Q jumps 2'9"

Extreme Hunter/Jumper

HOW INSANE IS THIS?!

G-Man

Q gets the limelight a lot on this blog, but that's because she's the one in full work. Lest he not be forgotten, I do have a second little guy who is wonderful in all his own ways - I'm just not working him as heavily yet. He's only 3, why rush?

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Earlier last week I brought him in one evening with no more plans than to just spend some time with him. I decided I wanted to move the jumps around to prepare for my next jump session with Q. Griffin grazed beside me while I did this.

I set up a 1'6" oxer and a 2' vertical was already up.

I wondered how Griffin would react to the oxer? Everything else I've lunged him over has been no big deal, but this was definitely different. How would he take it?

He basically walked over the damn thing. -_- NBD.

Fine, I thought, let's see how the vertical treats you.

NBD. Again.

Okay then, fancy pants, what if I up the ante? 2'6" (which I think may be 2'9" at top of the pole...)

Finally, a little more effort, but still, he makes it look easy!

He's so funny about lunging jumps like this. I'll send him over just a few times and want to call it, Griffin will charge past my cues to slow and halt to jump it again and again. He loves this job! Maybe I'll have to get over my fear of showing and show him in a year or so. Time will tell.  Bottom line: he's quite athletic!

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Last Saturday I trailered him alone for the first time since he's come to the farm. We headed to the 4-H fairground to help with the kids show. The atmosphere was chaotic and quite unlike anything he'd experienced before so I wanted him to have to deal with a lot of new things.

I walked him around the horse-happy areas. He was a perfect gentleman about everything. All of the time we've spent with groundwork cues really paid off. It was so nice to just be able to give him subtle cues to back up or move a little to the left and have him listen. I didn't even have to interrupt conversations I was having, just give subtle cue and he was back where I wanted him.

He's got such a good mind. Despite everything going on around him, he never had trouble focusing on me when I requested it. I really look for him to be the horse I put friends on in the future because he is so much calmer about life than Q is (or likely ever will be). Its definitely the TWH side of him.

He spent half the time tied to the trailer a couple hundred yards from where I was (yet very near a lot of other horse people and activity so I was never worried about his safety.) From my vantage point, it seemed he was just observing and taking everything in as much as he could.

When were near the ring helping the girls as they went through their classes, he received a lot of very nice compliments from many people. No less than three people noted how "hunter" he looked. While nice to hear, I have a feeling a large part of their tendency to say this was drawn from the observation that his mane is so short. (Little did they know, its only short because I was absolutely fed up with a large chunk of it being so much shorter than the rest! Damn hay feeder in the winter.)

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Tuesday night I'd planned to work him on the ground awhile and then potentially ride. However, within seconds of me asking him for a trot I noted that he was ever-so-slightly off in the RF - more noticeable when tracking right. No heat, no swelling, no racing digital pulse, nothing odd looking about his hoof. I decided it was likely just a tweak from playing too hard in the field.

So plans to work were quickly changed and I just toyed around with some at liberty exercises at the walk. Its been months since I've done this so I just wanted to check to see how cued into me he was; still a superstar. He yielded his hindquarters both directions, backed up, moved forward, and (duh) altered directions around the circle all based from my body gestures. I love how focused on me he is during these exercises. Now...to translate that under saddle!

So yes, Griffin is well. Yet another wonderful little equine athlete I'm fortunate to have.

Distance Statistics

All statistics thanks to the Endomondo app:

178 miles tracked in 2012

202 miles tracked in 2013. This excludes the first two 50 milers. 302 miles is a more accurate estimate. 

Now, are these an accurate representation of how much I’ve ridden? Not *quite* but the value for this year is definitely close.  I don’t track flat rides or jumping rides or short jaunts around the property or the hill sprints. However, as far as distance ridden – both training and competition – these are relatively accurate. Very crazy to actually look at the numbers. I wonder if through fun and competition I can get to 500 by the end of the year? I think it’s definitely doable. Autumn is my favorite time to ride. ☺

20 Mile Jaunt *update*

**I talked about so many #'s because I had this awesome figure from Endomondo and then I forgot to add it! Added now!**

Friday morning I enlisted the help of my BO’s husband so Q and I could be dropped off about 20 miles away so we could ride home. I am beyond fortunate to have such close access to the rail trail (railroad grade turned into a trail system) from my barn. I am also beyond fortunate to have great friends in my BO and her husband who have made it possible for me to have access to a trailer whenever I want & help me out in times like this.

I’d never attempted this distance on the rail trail with Q before. It was also my first time riding from town to town on the trail. As a result, the first 4 miles were pavement. (The section I ride most often from the barn is the pea gravel section that extends for ~13 miles of the trail between the two towns.) Fortunately, there was a very large grass berm for most of this section that Q was able to utilize.

Our mile splits from the get go weren’t shabby, but they kept dropping as we went on. I was super happy with Q’s trot. She was relatively focused on getting down the trail at a good pace, too. 

I thought I would canter her much sooner during the ride, but I was so caught up in how awesome her trotting statistics were that I just wanted to see how well she’d continue to perform at that gate as she got warmer and looser and fell into a rhythm. And thus, we trotted for the first 7 miles. 

I LOVE having Endomondo talk to me for rides on the rail trail like this. In the woods (i.e., the trails with added hills and varied terrain) I don’t really care WHAT my splits are AT ALL. Too much is varied from terrain for me to be focused on it. All I care about then is how the overall distance and time matched up. If I’d been in some make believe timed ride, would I have been in in time and met the CRI? 

But the rail trail? The relatively flat rail trail? This is where I have a tendency to obsess a bit over the numbers. The terrain is flat and has great footing. Why not rate her speed at the trot and canter and see where she is comfortably? I don’t ask too greatly of her, just that she maintain a steady, constant speed for each mile, and ask a tiny bit more as time goes on. 

For the first 4 miles I asked nothing. Just that she stick to the trot as much as possible. I wasn’t even greatly aware of her steady increase in pace except when Endomondo would notify me. After 4 straight miles of lower and lower mile splits, I asked her to give me a little more. She obliged again and again. We maxed out with a mile that averaged a 9.42 mph trot. (I switched diagonals posting at a steady frequency to even everything out, too.)

Split times above each bar; average speed written within each bar. Rabbit on fastest and turtle on slowest splits.

The mile after she didn’t get any faster, actually dropping 0.42 mph, I asked for a canter. I was ready for a change in motion and figured she’d enjoy a break, too. She was such a good girl through that canter period. It was through an area where the railroad grade had cut through the mountain so it was dark with looming rocks that usually spook a horse. I talked to her as we passed through and she didn’t falter a single step.

After this canter spurt our split times increased as our speed slowed. I went off trail to visit two friends, pausing Endomondo during spurts of no traveling. We spent nearly an hour between two visits. It was a good break for both of us. Q even got some fly spray from the second friend.

From there it was right back out onto the trail and we picked up a great trot pace again for the next 6 miles averaging 8.9 mph. 

With all of that trotting, and the sketchier - in terms of possible things to spook at - out of the way, I pushed her into a canter for the last few miles of the trail that she is most familiar with. 

This went wonderfully. She cantered at a steady cadence, intermittently stretching long and low with her neck to stretch her back. I was so proud of her.

And then she saw sunlight dancing off the grey bark of a tight-barked tree and she SLAMMED on the brakes.

Now, I don’t know if I didn’t have my heels down or eyes up enough. Perhaps this was my fault – at least in part – but I went SOARING over her head. Like, I have distinct memory of soaring. I don’t know how I landed, but it really wasn’t bad. I have no bruises.

However, I didn’t let go of the reins. (Look, Dom! Fingers closed! Hahahaha.)

Aaannnd I got some kickass rope burn on my left hand as a result. It hurt. It hurt BAD. (Yes, I should start wearing gloves all the time. Sigh.)

I yelled at Q. But I couldn’t really be mad. She didn’t run off after I was dumped. And to top it off she’d been so phenomenal for 17 miles. I couldn’t be upset with her.

I remounted and trotted the last < 1 mile of the rail trail, reins only in my right hand, cursing the pain in my left all the while. 

I dismounted to cross the busy road per the usual, and was rewarded with the nearby wetland providing a cool pool of water to splash my injured hand in. 

The last ~2 miles were uneventful. I did everything right-handed. We made it back to the barn. I loosened Q’s girth and then left her while I found an ice pack in the tack room fridge and vet wrapped it to my hand. SO MUCH RELIEF.

From there I untacked the super mare and hosed her down. She stood SO STILL for the hosing. She loved it. Nice and refreshing. 

Her legs were tight and good, and I rubbed a little liniment on them just to add to the refreshing aspect at the end of the ride. 

She had her grain, and then I turned her out with her friends. 

End of ride stats: 8.32 mph average and completed 20.2 miles in 2:25. And all in her halter/bridle. Oh, and barefoot.

 

Not bad for a horse who has only been back in work a month. Not bad at all.

Love my super mare.

WW: Fly Fishing

Overcoming the Hurdle

50 miles used to seem like this incredibly daunting distance to me. 

It was this goal I had for myself, but was so scared of.

I couldn’t fathom riding that distance.

I couldn’t fathom training my horse to be able to do that distance.

But then things changed.

I was thrown into some sudden opportunities to ride that distance on accomplished horses.

I was able to learn from others and teach my body what did and didn’t work.

And then, after 155 miles of competition, 50 miles didn’t seem so bad.

Actually, 15 miles into my 55 I remember thinking, Wait, so the 30 milers are just gonna turn around and go back NOW? Whoa. That’s like…nothing. That’s so quick and fast. Huh. Never dreamed I’d think that.

I guess this is the endurance mindset? Overcoming that hurdle of thinking 50 was so impossible to now thinking it’s so totally doable? 

Either way, I’m in. I’m so in. This sport is fun and its everything I dreamed it would be.

Adoration

I adore this mare.

Totally and completely adore her.

And I'm so excited to spend years and years with her.

Tuesday night I took her on the rail trail (in the attire in the photo) and we did 8¼ mile in 1:03. Right as I was reaching my "I'm gonna walk this last quarter mile" point, Endomondo called out, 8 miles in 1 hour. I was pleasantly surprised we'd kept that pace. I'd wanted to, but I didn't know that I would that night.

I've decided that our rail trail (aka: FLAT) rides I'm going to push for a faster pace. 7+ mph. Average speed for this night was 7.8 mph. Perfect!

Q's lofty trot that she maintains so well is 9-10 mph. Her rolling canter is a solid 12-13 mph with spikes higher. My goal, for the flat, is to condition for that 9-10 mph trot and condition her canter into the 13-14 mph zone. Essentially, maintaining and better developing that trot and strengthening that canter. Nothing drastic.

And the best new news of all? She moves out and listens very well in that riding halter! I am very heavily considering the purchase of a beta/biothane hackamore for her for next season. I love the idea of her being able to eat uninhibited by the bit. No bit = more room to stuff and grab foodsen. Nomz.

Such a great little mare. Such an athletic horse.

The Value of a Horse

I saw this on Facebook the other day and just had to share it here:

For parents who complain about the cost of horses

Very often we hear parents at the riding school complain about the cost of horses. While we know they eat a hole in the pocket, a father recently shared why he forks out for the animals. We’ve copied this from Facebook and definitely think you’ll enjoy the read:

My daughter turned sixteen years old today; which is a milestone for most people. Besides looking at baby photos and childhood trinkets with her, I took …time to reflect on the young woman my daughter had become and the choices she would face in the future.

As I looked at her I could see the athlete she was, and determined woman she would soon be. I started thinking about some of the girls we knew in our town who were already pregnant, pierced in several places, hair every color under the sun, drop outs, drug addicts and on the fast track to no-where, seeking surface identities because they had no inner self esteem. The parents of these same girls have asked me why I “waste” the money on horses so my daughter can ride. I’m told she will grow out of it, lose interest, discover boys and all kinds of things that try to pin the current generation’ s “slacker” label on my child. I don’t think it will happen, I think she will love and have horses all her life.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has compassion. She knows that we must take special care of the very young and the very old. We must make sure those without voices to speak of their pain are still cared for.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned responsibility for others than herself. She learned that regardless of the weather you must still care for those you have the stewardship of. There are no “days off” just because you don’t feel like being a horse owner that day. She learned that for every hour of fun you have there are days of hard slogging work you must do first.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned not to be afraid of getting dirty and that appearances don’t matter to most of the breathing things in the world we live in. Horses do not care about designer clothes, jewelry, pretty hairdos or anything else we put on our bodies to try to impress others. What a horse cares about are your abilities to work within his natural world, he doesn’t care if you’re wearing $80.00 jeans while you do it. 

Because my daughter grew up with horses she understands the value of money. Every dollar can be translated into bales of hay, bags of feed or farrier visits. Purchasing non-necessities during lean times can mean the difference between feed and good care, or neglect and starvation. She has learned to judge the level of her care against the care she sees provided by others and to make sure her standards never lower, and only increase as her knowledge grows.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to learn on her own. She has had teachers that cannot speak, nor write, nor communicate beyond body language and reactions. She has had to learn to “read” her surroundings for both safe and unsafe objects, to look for hazards where others might only see a pretty meadow. She has learned to judge people as she judges horses. She looks beyond appearances and trappings to see what is within.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned sportsmanship to a high degree. Everyone that competes fairly is a winner. Trophies and ribbons may prove someone a winner, but they do not prove someone is a horseman. She has also learned that some people will do anything to win, regard-less of who it hurts. She knows that those who will cheat in the show ring will also cheat in every other aspect of their life and are not to be trusted.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has self-esteem and an engaging personality. She can talk to anyone she meets with confidence, because she has to express herself to her horse with more than words. She knows the satisfaction of controlling and teaching a 1000 pound animal that will yield willingly to her gentle touch and ignore the more forceful and inept handling of those stronger than she is. She holds herself with poise and professionalism in the company of those far older than herself.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to plan ahead. She knows that choices made today can effect what happens five years down the road. She knows that you cannot care for and protect your investments without savings to fall back on. She knows the value of land and buildings. And that caring for your vehicle can mean the difference between easy travel or being stranded on the side of the road with a four horse trailer on a hot day.

When I look at what she has learned and what it will help her become, I can honestly say that I haven’t “wasted” a penny on providing her with horses. I only wish that all children had the same opportunities to learn these lessons from horses before setting out on the road to adulthood.

Dom & Mike Visit WV

Since my May visit to NJ, Dom and I have been plotting when she and Mike could make an escape visit to WV. Three people with some of the busiest schedules imaginable made it pretty tricky. In fact, we'd gotten to the point where we were wondering if it was even going to happen this year at all pre-snowfall. But then things changed quickly on their end and my schedule was open, so within a week's time we had plans for them to visit Labor Day weekend.

I could hem and haw and give a complete and thorough play-by-play of their visit, but what it really boils down to is this: I showed them the best parts of WV (the first installment at any rate, they'll need one more visit to complete it) and stirred in some horse time with my animals and a Friesian stallion.

And so, each day's summary (followed by photos in chronological order) goes as such...

Friday: They arrive. Julio and Herbie wreak havoc in the form of play in my yard after their drive while the three humans sat inside and discussed evening plans. We decide to go to the dirt track for the Friday night race - something I haven't done since I was 8 years old. On the way we pick up Venezuelan food and beer [nomz].


Saturday: We trit trot across the street from my apartment because an opportunity has been presented that involves riding a Friesian stallion. I think the conversation went something like:

Liz: ...Friesian stallion...
Dom: YES.

After an unsuccessful ground session and a very successful riding session with the 5 year old stallion, baby Friesian sporthorses, & some draft mules, we headed to my barn to play with Griffin and Q. From there we snagged some lunch and then headed off to see the following: Olson Firetower, Blackwater Falls, Mountain State Brew Co., Canaan Valley, and Dolly Sods, the latter of which we caught right during those golden hours at the end of the day.

Sunday: A hefty breakfast at my BO's house consisting of bacon, sausage, sausage gravy and biscuits, eggs, and French toast casserole. This was followed by a riding party of 5 people, 4 horses. Lessons were given. Western horse became English/dressage. And fun was had by all. That afternoon we headed to my cabin in the Sinks of Gandy to show off some more of WV and have dinner with my family. Dom got to shoot a gun for the first time as the guys were shooting skeet when we arrived. It rained shortly after we arrived for most of the evening, stopping briefly for a jaunt to a nearby cave exit. As we settled around the fire for the evening, sunlight made another appearance and Dom and Mike opted to try to see if there was a view from Spruce Knob (WV's  highest point). I drove like a bat out of hell to the top to beat sunset. West Virginia was really showing off for her visitors on this night. Mist settled in the valleys between the hills, knobs, and mountains. The sky burst with soft colors. Visibility was better than imagined. Almost heaven. And as if that wasn't enough icing on the cake, as we drove home afterward we got a good view of two bobcat cubs.

Monday: Sleeping in. Dog play. Shining. Cheap Mexican. And with that they began their journey home.

Another successful visit by a blogger-friend to West Virginia! I look forward to hearing more about the trip from Dom in coming days on her blog; the impressions and memories made by others of my home are always far more fun and descriptive than my own. I don't take my state for granted, but my recollections of events may not be as detailed since I have the opportunity to walk out my door and experience it every day. I hope to see these two again (and Saiph & Charles) when I make my way east in October to band raptors in Cape May.

Cheers!

Dirt track racing.

Herbie wanting to say "hi" to her kitten and Kenai. Julio deciding that obviously he should, too, since his big sister wants to.

Dom going "squee" over his tiny ears and how soft he is.

Fire breathing Friesian. Also known as: Hi my name is Bart and I haven't been ridden/had a bit in my mouth in 4-5 months.

Griffin says RAWRRRRRR!!!!! This was one of his head gnashing/throwing days.

Blackwater Canyon

Lindy Point overlook

Dolly Sods

Herbie reunited with "her" kitten. =)

Spruce Knob sunset

Virginia Highlands 55

The short of it – we finished 6th in a field of 40-ish. Siena was a totally different horse from Scioto. The weather was more than perfect. The trails were absolutely amazing. The company was even better.             

The long of it:     

I drove the 4 hours south to Ivanhoe, VA on Friday to meet my friend Mary whose mare Siena I would be riding in the Virginia Highlands 55 on Saturday. Other than a guy in front of me forgetting his toll money and causing quite the hubbub at the toll before jacking money from me, the drive was uneventful. I finished off The China Study on audiobook and Kenai lounged in the back.                

Miss Siena

I arrived in ride camp and found Mary’s rig with little issue. She wasn’t around and I didn’t have cell service, so I wandered around and read some as I awaited her to appear at her rig. Ride camp is at the Ivanhoe horse fairgrounds, right along a stretch of the New River (the second oldest river in the world (the Nile is the oldest) that flows north into WV where it created the New River Gorge, the place I frequent for climbing). There were some clifflines along the opposing bank, but nothing like the NRG.                 

Mary showed up at the trailer within an hour or so of my arrival. She couldn’t believe she’d missed me driving in. We vetted the horses through and then headed out to put our stuff at the away check – a BEAUTIFUL hilltop home with views far into the distance. We snagged food and gas in town and headed back to camp for a quick ride. It had deluged that morning from the look and sound of things. Blue skies and sun upon my arrival, but the trails and riders racing on Friday told a different story. There was SO MUCH water! And mud. A lot of mud.          

New River cliff line beside ride camp

The most dangerous part of the trail occurred in the second mile from ride camp. Narrow single track that switchbacked up the mountainside. There were soft spots in the trail where a misstep would take one off the edge. I was getting some serious flashbacks from TN the previous summer when one of our packhorses went tumbling off the side of the mountain.                 

Fortunately, Siena and Gryphon were more sure-footed and moved through without a problem. We ran into some 50-milers finishing their day on the way up, pivoted the horses and headed back down, out, and into ride camp, but not before Gryphon proved to Mary that he’d definitely need a running martingale the following day!          

 Prior to sleep that night, we talked with some folks in camp. I got to meet some of the big-wigs within AERC. This was particularly interesting because the bulk of what I read/hear about the inner workings comes from angsty trolls on the ridecamp forum. I have stopped reading much of ridecamp lately because there is so much controversy on there from what I figured were most likely ill-informed, highly-opinionated people.     

It seems I was right.         

I listened in on some very interesting conversations about topics that are highly contested on ridecamp. I feel that I finally got the true-and-true of the whole thing. About what I figured things were, but nice to have confirmation.           

 I was then quizzed heavily as to why I was doing this sport, ways I thought further young folks could be recruited, what ways AERC could lure more people into the sport, and was then thanked for my time, attention, and interest.          

 If you want to know what I had to say about these things, then drop me an email as I’m not going to turn my personal blog into a place to contest AERC issues.                  

I slept AMAZINGLY the night prior to the ride. So amazing, in fact, that at first I really didn’t even want to get up and ride. The thought of riding 55 miles versus staying in bed was a really difficult one to work through that early!            

We were tacked up and ready with plenty of time to spare. Kenai had a pee break and was in his kennel for the day. Just what he needed with his rehab at that point – stall rest!     Mary and I walked the horses around and around camp for the 20 minutes pre-start. We left right in the middle of the pack without any shenanigans.          

For the first several miles of trail we were caught up in a group of 10. We snaked slowly up the dangerous switchback section – which had washed out in one area! Once the trail widened, Mary, myself, and two other riders – a mother/son team – scooted past the others to continue on.         

With time we caught up to Bonni – who would end up winning and getting BC – and we slowed Siena and Gryphon to let the three of them continue on at a faster pace. Mary strives to do a 7 mph pace and they were doing more than that.              

We were in a pocket for the rest of that first 15 mile loop. It was wonderful being on our own. Ride your own ride.  The loop finished through some gorgeous fields. I couldn’t get over how stunning it was. Cantering through was an incredible feeling.                        

We topped out at the vet check, pulsed down quickly, and vetted through with no problems. Siena went through with the lowest CRI the vets had seen yet at 48/48. This mare is going to be such a future super star! My love of Belesemo horses grows even more…           

After two breakfast biscuits, ounces and ounces of liquids, and all the food the horses could eat, we headed out on the ~23 mile loop. Two girls my age-ish and a mother/daughter (12 year old daughter who completed her 1,000^th mile (!!!!!!!) at this ride) caught up to us shortly into the loop.        

The trails were SO AMAZING. SO AMAZING. Phenomenal footing. Beautiful vistas. Perfect weather. SO WONDERFUL.       

We discovered on this loop that 7 of the front runners had gone off trail and would now only receive completion miles. That put us in the top 10. All we had to do was complete.             

We rode almost the whole loop with the other four ladies. They pulled away for a time, but we caught back up and ended up passing them and the mother/son team before we came into the vet check/hold.               

We headed back out on to the final 15 mile loop in good spirits. Mary “swam” out of camp, arms spinning in freestyle stroke without reins. I was chatting with folks and got left behind for a moment, so I “swam” out after her, much to the amusement of others.  We rode this ENTIRE loop alone without others around. It was both wonderful and surprising as we figured they would all have caught us by this point. 

10 or so miles into the loop, Gryphon had some cramping in his hind legs that Mary got off and massaged multiple times. She taught me how to “release” the tight muscles where these cramps often arise. Gryphon would skip a few steps, but 95% of his steps were sound. Mary monitored him very closely and altered our pace dependent upon the incline in order to best manage and help Gryphon out.        

A mile out from camp though he cramped up in a way that Mary couldn’t get it out. He looked much the way you or I would look with a Charlie horse. I trotted and she walked across the finish in 6^th and 7^th place; I headed to relieve Kenai and Mary and headed straight to the masseuse.                  

Siena vetted through at the 15 minute CRI mark, as we planned to stand her for BC. Gryphon got the most amazing massage ever for a long while, but still didn’t get a completion as he still trotted out unsound. The vets were very complementary to all of Mary’s efforts though, and noted that Gryphon was very loose and otherwise very happy seeming. (He was sound by the following morning.)        

 Siena didn’t end up getting BC, but it was a fun exercise to get to deal with that aspect of things.  

It was an amazing ride through and through. I finally managed myself very well and was hardly sore the following day. I was even able to ride my own horses on Monday! I can’t wait for my next 50 mile opportunity…but that’s a month or so off. ;-) 

@ the finish! Photo by Nancy Sluys