two living bodies in every movement."

Miscellaneous Thoughts

The nice mom of the Lipizzan mare told me that Willig has a nice uphill confirmation (I think earlier she called him "cute").

Jonathan told me (several times) at the clinic last weekend (the one day we were there) to ride with shorter reins.

Mike worked with me on loose hips (swinging like an elephant trunk), and when my legs finally got loose and my hips were swinging all huge, I asked if that was just like a loosening warm-up walk, and Mike said oh no, that wouldn't even be a nice loose rein walk, that 9 out of 10 horses would be walking bigger. I was amazed. I have a lot of adjusting to do in my feel.

Two of the dressage riders at the new barn used to event, and they both did prelim! I'm totally impressed.

I made the fake ditch today, but it was raining too hard and too wet out to lunge Willig over it, but maybe next week, with the time change, it will be light enough (and not raining) after work to try it out.

1st lesson with Mike - Spectacular!

My first lesson with Mike was tonight. Not only did it exceed my wildest expectations, but it was a roaring success given the state of my shoulder and hip after the fall last weekend. I wasn't sure I'd even be able to get on (let alone trot or canter) but I figured we had plenty to learn at the walk (I was correct) if we couldn't. I don't think I can even repeat everything we learned in 45 minutes just a few hours later, but I'll do my best. I am so excited about my next lesson - I think I am going to work really well with him.

- I have been riding with the noseband too low, which also makes the flash useless. The noseband should be 2-3 fingers below the "cheekbone" - up above the dip where the bone turns soft. My noseband was at least 4 holes too low. This also makes the flash not do its job, which is to hold the bit properly up against his cheeks. (I thought the flash was to hold his mouth shut.) I adjusted this as soon as the lesson ended, so we'll see how it works now.
- My bit is a baby bit, and I need to work him in a smaller diameter (I'm not sure that's the right word) bit. Mine is a big fat eggbutt snaffle, and he showed me skinnier loose ring snaffles. I tried to find one online, but most of them didn't have the "diameter" measurements. Willig appears to have the regular 5 1/2" width mouth. He said at 7-8 he should be ready for double reins, not working in a 3 year old's bit.
- My saddle doesn't fit right. He showed me how the gullet doesn't have a big enough gap (3 fingers tall), and how it pinches when I shift on his shoulder blades and on his back. The back of the saddle, with my big butt, was squished onto his poor backbone, not on the muscles that run on the side. (Contrary to what I've been believing for years, wider is not always better.) He loaned me a pad for the lesson to fold up under it (which made it feel tall), which I also haven't been able to find online. My riser pad (a Miller's pro-tek) doesn't look nearly fat enough but I'm going to try it next ride (when I also look at my jumping saddle to see if that one doesn't fit either). I didn't notice Willig changing his movement, but we were really focused on my position the rest of the lesson.
- I'm also riding with the saddle too far forward, sitting on his withers and on his shoulder blades. The front flap of the saddle should go behind his shoulder blade (so they can lift and move forward) and that was an easy 2-3" further back (maybe more) than where I've been putting it.
- I didn't have Willig's splint boots on (because it hurt too much to bend over) and he said to always wear them just because a splint is so easy to hurt and can so easily be avoided and takes so long to heal.

So after that humiliation - but extremely educational! - we moved on to riding - and only got as far as my position:
- The reason I think my saddle doesn't fit me is because I ride with my legs all hunched up like I'm jumping, even in the dressage saddle. We did a bunch of balance exercises to feel the right place (which of course, feels wrong right now), too far forward (butt sticks out behind) and too far back (fall down on your butt). If you stand up in the saddle, so there is a vertical line (shoulder, hip, heel), you should land on your feet if the horse disappears from under you. I ride like a rocking chair - with my legs too far in front of me. The front of your toe and stirrup should just be touching the girth - my ankle has been right alongside the girth - so that's actually a few inches difference, I think.
I can look down and see the long leg, but this is going to take some work to undo and refeel it, because I could stretch my leg back and feel it at the walk, but as soon as I trotted, my legs curled up again. Interestingly, the long leg didn't need a longer stirrup - it was just in a different place on the saddle (that looked more "right", looking down). Also, at the trot, think "lift my toe" not just "drop my heel". This felt crazy and wild and like I was going to fly out of the stirrup, but did make for a bouncy, shock-absorbing ankle that did NOT fall out of the stirrup.
- The other vertical line is bit to elbow, and you are usually in the right place if you can touch your thumbs above his withers. I need to work on that one too - I let my reins go too loose. (He said I also throw him away in all my transitions, so that's a future work on too, because I don't know how not to.)
- Then we took my stirrups away and felt the balance, then worked a bit on the sitting trot. At first, I sat it better with stirrups, but as we worked on it, I had a step here and a step there, where he said "yes!" and I felt it. It was pretty incredible.
The main thing I do is not pull my belly back to my spine - I flop forward like a beer belly. When I pull my belly to my spine, it makes my back go straighter too. But I have to keep telling myself and sucking it back. Putting the belly to the spine also puts my butt in a better place on the saddle. (After I correct all these things, we'll work on my shoulders and posture - eck.)
- Then we put the stirrups back and did a little bit of canter each direction. By now my hip was aching, my back hurt, and my shoulder was killing me, so I was starting to fall apart. When I have been riding, to keep my butt from lifting out of the saddle, I have been pushing it back and down - that makes me slide around in the saddle with each stride (because I'm clamping my thigh and losing mobility in my hip). Instead, if I (at the halt) drop my stirrups, lift my legs away from the saddle for a second, then drop them back down, it "plugs in" my sit bones (the ischia, I think). But then I have to also pull my belly back to my spine (so I don't flop forward with it). For just a second, I could feel Willig's back lift under me when I was thinking long loose thighs, plugged in, belly back.

So this doesn't do even 1/100th of capturing how well Mike explained everything and how many light bulbs went off for me. He explained WHY a change in my position causes these other changes, and I love that he gives homework and assignments. I also really appreciate him taking the time to start from the "ground up" and look over Willig and explain what was wrong and how to fix it and what effects it has. I feel terrible that I have been riding Willig in improper tack - it is a constant source of amazement to me that horses are so forgiving and keep working for us.

I got the impression that while we've given Mike plenty to work with, that he has some really good ideas once we start correcting the basics, of how to deal with my Willig problems (he said a horse gets neurotic if you keep it bottled up), and he showed me some natural horsemanship when Willig stepped away from me at the mounting block (something he rarely does, but decided to today when I was essentially one-armed). For that, Mike led him from the right side, told him to stop, and tapped him lightly with the whip when he didn't listen immediately. He says horses need to respect you as the herd leader. I also asked at the end if (huge gulp) Willig was too much horse for me and if I was going to ruin him, and he said that everyone ruins at least 3 grand prix horses before they can make 1, so the best thing to do is to get riding.

Future things to work on, in addition to my list of issues (doesn't pay attention, hard to bend to inside), is how to properly lunge with a surcingle and side reins. I really have no idea how, and have been reluctant to try and then make things worse with him. Also, sadly a ways off, is to work on the "metronome".

It's about a month before my next lesson, so if I work really hard, maybe I will be able to get my leg position a bit improved by then and do better with looser thighs and plugged in seat. Mike has had an incredible range of experience - he's ridden show jumpers, eventers, and now dressage, and I really like his teaching style.

Saturday I'm going to try to fix the ditch problem. Shannon has some black mats, so I'm going to "make" a ditch by putting out the mats, using my cavelleti holders, and putting out cavelleti, so I make a fake ditch. Then I'll lunge Willig over it until he's solid, and then ride him over it. Then the next time Tom is out as a spotter, I'll ride him over the real ditch out in the field. Once the footing firms up, I want to take him out and ride him at canter and trot up and down the hills so we get control and footing out in the open.

I'm really excited now! This is going to be really great for me and Willig. There is so much to learn!

Sweet Stephen sent me flowers

Incredibly, there is still no bruising or swelling. I quit taking the vicodain, and switched to extra strength tylenol. My shoulder still hurts enough that it hurts to use the crutches (but the walker is so old lady), and my hip still hurts quite a bit. But it hurts less than it did Saturday, so I guess it's on the mend.

Aspen Farms Clinic - Excellent until fall

We unfortunately only attended the first day of the Aspen Farms clinic because I fell off on Saturday and spent most of the day in the emergency room.
Up until I fell, Willig was actually doing very spectaular - especially compared to last year.
We started in the indoor arena (the weather was doing typical Pacific NW - sunshine then pouring rain, then howling wind, then light breeze), and Willig was a bit head strong from the canter (I am still doing mostly jumping from the trot at home).
Jonathan told me the same thing as last year's clinic - keep him in control and rhythmic, and then to keep his head turned to the inside, so he's not such a looky-loo. (And later, he said I can start cantering him over everything, that he's nice and solid and I don't need to trot everything anymore.)
Then we went to the outside sand arena, and first did a series of three - a log, then a pile of three logs, then a nice tall log coop. I was a little nervous about the log coop - it looked really big to me, but Willig just soared right over it, as comfortable as could be.
The interesting overall thing about this clinic was how smooth Willig is to ride over fences, WHEN we approach them in a nice rhythm and he doesn't have to squish or lengthen right at the end. For basically every set, we would be off the first fence (and then I'd jump ahead), and then I'd get it and we'd do better.
So, the one trick Jon said, which he said last time and I've actually been doing, is to count - especially down, so the rhythm (1 - 2 - 3 - 4), and then when you approach the jump, count down (4 - 3 - 2 - 1), because three strides out it should be up to the horse and you should not change anything. (I want to get a metronome - Janis loaned me hers, so we both get better at rhythm - it turns out I've mostly just been counting his steps, not keeping us in rhythm.)
Ok, so then we did the bank, and Willig, bless his sweet soul, was like "huh? well, ok!" and he did just great. It took us a few tries to get the down (mostly because I would lean forward instead of back and then he'd LEAP off all enormous and it just was clumsy), but then we got it. We did a few more combinations, then went into the field because Sunday the forecast was for snow and rain.
Out in the field, Willig continued to do great - we did some cantering up a hill and trotting down, to maintain control, and then a slight bench, one of the kayak jumps, a log coop on the top of a hill, and then a regular coop headed back towards the other horses. Willig refused the regular coop the first time (I think becuase there was a hill on the other side, going down), and Jonathan said that for refusals, it's best to stop them right in front of the jump so they don't learn there's a way out to the right or left, that they can stop, but the only option is to turn around and do it again.
So then we headed out to a new section I haven't been to before, and did a log, then another nice sized solid fence (a long canter between), then a canter back towards the group and over a ditch.
Willig's first jump over the ditch was HUGE - I even felt a bit of a twist in the air while he was looking at it. (And I couldn't get him to trot and then we couldn't decide so it was like "trot? canter?" right up until the last couple steps.)
And then, just as Jonathan said, he refused it the next four times or so. We stopped right in front of it each time, and I put my crop in my left hand (he seems to always run out to the left), and then we went behind a nice pony, who jumped it reliably each time, and then ... finally, Willig jumped it.
And he was so excited and exuberant that he jumped it that he started bucking, and I was saying "yay Willig! good boy!" so I didn't get his head up in time, and I sat the first couple bucks, but then he did a really spectacularly huge one, and I went flying off.
And since I'm becoming an old lady, and have a knack, I landed on my left hip then somehow bounced onto my right shoulder.
Willig ran off.
I was on the ground for a while, tried to get up, and passed out.
To keep this short, one of Jon's working students brought me to the emergency room, where I did not break anything, and now I'm doped up on painkillers (which help tremendously), a bit sore, Tom is driving me around, and I have a walker and crutches (but my shoulder hurts too bad still to use the crutches just yet). And, amazingly, no bruise. I'm not sure if it's because it's such a deep bruise it hasn't made it to the surface yet, or if I'm just a total wimp.
Willig did not look remorseful - someone caught him and brought him back and he just stared at the sky instead of looking at me.
Fortunately, Shannon has a little ditch in her cross country course, AND she has a piece of black mat that she uses, so as soon as I can ride again, we're going to work on ditches.
The overall version was that the clinic was really useful, and I am really proud of how far Willig has come. Although we clearly have lots to work on, I am really, really pleased with how he is coming along. I think he needs a lot of experience, and I need some training help, but I feel very positive about him again.
And the other advantage of a clinic is watching the other riders' mistakes and corrections and what a difference it makes. I can't wait for Tom to video me again so I get a better look at what I'm doing wrong. (The mirrors at Forest Park help a lot with the flat for that, but I need to see how we're looking over fences.)
The pictures are of me with walker and crutches, post-clinic.
Oh yeah, and I asked Jonathan, and he said that they typically don't need studs until at least Training (bad weather) and more likely prelim. He didn't know about those trench shoes that were in Flying Changes this month.

Sweet Merc needs a new home

Ok, seriously, sweet calm Mercury needs a new home.
I adore him - he is my sweet, calm, reliable boy - but I just can not work AND ride both horses.
I've had Merc about 4 years.
He's a 1994 thoroughbred gelding. About 16 hands (maybe a hair taller), nice colored bay.
If you go all the way through the blog, he had last summer off (from showing), but the two summers before that I rode him beginner novice at unrecognized shows and derbies. Except for the one time I fell off, he always got 1st-3rd.
He loves to jump, but he's not experienced enough that I'd consider him a schoolmaster.
He'd be good for:
- a kid with a solid foundation who just needs a couple years of entry level work
- a trail riding companion (for friends/husbands/boyfriends of any level)
- an adult amateur who is getting back into riding
- light regular old riding
He's good for easy riding and reliable if he's only ridden a couple days a week (he doesn't get all crazy thoroughbred).
However, if you want to show him, he needs more consistent work, and he needs someone with enough experience who will make him work. He's good for beginners, but he's like a "beginner-plus" horse - he's the next step, where you have to be on alert and asking him to do what you want. (i.e. not telling him to canter, then he canters until you tell him to walk two hours later)
He trailers, cross-ties, clips, stands still while you braid, goes through water, goes on trails, and basically does everything an all-around horse should do. He's not spooky, he doesn't have any vices, and I can put my mom on him (who is afraid of horses) and she can go on a trail ride.
He was leased most of the last year by a beginner teenager who adored him, but when I moved barns, I went back to riding him myself.
I'd be willing to sell him - price negotiable - when I had him working and in show condition - pre-recession - I valued him at $4500.
I'd also be willing to put him in a full care, long-term lease with a purchase option that decreases the longer the lease lasts.
In either situation, I'm willing to give two test rides and a one week trial. I won't do a longer trial because the wait list is so long at our current barn, and I don't have a place I could put him until a spot opened up again. I will also do a right of first refusal (for a purchase) or a return to me (for a lease) so that if your situation changes, he gets returned to me (but I'll need two months notice because of the boarding situation). I don't want him to end up "on the streets".
Please, please email me or if you know of the perfect home, spread the word.
I'm going to branch out in my advertising, and the longer I ride him, the more his price will go up.
I really want him to find the perfect home, where he gets more attention and time than I can give him right now.

Mirror mirror on the wall

I suspect Willig isn't scared of being alone in the indoor arena because each corner has a mirror, and therefore, he thinks another horse is always in there, tracking with him. I'm not sure about that, but it seems like the likeliest explanation.
I'm trying to kick up the exercise a notch because I've gotten terribly out of shape and I've got some goals for this summer. To illustrate, here's the pants I wore yesterday:
6:45 am - pajama bottoms
7:30 am - biking pants (bicycle biking, not motorcycle biking)
8:30 am - work pants
noon - running pants
1 pm - work pants
5:30 pm - biking pants
6:30 pm - breeches
10:30 pm - whew - pajama bottoms

Both boys got their feet done today and new shoes.
For the future:
- Think about getting (maybe next year) some of the shoes with the "trench" for extra grip (instead of the horse cleats)
- We're going to try every 6 weeks to see if Mercury oversteps and hits his own ankles because his feet grow so fast.
Willig was actually pretty good, considering that I took him out of his stall mere moments after they put down his hay.
I am going to try, if our schedules align, to take one dressage lesson a month from Mike Osinski: http://www.mikeosinski.com/home.html

Cormac McCarthy - "All the pretty horses"

"The boy who rode on slightly before him sat a horse not only as if he'd been born to it which he was but as if were he begot by malice or mischance into some queer land where horses never were he would have found them anyway. Would have known that there was something missing for the world to be right or he right in it and would have set forth to wander wherever it was needed for as long as it took until he came upon one and he would have known that that was what he sought and it would have been."

3 video links to portions of AF Derby

Fence 3, naughtiness, and 4:
http://www.vimeo.com/3329293

Bell and trot to start:
http://www.vimeo.com/3329258

Overview of course:
http://www.vimeo.com/3329242

Final FPEC pictures - I'm so excited!

Horse in turnout, friendly Willig and me, and Willig looking shrimpy next to his neighbor.

Another shot of indoor arena and barn

Outdoor arena & pasture

This is just a tiny part of the pasture and only part of the outdoor arena.

FPEC - some turnouts and relaxed Willig

FPEC - indoor arena and barn and Merc's stall

The only picture of us at the Derby

The rest were videos, and T is working on his "horse show helper video" skills.

New barn - Forest Park Equestrian Center

This weekend Willig and Mercury moved to Forest Park Equestrian Center. It is much more convenient to my house and appears to be very well run and maintained. This was after a stop off at Aspen Farms' first derby of the year (jumping only) where Willig placed, as best we can tell, second to last - being only slightly better than a horse who got his rider off. However, for Willig, with the amount of riding and jumping I have done (twice since mid-December, and oh, twice since mid-December), and his tiny little brain (sometimes), I was very, very pleased with how well he did. Jonathan let us have a minute trotting around the jumps before he rang the bell, so Willig jumped and spooked at everything, but once we started the course and started working, he jumped each jump just fine. I think because the course was a what I am coming to recognize as a typical Jonathan twisty curvy course, Willig had to listen very closely to me. Also, with very little cantering, we were close to optimum time (2:31, and we were at 2:36, if I'm remembering correctly).
So yesterday was kind of stressful for him - he got up - had to ride at a show (and Merc had to stand tied to the trailer), had to jump, ride in the trailer again, get turned out at a strange place in the strange yellow sunshine, then get put away in a strange barn. So he started screaming, and since the caretakers sleep in the barn, I marched him outside and we did almost an hour and a half of lunging: first just to get the nervous willies out, then whenever he tried to scream, then whenever he acted up. Twice we went back in the barn, twice he screamed in his stall, and twice we went back out and lunged again. So the third time in, he looked at me, looked around and made a little, teeny "neeeghh?" and I said "NO" and then he stayed quiet (until seconds before we left). When we went out today, he was standing just as calm and quiet and friendly and relaxed as could be in a turnout, then tonight, he was just hanging out in his stall.
I'm so glad we got in, and I am so excited now about riding and training. The facility is amazing - the arenas are huge, and I can't wait for summer to hack him out on the gently rolling hills and trails - and the owner has jumps and cavelleti set up so I can ride them too!!!
I am super, super psyched.

Support Mason County 4-H

Mason County 4-H may be eliminated. If Mason County stops funding the County Extension Office, it will have to close. And if it closes-that eliminates 4-H in this county. December 1st is the county commissioner's meeting to allow public comment on the proposed budget cuts. Please consider writing letters to the editor of the County's one paper, come to the meeting, and write the commissioners supporting 4-H.

3rd level dressage mount /good over fences as well/motivated seller

Spryte
Competed through 3rd level dressage mount... Earned Bronze medal for current owner in 2007-2008. Ready for future Bronze medalist to be. 14 years old SWB gelding. 15.3 hands tall. For confident rider...

$11,500






gail mcguffey
USDF Gold Medalist
USDF L Graduate
www.thedressagearena.com
707-481-5512

The Pigeon

These pictures look like they are of nothing, but if you look closely, standing at the gate looking in is a pigeon. And if you look more closely, the pigeon is watching me ride - it's head is pointed wherever I am (hard to see) in the arena on Willig.

Save Washington Horse Farms

Because of my job, I can't really get involved in this, but for those of you who might be interested, here's some information from an email I got from a horsey friend in Redmond:

Visit the below link for information on the devastating affects of
this potential taxaction act and sign the online petition to do your
part in preventing it!

http://savewashingtonhorsefarms.org/

Please fill out and submit this form to show your support
By submitting the form below you are affirming that you agree to the following statement: Horse boarding, riding, and training farms are a vital part of our farm and agricultural community. I am concerned that these farms are being left out of regulations designed to help protect farm and agricultural open spaces.


Save Washington Horse Farms

About Us
This site was built and sponsored by the members of the Save Our Farms Coalition. Our growing coalition is made up of Washington state horse farm owners committed to supporting our common goal. If you are interested in helping out further or joining our mailing list, please contact one of our representatives below.

The Save Our Farms Coalition has one goal:
To maintain the commercial viability of Washington horse farms by assuring that they qualify for current use taxation as farm and agricultural land.

Contact Us
Geary Eppley - Acacia Farm - geary@acaciafarm.com
Ken Starr - Starry Night Farm - ken.starr@savewashingtonhorsefarms.org

What you can do:
Sign our petition -- sign it online or print out a paper copy to sign or distribute.

Contact your representatives -- Email, Mail or fax this petition to your State Representative, State Senator, County Council Representative, and the Department of Revenue.

Attend the Department of Revenue hearing -- November 13 at 10:00 AM in the auditorium of the General Administration Building 210 11th Ave SW, Olympia, WA - (360) 902-7300. Let them know you are coming by notifying Marilou Rickert.

Spread the word -- Forward this to your neighbors, customers, and friends and encourage them to lend their support.

Another Jonathan Elliott Clinic

22-23rd of November Dressage and show jumping will be the focus.
I'm bummed because that Saturday I have plans. Maybe I should change them ...

2008 Washington State-wide Elections

Please vote Rob McKenna for Attorney General and Doug Sutherland for Commissioner of Public Lands. I've had personal experience through work with both of them, and I already voted for both of them. Leave a comment if you've got questions about my personal opinion.
http://www.robmckenna.org/
http://www.dougsutherland.org/

If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit

Those of you who slog through this thing might recall that at the Happ's derby, my ex-fiancee and my dad spent most of the day hanging out with Bob, my former trainer. I really miss him, and lessons with him, but after I moved the horses because of Willig's hives, and Bob's wife/barn manager lying to me about what the vet told her when I wasn't there, I asked him to come give me lessons at my new place. Unfortunately, I don't have a way to talk to him directly, and his w/bm told me that he was too busy to give me lessons. That was last Feb/March, and when my dad and K talked with him, he said that it had to do with the insurance. So I finally talked to the owner about if there was anything we could work out so that he could come give me lessons.

This is the email I sent yesterday to Bob and his wife/bm:
Hi Bob and A[],
After K[] and my dad had a chance to talk to Bob at the Happ's derby, my new barn had a change in management, so I took the opportunity to ask again about the insurance for trainers. The owner said that the USEF insurance should be adequate. There is something you add onto it (that she thinks is free), but she thought that Bob would probably already have that. She said she'd be happy to talk with you about it (either phone or email), if Bob has time and is interested in coming there for lessons.
One of Bob's former students (Jen - I don't know her last name, but she has curly hair and used to ride with Bob before you guys were married and when there was a "jump night") trains there, and she said she'd be interested in taking lessons from Bob, and I have another friend there who is looking to improve her dressage who said she'd be interested in lessons too. Right now, they have every other Saturday open, though they have a few trainers so the schedule keeps moving around.
If that doesn't work for Bob's schedule, then maybe in the spring, I could meet him for some schooling at Happ's or Lincoln Creek or one of the other places, and do a back-to-back dressage lesson and jump lesson? If you think that might work, I could email/call again in the spring when places start to open up again.
Thanks,
Martha

And, disappointingly, I got exactly the response today that I was expecting:
Hi Martha,
It wasn't so much about the insurance since I never really knew what was needed and still don't.
It sounds like the arena availability is still sporadic and would be difficult to have a set schedule.
Which means he can't have a set schedule here. And as well as him having other commitments on the weekends.
I just don't see how it can work to anyone's benefit.
Thanks,
A[]

So I guess I'm on to Plan B, which is to try out the Rainbow Farms trainer and my friend R's trainer. (Though I think that's actually like Plan D because several have already fallen through.)
Huge sigh.

Willig was really good in the cross-ties tonight, which suspiciously coordinates with being kind of crazy in the arena. He was high energy, probably still buzzing from his alfalfa pellet feast, but we worked on consistency (counting 1-2-3-4) and my idea of stretching and collecting, and it was actually a pretty satisfying ride. I kept it kind of short because he was crazy, because my back is still a little achy from yesterday, and because I got there late because I had to work late, but he still got a little sweaty!

P.S. - Succeed and too much horse

One of the other riders told me about this stuff called Succeed (by SmartPak), and so I ordered some and I'm going to try Willig on it for a month. Jon seconded her and they both said it makes hard keepers fill out (it made Jon's TB look like a warmblood and her TB look like a "fat white tick"). If it works on Willig, I might put Mercury on it too, even though it's kind of expensive.
And, one of the other confidence boosters from this clinic was that Jon didn't take me aside and tell me Willig was too much horse for me. Instead, a lot of people asked about him, and he appeared to have been appropriately classed for his age and experience in BN. I've been afraid at both derbies and at the clinic that someone would finally tell me I couldn't ride, but instead, we have stuff to work on (like always!) AND more confidence and I'm excited about working on stuff all winter to get ready for next year. I still think he has the potential to turn into a really good horse. The longer he knows me, the more heart he seems to have (though he does have his asshole moments, but one of the training level riders was telling me her horse is a Trakehner/TB cross, and he goes by "the Big A" at her barn).

Jonathan Elliott clinic - day 2 report

Willig had a naughty, high-energy day today, but it provided some really good lessons for me and it turns out it wasn't really his fault - but mine. Like Bob always said.
So first - I got there a little before 7 am and it was pitch black. I gave him his soaked alfalfa pellets and grain, and then tried, unsuccessfully, to hook up my truck and trailer in the dark, and then got him ready while he thrashed around on the side of the trailer because other horses were whinnying, did a super fast lunge where he was all kicky and a maniac, and then we warmed up in this nice sand arena.
Once again, Jon told me to keep him slower, consistent, and more organized. He said every time he'd look up, we'd be going too quick, even though I'm capable of slowing him down as soon as he tells me to. So I need to get a feel for the right speed.
We did trot and canter, and Jon recommends a two point canter (sort of) to warm up, to let their back warm up. That actually made my legs tired, going around and around in the two point. Then we did galloping (or just lengthening) along a long side, and then collecting back up for the other three sides. This was actually a really great exercise, the same as transitions and stretching out in trot, because it made Willig really listen and be responsive.
We went out in the xc course next and did some trotting and cantering, then some little logs and little log courses.
Then we went over and did some more distance trotting and cantering, with a couple little log jumps.
We ended with the water feature, trotting through, picking up the canter in the water, cantering through, and a little course through the water, up a hill, over a jump on the top, down the hill (at trot), and then back through the water, and finally, over this nice jump with the wood carved to look like a kayak.
Willig was head strong and rushing. When we did the distance canter, the pony went first, and Willig saw him way up ahead and went charging like a bull. He acted up a little over some of the fences too, kind of putting his head down and really gunning for them.
And then the second to last jump over the kayak, he went all rodeo on me on the other side - bucking and kicking. I thought he was going to launch me into the trees. We did some trot work, then did it again, and he did it perfectly.
So what I learned was:
- Amazingly, what Bob was saying all along was right (actually, that's not amazing at all - it's just amazing that I finally got it). As soon as I quit thinking, and just rode him, everything came back to me. I actually felt like a pretty decent rider. I've been riding scared for a long time, and today was a huge confidence booster. I'm good enough that I can ride Willig through the rough patches, so I can push him and help him learn.
- If I hold him too heavy and tight with my hands, he doesn't balance or think for himself, and he stumbles. I have to have light contact, but not HOLD him for him. (I want to see if this works with Merc too.)
- I need to do my corrections ahead of time, instead of big corrections once the error starts.
- Point your thumbs where you're going next. This is so obvious, but I had completely forgotten it (I look with my face), and it works like a charm.
- If I count while I ride "1 - 2 - 3 - 4" etc., I can feel the consistency. If I don't count, I lose track of what it's supposed to feel like. Again, Bob had me count before fences, but when I was just cantering in the field (or trotting) it helped too.
- Jon said that, like the poles yesterday, for BN level, if you just work on cantering in the field on a straight line (and gallop/trot transitions), that will help as much as, if not more than, lots of fences. It teaches them to listen and to think and to ignore the stuff around them. That's good news, since I don't have any logs to jump, but I have space to go out and canter around. (I hope the footing is as good as Jon's place!)
- When Willig is bad - like rushing or bucking - it's ok to turn him, but then make him work. Don't reward him by allowing him to walk when he's been bad. Make him trot 15 m circles for a while.
- Canter away from the other riders and walk back. (For the herd bound thing.)

So, this really wasn't Willig's fault though. He never refused, and although he was kind of hyper, he wasn't really bad (Jon said the bucking was good - it meant he was enjoying himself and was being playful, so not to punish him for it, but make him work, and then reward him by letting him walk after he did it right the second time). And it turns out that 1/4 scoop of alfalfa pellets (what he usually eats), is like 1/16 of what I was giving him. I gave him way, way, way too much alfalfa last night and this morning. I think that, combined with the brisk air this morning, the sleepover in a new place, AND the newness of being out in the xc course, was just too much for him. Given all those factors, he actually did a really, really good job today.
At least three people told me they thought he was really a nice looking horse.
Also, I was really relieved at how nice everyone was. Even though we were pretty much outclassed (my half chaps aren't leather and they don't match my paddock boots), I never felt like I wasn't supposed to be there, and even though Jon's all famous and everything, he wasn't snotty at all. He did just as good a job with us as with the training level riders. I liked him.

And while I was at the clinic, Sam got 1st place in 7 classes and 2nd place in 1 at the POA show on Mercury!! She got high point rider in her division both days. I'm really proud of her and Mercury.

Addition to 2009 calendar

I'm going to add to June, July, and August a schooling day each month. There's so many shows in July and August, but schooling is so much cheaper than the show entries, and Willig really just needs the mileage.

2009 Estimated Calendar

This is my best guess for what I'll do with Willig in 2009. The estimated entry fees for these comes to $1500, and if I can afford it, I'll probably go to a couple extra clinics and then volunteer at most of the shows I'm not riding at.
(All Beginner Novice)
April:
3-5: NWEC Adult Rider's clinic & derby
19: Happ's Derby

May:
8-10: NWEC Horse Trial
16: NWEC one day horse trial

June:
12-14: Aspen Farms horse trial

July:
26: Happ's Derby

August:
1-2: Lincoln Creek Horse Trial

September:
4-6: Lincoln Creek Horse Trial
27: Happ's Derby

October:
Aspen Farms clinic

Jonathan Elliott clinic - day 1 report

It was a pretty cool day. I was in the second group to ride, and each group only had 4 riders, so we got plenty of individual attention, but we got to see what the other riders did right (and wrong) and learn from that too.
Willig was kind of upset yesterday and today because of the show going on at home. He got in the trailer after some hesitation (not much, compared to how bad that last trailer incident was), and we drove over to Aspen Farms.
Just after he got out of the trailer, the four riders in the first group went by, so he went ballistic because from 200' away they were his new best friends and they were abandoning him. He thrashed around on the side of the trailer, got lunged, thrashed around more while I put on the saddle and groomed him, got lunged again, and then got ridden, all before we rode in our group.
We started with some pole exercises - one on the ground and building up to 5. Well, before we even got to the poles, Jon told me to pull him together - he was all over the place, but I hadn't even noticed until he told me to pull him together, and then I was like 'oh.' (small "o" because it made so much sense and I hadn't even realized it was going on).
So, we've done poles, and Willig was good at them. Then we started with an easy jump and worked our way up to a few courses. The first several courses we went back to trot mostly, then we did a few courses where we continued or cantered completely.
Willig got a little strong towards the end, but he was also jumping great. He didn't refuse anything or knock anything down.
We had one PERFECT jump. I just felt it going in, everything was set up, we had the right space, he took off at the right spot, I didn't have to do anything, and we just floated over that jump. It was a great feeling.
The main things Jon told me were:
- Keep Willig organized.
- I let my reins slip long. Keep them short and keep my hands wide and forward (also keeps your shoulders flat).
- Sit up straight. I don't need to fold in half over a teeny tiny jump.
- Think about cantering on the other side - that will help him keep the impulsion and the forward movement over the jump.
It was really useful. I watched the two Novice groups after lunch (and miracle of miracles, Willig in the stall was like "no big deal" - how about that?), and we're right to be in BN right now, but I have higher hopes for Willig now that we might only need a year at BN (of course, that depends on a lot on dressage and how much I can get him out next season).
Some of the other horses had some really naughty habits, and Willig was only bad at the trailer. He was great while I was riding him and in the stall. And he really tried hard. Considering I've jumped him probably less than 10 times total, he didn't spook or anything - he just used his heart!!
Tomorrow we do cross country, and the BN group went and rode through the xc fields after our session.
Aspen Farms is amazing!!! I have never been to such a cool place. Everything is new, and nice, and huge. They have 240 acres!
Plus, it's only a half hour from my house, so I went home and picked up the dogs and came back to give Willig dinner (and he was STILL good in his stall!).

I love Fugazi

I talked to the owner yesterday, and she said that this week she had two discussions with the staff about how unacceptable things had become. She thought that I would instantly see an improvement, and today certainly seemed to be better, though it was two new staff, and J, who has consistently done a good job. Interestingly, he asked me to always let him know if I need anything, because they don't always tell him.
Yesterday R and I went on a trail ride over at Kennedy Creek. Willig was a holy terror in the trailer, R's horse stepped on a snake (not a poisonous one, thank goodness), and much adventure ensued. Willig's trailer behavior was completely out of line - he was like a fish that got caught thrashing around in there, and he broke loose from his halter when I was putting on his bridle and tried to run out, and then when I was putting him back, he tried to jump over the ramp (which was closed) with me hanging on the breastplate. I was really mad at him yesterday, but then after I rode him today, and he was a monster again, and then I rode Mercury, who was also acting up, I realized it is most likely ---- oats. I hate feeding oats. I put them both back on oats because they were so skinny (they are also on alfalfa and complete or senior horse), and so I'm taking Willig off the oats and cutting Merc's down to 1/4 scoop (which is basically a coffee cup). Then again, it could be the nice fall weather.
However, I did spend half an hour last night setting up the jumps for today (which Willig was too bad for us to jump) and using my first 8-11 Sunday jump time. And the trainer I don't care for? Had a lesson at 10.
Thankfully, the weather was nice, so they rode outside, but I got pretty frustrated.
Once again, I don't feel out of line thinking I should be able to jump my horses in the winter and the summer. I pay $650/month, and I have to race to jump ONE horse ONE day a week. That kind of sucks.
Then I realized if I just wait it out, I bet she'll be gone in a few months. I don't know though - even if everything else resolves - a beginner barn just might not be a good fit for me and Willig because I need to actually work him.
On my trail ride with Mercury - it was beautiful! Blue sky with those orange/yellow/red leaves against it. Very nice.

Everything is always so complicated - what to do about Mercury

If I end up moving barns, it messes up my whole little system. I'll either have to move somewhere that Sam can move with me and keep leasing Mercury or sell him. The past few months have taught me that I definitely do not have time to ride two horses and do everything else in my life, and I'm ready to focus on Willig.
But with the economy going down, down, down, and tons of horses on the market, I don't want Mercury to end up in a bad situation, and I'd like to do everything I can to keep Sam riding him.
I called the prior barn manager, Amy, and we exchanged a couple voice mails. She says she might have an idea, but her place is full, which is a bummer because I would trust him with her.

Rainbow Meadow Farm

Does anyone have any opinions or experience about this place and the trainer?
http://www.rainbowmeadowfarm.com/index.htm

Perusing New Barns

I'm thinking about moving my guys. At least two other boarders and I have been complaining, and things seem to be getting worse. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm hoping to talk to the owner sometime this weekend to let her know how concerned I am, and then give it a couple weeks to turn around. If nothing changes, or, heaven forbid, if the quality of care gets worse, then I'll need a new barn.

For anyone who reads this, please let me know if you know of any barns in or near (less than 20 minutes) Olympia which have the following minimum requirements:

- Daily turnout in a big enough space to run around (this doesn't have to be all day, but a few hours per horse)
- Staff who know horses well enough to recognize a swollen leg or sheath or etc. injury and call the owner and vet when appropriate
- Staff who can follow instructions and can feed the right thing consistently and whatever quirks the owner has (like, for example, "keep blanket on" means don't take it off)
- Decent sized stalls (Willig is pretty big for an "average" stall)
- Safe facilities - no crazy nails poking out or barbed wire
- Covered arena that is lit and is a decent size (doesn't have to be huge)
- Feeds twice a day; waters all the time
- Time for the boarders to ride on evenings and weekends
- Place for boarders to park trailers
- Lockers for boarders (big enough for two saddles)
- Cross-ties

These are bonuses but I would love to find a place that also has them:
- Feeds THREE times a day
- Trails
- Water (to practice crossing or, better yet, jumping into)
- Cross country course
- Jumps
- Huge indoor arena
- Outdoor arena
- Less than $350/month per horse
- Staff who can do medical care (like bute, eye ointment, soak feet, hold for farrier)
- No gossip/drama/cliques
- Hot water wash rack
- Experienced trainers who come for lessons (dressage, jumping, x-country)

Vet Visit for Mercury and Willig

I normally don't go out on Monday's (because it's a lesson day, but now basically every day has something going on, so I might be revising my schedule), but at the first 4-H meeting, Sam told me that Mercury's leg was swollen so she didn't ride him.
I was going to stop by to give them hay since I had to drive past anyway, so I got Mercury out, and sure enough, he had a swollen right front leg. He had some scrapes on the inside of the leg, but his leg seemed to hurt a lot more than the scrapes warranted. I hosed it, betadined, and put on that furazone (the goopy yellow), and planned to give him a few days of stall rest.
Then I got Willig out, who had been when I went past at 6 standing, skinny, in the rain without his blanket. And in addition to being naked, and all clumped from the rain, he had a HUGE swollen sheath. It was all hot and tender, and he clearly felt bad because he let me run cold (icy cold) water inside while I tried to feel if it was dirty. It was a little dirty, but not enough to justify the swelling.
So I had the vet come out, and to do the other stuff I've had on my list: flush Willig's eye, float his teeth, and give both guys their fall shots.
Willig had a temp (103.5), the vet thinks the swelling is from a bee sting because most everything else seems to be ruled out, he had sharp teeth, but not crazy sharp, his tear duct was REALLY clogged, and he has to wait for his shots until he gets over his fever.
Willig is like Franken-willig when it comes to sedatives. Because of the fever, the vet didn't want to give him a huge dose, but with three doses, and me hanging on his ear, he could still lift my feet off the ground. It was very exciting for both me and the vet, and today my left arm is sore from hanging onto his head. Fortunately, we got everything done, but now I have to put ointment in his eye twice a day for 10 days (I'll probably have to switch to once a day after the weekend), and based on this morning, that will be it's own challenge.
It will be interesting though, if he rides different with his teeth floated and without the swelling in that eye. That's his "spooky" side.
This morning his sheath was still pretty swollen, but his temp was gone (100.6), and he was annoyed about being in the stall, which I take to mean he's recovering.
Mercury was also annoyed, but I'm going to force him to take it easy - the vet thought it was probably a deep bruise and thankfully, doesn't appear to have cracked a bone.
Another boarder and I are leaving each other notes but trying to give our three boys up to three flakes of alfalfa a day. So tonight I'm going to pick up more crazy expensive alfalfa. The whole - difficulty with getting my horses the feed and hay I want them to have (and spending mucho bucks and time to do it myself), difficulty riding because of lessons and events, and the whole CANNON thing last weekend (with no notice) has made me less enamoured with where I'm at.

Top 3 Dressage Scores at Happ's

Hopeful:
34.0
38.0
39.5

Beginner Novice:
35.5
38.0 (3 way tie)
41.0

Novice:
32.11
33.2
35.3

Jonathan Elliott Clinic at Aspen Farms - 25/26 Oct

Willig and I are going to register for the clinic at Aspen Farms, http://aspenfarmseventing.com/, with Jonathan Elliott on the 25th and 26th of October. I really need lessons, and this one is a great location (Yelm, which is just about half an hour from my house) and a great price: $185, including a night of stabling.
I was thinking about going to the Don Sachey clinic at Tulip Springs, http://www.tulipsprings.com/, in Kennewick, on the 1st and 2nd of November, but I'm not ready for back-to-back weekend clinics, and the gas price to Kennewick (and travel time) is considerably more. The Don Sachey clinic is only $200.

A gross p.s.

After the show, when I turned Willig out in his turn-out (with hay), he went over and ate some poop (his own) and then went back to his hay. My mom looked it up on the internet and it doesn't seem to be a big deal, but it was kind of shocking and horrifying. The vet has to come out for fall shots soon anyway, so now I will get to remain par for the course with bizarre or disgusting animal problems.

Happ's Derby - Willig was 2nd place in Hopeful

Compared to his ride the day before (at home), he was amazing. But compared to my normal expectations, he was mediocre. No refusals, a 39.5 in dressage (I think), and pretty well behaved all day. It was nice to have a team of three people to help me too.
I miss Bob.
The big surprise was that Mercury and I are Mr. and Miss May (well, one of three shots) in the Happ's 2009 calendar.

Happ's Derby - Kevin took good photos

Happ's Derby - Photos

Jump & Trail Ride Photos

Because my parents are here, I finally have some pictures of Willig.

Resolution!

I talked to the two barn managers tonight, and they said that the Sunday lessons don't start until 11 am (I had no idea), so I can have the 8-11 block to jump. That works wonderful for me, and I'm so relieved I talked to them. They also want to encourage some other people to jump too, so I'm not totally alone like I thought. They were so professional.
Something is going on that I don't want to blog about because I'm not sure exactly what it is, but if you are in the Olympia area and you want a part time or maybe even full time barn manager, I totally, totally recommend Amy who has been managing the barn since I got here. I don't even know that she's looking for a new job, but she is very, very professional and I've been so happy with her.
Of course, they were riding together, and I was riding Willig, and the doofus could NOT pay attention. (sigh) He is carrying Bob's torch of keeping me humble.

Irritating Arena Conflict - Any Advice?

There are four days of lessons at the barn. Most of the people who take lessons come in and ride school horses and are very, very beginners. Amy and Jen give lessons on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.
A few weeks ago, Catherine added someone she knows named Kat to Sunday lessons. I have been jumping on Sunday's in the outside arena, and sometimes on Wed evenings. Last weekend, before I got there, Kat took down all my jumps. When I went out to ask her if I could put them back up, she told me NO. I looked surprised (because, to me, asking is a courtesy, not really asking permission) and she said "can you wait at least half an hour? My riders can't ride around your jumps.") and I said ok, but then her delicate rider who apparently can't steer at all got too hot and so they had to do the lesson inside.
So I left a note on the board that asked if instructors could post their lesson times 48 hours in advance, and that way Willig and I would ride different times and avoid the arena when lessons are going on. Jen and Amy wrote their lessons (as in, they just put down their huge blocks of time - what I meant was an actual list of lessons so I could see, for example, that there was an hour free from 2-3 on Saturday), but for Kat, it just says "Sunday."
So, since the show is next weekend, I planned to jump Willig again today. And again, she took down my jumps. So I put them back up (I couldn't find her), got Willig, brought him in, and then she walked by and said "I took down your jumps" and I said "Oh. I put them back up." and she looked really, really irritated and all huffily told the parents of the kid (a kid on a LEAD LINE, and if she can't LEAD a horse around jumps, then she's got problems) they had to ride inside.
Like 30 seconds after I finished jumping, she had the next rider take down all my jumps. She didn't ask, and didn't know that I wasn't going to ride another horse (which, normally, I ride Mercury over jumps after I ride Willig over them if I'm not too tired but today I was going on a trail ride with Sam).
So - I understand her position. She's a trainer, and she makes money giving lessons, and it is easier to ride in an empty arena. But my position is that I am there SEVEN days a week, while she is there ONE, and therefore, I have seniority, and if I want jumps in the arena, then I get jumps in the arena. I think baby riders who don't board a horse shouldn't get to control the arena all day four days a week, especially both weekend days.
And, I don't have problems on the other three lesson days. Only her day.
So one solution is I shift my jumping day to Saturday and avoid her completely.
Another solution is I talk to Catherine about what would work best for conflicts between boarder riding time and lesson time.
Another solution is I talk to her, but I actually don't think that one's going to be effective.
Another solution is I ride after lesson hours, but one thing I like about weekends is spending four hours out there in the middle of the day. It's not as fun from 6-10 pm which is what I do every weeknight.
The problem I see is that as we move into winter, everyone will want the inside arena, and it is too little for me to ride Willig in there with beginners who can't steer (especially with jumps), and I don't like having to ride after 7 pm on the weekends (lesson days go past 6 pm).
Any thoughts? I am being kind of selfish, and it is a problem kind of unique to me because no one else rides at my level (or jumps or has a horse as big as Willig).

Jumping

Last weekend I set up three jumps - two cross rails which I switched to verticals(about 2'8"/2'9"), and a "spread" - I set up two sets of jumps about 3' apart, with the barrels in between.
Willig had some issues with the spread (so I'm glad I made it and we worked on it). He did great on the cross rails and verticals, but he didn't want to jump the spread when we came at it from the left. And he would WAY overjump and do that deer jump that sproings up into the air like a rocket launching. The first time I lost my stirrups completely (I'm pretty sure my legs shot out to the side like a rag doll too), but I stayed on, and after that, although they weren't beautiful, I never lost my stirrups again.
He did a good job though - he refused a few times, but made an effort and tried to figure it out.
I think our biggest obstacle right now is just the herd-bound/confidence/lack of experience. Though I would very much like to start taking dressage lessons once a month and jumping lessons (especially at someone's place with a xc course so we can experience all the different stuff) once a month.
I am thinking about maybe doing one of the clinics this fall. Up to now, I was feeling like we had so much to work on that a clinic would be a waste of time, but now I'm starting to think it would be good for him about now.
The Happ's Derby is next weekend, but the weather prediction is RAIN. I don't know if it's going to be held or not. My parents will be here, but we have a lot going on too. And, I'm about to drive the truck today, because last weekend the ABS light kept coming on, and then twice the brakes felt funny to me - like they were jumpy?? I'm going to see if it does it again today, so I can take it to the shop next week if something is wrong. No way am I hauling Willig if my brakes are acting up.
I also realized one reason our progress is so slow (aside from not having a trainer and me having no idea what I'm doing) - although I'm out at the barn about 20 hours a week, I really only ride about 3 hours a week. And some of that is on Mercury. I spend a lot of time lunging Willig because he's had a day or two off (and then I don't ride him as long after), and even though it feels like I have hardly enough time in the week as is, I have to figure out a way to get more riding hours in the saddle. Then I thought, maybe if I totally suck, I'm at least slowing down the damage I'm doing to him until I get a trainer. I don't think so though - we seem to be making inching progress. And I'm really, really pleased with the 2'9" because that means that once we have the experience over the different types of jumps, and the dressage lessons, it won't take us long to move through BN to Novice. He's such a delight to ride compared to Merc, even though when he's not paying attention, his steering goes out.
I think in a few years he'll definitely be able to go Training. I don't know enough to know if he'll ever go Prelim. I am, however, a convert. Warmbloods for me from now on.

Growth opportunities abound

I know a decent amount about horses. Not compared to a professional, or someone who's been riding their whole life, or, ok, lots of people. But compared to a beginner, I know a lot.
But horses, one of the best and worst things about them, is the constant challenge. And man oh man is Willig good at that. As soon as I start to relax, he takes me by surprise again.
Last night, I lunged him outside while they brought in the last of the horses still in their turn-out. And he did ok with that. And then someone hauled in to ride, and rode past him into the woods, and he did ok with that. And it got to be dusk, and he did ok with that.
But then, two people came across the field from a trail ride and went into the barn, and then, he just had done so well with everything else, that old herd bound thing kicked in and he just couldn't deal with it anymore. I tried riding him, but couldn't get him to focus, so I got off him and lunged him and he did the thing where he broke into crazy nervous sweat and raced around with his ears just FIXATED on the barn and not listening to me and not paying attention.
After a while, his ear started flicking towards me, so I rode him again, and every time we came around the corner pointed towards the barn, he'd try to rush, so we'd make little circles - little circles - little circles - then try again. After about 5 laps, he quit rushing, so I just let him quit then.
We didn't get to work on any of the things I planned to work on, and while we've made good progress if I look back, it feels frustrating to not ever just - well - ride.
I know I'm learning a lot, and in an area I didn't know before, but I really, really wish I had a trainer right about now.
And, of course, he's not getting as much time as I wish he was because of my new position at work and Odie's heart.
I need to get some books about what to do about a herd bound horse. I've just never dealt with it before. All I can think of is ride him (or work him) until he behaves, then stop. Then keep introducing new things until he builds confidence. I'm just in totally uncharted territory (for me).
The wonderful thing, however, is what my co-worker and riding friend said today, about riding horses, even when they're naughty, makes you be present. It's true. Just like climbing. It is the single easiest way for me to be present. It's why I love it so much. Well, one reason.

Calorie burning day

Today Sam helped me "strip" Mercury and Willig's stall. They have mats, but sawdust and manure (and pee) gets in the cracks between them, and I thought the combo was mounding up. Turns out the floor is just bumpy. The mats were really heavy, and I couldn't have done it without Sam. It took the two of us two hours and I had sweat pouring down my face. Well, ok, trickling.
Then we picked some blackberries (yum!) and set up a jump exercise for both boys. It was three ground poles (like last time), 4'9" apart, then 9'6" to a cross rail, then 18' to a vertical (2'6" or 2'8", I already forgot), then 18' to an oxer (back rail was 2'9"). Willig did amazing. He had a couple refusals on the oxer, but Sam watched and helped me change the jumps. We started with no jump on the vertical and no back bar on the oxer, then the low bar on the vertical, then the high bar on the vertical, and then the back bar on the oxer.
He was, however, his usual freaky obnoxious self about the side of the arena closest to the forest. It is driving me crazy. It isn't even the jumps he's scared of because they were all INSIDE the arena today.
Mercury was not as good as Willig. He tended to rush a bit towards the end, and he got kind of wound up about the whole thing. But overall, they were both really good.
I, however, am old-lady-out-of-shape and suspect I'm going to be sore tomorrow from the stall cleaning.

Chiropractor

Both Willig and Mercury got an adjustment today from the chiropractor. Both of them had their pelvises out of alignment - Willig a little bit to the left, which is possibly what's making his left front knee look a little long; and Mercury a lot to the right. That's pretty typical for Mercury, who is conformationally challenged. The chiro had a nice, calm attitude, and both horses were really well behaved. Hopefully I will make it out Friday and see if they feel different. Neither of them were having problems, I just thought I'd get them checked while he was out.
Willig's personality is getting better and better. He still has room for improvement, but I can see some progress now if I look back at where we started. The biggest problem we're having right now is with the ever-so-scary jumps and barrels on the side of the arena. I can not figure out why they're such a big deal.

Fun weekend with trails

On Saturday morning, Willig and I went to Shelton to ride in another Poker Ride with Janis and Erin. I got too excited and couldn't sleep, then miscalculated the time I needed, so I got there an hour early. I was the second person there, and the first person was friends with the organizers.
I had to lunge Willig twice, and every time he saw horses leave on the trail he started thrashing around tied to the trailer. But once I got on him, he calmed down a lot. He even walked through big ol' puddles.
The trail was really fun. The long loop was "4 hours" but only took us 2, and there were awesome, incredible views of the Olympics. I'm going to try to figure out how you do one of the horse packing trips through the Olympics. Janis said she'd be interested. Willig started out pretty good (while Erin was passaging), but he either a) got tired and crabby, or b) got worked up when he saw horses ahead of us that we could never catch up to, or c) got worked up the short burst we cantered. I think b and Janis thinks c. But he proceeded to toss his head and sweat most of the last 1/3 of the ride.
It was a great experience for him though, and I got some local corn and won a couple things and got to see a Christmas tree farm and the Olympics.
Then Sunday, before the downpour started, Kevin and Mercury went on a trail ride with me and Willig. Mercury was his normal, placid, reliable self while Willig was one of those aggressive drivers who you are supposed to call the cops about when you see them on the interstate. He was riding Mercury's ass, then wanted to zoom around him and go slow, and flashing his headlights and beeping. He doesn't have any trail manners. Sam and a friend of hers were at the barn, so they hung out with him for a while and Kevin fixed some stuff in Willig's stall (the broken salt lick holder and restrung the wire I hang the jolly ball/Jimmy's ball on). They stayed inside because it was pouring most of the day, and then, becuase Kevin left his wallet in my locker, we got to go out and check on them a second time!
The bummer is that Sam left me a message today saying Mercury was lame so she didn't ride him. I'm starting to be pretty frustrated with this. He's either the gimpiest, most useless horse or something is going on. I don't know if maybe Sam is being extra cautious (but usually a trainer is there too), or if Mercury is acting up or what. It's hard for me to believe that after one trail ride he went lame. I'm planning on being out tomorrow and Wednesday, so I'll check him (and hopefully ride him) both days.
I really don't want to have to sell him, but I can't afford to board a horse who can't be ridden reliably. I don't really know what to do. He has a pretty easy, posh life. He has no reason to be going lame (if he is lame).

An excellent jumping session with Willig today

Yesterday was super hot (around 90), so I rode in the morning and Willig had a touch of the crazies, which seemed right after pretty much two weeks off and an increase in his diet. The barn manager told me he lost 40 pounds, which was news to me since I've never measured him with the weight tape. So we added a 1/4 scoop of alfalfa pellets to his a.m. and p.m.
Today I set up a jump exercise from the 101 Jumping Exercises book (thanks, Dad!) - I think #28. It was three trot poles (4'9" apart for Willig), then from the third trot pole to the first jump, double the distance (but I made it 10' which I think was too far), then 18' to a cross rail that later I switched to a 2'6" vertical.
Then on the other side of the arena I set up a 2'6" vertical with the two barrels on their sides under it, and a pole 18' on either side.
First, I lunged him over all of it (and did the combination with just a pole on the ground, then as a half cross rail, then as a vertical). Then I rode him over the combo as a cross rail, and after three near perfect rounds, I rode it as a vertical.
It turns out Willig is even easier to ride over something that's higher than 12". He was great!
I registered him for the Hopeful derby at Happ's at the end of September, but I can't find any local shows or other unrecognized derbies between now and then. If you know of any (local means near Olympia, WA and shows means dressage or show jumping), please post a comment and leave a web page. Thanks!
Poor Mercury has had a week off now because they told me he was lame last week (incredibly, while I was gone), and then I lunged him the one day I was out during the week, and when I went out yesterday, his left front knee is swollen. There's no heat and he's not lame, so I hosed it today and kept him in half the day (with lots and lots of hay), but I think it might be a sting. He also seems to have some bumpy skin - almost like a rash - he's in a new pasture so I'm wondering if he's rolling in something he's maybe sensitive to.

Willig's first derby!

Willig exceeded my expectations for his first derby, though he also gave me plenty of ideas on things we need to work on.
We rode senior grasshopper, which, based on our score and the two other riders', was actually about right. He got a 50 on his dressage test, no faults in stadium, and one refusal (20 faults) in cross country (on the first "fence" which was a telephone pole on the ground).
There were only two other senior grasshoppers, so depending on whether you're a glass half full or half empty person, he either kicked ass (2nd place! woo!) or he was kind of pitiful (he was 2nd out of 3, and for a while there, he was 3rd, so basically, uh, last place).
The other two riders got a 45.5 and a 49.5 on dressage, and then one rider had one stadium fault, and then she had two refusals (first log, second log), so even with our xc refusal, we eked into red ribbon territory.
Most of the judge's comments on dressage had to do with him "bending to the outside". Unless I'm missing something, that was him spooking at every flower pot at every letter. I went past them approximately 2000 times on the outside (and one million times with the daisies at home), but apparently they were very scary from the inside. Overall though, he did really well, with mostly 5s and 7s. My score (that one that the rider gets) was a 6.
Then for the stadium, we went second, and although three fences has fake flowers, they apparently aren't as scary as real flowers. We had one close call where they did a combo, and he stepped over it from almost. a. stop. but. I. squeezed. and. begged. and we made it.
There were no time limits on either stadium or cross country, which was nice too. Oh, and speaking of nice, the weather was perfect. Cool in the morning (for the "real" lunging and riding with the jacket on), and then sunny and breezy in the afternoon. And they sold AWESOME $1 giant pickles and mt. dew. My two favorite foods. (You can't see it in the photos, but I braided last night, which was another ordeal. He doesn't like standing still and knocked me off the stepladder thing twice. I kept meaning to take a picture because it was such an effort, but forgot.)
Cross country was just 6 flat boring poles - 5 of them were like telephone poles (one was tricky and short) and one was a PVC pipe with concrete on each end.
I lunged Willig before each phase, and he was tired by stadium, but REALLY tired by cross country, and his power steering went out after the second jump. So I was really lucky we didn't have more "refusals" because he just quit responding and I had to flap my arms all big and cling with my legs and we had the ugliest course ever. But I think it was him just being a kid, doing too much, being overwhelmed, and then the lunging before each phase.
Since I came for the day, I also had to deal with not having a helper, so how did I leave him to use the bathroom, walk the course, etc.? I solved that by leading him everywhere I could, and putting him in the trailer to eat hay after stadium so I could walk the xc course. A lot of people left their horses tied to their trailers, but I don't trust him.
He was not thrilled about getting in and out of the trailer (like 5 times), but if I wait, eventually he walks in on his own. He also had a few panic whinnies, but overall, he was much, much calmer and better than I thought he'd be.
I'm definitely moving him up to Hopeful, but I'm pretty sure we're going to "lose" (i.e. not place) for at least a year or two. And I'll do Hopeful for one or two shows and then move him to Beginner Novice.
It's the experience he needs now - the miles under his girth. So I think I just need to bite the bullet and pay a lot of money for shows where we're going to be in the bottom half.
What worries me is that he'd progress faster if I had more money to spend on him - take him to school xc courses, to unrecognized shows, to clinics, to recognized shows ... Then he'd be ready to go in just a couple years.
The other thing that worries me is I felt like I rode terribly. What if I'm just not a very good rider? Like grasshopper is really my level? But I definitely don't have money for more schooling AND lessons, so I'm not sure what really needs to happen next.
I hope I can take him to the Happ's Derby in September (at Hopeful), then that will be it for this year, and then I'll spend the winter working him and hopefully ride next summer for the experience, and then start working with a trainer again to improve me and him together after that.
He is, in some ways, so easy to ride, that if I am good enough, I think once he "gets" it (it's ok to jump it and the flowers aren't going to kill him) that he'll progress very quickly because the height is not the obstacle.
Here's the number of riders in the senior levels and the dressage score range (for future reference):
Senior Hopeful (16 riders), Dressage range 24.5 - 49
Senior Beg Novice (16 riders); I couldn't find scores
Senior Novice (17 riders), Dressage range 27.89 - 41.05

Final photos L.C. derby

More photos L.C. derby

Photos from Lincoln Creek Derby