Kim (another student) on her hopefully new horse, Chili (Chili is Ozzys field buddy, who believes that Oz is his mum) and myself on Oz and we had a lesson together today. This was my first true ride in my new saddle, and yep we don't have a girth that fits. I have on of my old gel padded girths, but I need to find my extender which I hope I didn't sell. Brianne managed to use her muscles and fit my largest girth on him with a lighter pad. He looked pretty darn smart!
We started off in the ring, and I also borrowed Brianne's hinged stirrups to test drive before buying a pair for myself. Instantly I felt a difference! And it felt good. The saddle is still a bit firm shall we say, so doing a sitting trot doesn't feel wonderful. But as soon as I start to jump in it, or two point it just feels perfect. Not to mention I finally wrapped my leg on my horse. Before it was everything for me to keep a leg on, basically tying stirrups to my girth was the only thing that worked. And even then my leg still felt like I was on and off and on and off and on and off... (see a pattern?) Definately not a quiet leg. Today, I'm not sure what it looked like on the ground, but damn it felt quiet in the saddle. I could just wrap my legs around him and go.
The stirrups had my legs and ankles not burning and just felt more natural then ever. I didn't feel like I had to bring up my heel to put a little spur on him. We did a couple of cross rails, and oh it just felt like 100% better... now I know I wasn't THAT much improved, but everything felt better, and easier.
Who would have thought that a saddle would make that much difference! He still spooked from the flowers... but I think I also bailed on it, as I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. We did a couple of hops over the jumps. Kim and Chili did a couple of hops over the cross poles. Chili was a doll for Kim and they make such an awesome pair!
Then we headed out to the dreaded cross country field. Currently its tall in flowers so its a bit difficult to see some of the jumps. But we started jumping in there as well... just a little cross pole. We did it at a trot which was fine, but then we tried it at a canter, and I totally bailed on my horse. I didn't come off, but at the last minute I just got completely scared and pulled him left. We tried it again, but again I pulled him off at the last minute... I know, I know, as I type this I think you idiot! What have you just taught him to do! But when your on 2000 lbs that has a history of not listening to your leg at a canter in this huge field, I just got nervous. So we dropped it on the ground and trotted over it, and eventually cantered over it. I think Brianne raised it to a cross bar again, and honestly I don't remember if we cantered over it or not. She did have us work on the canter in a small circle, and finally I got how to control that massive beast in that field. Just a wee bit of give and take was all it took and I finally gained control over him! WOW - A break through! I know its small and rather pathetic, but that field has been intimidating me for the past little while. Just aways felt just out of control in it.
We did a mini course, a couple of cross rails, over the stumps that scare him, then over the row of log cut stumps which sends him spiraling! But we approached it, I don't think I looked down. I felt myself start to worry and then I just thought damn it, put on your big girl panties, put your heel down and get er done! And he didn't even flinch, then up to the top of the hill to a vertical that we weren't expecting and over that - weeee!!!! And back down the hill to the log stumps again, and again I got a bit worried as this was going in the even worse direction for him, but I knew he'd deek left, and just kept that left leg on him and up and over we went.
I was just soooooo happy. The jumps felt amazing, he finally got it, and I finally trusted him in the field!
So now tomorrow we are off to Lanyard for a schooling round in the afternoon, and off to show on Saturday. It sounds like its going to be a great show! MANY entries, but we stayed with just the hunter / jumper classes only.
We also made the decision to not go to Vernon H/J Show, I didnt relize that I needed my Bronze card to show there, and there is no way I'm going to be able to grab one of those in a week. I could pay $30 a day instead, but the bronze is just $20 for the year... um why would I spend $60 instead.... I think I will just keep my thoughts about the EC changes to myself at this point... but needless to say its certainly not encouraging me to show at these shows.
I will need to purchase all that for Maple Ridge, and yet I know there's not a hope in hell we are going to win anything at Maple Ridge. Its just for the fun of it, but yet I'm still expected to have an EC membership, the bronze card, and all the other hidden fees..... And what am I getting for my money exactly?????
Anyhow after this show I think our next one will be in Peachland towards the end of June for the South Okanagan Horse Association. Again we are doing the h/j classes only. But its only two months till Maple Ridge! Yikes!!!!
Ozzy over the past month has formed a first black hair spot on his withers on one side, and then the white hairs started to come through fairly quickly and predominately this past 7 - 10 days. Also starting to come through on the other side as well. I had the boyfriend, Al adjust my Wintec to the ultra wide gullet on the weekend hoping that would help. But when I rode on Sunday we could tell by the sweat marks that wasn't helping. I had arranged for Heather to come up from Diamond H Tack to measure his back on Tuesday. Hoping and praying that it was just going to take some creative padding to fix this problem.
This is why I don't buy lottery tickets, because doesn't matter how much I hope and pray - end result is never what I'm hoping or praying for. Okay - I buy the crossword lottery tickets - I LOVE those...
Anyhow, Heather took one look at him and said that she figured the saddle I had was too wide. HUH!!! She measured his back with the crab/chiropractic devise and verified that my saddle really never fit. She gave me a lesson in where the saddle should sit on him and where and how the pressure of the saddle should lie on the back and withers. Clydesdales are not a wide backed horse, Percherons and Belgians and some other draft horses are incrediably wide across the back... but Clydes not so much which make them the more desirable rideable draft breed.
Ozwald takes the same kind of saddle as a thoroughbred, quarter horse, or warmblood, and no padding miracle was going to make my saddle fit. I believe this is when I started chanting, I love my horse, I love my horse, I love my horse. Oz being typical Oz has three women fussing all over him, as he's standing in the middle of the aisle way and I swear he was falling asleep. And its moments like this, when we have a new saddle on him and its taking 3 of us to try and fit a too small girth on him so I can test ride the saddles, and he just stands there like a good boy.
We tried Briannes back up saddle, but that was too narrow for his spine I believe, we then tried her Prestige Saddle... yep - I got to sit in THE saddle, and we test rode that one. (Note to self, add another bottle of wine to the grocery list, for Brianne). But I don't think it fit me, actually I know it didn't fit me.
Then Heather started hauling out saddles out of her van - I have cardboard boxes in my vehicle she has saddles. And we started to test ride a bunch of new close contact saddles, I think I tried 4 or 5 in total. Some fit him and not me, some fit me and not so much him. It was like the three bears, this one is too big, this one is too small,... this one is just right! I found two that I loved - now would be the time I guess to ask for Sponsor the Saddle plight - the first one was actually a youth saddle. But it fit my wee butt, hahahaah, it felt great, it had support for my leg on both sides, and riding in it was just great. My legs finally felt like they were in the right position. So we put on stirrups and test rode the saddle over a crosspole... well we did after Brianne moved the killer flowers from in front. (Can you guess what we will be doing on Thursday, and what my write up will be about). I knew I was going to test ride the saddles, but I didn't think I was going to do anything more then walk around. So no spurs, whip, gloves or helmet - and boy did I feel naked going over the jump.
The saddle felt great, so much better then my old saddle. I would never have thought that a saddle would make jumping feel that much better. The only downside to this saddle was that I felt posting in it, I was posting a wee bit either too high, or it was kind of throwing me out of the seat. I chaulked it up to a new saddle.
Then they brought out a Stubben close contact saddle to try. I test rode that around at a trot and it didn't feel as good as the youth saddle, my legs didn't wrap around him as well as the youth one did. We adjusted the stirrups up one, and it felt better, but still not as good with my leg as the youth one. Then I two pointed in it, and I thought...ohhhhh I like this - like it a lot! Then we were to jump in it, and I don't think we were even completely over the jump before I was yelling SOLD SOLD SOLD! Its just shocking what a huge difference it made! Soooo smooth, there is no way I was going back to my old saddle at that point.
I asked Heather to wait until I made it over the jump before she told me the price, which really wasn't outrageous for a new saddle. And I'm making an investment for my horse. I even like the looks of it, rich dark coloring, and I can't wait to get back into the saddle.
Poor Oz had had enough, he was pooped, no warm up, no lunging, in fact its Tuesday and Tuesday is an off day - I mean honestly what WAS I thinking!
So Ozwald has a new saddle! I will post photos on Thursday. Next to purchase will be a nice new bridle. Hopefully he'll fit a warmblood size, but again I'm hoping and we know that doesn't get me very far!
So now I have an Xtra Wide Wintec All Purpose Saddle with the 4 interchangeable gullet system, if your looking for a saddle give me a shout!
Only a couple of more days before our next show ! Thankfully I will not be worrying about his back any longer and can concentrate on me.
Thank you Brianne for all your help with the saddle fitting, and to Heather and Diamond H for being so patient with our test riding. I think finding the perfect saddle would be similar to finding the perfect Christmas or New Years Eve dress!
Thankfully I don't care if people see me in this more then once.
The day after my lesson is usually a good ride, as I'm focussing on what I learned the day before. At least I'm still of an age I'm retaining it for a day, most of the time! I don't know what it was about this week, but I have been just miserable... heading to the farm, I could have easily turned around, headed home and had a drink... but I thought noooo..... you have a show coming up, and frankly you've got many years to try and catch up on.
Ozzys saddle doesn't fit any longer, and is leaving some marks along his withers... I didn't bring a screwdriver to change the gullet size today, so I almost convinced myself bareback might be better... but then my brain started to work again and I thought one more easy ride won't hurt him, and I'll take my saddle home to change... if this change doesn't work... my credit card will be buying me a new saddle! YIKES!!!!
A neighbour of the barn came up looking for riders for his cutting QH's, I have his name and number, and if your interested call me. But I have to say after this bad week at work I was seriously considering it. Something would have to give though, work or the boyfriend, because I'm certainly not going to cut into Ozwalds time... Ozwald - how do you like it? We are thinking that should actually be his new barn nae. It would help if I knew how to spell it. Ozwold or Ozwald... out comes the baby name book!
I actually really care about this man, so the only thing to give if I was to take it on would be work... and I started to think about hmmm if thats all I did was ride horses and shovel crap... how much would I have to do before I made what I do now....
So in the end if you know of someone that would like to apprentice under this gentleman give me a shout.
I was going to focus today on repeating yesterdays lesson. So I voluntarily tied my stirrups to my girth. But I tied them even closer then Brianne did yesterday. And do I feel the burn up the side of my calf. We worked at a walk, trot, 2 point and a canter with my stirrups tied. I have to say its nice to not worry about keeping your leg on your horse! Although I still have to concentrate on keeping my heels down. I think I'm finally stopping thinking about if I'm posting right, and I think for the most part I'm catching myself without having to think about it. So hopefully the heels down will come automatically.
His canter today was beautiful, and I felt so tall in the saddle. I'm sure there was a few times that I crouched forward into my fetal position, but not too many. It felt in control, he was able to transition into a canter from a sitting trot, rising trot and a walk, and he held it today far better then even yesterday.... He still does the whole motorbike/barrel racing on the short end and falls into my inside leg, despite me standing and bearing all my weight into the outside leg. But along the long side, it was absolutely beautiful and in control, and there were a few corners he was amazing going into.
Then, I'm not sure if I mentioned yesterday, Brianne rose my stirrups to jockey type length and had me focus on my core balance, and heels down. If my heels are not down then I feel like I'm going to fall. Yesterday this was an exercise from HELL. Today I self inflicted it, and I loved it. Reminded me of exercising the track ponies, knees up by my eye balls! We trotted around like that, with me concentrating on dropping my heel and feeling balanced. Although I didn't hold this for as long as my coach made me yesteday (nanana hahaha ) I did hold this during a collected trot, a large trot, and yep I had him canter while in this position. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the feeling of being balanced. Its like a natural high to have a horse trip, or jump, or do something under you that if you weren't sitting well in your seat you'd be all over him (like my last jumping show) but your sitting so well that you don't feel a thing, nothing jarring, nothing knocking you out of the seat.
I see that Zellers has a digital video camera on sale, I think I'm going to stop tomorrow and start taping my lessons and the practice session the next day.
I so love my pony! Which makes having to buy a new saddle not as horrible feeling! If anyone is looking for a wide Wintek English All Purpose Saddle, give me a shout.
And if you have a jumper saddle that would fit a wide draft then give me a shout.
One more week till our next show!
After our show this weekend I was prepared to bust my ass at this lesson! I woke up this morning cranky and just moved to b*tchy through out the day... I was worried that it was going to be a fight between me and Oz today, and I wasn't goiong to be in a learning mood. But as I'm greated by Andy the wonder dog at my vehicle, I smiled for the first time today. Got caught up on Brianne's trip to Alberta, and started to get my boy ready for our lesson.
I saw twine in Brianne's hand and cringed at the thought of my stirrups being tied to my saddle, I could feel the pain before I even got on. But I have to say within about 3 minutes, I loved it! I could do nothing but wrap my leg around my horse, and I wasn't fighting to keep my position. And within about 5 - 10 minutes I loved having them tied! Now forcing my heel down was a practice I didn't care for. Or when my stirrups were raced to jockey height! My calves felt like they were going to explode! But I have to say my balance felt so much better!
We worked over trot poles at a canter, and his canter I would say for 1/2 the lesson felt amazing. There was a few times that I felt like it was just sheer luck he stepped into the canter when he did, and other times that he felt out of control. But there was absolute moments of brillance and lightness and subtleness in him at a canter. Lately his canter has felt on the brink of control, with little lightness in it. But today it felt great, my balance felt so much better. So I think we will continue to practice with my stirrups tied and practicing two pointing at the jockey like position.
It was one of those lessons that you know it has to end, your body is screaming for it to end, your horse is begging for you to be done, but mentally you are having such a great time and are finally getting it that you don't want it to end.
Ozzy is just getting into such incrediable shape, which is resulting in him getting a bit harder to keep light and in control as he is feeling just absolutely awesome. He's looking amazing, and I'm starting to worry that summer is going to pass too fast and I'm only now starting to have things truly sink in.
Our show season is quickly passing by, I pulled the prize list for both IPE and PNE - and considering everything right now.... My vehicle will not pull us to the coast, and to have someone haul us we are looking at 800 - 1000 dollars. I hate gas prices right now!
But our next show is Lanyard Stables Fun Show... and we are looking forward to that!
New photos should be posted over the next few weeks as well, as I'm waiting for the Spring Fever Show photos to come in before I purchase any.
Today was our first "jumper" show, we missed out on the flat classes and hunter yesterday. The first class was 2'0 Green Jumper class, and we had a triple and oxers in our jump pattern. So already I was doubting our abilities, but we attempted it - sort of - Oz refused all the jumps on our first go around, but thankfully it was a schooling show and we were going to get over them come hell or high water. I believe we made it to just after the triple (which was jump 5 out of 8 - although there was the triple in 5 and two combos, so really out of 10 in total) and after that jump I nearly came off, so we said thank you and came out.
The next class was another 2'0 jumper just with the second pattern - he refused a few, and on all of them he came at them too fast and forward that we had to circle before each jump. After this I initially pulled us out of 2'3 as I just didn't have the confidence that we could make it over the jumps and me stay on. But I took a big breathe, put on my big girl panties and put us back in the class. We completed it, but we missed the final jump on the triple, as we were just coming in way too fast, so we skipped it and moved to the next jump. We did complete all the jumps and I managed to stay on. He was such a good boy and an incrediable babysitter for me. We were done then until after lunch, where we had jumper pairs, hoof and woof and then gamblers choice. Brianne and her other students showed up at lunch time, and Robyn was gracious enough to cover my slow butt and partner up with me in the pairs. She took on the triple and the balance of the jumps, and we did 1, 2, combo in 3 and 4. We came in 3rd, but I believe Robyn and George came in first, as she also partnered up with George.
Hoof and Woof was great fun, I didn't relize that I had to bring my own woof, so Brianne graciously donated Andy the super dog... George and Andy went first, but Andy decided once he was on course that he really didn't want to jump in the heat and managed to get out of his collar and went the other way. Oz and I managed to barely make it over all the jumps, and I bailed off and off Andy and I ran... jumping the triple, 6, 7 and the combo on 8 together. He was fabulous, and I was totally out of breathe!
Finally our last class was coming up, Gamblers choice... I thought this will be easy as I don't have to know the pattern. But I found it more difficult to make up my own course as I was out there. That felt like our best class, as we didn't circle, except for one jump that we kinda deeked out on and I didn't want to end on that note.
We also won People Choice Award, and recieved a beautiful bouquet of flowers! Thank you everyone that voted for us! It was the closest we are going to get to derby flowers I'm sure.
Oz was a star for the show, and I have to remember we have never practiced a triple or an oxer, and this was our first jumper class. The jumps come MUCH MUCH faster then hunter class, but its rather addicting. Towards the end when Oz wasn't as hot as in the beginning, and we were coming together as a pair, it felt great, and I think I could have tried to go higher. Not faster just higher.
Hopefully we didn't embarrass our coach or her other students too badly. We had great fun, and I'm itching to get back and start jumping again! Thank you Lindsay Kerns and all her sponsors for putting on a great show.
So when I was investigating horses to purchase prior to buying Oz - I test rode a few breeds, one of which was a thoroughbred - and I thought, I'm not young enough to deal with speed, I also looked at Arabs but also thought, hmmm a bit too hyper for me... So i pick a Clydesdale... steady, slow, perfect.
Except I purchase a Clydesdale that has a split personality - there is Clydesdale Oz (never under saddle) who is big and beautiful, and is a gentle soul that would literally bust his heart to please me. I love Clydesdale Oz.....
Then we have his other personality, Thoro-clyde Oz... this is the side that comes out the moment that the saddle goes on. He believes its all about speed, and hyperness - and everything is WOW, EXCITING, FASTER, BIGGER, FASTER, QUICKER!!!! I believe we are going to have to put up motivational posters in his stall... Ones of the Budweiser Clydes and a big green circle around it... and then the other picture should be of Seattle Slew on the track with a big red cross through it...
Abby, a fan of Oz, came out to have a ride on him today, which was very handy as she worked on the flat with him and warmed him up for me. One of her things on her list To Do Before You Die, (not that she's dying, just planning on living her life fully!) was to ride a Clyde. So she has now done that, she had him walk, trot and a little canter in the arena.
Then I jumped on and out to the cross country field we go to have our lesson with Brianne. We worked on the little stump jump that he will jump one way, but not the other way.... that was an exercise of patience! And I'm pretty sure Brianne has more then I do.
We also did some vertical jumps and a couple of big canters up the field. I can't say I was thrilled with our jumping, but it did feel better then yesteday. More weight in my heels, but I'm also still feeling weak in the leg.
I also relized that I might have been a little cocky with my two point abilities. In the ring, I think I'm fine... I actually enjoy two pointing more then a rising trot. But in the cross country field up the hill - um yeah not so good..... so I know what I'm working on on Monday morning when I ride.
After the jumping part of the lesson we went back into the ring to work on some bending work... and he was feeling a lot better. Finally listening to me and my leg a lot better. In the cross country field, I have to remember to keep talking to him... Its so easy for me to get quiet and concentrate too hard, and its so easy for him to completely ignore me and just focus on jumps and whats going on around him.
Tomorrow we will be jumping at Kelowna Riding Club. We aren't doing any flat classes, so hopefully he won't be too hot. Although generally Oz puts on his game face when we are at shows, and shocks me at how well he behaves. But this will be his first show that is all jumping and no flat...
So if you see us there, remember to remind Oz, he's a jumping Clydesdale NOT a racing tb/clyde.
I've been off riding for the last 5 days, Sunday I was too sore from him stepping on me to ride, and we were coming back from the show. Tuesday was his brand new shoes day, and Thursday my usual lesson day had to be moved to Saturday due to a sales meeting at work. I think this is the longest I've had off for quite awhile. We worked a bit in the arena, just working on bending to my leg. And for the first time ever I finally felt that I really am having difficulty keeping my leg on this massive horse.. today they just sort of hung there. We worked on bending, but it was like, oh whats that on my side??? A Fly? A Bug? The Wind? --- um nope my crop if you don't listen. He was doing okay, but as soon as my leg goes on he likes to rush... so we moved to the round pen to see if that helped. Sorta but not really. I think tomorrow I will be tying my stirrups to my girth and riding! Rode without stirrups for a lap each way - my poor thighs!!!!
We worked on flat bending work for about a half hour, and then moved to the cross country field. I had gone in earlier and set up three of the jumps to be verticles, set orginially at 2' and I think I set one up at 2'3, and one was set at 2'3 but when I taped it, it looked more like 2'6 with the pole on it. We started with a nice controlled trot around the field, as he usually likes to pull to the left and race up the hill. That went well so we tried to go over some of the stumps that have been set up like jumps... those were once again terrifying. So we had a battle over those until he jumped them. All during this time I've been working on my 2 point, and the putting my weight into my heels. I feel like he becomes a shetland pony when I have my weight in my heels I tell ya! We jumped two of the jumps without any problem, they didn't feel pretty, but they were okay. Then we moved to the jump (that by the way Brianne is by the steel pole in the ground at the corner of the property), as we approached this jump, I fought for his attention - as the horses kiddy corner to us were watching him and he was watching them. We went at the jump okay, but then at the last minute he went left over the jump, as we were approaching it I also lost ALL confidence and pretty much threw away the reins and grabbed mane with both hands because I was just SCARED... I was pretty sure this was the jump that was more like 2'6. I have had some close calls due to my position not being right, and its by the grace of god I'm sure I haven't gone ass over tea kettle yet. This landing was BAD and UGLY. I didn't come off, but I'm still not sure why I didn't! He felt like he completely rounded his back over the jump, my weight was not in my heels, and I came flying out of the saddle, and landed back in it... despite over jumping it, the pole came down.... I could have gotten off and re-set it, but I completely started to get nervous! We took just a second and then tackled another jump, and he rubbed that one as well, but I wasn't going to end on either of those notes. Instead we went to the other jump and he had such an amazing jump, my heels were down, and my weight was right where it should have been. It felt so good, I was pretty sure he went through the jump instead of over, as even the take off was AMAZINGLY smooth! But nope he left it up. So on that note we jumped a couple of more times, and then ended our work out with a large full canter, although at the end I kissed him on a bit more and it felt and sounded like a gallop instead of a canter. Again it felt great.
Then we walked up the road so he could catch his breathe. He had to have grown another foot by the way he was walking... his head was way up, and straight as a pole, snorting away, ears perked right up... I thought what the heck.... we always walk up here. Theres no wind, nothing scary, it was completely uneventful, and then I relized what it was. As soon as we walked in the sandy party of the road he relaxed, but as soon as we were on the pavement, he was putting on his track pony act. Yep this was the first time he's heard himself walk on pavement with his new shoes on... and you can certainly hear him coming! Towards the end he calmed down but it was hilarous!
I have a lesson tomorrow, and a lady is coming out to complete one of her "bucket list" items and is going to ride Oz. I'm looking forward to my lesson. Today was great, as I could see some areas that I think I psch myself out. I know when he doesn't listen to my leg, I then also loose confidence a bit and wonder am I asking to move with the right leg, maybe it should be the other leg. So him not listening is making me doubt my aids also. After my lessons I tend to feel a lot more confident in my riding. We both have a long ways to go, but some days I feel like we are actually taking two steps forward instead of two steps back.
Last year I noticed that Ozzys huge hooves were starting to chip and crack a bit in the summer. I spoke to my amazing farrier, Dean Sinclair (yes the instructor for Olds College) about possibly him needing, sigh.... shoes. Ozzy up till then had been barefoot and has incrediable feet for a draft horse. Which typically have horrid hooves. I was cringing at the thought of shoeing a horse that had such healthy feet, but no hoof no horse! So we watched him carefully last year, and hoped that with the change of stabling to a more wet location that we wouldn't need shoes.
His now home (and forever till Brianne kicks us out) is also dry, so over the past few months we have been watching his feet and deciding to hold off till the last possible time. Today was the day. Dean had been prepared that we would have to have him shod at some point this year, so he had shoes made up in advance.
Ozzy has always been good with the farrier, and I have been very diligent that he be a horse that is okay with having his hooves handled. Again most drafts this is an area that is neglected. I had prepared him over the past couple of weeks by banging on his hoof wall when I picked his feet, so that he wouldn't panic when the nails are put in.
The day didn't start well as it was raining outside, and Ozzy was out - melting in his mind in the rain! So we brought him in, and boy was he CRANKY! Ears back, nasty eyes, just a very miserable character. He had been apparently cranky since it started to rain.
Dean and his apprentice start working on his feet, trimming away, and everything is fine. Except that he continues to have his cranky face on... which is totally laughable. I mean its a little rain, not even a downpour, not a storm, just a bit of steady rain, for maybe 4 hours. I was prepared for him to be a bit skittish with the banging and such with his feet. I wasn't even thinking hot shoeing - which is what is was going to be. As Dean put the hot shoe on his hoof, and the smoke rose up around us as well as the smell of burning hoof I thought, OH CRAP! This is probably not going to go well.... but my boy again proved you put something in front of him and he just takes it like a trooper. Barely a flinch through out the process! He is truly a horse with more heart then I've ever seen before.
Dean and his students have always been incrediable with us as well! Most farrier cringe when they hear "draft" but Dean has always been there for us. He's always on time, (even when I forget - I was a bad client once!) he's quick, he does an INCREDIABLE job, and I'm not having to re-mortgage my house for my farrier care.
I don't know if he's taking on new clients, but I know I am such a lucky horse owner. I am surrounded by people that are just superior in their field. My coach is wonderful, and I just totally trust her and her judgement, my vet - well I'm pretty sure I have the best in BC, and my farrier.... again, I am so spoiled. And then we have Oz - which I don't think I could find another in this world! How could we not succeed in what ever we choose to do with this kind of team!
Pictures to come tomorrow of Oz and his new shoes! The show pictures from Topline should be coming up tomorrow as well.
Topline H/J Schooling Show Weekend.
On Friday Oz, me, our coach and a bunch of her fabulous students and their horses all trailered up to Salmon Arm for the weekend of showing. There was I believe 7 students of Briannes in total and then parents, and other family members. The weather tried to cooperate, and during the actual showing it was dry, Saturday it was warm and dry, Sunday just dry. But after our classes in the evenings, we had downpour. And for those of you that don't know this, Ozzy melts when its raining, and was thoroughly not impressed with the fact that he was outside during all this. He did have a rain sheet and cooler on, but he's used to his large warm stall when the weather starts to turn, let alone left outside with no shelter ALL night while it rained ALL night. I believe if showing is going to be as active as I'd like, I may have to look for sponsors just for a bigger trailer and truck... just so the precious Oz doesn't have to sleep outside,but can stay warm and dry in the trailer with me.
Saturday was our day to show, and I had signed us up for 8 classes that day. 5 Flat classes in the am, and then 3 Hunter classes in the afternoon. Our first class was English Equitation, and he was a very good boy for that class. I believe we got a 3rd in that class out of 6 or 7. Next was English Pleasure, and Oz again was a star - his canter was still a bit strong, but nothing in comparison to other shows or at home when he wants to canter, we recieved a 2nd out of 7 in that class as well. Hunter Uner Saddle was our 3rd class, and I probably went into the ring to loose. He's a Clyde I don't want flat knee or a light horse look. We also were on the wrong lead in our canter at least at one point possibly two. We took a 5th/5 on that class. During this class, he was also not paying attention to me, but watching the otherside of the ring be set up with jumps.... and you could just feel him getting all hot (well hot for him) as he saw the standards going up.
We had 2 other classes, command and something else, but I was getting a wee bit pooped - its not THAT easy riding a green clyde, when your a green and out of shape rider yourself. And knowing we had 3 Hunter classes coming up, we decided to give him and me a break and scratch the next couple of classes and put him in his pen for a rest.
I think the last thing that horse needed was a rest in retrospect! When it was getting close to our poles on the ground class and I was tacking him up, he was tossing his head up at the slightest touch of the reins. At first I thought I may have twisted the bit in his mouth, or gotten it under his tongue somehow... so I took it off and then put it back in, and it didn't help. I had Brianne get on him, as I was just worried that something was bothering him. But nope nothing bothering him... he was just itching to go.
Our first class was poles on the ground, we had I think it was 10 poles to go over, and he was doing very well until we got to a set that on the right hand side of the standard was a jump that looked like a wall.... well that was SCARY! And he deeked left. So we turned around and made sure that this time he was going to go over it. We finished that class. But as he had made that refusal - we knew we were out. I haven't had a chance to see the photos from that class to see if he was stepping over the poles or jumping them. Poles on the ground is something he used to love, then for a while he was trying to scoot around them at home and at the Summerland show, and so we've been working with them a bit at home... but with him its a crap shoot on somethings whether he's going to work with me or against me. This time he worked with me.
The next class was cross rails, which quite frankly looked HUGE!!! I don't know what it was about them that had me intimidated, whether it was because the sides were so much higher then I was used to, but I know now that I went into that class with my head already doubting us.
The first jump was beautiful, but after that my pony covered my ass through the whole course. We stayed on course this time (YEAH!!!) and not a rail down (YEAH!!!) but I did not have my heels down or my back straight, shoulders back... I let my horse down. We finished, but it wasn't pretty and I know it.
After that class, we were done, okay I was done. My legs were like jello! Oz was still ripping to go though, and I thought if I was that nervous on my cross poles class then I am not going to be able to do 2' hunter. I put my horse away, and came to watch the class... and kicked myself totally for it. I knew I could have done that class - if my legs weren't so jello like! The 2' vertical looked so much smaller then the cross rails, and I know we had done a vertical that looked much higher then that at home. But I also knew that I was just so tired.
We stayed until Sunday to support the other riders, George, Kim, Kyra, Little Amy, Megan and Robin who were absolutely fabulous! Everyone went home with a ribbon in some class.
It was a great weekend, fun despite the weather. The facility is amazing! And the people that were running it were really great. I'm not sure who the whipper in was but he was there all weekend, I don't think I saw that man take a break and on Saturday we were showing steady from 9am to 7:30pm. Sunday 9am to 3:30pm. This is definately a place I'd love to show again! It was a great learning experience for us, as we've only had a coach at one other show with us and that was last year when I was showing against 10 year olds. Brianne was incrediably patient and supportive, and I think we all love having her on the side lines for us, and in the warm up rings with us.
Moving forward what I did take away from this show is that I am done with flat classes at least at shows. Keeping my legs on him is hard hard work, specially on those days that he just doesn't want to listen to your leg, its that much harder! And to use up so much energy for classes that both of us have grown a wee bit tired of doing is just not doing either of us any good. So moving forward its hunter classes and small jumping going forward. We will save the flat schooling for home, and have fun at the shows doing what we both love to do!
Our next show is in Kelowna this coming long weekend, and we will now be just entering the Sunday classes. Although Oz stepped on my foot or rather toe over the weekend (as he was trying to avoid stepping in poop in his pen) and its rather purple, blue, sore and swollen right now. I had my bf look at it as he used to be a first responder with a company years ago, and he said it didn't look broken, sprained is a good possiblity. I know it won't fit in a tall boot this weekend, but its not going to stop me from riding. I'm going to try and fit it in a field boot today and go out there and tool around with him. At this point I'm devoted to riding 4 days a week, but I will also be playing lottery cards often as my heart wants to be riding 6 days a week now!
There was a professional photographer at the show, and I'm just waiting for a couple of days until she gets the photos up online and then I will be buying some. I will post them as I get them. Other people took some shots as well, and my mom took some video. So I will be trying to upload those as well either later today or tomorrow.
WOW !! On the second day this site had over 300 views, now the pressure is on!!!
Thank you that have wrote on my blog, I'm finding this will be far easier then updating on mane street and facebook, and bc horse council.... etc etc.
We are a matter of DAYS away from our show in Salmon Arm, and I'm starting to stress NOW! So much to do and so little time! Fortunately our coach put on a jumping schooling clinic this weekend for a bunch of her students, so its not feeling like we are going in completely cold turkey.
Brianne rode him last night, as on the weekend he seemed to pick up an aversion to going right. Fought him everytime I wanted to go right. But then when B. rode him yesterday it was left that he wasn't giving to... so if this continues by the time the show comes along he should go right and left just not straight. Oz had some beautiful moments though yesterday while B was riding him. You'd watch and suddenly he was so rounded and collected, he was holding himself beautifully, and then after about 3 or 4 steps. Not long enough for me to get any great shots, although I have a few more in the camera, that I will post later today.
I have another lesson tomorrow - thank god! And then hopefully we can get out the the show grounds early enough on Friday that we can get in another ride. I can't believe how the butterflies are already in my stomach for this show! Its still just a schooling show, yet I feel like I'm competing at Spruce Meadows - ahhh Spruce Meadowns - one day! One day!
I should also see if I can add one of those ticker countdown thingys onto this website, cuz its only 107 more days till PNE!
Sorry only two turned out, my camera SUCKS!!!!!
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