We are down to the wire!

I attended a three day eventing clinic at Longwood Farm; Betsy Watkins phenomenal facility where the USET trains, along with most other prominent eventers in the U.S. The first day was supposed to be Lauren Haugh, but, she ruptured a muscle in a grand prix in Wellington the night before, so we had to settle with Captain Mark Phillips!! Darn! Some of the riders participating were David O'Connor and Robin Walker. Captain Phillips pinch hit, and although it was not a great 'Instructor Program' as intended, was a very interesting clinic with one of the best in the sport.

The second day was for judges. I was participating and was a bit nervous. I was the only "L" grad. The rest were 'real' judges. I held my own and owned some. The third day was a Mark Phillips cross country clinic and young horse competition. I attended the cross country portion. Mark emphasized the galloping position. 90% of Americans gallop with their reins too short. He had to change, virtually, every one's position for galloping. A sudden change in a basic, ingrained position combined with nerves and big jumps made for some interesting rides. I was happy to be watching, not riding. Darren Chiaachia was one of the riders in a group. He chose to disregard a lot of Capn Phillips input, but, Mark was able to improve a lot about Darren's position and approach to some of the gymnastic questions. It was very interesting and reassuring to see the 'top professionals' in our sport need and accept corrections, feedback and input. Eventing is a humbling sport.

I went to the Sarasota area to look at farms for sale, beach houses, you know . . . options! Great area, really nice. VERY cold, while I was there. AND, really not a horse friendly area at all. In Ocala, you trip over horse people, horse farms and horses! In Sarasota you just 'trip' because you are OLD! Sorry, I loved it, but, it is such a retirement/vacation spot. I'm not ready to hang up my spurs just yet.

Nancy Porter came into town and stayed with me. We had a great time. She got to ride my new, yet injured, horse, Maestro. They were a perfect match. We went to a Make a Wish Foundation's fund raiser. They had eventers and jumpers swap with reiners in a competition. So, the cowboys had to jump a course on the TB/warmbloods. The jumpers had to ride a western pattern, slide stop, spin and then move a cow in many different, time consuming, and specific movements. It was hilarious. The riders were really incredible.

Nancy and I were invited to Cheryl Holekamp's Ocala farm to see some of her youngsters. She had two 'coming' four year olds under saddle. She rode one and Michael Larson rode the other. They are both Trehkaners by her stallions Baron Verde and Windfall. Windfall in the horse that Darren Chiaachia rode in the Athens Olympics. Baron Verde is the stallion that he had his bad fall on. I rode the young gelding, he was really athletic and fun. He's for sale, if anyone is looking for an event horse! Then they got the stallions tacked up. We watched them go, it was great. They are both lovely horses, they hate each other, but, behaved very well as long as they didn't get too close together. Cheryl pulled Windfall up and said, "Do you want to hop on?" I couldn't believe it. I, of course, said, "No, that's all right." Then, I thought, duh. . . "Yeah, I'd love to!" What a dummy, she wouldn't offer if she didn't want to. Cheryl commented when I hesitated, "You can't break him." I thought to myself, we'll see about that. We got on really well. He was very responsive and we even did flying changes both ways. It was a huge honor to get to ride such a quality and well trained stallion.

I re-homed Lea Castle! Yeah, the 21 year old, going on 6, will be teaching a former saddle seat rider dressage. Perfect match. He will be living on a farm in Newberry, FL next to the Canterbury show grounds, where he will be showing. The new owner is entering the USDF "L" program and needs four scores in the 60% region at 2nd level. Lea can do that easily assuming she keeps him focused on her and not on the man walking the dog a mile away. I was putting the paperwork together for Caryl, the new owner, and realized it was Lea's 21st birthday today! Serendipity!

Lea's other option was to go to Chicago and event, potentially to Preliminary level. . . again. I think he deserves to retire in Florida like a lot of Minnesotans do, don't you? Besides, I wouldn't ride him cross country and I am considered kind of crazy as far as what I will do on horseback.

It's Just a Whirlwind

Whew! Where were we?? Mid January, methinks. I spent the third week of January riding and farm shopping. I scooted to MN, under the radar, for my daughter's birthday the end of Jan. Just a quick, below zero, Thur-Sat visit. Jenna couldn't get time off of her four jobs to visit me! So, I went to her. We shopped, got a Caribou fix, watched movies and made cookies. It was a good mom/daughter time for both of us. I visited with my family and my chica's (a small, but, special group of girlfriends) and then blew out of there for warmer temps. And, although it is not warm here in Fl, it's warmer than Minnesnowda! I'd rather deal with fire ants than ice dams.

John came to FL to visit the first week of February. He stayed Wed-Sat. Quick visit, but, fun. He came and watched me ride a horse I was thinking of buying on one day of his visit and then we farm shopped on the next day. Soooooo, first the beast! Missy Ransehausen (yes, the daughter of the famous dressage rider, Jessica Ransehausen) had a sale horse at Longwood Farm. Wim Foekema thought he might work for me. So, he took him on and rode him for a few weeks before he would let me try him. And then I did! His name is Bittersweet Symphony, he's called Mozart, Maestro or Mandarb, depending on who you are talking to. More on that later. He is a 15 year old Dutch Warmblood gelding. Yes, he's big! I don't look for the monsters, I really don't. He's probably 17 hands, but, he's not wide, so he rides like a smaller horse. He did level III jumpers last year. He got a 2nd and a 7th at HITS in New York, that I know of. Missy is an eventer, but, soon realized that this horse's talent is in dressage.

So, here's the deal. Triple 'M' has his changes. I can get them. They are clean. He's got a huge medium trot that I can sit!! He doesn't hurt my body AND I could afford him. DING, DING, DING! Sold. Oh, I forgot to mention. He vetted out really, really well. Especially for his age. I was truly surprised. It seemed too easy, too good to be true. John was even 'on board.' He watched me ride the horse and said; "I know nothing about horses and even less about dressage, but, even I can tell this is a better quality horse than you've ever owned!" I would have been insulted if it wasn't so true! At least for the sport of dressage.

Maestro walked right into my trailer, moved onto the farm as if he'd lived there his whole life. No calling, no prancing, no scary eyeballs. Still going way too smooth! I was worried. I put him in a paddock next to the other two boys. Stabled him overnight next to Tiz. Let them meet over the fence. All the right things. I turned him out with Lea. They each went, "Squeal, Squeal, rub, rub." Best friends! Hmmmm. Then I introduced my 'pseudo stud' to Maestro. They seemed fine, too. I let Tiz go. Still o.k. Maestro had the gaul to try to drink out of the water trough while Tiz was drinking. Tiz charged at him, he backed off. COOL! They moved about, I thought all was well. Tiz turned his butt, in a threatening manner, to his new pasture mate. Maestro did not pay attention to his body language and Tiz double barelled him missing my carefully placed boots and hit his hock! Of course!

Blood, swelling, lameness! THERE IT IS! The bad thing happened. Oddly, I felt relief! Something bad (sometimes three things) has to happen every time I get a new horse. And, he would probably be fine. If not, at least he's a very sweet pet. Bute, cold hosing, time. We are on day four from the kick and I would say he is 98% sound. I've ridden him every day at the walk and trot. Today will be the first real work day. Cross your fingers for me!

Many, many thanks to Wim for finding this really cool horse for me. I am hopeful that Maestro and I will be able to get the fourth level scores I need for my judge's program. I'm off to ride at Longwood Farm. Here's another teaser. I rode a stallion, the other day, who was in the Olympics in Greece! Who could it be?? Guesses??

January 14, 2010

Becky and gang left on Thursday, Jan 14 and Natalie Norby-Sellman arrived on the 15th. Natalie is a small animal vet (although she is, in fact, quite diminuitive, I meant she treats small animals) and a student of mine. She had a conference in Orlando, so she came up for a quick visit. I gave her the, by now, well known 'grand Ocala tour' complete with fried green tomatoes at The Ivy House and a meal at the Horse and Hound! I was hoping she'd try the 'Full Monty' but, forgot she was a vegetarian. The ploughman's lunch worked for her. John tried the Full Monty hamburger while he was here. I call it the 'just kill me burger' or 'desperately seeking calories burger.' It is a hamburger with a potato cake on it, topped with cheese, bacon and ham. Oh yeah, and served with french fries, cause a potato cake and ham on a bacon cheese burger might not have enough fat in it.

Natalie and I went out to the Florida Horse Park to watch a little of the Ocala Winter Dressage Show. Faces are becoming familiar to me here. I had a few people I'd met earlier this winter call a "Hello, Jodi," to me, which was a pleasant surprise. Wim Foekema was showing Ovatio and Isabelle with Jacob Kennedy serving as groom. Jean Thornton, former MN resident and J.O. boarder was the 'r' judge in ring three. She still owns and stands the Lipizan stallion Conversano II Aloha II that she had in MN decades ago. She is more into cremello sport horse breeding now. She's a very nice gal. I was supposed to scribe for her on Sunday, but. . .

I volunteered to work at the show on Sunday. Gayle Witty was the manager of the Orlando show who was kind enough to let me 'sit' with Sarah Gieke (judge) and not work at all at that show in December. Well, it WAS work for ME, but, not productive for HER. She told me I would be a ring steward on Sunday. I showed up at 7:30 AM and she asked if I would scribe for Jean Thornton in ring 3. I was thrilled, that's a great job for an aspiring judge. I was wearing jeans which is a no-no when working in the judge's box, but, I was a last minute substitution, and it was for Jean, so I wasn't worried. I grabbed my scribe's kit equipped with written tests, day sheet, bell, red pens, black pens, stop watch, water and cookies and headed out to find my judge. In walks Marilyn Heath to the show office!

Marilyn was the head of my USDF "L" Judge's Program and one of three examiners for my three day final exam last August. Don't misunderstand me, she was great! Ran the program really well, is passionate about what she does, and is spot on for her knowledge of judging. BUT, because she is 'all that' you DO NOT meet Marilyn unprepared, wearing jeans (major sin in judge's program) and expecting to coast through the day. I was all three of those things that day. Marilyn looked at the clipboard in my hand and said, "Are YOU my scribe?" I explained the situation. She went to the show manager and asked to have me switched to her ring. Bless her heart! I knew that, like flu shots, chemotherapy, exercise, etc, it may be painful, but will be good for me in the end.

So, off we went to Ring 1 with me trying to remember where you mark down the errors, how you scribe a para class and looking with dread at the grand prix rides on our day sheet. In the "L" program I only had to judge through 2nd level. There are many, many tests between 2nd and grand prix I, not only, did not know, I had never scribed at that level. Oh, well, punt. An added bonus was that Cheryl Holekamp an 'r' going for her 'R' judge's card was 'sitting' with Marilyn, too. Oh goodie, she could pick on both of us. At least I could say, "Sorry, I didn't see that. I was too busy writing down your comments!" Cheryl is the owner of New Spring Farm which stands Windfall and Baron Verdi, along with other trekehaner stallions. Windfall is one of the most successful eventing stallions in the nation. Baron Verdi is the very talented young stallion that Darren Chiacchia had his unfortunate fall on Cross Country. I explained and apologized several times for my attire (not fitting for a USDF judge) and got along just fine. Marilyn was very helpful and I learned even more about developing a judge's eye.

Monday as a down day. I rode my horses, did chores and went to my farrier, Roy's, birthday party. I brought a bottle of ChocoVine wine that I found in an Ocala wine shop along with a caprese salad hors d'ourve to Wim and Robs. The ChocoVine is a combination of dutch chocolate (Wim) and fine red wine (Rob). It was similar to Bailey's Creme. Very yummy and there were NO calories on the label, so I assume it's dietetic as well as delicious.

Tuesday, Jan 19 began my three day USEA Instructor Certification Clinic with Karen O'Connor. This was a level III/IV workshop. I had audited one I/II and been a participating instructor in another level I/II workshop right before I was diagnosed with cancer. I was using this as a refresher with the hopes to find a testing this spring/fall for my level II or III.

The program was held at Ashley Leith's parents farm in Ocala for the first two days and at the Florida Horse Park for the third (cross country) day. They served a free breakfast at 7:30 AM to encourage attendees to arrive on time. It worked for me, I'm very food oriented, but, not for every one else. Scott Keach, a former Olympic eventer from Australia and participating instructor, tried to overtake Karen O'Connor in her own drive way in an attempt to NOT BE LATE! Karen had to remind him that as SHE was the CLINICIAN, it was likely he would not miss much! Scott rode in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, on the Australian Eventing team and is also a Grand Prix Show jumper.


Tuesday was the dressage teaching day. Most of the instructors were nervous about this. I don't blame them. Dressage is my strongest phase of eventing, but, it would be intimidating to be presented with Michael Larson riding New Spring Farm's Trekhaner stallion, Baron Verdi, as your demo rider as an aspiring USEA certified instructor. Some of these instructors had never even been through an ICP at all and had only ridden training level. Yikes, is right! So kudos to them.

We spent all day Wednesday practice teaching stadium jumping. Recurring theme was safety and the quality of the canter. Improve the canter, maintain your tempo and length of stride and the jumps will take care of themselves. Amen!

Thursday was windy and a bit rainy. We traveled 30 minutes to the Florida Horse Park, THE windiest spot in central Florida. Each day started out with an hour and a half lecture, a demo lesson taught by Karen and then each instructor taught a 30/40 minute lesson with discussion to follow. Thursday's focus was on galloping position. "Ninety percent of Americans gallop with their reins too short." Capt. Mark Phillips quote. Karen concurs! So, almost every rider had to spend quite a bit of time altering her position and improving the canter/gallop before any jumping was done.

Karen O'Connor treated us all as equals, which was a surprise. Being a participating auditor was the best of both worlds. I got to be involved in all of the lectures, discussions and questions without the torture of having to teach in front of 30 people and have my lesson plan dissected by Ms eventing herself, Karen O'Connor. It was a very productive three day clinic. I have been through the program before, but, it solidified a lot of the USEA's teaching in my brain. I'm ready to test now, I just have to find an open assessment. Karen and Ashley are trying to put one together for us later this spring.