26 September 2011
We are back from Poplar Place! Or as the Ag Station cop told me… 11 horse trailers have been through goin’ to Popular Place!
We left on Thursday in the ginormous Joe Meyer Eventing rig. Joe and Ruthie were kind enough to let me take their wheels for the weekend since they are in England. Yep, just me, two dogs and two red ponies. First time doing a weekend horse show by myself AND first time using the living quarters. Foresight is nonexistent and hindsight is 20/20...
Poor Hewie had a bit of drama before we left for the show. On Sunday he got stuck with a hot nail on his LF. He was pretty lame the next morning so I pulled the shoe off right away and started the soak-ice-pack routine. I was able to give him a little bute but had to stay within the FEI guidelines since he was entered in the 2*. We jumped with Jon Holling on Wednesday and he seemed to be all right, so cautiously off we went. Hewie trotted up like a pro at his in-barn and seemed to be ready to go.
Thursday night was a bit of a cluster. Between checking in, riding Donald and getting organized for the next day I barely had time to set up the LQ. Right, so, turns out campers have different plugs that won’t fit in normal outlets. Who knew? Obviously not me. Good thing Kyle Carter knew and he generously lent me a converter so I could plug into the generator. Got the plug, got the generator going, just in time for a gigantic thunderstorm. Of course, the generator dies (out of gas), and there is no way I am going out in the monsoon to fill it up. Meanwhile the spooky dog is freaking out at the thunder and spinning in circles, making it difficult to unpack and get settled. A 10’ area suddenly becomes very, very small when there is a terrified animal sharing your space.
Also, despite desperate attempts, I never could convince the refrigerator to get going. I purposely packed the thing full because I wasn’t going to try and unhook at the show - hydraulic jack a little dicey.
I think it goes without saying that I am not cut out for camper living.
Friday morning comes and I am certain I look like death. Donald goes at 8:30 in the CIC3* and in order to maintain our new dressage day routine it meant I was in the barn at 5am. He was a bit of a twit when I did our “pre-ride” in the morning and I was worried he would be up to his old tricks again. Proof is in the pudding, what I am doing with him is working and he put in a really good test (for him). Very steady, relaxed, calm. That is what we are going for right now. I had a very short time between Hewie and Donald so I hustled to get on him and see how he felt. Basically OK but came up a little short in the 10m circles. Decided to play it safe, pull him out of the 2* and gave him a gram of bute. Of course… suddenly completely sound! Donna at Poplar was so sweet and let me enter him in the HT to practice a test in which he was a spooky hot mess. To stay on the safe side I did not do any more with him that weekend.
The 3* course definitely rode harder than it walked. Rarely do I have to scrap a bit on Donald but we did this weekend. Between the angled cannons, double corners and the gnarly rail/bank/coffin at the end, our work was cut out for us! We jumped clean and had the 2nd fastest time of the day. I underestimated the terrain at Poplar and it was a pretty good test of fitness. It is clear Donald needs to be more fit for Galway but he is just about where he should be now, lots more trotting and a few more good gallops and he will be all set for our Cali trip.
I got held in the jog on Sunday morning, mostly I think because I trotted him up like an idiot the first time. I sprinted down the lane with his head cocked sideways like I had never seen a jog strip in my life. Maybe it was the combined lack of sleep and lack of nourishment from my failed attempt at camper living. Other than a small stifle rub Donald had not a hair out of place, so of course I chose to represent him, which he passed easily.
The show jumping course was long and tricky. Since I have been having some lessons with Jon he has been a distance Hitler, I get reemed if I’m not loving the base. It is good for me and he is right. I am having a hard time making myself see that extra 6 inches and my eye is off. It will take me a few more jump schools to start seeing a more correct distance. In the meantime, at Poplar in the show jumping I rode like an idiot. I think I missed at every jump. Better lucky than good… I think Donald thought I was trying to kill us both and he suddenly became extra careful. All the rails stayed up but I had a few time faults. I am trying to see a deeper distance by holding when I need to be riding forward to the same distance. I will need to get this all sorted before Galway and practice, practice, practice.
The Red Moose ended up in 3rd again and although I am getting tired of seeing yellow ribbons I am thrilled with him. This was his best 3* finish yet and I am so happy to see him being consistent. I have always known that I have a wonderful cross country partner in Donald, but I feel that we are really finding our groove as a team in general. He is a funny horse and it takes a while to “get” him. He will now just go to some dressage and show jumping shows, maybe an Intermediate horse trial on the way to California. Trying to put the finishing touches on what I hope will be a winning performance.
Hewie is fine now and I will have to find another Intermediate run for him. He is spooky and sensitive and is the type of horse that needs to keep running to be at his best. I also have a whole month now to figure out the living quarters.
Til next time
Katie, Donald and Hewie
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Adventures of an Eventing Gypsy
Jeez it’s been a while since my last update. I apologize for not keeping up on this but when you can’t seem to stay in the same time zone for more than a week it gets a bit tricky. The months of July and August have absolutely flown by as I have traveled from state to state, horse show to horse show, sofa to sofa. My road trip diet was basically made up equally of candy, coffee and alcohol. I like to call this the “trifecta”. I have the caffeine shakes, significant debt from purchasing diesel fuel, and a left arm tan that would make a truck diver jealous.
But how lucky was I?! Donald and I received a travel grant from the Broussard family and the Endowment Trust to attend the Rebecca Farm CIC3* in Montana. If we competed there, we were eligible for a much larger grant to go overseas. I found out about my grant just about the last minute, so I scraped and scurried to find a way out there. Luckily for me my new neighbor in Florida, Joy Meyer, was planning to head out there too. I called them on a Wednesday and we left the next day. I had never met Joe or his girlfriend before, no better way to get to know someone than spend 4 days in a truck with them I suppose.
5 blown tires later we arrived in Salt Lake City where Joe and Ruthie had some sales horses to drop off. I’m sure the 3 of us were quite the sight, unkempt, unwashed, covered in grease and dirt from changing tire after tire. At least now I had an excuse for looking so disheveled, rather than I simply cannot be bothered with a hairbrush or makeup.
At last we were on our last leg of the journey to Montana. Joe had two rides, Snip in the CIC3* and Heidi the mare in the Preliminary. My Donald of course was in the CIC3* also. I got a lot of crap from my friends about driving, how horrible it must have been to go all that way. I am really glad we did the drive. I saw a lot of parts of the country that I otherwise would never have gotten to see. This country is so big and beautiful, it has so much to offer. Except gas stations. We sort of ran out of those when we hit the Montana state line. Luckily I am extremely experienced in running trucks down to the last drop. When I hit 0 Miles to E in their truck Ruthie got all sweaty and I think Joe’s eye started to twitch. No big deal, coasted in on neutral to Ovando, Montana, a town I will never forget!! We bought ALL of their diesel! And a pie.
We arrive at Rebecca Farm!!! Everything is stunning and built to perfection. It is the perfect venue. It has all the bells and whistles. Donald got a humungous permanent end stall which, being 17.2, I think he greatly appreciated. Joe and Ruthie went lake trout fishing and we had fresh Montana fish.
Of course Donald trotted up at the first inspection like a pro. I then had my grant interview with some of the members from the committee. It was a bit of an emotional time being at Rebecca Farm, since the grant was given to us developing riders by Miss Becky who died of cancer last year. It is an extremely selfless and generous thing that she did for us riders, but that is just the type of person she was. I had written the Broussard family a letter after attending Miss Becky’s memorial at Rolex this year. It was on the Thursday after my horrendous and embarrassing dressage, I didn’t really feel like leaving my hotel room and I looked like I had gotten hit by a bus. I went anyway, and it was just amazing to be around these wonderful people, like how Miss Becky was, people who just wanted to support you no matter what. We started to talk about the letter in my interview and before I knew it they were crying, I was crying, nothing really got accomplished but some crying. Not really the way I wanted it to go but if nothing else it was sincere.
SO Surprise Surprise, Donald is up to his old tricks in Dressage again. I wish I had been able to get him out to a dressage show before loading up for Montana but there just was no time. It is strange, more than he is being a jerk I really do think he gets scared when the spotlight is on him. He normally a very confident horse with a bit of an ego but he just feels all clammy and nervous sometimes in the ring. I got on the computer that night and entered 3 dressage shows.
Also not a shocker, Donald ran clean and fast XC. Just 4 seconds over the optimum time which I am a bit bummed about. I need to learn how to shave the seconds off a bit more since he just is not a fast horse. I had one down in the show jumping, the middle part of the triple which was a tall and airy vertical. Overall we finished in 13th place which is my unlucky number since this will be the 3rd 3* that I have finished in 13th place. Must do better.
On the road again, this time back to Salt Lake City for Joe to teach a 3 day clinic. I picked up a few rides there and got to have some lessons with Joe which I really enjoyed. I think Donald appreciates the way Joe works with him as he is not really the type of horse you can just kick and kick or push around. The barn in Salt Lake is amazing and the people are just the best. I can’t wait to go back. I wish I skied or snowboarded since the barn is right near several resorts like Snowbird. But being afraid of heights and snow kind of puts the kabash on that plan.
After the clinic we headed east back through Wyoming and Kansas and eventually we hooked up with my trailer in Michigan. We paid someone to drive my rig up with Joe and my 2* horses to meet us. Joe and Ruthie headed off to Millbrook and I took my ponies to Michigan to stay with my good friend Jamie and do a bit of family visit.
I learned some amazing things and met some wonderful people on the trip to Montana. The Broussards treated me like family and I am so grateful to have them in my life. Joe has a wealth of knowledge and he was extremely generous to answer all my questions without getting too annoyed. Ruthie is a marketing and PR genius and it was so helpful to get her insight also. I am not sure if Joe and Ruthie realize that they are stuck with me now. More importantly I learned how to make a margarita in the backseat and roughly 20 obscure ways to open a beer bottle. And I kicked their asses at Monopoly. Every time.
The time I spent in Michigan was really good for me to work on my own with my horses. I went to dressage shows, I jumped on my own, I spent time really getting back to solidly communicating with my horses. I took them to a local Intermediate horse trial where they finished 3rd and 4th. On to Richland Park, the big event in August. Donald was in the Advanced horse trail and Hewie in the Intermediate. I also had Pips, the 4yo, in her first Training level.
I didn’t really do much breathing on Thursday before Donald’s dressage. I did a bit of a different warm up. Low and behold, it worked. Donald scored a 36 which put him in 7th place in a very big and impressive Advanced class. I had to scroll top-down to find his result rather than bottom-up!! Good boy Big Red!! Hewie also put in a good test finishing on a 35 in the Intermediate.
Cross Country Day!! Duh, Donald and Hewie are super stars yet again. They are so much fun to run and jump with. They know their jobs perfectly and we just get along great. I was 10 seconds slow on Hewie which I was kicking myself about because he is extremely fast. He can be a bit green and spooky in the woods and road crossings and he gets out of balance easily. I just err on the side of caution when I ride him since he is only 7. Donald bombed around the big and technical track and jumped every fence just as I thought he would. Took a bit of a leap into the 2nd water and I got snapped out of the tack since is big and I am small. Of course Donald being the true professional he just held his line and jumped the frog out without a question. I was 4 seconds slow on Donald again. I am not being too hard on myself about it right now since both Donald and Hewie are not as fit as they will be in 2 months when we are at our big fall 3 day, Galway in California.
Donald was tied for 3rd going into show jumping which I was freaking out over a bit. He is finally getting some really good results and is even the 9th placed Advanced horse in the country. I turned him a bit too quickly in the arena to 4a which was an upright vertical down a hill with a brush box and I don’t think I gave him enough time to study it and I had the rail down. For being a big horse Donald is surprisingly sensitive and I think it rattled him a bit, he got a bit scooty so I also had 5 down which was an angled vertical. Other than my mistake he truly is jumping better than he has ever jumped. Luckily for me the rails fell easy for everyone and we held on to our 3rd place in the Advanced division. Hewie also had one rail which I was pretty upset about because I literally did not even hear him touch it. He is jumping so well and in such a good rhythm, it is like butter.
The little mare Piper also finished on her dressage score in 3rd place at her first Training level. WOW what a nice girl she is. She is for sale…. !!
We packed up and drove 18 hours straight back to Florida. SO GOOD TO BE HOME!! I’m currently working on tackling The Jungle aka my yard. Going to hit some more dressage shows and practice my show jumping, obviously. Get the boys a bit fitter. I decided to skip on the AEC’s since I truly am just a bit burnt out physically and financially. I am going to work on things at home and take both of them to Poplar Place where Donald will do the CIC3* and Hewie will do the CIC2*. I think Poplar and Galway are the only two 3*’s in North America that Donald has not done yet. He has jumped around every other one, some two or three times. Was really hoping to get overseas this fall but it was just not in the cards for me. Next year. Galway seems like a pretty cool Plan B and I am really getting excited to head out to the left coast.
Kisses from Donald, Hewie and me of course
But how lucky was I?! Donald and I received a travel grant from the Broussard family and the Endowment Trust to attend the Rebecca Farm CIC3* in Montana. If we competed there, we were eligible for a much larger grant to go overseas. I found out about my grant just about the last minute, so I scraped and scurried to find a way out there. Luckily for me my new neighbor in Florida, Joy Meyer, was planning to head out there too. I called them on a Wednesday and we left the next day. I had never met Joe or his girlfriend before, no better way to get to know someone than spend 4 days in a truck with them I suppose.
5 blown tires later we arrived in Salt Lake City where Joe and Ruthie had some sales horses to drop off. I’m sure the 3 of us were quite the sight, unkempt, unwashed, covered in grease and dirt from changing tire after tire. At least now I had an excuse for looking so disheveled, rather than I simply cannot be bothered with a hairbrush or makeup.
At last we were on our last leg of the journey to Montana. Joe had two rides, Snip in the CIC3* and Heidi the mare in the Preliminary. My Donald of course was in the CIC3* also. I got a lot of crap from my friends about driving, how horrible it must have been to go all that way. I am really glad we did the drive. I saw a lot of parts of the country that I otherwise would never have gotten to see. This country is so big and beautiful, it has so much to offer. Except gas stations. We sort of ran out of those when we hit the Montana state line. Luckily I am extremely experienced in running trucks down to the last drop. When I hit 0 Miles to E in their truck Ruthie got all sweaty and I think Joe’s eye started to twitch. No big deal, coasted in on neutral to Ovando, Montana, a town I will never forget!! We bought ALL of their diesel! And a pie.
We arrive at Rebecca Farm!!! Everything is stunning and built to perfection. It is the perfect venue. It has all the bells and whistles. Donald got a humungous permanent end stall which, being 17.2, I think he greatly appreciated. Joe and Ruthie went lake trout fishing and we had fresh Montana fish.
Of course Donald trotted up at the first inspection like a pro. I then had my grant interview with some of the members from the committee. It was a bit of an emotional time being at Rebecca Farm, since the grant was given to us developing riders by Miss Becky who died of cancer last year. It is an extremely selfless and generous thing that she did for us riders, but that is just the type of person she was. I had written the Broussard family a letter after attending Miss Becky’s memorial at Rolex this year. It was on the Thursday after my horrendous and embarrassing dressage, I didn’t really feel like leaving my hotel room and I looked like I had gotten hit by a bus. I went anyway, and it was just amazing to be around these wonderful people, like how Miss Becky was, people who just wanted to support you no matter what. We started to talk about the letter in my interview and before I knew it they were crying, I was crying, nothing really got accomplished but some crying. Not really the way I wanted it to go but if nothing else it was sincere.
SO Surprise Surprise, Donald is up to his old tricks in Dressage again. I wish I had been able to get him out to a dressage show before loading up for Montana but there just was no time. It is strange, more than he is being a jerk I really do think he gets scared when the spotlight is on him. He normally a very confident horse with a bit of an ego but he just feels all clammy and nervous sometimes in the ring. I got on the computer that night and entered 3 dressage shows.
Also not a shocker, Donald ran clean and fast XC. Just 4 seconds over the optimum time which I am a bit bummed about. I need to learn how to shave the seconds off a bit more since he just is not a fast horse. I had one down in the show jumping, the middle part of the triple which was a tall and airy vertical. Overall we finished in 13th place which is my unlucky number since this will be the 3rd 3* that I have finished in 13th place. Must do better.
On the road again, this time back to Salt Lake City for Joe to teach a 3 day clinic. I picked up a few rides there and got to have some lessons with Joe which I really enjoyed. I think Donald appreciates the way Joe works with him as he is not really the type of horse you can just kick and kick or push around. The barn in Salt Lake is amazing and the people are just the best. I can’t wait to go back. I wish I skied or snowboarded since the barn is right near several resorts like Snowbird. But being afraid of heights and snow kind of puts the kabash on that plan.
After the clinic we headed east back through Wyoming and Kansas and eventually we hooked up with my trailer in Michigan. We paid someone to drive my rig up with Joe and my 2* horses to meet us. Joe and Ruthie headed off to Millbrook and I took my ponies to Michigan to stay with my good friend Jamie and do a bit of family visit.
I learned some amazing things and met some wonderful people on the trip to Montana. The Broussards treated me like family and I am so grateful to have them in my life. Joe has a wealth of knowledge and he was extremely generous to answer all my questions without getting too annoyed. Ruthie is a marketing and PR genius and it was so helpful to get her insight also. I am not sure if Joe and Ruthie realize that they are stuck with me now. More importantly I learned how to make a margarita in the backseat and roughly 20 obscure ways to open a beer bottle. And I kicked their asses at Monopoly. Every time.
The time I spent in Michigan was really good for me to work on my own with my horses. I went to dressage shows, I jumped on my own, I spent time really getting back to solidly communicating with my horses. I took them to a local Intermediate horse trial where they finished 3rd and 4th. On to Richland Park, the big event in August. Donald was in the Advanced horse trail and Hewie in the Intermediate. I also had Pips, the 4yo, in her first Training level.
I didn’t really do much breathing on Thursday before Donald’s dressage. I did a bit of a different warm up. Low and behold, it worked. Donald scored a 36 which put him in 7th place in a very big and impressive Advanced class. I had to scroll top-down to find his result rather than bottom-up!! Good boy Big Red!! Hewie also put in a good test finishing on a 35 in the Intermediate.
Cross Country Day!! Duh, Donald and Hewie are super stars yet again. They are so much fun to run and jump with. They know their jobs perfectly and we just get along great. I was 10 seconds slow on Hewie which I was kicking myself about because he is extremely fast. He can be a bit green and spooky in the woods and road crossings and he gets out of balance easily. I just err on the side of caution when I ride him since he is only 7. Donald bombed around the big and technical track and jumped every fence just as I thought he would. Took a bit of a leap into the 2nd water and I got snapped out of the tack since is big and I am small. Of course Donald being the true professional he just held his line and jumped the frog out without a question. I was 4 seconds slow on Donald again. I am not being too hard on myself about it right now since both Donald and Hewie are not as fit as they will be in 2 months when we are at our big fall 3 day, Galway in California.
Donald was tied for 3rd going into show jumping which I was freaking out over a bit. He is finally getting some really good results and is even the 9th placed Advanced horse in the country. I turned him a bit too quickly in the arena to 4a which was an upright vertical down a hill with a brush box and I don’t think I gave him enough time to study it and I had the rail down. For being a big horse Donald is surprisingly sensitive and I think it rattled him a bit, he got a bit scooty so I also had 5 down which was an angled vertical. Other than my mistake he truly is jumping better than he has ever jumped. Luckily for me the rails fell easy for everyone and we held on to our 3rd place in the Advanced division. Hewie also had one rail which I was pretty upset about because I literally did not even hear him touch it. He is jumping so well and in such a good rhythm, it is like butter.
The little mare Piper also finished on her dressage score in 3rd place at her first Training level. WOW what a nice girl she is. She is for sale…. !!
We packed up and drove 18 hours straight back to Florida. SO GOOD TO BE HOME!! I’m currently working on tackling The Jungle aka my yard. Going to hit some more dressage shows and practice my show jumping, obviously. Get the boys a bit fitter. I decided to skip on the AEC’s since I truly am just a bit burnt out physically and financially. I am going to work on things at home and take both of them to Poplar Place where Donald will do the CIC3* and Hewie will do the CIC2*. I think Poplar and Galway are the only two 3*’s in North America that Donald has not done yet. He has jumped around every other one, some two or three times. Was really hoping to get overseas this fall but it was just not in the cards for me. Next year. Galway seems like a pretty cool Plan B and I am really getting excited to head out to the left coast.
Kisses from Donald, Hewie and me of course
Monday, July 4, 2011
Kids These Days
Allow me to stray from my typical training updates and write about something that has been on my mind.
Oh, and Happy 4th! Enjoy some beer and fireworks (but not near the barn!)
Since Bromont and moving to Florida I’ve been on a little bit of a “Summer Break”, I’ve had some extra time to do some reading, writing, and generally just time to pay attention to what’s going on in the world.
I’m disappointed in the youth of eventing at the moment. This all started at Bromont, where two young ladies were stabled in the same aisle as us. My student Natalia, my great friend Christy, and my mother all came to support me that week. 1 horse is not enough work for 4 people, so when we weren’t taking care of Hewie, we were adding to the team effort. Our neighbor across the aisle had 4 horses for 2 people so of course we spent a good deal of time helping them braid, take care of horses in the vet box, schlep things back and forth from the barn, etc. Nothing extraordinary but simply things that needing doing. Natalia was also sweet enough to help Emma, Phillip’s groom, on cross country day when everything was crazy. And of course, there is ALWAYS something to do at Team BDJ!
In our particular aisle, there was a young girl. A young girl whose horse blankets were the same color as Phillip’s. A young girl who was certain Natalia had stolen her cooler and spoke to her in such derogatory manner you’d think she was a sailor. Until she saw Big Phil’s name embroidered on the rug. Oops. Same young girl, hours later, severely disrespecting her mother (whom I am certain writes the checks) in the middle of the aisle in front of her grooms, coach, peers. How and when did this become acceptable behavior at a horse show?
Same horse show, different young girl. She was being paid to groom for a young rider. At several points throughout the weekend, she had been asked to do a task by her rider, to which she replied, “No”. Knowing the wonderful family of this young rider well I am sure the groom was paid up front and her every need was attended to without question. The girl, who was currently at one of the best competitions in North America, refused to attempt to learn something by doing work and then complained about wanting to reach to Advanced level. And no, I’m sorry, playing games on your phone for the majority of the day will not help you reach that goal.
If you’re a young rider sitting there thinking, Gosh, I have the talent, if I had those opportunities I would never muck it up like those girls did. I’m really hoping that I would agree with you, but sadly, I have seen many BN/N kids starting out that display the same terrible work ethic and “poor me” attitude. My attention was drawn to a post on the Chronicle (Yes, I do admit I read the Chronicle sometimes, ever since my 12 page train wreck meltdown thread). This post was by a young girl who was venting about not having opportunities, about being better than her peers, about how she should be able to compete more than she is. Venting is OK and I certainly understand the sentiment, but venting is annoying and pointless behavior unless you use it to help you find a better solution. There is a sense of entitlement and a “things should be easy” attitude with some of these young riders, and I know more than most, because often my working students walk through the doors with that chip on their shoulders. Some of these working students don’t make it past their first month, because I am simply unwilling to accommodate that attitude. The good ones buck up and make every day a learning opportunity, and those working students I often have gone way above and beyond for.
Here is a memo to you young riders out there from someone who isn’t armchair quarterbacking. In this sport you never reach the top and think Yes, I’ve done it. I feel like some of you think that once you reach the Advanced level it is all sunshine, rainbows and smooth sailing. In reality, this is where the true hardship begins. I own two upper level horses, one that I have produced myself from day 1 and one that had been produced to the Intermediate level. I am clearly more fortunate than most to have access to such fabulous partners, but it hasn’t been without struggle. It is all on me to keep them fed, keep shoes on their feet and a roof over their head. It is on me to provide myself with the best coaching and lessons that I can afford. After all that is said and done, yes, sometimes there isn’t money leftover to compete them or do all the things I want to do. I had a conversation this winter with Sharon White, when I was down south for the winter training with Donald and Hewie and wasn’t able to be in Maryland working. I was struggling so badly to keep the farm in Maryland going and also stay on track with my competition schedule. I remember asking her with tears in my eyes, how do you do this? You seem like you have it together, what’s your secret? All she said to me was, “You are doing it”. That’s when I realized it will never get any easier, so I better decide if this is something I want. It is.
My point and the bottom line for me is, how badly do you want it?
Badly enough to move 800 miles away from all your friends and family to be a working student? Badly enough to wake up at 3am on a daily basis to gallop racehorses for extra cash to compete? Badly enough to move 900 miles again to be closer to more training opportunities? Badly enough to keep going after being completely humiliated and heartbroken at one of the biggest events in the world? Badly enough to prove every person who ever called you lazy, untalented, stupid, or just plain not good enough, wrong?
I hope every young rider takes a good, hard look in the mirror and asks themselves;
How badly do you want it?
Oh, and Happy 4th! Enjoy some beer and fireworks (but not near the barn!)
Since Bromont and moving to Florida I’ve been on a little bit of a “Summer Break”, I’ve had some extra time to do some reading, writing, and generally just time to pay attention to what’s going on in the world.
I’m disappointed in the youth of eventing at the moment. This all started at Bromont, where two young ladies were stabled in the same aisle as us. My student Natalia, my great friend Christy, and my mother all came to support me that week. 1 horse is not enough work for 4 people, so when we weren’t taking care of Hewie, we were adding to the team effort. Our neighbor across the aisle had 4 horses for 2 people so of course we spent a good deal of time helping them braid, take care of horses in the vet box, schlep things back and forth from the barn, etc. Nothing extraordinary but simply things that needing doing. Natalia was also sweet enough to help Emma, Phillip’s groom, on cross country day when everything was crazy. And of course, there is ALWAYS something to do at Team BDJ!
In our particular aisle, there was a young girl. A young girl whose horse blankets were the same color as Phillip’s. A young girl who was certain Natalia had stolen her cooler and spoke to her in such derogatory manner you’d think she was a sailor. Until she saw Big Phil’s name embroidered on the rug. Oops. Same young girl, hours later, severely disrespecting her mother (whom I am certain writes the checks) in the middle of the aisle in front of her grooms, coach, peers. How and when did this become acceptable behavior at a horse show?
Same horse show, different young girl. She was being paid to groom for a young rider. At several points throughout the weekend, she had been asked to do a task by her rider, to which she replied, “No”. Knowing the wonderful family of this young rider well I am sure the groom was paid up front and her every need was attended to without question. The girl, who was currently at one of the best competitions in North America, refused to attempt to learn something by doing work and then complained about wanting to reach to Advanced level. And no, I’m sorry, playing games on your phone for the majority of the day will not help you reach that goal.
If you’re a young rider sitting there thinking, Gosh, I have the talent, if I had those opportunities I would never muck it up like those girls did. I’m really hoping that I would agree with you, but sadly, I have seen many BN/N kids starting out that display the same terrible work ethic and “poor me” attitude. My attention was drawn to a post on the Chronicle (Yes, I do admit I read the Chronicle sometimes, ever since my 12 page train wreck meltdown thread). This post was by a young girl who was venting about not having opportunities, about being better than her peers, about how she should be able to compete more than she is. Venting is OK and I certainly understand the sentiment, but venting is annoying and pointless behavior unless you use it to help you find a better solution. There is a sense of entitlement and a “things should be easy” attitude with some of these young riders, and I know more than most, because often my working students walk through the doors with that chip on their shoulders. Some of these working students don’t make it past their first month, because I am simply unwilling to accommodate that attitude. The good ones buck up and make every day a learning opportunity, and those working students I often have gone way above and beyond for.
Here is a memo to you young riders out there from someone who isn’t armchair quarterbacking. In this sport you never reach the top and think Yes, I’ve done it. I feel like some of you think that once you reach the Advanced level it is all sunshine, rainbows and smooth sailing. In reality, this is where the true hardship begins. I own two upper level horses, one that I have produced myself from day 1 and one that had been produced to the Intermediate level. I am clearly more fortunate than most to have access to such fabulous partners, but it hasn’t been without struggle. It is all on me to keep them fed, keep shoes on their feet and a roof over their head. It is on me to provide myself with the best coaching and lessons that I can afford. After all that is said and done, yes, sometimes there isn’t money leftover to compete them or do all the things I want to do. I had a conversation this winter with Sharon White, when I was down south for the winter training with Donald and Hewie and wasn’t able to be in Maryland working. I was struggling so badly to keep the farm in Maryland going and also stay on track with my competition schedule. I remember asking her with tears in my eyes, how do you do this? You seem like you have it together, what’s your secret? All she said to me was, “You are doing it”. That’s when I realized it will never get any easier, so I better decide if this is something I want. It is.
My point and the bottom line for me is, how badly do you want it?
Badly enough to move 800 miles away from all your friends and family to be a working student? Badly enough to wake up at 3am on a daily basis to gallop racehorses for extra cash to compete? Badly enough to move 900 miles again to be closer to more training opportunities? Badly enough to keep going after being completely humiliated and heartbroken at one of the biggest events in the world? Badly enough to prove every person who ever called you lazy, untalented, stupid, or just plain not good enough, wrong?
I hope every young rider takes a good, hard look in the mirror and asks themselves;
How badly do you want it?
Monday, June 27, 2011
Summer Update
Hi everybody - thought it was finally time to get this blog back up and running and to update you all on life in general.
So, yea, Kentucky didn't go so well for me. I'm not sure what happened, Donald got a little spun up from all the thunderstorms and because of the weather I wasn't able to prepare him the way I had been doing all year long. I sometimes forget that he is a young horse and still acts green occassionally. It was a hard pill to swallow and still is at times. The thought of what happened still stings, but I am using it as motivation. Que sera sera, on to the next.
Jersey Fresh was a huge redemption weekend for us where Donald and I finished 4th in the CCI3*, our best 3* finish to date. I think Donald felt bad about Kentucky, he really did try hard to make it up to me. He got a nice vacation after Jersey and is starting back into work now.
While Donald was on vacay, his little brother Hewie got his chance to shine at the Bromont CCI2*. Fabulous dressage put him into 16th going in to cross country. Hewie is still very much "the baby" around the farm so I was nervous about him on Saturday, he is still growing up and has a lot to learn, I wasn't sure how he would handle the big track. Maintaining focus is sometimes hard for "Screwy Hewie". His jumping efforts were fantastic and he went smoothly through every combination. However, he gets a little bit of "tunnel vision" in the long open gallops so turning around the track was a bit difficult, we ended up with a bit of time added to our dressage score. He jumped super for me on Sunday, we had two rails down, the front poles on oxers where I got a bit ahead of him.
Also, in other news, WE MOVED. I found a fabulous place in Florida that I adore. After discussing my riding future with Buck at Kentucky we all agreed that if I was going to be in this for the long haul I needed to put myself in a position where I could have access to more training opportunities. Ocala is a fantastic place for me to work with Buck on a more regular basis. I'm also located close to many top show jumpers and dressage riders. I'm excited to be so close to such wonderful trainers because most of all I just want to learn and be better.
All of the horses traveled safely including Fibi, who is due to foal now in a week! She is having a baby by Oldenburg stallion Banderas. I'm so excited about this cross. Fibi's baby will be a half brother or sister to my former 2* horse Rosetta Stone. He/She will also be an uncle or aunt to my Pickles, which will be sort of awkward since it will be younger than him. We have a strange family tree growing around here.
For now Donald and Hewie are mostly trotting and flatting, I'm waiting not so patiently on this new addition and also to hear on my Rebecca Farm travel grant. I really hope that Donald and I will be getting on a plane at the end of July!
Til next time,
Katie
xoxo
So, yea, Kentucky didn't go so well for me. I'm not sure what happened, Donald got a little spun up from all the thunderstorms and because of the weather I wasn't able to prepare him the way I had been doing all year long. I sometimes forget that he is a young horse and still acts green occassionally. It was a hard pill to swallow and still is at times. The thought of what happened still stings, but I am using it as motivation. Que sera sera, on to the next.
Jersey Fresh was a huge redemption weekend for us where Donald and I finished 4th in the CCI3*, our best 3* finish to date. I think Donald felt bad about Kentucky, he really did try hard to make it up to me. He got a nice vacation after Jersey and is starting back into work now.
While Donald was on vacay, his little brother Hewie got his chance to shine at the Bromont CCI2*. Fabulous dressage put him into 16th going in to cross country. Hewie is still very much "the baby" around the farm so I was nervous about him on Saturday, he is still growing up and has a lot to learn, I wasn't sure how he would handle the big track. Maintaining focus is sometimes hard for "Screwy Hewie". His jumping efforts were fantastic and he went smoothly through every combination. However, he gets a little bit of "tunnel vision" in the long open gallops so turning around the track was a bit difficult, we ended up with a bit of time added to our dressage score. He jumped super for me on Sunday, we had two rails down, the front poles on oxers where I got a bit ahead of him.
Also, in other news, WE MOVED. I found a fabulous place in Florida that I adore. After discussing my riding future with Buck at Kentucky we all agreed that if I was going to be in this for the long haul I needed to put myself in a position where I could have access to more training opportunities. Ocala is a fantastic place for me to work with Buck on a more regular basis. I'm also located close to many top show jumpers and dressage riders. I'm excited to be so close to such wonderful trainers because most of all I just want to learn and be better.
All of the horses traveled safely including Fibi, who is due to foal now in a week! She is having a baby by Oldenburg stallion Banderas. I'm so excited about this cross. Fibi's baby will be a half brother or sister to my former 2* horse Rosetta Stone. He/She will also be an uncle or aunt to my Pickles, which will be sort of awkward since it will be younger than him. We have a strange family tree growing around here.
For now Donald and Hewie are mostly trotting and flatting, I'm waiting not so patiently on this new addition and also to hear on my Rebecca Farm travel grant. I really hope that Donald and I will be getting on a plane at the end of July!
Til next time,
Katie
xoxo
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Moment
When you've been working so hard for so long to achieve a dream like going to Kentucky, there comes a moment when you realize that all the sacrafice and suffering has finally paid off.
On Sunday night I had that moment. I had just brought Hewie home from Ocala where he finished 7th in his first CCI 2*, a huge accomplishment for a horse that I had previously seriously doubted. It is amazing what can happen when someone believes in you, Buck has always taken a liking to Hewie and has basically made him what he is. He added only one rail to his dressage score which was an error on my part. I have an amazing horse in Hewie and I was glad to see him home safe, comfortable and successful.
Seeing Hewie and Donald out in their paddock at Buck's together again made me realize how far they, and I, have come these past four months. They have never looked fitter, shinier or happier. I've learned to be a better partner for my horses and am now ready to enjoy the rewards. Kentucky or not, I'm coming away from my time here a better, stronger, smarter rider and person.
My working student Jax is down here with me now and has been my saving grace. I couldn't have done it without her help at Ocala, juggling Hewie's 2 star and also making sure Donald stayed in work to be ready for Kentucky. I'm excited to be able to share this journey with her, she has been working so hard in Maryland making sure things keep ticking along up there in the bitter north. She deserves the break and a chance to see some of the world's finest horses and jumps.
A week from today we will be in Lexington preparing ourselves for the "big dance". We will also be reuinted with Buck who currently is in England getting ready for Badminton with Reggie (Ballynoecastle RM). I'm hoping for solid back to back weekends for team BDJ, we've all been working so hard and Buck really deserves a good ride there.
With Buck and basically everyone else gone, it's quiet around the barn and I think that's a good thing for me right now. It gives me an opportunity to refocus and mentally prepare myself for next week. Without the hustle and bustle of a busy training barn, I have a chance to clear my head and focus on the small details of my riding.
I'll update more next week when we are shipping off to Kentucky.
xoxox
Katie, Hewie and Donald
On Sunday night I had that moment. I had just brought Hewie home from Ocala where he finished 7th in his first CCI 2*, a huge accomplishment for a horse that I had previously seriously doubted. It is amazing what can happen when someone believes in you, Buck has always taken a liking to Hewie and has basically made him what he is. He added only one rail to his dressage score which was an error on my part. I have an amazing horse in Hewie and I was glad to see him home safe, comfortable and successful.
Seeing Hewie and Donald out in their paddock at Buck's together again made me realize how far they, and I, have come these past four months. They have never looked fitter, shinier or happier. I've learned to be a better partner for my horses and am now ready to enjoy the rewards. Kentucky or not, I'm coming away from my time here a better, stronger, smarter rider and person.
My working student Jax is down here with me now and has been my saving grace. I couldn't have done it without her help at Ocala, juggling Hewie's 2 star and also making sure Donald stayed in work to be ready for Kentucky. I'm excited to be able to share this journey with her, she has been working so hard in Maryland making sure things keep ticking along up there in the bitter north. She deserves the break and a chance to see some of the world's finest horses and jumps.
A week from today we will be in Lexington preparing ourselves for the "big dance". We will also be reuinted with Buck who currently is in England getting ready for Badminton with Reggie (Ballynoecastle RM). I'm hoping for solid back to back weekends for team BDJ, we've all been working so hard and Buck really deserves a good ride there.
With Buck and basically everyone else gone, it's quiet around the barn and I think that's a good thing for me right now. It gives me an opportunity to refocus and mentally prepare myself for next week. Without the hustle and bustle of a busy training barn, I have a chance to clear my head and focus on the small details of my riding.
I'll update more next week when we are shipping off to Kentucky.
xoxox
Katie, Hewie and Donald
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Being an adult sucks.... until it all pays off
Instead of sleeping in until 10 and then getting some Waffle House.. I have finished riding 4 horses.
Instead of hitting the bars.. I am driving through the night to teach or get back to my horses in Florida.
Instead of spending that extra $50 on shots at the club, I have an insurance bill to pay.
Heels? Like, High Heels? What Are Those?
Instead of celebrating with friends after a horse show, I am drinking a bottle of wine and doing my taxes.
The clock just hit 9:30... time to go to bed while the rest of the world goes out.
Yes. I am an Adult. I am boring and old. I am walking the straight and narrow. Things are different when you set a goal and will stop at nothing to achieve it. I've had to make some huge sacrifices along the way. The day I actually take the time to brush my hair is a big deal. I now consider going to Pepe's a luxurious occasion. I have less friends, less time, less money, less everything.
Even with all that I am missing, my life has been changed forever. Kentucky or not, I have learned the dedication and drive it takes to be successful at this level. There is no room for error. Your uninterrupted focus is paramount. There are now so many things I can't do. But look at my return... I am entered in one of the few CCI4* events in the WORLD. I have reached the upper echelon. I may not be ultra competitive.. yet.. but I am here. I have arrived. I know now what it takes and hope to continue to do this time and time again.
I had a wonderful weekend coaching my girls in Maryland. Everyone had a great weekend and I am beyond proud. The fact that they did so well despite me not being around all winter shows their true grit and determination. They are also learning what it takes.
Tomorrow morning I head off to the Fork for Donald's last run before the Big Dance. I am choking up as I type this. Part nervous but mostly excited. I am just hoping those 7 or 8 minutes on Saturday go smoothly so I can get to the main event. I have worked so hard, and Donald has too. He has been absolutely wonderful this spring and deserves to have a shot at the best track in the country. He has equaled me in my efforts. It's like he also knows what is at stake.
Hewie is at home in Florida being kept in work by Casey. She is a godsend and what an amazing person. To keep going and helping the rest of us out even after her own horses' freak (but minor) injury.. true class. I know I will come back to Hewie in better shape than when I left him and I have no reservations about his CCI2* in 2 weeks. He is in the best hands.
It will be a whirlwind next 3 weeks. There is no rest for the weary.. just keep pushing.
xoxox
Katie, Donald and Hewie
Instead of hitting the bars.. I am driving through the night to teach or get back to my horses in Florida.
Instead of spending that extra $50 on shots at the club, I have an insurance bill to pay.
Heels? Like, High Heels? What Are Those?
Instead of celebrating with friends after a horse show, I am drinking a bottle of wine and doing my taxes.
The clock just hit 9:30... time to go to bed while the rest of the world goes out.
Yes. I am an Adult. I am boring and old. I am walking the straight and narrow. Things are different when you set a goal and will stop at nothing to achieve it. I've had to make some huge sacrifices along the way. The day I actually take the time to brush my hair is a big deal. I now consider going to Pepe's a luxurious occasion. I have less friends, less time, less money, less everything.
Even with all that I am missing, my life has been changed forever. Kentucky or not, I have learned the dedication and drive it takes to be successful at this level. There is no room for error. Your uninterrupted focus is paramount. There are now so many things I can't do. But look at my return... I am entered in one of the few CCI4* events in the WORLD. I have reached the upper echelon. I may not be ultra competitive.. yet.. but I am here. I have arrived. I know now what it takes and hope to continue to do this time and time again.
I had a wonderful weekend coaching my girls in Maryland. Everyone had a great weekend and I am beyond proud. The fact that they did so well despite me not being around all winter shows their true grit and determination. They are also learning what it takes.
Tomorrow morning I head off to the Fork for Donald's last run before the Big Dance. I am choking up as I type this. Part nervous but mostly excited. I am just hoping those 7 or 8 minutes on Saturday go smoothly so I can get to the main event. I have worked so hard, and Donald has too. He has been absolutely wonderful this spring and deserves to have a shot at the best track in the country. He has equaled me in my efforts. It's like he also knows what is at stake.
Hewie is at home in Florida being kept in work by Casey. She is a godsend and what an amazing person. To keep going and helping the rest of us out even after her own horses' freak (but minor) injury.. true class. I know I will come back to Hewie in better shape than when I left him and I have no reservations about his CCI2* in 2 weeks. He is in the best hands.
It will be a whirlwind next 3 weeks. There is no rest for the weary.. just keep pushing.
xoxox
Katie, Donald and Hewie
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Ups, Downs and In Betweens
So they say about life with horses, the highs are so high and the lows are so low. It's a sport of extremes. One day you may feel on top of the world, and the next you could be crying in the surgery barn at Peterson and Smith.
Well, the "Up" side is that Donald is great and I finally put my entry in the mail for "the big day". I'm having a really hard time being happy and excited about it because the "Down" side is one of my best friends' horses sustained an injury and is no longer going to be Donald's barn mate at the Horse Park. Special Blend, or Leo, had an inflammatory reaction to an ankle injection and had to be hospitalized. At first the vets thought it was an infection and that would have been devastating, but nothing grew in the culture and he is expected to make a full recovery. I've spent the past few days with Casey and Leo making sure that he (and Casey) was okay and the surgery went well. I know Casey (and everybody, including me) is just thrilled that he is going to be okay and return to competition when he's ready, but I feel like I've lost my co-pilot in this adventure. I feel selfish thinking that, but the fact that I had a great friend to go through this with kept me sane. I'm really feeling the pressure now as we get down to the wire here. I'm terrified of screwing up or something dumb happening. Enter paranoia. I may have to check myself into a psych ward when this is all over.
Actually I feel like I've lost a lot the past 4 months, but maybe it's not such a bad thing. I've realized, in taking 4 months to basically do something for myself, that so many people in my life weren't in it to support me. They were in it for personal gain. Now that I've been gone for 4 months I've realized exactly who matters and who doesn't. I know who the people are who just wanted me around so I could ride their horse, do things for them, invite them to horse shows or just in general wanted my attention and focus. The people who just wanted to be a part of the lifestyle, not a part of my life as a whole. I guess at first I was upset that these people were backing out of my life but then a very smart friend reminded me, you have to break some eggs to make an omelette. The people who matter are still there, ready to pick up exactly where we left off 4 months ago. The people who aren't upset that I haven't spoken to them in 2 weeks because to be honest I haven't had time to speak to anybody really, even my own parents. Those are the people worth keeping. Those are the people that I love. Those are the faces I am going to be looking for as I'm coming down to the Rolex Arch and the finish flags on Saturday.
I'm hoping that when I finally do get home, I can grow this number of faithful friends. I met so many wonderful people at my fundraiser, it was a huge success. I'm blown away by the generosity of our eventing community in Maryland. I was absolutely thrilled to see so many smiling, well-wishing faces at Loch Moy last weekend. For every one shady person out there that I know I met at least 3 or 4 wonderful, amazing people who came out to support Donald and I. I hope these people keep coming, I had a blast with everyone and couldn't have come up with a better way to spend a Saturday. It was a long, tough day as we shuffled horses in and out of our cross country field but we got through it. My clients did such a great job helping, I'm so thankful, my friend Mike made all the food which was amazing and my working student Jax just worked tirelessly before, during and after. Biggest thanks of all goes to my landlord, Carolyn, who generously donated her schooling field for the day so I could use it. Amazing, just amazing.
I know I haven't given much of an update with the horses today but they are doing fantastic. Donald will run again at the Fork 3* and Hewie is now just practicing until his CCI2* in April. They look fit, shiny and happy.
I'll give a shout later in the week after a few lessons and promise to update more about the ponies, because that's what it's all about!!
xoxoxox
Katie, Donald and Hewie
Well, the "Up" side is that Donald is great and I finally put my entry in the mail for "the big day". I'm having a really hard time being happy and excited about it because the "Down" side is one of my best friends' horses sustained an injury and is no longer going to be Donald's barn mate at the Horse Park. Special Blend, or Leo, had an inflammatory reaction to an ankle injection and had to be hospitalized. At first the vets thought it was an infection and that would have been devastating, but nothing grew in the culture and he is expected to make a full recovery. I've spent the past few days with Casey and Leo making sure that he (and Casey) was okay and the surgery went well. I know Casey (and everybody, including me) is just thrilled that he is going to be okay and return to competition when he's ready, but I feel like I've lost my co-pilot in this adventure. I feel selfish thinking that, but the fact that I had a great friend to go through this with kept me sane. I'm really feeling the pressure now as we get down to the wire here. I'm terrified of screwing up or something dumb happening. Enter paranoia. I may have to check myself into a psych ward when this is all over.
Actually I feel like I've lost a lot the past 4 months, but maybe it's not such a bad thing. I've realized, in taking 4 months to basically do something for myself, that so many people in my life weren't in it to support me. They were in it for personal gain. Now that I've been gone for 4 months I've realized exactly who matters and who doesn't. I know who the people are who just wanted me around so I could ride their horse, do things for them, invite them to horse shows or just in general wanted my attention and focus. The people who just wanted to be a part of the lifestyle, not a part of my life as a whole. I guess at first I was upset that these people were backing out of my life but then a very smart friend reminded me, you have to break some eggs to make an omelette. The people who matter are still there, ready to pick up exactly where we left off 4 months ago. The people who aren't upset that I haven't spoken to them in 2 weeks because to be honest I haven't had time to speak to anybody really, even my own parents. Those are the people worth keeping. Those are the people that I love. Those are the faces I am going to be looking for as I'm coming down to the Rolex Arch and the finish flags on Saturday.
I'm hoping that when I finally do get home, I can grow this number of faithful friends. I met so many wonderful people at my fundraiser, it was a huge success. I'm blown away by the generosity of our eventing community in Maryland. I was absolutely thrilled to see so many smiling, well-wishing faces at Loch Moy last weekend. For every one shady person out there that I know I met at least 3 or 4 wonderful, amazing people who came out to support Donald and I. I hope these people keep coming, I had a blast with everyone and couldn't have come up with a better way to spend a Saturday. It was a long, tough day as we shuffled horses in and out of our cross country field but we got through it. My clients did such a great job helping, I'm so thankful, my friend Mike made all the food which was amazing and my working student Jax just worked tirelessly before, during and after. Biggest thanks of all goes to my landlord, Carolyn, who generously donated her schooling field for the day so I could use it. Amazing, just amazing.
I know I haven't given much of an update with the horses today but they are doing fantastic. Donald will run again at the Fork 3* and Hewie is now just practicing until his CCI2* in April. They look fit, shiny and happy.
I'll give a shout later in the week after a few lessons and promise to update more about the ponies, because that's what it's all about!!
xoxoxox
Katie, Donald and Hewie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)