2012 Is My Year!

Finally I have the horse, I have the confidence, 2012 is going to be my year!

What brought this on you ask?  Well I was taking a look at the provisional calendar for USEA and I'm really getting excited about eventing next year.  I'm finally in a place where I feel comfortable and confident riding.  I have a horse to event who has the talent to win everything, and the brains to keep me safe.  For the first time in my life, I feel like we wouldn't be a joke going to the AECs.  So I'm tentatively planning out my 2012 season.

April 7-8, 2012 - Spring Bay Horse Trials, Kentucky

I love this event!  And early season is great for us.  The way we work over the winter always has us well prepared for the early events.  Our horses usually look better than the ones that spent the winter eventing down in Florida!  

May 19-20, 2012 - Greater Dayton Horse Trials, Ohio

Dayton is always a nice event.  And we have the option of staying a Hearthstone rather than the grounds.  So it saves us a bit of money and we can bring along an extra horse or two to school cross country depending on the room in the trailer.

June 16-17, 2012 - Lost Hounds Horse Trials, Pennsylvania

I've had great experiences at Erie in the past.  Two years ago that was my first event back with Kaye, and it's at the same place Bugsy and I won this summer.

June 30, July 1, 2012 - South Farm Horse Trails, Ohio

I can't say enough good things about South Farm.  I love this place.  Sarah is a wonderful organizer to work with and she always puts on top notch events, recognized horse trials and schooling shows alike.

September 6-9, 2012 - AMERICAN EVENTING CHAMPIONSHIPS, Georgia

I'm putting it out there.  That's our goal.  The AECs.  I can't believe I'm even writing it down.  But I am and that's what we are going to spend the next year working towards.  And saving for.  lets not forget that part.  I'm sure all said and done the trip will cost me a grand.  But it will be worth it. 

 Of course we will sprinkle this will combined tests and some dressage shows.  And I'll be getting the youngsters out next year as well.

I can't wait already!  Only 155 days till our first event.

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Erie Hunt and Saddle Club HT

Ok, finally getting around to blogging about my time at Erie Hunt and Saddle Club.  I had Friday before the event off.  So time to get Bugsy all squeaky clean and that last ride in.  Bonnie actually got on Bugsy and rode him first, so that was a nice treat.  I always enjoy riding after she's been on to tune things up.  Bugs got a thorough scrubbing as did my tack and he was tucked in for a good night's sleep.

Saturday morning I was at the barn e.a.r.l.y.  My ride time was at 9:12 but we had to feed and load up with enough time for me to get dressed and tacked up and plenty of warm up time at the show grounds.  Plus Bonnie wanted to work Bugs a bit before we left.  He goes better the second ride usually.  Made it to the barn in time to watch Bonnie ride, always educational.  The kids all slowly started arriving and we managed to get on the road only slightly behind schedule.  Pulled into the show grounds with about an hour till my ride time.  Perfect.  I got myself dressed while my superb grooming team took care of Bugsy for me.

Soon enough I was in the saddle and heading down to the dressage ring. Bugs warmed up great.  He was in the bridle just where we wanted him.  He was tracking up nicely.  All in all he looked exactly like a beginner  novice horse should.  We did our walk, trot and canter warm up, then just walked some small circles until it was our ride time.  As soon as Bugsy hit the dressage ring he suddenly remembered that he was a big bad intermediate horse.  And he went like an intermediate horse.  Oh well, he was a little more up in the bridle than we would have liked for beginner novice, but he was listening to me, and we rode a pretty good test.  So I figured we would either end up about mid pack or at the bottom of the division, depending on what the judge liked.  I practically had a heart attack when scores were posted and Bugsy and I were tied for 3rd!  I was shocked, I never expected to do that well.

I actually look like I know what I'm doing!

We had a couple of hours till it was time to jump, so Bugs was untacked and got to chill on the trailer with a hay bag, and we headed out to walk the cross country course.  It was a nice, straight forward course, actually the exact same course I jumped with Kaye 2 years prior.  Bonnie and I worked out how to ride the course, especially the water, and then we headed over to stadium.  Once again the stadium course was straight forward, no confusing turns or anything like that.

Before too much longer, the kids were tacking Bugs up again (in my snazzy new Ecogold pad) and we headed over to stadium warm up.  Bugsy warmed up great for me, although he was a little insulted by the small jumps.  We watched a couple of rounds and then it was our turn.  He was perfect in stadium, until the last fence.

As we were jumping the last fence we had a slight, uh, equipment malfunction.  My right stirrup slide off of the stirrup bar, and that threw me off balance just enough that I lost my other stirrup.  Well, then the banging stirrup spooked Bugs and he took off around the ring.  We did about 5 laps or so of the ring at a gallop before he jumped an oxer backwards and that's when I went off.   I just couldn't stick on anymore.  Luckily I was ok.  A lot sore, and a little shaken up, but ok.  Bugs stopped as soon as I went off and so the kids were able to grab him and take him back to the trailer.  Honestly at that point I wasn't sure I was up to finishing the show.  Luckily we had crossed the finish flags (several times) and so we were not penalized for the fall.  The kids took care of Bugs for me, hosed him off and then tacked him back up for cross country.  I got a drink, calmed down a bit, and manned up to get back on.

Warm up was a little rough.  Bugsy was being good, but I was still very nervous.  But the good news is even though I felt like I was going to be sick, I was staying with Bugs perfectly, even when he started leaving out strides before the fences.  Tammy coated my saddle in Saddle-Tite.  And then my support crew headed out to find a spot on course and I just had a few minutes left.  The starter called for my time, and we were off.

I was super nervous the first few fences.  And I kept Bugsy fairly slow.  And then after fence 3, my stupid pinny got caught around the whip I had under my saddle, so that slowed things up a bit.  We trotted the up bank at 4 and then down into the woods.  Then coming back up out of the woods Bugs picked up and easy canter, and suddenly I remembered how fun this was.  I rode my entire course in two-point, which actually Bugsy liked a lot better, sitting the canter/gallop on him is just asking for a little too much at this level.  He was such a good boy for me!  Even did the water like a champ!  The water was just an unflagged pass through for beginner novice, about 5 strides or so after a log.  Originally the plan was to go around the water rather than risk a stop, as we all know water is not Bugsy's favorite thing.  But after seeing the course Bonnie told me to take him through it, since it wasn't flagged, even if he did stop we wouldn't be penalized.  About 3 strides out from the log he saw the water and sucked back a little, but I growled at him and he said ok!  Jumped the log and then he did drop back to a trot before the water, but he trotted through with no hesitation and then picked up the canter again afterwards.  We finished the course with big smiles and 9 seconds under optimum time.

 
My support crew took Bugs for a well deserved shower, after he got lots of treats of course.  And I got a well deserved gatorade and a seat.  It wasn't too much longer till we heard the announcement that scores had been posted for my division.  If I was shocked to be tied for 3rd after dressage, just imagine my shock when I saw that I had won!  The first and second place horses had some problems in stadium and so I was tied for 1st after that.  Everyone else already knew it, and actually I'm glad Bonnie didn't tell me.  Would have made me a lot more nervous for cross country.  Both the other girl and I ran clean on cross country but I was closest to optimum time and so I won.  1st place out of 19 in the division, including some professionals, feels pretty darn good!

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I ♥ Bugsy

I ♥ Bugsy. 

More details later!

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Introducing HoofPrints Photography!

So I've decided to finally get serious about trying to turn my love of equine photography into something that I can attempt to make some money from.  Now I know that I'm never going to be able to quit my job and do this full time, but I have fun with it and if I can make a little money on the side then great.

Saturday morning I took the camera with me out to the barn to shoot the Windhurst Event Team practice.  Tiffany was there and rode Bugs with Rachel and Airy.  They both had great jump schools.  Bugs in particular was so in his element.  He was so excited to be jumping big fences.  And speaking of jumping big fences, Rachel jumped her first 4' fence!  Woohoo!  Go Rachel!

After Rachel and Tiffany finished their lessons it was time for the younger kids to ride.  And both Ari and Astrid had personal bests when they jumped 3'.  So proud of both of them.

I had a quick lunge lesson on my horse, in which he just keeps getting better and better.  I love my pony!

Sunday I got up early and headed out to South Farm for the day.  They were holding their first Mini Trial that day and I decided it would be fun to go and practice my photography.  I got there in time to watch stadium for the training division before I headed out to the cross country course.

After the training division finished stadium I headed out to the cross country course to get a good spot before they began running horses.  After taking a look at the training course map I decided that the water would be the best place to hang out.  From there I could see four jumps plus the up and down banks in and out of the water.  As I headed down to claim my spot, I found out I wasn't the only one who thought that was the place to be.  I got to hang out with Melinda from Squibbs Photography, the official photographer for the Mini Trial. 

I stayed down at the water for the novice division as well.  They only had a pass through the water, so it's wasn't as exciting as the banks, but there was a jump right after the water and I could get a good shot of the jump before the water as well.  

After novice finished I decided to scope out a new spot.  Beginner novice only had the water pass through option and so unless they took the optional fence, I wouldn't get any jumping shots.  So I packed up and made my way over to the bank complex.  I was able to get a good spot up on top where I could actually see almost every fence on course for beginner novice and starter/very green.  Pretty cool.  I only ended up stay for about half of the 2 foot rides.  By that point it was getting late and I was pooped from standing in the sun all day.  But I had a great time, Sarah and her crew there always put on great events.  I love going there to ride, or just watch.  And I can't wait to go back in October for the last combined test to polish off my jumping before the Boyd Clinic.

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Dangerous Riding

Sparked by a post on the Chronicle of the Horse forums regarding dangerous riding. IN that particular thread a video was linked and the question put forth was if that particular ride would be considered dangerous riding. Here's the video in question: Annette Lewis at the 1986 Hickstead Derby

Many people on the forum picked on her bad leg position, the extreme swinging back over every fence. I certainly don't like her leg and body position, but more worrisome to me is the way she cranks his head back. And her lack of control. I'd like present a second video for consideration, the same event, with the same horse two years later: Hickstead Derby 1988 Watch carefully and notice the bit she has in that horses mouth: double twisted wire. A very harsh bit, and the whole course she is fighting with him and sawing on his mouth. She keeps such a strangle hold on him that he has no chance to use his head and neck properly over a fence. And then right about 3:15 she yanks and yanks on him so much that her rein breaks. And she has no control over the horse. Someone tries to stop the horse and he runs the guy over. And yet people don't think this is dangerous. He just has an unconventional jumping style. He was excited and that's why he wouldn't stop. It's called training. Annette has done nothing but hang on that horse's mouth, all he wants to do is get away from her hands.

So let's throw up some other examples. How about this photo of the winner of Poplar Place CCI**. Dangerous riding? Look at the rider's position, straight up and down, and sitting on the horse's back over a solid cross country obstacle. Look at the horse's jumping style, head up in the air, hollow back. To me that's a pair waiting for an accident. Yet she won the event. Now how about this photo. That's Hilda Hick Donahue who was just eliminated at Pau, three fences from the end of cross country for dangerous riding, because of the way her horse jumps. Jumping style looks pretty much the same to me. So how is one dangerous riding, but the other wins an event?

Consistency in judging is obviously not there. Unfortunately dangerous riding is subjective as many things in our sport are. And it's something that can be misused. How about this video? Watch closely at :58. Someone tried to call dangerous riding. That the horse had been chested into the jump. However the horse had pulled both front shoes earlier in the course and he slid downhill. I'd like to know how he could have been chested into the jump when the rider was sitting back and slowing him down.

How about this? Right on the horse' s back over the middle of the jump, hands in her lap and the horse's chin tucked to his chest. If I felt like searching I could find more at other events to prove it's not a one time bad photo.

I'm sure I could find many more examples of dangerous riding. I just found it very interesting how people refused to see the obviously dangerous riding of the video. However I know that some of the people involved are of the run and jump mentality in eventing. The people that think dressage is just that thing you have to suffer through. I'm sure they will change their tune when they hurt themselves or their horse in the future.

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