Bluegrass, Bourbon Ale, Equine Retirees and Athletes

Coming back from Europe I had two days to get back into the swing of things and to pack yet another -albeit smaller- suitcase. This time the suitcase was for our annual 'pilgrimmage' and anniversary (23rd!) trip to the horse capital of the world: Lexington, Kentucky. More precise: the Rolex 4star event.

Friday before dawn JP and I hit the road for the nearly six hour journey to Kentucky. Our nemesis is traversing Ohio, the state troopers love to hunt out-of-state speeders - and the speed limit is (especially for European drivers) a slooow 65 mph, sometimes even going down to 55 mph. Good hunting and steady income through doling out speeding tickets for the State of Ohio! This time we made it without incident, the only fly in the ointment was a rather bad breakfast on route.

But then: Ah, Kentucky!! Big breath, sunshine, green fields as far as the eye can see - and, of course, HORSES! We decided to skip the dressage part of Rolex and visit 'Old Friends Home for Retired Thoroughbreds' (www.oldfriendsequine.org). It's one of the only places that will take stallions, and those old boys still have a lot of spunk - JP now sports a huge bruise for not forking over a treat quickly enough. Some of the horses were multi-million dollar winners, only to be rescued at the last minute from the slaughter truck. One especially moved me almost to tears: 30 years old, deaf, and blind in one eye. He lost the eye on the race track in Japan, having been injured with a chain and then not treated. Still, he labored to come to the fence to see the group of visitors and carefully take treats. And then there was Patton, an old (equine) geezer that broke through two fence lines to get to the girls. As our guide said " in human years he would be in his 80s - so more power to him!"

Saturday: X-C day! Security was up, and for the first time all spectators had to go through security and bag inspection. No wonder, after the events in Boston. Kentucky police was out in full force, and their police horses were extremely handsome 'hunks'. Of course, I only checked out the equine hunks, not the human ones :-).

We spent all day walking the 4 mile course numerous times over. Quite a few riders made those humongous jumps look almost easy, while other struggled and parted company with their horses. Even my favorite, Mary King, retired because her horse struggled too much on course. Luckily no major injuries, and the equine ambulances and medical helicopter parked nearby had a quiet day. All in all it seemed the riders and horses this year were better prepared and conditioned than in some prior years.

Afterwards we did some serious shopping of some of Kentucky's finest: Woodford Reserve, and Kentucky Bourbon Ale; and then had a lovely dinner at Le Deauville. The return trip with our precious liquid cargo was uneventful today, and we made it home just in time to see a replay on NBC. 

Bye-bye Bluegrass - we shall return! Now, Remy - watch out: I have signed us up for 'Eventing University'!

Back on track - and dealing with "Go and Stop" riding

Remy is back on track, the dental work followed by a chiropractic adjustment did the trick. Big sigh of relief!

Saumur also got the chiropractic adjustment, his hips always need to be worked on, which might explain his sometimes increased difficulties getting clean changes. For the first time ever, my little 'needle phobic' even got acupuncture (OK, granted, it involved keeping huge carrots coming, and he only tolerated half of the number of needles, but still huge progress).

So the boys are back on track and we had good lessons on Sunday. I finally picked the canter music for Saumur, a song by Adele was by far my favorite, but now I am wondering if it’s really a good match for the trot music? Something to ponder on the long flight to Europe tonight.

Yes, here we go again.. or better, here I go again. Off this time to France and Germany, back in eight days. Aside from the stress of business travel, I have a difficult time accepting this “go and stop” riding. Now that we are clocking along, and right when I feel like I can do a credible job I’m having this ‘forced break’ from riding. Sometimes I think I’ll never get to the niveau I am expecting of myself (and yes, it’s no secret – I am my own worst critic!). Thoughts like: “Show season is looming, I don’t have a completed freestyle for Saumur; and Remy still has ways to go, we’ll not be ready..” are creeping in.

Reality check: This is nothing new, I have been doing this for years, and despite the “go and stop” riding brought Saumur up the levels respectably. My support system is awesome. I know the boys will have wonderful care and make great progress in my absence with Judy; and JP is the “single parent to nine children” with a smile. Really, given the circumstances things couldn't be better.

And let’s not forget: The trip will not be entirely ‘non-horsey’: Shopping at Loesdau’s (Germany’s largest chain of tack shops) is a pretty good travel incentive!

A different kind of Spring Break - Dentist, blood tests, and shots

Remy and Saumur had time off during Spring Break Week. However, instead of getting wasted on cheap Tequila on the beaches of Cancum, the boys had a rather different vacation at home. Yes, they got to run and play with Chambord and Teddy, but the main reason for the Spring Break were dental and medical appointments: Dentist, Coggins, Spring Shots - and the only alcohol involved in these shots is the disinfectant put on the skin before the vaccinations.

First our vet pulled blood for the Coggins test and administered the Spring Shots, followed by "chill pill cocktails" for the dental work. As suspected, Remy's teeth needed serious work. Actually, worse than we thought. Doug, "Dr. Tooth" said that it was surprising that I didn't get bucked off: Hooks, Waves, and open sores (Ouch!!). Poor kid, I felt really bad for him, but I was happy that the issues taken care of. It was worse on the left side, which surprised me a bit because under saddle the resistance was more to the right.

Saumur needed adjustments on the right side, no surprise here, as we know that "Saumur likes his right rein" - and that's not a compliment, he used to get stiff, or hanging on the right rein. Chambord and Teddy were 'regular guys', nothing major for them, just routine maintenance. Teddy was so good, he didn't even need sedation.

The boys got time off to play for some days afterwards, and then Remy and Saumur went back to Judy's. Yesterday I took it easy, my ride on Saumur focused on transitions  transitions, and more transitions, and he was really attentive and listening. I got good changes right to left but not left to right. While frustrating I knew it was my problem, not Saumur's. I sure wish I could have felt the changes on a trained schoolmaster before tackling them with Saumur. But we are getting there.  Remy's workout was cavaletti work on the longe line, without bit, only a cavasson. He had fun, and looked like a little Hunter.

Good prep work for our lessons today. Saumur's good work from yesterday carried over, and Judy helped us getting the changes clean: Piece of cake - if you know what to do! In this case: collect, make him listen to the leg, and no throwing Birgit's weight into the new direction. I was rather tentative with Remy today, not sure what to expect. He was so much better than before the dental work, but still rather stiff to the right. We'll see how he is this week to determine if a follow up appointment is needed.

Ah, after this very busy week a Spring Break for the "Boss Mare" would be nice. In lieu of that: I'll take some shots - of the alcohol kind, please!

Spring blues - do we really want to go home?

Looking at the calendar with the boys’ activities it hit me: Our full-time stay at Judy’s is coming to an end fairly soon. Where did the winter go?? Yes, it usually can’t pass fast enough, but in this case my feelings are rather mixed. I’m heading to Europe on the 15^th, back just in time to leave for Rolex, at the end of the month, and then the boys are slated to come home. Already?! Seems rather suddenly! What do they say: “Time flies when you are having fun”. And fun we have! I have never felt so good about my riding; Saumur has never been that relaxed and happy away from home, and Remy made great progress over the winter. And let’s not forget the “dream team”: JP and Chambord. Those two have come such a long way, I am really amazed at the progress they made and I have a ton of admiration for all three of them (JP, Chambord, and Judy). If JP wouldn’t refuse to get into white pants J and if we could keep Chambord clean enough they would be serious contenders at Training level.

Just yesterday I received the choreography for Saumur’s freestyle, and more canter songs to chose from. The goal was to have the freestyle completed before we go home, guess we are cutting it quite close. Remy’s first show is coming up at the end of May, and the boy still needs to get more into the swing of things. Hopefully (cross my fingers, knock on wood here) it really is a dental problem, and one that will be fixed this afternoon!!

It’s not that we will be cutting the chord with Judy, au contraire, all five of us will frequently trailer to her for lessons, and the boys will have sleep-overs when I travel. Ops, did I really just write “all five of us”? Yes, guess that’s right: It went from a “one woman - one horse” situation to “one woman, one man, and three boys”!

Easter Brunch at the barn - Friends do share

                                               Remy and Teddy sharing their Easter Brunch!

Yes, old couples can learn new tricks - uh, improve movements

Saumur and I definitely qualify as 'old couple' (sometimes also the "odd couple"). Over the course of the years we've come such a long way and we have been through so much it's no surprise that we have each others numbers. But with that knowledge also comes a certain acceptance - which is good when it comes to certain idiosyncrasies such as "I will load into the trailer only a certain way", not so good when it comes to the standards of training. And yes, I have to admit, Saumur has trained me well - the other way round I'm not always so sure.

Enter Judy, who made it her mission to "raise our standards". With Remy being sidelined (more on his antics later) until his dental appointment on Tuesday, Saumur is the 'beneficiary' of our combined attention. After one of Judy's rides on him last week I got an enthusiastic text "it was almost easy!". OK, we'll take "almost easy" any day! What she meant was the work on improving Saumur's collection, and subsequently his changes. Luckily I got to reap the benefit of their work, during my lessons this weekend Saumur stayed in good self-carriage most of the time, and I actually felt like I could keep him on my seat. We were able to go in and out of the changes in more collected manner, which improved the quality of the changes. Yes, it was "almost easy"! So, who says old couples can't learn new tricks?? OK, so the 'tricks' are not tricks, but a correct way of doing things, and so what if the 'old couple' needs a coach to achieve the bliss? :-)

Remy, our 'petit voyou' is having Spring fever. Finally, there is a hint of Spring and sunshine in the air, and everybody is brightening up. Although, some of us are overdoing the 'brightening': Yesterday I decided to longe Remy with a cavesson in the outdoor arena. He started well behaved enough, but then evidently things were getting too boring. Several big "Yee-ha's" later he had ripped the longe line out of my (gloved) hands and was happily tearing around the arena, longe line flying like a flag behind him. But as soon as one of the barn workers walked to the fence he trotted over to say "Hi"' to her, and then calmly walked back with me. Adolescent males!! Remy's 'reward' was a trip home for more playtime. As I'm typing this he, Chambord, and Teddy are kicking up their heels so hard that our neighbors might wonder if we acquired some bucking broncs!

Upping the ante - and what's the deal with these tantrums?

Today falls entirely under 'learning experience'.

While I was able to keep Saumur in a better frame I was not so fortunate when it came to my half-halts. The canter half-passes to the right are pretty much my nemesis; if I don't keep Saumur on the outside rein and listening to my half-halts he blows out over his shoulder and throws in an unauthorized change. What finally drove the point home was Judy having me start with haunches in, which made me keep my left leg on better while keeping him on the right rein. And oh, yes, her yelling to not let him take over might have had something to do with us finishing the exercise on a good note :-)

Cute, cuddly Remy showed his teenage rampage streak today, with some unauthorized bucking (not that there is such a thing as authorized bucking, unless it's out in the pasture, sans rider). Needless to say, that was even less welcome than Saumur blowing off my half-halts. Shoulder-in, shoulder-in, and then some more shoulder-in got his attention. But when we proceeded to shoulder-in on the circle up the boy came again. By then my worry level was hitting the stratosphere, as this is just not normal Remy behavior. Instead of focusing on riding him through his shenanigans my 'Kopfkino' (cinema in my head) was going full tilt. What's going on and what could be the cause??

Lack of turnout? He goes out with Saumur, but a) Saumur is not a good playmate, b) the ground is hard and frozen, and c) time is limited. While all this certainly plays into it I think the main culprit might be his teeth. Luckily, I finally was able to nail down the dentist and my vet at the same day, April 2. All four will get the full works, Spring shots, Coggins, dental work. I need dentist and vet at the same time so the boys that won't sit still in the chair (Chambord!) can get 'sedation dentistry'.

Aside from all this Judy really honed in on my weakness of letting the boys get away with too much. She is right on the money with her observation that it is high time for me to up the ante. Of course, intellectually I know it, but ... I always find plenty of excuses for them (i.e. Remy's age, Saumur's past,...).

Especially with Remy it is very important to lay the groundwork for the future now, if  he learns that "almost OK" is sufficient he'll never be able to hit his full potential. Judy suggested I should treat them like my employees, firm but with clear expectations that have to be met. OK, perhaps a formal performance review process is in order, with a special "cookie and carrot" bonus program - and yes, plenty of cuddling and scratching, special perks available ONLY to four-legged employees!