Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde

So before my horse went on a week's vacation at my mother's I wanted to get out and school Beaumont x-country one more time. So I convinced my coach that our Wednesday night lesson should be at Beaumont.

Isabel and Martini showing us how it's done, after the incident.

The mare started out really well.  We jumped the Pre-Entry and Entry parts of the train and then our coach had us jump the Pre-Training coop in the train.  Mare sailed over it like it was NBD.  We moved over to the new complex and did the Entry line a few times before she had us do the Pre-Training bench.  I will admit that the bench freaked me out a little so I let the mare duck out the first time.  But the second time I actually rode it and she just popped right over it.

The pipeyard also went superbly until we went for the Pre-Training coop with two half circles cut into the bottom.  I got the first actual fear response from the mare.  About 12 strides out she got a good look at it and started snorting and refused to move forward.  I got her going and she slammed on the brakes in front of the fence.  I made her walk up to it, she sniffed it and then we were good to go.  I planned to trot on the reapproach but the mare picked up a canter 4 strides out and carried me right to the fence.  The other girls also all had refusals at that fence, on much more experienced horses.

We also jumped the airplane on the first try.  Considering last time this jump brought out a rear-and-spin I considered it a vast improvement.

The jump she would not jump...

Then we moved onto the farmyard with the black and red feeder that caused us grief at the event.  Let's just say it caused us more grief.  After 2 run-outs my coach told me to hold onto the right side of her face and keep her moving no matter what.  What comes next is slightly fuzzy but the mare went to go left, I blocked the run-out and she reared straight up, cracking me in the nose.  She then went over to the right.  I think she tried to spin left but I had a hold of the right rein and she lost her balance because everyone says she just kind of crumpled.  Descriptions vary but I think she landed on my bad ankle and I cracked my head hard enough that I needed a new helmet.

Too bad Tipperary doesn't have a frequent buyers card.  This is my third helmet in the past 18 months.

I got back on and rode for another 20 minutes, schooling banks, the ditch and the water all without issue but it was decided that I shouldn't try the feeder again that day.

This day was the straw that broke the camels back.  I don't know how to deal with the mare and her tendency to flip a switch and turn into Mr.Hyde.   The fence is not big, it's not even that scary but once she got it in her head that she didn't want to jump it I was unable to convince her that that is an unacceptable answer.

It's time for me to get some more help than my coach can provide.  The mare is going for training for the month of August.  We will see how that goes and go from there.  It's disheartening to have to send her but something has to give, and I would prefer it not to be my body.

Beaumont HT - Sunday

Since I didn't ride until later in the day on Sunday I got to sleep in again!  I got up and went and walked my x-country course once more and watched the prelim riders go before going to pick up the mare.  It was nice and relaxed morning.  The mare is completely content to stand at the trailer by herself all day.  I have to say that it is really nice!

I love my truck.  And thanks to Isabel for letting me use her trailer

We got prepped and hopped up on to warm up.  We did a ton of transitions in our flat warm up in an effort to remind her that I pick the speed.  Our over fences warm up had a few bobbles.  We had a couple of run-outs at the oxer and she tried to run-out when we took the vertical at an angle but I was able to channel her over it, at the angle I asked for.

We sure look the part...

In the start box I was very nervous again but at least this time I didn't feel like I was going to vomit.  We had planned to trot the first fence to start on a good note and it turned out to be the right choice.  She was a little wiggly but I growled, spanked her and she decided jumping was a good idea.  A short "S" shaped canter to the next fence (which was the one that saw me fall off at the derby) and she popped over no problem.  We had a fairly long canter before we doubled back to Fence 3.  This was the fence with the Pre-Training fence in the line.  The plan was to keep as close to the fence to get a straight line.  This backfired slightly.  She spooked hard at the fence and I twisted my bad ankle.  We then had a run-out at the jump.  I represented and had yet another run-out.  This was the first time she didn't jump on the represent.  I got her over it on the third time and the official photographer got a fabulous shot of us over it.

I trotted into Fence 4 to get her mind back in the game and she responded well.  We then cantered up and over the little hill to the coop at 5 and she flowed right over it.  We cantered into the water and to the Pheasant Feeder at 6.  We picked up yet another run-out :(  No problem on the second time and the train that was next rode beautifully.   Fence 9 was the headstones and unfortunately we picked up our 4th run-out, effectively eliminating us.  I jumped her over it and started the long walk to the vet.

I was made to dismount by Control (via jump judge) and walk on foot.  Unfortunately my ankle was incredibly bad and I could hardly hobble.  It took me 10 minutes to get to the vet.  Thankfully Isabel met me there and walked the mare back and I was able to hitch a ride on a quad to my rig.

Isabel then hooked up her truck to the trailer and took the mare home so that I could go home and ice my ankle.  Turns out I sprained it.  It was bruising by the time I got home.  I guess it's time to look into a brace that will actually fit in my tall boot.

It was a very disappointing end to the weekend but I'm choosing to focus on a fabulous round on Saturday.  We are heading back out next Wednesday to school and then I'm off to Cochrane for a clinic with Sandra Donnelly.  We will get this figured out.

Photo by A Sharper Image

Beaumont HT - Course

So I just bought the CourseWalk app and I have to say I was less than impressed (especially for $10!)  Every time I wanted to take a photo it crashed and I had to restart it.  I contacted support and they've been great but they can't pinpoint why.  Here's hoping it works in Cochrane. Because of the glitch I missed some photos.

This is the fence I fell off at during the derby.

I'm standing right beside the Pre-Training jump to get this photo

New jump!

It was up and over a hill to get to this coop

The headstones, almost every horse knocks these.

The dreaded airplane, complete with new gravel to give it a scary terrain change

Bank up, down was not required but it is only 1 stride (2 if you're crawling) across.

I think we've jumped this during schooling?

In the pipeyard with yet another strange approach necessary due to other fences

Last fence, also one we haven't schooled before.

Derby 2.0

Well I've been waiting to post about how the derby went last weekend until I had the pictures (!!!) to go with it but since it's taking a bit I'll just post them later.

The day started off on a sour note.  Somehow I managed to get a bee in my shoe.  I thought I had stepped on a nail but turns out I got stung.  Good thing is now I know I'm not allergic to bees!  Bad thing is holy bejeezuz did getting stung on the bottom of my toe hurt.  Between my ankle giving me fits and the sting on the other foot I hobbled around like a crippled goat.

After that we got the horses loaded and were off to Red Deer.  We got there only to find out the times had been pushed back by 30 minutes.  Which turned out to be good since our coach was running behind.  When she got there we headed out to walk the course.  Considering the week before Beaumont had felt small and short, this one felt big and long and both were designed by Barry Tyerman.  There were a few fences that I had some concerns about but figured the mare likes them bigger anyways.

Fence 1 was a max height ramped oxer with a short gallop to something that was apparently forgettable... 3 was a big, dark roll top with only a couple strides until we went down a steep hill and winding track through the trees.  4 was a vertical grey wall with 8 strtides to a natural table.  Then a long gallop  back up a hill to a brand new light coloured thing.  Long gallop to a tan and brown box then a right turn into the infield.  The first fence in the infield was an unassuming vertical with a black picket (this becomes important later).  Then through the water (wasn't flagged but made a nicer line) and a left turn to a vertical 2 stride.  A tight left run to an oxer that was between the two stride and then a short gallop out of the infield to a BIG rampy fence.  12 was up the bank and then the final fence was a big square oxer.

In the picture it looks small but it walked BIG!

We were pressed for time in the warm up so we compressed our 45 min warm up into 20 min.  After a quick flat we started over the cross rail and just kept circling back, moving to the vertical and then to the oxer.  We did that for close to 15 min straight, constantly focusing on bringing her shoulders up without taking back from her pace. She didn't even think about not going over any of them.

In the start box I was crazy nervous so I cracked some terrible jokes with the timers.  Before I knew it we were off.  She had a single moment of hesitation coming to the oxer but I growled and we got over it (and then I sat down early and we pulled the back rail).  Fence 2 was no issue (since I can't even remember what it looked like) and and fence 3 we had a run out to the right (which never happens for us).  I represented and we sailed over.  She wasn't sure about the footing so we picked our way down the hill and trotted through the woods.  I cut the corner to fence 4 and she just stalled out.  On our second attempt it was clear sailing and she didn't even look at the table.  If she could have squealed and galloped at the same time I"m sure she would have going up the hill.  I think it was her favourite part.

A run-out to the left (I wasn't sure she was going to jump and she took that as instruction, bad rider!) at fence 6 but success at try # 2.  I let her move out on the gallop which turned out to be very hard to bring her back from but she jumped 7 smooth as silk.  The unassuming vertical brought me a refusal.  And then she leaped into the water!  We were crooked though the 2 stride but managed to survive.  The oxer was easy peasy.  I actually brought her to a walk just out of the infield because she was pulling on me so much.  We then picked up a lovely canter and she jumped the big ramp like a pro.  Up the bank and we finished strong over the oxer.

So if you're skimming, we picked up 4 stops, were only 25 seconds over time (1875 m and 5:21 was optimum) but I stayed on!

Our second ride was much better.  The whole course rode super smooth and easy with her taking fences out of a nice gallop, coming back better and it just generally felt like a fabulous x-country round.  That is until that stupid vertical.  She ducked left, despite the growling and whip application and I nearly came off.  I grabbed my holy shit strap and managed to stay on.  I also may or may not have fit pumped I was so excited.  Again she jumped it on the second try and pulled a rail but at least she cantered into the water like a solid citizen.  I lost my reins over the first fence in the 2 stride and just squeezed my legs and grabbed my neck strap.  I was very proud of her for saving my butt there.  The rest of the course was great.  I trotted some since we were quick and we finished only 12 seconds fast.

The second ride gives me hope that there is cross country horse in there. We may not have taken a placing but I was happy with our day.  Now to just figure out how to jump the fences on the first try every time.

And because I hat post with no pictures here's how I spent my Saturday.  Shaving a friends cats.

We only did half of Ninja before she ran out of patience, so we left her like that :)

Derby Time!

Sunday was the first cross country show of the year.  Isabel was awesome enough to come out and pick me and the mare up and we were off!  I had entered Entry, knowing we could have some issues but height isn't really our problem, steering and confidence are. So for better or worse we were giving 2'6" cross country  go.

Our course was 7 stadium fences and 7 cross country for a total of 1805m and an optimum time of 5:09.  The cross country fences were very straight forward with the most difficult being an up bank, 2 strides to a down bank.  The up wasn't flagged so there was the option to go up the ramp and jump down the bank.  (This becomes important later)

Stadium course (you know you're jealous of my awesome Paint skills)

Cross-country course

As we were tacking up, the skies unleashed a torrential downpour.  Rivers of water running of my saddle kind of downpour.  Turns out the mare hates rain.  She was fidgety, obnoxious and downright rude about me mounting up.  I was really glad I had corks since our stadium portion was on grass and then we went straight out into cross country.

Thankfully the rain was short lived.  By the time I made it to the warm up area the rain had mostly petered out.  The mare warmed up beautifully, even jumping the verticals at steep angles (inviting a run-out) without missing a beat.

Crappy cell phone photo at an interesting time...

When we went into start our twisty-turny stadium I was feeling nervous but very determined.  Our first fence was an oxer and I was not going to start our day with a run-out.  I rode her aggressively to the fence and she took it like a pro.  The rest of the course was not pretty as she felt very sticky and had a few deer moments but we went clear and were headed out to the cross country.  We had a nice gallop to the first fence and a few strides out I felt her back off.  I grabbed my reins in one hand and used my whip.  Unfortunately it didn't help :( She went left, and I went right.  The fall was minor and I could have landed on my feet if I had tried but since I have no desire to repeat my ankle destruction I tucked my knees in and landed on my hip.  The reins had come over her head and I've never been quite so glad I let her graze with the lead rope dragging.  She'd step on them, stop, back up and continue on.  I caught up and started my walk of shame.




Fortunately we had a second round to redeem ourselves.  The stadium felt great, until we got to fence 7 ad had a run-out.  Truthfully, I'm not sure why we had the run-out but it sure galvanized me into riding her like she was going to die if she went left.  We got over the first cross country fence, it wasn't pretty but I stayed on and we went.  The next fence rode lovely and we were off to the banks.  20 feet from the banks she slammed on the banks and reared.  These are the same banks we schooled a week ago without an issue.  Rather than pick the fight with her I chose to do the ramp and jump down.  We had another attempted run-out at the next fence which resulted in a stop.  I backed her up a few steps and we jumped it no problem on the second try.  Next was a big log pile that caused her to back off but I got aggressive and growled and we sailed on over. Our next fence was a small A-frame right before the water and I just plain ran out of steam.  When she balked I had no legs to back up my desire to go forward so we picked up a stop on the smallest fence out there.  We backed up again and jumped it with one trot stride.  She went through the water like a champ though!  The last fence was also the biggest, and one we hadn't jumped before so I was a little nervous and just rode with all I had left.  She didn't even look at it.  It was the nicest jump of the day and was a good place to call it a day.

Last Jump, apparently we jumped it at an angle

While it was not the day I wanted it still had moments that stand out (like our course had 4 oxers and not one was an issue!).  I have to say it is very disheartening to continue to have the same issue and at tiny little fences.  I'm feeling discouraged and at the end of my rope.  I can't keep falling off because I will eventually get seriously injured and I just can't afford that.  I promised myself and the mare that I would give it a solid year for us to get our shit together but there are people (best friend and coach included) that think it is time to find her a new home.  I'm not there yet, and I don't want easy (safe is a whole different story).  I'm not going to learn anything if I continue to ride the easy horses.  So I'm going to pick myself up and head to the Alhambra derby this weekend for another go at this cross country thing.

I'm not sure why but I love this photo

Busy Pony-Filled Long Weekend

So Friday saw the mare getting her feetsies done.  We had to put new shoes on the front since we wore the toes right down.  First thing my farrier said was "Well you've sure been riding".  As much as resets are much easier (her feet are crazy round and huge, so it takes a ton of manipulation to fit her shoes) I love her new shoes.  She's in a different shoe now, with clips that are much more forward.  My farrier would have liked to put her in a toe clip but he didn't have any shoes big enough so she got the fancy German shoes.  Hopefully we can get at least one reset out of them!

I wish I got pedicures this regularly

Saturday, Isabel and Erin came and picked me up and we were off to Blackfoot Grazing Reserve for the first big trail ride of the year.  Erin hasn't been out on an actual trail ride since she came off a year ago and broke her back so she was justifiably nervous.  But Spider was fabulous and we went on to have a lovely ride were we did a bunch of trotting and cantering.  We ended up going just over 10 miles in 2 hours.  So a little slower my normal pace but still quite a good clip.  It was so nice to actually get to ride with other people.  I've been hacking out by myself too much!

On Sunday we went cross country schooling again, this time with our coach.  Once again the mare was fabulous.  We had a few bobbles, but for the most part she was forward, brave and willing.  Even after our big hack the day before she showed zero signs of being tired.  We worked our way through pretty much every complex at Beaumont, including banks, ditches and the water.  We're back there next weekend for a derby so it was nice to have a chance to school beforehand.  

Isabel and Martini, Shelby and Sailor, Erin and Spider and Melinda and Ducky

I really need to work on not having a moment of hesitation.  All it takes is a split second and the mare will take advantage of it.  She's more than capable of jumping everything I point her at and I need to ride her like she's going to jump it or die rather than giving her the opportunity to make her own decision.  Especially since her decisions can include rearing and spinning.  Not fun :( I also need to remember to bring my corks.  We had a couple of slips that shook the mare up a little.  I have the holes drilled in so I can use them (when I don't forget my kit in the car).  

Straightness is also a new goal, especially on the banks.  She seems to have developed a wiggle and a preference for angles.  I need to be a better driver so that I don't set her up for a run-out, not after all our work to kill the run-out.  

All things considered for her second time on a cross-country course I was super impressed.  She's gong to make an eventer yet!

My favourite view.

Monday I had the osteopath out since her back has been bugging her quite a bit.  I've been putting her Back on Track sheet on every chance I get but she obviously needs some help.  I was running behind so they got started without me (he works with my mom so zero trust issues here).  They found quite a bit in her back related to that awful hematoma she had in March.  Also found some new stress in her jaw.  I hoped up on her to take her through her paces and see and even after two days of hard riding she WAS NOT TIRED.  She was spooky, reactive and just generally up.  I'd been on for 5-10 min and she took a misstep and was 3 legged lame.  I guess it's better for it to happen when the osteopath is there but I wish it hadn't happened at all.  Seems like she twisted her knee quite good.  After taking the stress out of she was no longer dead lame but she was short on it.  He figured it could take a few days for the tissue to recover.  Thankfully she gets Tuesdays off while I go to yoga anyways.  Fingers crossed!

Mom hopped up to she what she could feel

Overall it was a great weekend.  It was also my last free weekend until August so I managed to devour 5 books, hang out with the non-horsey bestie, and play the dog out completely.

Being a barn dog is sooo exhausting

Zoom-Zoom

So the red mare and I went for a hack down the road.  I figured it wold be interesting since she had 3 days off due to me being at the horse show, having a horse show hangover, and then going to ride Studly while Shimmer-E took a mini-family vacation.

My favourite view

I was not wrong.  We had FORWARD, and not much else.  I figured rather than getting into a fight with her it was easier to let her wear herself out.  So we trotted.  And we trotted.  And we trotted some more.  We went about 4km before she was willing to listen and do some work.  We managed another 6.5km of decent work, including a few decent changes on the straightaways.  Mostly though we just did transitions.  Both between gaits and within the gaits.  I've been focusing on really using my core to control the zoomy mare rather than getting into a pulling match (which results in her nose going to her chest).  My abs and back hurt by the time we got back.  I've also been working on lowering my center of gravity and having more weight in my calves, resulting in sore legs.

We also played in the water without any drama.

















All in all we both had a good work out since our 10.5km ride only took 50 min.

Red Mare Meltdown

I love my horse, I really do.  But sometimes I just want to strangle her.

Gratuitous photo of her showing off her posing skills

After a winter stuck in the indoor we are both sick of circles and arenas so we have been hacking out down the road for the past few weeks.  Every single time we go out I have been walking her down into the ditch and through the puddles (in our quest to be a fearless event horse).

Our ride started out really well.  We had hit the 2 mile mark and since I was aiming for a short ride we were going to turn and head for home after traipsing through the puddle.  Well we walked through the puddle into the field with minimal fuss.  When I asked her to go back through to the road all I got was a loud, resounding "No".  For the life of me I could not get her to walk into the puddle (which may have been fetlock deep and I could see the bottom).  She tried every evasion in the book.  She reared, she spun away, she kicked out behind when I used my whip, she bolted away, she put her nose on her chest and backed up and finally she just stood and refused to move, despite the pony club kicks.

Since i was obviously not getting anywhere I walked her down to the end of the field to where the puddles aren't as wide and got off.  I led her through the puddles a few times (with minimal theatrics) and then remounted.  After that we were back to walking through water like a champ.

I try really hard not to pick fights that I can't win but in this instance I didn't even realize we were fighting until the battle was raging on.  While I was unable to get her through where I originally asked I am going to count it as a success.  It's not like we had a choice either, the field is completely surrounded by water filled ditches.  To get out we had to cross the water again.

The rest of the ride was uneventful but the mare was dripping sweat from our earlier battle so we took it easy, worked on our bow and then she enjoyed a fabulous roll in the arena.  I even managed to get her mane pulled and under control.

Posing Fail, but isn't her mane purdy?