Humble Pie, a dish best served salty.

The best laid plans of mice and men as they say....

Zahra and I were having a very solid prep for our first show. Everything was going smoothly, we were on a good track... the weekend before the show we were all set to do a dressage lesson with Janet Foy to smooth out any inconsistencies, and then go cross country schooling for the first time away from home, just to make sure she knew she could jump solid obstacles besides the ones we have at home! Alas, as I recently recounted, Zahra decided to take a gallop through the countryside and was laid up for the week before the show.

So, between the lost preparation time, and the big ol' hole in her leg, I had to abandon any aspirations of being "competitive" in any way. My entire plan, my mantra for the weekend, was "make it a good experience." As long as Zahra had a good experience and learned about the show environment, then it was a win.

I was giving myself a big pat on the back for being such a good horseman, putting my horse's needs first, so what happened next caught me off guard. We've had a little trouble getting her into the trailer in the past, but in the end, we'd always been able to get her on. Not so when it really counted. We worked for over 3 hours trying to load her into the trailer. She got all the way in once in the very beginning, before she flew backwards and hit her hip on the divider on the way out. After that, she was not going back in. Even after we removed the offending divider, it was too little too late. Zahra is the perfect storm of incredibly athletic (like a thoroughbred), but incredibly stubborn (like a plow horse). A TB will see reason eventually and get on the trailer. A plow horse can be coerced. But Zahra was the worst of both of these, and chose to rear and plant instead. Finally, at 10:30 at night, after going through all the stages of grief: denial (I'll get her on the trailer if I just keep at it!); anger (why won't this stupid horse get on the trailer?!); bargaining (Look at all these yummy treats I'll give you if you get on the trailer!); I came to depression and acceptance at the same time. I sat down with my feed bucket on the lip of the trailer until Z walked up to me to eat, and then I cried as I pet her, trying to make her believe that this was all I was trying to get her to do all night-- just stand by the trailer and eat grain, like it was the easiest thing in the world. Because, with horses, for better or worse, it always has to be a good experience.

Wild horses of OBX, NC. I would have had better luck loading one of these guys on the trailer.

Why Eventers Leave the Midwest

Alison Springer, Becky Holder, Eric Dierks, Jon Holling, Ralph Hill.... what do all these people have in common? They're Area IV eventers who got the **** out of dodge! But what drove them away? The unbelievable long, cold winters? Of course. But that couldn't be all of it-- after all, the nomadic eventing life revolves around going South for the winter anyways, so why not come back to the Midwest for the summer? We have a few decent events, and any four star eventer would have a glut of business from all the people scrambling to take lessons. So there must be another reason.

Culturally, we're not as horse oriented as out east, and I learned that lesson in a BIG way in my recent attempt to secure a beautiful cross country course here in the Wisconsin for the next generation of young eventers. The original owner died a few years ago and had his land set up into a trust for future use. He was a lover of the sport-- importing horses from Ireland, bringing in top notch trainers, and building all of his jumps to the absolute highest standard. I have never seen another place on earth where you could jump UP a bank, land in water, 2 strides, up another bank, INTO WATER!!! It was a pretty cool water complex :)

Recently, I sent the most professional proposal I could to the members of the trust, with the full weight and support of the WDCTA behind it, only to be rejected because the land had been re-insured, and could therefore no longer host equine activities. I didn't know the owner very well, but I knew him enough to say that anyone who knew him at all would tell you that that was not what he would have wanted.

So my point is, cherish what you have. Build relationships where you can. Steer clear of the politics. Do whatever you can to do your part to ensure that our sport continues... because if you don't, who will?

The alternative? Trail Rides through Suburbia.

Zahra's first injury

Horses will be horses. And when they get cocky, they think they know better than you do. Zahra and I had a great groundwork school / photoshoot at Jon and Mary's new water complex. She was galloping through the water, off the "small" banks (Training/Prelim size), and was generally feeling full of sass!

When I felt that she had done as much as she needed, I started slowing her up. As she's trotting, she dropped her head to get a mouthful of grass, and I thought "Oh why not, she was so good..." Then she stepped over the lounge line, and I thought "crap." So I gave a yank and tried to reel her in, but the lounge line no longer had any leverage, so she pulled the opposite way and began trotting away from me. I ran after her, trying to slow her down, but she knew she had me and picked up the canter. I lost her, and she galloped for home, popping over two barbed wire fences along the way.

When I caught up with her back at the barn, she was standing quietly, a small, steady stream of blood squirting out her hind leg. We hosed it off really quick to see how big/deep it was, wrapped it up really tightly, and called the vet. 5 stitches later, she's as good as new!

I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have gotten off so easily. I had images of War Horse running through my mind as she galloped away from me, but instead, she got away with nothing more than a glorified scratch!

Lessons learned:
Even when the horse is being super, there is no room for sloppiness.
Zahra will probably tuck up her hind end a little better next time.

Bodywork

First and foremost, let me say WELCOME to the newest member of the O'Shea Eventing Team. Nicki Butler is a certified Reiki masseuse, as well as preparing for her Masterson Method certification. She is also a fellow member of the WDCTA State Board, and my great ally to bringing eventing back into their de facto mission!

I asked Nicki to come work on Zahra because of the tension we were feeling in our flat work-- specifically her continuing inability to pick up the right lead consistently. She's happy to pick it up while jumping, but not on the flat. We've tried lots of tricks, but as soon as she figures out how to sneak past them, to the left lead she goes! Or cross canter if pressed...

So Nicki evaluated her. First we did a quick lounge each way, and she confirmed my suspicion that it was the right hind that was weak.

We returned to the barn and she began running her hand along the "Bladder Meridian." The Bladder Meridian is one of the most often treated meridians on the horse. It is located along each side of the spine and contains some of the most important Acupuncture points in the body. Anytime Zahra blinked or reacted in anyway to the touch, Nicki would pause, or run her hand back over the spot again. Zahra began the session quite nervous... assuming Nicki was going to cause her discomfort in some way (needle pokes or something). She put on her "baby face" of nervousness when we began working on her right side, so Nicki would switch back and forth constantly, until finally about halfway through the session, Zahra began to relax into the bodywork. She snorted and yawned and pawed the ground as she released the tension in her body, section by section.

Nicki gave me several exercises to work on with Baby Z before our ride each day. I got a chance to ride Zahra once after the session, and she felt FABULOUS!! After a weekend of running around with friends (Congrats to Adam and Amanda for destroying the Door Co. Half Marathon!!), I am very excited to get my hands on that horse!! 

Missing Rolex

I guess it turns out I'm religious after all. Missing Rolex is like missing my annual holy pilgrimage. Sure I've missed Rolex before, but there was always an equally satisfying alternative (Badminton, Burghley, WEG... basically being in the right country at the right time!!). This year, for the first time since I was in high school, I will not be attending a four star event. Pauvre choux, I know.

WEG 2010

But NOT going is really making me realize how much I LOVE going!! Analyzing the competition, course walks, the shopping, the exhilaration of the horses flying past on cross country day, the immaculate presentation for the jogs, the nail biting show jumping. Heck, even dressage can be fun to watch!


So this year, my credit cards are safe, my rain gear will go undisturbed as I fly to New York City for a whirlwind wedding!! Fly in Saturday AM early, fly back Sunday AM early. Back in time to do some cross country repair work and teach a lesson. Whoosh!!

...Maybe its not too late to make it to Pau?


I went ahead and did a little analysis, and I'll DVR everything I can, and lord knows I'll be checking EventingNation every spare moment from Thursday morning onwards. Here's my thoughts*:


R Star (Zahra's aunt!!) will finish. Two bad years have taught them a lot. They should be ready for it this time.

James Aliston will make an impressive showing for the open GB Team slot.

Sharon White and Doug Payne will have an excellent 1st Rolex.

Michael Pollard will have his best showing ever.

Emily Beshear will get cheers the whole way round the course as "First Daughter."

We will have to start calling Marilyn Little-Meredith an eventer. She's not a show-jumper-turned-eventer anymore. I expect at least one of her horses in the Top Ten.

Parklane Hawk
Mr. Medicott
Otis Barbotierre
Fernhill Eagle
Rutherglen
...will be the top 5, in some order (and if I get at least 2/5, I'd be pretty stoked about my handicapping skillz)

Absolute Liberty
Pepper Anne
Qwanza
Sea Lion
...will be horses I watch very closely for the future, for their own different reasons :)


*I don't subscribe to COTH, so unfortunately, I haven't been able to pour over Jimmy's predictions, so if we are either in agreement or not, it is purely coincidence.

On Going Beginner Novice

When I first started eventing (a few years ago now), there was a contingent of upper level riders who looked down upon the Beginner Novice level. If you sent them your BN novice horse for some training and show experience, they would agree, but they would only compete the horse at Novice. It was such a stigma that it crept its way down to the local trainers, so much so that I didn't even know why, but I wanted to compete Novice at my first show!

Of course, then the stigma became my own. I wore it as a badge of honor. 3 horses brought through the levels and 2 catch rides, and never once a round at Beginner Novice.

Then Zahra happened.

Sure, I could wait to compete until she's ready to go Novice later this summer, but I love going to the events, I want to show her off, and heck, she's just a baby after all! We've got lots of time, better to take it slow now and build a really solid foundation. Going beginner novice a couple times will give her a chance to absorb everything going on at the shows, see a few REAL cross country courses, and generally figure out what its all about. We may not win our first few shows, heck, we may not even finish! But I guarantee there will be a smile on my face the whole weekend.

Image (c) ShortHorse Studios

Ralph Hill Clinic #1

Ralph Hill, aka King of Rolex

I love Ralph. Here's a guy who was able to go to Rolex year after year, horse after horse, time and time again. He rarely won the big shows, hardly ever made the US Team, but you need to be some kind of horseman to just keep coming back year after year like that. I challenge you to find another rider who was able to PRODUCE that many Advanced level horses in their career.

As most of you know, Ralph had a very serious fall a few years ago, and it fundamentally changed his life. He found religion, and gave up the drinking, smoking, and the other bad habits that had kept him off of the US Team for much of his career. His quieter life style has, I believe, allowed him to really focus in on HOW he was able to produce so many elite horses. Its because he really "gets" horses: emotionally, physiologically, and intuitively.  I remember one lesson last year, his eye sight has gotten so that he couldn't even see the dressage letters across the short side of an arena, but from across the longside of the arena, he could see that I was holding my inside rein "half a pound" heavier then my outside because "your horse just told me." That's some voodoo magic, and I want more of it!

And that's why I thought it would be worth driving 5 hours to Minnesota this weekend to take a clinic with this Jedi Master.

The first day was a fairly simple grid exercise that Baby Z could do in her sleep... but Ralph really got after us to do better than "just do it" and actually have a balanced turn and a consistent rhythm through the trot poles. Baby Z was having none of that and threw a temper tantrum!! Ralph referred to her as a "typical female" and made us keep turning to the right until we had her. Then on the individual fences, Ralph challenged me to stop picking down to the fences and just let her GO! I keep thinking she's too green to go full tilt at these fences. Ralph turned that on its head and said she's too green NOT to!!

Day 2 dawned cold and wet, so unfortunately no cross country schooling for us. Everyone was very disappointed, but schooling on a wet day in April could have destroyed the footing for the whole year, and respecting the owners hosting the clinic is fundamentally important if you want to ever be invited back!

So instead we set up a mini cross country-esque course in the indoor, using roll tops, gates, brick walls, flower boxes... and TARPS!! I watched in horror as Ralph draped a tarp across the bottom of a hogs-back, making it into a coop-like tent. For a full explanation of her phobia of tarps, go here.

Between groups, I pulled Ralph aside and explained my horse's phobia of the tarps. He didn't get it at first-- he was like yeah yeah, we'll get her over it, so I kept talking. Telling him horror story after horror story of her NOT jumping tarps until he said, "Ok, we'll see what she says."

When we walked into the arena, Ralph was having the jump crew demolish the tarp-tent, and Zahra got about 20 feet away and stopped, snorting. Ralph had someone fetch him a grain bucket, and we coaxed her over to stand next to the tarp.

She was quite tense through warm up, giving everything, down to the last flower box, the hairy eye-ball. We had a small fight trying to get her over a pile of poles on the ground, so sure was she that it was a trick!! Once we actually got to jumping, I finally felt her relax. We jumped a small cross rail, then a small vertical, then over the poles which had been such a problem... then Ralph shouted "Now go to the Liverpool!!" I gritted my teeth and put my leg on in a death grip. Zahra surged forward. I was committed to getting to the other side of this tarp, but in the back of my mind I wondered if Zahra would still be under me by the time I got there! I had tunnel vision galloping down to that tarp-- all I saw was the other side. And then she leaped into the air, and we were there!! Safe and sound on the other side! She had jumped it, her first try!! I shrieked in delight, and slapped her neck.

Then Ralph sent us out of the "start box" to do our "course" of 4 jumps. A brick wall to a gate, liverpool, and then a nice ramped oxer to finish. I kept her in front of my leg, and Zahra surged over all the jumps, finishing cockier than ever.

Love that mare <3

Sophie, wanting to know what's the hold up?? We've got a 5 hour drive ahead of us!!