Horse TRIAL report

First of all, thank you so much for all of the supportive, positive-vibe comments on the last post. They really cheered me up.

Secondly, video will be coming! I ordered all 3 phases from Ride On Video (their youtube station here) so I'll post those as soon as they are available.

Until then, I do have a smattering of photos.

And now, alas, the full report. Brace yourself: it's long.

Thursday - Travel & Pre-Dressage

Beautiful facility

Our journey to Santa Ynez went perfectly. No traffic, no issues, perfect weather. Hemie settled in to his temp stall like a champ. I had plenty of time to check in and get a lay of the land. We suited up for our "pre-dressage" ride, where you get to do your test in a competition arena for a judge to get her feedback and a fully graded test.

Settling right in.

Hemie got a longe and seemed 100% comfortable in his new surroundings. I hopped on for our warm up, and he was a bit tense. Horses everywhere, lots of excitement. He started acting up a bit (shoulder bulging, trying to run off to the side, not wanting to move forward), and we worked through it. Having a trainer there is key.

We headed over to the dressage court and Hemie settled into a nice rhythm for our circling. Given the warm up antics, I was proud of our performance for the judge. Hemie got a little stuck and behind the leg at times, but no tantrums and there were certainly sections of him really trying to be a good boy, stretching downward and moving freely.

The judge's recommendations for at-home training was mostly things we already do (running martingale, trainer rides). But she did offer 3 new things for us: 1) me sitting with my shoulders more back than normal. Apparently what I think is straight is still hunchy. 2) pulsing the reins with squeezes every stride to encourage connection to the bit. 3) sitting DEEP when he gets hippity-hoppity (easier said than done - my trainer normally advises standing in the irons to avoid getting dumped). I tried all 3 in a circle exercise in front of the judge and it seemed to help. I'll post our scores soon.

Friday - Dressage

My ride time was 1pm so I had plenty of time to take care of ponykins, watch some awesome riders, and then get ready to show. This time Laurie longed Hemie with some jerry-rigged side reins (note to self, bring side reins to next show). I hopped on and Hemie's warm up was improved from the day before, but still with some acting up which we dealt with quickly. Hubbykins surprised me by showing up to watch - a nice treat.

Note to self, do not walk away from horse after braiding for dressage.

Our test felt improved from the day before.  I could feel Hemie trying for a good deal of the test, and then we kinda lost it going 2nd direction (tracking right). He broke to canter during the trot circle and for our right canter he kept swapping leads and trying to do haunches in.

I thought our free walk was quite good, though we scored horribly. Its all relative. Overall I felt good about our performance - no jumping out of the arena plus some special moments of actual connection and stretching. Score sheet to come later, but our placing was 7th out of 8, with only 0.5 points separating me from #6 and #8.


Saturday - Cross Country
The day I was most concerned about. I had walked my course many times and visualized it over and over (and over and over and over). The big Es with Spirit loomed in the back of my mind, though I tried to squash it. I reminded myself that I've never gotten eliminated with Hemie before in cross country, and that I was allowed 3 refusals or run-outs before getting eliminated on the 4th (unless you get 3 at one jump, which Hemie's never done). My plan was to trot our first fence and then let him canter the rest of the course as that is his preferred gait. My plan was to hold on to the neck strap and really try to release the reins before the jumps and give him the opportunity to be an amazing XC machine. My plan was to count our strides out loud to remind me to be steady.

Early morning fog clouding the vineyards.

Hemie longed like a dream, stretching downwards and lifting his back. I hopped on and the warm up went wonderfully - a little excited but he settled down to work right away. He got a tad strong jumping but we asked him to stay light and steady and within a few minutes he was hopping from a rhythmical trot and canter like a champ.

My number was called over the loud speaker to head to the start box, and Hemie chose that moment to throw a tantrum. Up and sideways and backwards. Oh boy.

Laurie came over and grabbed my rein and marched me to the start box. I'm sure she was saying reassuring things to me but I couldn't hear her over my heart pounding.  She walked me around the box and into it. She held us for the 10 second countdown.

We trotted up to the first jump and I felt no hesitation from Hemie whatsoever.We cantered to our next jump and he needed a strong half-halt but then he chose to trot the jump. We cantered along to #3 and I finally remembered my plan (release the reins, count out loud). His hips swung wide but we made it over. I then forgot my plan for the rest of the ride.

Halfway from jump 4 to 5 we had an exit-stage-left moment out of nowhere. I circled him back around to our track and we made it over #5. Then I did a detour to add in the BN ditch, and another detour to add in a BN water. Hemie backed himself off all of the jumps and chose to trot.

Finally, a few jumps from home, I decided to ask him to canter the rest of the way and he was game to do so. As we cantered through the finish flags I felt the tears welling up. I was so proud of us. We made it. No refusals. No runouts. Only one moment of naughtiness but the rest of time he was great, and he ate up the jumps like a champ.

We were the only rider with time penalties so that bumped us to last place.

Our small group.

Sunday - Stadium Jumping

Our barn-mate Kelly riding George in Training Level.

Whew, we made it through the tense dressage days and the nerve-wracking cross country! I knew we were going to rock stadium as we've been to several shows this year including lots of hunter/jumper and derbies and have been doing great. I was feeling pumped - happy that we were on a trajectory to meet my 2013 goal of completing a horse trial without getting eliminated (with the bonus of getting a ribbon even if I came in dead last).




Hemie was an extra snuggle bug as I cleaned his stall, though I did flat-out tell him that there better be no nonsense in the warm-up or I was going to beat the crap out of him. Longing was a formality, though it was hot and a bit breezy and he got snorty. My friend Jess came to watch and graciously helped schlep my stuff down to the arena - she brought my show jacket, and I had her bring both my safety vests too, just in case. I hopped on and was feeling great.

Jess feeding ze pony

We got to the warm up arena. And Hemie freaked out. Bulgy and dodging to the side. I kept to my word and gave him a whapping. It did nothing. He continued to slide sideways, careening into trees and into poor children on ponies (remember, we're in the intro division). We are talking scary, dangerous. Thank goodness I had the neck strap on him because I swear it saved me from eating it.

Laurie rescued us by coming over to grab a rein and hand-walked us around the arena (mr. OTTB feels secure by being ponied). At this point I put on my jacket and both safety vests.

We tried to regroup in a corner but it wasn't working. At some point we gave up on flatwork and decided to try a jump or two to see if that settled him; after all, he loves jumping. It didn't work. He continued to be a nutcase.

Finally I had a breakthrough - a mini-victory in halting his slide out to the side. We almost fell over sideways, but we didn't, and he seemed to get some of his brain back. But it left again a minute later, and that's when Laurie said "that's it - you're done."

UGH. The worst feeling ever. I felt sick to my stomach when she said that. If riding a crazy horse that I was sure I was gonna fall off of in front of a huge crowd was bad, hearing you can't ride is worse. Feeling desperate I started rambling and asking questions while walking circles around Laurie. He's never been this bad before, could he have slept badly? Tack bothering him? Tired from the show days? Is he just scared? Naughty? Laurie doesn't play the what-could-it-be game and just said, point-blank, that I simply do not have the skills as a rider to handle a crazy ex-racehorse when they pull this kind of disobedience. "Don't feel bad about it, you just haven't been riding horses off the track for several decades, which is what is needed." 

I felt bad about it anyway. "But I was stern with him as soon as he started!"  "Yes, but you're timing is off. You have to release your reins with racehorses to get them to go forward - it takes practice and guts to do that."  Which makes sense. I was holding onto him for dear life, trying to pull him into submission and away from children on ponies. After a few minutes I mustered up the courage to ask Laurie if I could still try to take him into the show jumping round.

"Of course you're going down there to do the show jumping round."

Apparently the you're done meant done with the warm up. Relief flooded into me. Since I was last place after XC, I was first to do the show jumping round. They called us down. Laurie ponied us over, and Hemie felt calm and relaxed. It was time. I let all the stress melt away. I mentally left that freak out session in the warm up arena. I knew we could rock this.

We entered the arena, and he immediately started to freak out. Dodging to the side, backing up. At some point the judges rang the bell, and I knew I had 45 seconds to get our shit together and get between those start flags.

I pointed him at the flags, and he flew backwards. I whapped him, I turned him, I kicked him. Finally I halted him and petted his neck, and told him we were going to be okay. I turned him back towards the start flags and he tried to run out the arena. Grrr.

It must have taken us 44 seconds, but damn it we got between those start flags. Possibly sideways. He hopped over the first jump and I told him he was the best boy ever. I couldn't believe we had made it - we had started our round.

We headed towards jump #2. Another tantrum, bulging to the side. I tried turning him back to the approach, but he was having none of it. We ended up next to the jump, facing the wrong way. I scooched him over sideways so that we were in front of the jump, facing the wrong way. Then I U-turned him, at a walk, and walked him at/to the jump. He jumped over it, and I told him good boy! A cheer from the crowd. As we headed to jump #3 I could feel his brain click in. We were jumping. Jumping is fun.

We did the rest of our course without issue. I can't remember if we trotted or cantered, but I was talking to him the whole time and told him what a good boy he was. Each jump brought a wave of disbelief followed by relief followed by happiness.

I was tearing up by the time we made it to the out gate. Several riders and trainers said "good job" to us, and I believed them. We got through it. We got it done. A billion time penalties, but we left all the poles up.

I made him wait around for the ribbon ceremony, and he was antsy but obedient. The show organizers had placed us on a team (I hadn't signed up for one, since I figured our performance wasn't going to be competitive) and we got to bring home a reserve champion neck ribbon and a Daniel Steward CD.

Hemie was perfect the rest of the day, of course. I made it home then slept for about 500 hours straight.

In summary...

Our first official horse trials was definitely a trial. Some things went better than I had expected. Some things went worse. Way worse.

I'm too emotionally and physically exhausted to give the full rundown right now. In summary, it was ugly but we got  it done. We did not get eliminated and completed all 3 phases with a score. In fact we even brought home a brown ribbon for eighth (last) place. So technically we achieved my goal for the year. As to my goal for the event for both Hemie and I to have fun...well I keep going back and forth on whether I think it was achieved. And for a goal like that, if you have to think about the answer, then that means that answer is no.

On more uplifting news, check out Slow and Steady Wins the Race for a contest. Congrats to Amy for 100 followers!

Friday Funny - the wheels from hell

This is a stock photo of my rolling saddle stand. I bought it used for $60 several months ago so I wouldn't have to install permanent saddle racks at Castle Rock. In typical Craigslist fashion, it was advertised as "good condition" but in actuality the wheels were flat.

I decided to fix the flat wheels so that I could take it to the show. How hard can it be to fix a leak in a little tire?

I took the pins off the end and brought the wheels home. They're about 10" in diameter, so they are lightweight. I YouTube'd how to find leaks in tires (squirt with windex and look for bubbles) and found that both tires were completely riddled with leaks. Plus one had a leaking stem (the base of the air intake component).




Turns out Harbor Freight Tools was selling 10" diameter wheels with the same size/model number for only $6 each! So I picked 2 up, happy to be avoiding the messy business of leak repair kits and stem replacement kits. Win!

Beautiful new wheel.

In a wonderful moment of thinking ahead, I did a leak check on the new tires before putting them on the stand. Perfect condition. So I put the new wheels on.



But they wouldn't fit on the axle. After manhandling and muttering for 10 minutes I commandeered a fellow boarder's horse husband and he confirmed my suspicion: the new wheels' bearings were just ever so slightly wider than the old ones, resulting in not enough room for the axle to come through.

Damn.

Axle

We brainstormed and he suggested that it would be faster and easier to get a new, longer axle rod then it would be to try and purchase other wheels since the model/size numbers did match (and were darn close, but not close enough, in size). Its just a metal rod with holes drilled on the ends for pins to secure the wheel on. He said any hardware store could cut me a new axle and drill the holes. So I took the axle home.

I took it to the local hardware store...they could not help me. No metal rods. The recommended another hardware store across town.

So I took it there. No luck. The 2nd hardware store recommended a 3rd.

So I went to the 3rd. Nope.




How many stores does it take to get a new axle?  I don't know. I gave up on #3.

I went to their tire section to see if there were any tires that *looked* thinner in width, and found some solid rubber tires (aha! never deal with leaks again!). They fit on the axle with room to spare.

What was going to be a quick afternoon project turned into a road trip hardware store adventure all over town and took way, waaaaay more time than I would have thought.

The end.

Even newer solid rubber wheel.

Barefoot Consult

Firstly, the fabulous Nicku of The Polka Dot Periodical is having a contest!  Head on over there to check it out!

Time for a feetsies hoovsies toesies update!

Before the trim.

After the trim.

Hemie has been barefoot since early January, so we're going on 8 months sans iron. Overall he's been doing quite well, except for one very minor mystery "offness" a few months back which may or may not have been hoof-soreness. In any case, I'm very happy with his hoof quality (and so was our vet!).

However, the more I'd been researching and learning about healthy barefoot hooves, and the more that I attempted to perform some very minor farriery myself, I developed some concerns about how my farrier was doing some things.

I watched the other local barefoot eventer do her "touch-up" again, and came away with fresh eyes for Hemie's hooves.  And I didn't like what I saw.  I took this gal's advice and decided to consult with a barefoot trimmer specialist.

After researching and emailing a few barefoot trimmers, I set up a consultation with Sabine of Tri County Hoofcare. She was professional yet approachable. She confirmed some of the ideas I had and also brought other considerations to light. I liked her so much that I decided to become her client.

Toes nicely rolled. Sorry for annoying shadows.

Monday night was Hemie's first official barefoot trim. Even though it had been just over 8 weeks (yes, eight) since his last trim, no sole needed to be removed. I'm very happy that the amount of riding/turnout we do is enough to naturally wear down the hoof at about the same rate that he grows it. However, his toe had gotten too long and pointy and needed a strong roll to bring back the breakover. We're scheduling our next trim for 6 weeks from now, but my goal is to try and maintain the roll so that Sabine doesn't have very much to do at our next visit! We'll see how it goes.

In addition to some of the great bloggers I follow, we're in good company in terms of being barefoot: check out this article about Ravel, Steffen Peters' 2012 Olympic dressage mount, who is also barefoot. Who knew?

Show Binder

This post was inspired by The Roany Pony's show binder post.

Only 4 days until the horse show! I'm dreaming about it at night and planning ahead during the day. I'm very excited - the happy kind, and the anxious kind, trading off.

It's been almost 2 years since I've competed in a full horse trials, and I believe that planning and organization can make shows go much smoother. So I've been spending some quality time with my show binder.

What's inside?

1. Dressage test & arena layout.
2. Omnibus listing (aka show premium).
3. Copy of my entry form, stabling form, etc.
4. Hotel info.
5. Printed directions & map of general area.
6. Packing checklists (yes, plural).
7. Food planning list.
8. Rules
9. Judging terminology
10. Horse and rider turnout photos and tips.
11. Blank paper & pens.
12. Emergency contact info & stall label.

Here's my packing checklist as of yesterday:

Lots of scribbles and notes as I check things off and pack tubs. Organized chaos.

The most important use of the show binder is to sit down each evening and create my day plan where I map out times and duration of everything from waking up in the morning to feeding, grooming, spectating, and finally mounting up. Shows are exciting but there's so many distractions - old friends and new ones, great riders on amazing horses, shopping, food - having a day plan keeps me on track.

Ribbon Recycling

I love the idea of being craftsy. I love the idea of repurposing/reusing things in general.  

Most importantly, I love exposing my horse to looky-loo things that I expect he might oogle at the upcoming show: the flappy cross country flags at Shepherd Ranch. 

So, some red and white ribbons to the rescue.

Red on right, white on left, cute ears in the middle!

Friday Funny

Seeing this at the grocery or pet store always makes me chuckle. 

And we think horse stuff is overpriced.

Maybe one day I'll leave a note... "Go to a feed store - they sell massive bags of shavings or entire bales of hay for much better value!"