Labor Day through the Hunters Moon

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I'm glad Maia is feeling better and like her old self!

SF- I hope that's what's going on! It's so different for him. By the time I get to the barn he's hanging out so I'm assuming it's just early in the morning that he's getting super frisky! The nice thing lately is I have to use a whisper of my leg for any aids rather than feeling like I might need to pony kick him or use the whip! Also, so glad the scar on T is looking so good. What an amazing transformation.

Tanga- way to rally in a really tough situation. I hope you have a restful night tonight, we are rooting for you!

[blob]

Oh gosh, I guess it's time to close out!

Me
Continue to eat healthy, especially when traveling
Work on position
Workout when not riding--even if just walking

MM
Keep breathing on track
Get back in shape
Enjoy her

RP
Continue to work on lateral work, esp getting a clear HI at trot
September--regionals--try to stay calm and actively ride my test
Post-regionals--start laying ground work for changes

[khall]

Good luck to all who are showing. Nice FS Tanga I agree her ones were good. I like her CPs too. So sorry you are feeling so tough!! Glad you have some help.


Well my two months ended very differently than I thought it would. But I do have a live horse who continues to have good updates and is supposed to come home Monday. Who boy I’ll be a nervous mom.

Funny about that middle of the night trip ( which I’ve done more than once over the years not only for my horses but for boarders) I ended up taking our 3 dogs with me. Henry of course and Zoey our pittie girl but also Ellie my mom’s cattle dog that we inherited after mom died. Zoey and Henry are quite good travelers even going on vacations with us but Ellie has not been on any long trips since she was rescued and definitely not with 2 other dogs. They all behaved beautifully. DH had to leave early for work and I wasn’t sure when I would get back so they went on the road trip too. Good to know I have 3 good travelers!


I ended up canceling the WE clinic and setting up dates for next year. Hoping Joplin will be ready to get back into some work before Cedar clinic. I don’t really see why she wouldn’t. Helps that while chubby she’s in very good fitness. At least I did get to dip my toe in 3 rd level this go around. Had thought about another schooling show this month, November poplar place again but I think that is very unlikely. I keep trying to talk myself off the ledge. I know this is just one of those things. I’ve had boarder and a broodmare I cared for both have nephro splenic entrapment just one of those things. Neither required surgery and for as long as I knew them never had another problem. And as well all know horses are good at trying to injure and kill themselves. If it had been any other of mine…

Anyway some great updates for all. SF spectacular picture!! Lsp adorable Lynx pic. Glad we are all enjoying our horses

Flight mari how are your two doing on the injured list? Jingles for them both!!

[exvet]

Since I got the first day of the show out of the way, I can not reflect on the last two months. I feel as does my coach that we've made definite progress. I also still have my eyes looking towards PSG for next year. We've lost some of our recognized shows for next year (I just found out) so that is going to be the next thing I have to do once this show is finished and that's plan out my 2025 competition calendar.

Back to the last two months, I achieved all the goals I set out for this last go round. Today showed me I have much more to do. Junior was very good at the show and actually tried very hard to give me what I wanted. His changes were all there and in the air (phew) but the judge did not appreciate my 'loose contact' or lack of engagement which she said contributed to my late changes. I'm afraid I will not compress Junior or force him in a frame that will only result in ugly tension and shut him down. She said he lacked engagement which I will agree he can do better but it's not achieved with the crank and spank.....................so more work as I said to get him 'looking' the part without doing it with a choke hold. Still I won the class despite only getting 58.......the other score(s) were worse. This not only closes out the last two months but more or less this competition year for me (well except tomorrow's test). I have better control over Junior's shoulders. I have him changing in the air and not resorting to the skip a change. He got all of his tempis when I asked without having a mistake in the counts. He gave me power when I asked...........all things we've been working on.

Troy is wearing saddle, saddle pad and girth without issue. He's reloaded and hauled twice more since I first got him and he's constantly in my pockets. I think he's realized he's part of the herd now.

Ace is just hanging out and happy he's 'just' a trail horse.

Now to decide what our next chunk of time will be focused on.................

[Moutaineer]

I was thinking we were only half way through this period!

The weather has been mostly kind, I've ridden a lot even with a trip to London in there. I feel like we've made some tangible progress. Another week before we head to CA.

My lower back/SI is sore, but less so than it was, so I'm trying to have a very careful weekend. We pulled the half pad out from under my saddle on Friday and that seemed to help--less bulk under my hips. He seemed happier too. We will see how things feel on Monday.

Earlier in the week we seemed to have cracked the canter half pass issues. Mostly the same root cause as any FC issues. Carry and your upper body. We'll see about that on Monday, too.

[Tanga]

exvet--I'm sorry about the scores. I've seen a lot of that where judges are really liking heads cranked in. I won't do it, either. But, I have been working on keeping a higher, poll high contact no matter what, and that is working, and how I get correct.

I feel like I've been beaten with a baseball bat, but I'm done. It was really nice to hang with new people at a goaway show, and I know so many people! I have new area to show. I slept last night and was not nearly as spacy. Quinn was stellar and got a 61.9 at I-2 and a %65.7 on the GP. Quilla was better, but I completely forgot where I was in the test and went off course, and she did the same thing with not changing behind in the ones, as well as a spectacular screw up in the twos, so despite good other stuff, %56, and then was "good" in the GP fs (no stopping!) but same no changing behind in ones, so %63. Quinn won the GP fs class of three.

I am going to think on what to do. I can get clean ones at home with Quilla no problem, but we're back to not doing them at shows, and nothing I can do. I talked to another S judge there with her students and and someone who has been running CDS forever, and asked what they think I should do. It seems a cop out, but maybe just take Quilla back to I-1, and maybe PSG, and have fun with here there, and then let Quinn for the I-2, GP and GP fs for next year's champs--Of four rides, Quinn got all qualifying scores and Quilla got none. I'll think it on, but what do I have to prove, right? I'll ruminate on it. I have plenty of time to decide, and hopefully get my health and energy back.

I'm going to REST, and go on my first real vacation in five years. We're leaving at 5 am on Weds. for Equador and spending ten days there, with three on the Galapogos Islands!!! $2000 each, all flights, hotels, guide, transport. GREAT deals here if anyone wants one. https://www.exoticca.com/us/america/sou ... a/ecuador# Hopefully, it has to be, it will be feeling happy that we finally have a safer, saner country.

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Khall- you have had a whirlwind wind of a month, that's for sure. Hopefully Joplin recovers fine and you guys get back to all your fabulous fun and work!

Exvet, sounds like a tough judge and a bummer she was looking for you to "close him up" a bit too much. It still sounds like so much progress with Junior lately. And Trot sounds like a gem!!

I forget the goals I had written at the beginning of this chapter but I think getting Lynx's SI injected, riding with a clinician and trailering off property were all good things to accomplish.

I was thinking about it today while I was lunging Lynx (after yet ANOTHER person told me my horse was a nut in turnout earlier lol) that I wonder if he is just feeling good. After I had his back injected the first time, I do remember him being VERY energetic and a bit nutty for awhile. So that leaves me thinking that he really just feels very good and wants to use his body.

[Aleuronx]

Gosh, I concur I cannot believe we are closing out. This section went lightening fast!! But I feel that way every year on the downhill to my trainer leaving for Florida.

We are off to another lesson today that I will update later in the new section with new goals.

Section Goals:
-Trot thoroughness at greater collection A bit of a maybe, only because we haven't been trotting much. But it is improving!
-Start to control actual counted tempi's Yes, this is hard. We have added actual 4's and 3's. ~6 months and these will be good.
-Enjoy the Fall hacking weather Yes!! We've had some crazy summer temps making hacking and snacking a good time for all.
-Follow the 5k speed increase program Managed 10hrs of running in October following our program. It is getting easier and 'working' at higher heartrate is feeling better and more in control.

[mari]

Such great updates!

Straightforward - What a stunning photo, magazine-worthy.

Tanga - The ones were AWESOME! Well done!

Exvet - It's a pity about the scores but it sounds like the overall result is worth it. You should definitely be able to increase engagement without resorting to a tight frame, it's a journey all by itself.