I had a cool title for today's update...then I forgot

Sorry this is a little late. I had a big 'ole family reunion yesterday that lasted into the night.

Yesterday was a great 'feel good' day. I was just itching to jump something, so I did Patrick first. He was a royal pain in the butt. He really doesn't want me riding him anymore. He just wants a little kid that won't make him work. I think he wastes more effort evading what I ask him to do, rather than just simply listening. He also wants to be a hunter=/ Unfortunately, I don't think he's terribly well-suited to do anything more than just local stuff, but he seems happier when I'm not fiddling with him like I would with a jumper.

Anyways, Becca (my youngest sister) jumped him around a little bit today. I kept the jumps really little, knowing that he'd never jumped with anyone else and Becca hasn't jumped in a while. He was really well behaved, and she trotted over a few little verticals and oxers. It was pretty cute, and he took good care of her.

Bailey has been a royal pain in the butt as well, but it's really not her fault. She has a very weak hind end, and almost always swaps out behind at the canter. I know it's just because she's learning to switch from the front-heavy 'foal system' to actually carrying herself in a balanced manner, but it makes for an unpleasant ride for the time being. In order to help with her bending issues, I've been doing about 10 minutes of ground work with her before I hop up. This includes neck stretches, side steps (which mimics my leg), and some flexion work at the walk. It's really improved her walk under saddle, which is a beginning that will hopefully lead to bigger and better things!

Yesterday, despite Bella's mini-vacation from hard work, I decided to jump her around. I added two more coops to the ring, another 3'0"er and a 3'6" one. I kept my triple combination, since she's familiar with it and it's a really great exercise for her. I also set a holding 5 stride, a forward 2 stride, and a vertical and oxer with canter poles. I wound up being very pleased with the design, and they gave me a variety of things to work with. Bella is jumping so well, that it's really just a ton of fun to hop on and jump around. She's adjusting her stride perfectly, holding and extending whenever I ask. She's even learning to rock back and really push, instead of relying on speed. I had her jumping around 3'3" and 3'6" yesterday, and I think I might jump her back tomorrow and push the height even more. I'm starting to think she may just be able to handle the smaller low A/O classes, in which case, SCREW MY TRAINER! I'll do it without his help! That's the spirit, right?

Speaking of him, I still haven't heard a peep. I checked the Roanoke website, and he got 3rd in the Welcome Stakes on Thursday. His stupid daughter didn't pin at all, and ashamedly, that makes me feel good. The $50,000 Grand Prix is tonight. I'll check back and let you know how it ends, not that it really matters anymore =/

Sorry, this was a boring update!

A vet day

This morning my youngest sister, Becca, my on-again-off-again boyfriend Nathan, and I all tacked up a horse and went for a trail ride. Becca had Patty, I took Bella, and Nathan yanked Quinn out of retirement to go for a walk. It was relaxing and entertaining, because Nathan has only ridden a handful of times and Quinn has his own ideas.

Bella felt really great today. She was super stretchy and forward without leaning on the bit at all. It was a really great feeling. I hope it's her new feet talking!

I made an attempt to lunge Bailey again, but she was lazzzyyyy. I could barely keep her trotting on the line. I just blamed the heat and let her end early. There was really no sense pushing it when she was behaving herself just fine. I did a little bit more ground work, and tomorrow I'll do some more and go into some details about what I do, just in case anyone is interested.

So then my vet came out and gave everyone their second round of spring vaccines. Thankfully, since 4 of the 7 horses aren't leaving the grounds, I got to avoid the intranasal strangles with them. The babies freaked, as usual, and Bella thought she was too smart to get the tube in her nose. I really truly hate the nose tube method, but my vet likes it for some reason. I know that's a topic open for debate. Anyways, he mentioned again that he's still looking for part-time help if I'm interested. I think it could be a great learning experience and an awesome marketing tool, but at the same time...I don't want to see the sadder side of being a veterinary assistant. I just don't know if I could handle it emotionally.

Anyways, I learned today that my trainer went to Roanoke without even so much as mentioning it to me. I haven't heard a peep out of him in a week now, but I know he's down there because I checked the show entries. He's also still keeping around his "Oh Anna, he's just temporary help" groom, and a client that he told me he was kicking out a month ago because she has a big mouth. However, it seems as though the lies keep building up. He also let his self-indulgent and egocentric daughter ride my sale horse in two weeks of competition, after I was told the horse wasn't being shown anymore. I guess I get to put in all the work, and she gets to reap the benefits. Now, looking back on it, no matter how much I like and trust a person, I'm getting a contract. I was supposed to receive $5,000 off of that horse's commission, and now I can't even get the bastard to return a text message.

Needless to say, I'm VERY frustrated. I began a search on other local trainers that do the rated stuff. Not because I can afford to go to the A shows, but just because I want someone of that caliber if I'm going to be spending the money. Plus, I can always tag along and continue to get my face out there in the crowds. It never hurts, right?

Ah, what a long, depressing day:( I'm really down in the dumps, but after talking to two very appreciated friends, I think I just need to bite the bullet, stop dwelling on what "isn't", and make every moment of the present count for something. That sounds all optimistic, now I just have to believe it.

I think I almost died

So today was the first day back 'on' after the new farrier.

I had planned to ride all three horses. Planned.

Anywho, I set up trot poles for Bailey and little raised cavaletti/bounces for Patrick to play with.

I rode Patty first, and played with him. The bounces weren't big enough for him to worry about his front end, but I just wanted to get him used to the feel. Overall, he handled it pretty well. He's still a little obnoxious about half-halts and collection, so I guess I'm still headed back to the drawing board on that note.

Today I actually tried to really work on Bailey. I put her back in the chambon, probably the last time for a little bit. I spent some time at the walk today, working on getting her to turn her head and neck without leaning into the turn like a motorcycle. It wasn't entirely successful, but I wasn't frustrated. She's learning, and really trying her hardest.

Then I spent even more time at the trot. She really wants to drop her shoulder and race through the short ends of the arena, so I started pushing a big, extended trot on the long sides, 90 degree walk/turning the corners, slow trotting the short sides, and repeating the following corners and sides in the same pattern. Eventually, she just memorized the procedure and went back to trying to race around the turns. She got it pretty well to the left, her strong side, but she really fought me for the right. I felt like we made a little progress by the end, but she was hot. So I walked her for a few minutes, turning her in tight circles and trying to get her to bend her neck to the right and move off my right leg. She did it perfectly to the left, but again, the right was stiff. I think tomorrow I'm going to do some work 'in hand' with her, teaching her to give in to my aids a little. We'll see if it helps.

By the time I was done with Bailey, I was starting to feel overheated: nauseous, chills, like all the lights were really bright. Yuck.

So, thankfully, I waited to do Bella until last, and decided to just give her another day off to adjust to her feet while I attempt to regain my body temperature.

I think if it's still this sweltering tomorrow, I'll let my sister do Patrick so I can get Bella and Bailey in without keeling over!

Anyways, they all stayed inside today with their fans on high. Time to go stick them back out! Hopefully it's a little less 'balmy'...

The reign of a new farrier has begun

So the new farrier came out promptly at 9am, and it was a good start to arrive on time. We all know how that can go. Anyways, he was very polite, but got right down to business with the horses. He had an apprentice with him named Nick, who seemed very knowledgeable as well. I liked them right off the bat. They also made it quite clear that they are both long-time horse people, and you may be surprised how many farriers really have no genuine horse knowledge.

Anyways, they started out on Bella, and I told them her recent shoeing record. We'd had the same farrier for 6 years before I 'let him go', to put it nicely. His work was slipping, he was starting to get unbearably cocky (because I got him a gig shoeing my trainer's Olympic horse in Florida, along with the rest of our barn), and then he had the audacity to put Bella in glue-ons while she was in Florida, without my consent, and charge me $600. When I refused to pay, he started saying some nasty things about me, so I fired him. I didn't go into that much detail with the new guys, Mike and Nick, but I informed them that she had been in glue-ons, I hated them, and that I'd had a lot of trouble procuring a farrier these last 9 weeks. When they started to work on her, I was instantly impressed. They kept chatting about Bella's conformation: they loved her shoulder, she had a great frame for muscle. When they went to pull her back shoes, Nick and Mike both noted that she was stiff in her hocks. I had noticed this while riding her three days ago, and I was deeply thrilled to have found someone so astute in their work. I'm not happy she's still stiff, but I'm glad I have someone who knows their stuff working on my horse. Mike said, since she's only 8, that it's probably just because her hind end was really out of balance.

Now, I've had problems with this before. When she came out of glue-ons the first time, two summers ago, her back feet were so badly balanced that it actually knocked her hips out of alignment to the point where she couldn't track up under saddle anymore. I had to have a chiropractor come out and work on her several times, and have a discussion with the farrier. It's been a weight on my shoulders ever since, so needless to say, this stiffness has me a little concerned. I told them I was just playing it by ear, hoping that getting a good trim and put back in balance makes the difference. If not, I might be giving Stephanie, my chiro/massage therapist, another call. That's another $80 out of my pocket! But hey, for the love of my horse...

So here are some pictures of the work. I'm no expert, and Mike said it would take 2 or 3 shoeings before her feet were evenly balanced again, but his goals are to add heel up front, balance her hind end, and fixed the sheared heels in back so that her front feet can be shaped the same again.

Her 'worst' front foot, the one counter-balancing her sheared left hind heel. Definitely broken up and dry:(

Her right hind. They're very upright, which I'm not sure if it's part of the transition or not...

He spent considerable time shaping the shoes so that they provided a lot of heel support, without interfering with her sole or stride. I liked that he really took that into consideration, because it's something I see a lot of, the shoe hitting the frog/sole.

Anyways, I've decided to give him at least the 2 to 3 shoeings he mentioned, before I make a decision. We'll see how Bella goes. Hopefully she's comfortable, because I really like both of them. They were professional and timely, which goes a long way in my book these days.

On an entertaining note, Patrick threw a pitchfork at me today. Literally. He picked it up with his teeth while I was putting Bailey in her stall, and chucked it straight at me. I even have a red mark on my arm. Ridiculous.

Also, I gave Bailey an apple today, and she knew she wanted to eat it...she just couldn't figure out how for the life of her. Poor dear. It turned into a mushy pulp in my hand before she got it all down.

And lastly, Scooter's bleached spot is growing. It's progressing down his hind leg now. I wasn't aware horses changed colors as they age, but Scooter had made it a point to stand out from the crowd!

It should be illegal to be this hot

I swear there are cooler days in Hell on a summer afternoon. It was one of those stagnant, humid days, where the sweat on your skin just never dries. But, being dedicated as I am, I rode. Well, sort of.

Bella had the day off. Her feet are just so bad that I didn't want to push her into something uncomfortable, and now the nails are starting to pop out in her front shoes. I didn't want to run the risk of her cutting herself (even with four polos and bellboots), so I just let her chill out in front of her fan on high. Thankfully, the new farrier arrives at 9am tomorrow morning, so hopefully that will be taken care of.

I decided to hop up on Bailey first today, because I'm getting more and more excited to ride her. Today I actually rode her in the chambon, and I still love it more and more each day. She really relaxed into it, and the great thing is, I can still have almost no contact with her mouth. That way, I'm not interfering with her, but she's still stretching out her topline and moving forward into the contact by her own choice. It's kind of a nifty little thing, and I'd never had any experience with them until Florida this winter. I really like it, and highly recommend it to anyone working with a young horse (provided you know how to use it, that is!).

Patrick was actually quite good today. I even let him go in my Antares, since he hasn't thrown himself to the ground recently! He had a super energetic ride today, despite the 90 degree heat and humidity. I let him stretch out a good bit before I decided to try a few new things. I decided I wasn't going to try to correct him today, since I wanted to keep things brief. But I did want to put him through some paces and see what we may need to work on.

I tried to ask him for a genuinely collected canter today. He actually almost had it to the left. It wasn't quite as uphill as it should be, but he also didn't fight me. I considered it a good place to start from. The right lead was a little more difficult, because it's his weaker lead. He fought the draw reins a little bit, but did give somewhat of an attempt. Oh well, something new to work on! His steering is finally to the point where any slight change of my seat indicates a change in his direction. I love my horses like that, but I know it might be a little intimidating for some younger riders (especially in jumping), so I'll have to be careful there.

I left all the training horses inside with their fans this afternoon. I figured they could use the break:D

So, on another note, I haven't really seen or heard from my trainer in about three weeks, and now he's going to Roanoke to show this coming week. I'm a little bit (or a lot of bit) disappointed and frustrated with this entire situation. After all of the crap I had to put up with in Florida (and all of the senseless money I spent in hopes that the horse I was working with would sell), I thought he would try a little harder to help me out once we got home. As I'm still coming to learn, it seems all horse people are really only concerned about their own agendas. They may mean well, but they'll drop you in the clutch. As much as I really want to be a top rider and competitor within the industry, it's times like these that make me wonder if I could ever truly be happy surrounded by people like that. I think I could just as easily make money doing what I do now: breaking and training young horses.

The dilemma I'm facing now is, do I hold out on the promises he made, that someday in the near future he'll have a barn of his own, where I can bring Bella and Bailey and work as his assistant trainer? Or do I give up on that potentially soul-crushing dream and find something else? I'm to the point where it hurts just to think about all I could be walking away from, especially since I know I won't find another trainer of his caliber that's willing to help me out and let me bring my two horses. However, unless I sell Patrick in the very near future, I'm running out of money:(

Sometimes being young just isn't all that great. I wish I could just pick up Bella and Bailey, and start over somewhere new, where no one knows our names. I really dream of moving back to Chicago:(

Anyways, Dad is taking me out to learn how to drive his truck and my trailer (FINALLY!). Wish me luck! I have more to talk about later, if I get around to it:D