First show of the year! (recap)

Last Saturday we loaded up 3 horses and drove an hour to a new show series in Kingston to compete in the jumpers. This location also holds some of the South East Trillium zone shows, so I figured it would be a quality show, and I was right. The rings were lovely, the jumps were lovely, and the courses were great and flowed really well. Perfect for the first show of the year.

Kristy brought Ozzie, and I rode him in the 0.60m division. Ozzie competed on the A's as a 5 and 6 y/o, but he is now 16, and really hasn't done a whole lot in the past 10 years. Kristy took him to a couple shows last year, where he proceeded to be a complete jack ass. Kristy can't ride right now, so I convinced her to let me take him and see what he would do. He completed exceeded my expectations. He warmed up well, settled in, and when we walked into the ring for our rounds, he was all business. 100% ready to go. He jumped beautifully, gave me auto changes almost every time they were needed, and was just a pleasure to ride. He definitely needs to be jumping bigger next time, but this was a great confidence boost for Kristy to see him go so well, as she can be nervous and that makes him more of a jerk. He took home Reserve Champ for the division, and I was so incredibly proud of him.

Zippy competed in the .75m division. This was his second show, and man, he completely exceeded my expectations.
At his first show, he couldn't be left tied to the trailer because he was rearing and attacking his reflection. Needless to say, I was a bit worried about how he would be this time, but thankfully, he was a complete angel, although he did still stare at his reflection the whole time he was tied.
He warmed up very well and bravely, and had springs over the warm up jumps. We went in for our first round and he was a little shell shocked, and stopped at the first and second fence, but happily went over on the second try. He seemed to understand the game after that, and just got better and better as we went around the first round, and the second and third. He jumped out of his skin over every single fence, and even threw in a bunch of flying changes.
We pulled off a fourth in our second round which was the icing on the cake. His next show will be another jumper show in June, and I'm really looking forward to it!

Michaela (a student) and Cross (Piper's pony) also competed in the .75m. Although they didn't ribbon, I was extremely proud of Michaela for trying so hard. Her biggest issue is her mind, and by the last round, she was actually riding, and man, her and Cross will be so competitive once they put the pieces together! That pony is quick!

Curtis Barbour clinic recap

Last Saturday I held our annual event clinic with Curtis Barbour. This is the third year running it, and it's always such a fun day with great people and lots of learning. It was busy this year with 18 riders from grasshopper to prelim.

I rode Zippy in the pre-entry group. He is such a brave horse, but we still have issues with steering and staying straight. Curtis teaches a lot about keeping the horse very straight between two hands and two reins, and riding off your outside aids to turn the shoulder. We always start by riding square turns, keeping the horse straight and not allowing much inside bend. Zippy is decently good at this on the flat, but once jumps come into play, he gets a bit excited and things kind of go out the window. None the less, he tries very hard. He was really 'up' for the first half hour or so of our lesson. I think he was a bit overwhelmed with all the horses, plus our lesson had started about 20 min late, meaning he had been walking on a loose rein for 20 min. In his mind, I swear he was thinking, um, why are we working? I'm done now.

So excited. Must canter sideways.

We worked through a course of both stadium and xc type jumps. It started with a x rail with 10ft placing poles on either side, left bending line to a vertical, turn right to a 2 stride, another right turn to a corner, bending line to coops, left turn to a coffin. This was only Zippy's second jump school this year, and he really worked his ass off, doing more then I've ever asked of him. Curtis reminded me to really sit up, which is always a bad habit of mine, and to stop trying to help Zippy so much to the perfect take off spot. After Zippy settled, he put in a couple really nice rounds. This horse has such a nice jump, he really has springs in his ass! I'm really looking forward to getting him out to some events this year, but we have lots to work on before then.

Boing!

I rode Lily next in a semi-private. We did mostly the same course, jumps a bit higher. Again, Curtis drilled me to sit up. I felt like I was riding on her ass, but when I sit up and stay there, things go sooo much better. Amazing how riding properly makes things easier. Duh. Lily was jumping me out of the tack, as normal. She has such a powerful hind end and her front end is finally catching up to her. She only knocked one fence all day. I really have to try and give her a nice release to let her use her back. She was so quiet and so wonderful all day, that I could really work on perfecting our rounds and my position. I didn't get any media from her aside from a few videos.

One of my biggest goals this year is to SIT UP and keep my damn shoulders back. I feel like it's working, I actively remind myself throughout my rides to sit up and bring my shoulders back. 

First show of the year is this Sunday, a jumper show in Kingston. I'll be taking Zippy in the .75m, as well as riding Ozzie, a boarder's horse, in the .60m, and Michaela is taking Cross in the .75m. The weather looks great and I'm pumped to get out there!

Spring means poop

Spring seems to have finally made an appearance, which is so nice, yet means that there is SO much to do. Clinics at the farm start this Saturday, so now myself and my dad are frantically trying to get pastures scraped so that the farm doesn't look disgusting and so there is parking for everyone. We started on the pony field this weekend, and it took about 5 hours to semi-finish. We couldn't complete it given all the ice under the mountains of poop. I don't understand how little animals can make so much mess. It looks better already though, which makes me happy, even though my hands ache from shoveling. 

Brody loves water. Piper loves playing with Brody.

Piper and I had a great ride together yesterday; most of my ride was just walking around on Lily coaching Piper on Cross, but then we did a little bit of trot work. Nothing spectacular, as in the middle of our ride, a client came by to talk about her new horse who is arriving next weekend. 

I'm super impressed with how well Piper is doing though. It really is true that being around horses constantly and observing makes you learn so much faster. Piper just turned 7, but is already so knowledgeable about some things, and is able to get her pony ready almost 100% by herself. She is going to show Cross in the w/t division this year, and I'm going to let her do the x rail classes as well. Hopefully Cross will behave herself and not run around like an idiot. Time shall tell.

I'm super excited for the dressage clinic this weekend with Briannon Johnson. I have been riding with Bri for about 3 or 4 years now, and she is such a fun coach and friend, and also someone who I find I can really talk to about the equine industry. I am likely just riding Lily, as Zippy I feel is still too green to really benefit. I might change my mind though, so we'll see. 

I started Zippy on Omeprazrole last Thursday to treat suspected ulcers, and the change in his behavior already it amazing. He's a very lovey guy, but does not like it when you touch his girth area. I'm definitely regretting that I didn't do the Omeprazole earlier, but at least he's on it now. I'm really hoping it'll make a difference under saddle as well, as sometimes he's very sucked back and behind the leg. I'm really looking forward to this season with him!

Zippy enjoying the sun and his first naked weekend of the year.

Spring is here... Or not.

Here in Ontario we are having what is hopefully our last blast of winter. Today and yesterday have been cold, and rainy, with freezing rain and ice pellets, and snow. Super fun. Today is a high of -5 with gusts of wind up to 75 km/h.

The last month, aside from this weekend, has been awesome though. Lily and Zippy are getting fit and started working in the sand ring last week. Lily seems to have matured over the winter and is ready to work in a more upright frame. Zippy is very much still a baby, but given he just turned 6, that's fine with me. I'm super excited to compete them both this summer.
I've also started working with my friend and boarder's Hanoverian mare, Huxley. She is an 8 y/o 16.3 mare by Harvard. She is so lovely and I know she will be amazing with time; she is just so so green right now. We are just working on being steady and developing the muscle to be able to hold the same pace. Nothing too exciting, but I'm hoping to do some stuff with her this year too, just w/t dressage and maybe the hacks.

Huxley

Things are getting busy for spring, as I start holding clinics on April 28, beginning with a dressage clinic with my coach, Bri Johnson. I'm excited to get down to business and really start working on things. 

The following weekend I am holding a jump clinic with event rider Curtis Barbour. This is Curtis' third year doing a clinic at my farm, and it's always a ton of fun and well attended. Last year we had to reschedule to June due to a downpour, so I'm praying for good weather this year! 

Lily and I at the Curtis Barbour clinic last June

This year my friend, Tori, and I are also running a short course series. Tori used to run 3 a year at her old farm, and since moving, there have been no short courses in this area. So we are running the "Boss Mare Short Course series", one at my farm and one at her parent's farm. We have already had such huge support from local businesses; I'm really looking forward to it!

Bad things come in 3's, right?

I'm so glad the last 7 days are over. They have been very trying on me, both mentally and physically, with working so much, and the cold, and then yesterday the January thaw started. It was 8C, and sunny, and a whole shit load of snow was melting. We have a lot of snow this year. So yesterday I got to the farm from work, to find this lovely mess.

Two stalls were completely under about 2" of water, and two more were half under water. So. Much. Wasted. Shavings. I started shoveling around the barn, moving snow, clearing paths for water to flow, and praying that the water would drain before tonight, when we're supposed to have a flash freeze (this morning was 6C, now it's -1C). I slogged through tons of water, pulled wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of soaked shavings out, and got things finished. Then I went to the house and cried. I don't cry often, but man, I was so damn tired and nothing seems to be going right this week.

This morning was a snow day, so I took Piper with me to the farm, picked up a siphon pump on the way, thinking if there was still water I would try and siphon it out. Thankfully, all the water had drained out. The mats were all wet still throughout the entire barn, but at least there were no puddles. The fan is on and hopefully will help dry things up.

Piper and I got out for a hack this morning while it was warm, and it felt so good to be on Lily again. This afternoon I went for a massage, given to me for Christmas by one of my awesome borders, and it was awesome.

Next week WILL be a good week!

The best donkey ears <3

The Polar Vortex from Hell

We've finally had a break from the extreme cold, thank god, because I am absolutely exhausted. Today was only -10, which felt so good after -30 to -40 temperatures for the last 3 days.

Thursday I worked a 12 hour shift at the local feed store. The extra money is nice after Christmas and since I used to work there, I'm pretty savvy with most things. I got to the farm to feed just after 8pm, and it was something stupid like -38 with the wind chill. Everyone seemed okay, but got extra blankets, and I left the ponies and the paint mare (Sierra) that goes out with them inside, since they don't have a big shelter, and it was supposed to be even colder all night. I got home at 10:30 that night and stood in a steaming shower for a good 20 min before I could feel my ass and legs. Stupid me forgot my insulated overalls.

Friday morning was still stupid cold, and I was working in the office, so dad took care of things at the farm and left the ponies and Sierra in for the day. They weren't too excited to go out anyways. One of my boarders texted me mid-morning to say that her mare and two others were shivering outside, so she brought them in too. Stupid Vinnie was standing in the doorway to the run in and wouldn't let anyone else inside. That night, the ponies and Sierra went back out, and I left the 4 mares and Vinnie in. I don't normally leave anyone in, but they were all so cold. It's so much more work to leave them in though, which added on quite a bit of extra chore time to an already long day of work. I got home late again, I think it was 9PM, and I just could not warm up.

Saturday morning, everyone went back out, but my dad called me to tell me there had been an accident with Sierra where she had been scared by a round bale being put into the feeder and had run into the tractor. Insert eyes rolling here. Why do horses have to do the stupidest things on the coldest day of the freaking year?! I rushed down to the farm to meet Sierra's owner and my poor father who was beside himself. We agreed it needed to be stitched and called the vet. It took me about 4 hours to do the extra work from everyone being inside, as well as keeping an eye on Sierra, until the vet came. Luckily, my dad let us set up in his heated shop to stitch her up, as it was just so damn cold out that the meds would have frozen while we were working on the mare. My vet did an awesome job stitching Sierra up, with two layers of stitches.

Before

Beautiful stitch job!

I was so exhausted, and I still am. You don't realize how much the cold takes out of you until you work outside in it constantly. I'm so looking forward to more normal temperatures this week, including a couple days above zero towards the end of the week! Hopefully no more hurt ponies!

WHY DOES THE AIR HURT MY FACE?!

Nothing super exciting has been going on lately; it's been so fucking cold, like an average of -20 C, that about all I do is go to the barn to feed and make sure everyone is warm and alive and that nothing has broken or frozen and go back to the house. Add in some grooming because they are all soooo itchy in their million blankets required to keep them warm. Oh, and the occasional sewing of rips because my horses are assholes and don't appreciate nice stuff. That about sums it up.

On the bright side, there are only two more months until March, which means spring, which means I can go outside without the air hurting my face. Which is a plus, and I'm super excited for that. I'm sure the horses are too, because they are like Michelin men with their blankets on right now.

The holidays were crazy, as always, with the kids and 4 Christmases and all that jazz. It was nice though, I enjoyed my break from work and caught up on my sleep (like, a lot of catching up on sleep). I went back to work yesterday, picked up some extra work at the local feed store, and I'm dreaming of being debt-free (that's not gonna happen with horses) and riding again.

Enjoy some pictures of my Thoroughbreds. I have decided I have an addiction, but I'm okay with it.

Zippy, aka Mr. Photogenic

Lily, aka. Ms. Unphotogenic

Tom, who must put his mouth on everything

Bella, Ms. Beautiful