Dressage Camp!

Sneak peak preview of more photos and blog post to come:

 

 

Equinpilot's Foal Pool Contest

Head on over to http://equinpilot.blogspot.com and enter Nicole's Foal Pool Contest by April 1st!

Fergie's dame is her stallion's granddame - and he is gorgeous!

The handsome Roscoe -  Castleberrys ReFflection

Still time to enter!

Switching it Up

Riding two very different horses over the past few weeks has been a new experience for me.  Not only physically, but mentally.  My daughter has had lots of experience with this from her years of being a working student and it has made her a fabulous rider.  I don't expect that to happen to me  riding both Riva and Fergie, but I hope it will eventually improve my skills.

 

Husband is busy working around the farm and no time to take new pics!

I look forward to riding Fergie - she is eager, forward, and will just keep trying, even when sweaty and tired.  She remembers everything from the previous ride and we can build on that and add in new exercises.  Currently we spend time each ride working on transitions, straightness and bend, and picking up the canter promptly. Left lead is getting much easier - right lead is still sticky, but I am starting to figure it out.

 Fergie 'assisting' her Dad with stall cleaning.

Riva is maddening...she reminds me of a kid who doesn't like to practice but loves to perform.  You know the type.  She is always on at a show - but it is very difficult to progress when you need to school movements at home but we end up spending the entire ride just getting a decent connection and her hind end engaged.

Annoyed Riva Diva - not to worry, I brought her in after I took a photo!

Indiana weather gave us a good stretch of dry weather, and I was able to ride 6 days out of 7 last week - and then we got an inch of rain yesterday...  Hoping for a dry Spring and lots of saddle time to work with Riva - get out in the pasture for hacks and out of the arena.

And have a beer sitting on my little pier!

Riding times 2!

Another announcement - no, we did not get yet another horse...I am going to be a grandmother soon!

Our youngest daughter is expecting a little girl in early June! 

 

If you know Alexis, you can tell she looks a little thicker here on the day we tried Fergie. 

She has ridden Fergie once at the walk since we brought her home and now is just coaching from the ground.  Which means I am suddenly the sole rider of the two mares who could not be more different.

Riva is very much a kick ride at home (those who have seen her at a show might not know this!).  She is lazy and will only do what you insist she do.  She also will pull like a freight train with her neck and chest if you let your leg relax.

Yes, I know - get that right leg down and heel down!

Fergie, on the hand is like a little sportscar and will go, go, go.  Very light in the bridle and will tuck her head behind vertical, which we are working on.

Working on canter

If we had ideal conditions in Indiana, I would be in phenomenal shape.  Our outdoor arena is still a work in progress and any rain means no riding for several days.  Every day that arena is rideable, I am out there times 2, grateful for every minute!

I am excited to announce we have a new family member and Riva has a new best friend!

 

Meet Castleberrys Fflying Duchess - Fergie! 

While no horse will ever replace our OTTB, Cheers, this little mare has stole our hearts in a short amount of time.

 

Thank you to Jen of cobjockey for introducing us to Fergie's breeder!  We spent a warm sunny afternoon in late January visiting her farm and playing with Cobs.  My daughter and I both tried Fergie under saddle that day and fell in love.  

This moment happened before I rode - yeah, I knew she would be coming home with us!

Fergie is 7 and had 4 months of under saddle training last year.  She is green but so willing to learn.

Second time cantering her - my third ride on her since bringing her home.

 Riva and Fergie had zero issues adjusting to one another.  This made my heart happy!

We took her on a 30 day trial - had the pre-puchase exam, farrier visit, and first lesson with JC, hauled her to an indoor to ride...picked up her papers today and made it official.

 

She is not gigantic...15 hh!

 

Welcome Miss Fergie!  We could not be happier with this new mare and look forward to many dressage adventures together!

Tribute for Cheers

Our hearts are heavy this week with the loss of our OTTB, Cheers, this past Sunday due to colic complications.  My husband put together 9 years worth of photos and set it to music - he posted it to FaceBook on Tuesday night and I did not see it until Wednesday morning.  I cried thru it the first time - so many great memories of this memorable horse.

July Show - August Show...and a new Farm!

So much to catch up!

July Show
End of July was the IDS schooling show and the first time to have my trainer, JC, school us the day before and warm us up day of show.  It was the hottest most humid show weekend we have ever attempted and it was rough.  Riva ended up dehydrated the next week - coliced - several vet visits.  Needless to say, we will now be monitoring her water intake carefully at shows and giving electrolytes religiously during and following shows.

We showed First Level Test 1 and Training Level Test 3.  Focus for schooling was forward, forward, forward - along with focus.  We went thru First 1 several times in multiple rings and even worked on how to get from the warm up ring to the show ring.  On show day, I felt good about First 1, but very tough judge.  JC said she did not want to see the comment 'needs energy' on my test - no problem there...we have several canters moments which should have been trot, several trot moments that should have been walk.  But it was forward!  Score was 55%.

Training 3 was much better - Riva and I got on the same page for a score of 67.273% and 1st place!

August Show
Two weeks later, we attended the Noblesville schooling show and again entered First Level Test 1 and Training Level Test 3.  First one went much smoother this time around with a score of 67.407% and 2nd place.  Another super hot humid day (electrolytes were used!) and a long wait between tests, left Riva and I not quite on our game by the time our second test came around.  I had a major fail, and a first for me - Riva picked up the wrong canter lead and I counter cantered her the entire right lead canter work.  It was so smooth and balanced...I didn't realize it until my daughter told me as we exited the ring.  Still kicking myself for that one...but, the judge did write 'Very nice counter canter' on my comments :)  Ended with a 61.59% and a 5th place.

A New Farm!

While I qualified for Training and First Level Championships for IDS, we ended up moving that weekend and I decided not to compete - would have been more stress than I could handle!  So...we bought a farm!  Farm is my term - house and barn on 5.2 acres.  We casually started looking over the summer at properties in our area just to see what we could find.  I think we looked at 5 properties - nothing was right until this one.  We made an offer - seller accepted - we listed our house - had an accepted offer day two it was listed!  What a whirlwind it has been ever since!

Pictures!

House just needs some minor changes to make it our own, but they will wait - barn and property renovations began on day 2 that we moved.  Outdoor dressage arena construction will begin next Monday and interior barn work is well under way.  Goal is to bring the horses home soon!