Happy Breeders Cup Day! Things actually kicked off yesterday, but I'm not at all a fan of the dozen and a half new races and the two day format, so I'm having my party today. To celebrate, I thought I'd share some of my favorite races over the years since I first started watching in 1997.
Awesome Again wins the 1998 Classic. This race was full of amazing talent: Silver Charm, Skip Away, Arch, Aweomse Again, Touch Gold, Victory Gallop... Notorious for Swain's cuh-razy drift to the outside, Awesome Again (who is one of my favorite sires) made a monster of a move that no one seemed to notice until he was winning. Look for the bay horse in the black and red silks sneak in between drifiting horses and turn on the turbo boosters in the final furlong.
what a hunk.
Adoration sneaks off with the 2003 Distaff. Adoration was a seriously underrated mare and second place finisher Elloluv was one of my favorites. This field was full of super talented fillies and mares, and I remember being very pleased these two ladies pulled off an upset.
adoration in the distaff.
Ghostzapper. Enough Said. Winner of the 2004 Classic, there was seriously nothing this horse couldn't do. (And coincidentally a son of Awesome Again.)
horse of the year and now a hall of fame member.
Fantastic Light's 2001 Turf. Watch the finish, Holy cow. Have you ever rooted louder for a second place finisher, even if you wanted Fantastic Light to win? Milan was flying, but Fantastic Light proved why he was two time Horse of the World.
winning!
2008 Juvenile Fillies. Stardom Bound basically put the field on pause on the final turn and strolled by them. Plus, who doesn't love a grey? She went on to win a few more Grade 1s, but she was sadly pushed aside for the Rachel Alexandra fad. A super classy filly, I think.
Rachel Who?
I also recommend watching either (or both) of Tiznow's wins in the Classic. Also, of course, Zenyatta's Classic win if you want something a little more recent.
Michelle emailed me my dressage test. Score of 31.5 would have put us in second by half a point had I finished the course (assumably with no xcountry faults). We got fours for both canters because of the cross cantering. We also got a five for the transistion back to trot after the second canter because I transistioned him down early to avoid the worst of the swap behind. However, we eeked out six (!) eights and the rest were sevens and one six and a half. Overall comment was: "Unfortunate problems at the canter due to lost balance from the slippery footing. Well handled."
I'll take that. Body work this winter and studs come spring and we'll be back in cantering action, slippery footing or no.
I stopped in to the barn today to drop off my board check and put Robert in his medium weight blanket since it's supposed to get super cold at night now, and I walked in to see the Chiro. I was all, "Heyyyy! I was going to call you! Any chance you can squeeze Bobby in since you're here?" She had two other horses to do, but she fit me in at the end. Excellent.
working on j's mare macy who is ADORABLE.
Right off the bat, she said that he looks like a totally different horse. He was happy and mugging for cookies and didn't sit on the floor when she checked for soreness. She did acupuncture first which Bobby had zero issues with ("Needles? So? I love cookies.") Here are her comments:
"Stuck in his low neck (left side only), sore all down his back and into his hips. Right lower back and rump more sore. Hocks and stifles sore. Right hind fetlock gets achy. Adjusted poll, low neck, mid and low back. He is overall much better and happier than in March. Keep riding!"
I knew his hind end was sore, and she agreed that it he's weak all the way back and that's just the way he is, so it's always going to be something to work on. She was really happy with his neck; in March she had to do both sides because he was stuck in three spots all the way down, and this time he was only stuck in his lower neck on the left. She said even though his back was sore, it wasn't nearly as bad as in Spring and to just keep doing what I'm doing because obviously it's working.
She also couldn't get over how much more happy and confident he seemed with himself. Plus, she was rather impressed with his carrot stretches which he was pleased to show off for her. Any excuse for cookies is alright by Bobby, even if they're being dispensed by someone new.
Bobby also got new front shoes. I'm glad the farrier noticed that the other one was getting pretty loose, too. Heck yes for having an awesome farrier again! He'll get his hinds done next week.
AND! Want to hear some crazy news? One of my roomies from college won a horse! Who knew people actually did that? Her new pony! Really it's perfect because her current horse is in semi-retirement and she's been thinking about retiring him for good. So now she has new project! She's going to meet him next week to get background checked basically, and I fully intend to flood you with her baby horsie pictures.
...and like everyone else's posts, I have nothing exciting to report. We got about an inch and a half of rain and some crazy wind that took down three of our trees in the yard, but other than that things are fine. The lights didn't even flicker once!
I went to visit Bobby this morning. He was still alive, too.
"i'm ignoring you until you produce cookies."
I gave him a good grooming that he didn't really need since he stayed in last night and had his sheet on during turnout the night before. Took his boot off to give his naked foot some drying time (no word from the farrier yet who's much further south than us and may have been hit worse), and then took him down to the indoor to play around since his back legs had stocked up from being in.
trooping through the wind and rain.
We did some join up and for the first time ever, Bobby followed me around at the walk and trot instead of staring longingly at the other horses in the paddock. He might have been bribed by cookies, but even that hasn't worked in the past. Yay, friends!
Hopefully everyone else had an uneventful hurricane night!
Well, you guys did it. We didn't get a drop of rain at the show yesterday. It was cold, cloudy, and crazy windy, but not wet! We left super early and got there two hours ahead of schedule expecting a total cluster for parking. Fortunately, the organizers had roped off a much bigger area and there was a ton of room--especially since half the people didn't end up coming anyway. We got checked in and decided to go ahead and walk the xcountry course. Bobby had been stuffed with GastroGard all week long to try to combat the crazies he'd been displaying and he was cool as a cucumber eating hay at the trailer all day. He never eats hay at shows and he always paws like a maniac. Winning!
"oh, hullo. just having a munch."
Dressage
The warm up ring was pretty much deserted. Watching from the trailer, I started seeing a couple numbers from the Novice division wander in. Since it was only noon and my dressage test wasn't supposed to be until nearly two, I asked the secretary if they were running ahead. She said they were, but didn't have any other info to give me. So I went over to the volunteer sending people into the dressage rings and she basically told me that if I wanted to do my test right now, come on over.
talking to the only person who seemed to know what to do.
I warmed up with two other people for about ten minutes max. Bobby went to work without fuss. He was struggling with the ground at the canter, so I didn't want to rattle him and we just went in. He gave a good snort and hairy eyeball at the flowers that had tumbled over around the ring, but once we were in he stayed mostly focused.
I didn't push for forward. I rode very, very moderately because I didn't want him falling on his face. The ground wasn't muddy or deep, but it was slick and he couldn't get a dig in it. At the canter, he swapped behind starting our first circle and I felt him start to switch just as we finished our second circle so I brought him back to the trot a couple strides early. Yuck. The dressage judge, holed up in her car, came out to tell me that I hadn't done anything wrong at the canter, he just couldn't get his footing.
I don't know what I got for a score. There were no score sheets up for Novice at any point and things were so crazy at the end, I couldn't get anyone's attention to ask if I could get my test. I emailed Michelle to see if she could send it my way at some point. Scores might go up online some time this week, but with the hurricane I'm not holding my breath.
Stadium
I like going to BH. It's usually a fun, relaxed atmosphere with a good flow to the xcountry course and bright colored stadium jumps with fill under them--even if it's just flower boxes. However, the stadium courses never make any sense. There's no flow to them, and the "lines" just don't make sense.
Once more, I wandered on over to stadium, saw there were a couple of Novice riders going around, and got on forty five minutes after my dressage test and two hours before my scheduled ride time. I made one trot lap before Hubby asked me where my armband was. Doh! Trotted back to the trailer, got off, grabbed my armband, got on, saw my whip still laying on the ground, got off, grabbed my whip again, and got back on. We did a few jumps, working on me moving Robert forward so he wasn't having to run into the fences. Done and done. He slid a little making the turns up the hill, and I was feeling less and less confident about finishing the day.
Watched the only two riders that were down there with me go--one was a rider from the eventing barn by my house and the other was the trainer! Both were super nice and the trainer, Diane, narrated her student's ride for me and pointed out what to look out for. Definitely planning some jumping lessons with her next spring. I loved her serious yet "You'll be fine! This is no big deal!" attitude.
fence one.
Jump one, I got his motor going and we sailed over. Straight ahead to jump two where Bobby took a bit of a flyer.
weeee!
I had to really haul him back to make the turn to fence 3 and he struggled a bit with his footing. He went over fine and I cantered on ahead.... and then saw the backside of fence 5 and was like, "Uhhh...four? Where's four?!" Four should have been a bending line off of 3, but I blew right by it! I squeezed in between fences because circling back would have meant crossing my tracks and from a serious angle at a walk, I pointed Bobby at the jump. He took one walk step and paused with his ears swiveled back like, "Huh?!" I gave him a tap and he launched over without touching the rails.
shake it off and move on.
Came around to five, landed and said, "Where the fuck is six?!" Holy cow, where was my brain?! Made the big loop to six after a second's hesitation.
On to seven from a wierd angle, than made the V angled line to eight. Bobby slid pretty badly making the final turn to nine. We could have used a little more pace all around, but there were no rails and we weren't running into fences this time.
We came out of the ring and Diane was like, "That's what I call a David O'Connor moment!" (Skip to 3:50) What can I say? I can't help that I ride forget my courses like an Olympian!
I walked the xcountry again after dressage. The flags for the water had been turned around so it made way more sense, but they were exactly the opposite of how I'd walked them the first time. No matter though because I was still feeling very iffy about fence five. It came in from down hill and landed down hill and Bobby was not getting a grip on the grass on flat ground.
pig dog sized ditch.
We headed out anyway to see what we were working with. Cruised out of the start box with no nerves (winning!) just thinking through what was ahead. Over the big log, over the coop, and up a big hill to the "rustic coop" that was set on a crazy angle.
I felt Bobby really suck back on landing from the second fence. I put my leg on and got nothing. He saw the third fence and put his ears at it, but he didn't lock on and go for it like he always does. He climbed over and I trotted him through the hedgerow where Hubby was waiting to snap our picture. I pulled him up and called it quits there. If Bobby had been pulling me to the third and fourth jumps, I would have gone on. But he didn't. He came right back to the walk and we headed back to the trailer.
As I was untacking him, he kept looking back at me and then out at the course like, "But... but we do the jumping now, right?" Once I got his halter on, he let out a big sigh and resigned himself to the end of the day. I felt really disappointed and upset, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I'd rather have him finish still wanting to go instead of coming back flustered and overfaced.
headed out with the walnut hollow riders.
I turned in my pinny and saw an aluminum shoe bent nearly in half on the table. Hmm. Bobby wears aluminum shoes. I looked over at him where he was basking in the lovings from the other riders after he had eaten the mums that were decorating the secretary's booth. ("Hullo, adoring fans. Rub my head.") No left front shoe. He'd probably wrenched it off landing from fence 2 which would explain why he backed off so much.
Not a great day by any means. Really, really poorly organized (and I usually love this show and I'll definitely be back next year), a scatter brained stadium ride, and an unfinished xcountry round. He will without a doubt be getting studs next year.
Bobby didn't seem any worse for wear. He went bucking and farting up to his friends when I let him out (with a boot strapped on his foot) and incited a whinnying stampede. He's going to get a nice, long vacation while I save up for a full course of ulcer meds, a chiro adjustment, and a follow-up massage. For tonight, he's staying snuggled in his stall to avoid what's supposed to be the worst of the storm.
You know you're in for a dreary event when there's a footnote on your ride times saying, "Rain Gear may be worn for all phases if necessary." Yep. In the low fifties and sixty percent chance of rain. So long, warm weather. Hello, crazy horsies and Slip Sliding Magee. Definitely going into this one prepared to retire on course. Bobby is not a fan of wet going and Novice is the last division on course. Hopefully that won't happen, but I'm not going to let myself get carried away and force the pony to finish if he's not feeling it.
Ride Times:
Dressage 1:48
Stadium 3:06
XCountry 3:21
Am I the only one that hates late start times? Ughhhh, entire day down the showing drain. We won't be home until midnight! (Okay, probably more like six, but still!)
Goals:
Dressage: Go for broke on forward. Stay as straight as possible down the centerline and across diagnols.
Stadium: Not come out of the ring pissed at myself for my riding.
XCountry: Don't leave the start box feeling like I'm going to die. Do not die. That is all I ask for.
This is going to be an enormous turnout for such a little show. Hopefully they have trailer parking figured out because this time last year we barely squeezed in.
Kind of excited to see Holly Payne ride in person though. And Tik Maynard, but I see him like all the time at shows.
Hahaha, ok, fake Area II snobbery over. I apologize.
Not so excited to see that I'm riding in the same division as a horse that went Advanced this February. Mmm Hmm. Feeling a little outclassed already.
cheval z will probably be ok at novice...
since it's a full foot shorter than he's used to.
And for the record, yesterday's jump was indeed only 3'. I measured. Things look enormous when your standards are only 4'.
Yesterday was like moving through molasses. It was so muggy and warm out, it was gross. Our ride started out feeling the same as the weather. Nothing was bad, per se, but things just felt sticky and gross. I finally got Bobby moving along after warming up with a pretty mediocre long and low trot with lots of transitions.
We moved on to parts of our dressage tests all over the arena--down the centerline from C both directions, circles all over, free walk to medium walk and back again across short and long diagnols, yada yada. Bobby was doing well to the right, but he was downright blah to the left. Nothing new there.
We took a timeout and went back to the walk to reinfoce "Inside leg behind your girth means move your inside hind leg over. Srsly." We did lots of leg yielding from the centerline to the quarterline, straighten out, walk to the next quarterline and leg yield back to the centerline. He finally settled into it and gave some super nice trot work.
I like that I'm becoming a little more patient and understanding since I have a really short temper, but I'm kind of worried about how I'm going to break down bending to the left in warm up Sunday. He's usually better after a canter, but not always. Hm. I guess I'll just have to see how crowded things get.
We finished with trot and canter circles at B and E each direction, changing direction down the centerline (must. stay. straight.), and had an awesome halt at G. Which is where I hope we're supposed to halt. Again, probably better look at that test.
bobby likes to put things in his mouth.
the barn cat realized he was next.
I had planned on another dressage school today, but there was still a lesson going on in the indoor when I got there so I decided to just bump up my last jump school a day. Bobby was snoozing, but after a firm tap with my whip and leg cramping squeezing during flat warm up, he was stepping right out and we had an awesome forward canter--including two flawless flying changes! Holla!
His warm up exercise was canter over the big X (it's set at 3'6 on the sides, so it's relatively substansial in the middle), canter off three strides, and WHOA. The running attachment helped us out the first time and he got a big pat. Then we walked the long side, picked up the canter again in the corner, cantered down the other long side to the jump, and repeat. A little lesson in manners and relaxation. He was super good until BO's horse got let out by himself. The horror! His pasture buddy was getting his toes done, but Tyler was pretty sure he'd been abducted and was quite concerned.
tyler scouring the pasture for simon.
Bobby wasn't sure what to make of this display of crazies, so when I asked him to pick up the canter he was a little distracted and he chipped over the jump. We cantered on without a stop and came around again like it was no big.
Next was the green vertical set at 3' At least I'm pretty sure it's 3'. It might be 3'3. I can never remember what the top hole is--whether it's 3'9 or 3'6. 99% sure it was only 3' though. Regardless, he came in the first time and I saw a legit long spot--not just a "You're running flat on your face, let's take this flyer, ahhh!" spot--gave him a tap, and he obligingly went over. Came around again with a bigger half halt in the corner and more leg and he cruised over it.
BM was still at the top of the hill, so I asked her to take a video. Thanks, BM!!
He looks a little speedy, but it felt big instead of fast. He didn't land in a heap and he came right back to a very polite trot. I had planned on doing the trot in one stride line you see us come between, but he was doing so well I ended it there. I know what ride he needs for Sunday. I felt confident, he felt confident, why wreck it by pushing harder? We're ready to be done!
I left a note on the board to have BM put his sheet on when he went out since I thought it was supposed to get down to 40* at night, but driving home I heard it was barely going to drop to 50*. Even half naked, I knew he'd be too warm dressed up, so I was like, "No bigs. I'll just call her and tell her not to worry about it. Oh, wait. My phone's still at the barn--half an hour away."
I grabbed a bagel to go and headed back out. Since I was there (again), I decided I might as well ride. We headed to the outdoor for a jump school. The footing was still a little deep so I had to push him forward in warm up. However, once we started going over the little 2' - 2'3 jumps, he was completely ignoring me.
Coming into the oxer (2'3 back rail) to xrail (2' maybe) line, he got quick to the oxer and then blew through to the X. I don't even know how to describe it--it wasn't just rude, it was bordering on bolting. I couldn't get him to acknowledge the elevator bit until he'd made it over the X. He was so locked on, having his face ripped off was of no concern. After two times through where I couldn't get him slowed, I pulled the e-brake and spun him around so he was facing the oxer again.
I gave him a big pat and told him good boy because this is a horse whose confidence is easily shaken blown to smithereens. He immediately relaxed and looked back at me like, "Phew. This isn't a punishment. This is just a new game your crazy ass is trying to get me to understand." The next time through, he still rushed a bit, but I didn't feel like it was out of control.
And then we tried a different line and he did the exact same thing, jumping over the second jump sideways because I was trying to crank his head around to stop him, but I couldn't get him pulled off the fence. We practiced the "WHOA RIGHT NOW!" pulley rein a couple of times, then tried the line again. Jump, land, explode for next fence, PARK YOUR ASS RIGHT HERE!
Needless to say, this was turning into neither a fun nor particularly safe ride so I let him walk around a bit for a brain break while I assessed.
Pain? Maybe. His hip was definitely out of whack. Going back trying to find something that could have set that off, I remembered that a hind leg had slid out when we'd gone xcountry schooling very briefly awhile ago. I'm 99% sure that was the cause for the counter cantering and general yuck work for the following two weeks. The past half a dozen rides he hasn't offered an awkward step. He very well could have strained a muscle in his bum which has since become more comfortable. Yesterday he wasn't showing me any signs of "Ow." It's a matter of knowing your horse, and I don't think this was an "Ouch, this is painful jumping. My reaction to the pain is going to be bolting." That was Red's MO; Bobby's is to quit working. He would have been swapping leads and sucking back. He did neither.
Maybe he's just disrespecting the jumps. Well, clearly he's disrespecting the jumps. Maybe if I raise the jumps, he'll show them a little more caution. This was hard for me to consider because the last thing I wanted to do was point a barely stoppable horse at an even bigger jump. But I knocked everything up to 3' and picked up the canter again.
Came in, added some leg around the turn because I felt him lose a little steam, kept my leg on coming to jump, and..... we had a very polite, very forward, very nice jump over a 3' vertical. Came around again and got the same result. Added in a 3' to 3' line, leglegleg through the turn so he doesn't have a reason to speed up on his own and get unbalanced, polite jump in, big shoulders back half halt and a "WHOA" without taking my legs off and polite jump out.
I guess this is why they call it training rides? To train the idiot rider to figure it out? Why is Bobby jumping 2' jumps? Um, no reason. No reason at all. Nothing under 2'6 from now. There's no reason for it. 2' jumps are an excuse to call upon your inner racehorse and see how fast you can gallop over them since they're clearly not big enough to actually jump. Sometimes I forget Bobby's a young OTTB with a year and a half worth of training by only me and lots of useless breaks in between. He's not going to go around any and all jumps like a hunter.
headed up with silver.
This is going to be a long week. I can't wait for this show to be over so I can give Bobby some serious time off and let both of us recoup from a looong year. One last push!
