Tips on training event horses from DOC

David O'Connor:

• Always use flags when training on skinny fences, horses recognize these and will hunt for the next fence once established.

• Bad experiences with ditches can ruin a horse for eventing, more so than water complexes will.

• Walk horses past things to familiarize them, rather than walk them towards it. (eg. ditches)

• Use a low pole over a water tray when training, it encourages a proper jump and better shape over the fence. (particularly useful when used in a combination)

• When training a combination jump the last element once or twice first to show the horse the exit. 

• Move from your 'galloping position' to your 'preparing to jump position' 5-6 strides out (I always remember Andrew Hoy explaining he prepares about 10 strides out)

What are you thoughts on stirrup length?

It can depend a lot on your body type, taller people may need to ride longer, and ironically shorter people too in order to maintain balance, but generally you should be looking for a 90 degree bend in the knee.

- Read the full report here: http://blog.talkinghorse.net/2013/02/international-eventing-forum-2013-my.html

Alternative treatment in Germany

Not for the faint of heart, but I find this very interesting...

My favorite author and charity

Every year my favorite author, Patrick Rothfuss, runs a major fund raiser for Heifer International. Heifer helps people raise themselves up out of poverty and starvation. Heifer promotes education, sustainable agriculture, and local industry all over the world. Patrick donates and gets tons of other cool authors to donate their goods to help motivate you to take part. For every $10 you give, you have the chance of winning something, there are literally thousands of prizes. Ends Jan 21st, can you give a little?

Patrick Rothfuss Worldbuilders 2012

2013

Let’s take my lack of writing as a sign that I have been super busy, because I have, there are a lot of big changes in the works (don’t worry all good things). My office job gave me a promotion and moved me to the European hours (10PM to 8AM) which is nice as it gives me more time at the barn on Sunday. But with the barn being busy and some other things in life dragging me in 3 different directions, Regal has been spending some time with my dressage trainer. This is allowing him to work more consistently than I can give him right now. I miss him like crazy in my day to day schedule but he seems happy and is coming along really well. Not to mention his new turnout buddies and he are having a competition on who can destroy their blankets the most, that new Amigo Bravo I got him, it looks like it went through a paper shredder. *sigh* On the home barn front I can confidently say Digger is making some real progress., we have gotten a new level of acceptance of the bit and his weekly treks up the trail seem to be helping in his muscle and over all happiness. As a result I got to see him jump with Ceara for the first time with no over jumping, that was awesome to see. Now if her ankle would only heal we can get back on track! Quest, who I am riding once a week is looking and going the best I have seen him. He is really coming into a higher connection that you see in an upper level horse. Lateral work is also really hitting new highs. Though as Elizabeth found out this past weekend if you are in a hurry that all goes to hell in a pretty hand basket J Lilly, Elizabeth’s new baby, who arrived from Timberridge Sporthorses in Canada a little over a month ago is coming along well, she is very smart and often reminds me of Regal when he was 3 years old. I Suspect I will be climbing on her back in Feb for the first time. Besame is also reaching new levels in her work, being in the indoor is really helping her balance more in the canter and she is loving her cavaletti work.

Looking ahead this year Besame and Noor will both be bred (I will do a post about the stallion once the contracts have been signed). Both mares will keep in work until they can’t anymore due to bellies. I am not putting any solid goals at them since they are both maiden mares but I would like to see them both get to a few local shows and XC schoolings. Rafiki will embark on his eventing career and either stick around or be sold. Regal will start the year off at Training level, I am looking at a few clinics in Feb and March in Maryland and VA to kick us off, and then I am aiming to end the season with a few prelims under our belt. Regal will also debut in some USDF shows with Marion this year, very exciting for the big boy. Lilly will go BN and maybe even Novice this year. Quest will be looking for a full time leassor or be sold this year. I would like to see Marbles partner with someone to show in dressage and eventing, he is way too nice to stay home.

On an semi-related front, someone wants to buy my trailer, so I am currently in talks with someone to buy a 4 horse trailer, very exciting!

Students, what are your goals for 2013? I have some in mind for all of you but I want to hear your own goals first. Times to road map our year…

Drum roll please

Super assistant, head groom, my other set of arms Lindsey has her own blog...

behindthemuckpile.blogspot.com

Fall went by way too fast

Something about the best laid plans…pretty much every show/outing planned for this Fall was kyboshed by weather or lack of entries…the ladies and I have made the best of it with some fun jumping lessons, crazy combinations and re-creating XC jumps in the ring, but man, frustrating.

Waredaca (the only show we made it to) was a success despite Hurricane Sandy creeping up the coast. Regal did not make it due to sore muscles not allowing us to stay on a good prep schedule; good news is found a great equine massage person. Elizabeth went down and had a great ride for 5^th out of 15 ending on her dressage score. I swear she and Quest grin from ear to ear all the way around the course....

Sandy blew in knocking power at the barn for about 8 days, at home I was without for about 5 days. Followed by a snow storm a week later, riding has been limited, though feeling back to normal now, just in time for holidays to set in!

Change is in the air, but instead of a nice firm northern wind it is blowing around like Sandy…frustrating and adrenaline pumping all at the same time.

On a completely different note, I think I have chosen the stallion I will breed Noor to in the Spring, but I will leave that for the next entry. Stay warm, dry and happy Thanksgiving!  

Frequency of updates = Lame

Well, it has been way too long since my last update, lots of balls in the air as they say. Regal has been going well, I did one more Novice at the NJ Horse Park, dressage was much improved, still showed some greenness in stadium with some rails, but he rocked around cross country and we finished 5^th out of 14. I have since taken a break from competing to really nail some training points, the progress has been pretty incredible and some lessons with Marion Georgiev have really helped to get us focused and its been great for me to have someone to bounce some ideas off. First and foremost was creating a more elastic uphill connection, that is adjustable. Let’s face it Regal is just too damn big for anything other than self-carriage.  We’ve been jumping a little, not much, this past week I decided to have a good school and test out my new found up-ness. Thanks to my ground crew I had an array of large fences ranging from 3ft to nearly 5ft. Regal was a rock star, a few times I didn’t have him up on the landing where I want, which makes tighter lines, especially bending downhill….err umm…interesting but all in all was feeling very good. We are still taking off too close to the base, while a good skill to have, makes it hard for him to show off his great knees. So that is next on the docket to work on. Regal is on his second round of full shoes, we’ve increased the size, I think a 4 or 5 now?? Yikes, my horse has dinner plates. Next will be Waredaca in Maryland, this is hands down one of my favorite events - wish it was closer, and we will make our debut at Training level. He’s really learning to flick his toes out J Then we will head down to VA Nov 10-11^th to finish up the northern season. I’m hoping to sneak South for even just a week to train and show once late season, but a lot of that will depend on weather up north and how fit I can keep him. 

A few weeks ago, Elizabeth and I headed up to Ontario Canada to Timber Ridge Sporthorses to shop for new prospects and came home with a boy and a girl. Elizabeth is super excited to welcome her two new children into the USA in Nov and I am looking forward to being their weekday training mommy. They are both branded RPSI, complete with German passports. Lilly, is 3.5 and jumps like she is bound for Rolex in a year and Roo who is 2.5 is a gentle giant, who I also think will have a great future, once he figures out where his HUGE body goes. You can see them here (look for the dark bay with big ears and a lanky chestnut, somewhere around page 3): 

 http://penwickeventing.com/Photos.php

At home the students are working really hard, we attended their first recognized event with some mixed results, but everyone left hungry to work harder and be ready for the increased level of competition next year. This coming weekend we will head to a hunter pace and then off to Bucks County Nov 4^th.  

Rafiki is looking for a new home soon, so if you are interested or know anyone, let me know! I need to free up some space so good home and a quick sale will secure someone a steal!