New Years Resolutions? No. Only Applying the "Black and White" Rule

Nope, no big resolutions that won't get carried through anyway. But thoughts about the next year, and setting goals for the work with the boys.

I was rather surprised when at a Christmas Eve party with mostly horse people several women could tell how many days till the first show of the season. Really? The thought of counting days hadn't crossed my mind, I'm more concerned on how to get through the Michigan winter without freezing solid onto a horse. Actually, for me, the danger is more falling off the horse. When the temps drop too far, my blood pressure seems to drop accordingly and I had to have several 'emergency dismounts'. So... show season..

Sandy and I talked about looking at the dates, I have to do it soon so I can hopefully avoid too many clashes with my travel schedule for work. Especially the shows farther away, i.e. Ohio and Kentucky, are more problematic due to the time involved. OK, goals -- for me: "Black and White", no grey zone while riding. Sandy has been on my case quite a bit lately (rightfully so) because I am not quick and assertive enough, and I tend to wait too long before making corrections. As an example, when Saumur is running through my half halts, and I think I'll fix it 'eventually'. Obviously, I am not doing us any favors and it certainly won't give us good scores. I think technically Saumur and I will be ready for 4th level, it's the mind that needs to get with the program.

That of course also applies to my work with Remy, if I am consistent with "Black and White", our work together will be much clearer. With him the focus will be on the basics, good consistent connection, straightness. I am also planning to take him to places to he gets exposed to several things. Hopefully there will be another Young Horse Clinic in the Spring at Lost World Farm, I'd love to take him there because it also includes free jumping.

And then there are JP and Chambord... these two I gladly turn over to Sandy for goal setting. Hmm, come to think of ... the "Black and White" rule could certainly improve life with either of them. A quick half-halt when he is running through my aids might do wonders (and I am not only talking about Chambord) :)

Having fun with a year-end shopping trip

What's the favorite place for horsewomen to shop? Not the mall, at least not for me. We decided to have a 'girls day' today. Sandy and Linda came to Milford, where after breakfast we dropped by an important place: the horse blanket laundry. From there we went to the local tack store. Conveniently, they had the year end sale, and the place was packed.

It's amazing how much time (and yes, OK, money) one can spend at a tack store. While nowadays a lot of horse stuff gets bought through the catalogs, the social aspect of going to the store is huge. There are a lot of people I hardly ever see outside the shows - except at the tack store. Today I got to catch up with several people from the past, for example Claudia, a woman I used to blaze trails with (and blaze we did!), a long time ago. And it turned out one of my former H/J instructors is now working at the store.

And it's just fun to browse, checking out things you never thought you needed (a brush cleaning foam, really? What's wrong with shampoo?). We were pondering coolers, saddle pads with matching wraps, gloves, leather cleaners, and a myriad of other things. Then my gaze fell on a stunning Pikeur vest, fitting perfectly. So JP bought me another Christmas gift (which he didn't know until I came home tonight).

Remy got a cooler, which was actually the reason I went to the store in the first place. Good thing I can blame the shopping expedition on the boys - after all, they can't go shopping for themselves!

Happy New Year everybody!!

The Benefits of a Grumpy Old Man - Following the school master

Remy (aka the Energizer bunny) is making steady progress and is coming along nicely. Yesterday Sandy suggested we take the opportunity of Linda riding her 'old man' Desio and use them as a lead. Sandy's arena is huge, 20 x 60m, and it's a long way around for a youngster. Desio is an upper level dressage horse, who at 27 (!) still is fit and works. That shows what great care and regular work will do.

I was really happy with how well it worked having Remy follow Desio. Remy stayed with me, didn't try to overtake, listened to half halts, but clearly had fun working with another horse in the arena. At the end we rode next to each other so Linda and I could chat at bit. There was no bickering between the horses, which was great, as Desio usually tries to assert his status and Remy is not exactly the meek kind, either. That ride just made my day! I told Desio I forgave him for charging me when I come to get Saumur out of the pasture - at least for yesterday, if I am getting run over today it's a different story!

A blog about a blog

This is blog number 102, and so far the blog was accessed over 1400 times.

I have so much fun writing it, and I find it extremely satisfying to chronicle the daily life with our horses. It truly gives me joy. I wish I could write for a living! The articles I wrote about my journey with Saumur got published in the USDF connection, the USDF yearbook, and newsletters of the Midwest Dressage Organization and Morgan Dressage Organization. Pretty cool, but unfortunately not exactly a living. The "starving artist" road is clearly not an option considering all the mouths to feed, backs to dress, shoes to buy... All three had 'pedicures' yesterday, Saumur needs another turnout, Remy could use a different sweat sheet, Chambord is on bute due to a sore foot... the list goes on, and not to mention board, lessons, and all the groceries. I better stick to my day job!

This week I feel so fortunate being off work and therefore able to really take my time with the boys at the barn. It sure is a difference driving there without haste, working with them during daylight hours, as opposed to rushing after work in the cold and dark. A lot of years till retirement... but only four months till Spring!

The Power of the Voice - and learning from mistakes

After a whirlwind trip to Europe I made it back in time for Christmas. It was wonderful spending my birthday with family and friends in Germany, and it was sad to leave. Nevertheless I am very happy to be back with JP (I am sure he's glad to read this!) and all our critters.

It's great to come back and find the horses have improved in the meantime - thanks, Sandy and JP! Saumur had a visit from the 'French Stylist' (aka JP) and now sports a beautiful trace clip. Saumur obviously loved getting 'styled by JP' and didn't budge during the whole clipping procedure. Obviously, those two work well together and don't need me to meddle with unsolicted advise ("a bit higher maybe").

I had one of the best rides on Saumur, he was on the aids, with a light, even connection, and a great collected canter. However, it seemed that Remy used my absence to test the waters -- meaning he was pushy with Sandy and the girls that did the daily turnout. I was pretty astonished, as he's fine when I lead him, but typical adolescent that he is he needs to push the envelope to see what he can get away with. At Sandy's place - not much. Manners are written in capital letters and Remy is quickly getting with the program.

It's been years since I worked with a youngster and it's a good reminder that especially for the 'Greenies' things have to be either black or white. For example, longing. I tend to keep the modulation even and speak in rather soft tones. That doesn't help Remy, the 'walk', 'trot', 'canter', 'whoa',  and 'good boy' need to distinction, in order for him to get the difference. Sticking with one language makes it more difficult for me. But the result is immediate when I clearly make the difference between the commands for the gaits.

Sandy also reminded me that I should learn from my mistakes (mistakes, huh?). Yeah, OK, this tendency to drop the reins as soon as the horse does something well is not good training. I pretty much have it under control with Saumur (thanks to plenty of reminders from Sandy) but wouldn't you know it, I started it right up with Remy. Or, another example, the "Good Boy", associated with stop and sugar. At one point Saumur would put in a dead stop to whatever he was doing when I said "Good Boy", he then craned his neck and waited for the sugar to come. With Saumur's previous fragile state of mind it made sense. Better stop for sugar than bolting halfway across the county! Luckily for both of us, this is ancient history.

Hopefully, with Remy, we won't need the sugar to stop the runaway train... I'll work on my voice so the 'Whoa' will do the trick.

Leaving the 'kids' - and the importance of a great support system

Well, off I go again. This time to the French Alps for meetings with the new owners of the company. Then on Saturday I'll take the train from Geneva to Stuttgart, to spend my birthday with my family and friends in Germany. The first time in 21 (!) years. Too bad that JP has to stay behind.

We went to see the boys last night. Sandy had already worked Saumur, who is doing REALLY well with the transition to working indoors (no shying!) and his changes. I longed Remy with side reins while JP was riding Chambord. Remy is still trying to find out the connection to the bit, and I don't believe in 'cranking' him together. I want to encourage him to seek the contact, not force him. Both Remy and Chambord worked really well.

Every time I leave town I get nervous, no matter how often I do it (doesn't matter that I am one seasoned traveler). But I am so fortunate to have a great support system: I can trust Sandy with the boys 100%. I never have to worry that they will be mistreated, not fed or watered, not getting turned out, or having dirty stalls with not enough bedding. Years ago we boarded for a couple of months in the winter at a private barn until I found out that the barn worker didn't like Saumur and 'forgot' to feed him hay on numerous occasions; or yet another place where we found out that Crissy was beaten into the corner of her stall so the owner could clean while she was in there.

It sure helps that the boys, especially Saumur, have 'god-parents' in the form of Linda and Don. JP, of course, will be riding while I am gone, so the boys won't lack attention and a steady supply of love and treats is guaranteed :).

So here I go, leaving plenty of instructions (as if they were needed) and carrots behind,  feeling secure that all four boys (JP included) will be well taken care of.

Hairy issues and decisions

It is winter in Michigan, all right. Judging from Saumur's hair growth it will be a hard one. He looks like the woolly mammoth - seems that growing up in Northern Michigan will set you for life. Every year I ponder the same things: When is the right time for a hair cut? How much to take off? And then all the hassles with the blankets, he shouldn't be too hot, nor too cold... Nature did a good job with 'built in climate control'. When we as humans mess with it it's usually not that easy. The problem with working horses is that the heavy coat makes it difficult to cool them out after work, and as somebody so aptly put it: would you want to do a Zumba class in your winter coat?

So, as soon as I get back from Europe that French Stylist (aka JP) will be called into action. JP has been doing a great job trace clipping Saumur, and actually Saumur loves it. With all the issues Saumur has, you'd think clipping would be a big deal, but from the beginning Saumur enjoyed it. It must be JP's magic touch!

Chambord, OTOH, has the finest hair I've ever seen on a horse. He must think we'll move to Florida. Perhaps he can read my wishes?? As a 'true blonde' (Palomino) his hair is very fine. He will get to sport his snazzy winter coat very soon. With Remy we'll have to see, I don't plan to work him too hard this winter, so he can keep his pretty hair. Nevertheless, he also got a nice winter coat for those really pesky days.

I've been moving coats and blankets around today - and realized I could have bought myself a great designer coat (or two) for what the boys will wear to tear up during play time.

A sad time at Southview Farm - and the boys are off to college

It's been a sad time at Southview Farm, Sandy's dad, Lloyd Brown, passed away on Friday. He was a very quiet and gentle man and we will all miss him. Even while already very sick he always tried  hard to come to the barn, and the shows and clinics to see Sandy ride. We all have heavy hearts and feel for Sandy, Francis, and Esther.

I was hesitant to move the boys at such a time, but Sandy and Francis encouraged it. So, on Saturday Chambord and Remy joined Saumur for the winter months at Southview Farm. Packing the trailer was quite the chore, one tends to forget how much stuff there is involved besides saddles and bridles. It felt like packing for kids going off to college - which is not too far off, after all, they go to Southview to learn! And party... judging from the state we found them in yesterday. All three were absolutely caked in mud. No wonder with all the rain we are having. But they are horses, and deserve to have fun. At least there is no alcohol involved!

It seems Remy fit right in, he and Chambord are turned out together with another playful guy. Saumur is in a different group, he's close friends with Hopper and Sandy is very mindful of the social structures.

Last night Stacy, the saddle fitter, came to adjust Remy's and Chambord's saddles. We are good to  go!

What does weight have to do with it?

A lot, in this case -- I am referring to weight aids. I always struggled with keeping Saumur straight in the canter departs. Especially going to the left he has a tendency to do haunches in when I prepare for the depart. Today it was really obvious and together with Sandy we figured out that it has to do with how I use my weight aids. I was taught a long time ago to "really put the weight on the inside seat bone to prepare for the canter depart". By doing this, and probably not staying straight myself, Saumur thought I must be asking for something else and offered haunches in.

It made a huge difference when I kept my weight centered and just lightly asked with a half-halt followed by the leg aids. Sandy mentioned that she recently read a quote from Kyra Kirklund, where Kyra stated that the weight aids are over-rated. Her advise: "just sit centered". In my case, that is the key. It also reminded me of something Catherine Haddad wrote, that you have to ride off the skeleton, and not the muscle mass. Keeping in mind that a horse can feel a tiny fly on his hide, there is no need for the rider to 'throw the weight around'. Yes, shifting the position, but with finesse, not exaggeration.

Sandy and I discussed the plans for next year - would I have time for everything, 3rd level freestyle, showing 4th, and bringing out Remy? All this while my travel calendar for next year is already filling up. We'll see. I am very hopeful that we'll be doing well next year, Saumur finally is 'rideable', meaning we don't spend three quarters of a lesson trying to overcome a spooking issue. Today, for example, we did the trot work out of the St. Georg test, with 8 m circles.

While I was in Germany my dad offered to buy me a shadbelly for my birthday and Christmas (both are just a week apart), but I really didn't want to jinx it. I'll buy it when we are ready to do a decent test, not before. And yes, weight has to do something with it. What if by the time I get to the FEI levels I am not as 'svelte' anymore? Just kidding!

Back into the swing of things

Literally ... it is amazing what a week out of the office will do for my back. My first ride after the trip to Germany was awesome - the tightness was gone, my hips were swinging, and Saumur felt wonderful. That of course, is due to Sandy working with him in my absence.

It sure feels good to be home, and with home I mean Milford. As much as I like to visit Germany, as the old saying goes: "Home is where the heart is". I did have a great time visiting family and friends, and of course the Stuttgart German Masters horse show. It is incredible how well the show is run, 8,000 spectators, and something for everybody: Jumping, Dressage, Four-In-Hand Driving, Jump and Drive, Indoor Event, Vaulting, and not to forget a great show program and shopping. The main attraction was Lorenzo, the "Flying Frenchman". I said to Ingrid, good thing JP is not here with us, it would have giving him some ideas to try at home. Lorenzo is famous for standing on two horses, one leg on each horse, no bridle, no saddle, only two sticks to guide the horses, while 10 other horses are staying around in formation. And they all jump together. But I think one flying Frenchman is enough!

Disappointing was the judging in the Dressage freestyle, goes to show, even an international FEI competition does not guarantee good judging. The very educated audience made no bones about their opinion and loud protests and whistles attested to that. But overall, it was FUN! It's amazing to have a show go until midnight, and then have people stay on to party. And great food... something I have not encountered at our local shows, that's for sure. Champagne bar, anybody?

So, back into the swing of things. Yesterday we had quite the outing, we took Chambord and Remy to Sandy for lessons, in addition to my lesson with Saumur. It was a busy day at the barn, which was actually good for me. I have a hard time staying focused when there is lots of activity and there are several people riding at the same time. Sandy reminded me that I had to stay "in my bubble" and only focus on Saumur. It is very obvious, if I am distracted, he thinks he needs to be on high alert. The focus was on 'less is more', and the 'point and shoot approach' to turning. Less hand, more leg.

Remy longed well, however, I needed some reminders to be more precise, and careful. When Remy is out of balance he cross canters, so Sandy asked me to quietly get him back to a trot and right away into the correct canter. She wants me to talk to him, but preferable in only one language, as it might be confusing for him otherwise. Yes, I have to admit, I constantly switch from English to French and back. After all, as JP never ceases to point out "French is the language of love"  -- hmm, come to think of, all of our animals listen to both languages. For the longest time, our neighbors thought that one of our dogs was named "viens ici", which means "come here"!

Relax your lower back - with the help of "imaginative 'Botox'"

OK, not to get any misconceptions here: There are no "Botox-Babes" at Southview Farm. Admittedly, the natural beautiful women at the barn do spend money on injectables and needles, but those go right to the horses, in the form of Adequan and Acupuncture.

The subject came up during my lesson with Sandy, she was trying to get me to relax my lower back. What would be best: Novocain, Peridural, Botox?? When things get iffy, i.e. a spooking spot for Saumur, I tend to tense my back. Of course, that in turn signals to Saumur that there MUST be something wrong - and so it goes... I really have to work hard on it, relaxation is not something that comes naturally to me. But once I let go and breathe into my back (learned from my Yoga lessons) things really improve significantly. Imaging is everything (and free)!

The other image Sandy wanted me to have in my mind is how water flows through a hose. Now, if you narrow the outlet, the water comes out with more force. That is a good image when going from working trot to collected trot: if the outlet is more contained, the energy from behind is higher and leads to more elevation.

Remy and Chambord also traveled to Sandy's on Saturday. Chambord and JP had a lesson. We took Remy to see how he would react in his future 'winter-quarter'. Remy is such a cool boy, he walked into the barn, around the huge indoor arena, no problem at all. The observation room was of interest to him (it's an entire wall of windows), but nothing more. I am really not used to have such an uncomplicated horse, so I am constantly amazed - and silently wondering if / when the honeymoon will be over?

With all that wondering a dose of muscle relaxant (frown lines!) would probably be in order - but wait, with winter board and lessons I guess that is not considered an 'essential expense'.

Of Husband and Horses

Yesterday I worked late so on my way home I met JP for dinner at our favorite Bistro. He happily told me about his after-work activities: Not only had he worked Chambord, but also Remy, and both boys had been very good. I was quite surprised (although I shouldn’t have been) that he took it upon himself to repeat the exercises we did with Remy on Sunday. And all this in addition to cleaning the barn, preparing the feed, and walking the dogs. 
 

After all these years I am still amazed and grateful for “Mr. Perfect” (OK, almost perfect) J. I mean, how many women dream of a husband that supports their riding endeavors wholeheartedly, never question time or money spend? Especially considering his decidedly urban background (Paris!).  I did write a story some time ago that started with “all my husband knew about horses was what his mother served him on Saturdays”. Sounds pretty gruesome, but it is the truth. Now, my mother-in-law, Marguerite, was a lovely lady and a gifted cook. To her and to the majority of the French, horse meat was just another way to cook a delicious meal.

When I met JP he had never been exposed to riding horses, let alone women deeply infected with the ‘horse-bug’. Fast forward – not only did he offer me a horse for our first wedding anniversary, he stands by me with unwavering encouragement through all my ups and downs related to horses. In the process, JP became a dedicated horseman himself (five broken ribs and a permanently crooked finger later).

So, ladies, careful what you wish for; I sometimes get the distinct feeling I now have to compete with the horses for his attention. Hmm, shouldn’t it rather be the other way round??

P.S.  NO - he's not up for grabs!

To err on the side of caution

The freestyle clinic is coming up next weekend. Together with the details I also received a note from the organizer and barn owner informing the participants that one horse at the barn is sick with Potomac horse fever. The letter assured everybody that there is no need to worry, as Potomac is not transmitted from horse to horse (mosquitoes are the culprits).

My internal alarm went up instantly and I called my vet. He said there is no test that really confirms Potomac, and there are other infections with similar symptoms. (The horse in question had to be on an IV drip with antibiotics). I also called Sandy's barn vet and sent an email to Sandy, in addition to checking with horse owning friends. Well, everybody confirmed my gut feeling: better safe than sorry - meaning better scratch than ending up with a sick horse. Of course, I was told I am the only 'overprotective mother', and my spot got actually filled by somebody on the wait list. Do I have any regrets? No, I am convinced I made the right decision. Yes, certainly, I'll miss riding in the clinic, but the risk (even though probably small) is not something I am willing to take. Especially as I am leaving for Europe the next day, and I wouldn't want to risk the health of Saumur, the horses at home, or the horses at Sandy's!

The weather was beautiful this weekend, on Saturday I rode Saumur outside in the large outdoor arena. We did something we hadn't done in a long time: gallop in two-point. It was FUN! Saumur didn't get wound up and we finished walking quietly around the fields with Linda and Hopper and Megan and Savannah. A nice and relaxing finish.

Today was Remy's turn. I noticed that when I am longing him he has a tendency to bring his shoulders in the circle. We did the following exercise: longing over poles in the walk and trot, with the reins behind the stirrups, which act a bit as side reins in this case. Remy relaxed and had to focus where he placed his legs. Afterwards I got on and we walked over the poles. He is such a good baby! OK, a bit on the spoiled side (thanks, JP). I have to watch his tendency to be pushy, and trying to check what's in my pockets. It's hard to resist when he's batting his huge eyes with the long lashes at me -- I am melting. OK, I admit, I am a sucker for charming guys (especially the ones with French names).

Putting the Whoa in the Go and the Go into the Whoa

At first this sounds pretty confusing, but once it sinks in it makes sense. More importantly, though, it increases collection.

It is what we worked on during our lesson yesterday, while keeping Saumur on the lightest aids possible. Sandy had me initiate the downward transitions trot – walk, canter – walk from thigh pressure, and - if needed - with a slight close of the fingers. I could really feel how well Saumur responded, we were able to ‘whisper’ to each other, as opposed to shouting (he hanging on the bit, me giving strong aids). “Putting the whoa in the go” means asking Saumur to pick himself up more through half-halts, engaging his belly muscles, so he comes up more in front and carries more weight behind.

“Putting the go in the whoa” is asking him to be engaged during and after downward transitions, or during transitions within the gaits (no stalling or falling on his forehand). I had an important ‘Aha’-Moment when I continued to have my seat engaged during a transition within the trot, going from working trot to more collection. If I stay supple and keep me seat engaged we can do this!

We worked a lot on the canter transitions, walk – canter – walk, again all with the lightest possible aids. Saumur felt pretty awesome. He was sweating quite a bit; while I savor the last days of 60F weather the poor guy is “overdressed” by already sporting his winter coat. Saumur was bred and born “Up North” (Northern Michigan), so his genes tell him to get prepared in October for the icy months ahead.

Ah, speaking of icy months, yesterday I used my navigation system on the way home from Sandy’s to be prepared for construction detours. It really hit me when the friendly lady told me that I am driving over 120 miles (192 km) from the office to the barn and home! Yikes. I still have barns to scout out closer to home, as an option for at least Chambord and Remy during the worst months. Oh, a kingdom for an indoor arena – or an opportunity to winter in the South!

Vorfreude

"Joyful Anticipation" –  that’s what I am feeling right now! In two weeks I’ll be at the Stuttgart German Masters, enjoying with 8,000 other horse enthusiasts a great event. It covers the whole gamut: Dressage, Jumping, Four-in-hand driving, vaulting, indoor-eventing, “Jump and Drive”, and usually has a great show program. The competitions go late into the night, followed by parties in the catacombs  of the event center. Great shopping, too. This is the once a year time when I jump off the vegetarian wagon and actually eat a Bratwurst (or two). It’s a must with all that beer!

Sometimes I daydream and think of how cool it would be to have a Morgan competing there – now there’s a goal for Remy J

Pretending to be an U-Boat - and battling separation anxiety

Saumur is back at school. I felt really guilty taking him away from his buddies. The three of them are getting along so well, it is really astonishing. But Saumur needs to get back into the swing of things, in two weeks we have the freestyle clinic with Karen Robinson, and it wouldn't be fair to take an unfit horse.

Our lesson focused on me truly 'sinking' into the saddle. This is rather difficult for me, I come from the school where slouching is considered a cardinal sin. So, in order to be straight (or what I perceive as being straight) I get stiff. Once I really let me weight sink into the saddle I can feel the difference in Saumur. We had some wonderful trot half-pass work, and then Sandy had us do a new exercise on the diagonal: half-pass - straight - leg-yield - straight - half-pass. That was really nifty. Saumur worked very well. I noticed, however, that he needs a haircut, as he got quite sweaty. In preparation of the Michigan Winter, Saumur already sports the beginning of his thick winter coat. So, next weekend we'll have to call on our expensive French hairstylist - JP!

Remy and Chambord didn't seem to mind being without Saumur. We took them on a road trip today, I wanted to see how Remy is loading and riding in our trailer. Of course, I saw that he was fine when we went with Valerie to the vet clinic for his pre-purchase exam; and also Bob told us what a great traveler Remy is. Still... our trailer has a ramp, whereas Remy is used to step ups. And here was the 'aha'-moment: Remy loaded fine, but was a bit confused about backing out on the ramp. Smart boy that he is he figured it out quickly. We also did groundwork and I rode him.

All three of them sure earned their deer carrots today - wonder where my carrot cake is??

What do Salad and Equine Digestive Health have in common?

Not much, other than I attended a SmartPak Webinar while munching on a salad for lunch.

 All in all, the webinar covered a lot of things that are –or should be- common knowledge, i.e. the importance of turnout, regular feedings, etc.

Here are the key points that I found interesting:

- Horses are hindgut fermentors, which means the fiber is fermented in the hindgut (large intestine)

-        As non-ruminant herbivores, horses are designed to graze 17 hours per day and need at least 1% of the body weight (or 50% of total ration) per day as forage

-     Horses salivate 5 – 10 liters per day, the saliva is very alkaline

-        The stomach is the “holding and mixing tank” and has a size of 2 – 4 gallons, food stays between 30 min. and 12 hours, the average transit time is between 2 – 4 hours. The horse has the smallest stomach in relation to size of all animals

-        The esophagus is 4 – 5 ft long and a “one way street”, no vomiting. Contrary to what a lot of people think, a choke is not an airway obstruction, it is caused by feed lodged in the esophagus

-        The small intestine is 70 ft long and the main function is “Digestion”

-        The large intestine (hindgut) consists of Cecum (4 ft long), and the colon (20 -24 feet). The total transit time is 35 – 50 hours

Important to consider:

-        Hoses produce 10 – 30 liters of gastric acid per day for the chemical breakdown of food. If there is too much time between meals the gastric acid erodes the stomach lining and can cause ulcers
-        Minimize levels of NSC (Non-structural carbohydrates = sugars and starches)
-        Hay in the winter is crucial to keep horses warm, the fermentation of hay creates body heat
-        It is VERY IMPORTANT to make feed changes gradually, that also pertains to hay
-        90% of racehorses and 60% of active show horses have gastric ulcers
-        Colic in horses causes more deaths than any other diseases
-        To prevent colic horses must have small, frequent meals, with hay or forage always available

Considering the above our boys are having a good chance of digestive health based on our feeding program. And… so should I, for that matter: I’m a fellow herbivore with a penchant for salads. If only I could figure out how to get my digestive system to keep me warm in the winter – hay, anyone?!

Tangled in the rules and regulations of year end award guidelines

It’s this time of year again – the deadline for the year end award applications is coming up. And, of course, every organization has to have different rules and regulations. At least the USDF makes it easy, the scores are automatically tabulated and the results are just a mouse click away.

 

Aside from the USDF, I belong to three organizations that offer year end awards, and here are their requirements:

 

1)      Submit top 2 scores from 2 different judges (but can be one competition), copy of front of test sheets.  Average of the 2 scores counts

 

2)      Submit top 3 scores from 3 different judges, 3 different competitions, copy test sheets, tabulation of tests, and membership card. Average of the 3 scores counts

 

3)      Submit top 5 scores from 4 different competitions, 4 different judges, copy of front of test sheets. Median score (the 3^rd out of 5) is the one that counts.

 

Jeez, I really had to think hard in order to keep track of who wants what, sorting and copying the test sheets several times over, tracking down membership numbers, registration numbers, etc. All that in the hopes of making the grade for a good year end placing. And yes, of course, I want first place! But I also realize that there will always be people that are better, or that some just have the luck of the scores lining up according to the guidelines. For example, one can have great scores, but if they come from the same competition, tough luck.

 

Nevertheless, this exercise just confirmed that "Team Saumur" did good, our averages according to the guidelines above are:

1. 65.125%
2. 64.745%
3. 65.122%

 The USDF has already verified that we are 2^nd in the All Breed Awards for 3^rd level, and 1^st in the Vintage Cup.

 

It’s nice to know that we have made progress over last year, but it’s even nicer to have it confirmed in black and white. Untangling the web of requirements really was worth it!

The baby needs clothes - and has to deal with a bit of separation anxiety

What a beautiful fall weekend! We had a great time introducing Remy to neighbors and friends yesterday. The boys really enjoyed the sunny pastures, but even more they were enamored with the treats everybody brought them. Another telling observation: there was no fighting over the treats!

So today I planned to get Remy introduced to our outdoor arena, longe him, and then hop on. The good news is that Saumur's snaffle bridle and KK bit fit Remy. My saddle looks to fit reasonably well with a Thinline pad, but I have to see how it feels when I ride in it. Unfortunately, the rather skinny youngster is wearing a different girth size than the big boys -- guess I need to buy another girth (I only have about six already...).

Our outdoor footing is still pretty 'mushy' from all the rain we had, and there was lots of commotion going on next to our outdoor arena: the neighbor on a noisy lawnmower, cars, trucks, people riding bikes, four-wheelers, hayrides... you name it. I thought it more prudent just to longe. Remy was pretty jumpy and clearly not ready to relax. I longe my horses in a cavasson, not off the bit, as it has been proven that longing off the bit is harsh on their mouths. Remy settled down after a while and I walked him down the road to show him a bit of the neighborhood.

Then came the next test for him, staying home alone! JP and I took Chambord and Saumur on a trailride. While getting them ready in the outdoor Remy started to run and scream and I was VERY tempted to say "let's just stay home" -- But then, nothing would have been gained, other than Remy learning that screaming gets him results. The boys didn't care about the Remy's antics, they were happy to go out. And sure enough, we hadn't even gone down towards the park entrance yet when we saw Remy quietly grazing.

Chambord was quite the star today, a piece of Kudzu got wrapped around his hind leg and trapped him. JP got off and pried the stubborn growth away from Chambord's leg, who patiently waited to be freed. Then JP had to climb back on from the ground (we always use a mounting block) and again, Chambord stood like a rock. All the while Saumur, who doesn't have much use for the word 'patience'  stood next to his friend, without fidgeting. Good boys!

When we came home Remy was still quietly grazing, and the 'big boys' were eager to go into the barn, one to use the bathroom, the other one to search for food. Easy to figure out their priorities!?

The difference a childhood makes --

Today I turned out all three boys together, with some major anxiety on my part. Not to worry, it was like they've been all out together forever. Even "Macho-Man" (Chambord) was fine. And Saumur and Remy acted like long lost brothers, immediately sharing a pile of hay.

Having Remy here really makes me realize the difference a childhood makes - on one side Saumur, treated harshly and 'trained' with methods I don't want to dwell on... on the other side Remy, who learned respect and manners in a positve environment.

As we all know, plenty of people and animals survive horrible childhoods to become happy grownups, but it takes years and patient help... With Saumur it took years to get him to overcome his extreme fright - and we are still not there. He will always be worried, ready to take off from the demons of his past. And here now the contrast, Remy, who exudes self-confidence and curiosity. How I wish that everyone could grow up without any demons!

Finally - the big day!

After four days on the road Remy finally made it. I was rather anxious about the logistics, i.e. unloading, having him settled etc. Well, I needed have worried: Remy stepped off the trailer onto the road, followed me down the driveway into the barn, and settled into his stall. He went right for the food and water. The excitement was when both Saumur and Chambord came to the stall (it has a door to the outside) to check out the new kid. Some squealing and kicking, and then I took the older boys to the pasture away from the barn to give Remy time to relax.

Susanne came at noon and we turned Remy out. Well, this is one cool horse! There was some more squealing and a bit of striking and kicking through the fence, but nothing major. No tearing around, or bucking and kicking fits. I am working from home today so I can keep an eye on everybody. It is wonderful, I can see them all while working. Everybody is happily munching.

It sure is a good start for our extended family!

To much time to second guess --

And the wait continues – I spoke with Bob (the driver) yesterday and he said he should be in Michigan sometime this afternoon. I got a bit worried because he asked me which horse was mine, and where exactly in Michigan I was… After it was established that Remy is the right one, Bob said he would like to have him at his own barn “he is so sweet, follows me like a puppy dog, and he eats and drinks well”.

That was good to hear, because I am getting panic attacks about all the things that can go wrong. In addition, this time lag gave me plenty of time to second guess my decision. It is interesting the reaction I get when I tell people about it. It’s almost like some are waiting for a sort of justification. JP always points out how similar Saumur and I are, that we both are constantly construing scenarios in our heads with things to be worried about. Right he is! I currently have a nervous twitch to prove it.

George gave a clinic at Sandy’s this weekend. It was strange not to ride, I get restless ‘just watching’, I am much better doing. But really, I didn’t have much choice due to the meetings all week. I asked George about coming with both boys to Ohio in the Spring, and he said we could arrange it. Sandy is planning to take two of her horses, so we could have a fun training week together.  I actually applied for a Scholarship from the Morgan Dressage Association, it sure would be a big help. It’s a bit daunting to think about the expense of training and showing two horses.

Next month we’ll do a freestyle clinic with Karen Robinson, hopefully this will kick us off to get the 3^rd level freestyle together. 3^rd time is a charm, right? The other times we attempted a freestyle clinic Saumur was almost uncontrollable in the strange arenas. He got nicknamed “Bumble Bee” because he was wearing yellow leg wraps and just buzzed around.

The best of both worlds - "Relaxing the Soul"

We couldn’t have asked for better weather this weekend –absolute gorgeous Michigan fall days, where the trees are ablaze with color and the sun makes the yellow leaves shine like gold.  

Friday we had a lovely trailride to the ‘other side’ of the park. That entails negotiating steep hills, climbing over fallen trees, and of course, encountering lots of wildlife. Chambord sure has an in-built GPS, he knows exactly which way to dinner and his steps are definitely livelier towards his ‘gamelle’ (in this case: food dish).

Saturday we set out for lessons at Sandy’s – only to find after arrival that the tack room of our trailer was locked and the key was at home! After some heated discussion “Who left the keys at home???” Sandy came to the rescue and offered to borrow a saddle and bridle from her. We were no worse for the wear – Saumur worked beautifully. He went straight into the work mode, even after spending most of the previous week on the trails in a rubber Pelham. We worked on the collection in the canter, where I really have to remind myself to move my left hand more towards my right hip (not crossing the neck, of course) and taking my right hand about an inch from his neck to the right in order to keep him straight. “When he is straight, it’s effortless”.

Our trot half-passes are increasing in difficulty, the steeper angles (for example H to B) require more precision and I have to remember to aim his chest at the letter. I was really happy with how good it felt, Saumur was right with me the whole time. To finish we worked on the pirouettes. Sandy reminded me to think of them as really small circles. Our turns on the haunches received “9”s from different judges this summer, so that’s a good start. Unfortunately, I get Saumur ‘stuck’ sometimes, so I have to focus on keeping him moving.

Barb came with her trailer to pick up a horse, when she heard about our plight with the locked door she suggested we try her key: Low and behold – it opened our door! Just in time, so JP and Chambord had their own gear for the lesson. But how scary, there you lock thousands of dollars worth of equipment in your trailer – and somebody else’s key opens it! Lesson learned: No more leaving our saddles in the trailer at shows, that’s for sure.

JP and Chambord had an excellent lesson, too. I am amazed how far they both have come. Chambord is rather opinionated (as is his rider J), they are a great team and really fun to watch.

Ah, and our trailride yesterday… in German we say “die Seele baumeln lassen”, which means “to relax the soul” – and that’s exactly what all four of us did. It can’t get any better than that!

The best laid plans... and more delays

Latest news is that Remy will be leaving Montana next Tuesday (instead of today), arriving on Thursday or Friday. Unfortunately, that timing is not the greatest as Remy will arrive right when my new boss from France is here for the week. Not a good introduction to say “uh, I need to leave now, my new horse is arriving!”

The best laid plans… so if all goes well Bob (the driver) will call about an hour before coming to our area, JP leaves his job and drives to meet Bob at the Interstate Exit. It will be quite a feat to unload: the truck and trailer are too large to fit into our drive way, and we live on a fairly narrow dirt road. Luckily there is a dead end road with a big circular turnaround right next to our property. So Bob can turn around and unload there, and JP can walk Remy home. Susanne, my fellow German horse ‘nut’ (sorry! But true) lives nearby and she also offered to help. (Thank you!). All the while I will be sitting in the office fighting for my job –

 It doesn’t take a village to get a horse but it sometimes sure seems like it.

For those of you interested in Remy’s breeding: Yes, I freely admit I am in no way an expert in bloodlines. So here it goes: FRM Flower of Remington is by Caduceus Denver out of Bar Y’s Lori Lynn. Caduceus Denver’s description: “Denver, with his strong Brunk and Western Working Family pedigree, is a source of height, excellent movement, good looks and good minds. Behind him are the three branches of Brunk greatness—Jubilee King, Flyhawk and Senator Graham. Jubilee King comes through such good ones as Agazziz, Mickey Finn, Ken Carmen, and more. Plus there are crosses to Jubilee King’s sister, Sentola. Flyhawk comes down through various good breeding stock too. There is also the Western Working Family from Romanesque and various Linsley descendants. The bottom mare line goes to early Montana breeding. Throughout this pedigree there was careful breeding for good working horses with good minds. Many of his ancestors were strong breeding horses, some founding their own families. This is a strong horse with a strong pedigree bringing the wonderful old Morgans to today.”

Ivy League or Community College?

The perfect weather we are currently enjoying does push the nagging thoughts “what about winter” in the background, but just temporarily.

We’ve been contemplating on how to go about winter work with now three horses. Boarding all three boys for four or five months seems pretty cost prohibitive. There really is no ideal solution. I feel like a parent with limited funds having to decide on college for several kids: Ivy League or Community College?? Saumur really should continue with consistent work, he is the ‘senior’, so giving him extended time off and then bringing him back would be hard on his body. Also, with the goals of a 3^rd level freestyle and successfully hitting 4^th next year neither he nor I can afford a prolonged break. Ergo Saumur will be slated for Ivy League = Sandy’s. That leaves Chambord and Remy. Chambord and JP have so much fun with their lessons, and they should continue, but they do not need a full training program. Remy is just a baby, and can also have a ‘reduced program’ in the winter.

 So… options…the riding club down the road from us offers ‘social memberships’, which means for an affordable annual membership fee we could use the large indoor arena. That would allow us to keep Chambord and Remy at home longer, and trailer five minutes (instead of one hour) to the indoor. Good plan, but with drawbacks (of course!). The place has a very active lesson program for western and jumping. I was told that “things sometimes get really crowded” in the evenings. It’s fine if the lesson is Western Pleasure, it’s another thing if the arena is full of jumpers. Guess we need to go there several nights on a ‘fact finding mission’ – also to see how we would be received by the people there. When I talked to the manager I could hear the gears grinding in her head “German accent, dressage… oh no, not a dressage queen!” - and I hadn’t even fessed up to the Quarter Horse with the dressage saddle yet!

A spin in the woods - watch out for those nuts

Well, the weather gods seem to try to make up for the rain and cold last week by offering just perfect riding weather. Sunny, warm, low winds – can’t get much better, so last night we took the boys out for a ride in Kensington.

Saumur, who will spook at light rays coming into the indoor, seemed relaxed and happy, albeit still on alert (as he always is). Chambord marched along, more concerned on how to best snatch some snacks along the way without JP preventing him from doing it.

 It was amazing on how many deer were out that evening. There is no hunt allowed at Kensington, the park does a “controlled cull” in the winter, but the population this year seems to have grown more than usual. We literally had deer coming at us from all sides. And, of course, the deer standing on the trail has to wait until we are really close, and then flash the white tail and take off at the last moment. Or, another one of my favorites: We think they all have passed crossing right in front of us when a straggler comes scrambling along. Luckily the boys are used to it as the deer herds also go through their pastures to get to the apple trees.

It was pleasant and relaxing ride, until I got a reminder from Saumur that he still does what he thinks he needs to do - getting us away from (perceived) danger! We were trotting up the hill close to home when he suddenly took a jump to the side. The reason: A squirrel was throwing nuts. I guess we could really have gotten hurt if a nut would have  hit us…

Back to lessons - and a twinge of homesickness

The weather last week was just awful: rain, rain, and more cold rain. We barely managed to fit in some short sessions in the sloppy outdoor arena. So Saturday JP and I -and the boys of course- made our way to Sandy's for lessons. It didn't bode well at the beginning, first the "check engine" light came on in the truck, then the storm/tornado sirens went off in Milford due to the gusting winds. Always being the cautious one, I contemplated turning around but JP was determined to get to his lesson.

Luckily the truck cooperated and the boys traveled well despite the high winds swaying the trailer. Saumur surprised me by being eager to work and not goofing all over the arena. I wasn't sure what to expect after a hiatus from being indoors. It seemed he was happy to be back to work, we could even work over light rays coming through the doors. Chambord was just the energizer bunny with JP. He trotted like on a mission.

The pang of homesickness came last night when I read an email from my friend Ingrid in Germany. She had just attended the annual stallion parade at the State Stud Farm in Marbach. I used to go there every year and always had a wonderful time. It is spectacular, and I truly miss events like this in the US. The Gestuet Marbach is one of the oldest stud farms in Germany, over 500 years old. The setting is in the country side "Schwaebische Alb", and during the annual "Stallion Parade" they not only show the stallions but also dressage, jumping, driving and some stunt riding. A crowd pleaser is always the herd of Arabian mares and foals presented free. I read the review this morning: 9000 people attended the 4 hour show with 150 horses. Ah, I really would have loved to be there. Ingrid wrote that as a 'consolation' she bought me a calendar, so at least I can look at the beautiful pictures.

But really, I shouldn't dwell on it too much: six weeks from now I will be on my way to my 'pilgrimmage' to the "Stuttgart German Masters", which is the largest indoor show covering Dressage, Jumping, Driving, and Eventing. The European elite riders will be there and I will get to see Totilas under his new rider. It is a great combination of wonderful things: Friendship and Horses!

The waiting game

The barn is ready for the new 'kid' to move in. I actually spend last Saturday vacuuming the entire barn! OK, that sounds kind of weird, especially as cleaning the house is not one of my favorite things to do. But give me the shop vac and point me in the direction of the barn and I am good to go.

The tack room also needed serious cleaning. I have to have a serious chat with Jerry, the barn cat. His performance review is NOT up to snuff. Too many chipmunk droppings clearly indicate a neglect of duties.

And where do all these saddle pads and blankets come from? Why can't they be clean and neatly folded in boxes? Hm, guess that one goes on my performance record --

So - everything is pristine, and now we wait for Remy to arrive. Initially he was supposed to leave Montana this Saturday, and then arrive here Monday or Tuesday next week. It is a three day trip (with overnight stops). Unfortunately, the father of Bob, who manages the horse transport, passed away, so the earliest they will leave is Friday in a week. I am very sorry for Bob, and then having to leave town so soon after is certainly hard. Bob has a full load of seven horses to take East. Usually his last trip of the year going East is in the beginning of October, then the weather (snow) becomes a concern.

Luckily I know Remy is in his familiar environment with Sally, Valerie and Ed. Life for him goes on as usual, no time to get 'travel-nerves'. I, OTOH, will be biting my nails once he is on the road. Event though Bob came highly recommended I still worry, mainly about all the other idiots in the road! Ever since a friend of mine got hit by a semi while trailering horses (thankfully all survived) I am restless when I know one of ours is on the road, doesn't matter if I am driving or not.

Managing the weather - uh, around the weather

Not having an indoor arena clearly is a handicap, especially in Michigan. Lately there seems to be rain, rain, and yes, some more rain. OK, our pastures are still lush but those of us who keep the horses at home are contemplating buying swimming fins for them.

Luckily our outdoor arena dries really quickly and the footing is good. Combined with the new tractor/harrow we can manage when others have already given up. But now that it gets dark earlier we have another problem to contend with: all the ‘monsters’ lurking in the shadows!

Yesterday I rushed home from the airport after a full day of meetings and travel, trying to beat the rain and the waning daylight. In order to make the most of the time I decided only to longe the boys. Well, I barely had the longing cavasson on Saumur when the rain started again. What the heck, I thought, we work in the rain at the shows, so this wouldn’t deter me. Saumur had other ideas, though, it looked like I had a three-year old (sorry, Remy) on the longeline. Saumur was dodging I don’t know what, craning his neck all around “what’s this, a deer? What’s it doing here??”

Needless to say, my efforts weren’t very fruitful. The best I can come up with is that a) Saumur got exercise, b) he finally had some semblance of relaxation and c) he is a certified ‘mudder’ – meaning he can work through mud and puddles without a problem. Guess I should be happy with the three good things.

A great 'souvenir' from our vacation will be arriving soon

It's been a while since my last blog -- so here is a quick overview on the last weeks:

Jean-Paul and I had a wonderful vacation in Montana, we visited the Glacier National Park, went on the 'Going To The Sun Road' to the Logan Pass and crossed the Continental Divide. We also went Whitewater Rafting and enjoyed our stay in the town of Bigfork.

Actually, we chose Montana because I had been in contact with Sally Anderson from the Morgan Dressage Association. Once I checked her website and that of her parents, Valerie and Ed Radtke, I noticed a 3-year old Morgan that looked like Saumur's younger brother. After much deliberating "We don't need another horse, all the problems that come with it, i.e. logistics, winter boarding, etc. etc." we decided to "take a look". Oh well, what can I say -- Remy (registered name FRM Flower of Remington) will be traveling to Michigan starting October 1!

Sally and her parents are wonderful, they are true horse people, and the Radtke Ranch is very impressive. I was just floored on how well behaved Remy was. Ed started him in the round pen and then took him on the trails in the Mountains, Sally works with him on basic dressage. We  went with Valerie when she took Remy to the vet clinic for his pre-purchase exam and he handled it like a pro. What an amazing boy!

Saumur and Chambord stayed at Sandy's during our vacation and they both worked well. Saumur's changes are getting better and better. Now we are enjoying the trails again, the weather is mostly beautiful and we are having a good time.

So, yes, another Morgan, not a 'fancy' warmblood. I was thinking a lot about that, and the implications on being competitive. But I am convinced I made the right decision. Remy is a beautiful mover with a very good mind, and hopefully we can do it all: moving up the levels and having a good time at home and on the trails. First of all, though, we take it slow. He's only three and still growing.

Radtke Ranch: http://www.emrmorgans.com/
Sally Anderson: http://www.moanamorgans.com/

No need for a gym membership when you keep horses at home

Ah, that time of the year, end of summer.. and time to get the 2nd cutting hay in.

We always get our hay from a wonderful hay farmer, great quality (no moldy bales, ever), reasonable prices... but alas Bob has one drawback: No help! That means it goes somewhat like this: JP drives our truck and trailer an hour to his place, Bob throws the bales down from the wagon, JP loads truck and trailer, drives home, we unload and I carry each bale through the barn to the hay room where JP stacks the bales. Unfortunately, the people we bought our place from had not much of a clue regarding efficiency - or more precisely: common sense. The barn is build downhill, so you cannot drive up to it. Needless to say, that doesn't appeal to the farrier or vet, or in this case, help with the hay delivery.

We pondered if it is our advancing age, or if the bales this time were just humongous. OK, to our relief our horse friends confirmed that the bales indeed were extremely large and heavy, at least 75 pounds. Good to know it's not us! Or perhaps Bob made big bales so we can see them better?

Even though we got quite the work out, it's a really good feeling having a barn full of excellent hay that will last until next year. Not that I want to think of winter!!

A great ROI (Return on Investment)

Our old tractor (that came with the house) finally spewed the last diesel fumes and numerous CPR attempts did not bring it back to life. It would have needed Dr. Frankenstein for a complete rebuild, and that seemed a bit too scary.

What’s a farm (even a small one) without a tractor? And frankly, JP had a roving eye for a long time, admiring all the tractors in the neighborhood. Well, as long as he just longs for a tractor – so I thought. Until the sticker shock hit! For the price of a small car we could own a multi-tasker with bucket, post-hole digger, tiller, etc… But then, how many post holes are we going to dig?? In the end, the case was made by a) a great deal, b) Michigan winters = snow removal and c) –most importantly- the maintenance of our outdoor arena!

Well, then, the shiny green thing moved in with us, lovingly tended to by JP. First job: use the tiller in our outdoor arena. I have to say, once JP was done the footing was awesome, never looked better or that ‘fluffy’.

We took the boys to the outdoor arena and let them loose (it’s all fenced in). Well, it seems we gave them the best late birthday/early Christmas present: A huge sand box to roll in!! And roll they did, both of them, grinding their whole bodies into to the sand, grunting, getting up, shaking, and going down for more rolling. I swear they were both smiling happily.

So, how’s that for a ROI?

A truly multi-tasking horse - Performance Horse and Trailblazer

It's almost perfect riding weather, only the pesky mosquitoes are a bit of a pain. Last night we took the boys out on a trailride and had a very relaxing time. I was wondering a bit how Saumur would deal with it, after having spent the last months less on the trails and more in the arenas. Turned out he took to it like he'd never done anyting else!

First we encountered our neighbor Jim 'speeding' on his lawn mower. Then, as we had barely hit the trails, a huge coyote ran right in front of us. And sure enough, Chambord took exception to some large boulders (that incidentally had the same coloring as he has). Hmm... But with some encouragement from JP he marched right by.

Further along we came across a buck and two does (men!), and as it goes with deer, they really waited until the last moment before deciding to go back into the woods.

Now that the season is over, it's time to look ahead. I really want to do a freestyle, that was my goal all along. A 3rd level freestyle and then showing 4th next season seems to be a good plan. There is a freestyle clinic coming up in November, and I am thinking of signing up. I rode with that freestyle designer before, and unfortunately things in the past didn't go so well as Saumur was spooking all over the place in the unfamiliar arena. Time to give in another try!

What a week - what a season!

Good news first: Saumur won the 3rd level series championship (comprised of five shows) at Waterloo Dressage. Yeah!!! We got to do our victory lap to the tunes of "Ghostbusters" - very fitting! But I am jumping ahead...

Last Sunday we trailered the boys to Sandy's for lessons. It was one of my more frustrating moments, nothing really seemed to 'click'. As I had to leave for a business trip on Monday we left the boys at Sandy's until Tuesday night.

We took Saumur to the show Thursday night, after a struggle getting Chambord settled in time at his 'sleepover' with equine companions at Colleen's. As soon as JP and Chambord left, Saumur started to scream his head off. I was afraid he would come through the stall door. Argh, having two horses that do not want to stay alone is no fun. Good thing Saumur loaded fine and off we went. Which brings us the the above mentioned fitting music of 'ghostbusters'. Saumur definitely saw ghosts all over the place at the showgrounds. Sandy had her work cut out to keep both horse and rider in check and together.

First class on Friday we scored low, but then we hit the 65's! Wow. We got from both judges '8s' for our entry, halt salute, and one judge gave us a '9' for the turn on the haunches. Saturday another 65% in 3-3! We were done by noon, and JP was ready to load and go before I even had a chance to catch my breath (the man does not waste ANY time!). Luckily Carrie from the showoffice came up to me and asked that we stay for the awards ceremony because "You won the series championship, and by a large margin!" Well, of course, we stay and do the victory gallop!!!

It was so much fun, especially after all the hard work, ups and downs during the season, and the constant juggle to find time to do it all. And, yes, I have to admit, leaving some expensive imports "in the dust" was just the icing on the cake. Go Morgan!! I can't say it often enough that this success is really a team effort. Without Sandy we wouldn't have come that far, and yes, the encouragement (read: butt-kicking) from JP and Francis had a major impact, too. I am also truly grateful to have JP and friends that are there with encouragement when the going gets tough and to cheer me on when things are great.  And to top it off: a horse that truly touches my soul.

A revelation : "Sticky is good" - and a horse that had to pee in a cup

We had a very good Waterloo show this weekend, despite a bit of a rocky start. Thursday night I was pretty stressed out about work and the possibility that our (long awaited) vacation in Montana might not happen due to a meeting in France at the same time.

First ride Friday felt good but the judge didn't share my feelings. We got dinged all the way through because Saumur had his mouth open at times. Sandy recommended we go back to the old curb bit. Uh, here I thought I was doing Saumur a favor, buying an expensive Hermann Sprenger bit because I didn't want to subject him to cheap Chinese metal. Guess what - we switched the bits and he was fine. There goes the vote for the fine German quality. Second ride went really well, we got 7s on the changes with the comment "straight" - a true first for us!

Yesterdays rides were good, too, but I managed to bungle the last ride a bit with not enough collection before the 'V' changes. Oh, well, it still netted us a 63%. After the first ride the official USEF vet came up to us "Congratulations - and you have been selected for drug testing". That was a first for us. The vet explained that Saumur had to pee in a cup and give blood. Oh, great. Well, Saumur handled it like true athlete (at least the ones not doped). As soon as he went his stall he peed and the vet tech collected with a cup. Then the female vet did a really wonderful job drawing the vials of blood from " Mr. Do-Not-Poke-Me-With-A-Needle'.

As I had only entered Friday and Saturday the plan was that JP drives Saumur to Sandy's, picks up Chambord and brings the boys home. So far, so good. I stayed for a bit to load the equipment and catch the freestyle exhibitions, when JP called to tell me he wouldn't make it to Sandy's due to a horrible Thunderstorm. I was barely off the phone with him the show canceled the rides, issued a severe storm warning, and the sirens went off. I was REALLY worried about JP and Saumur on the freeway in this torrential weather. The horses at the showgrounds were all very calm. As soon as the weather let up a bit I drove home. Saumur was clearly worried about being alone, but settled in for the night. Unfortunately, this morning he woke the entire neighborhood, better than any rooster could have done. JP set off to pick up Chambord and as I write this I look out the window and see the boys grazing. Life is complete again!

The big revelation I had this weekend was that what I feel and what the judges see are two different pair of shoes. I used to wonder why I got good scores for something that felt "sticky" to me, and not so good scores for movements I thought went well. It started during the George clinic, where I consistently had the feeling that Saumur was not 'forward' enough but George liked it. Then this weekend it happened again. Sandy explained what felt "sticky" to me was collection, what felt "forward" was running. Big lightbulb moment: "Sticky" is good!

Hard work, morale boost, and a proud horse

George Williams clinic at Southview Farm: Intense instruction in 90F Heat and Humidity – and I had two of the best rides ever!

Saturday George focused almost entirely on our canter work. I had told him of the difficulties I am still having with the 3-3 movements of halfpass to X, straight ahead, then change. George had us work on it differently: canter halfpass to X, straight, then halt and rein back. He agreed that especially with Saumur we cannot practice elements exactly as they are in the test, as Mr. SmartyPants figures it out right away and takes over. George recommended that especially in the warm up at the shows not to ride exact sections of the tests. We also worked on collecting the canter, getting Saumur to carry more weight behind, with me really taking a risk of Saumur breaking into to the trot.

I was so focused I didn’t notice the intense heat and humidity or anything else. I truly felt like I could ride! Saumur tried his big heart out, and sure enjoyed the applause he received after the lesson. Sandy told me she was really proud of us, and that somebody came up to her and asked “who is this woman, is she your student? She is riding really well”. Of course, that went down like oil (not sure if that is an expression used in English?). Boy, after the depressing judges at Copper Creek I really needed that!!

Sunday George had us work on the canter again, this time with the flying changes. Key is to have Saumur really on the aids (that, of course, is nothing new, I just have to DO it). It is all in the preparation. I need to remember to really collect Saumur in the corners before the half passes, then we just float. We also worked on trot shoulder in to 10 m half circles to half pass. Another exercise we did (really fun!) was medium canter along the long side, with a collected 10 m circle at the end. All this while a huge thunderstorm was pelting down on his, with rain so hard it drowned George’s voice out despite the speakers. Saumur unflinchingly focused and didn’t put one foot down wrong, despite the noise and rain coming through the doors.

It is so rare having two great rides in a row and I sure will savor it for a very long time! My only regret is that I didn’t have it on tape. I would have loved to actually see my rides. It also gave me a big boost when George told me not to listen to any judge telling me that Saumur is not ready for that level, that this is just not true. According to him, Saumur talented and able to do the work. It was funny to see Saumur after our lesson: he was craning his neck left and right “I was good, wasn’t I?! Where are the treats?? Please admire me!”

JP, of course, went in for the kill… he rode Chambord in the arena after the clinic while George was in the observation room watching. George told him that Chambord is a nice horse and JP is doing a good job with him. So JP deadpanned and asked George to promise not to retire in the next 15 years, so he can sign up to ride with him!

Onward - and (hopefully!) upward

Dressage at Copper Creek in 90+F weather, at a place where shade is almost non-existent. Am I nuts??  Some of my friends sure think so. The weekend had some highs and some lows...

I remember an interview with Karen O'Connor, when she was asked after a fall how she deals with the disappointments. In essence she said "if you do it long enough then the highs are not as high and the lows are not as low". The woman has an excellent point (as an Olympian with plenty of highs and lows during her long career she sure knows what she is talking about).

Sandy, Francis, Saumur, Daughtry and Hopper had quite the adventure getting to the showgrounds. The trailer sported a flat tire! Francis expertly inched the large trailer (it has a kitchenette, bathroom, sitting and sleeping area, not to mention the horses) to the nearest tire store. The horses couldn't be unloaded so the trailer was hydraulically hoisted up. Due to the flat tire some metal at the fender was bent and needed to be pried loose. Amazingly, all three of the horses handled the commotion like champs! Considering that Daughtry is a baby, Hopper hasn't trailered much, and Saumur has his trailer phobias - WOW! Sandy prudently didn't email me about the adventure, she only told me once I showed up at the show. Looking at the horses there you wouldn't have known anything out of the ordinary happened: they all looked happy, munching hay and enjoying the 'room service'.

Schooling Friday night went well, we kept it short due to the heat and also because it was JP's birthday. So much for a romantic dinner: I came home tired and sweaty. That didn't keep me away from the champagne, though...  dehydrated and on an empty stomach, it sent me straight into Morpheus' arms!

Both competition days I felt I had some of the best rides in a show ring I've produced so far. We bungled the flying change in 3-3 and had some minor inaccuracies but all in all I was happy. Not so with the scoring: what a difference from the last show. Yes, it is one person's opinion, and that person might not fancy a Morgan, or our looks or whatever. It's also true that Saumur doesn't have spectacular gaits, but still - we have proven that we can perform very respectably. Ah, that's the challenge, not getting bogged down when getting 'creamed'. Still .. it hurts and I feel like I'm letting everybody down when the scores are low.

I scratched today's afternoon ride due to the heat and we took Saumur in our trailer to pick up Chambord at Sandy's, and now both boys are happily standing in their run-in under the fan.

So onward we go, focusing on the positive experiences: no panic on the trailer, a relaxed, sound and happy horse, no spooks, support and encouragement from wonderful people! That sure outweighs the scores.

Next weekend is the George Williams clinic at Sandy's: onward we go --

Another educational lunch hour – Things I wish I would have done…

I attended today SmartPaks webinar on “Care and Feed for the Senior Horse”.

A large part of this presentation was nothing new for me, but some things I wish I’d realized and done when I retired Crissy. That part refers to exercise. The recommendation was to continue to exercise the arthritic horse, at least on a longe line, or hand walking, instead of just pasture turnout. Now I feel bad, because I wonder if more exercise could have slowed Crissy’s decline. At the time, I thought I did the right (kind) thing by just giving her turnout, and not working her any longer.

 Exercise related recommendations for senior horses:

- Controlled exercise

- Longer warm up and cool down (up to 20 min each)

 - Daily exercise, not random

 - And most importantly: No prolonged time off! It is difficult bringing an older horse back (building muscles back up) and often might not even be possible. So that idea of for example “giving them the winter off” is really not good at all

 Other notes:

- Vitamin C is highly recommended, 5g (= 5000 mg) daily
o When giving Vitamin C it needs to be given continually, and if the decision is made to no longer give Vitamin C the dose needs to be gradually declined, so the body can get used to it
o Vitamin C is also recommended (with MSM) for treating respiratory problems, like heaves

- If the muscle mass declines, amino acids are key: Lysine, Methionine, Threonine. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein

- If the horse looks like it has a pronounced hay belly it does not necessarily indicate a weight problem. It could be due to the loss of abdominal muscles (intestines weigh a lot)

- Supplements to be considered: Antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, joint supplements, digestive supplements

Note to Saumur: No long vacations or early retirement in your future, buddy! Sorry - but you are getting losts of 'tasty' supplements instead.

When your horse is just too smart...

We are still in the midst of the heatwave, but that didn't deter me from riding: two lessons yesterday and one today, each in 90+F. Of course, to some professionals it's nothing, but to an office dweller it is quite a work out.

Saumur is just too smart, we had to stop practising movements from the test, because he anticipates and then takes over. It goes like "oh, here's a diagonal, let's go for extended trot", or "ah, yes, we are changing directions in the canter, I need to throw in a flying change". So we tried to do flying changes off the beaten path. Problem was, as soon as Sandy said "change" Saumur did it - clearly he thought he could do the job faster without waiting for my (sometimes inadequate or late) aids! So then, no more talking, just doing.

We also worked on the canter pirouettes again, which really were fun. The other exercise we worked on were the half-pass zig-zags. Very neat! Just have to remember to have him straight before changing the bend.

Today we spend a lot of time on keeping Saumur in the counter canter. Sandy felt that that would really help to make him wait for my aids. We hadn't done much counter canter since 2nd level, so I was amazed how well it went and how easy I could get the transitions into the counter canter on the long side. This turned out a perfect exercise for Mr. Smarty-Pants, he waited  for my aids (at least most of the time).

We also had the best extended trots ever. In the beginning I lacked in the half-halts and Saumur broke into the canter, but when we were on - we were ON! I could really feel the thrust from his hind end. So it was all worth sweating buckets and looking like somebody pulled me out of a mud puddle.

I also rode Chambord yesterday, after he had a week off. In the beginning he was rather sluggish, but when this boy gets going, he goes. He is really a lot of fun. We worked on turns on the forehand, turns on the haunches, transitions, steadiness in the trot. Today I just warmed him up (OK in this weather maybe not the right expression) for JP. I was really tickled that Chambord just started were we left off yesterday, and JP had a really good lesson. Happiness all around :-)!

Another kind of gambling addiction: Dressage Shows!

We had a very good show at Waterloo this weekend, Saumur received his highest score to date at 3rd level: a 65.12%. We won two classes, got a third place, and ended up overall with the 3rd level reserve championship. I was just so thrilled!

Our schooling on Thursday, however, was quite tough and it didn’t bode well, IMO, for the things to come. It started out nice, but then both Saumur and I (OK, me more than him) got distracted when a Grand Prix rider schooled in the same arena and always seemed to cross our path. Without focus the movements, especially the flying changes, didn’t happen (duh!). Sandy’s remedy: TRANSITIONS. To quote her: “It’s NOT about the flying changes, it’s about the TRANSITIONS!”. I swear, I drove home that night with nothing but the repeat beat of “Canter-Walk-Canter-Walk” in my head. Good thing it didn’t affect my driving (I’m not fond of transitions when driving either, it’s more speed than transitioning down in into a slow gear!).

The Friday classes went well, despite the heat. Sandy, Francis, Cindy, JP and I had a fun dinner at Metzger’s, a German restaurant, that evening. Two Warsteiner (beers) and I was feeling no pain.

Saturday noon brought the high score 3-2 ride. Unfortunately, the next ride was at 5 p.m. – and a qualifying one to boot. Despite the cooling vest I had no energy left. I literally wilted in the over 90F weather. Of course, it might have helped if I had eaten something since breakfast... We missed the qualifying score by 0.6%. The goal for next time: Electrolytes and Food (BEFORE the ride).

The great thing about the weekend was that this was really the first show where I was relaxed and happy to be there. I didn’t get nervous, and not a panic attack in sight! It was fun chatting with the other competitors, and of course it didn’t hurt that I got a lot of compliments on Saumur’s progress. I am never tired to point out that we wouldn’t be where we are without Sandy, Jean-Paul, and yes, of course, Francis. His pep-talks are legendary!

So, now I know how gamblers feel: First comes the anticipation (going to a show), then the action (riding), followed by the suspense of waiting for the result (what’s the score?) to the high of winning – or the low of losing. Good thing I ‘only’ have the horse addiction!

Riding "with authority" - and JOY

My last two lessons were really good. Somehow it seems something 'clicked' -- Sandy thinks that getting through the Traverse City experience had something to do with it. I am really riding with more purpose, what Sandy calls "with authority".

Yesterday we did our 'angst-exercise' (flying changes) all over the arena. No drama! They key is that I have to remember is that the half halt has to work, otherwise Saumur falls on his forehand and loses his balance.

Well, off to Waterloo we go today. Saumur is traveling with Daughtry again and I'll join them tonight for a schooling session.

Here is something I read in Catherine Haddad's blog yesterday, and it really hit home:

"The key here is JOY, Rita. I train my horses in the art/sport of dressage because it creates joy—in both my horses and me. My goal in competing has always been to bring that joy to the show ring and present it for the public to see. And when I can achieve that, I am always successful no matter what marks are given at the end of the day. But when I lose the joy of riding because I am traveling too much to maintain my level of excellence, I cannot find solace in anything I do."

'Forced' into a morale boost

We took the boys to Sandy's today, to continue our lessons and also prepare for the upcoming Waterloo show this weekend.

Before JP's lesson Sandy showed up with her laptop. She tried to get me to watch my tests from Traverse City before, but I always evaded her. I really didn't want to see my (perceived sub par) riding on screen.. So today Sandy 'forced' me, by insisting JP had to wait for his lesson until I watched the tape. No pressure here - considering my rather impatient husband. I cringed but then watched the ride together with Sandy. Hmm, actually, I have to admit, neither I nor Saumur seemed like we were out of our league. Actually we looked pretty darn good :-). Sandy pointed out the minor mistakes the marred the scores (not finishing the half passes, early flying changes, circles too big..) but really nothing that can't get fixed.

That really put things in perspective. I've been pondering quitting showing altogether, it is always such a struggle to manage it with my work schedule, but mainly because I am very hard on myself. I expect to be always on top of the game, and if that doesn't happen I beat myself up relentlessly. I also feel like I let everybody around me down with not being up to snuff. Now this will get me going at least until the next show ;-)

JP had a very good lesson. Chambord is a really nice mover, and once he gets his -quite substantial- body moving he looks wonderful. It is pretty amazing to see him work so well with JP, considering the rodeo bucks and race track gallops he performs so freely (so far, knock on wood, not under saddle!).

My lesson with Saumur was from the beginning very positive. Saumur started all ready to work, and Sandy focused on precision. She pointed out (for the umpteenth time it seems) that I have to be more consequent, to get immediate reactions to my aids, not "maybe's"and I have to be the boss. We can't both be leading at the same time. I do have to RIDE him. It really helps to ride in a slight shoulder fore position. Saumur has a tendency to swing his haunches to the inside, so be putting him in a slight shoulder fore it actually gets him straight. That also sets him up much better for the half pass.

JP and I decided that our good rides called for a celebration, so we headed straight for the ice cream place with the home made waffle cones. The boys had gotten their sugar rush from the ample carrot rations earlier, so we felt that in the spirit of equality we needed to have some sugar, too.

A bump in the road - and a stint at a mental hospital

The much anticipated Traverse City show turned out to be quite a disappointment.

Sandy and Francis took Saumur and Daughtry to TC on Wednesday. Later that day Sandy sent me an email trying to tactfully tell me that Saumur was not dealing well (quite the understatement!) with all the construction going on. Saumur wasn’t even able to walk around, he jigged the whole time, ready jump and blow at any moment – and Sandy and Francis had him out for over 2 hours.

JP and I got there Thursday, and were just amazed at all the commotion. Building of the stall tents was in full swing (stabling for 3,000 horses, in anticipation of the five weeks of Hunter/Jumper competition). The rings were under construction, with huge earth movers and water trucks constantly driving around. Oh, boy...

I prudently started with just hand walking Saumur. From there we progressed to longing, and then I finally got on. Back to the “barrel filled with black powder, ready to explode-” feeling. It took almost all I had plus Sandy’s patient coaching to get us through. Three hours later we finally managed to work around the rings. Sandy called me a “brave woman”, because she really never had seen Saumur in this state, so being able to get on and just ride him was already an accomplishment in her eyes.

My first test on Friday was marred by a lot of tension, and tongue issues (due to the tension). The second test was better, we got a deduction for error due to a missed change in 3-3, but all in all it was OK. It was nice that Megan, Kat and Judy came to visit, and they were very encouraging because I felt pretty lousy about not being able to do better. It definitely helped when they called me their “hero” for trying to ride through it.

The Saturday morning test felt good, but I made a lot of stupid blunders by just not being accurate. I was so focused on keeping Saumur on me that I missed a lot of easy things, like keeping a 10m circle at 10m. But afterwards Saumur walked off on a long rein, totally relaxed, which was great.

Unfortunately, for the last test we had to go to another area of the showgrounds where the earth movers and water trucks were at full swing. Saumur saw that and his whole body tensed up. He started to jig and was very close to losing it again. I opted to scratch, because I wanted to end on a decent note and not have everything falling apart at the end.

So all in all, I wish I could have done better, but we got through it and I'll chuck it under “experience”.

At least we had a lovely dinner with Sandy and Francis at a mental hospital. Yes, that's right. This seemed to be a very fitting place for me! -- OK, it was a FORMER mental hospital, now an upscale Italian restaurant .. but still.. one can’t help but wonder..