So I misspoke. This has been a very busy month! Not so much on the lesson front, thanks to the weather.... but, thanks to the weather, lots of de-icing, arena dragging, etc. etc. I've also been very busy shoeing, and am really thinking hard about reducing my personal herd so I have more time for Revi and Jones!
Been keeping Revi exercised but Jones has been on a bit of a break with the weather and all; riding Huggy, the training pony, mostly. He is doing very well, much more consistent in his frame and tempo on the flat, and jumping small verticals quietly. This weekend he will do his first-ever oxer! I'll have to get some pix up....
Gracie is the most fabulous weanling ever... very correct and sensible, wasn't a bit phazed by her first snowfall, and I LOVE watching her trot and gallop, she is so fancy! She is always first at the gate to come in, doesn't let Stormy or Livi push her around. She will be six months old on Saturday. Thank goodness I have Revi and Jones to ride while I wait for her to grow up!
Only taking a couple of horses to the January Ark show, since the NCDCTA banquet is that afternoon. Mel and Drayco won the Jr. Novice division and Revi was second at Training for Horse of the Year so we have to go collect our prizes! The Sporting Days HT is February 5th!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Winter Break starting today!
So yesterday was the last show for a whole month! Next event isn't until January 8th! Don't know what I'll do with my time....
Dressage was wretched in the lower ring.... apparently the sight/smell of the camel in the next pasture was freaking some horses out (Drayco cantered down the first centerline and then did all his trot work in passage, Scamper spooked and bolted) and the footing in the is deep and uneven despite the reported removal of some of the sand. Revi got an uncharacteristic 41 (though to be fair, the majority of scores were quite high). I would have thought it was a mid-30s test. Then we had to wait several hours for showjumping, during which I watched some Third Charm riders warmup, do their tests, and showjump the lower levels.
Melanie and Drayco did their first Training and performed fabulously, clean sj and clean xc, just 2 seconds over optimal! Drayco was quite pleased to be able to go faster I think.... Marshall and Tempe, the FL mare rescued from starving to death in a chainlink doglot, finished 2nd at BN with a more-relaxed dressage test and showjumping round.
Denise O'Keefe, riding Third Charm-bred Answer That, aka Tibby, brought him out for his undersaddle debut. Tibby is a rising 4-year-old TB gelding by my late stallion, Lose That, out of our late mare Miss Ansorian (Spring). He was Spring's last foal and the last TB colt by my stallion and he is one flashy dude, bay with four high white stockings and a blaze! Other than jumping around a little when Denise got on, Tibby was a good boy.... for the most part he kept his head down and trucked around, and they stayed in the ring and circled in appropriate places.
Revi was NOT amused when it started sleeting just a couple of rounds before we were scheduled to showjump.... she started prancing around, quite miffed. I was not expecting to have a good ride! But she was a pretty good girl in her latex-wrapped bubble gag.... I didn't have to use the gag rein much at all, she tossed her head a couple of times to protest having to listen but she did, in fact, listen, and we jumped around clean with only a couple of so-so spots.
Not that "winter break" means much.... lots to do! More work on dressage with Revi, more mileage for Scamper so spooking doesn't involve idiocy, need to get in some xc schools before the spring season arrives (end of January! not really spring!), need to get Stormy going or sell her, need to get Jones ridden so he is ready to go Recognized in the spring.... very excited about that! And we have a new training horse in, a pony named "Huggy" who is a little bit naughty, apparently, but hoping for a low-level eventing career.... he is very cute, which is part of his sweet and innocent schtick according to his mum..... ;-)
Dressage was wretched in the lower ring.... apparently the sight/smell of the camel in the next pasture was freaking some horses out (Drayco cantered down the first centerline and then did all his trot work in passage, Scamper spooked and bolted) and the footing in the is deep and uneven despite the reported removal of some of the sand. Revi got an uncharacteristic 41 (though to be fair, the majority of scores were quite high). I would have thought it was a mid-30s test. Then we had to wait several hours for showjumping, during which I watched some Third Charm riders warmup, do their tests, and showjump the lower levels.
Melanie and Drayco did their first Training and performed fabulously, clean sj and clean xc, just 2 seconds over optimal! Drayco was quite pleased to be able to go faster I think.... Marshall and Tempe, the FL mare rescued from starving to death in a chainlink doglot, finished 2nd at BN with a more-relaxed dressage test and showjumping round.
Denise O'Keefe, riding Third Charm-bred Answer That, aka Tibby, brought him out for his undersaddle debut. Tibby is a rising 4-year-old TB gelding by my late stallion, Lose That, out of our late mare Miss Ansorian (Spring). He was Spring's last foal and the last TB colt by my stallion and he is one flashy dude, bay with four high white stockings and a blaze! Other than jumping around a little when Denise got on, Tibby was a good boy.... for the most part he kept his head down and trucked around, and they stayed in the ring and circled in appropriate places.
Revi was NOT amused when it started sleeting just a couple of rounds before we were scheduled to showjump.... she started prancing around, quite miffed. I was not expecting to have a good ride! But she was a pretty good girl in her latex-wrapped bubble gag.... I didn't have to use the gag rein much at all, she tossed her head a couple of times to protest having to listen but she did, in fact, listen, and we jumped around clean with only a couple of so-so spots.
Not that "winter break" means much.... lots to do! More work on dressage with Revi, more mileage for Scamper so spooking doesn't involve idiocy, need to get in some xc schools before the spring season arrives (end of January! not really spring!), need to get Stormy going or sell her, need to get Jones ridden so he is ready to go Recognized in the spring.... very excited about that! And we have a new training horse in, a pony named "Huggy" who is a little bit naughty, apparently, but hoping for a low-level eventing career.... he is very cute, which is part of his sweet and innocent schtick according to his mum..... ;-)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Brake! Brake!!!!
We did the Jumping Branch Farm Schooling HT yesterday. Great ,great event, I really miss their 3-day horse trial that used to be in March.... it was so well-run, nice move-up courses that asked all the questions without getting anyone in too much hot water.... and the Powers That Be (USEF) had to start a stink about "upgrading" the courses (more max fences, etc.) and JBF just said "no thanks, we'll just do schooling HTs and you can just kiss the money we made you bye-bye". Seriously, this event was so popular that you had to make sure your entry was postmarked on OPENING DAY and PRAY that you would get in....! As a schooling one-day event they run FOUR dressage rings and had IIRC 137 entries. Yikes!!
Got up at 3:30 am to drive down and make my 8:18 dressage time for Revi's first full Preliminary HT. Arrived in plenty of time and had a decent warm-up and test, though Revi was a bit tentative.... she really does not like doing dressage on grass, I need to do more flatwork out in the front field! I also forgot the halt at the beginning of the test, had to restart, and then was a little tense myself! We were in third after dressage with a 37....
Walked cross-country which was just as I remembered with maybe two fences changed. Which was fine! Came back, warmed up for showjumping... and about four horses before we were to go, cross-country started.... and fence 5 is right next to the back of the showjumping warmup. A fact which did not escape Revi's notice! She was a bit hyped up when we went in the ring. Fence one was a big dark brown oxer with the sun behind it.... I think it was just a big dark mass to Revi and we rolled off the front rail. The second fence was a big oxer, then a turn downhill to a VERY vertical vertical. Several horses had run down the slope, propped/added at the last second, and knocked the HECK out of it. So I half-halted and Revi really listened, got a nice spot and cleared it. But at fence five, the combination, I got her too close and she had a rail (but most horses would probably not have jumped!) and got out cleverly over the second element. I did notice she was jumping a bit left, but the chiropractor is coming Tuesday which will probably take care of that!
So we had two rails in showjumping but so did a LOT of people. Cross-country went great, except I had to spend too much time arguing with her to get her to set up before the harder questions. She just wanted to treat everything like a fly fence! But she was GREAT at all the harder stuff.... there was a skinny chevron, a lovely coffin in the woods, some big tables, a triple at the water (ascending rails, wall/drop into the water, skinny out), a bank/ditch/skinny combo, a ditch with a rail fence behind it, and a corner with options. The ditch in front of the rails was waaaay wider than I remembered (of course, last time I jumped it my horse was 4" taller....) but Revi didn't bat an eye. We took the short option at the corner, and Revi jumped a little crooked and racked my knee on the left-hand flag. That stung! But, finished with just a handful of time faults. We ended up in 2nd.... the horse who was leading after dressage had a stop on xc. Not bad for her first Prelim HT! But, lots of room for improvement.
Doing the CT at the Ark in two weeks to work on stadium and dressage.... today I schooled her in a latex-wrapped bubble gag, only had to touch the gag rein a couple of times for her to realize the gig was up and brakes were now mandatory. She is a smart little brat!
Got up at 3:30 am to drive down and make my 8:18 dressage time for Revi's first full Preliminary HT. Arrived in plenty of time and had a decent warm-up and test, though Revi was a bit tentative.... she really does not like doing dressage on grass, I need to do more flatwork out in the front field! I also forgot the halt at the beginning of the test, had to restart, and then was a little tense myself! We were in third after dressage with a 37....
Walked cross-country which was just as I remembered with maybe two fences changed. Which was fine! Came back, warmed up for showjumping... and about four horses before we were to go, cross-country started.... and fence 5 is right next to the back of the showjumping warmup. A fact which did not escape Revi's notice! She was a bit hyped up when we went in the ring. Fence one was a big dark brown oxer with the sun behind it.... I think it was just a big dark mass to Revi and we rolled off the front rail. The second fence was a big oxer, then a turn downhill to a VERY vertical vertical. Several horses had run down the slope, propped/added at the last second, and knocked the HECK out of it. So I half-halted and Revi really listened, got a nice spot and cleared it. But at fence five, the combination, I got her too close and she had a rail (but most horses would probably not have jumped!) and got out cleverly over the second element. I did notice she was jumping a bit left, but the chiropractor is coming Tuesday which will probably take care of that!
So we had two rails in showjumping but so did a LOT of people. Cross-country went great, except I had to spend too much time arguing with her to get her to set up before the harder questions. She just wanted to treat everything like a fly fence! But she was GREAT at all the harder stuff.... there was a skinny chevron, a lovely coffin in the woods, some big tables, a triple at the water (ascending rails, wall/drop into the water, skinny out), a bank/ditch/skinny combo, a ditch with a rail fence behind it, and a corner with options. The ditch in front of the rails was waaaay wider than I remembered (of course, last time I jumped it my horse was 4" taller....) but Revi didn't bat an eye. We took the short option at the corner, and Revi jumped a little crooked and racked my knee on the left-hand flag. That stung! But, finished with just a handful of time faults. We ended up in 2nd.... the horse who was leading after dressage had a stop on xc. Not bad for her first Prelim HT! But, lots of room for improvement.
Doing the CT at the Ark in two weeks to work on stadium and dressage.... today I schooled her in a latex-wrapped bubble gag, only had to touch the gag rein a couple of times for her to realize the gig was up and brakes were now mandatory. She is a smart little brat!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Revenge is sweet....
Hah, just couldn't resist the title.....
Vanity's Revenge aka Revi is really coming along. Last weekend she won the Training and Preliminary Combined Tests at the Ark with a 32 and a 34 in dressage....
This weekend we did the Preliminary/Training horse trial at TTC. I haven't been to TTC in a few years, but since we're prepping to move up and they had the P/T division, we decided to go. Melanie and Drayco went too since they had never been to that facility and Drayco needs to see 'new things' since he's movin up to Training soon.
Dressage was in the spooky lower ring (you have to walk past several paddocks, an occupied dog kennel, the ring is cut into the side of the hill with a dropoff and woods on two sides). Revi was obedient but slightly distracted--she really WANTED to look in the woods, and ended up with a 38, leading the division (3 horses). Drayco was also distracted in his test and got a 34, still in the top few though.
We walked cross-country and I was pleased to see that there were a fair number of pretty big fences so it wouldn't be dull. I forgot how big the banks/drops at TTC were! We also checked out stadium and as always the fences were colorful, nicely decorated, and the course was big and winding, with two big combinations and several changing bending lines, really a true representation of the level.
Went back to the trailer, changed my helmet cover, put on my stock tie, got my jacket on and was stuffing my hair under my helmet when Mel said "Isn't cross-country before stadium?" DUH!! Changed helmet cover back, hunted up my blue cross-country shirt, etc. etc....
Ran cross-country, came in right in the middle of the speed window. Revi jumped great and is still listening really well in the Happy Mouth snaffle.
Mel ran cross-country and had a great round EXCEPT for the big drop.... Drayco came up on it a little quick and looked surprised when he got there! Circled on top of the bank and hopped right off, so hopefully next time with a slightly slower approach and a little tap/lean back from Mel he'll be fine!
Stadium was about an hour later so we watered the ponies and then let them chill out tied to the trailer while we got some lunch. Fabulous chicken salad sandwiches I have to say!! Concessions at TTC are always delicious.
We went first in stadium. The first fence was very vertical, and we rolled the top rail. I thought "Well, now we're in second." Revi apparently thought "Oh, these are bigger!" and jumped the bejeebers out of the rest of the course! Then the other two horses went. The big chestnut had the first jump down (now I didn't feel bad!) and then stopped at the final swedish oxer. The black horse had the first jump down also and pretty much went through the final element of the second combination. So we moved back up to first! We got a lovely big ribbon, a purple cooler, and an etched vase.
Mel and Drayco had their usual lovely stadium round, but due to the stop at the drop didn't get a ribbon. Still a good experience and ready for the move-up to Training, with a couple of schools over big unfamiliar drops perhaps....!
Onward and upward.... Revi will run in her first full Prelim at Jumping Branch, which has a nice move-up course, and Mel will run her first Training at the Ark's December event. I was going to run Revi at Pine Top, which is recognized, but JBF is about $200 cheaper.... plus I can go to Dwayne's speedskating meet now, which is the same weekend as Pine Top....!
Vanity's Revenge aka Revi is really coming along. Last weekend she won the Training and Preliminary Combined Tests at the Ark with a 32 and a 34 in dressage....
This weekend we did the Preliminary/Training horse trial at TTC. I haven't been to TTC in a few years, but since we're prepping to move up and they had the P/T division, we decided to go. Melanie and Drayco went too since they had never been to that facility and Drayco needs to see 'new things' since he's movin up to Training soon.
Dressage was in the spooky lower ring (you have to walk past several paddocks, an occupied dog kennel, the ring is cut into the side of the hill with a dropoff and woods on two sides). Revi was obedient but slightly distracted--she really WANTED to look in the woods, and ended up with a 38, leading the division (3 horses). Drayco was also distracted in his test and got a 34, still in the top few though.
We walked cross-country and I was pleased to see that there were a fair number of pretty big fences so it wouldn't be dull. I forgot how big the banks/drops at TTC were! We also checked out stadium and as always the fences were colorful, nicely decorated, and the course was big and winding, with two big combinations and several changing bending lines, really a true representation of the level.
Went back to the trailer, changed my helmet cover, put on my stock tie, got my jacket on and was stuffing my hair under my helmet when Mel said "Isn't cross-country before stadium?" DUH!! Changed helmet cover back, hunted up my blue cross-country shirt, etc. etc....
Ran cross-country, came in right in the middle of the speed window. Revi jumped great and is still listening really well in the Happy Mouth snaffle.
Mel ran cross-country and had a great round EXCEPT for the big drop.... Drayco came up on it a little quick and looked surprised when he got there! Circled on top of the bank and hopped right off, so hopefully next time with a slightly slower approach and a little tap/lean back from Mel he'll be fine!
Stadium was about an hour later so we watered the ponies and then let them chill out tied to the trailer while we got some lunch. Fabulous chicken salad sandwiches I have to say!! Concessions at TTC are always delicious.
We went first in stadium. The first fence was very vertical, and we rolled the top rail. I thought "Well, now we're in second." Revi apparently thought "Oh, these are bigger!" and jumped the bejeebers out of the rest of the course! Then the other two horses went. The big chestnut had the first jump down (now I didn't feel bad!) and then stopped at the final swedish oxer. The black horse had the first jump down also and pretty much went through the final element of the second combination. So we moved back up to first! We got a lovely big ribbon, a purple cooler, and an etched vase.
Mel and Drayco had their usual lovely stadium round, but due to the stop at the drop didn't get a ribbon. Still a good experience and ready for the move-up to Training, with a couple of schools over big unfamiliar drops perhaps....!
Onward and upward.... Revi will run in her first full Prelim at Jumping Branch, which has a nice move-up course, and Mel will run her first Training at the Ark's December event. I was going to run Revi at Pine Top, which is recognized, but JBF is about $200 cheaper.... plus I can go to Dwayne's speedskating meet now, which is the same weekend as Pine Top....!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Job number two
So of course mostly I write about my horses and I run a boarding barn and teach every day, but along the way I have picked up a little part-time gig....
So it's 6:30am and I'm heading out with hubby Dwayne to shoe horses all day. I think at the first barn we have eighteen (10 shoeings, 8 trims), our regular stop, and two extras at a barn after that.I learned to shoe and got certified so I could do my own horses and not have to inflict badly-mannered new horses on Dwayne all the time.... I already knew the theory and conformation and biomechanics, horse handling, etc., so it was just a matter of application. Very handy skill. Then I started helping Dwayne when his last helper moved away, and now I help him about 13 days out of his 20-day (five week) shoeing rotation.
Fortunately we get along pretty well, not many couples could work together that much! A couple weeks out of the schedule we pull long days and then I come home and teach and there's no time to even look at my personal horses, but with the economy I'm sure not going to complain! It is certainly helping with getting to shows and making improvements around the barn....
So today my horses won't get ridden but next week the new paddock fence WILL be going up!
So it's 6:30am and I'm heading out with hubby Dwayne to shoe horses all day. I think at the first barn we have eighteen (10 shoeings, 8 trims), our regular stop, and two extras at a barn after that.I learned to shoe and got certified so I could do my own horses and not have to inflict badly-mannered new horses on Dwayne all the time.... I already knew the theory and conformation and biomechanics, horse handling, etc., so it was just a matter of application. Very handy skill. Then I started helping Dwayne when his last helper moved away, and now I help him about 13 days out of his 20-day (five week) shoeing rotation.
Fortunately we get along pretty well, not many couples could work together that much! A couple weeks out of the schedule we pull long days and then I come home and teach and there's no time to even look at my personal horses, but with the economy I'm sure not going to complain! It is certainly helping with getting to shows and making improvements around the barn....
So today my horses won't get ridden but next week the new paddock fence WILL be going up!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Well October WAS busy! We ran the Foothills HT... Revi finished third, would have won on our dressage score except my watch stopped so i had a few time penalties. Melanie and Drayco won the Novice division on their dressage. Drayco is turning into the little xc machine! And his dressage and SJ were already excellent.
The Lucinda Green clinic was fabulous. Lucinda had us try a couple of different bits--the Myler was a bit strong and wasn't letting her finish her "magic" jump (Lucinda said that my horse was magic!) So for xc we were in a big fat latex-wrapped full-cheek snaffle and Revi was A) loving it and B) behaving herself. Less head-tossing AND brakes, too! And, at the end of day 2, Lucinda said I might as well buy our tickets to Rolex because Revi has "no limit". She thought Revi just didn't like metal in her mouth and that she would despise dressage less in a plastic-type bit.
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnnZ4g7jrv8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAo3gsfGAno
The next day (high as a kite) I took Jones to the FEH at the Ark and won the 3-year-old class with a 77. Nanci Lindroth, the judge, was extremely complimentary.
So Monday I wrapped Revi's bit in latex and she went great on the flat, but of course that is illegal in dressage. Lucinda had suggested a Nathe, so I ordered one, and of course it was backordered and had not come by the time we went to Tryon. So I grabbed a Happy Mouth mullen d-ring that I was using for one of my other horses; and Revi LOVED it. She was happy and relaxed, the judge stood up at the end of my test and complimented us on a lovely job. When I checked the score sheet, we got a _25_ and were in first. I about DIED! In showjumping I took a standard down with my foot trying to be clever and angle a big oxer, but Revi jumped great in the Happy Mouth. I was a little nonplussed not to have to check her up in front of the jump, where she usually sticks her head up and charges from three strides out, but I'm sure I'll get used to that!
We headed out for XC (meanwhile Melanie and Drayco posted a 23-something in dressage to take the lead in Novice--mercy!!), fully expecting to come back and find "corrected dressage scores" posted for Training. Nope! Came back from a clean xc run (and, in the Happy Mouth still, mannerly!) to find we had the lowest score at Training and were the NCDCTA Training champs. Melanie and Drayco had two double-clears and were NCDCTA champs at Novice, with the lowest score of the show. So a great weekend for Third Charm!
The next weekend was the Parade of Breeds which went well. Although Spirit is apparently TERRIFIED of Paso Finos which was a bit of a shocker! Who knew she had it in her?? Wish I'd gotten pix!
Then I decided to skip running Revi at Training at VAHT, since it is a pretty easy course and she is clearly getting quite bored at Training.... I ran Jones up there for the FEH championship, where we came four points behind the three-year-old champion.... who we had beaten by six points a mere three weeks prior. There is something to be said for having long legs and big feet--which I emphatically do NOT--in deep sand footing when you are trying to keep up with a 3-year-old Thoroughbred! Oh well! Poor Jones was so frustrated with me, hanging on him like an anchor!
So next weekend Revi is doing a Preliminary CT... then running a P/T schooling HT.... then a weekend off, as it appears the Phillip Dutton clinic will cancel for lack of entries.... then moving up to Preliminary at Pine Top! So November is going to be busy busy busy as well!
The Lucinda Green clinic was fabulous. Lucinda had us try a couple of different bits--the Myler was a bit strong and wasn't letting her finish her "magic" jump (Lucinda said that my horse was magic!) So for xc we were in a big fat latex-wrapped full-cheek snaffle and Revi was A) loving it and B) behaving herself. Less head-tossing AND brakes, too! And, at the end of day 2, Lucinda said I might as well buy our tickets to Rolex because Revi has "no limit". She thought Revi just didn't like metal in her mouth and that she would despise dressage less in a plastic-type bit.
Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnnZ4g7jrv8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAo3gsfGAno
The next day (high as a kite) I took Jones to the FEH at the Ark and won the 3-year-old class with a 77. Nanci Lindroth, the judge, was extremely complimentary.
So Monday I wrapped Revi's bit in latex and she went great on the flat, but of course that is illegal in dressage. Lucinda had suggested a Nathe, so I ordered one, and of course it was backordered and had not come by the time we went to Tryon. So I grabbed a Happy Mouth mullen d-ring that I was using for one of my other horses; and Revi LOVED it. She was happy and relaxed, the judge stood up at the end of my test and complimented us on a lovely job. When I checked the score sheet, we got a _25_ and were in first. I about DIED! In showjumping I took a standard down with my foot trying to be clever and angle a big oxer, but Revi jumped great in the Happy Mouth. I was a little nonplussed not to have to check her up in front of the jump, where she usually sticks her head up and charges from three strides out, but I'm sure I'll get used to that!
We headed out for XC (meanwhile Melanie and Drayco posted a 23-something in dressage to take the lead in Novice--mercy!!), fully expecting to come back and find "corrected dressage scores" posted for Training. Nope! Came back from a clean xc run (and, in the Happy Mouth still, mannerly!) to find we had the lowest score at Training and were the NCDCTA Training champs. Melanie and Drayco had two double-clears and were NCDCTA champs at Novice, with the lowest score of the show. So a great weekend for Third Charm!
The next weekend was the Parade of Breeds which went well. Although Spirit is apparently TERRIFIED of Paso Finos which was a bit of a shocker! Who knew she had it in her?? Wish I'd gotten pix!
Then I decided to skip running Revi at Training at VAHT, since it is a pretty easy course and she is clearly getting quite bored at Training.... I ran Jones up there for the FEH championship, where we came four points behind the three-year-old champion.... who we had beaten by six points a mere three weeks prior. There is something to be said for having long legs and big feet--which I emphatically do NOT--in deep sand footing when you are trying to keep up with a 3-year-old Thoroughbred! Oh well! Poor Jones was so frustrated with me, hanging on him like an anchor!
So next weekend Revi is doing a Preliminary CT... then running a P/T schooling HT.... then a weekend off, as it appears the Phillip Dutton clinic will cancel for lack of entries.... then moving up to Preliminary at Pine Top! So November is going to be busy busy busy as well!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
October is time to CRAM!
Just came off a win at Training with Vanity's Revenge at the Hillcrest HT.... finished on our dressage score of 32. After the Tryon schooling HT, where she was a bit of a freight train on xc, I tried Livi's old jumping bit (a myler with lifters) on her. Worked a treat--we were able to gallop and go for time at Hillcrest because I had fingertip brakes! Other than a kamikaze-ish leap into the water (at least she didn't think abou stopping, and my position stayed good!) it was a great xc run. She also jumped clean in showjumping again! Her dressage felt MUCH better, though looking at the pictures it is obvious that she is a bit tight in her neck at the canter still, and my right hand KEEPS POPPING UP at the canter. Ugh!
So this weekend we have the Foothills HT, with Revi running Training and Melanie and Drayco running Novice. Next weekend Revi and I are going to a clinic with Lucinda Green in GA, which is exciting.... I've cliniced with Lucinda before and she is GREAT, and she doesn't come around that often so I'm really looking forward to it.
The weekend after the clinic is the Tryon Horse Trials which is also the NCDCTA Championships. Following that I have a couple of students doing the FRC schooling HT on the 24th.... the day after the Parade of Breeds for which I think I may have committed to providing Irish Sporthorses and Thoroughbreds.... better line up some handlers for that.... and then the NEXT weekend is the Virginia Horse Trials!
Busy month, so hopefully will have lots more updates soon!
So this weekend we have the Foothills HT, with Revi running Training and Melanie and Drayco running Novice. Next weekend Revi and I are going to a clinic with Lucinda Green in GA, which is exciting.... I've cliniced with Lucinda before and she is GREAT, and she doesn't come around that often so I'm really looking forward to it.
The weekend after the clinic is the Tryon Horse Trials which is also the NCDCTA Championships. Following that I have a couple of students doing the FRC schooling HT on the 24th.... the day after the Parade of Breeds for which I think I may have committed to providing Irish Sporthorses and Thoroughbreds.... better line up some handlers for that.... and then the NEXT weekend is the Virginia Horse Trials!
Busy month, so hopefully will have lots more updates soon!
Friday, September 10, 2010
The leaves are turning.....!
I noticed the other day. Actually I thought they were getting scorched by the bonfire Dwayne had started in the paddock after he knocked down the old broodmare shed.... but then the next day I was riding in the ring and noticed some maples NOT in the vicinity of the fire had gotten yellow too! How time flies!
Vanity's Revenge has a full schedule of events at Training this fall, then moving up to Preliminary.... dressage is going well, and Dr. Robin and Dr. Karla (vet and chiro) are working with us to address a physical weakness that becomes a training problem.... left hip sticks, left hind has more trouble coming through, gets hollow in the right rein, compensates, left hip sticks..... which really came first? Who can say? We ran Training at Tryon a couple weeks ago and despite not running xc since Virginia she ate up the course, bringing about a switch to Livi's old jumping bit--a myler d-ring with lifters.....! Brakes are nice and jumping has been going GREAT.
Seattle Jones, our young stallion, is doing fabulously well. I only ride him a couple times a week for about 20 minutes to avoid the temptation to overdo it, since he is so smart and sensible. We did go on a little xc school last week, hopping over a couple of BN fences but mostly just going for exposure to the "Big Three": ditches, banks and water! None of which phase him in the least. He made a brief attempt to recall his racing days which lasted about 20 strides and was halfhearted at best.... then he was back to his usual mellow self cantering about. He is ridiculously EASY to ride..... light, responsive, balanced, clever, patient to the fences.....! He is so mature and definitely overall one of the nicest horses I've ever ridden. I can't wait until he starts real work next year!
Erin has been riding Dwayne's Irish gelding Scamper (aka Kildalton Splash), it is good that he finally has a job! He's done his first combined test successfully and will be doing his first horse trial soon! He is a very fancy fellow and is starting to develop a really pleasant manner.
We have a project horse, Bates.... he's gone Intermediate but his dressage is a bit of a train wreck, might have broke 50 once or twice in his career....! So he's in Dressage Boot Camp. Carrie is helping me keep him exercised and he's coming along. Mostly it is his left lead canter, and seems to be a matter of strengthening his back and hind end....! He is a big impressive looking fellow, dead honest to jump, so he'll be fun once he's 'cleaned up'.
Stormy has, alas, fallen by the wayside.... I'm so busy I just tell myself she's getting "growing up time" as she is a much less mature 3-year-old than Jones....!
Vanna had her Formula One foal, who is now the biggest 2 month old filly I've ever handled! She has an attitude but she has quickly learned the value of manners (courtesy a wee little CTJ meeting at two weeks of age) and loads, hauls, stands quietly, gives her feet, and even trots in hand already. She is still nameless, though Dr. Smith calls her Pita since she didn't appreciate her vaccinations as a newborn.....
We have quite a few showing this fall: Dana, Marshall, Laura, and Heather all starting out, Iris, Carrie, Erin and Melanie with their established mounts..... (hope I'm not missing anyone!) In October we have shows and clinics scheduled every weekend and November is not lookng much different! Go team!
Vanity's Revenge has a full schedule of events at Training this fall, then moving up to Preliminary.... dressage is going well, and Dr. Robin and Dr. Karla (vet and chiro) are working with us to address a physical weakness that becomes a training problem.... left hip sticks, left hind has more trouble coming through, gets hollow in the right rein, compensates, left hip sticks..... which really came first? Who can say? We ran Training at Tryon a couple weeks ago and despite not running xc since Virginia she ate up the course, bringing about a switch to Livi's old jumping bit--a myler d-ring with lifters.....! Brakes are nice and jumping has been going GREAT.
Seattle Jones, our young stallion, is doing fabulously well. I only ride him a couple times a week for about 20 minutes to avoid the temptation to overdo it, since he is so smart and sensible. We did go on a little xc school last week, hopping over a couple of BN fences but mostly just going for exposure to the "Big Three": ditches, banks and water! None of which phase him in the least. He made a brief attempt to recall his racing days which lasted about 20 strides and was halfhearted at best.... then he was back to his usual mellow self cantering about. He is ridiculously EASY to ride..... light, responsive, balanced, clever, patient to the fences.....! He is so mature and definitely overall one of the nicest horses I've ever ridden. I can't wait until he starts real work next year!
Erin has been riding Dwayne's Irish gelding Scamper (aka Kildalton Splash), it is good that he finally has a job! He's done his first combined test successfully and will be doing his first horse trial soon! He is a very fancy fellow and is starting to develop a really pleasant manner.
We have a project horse, Bates.... he's gone Intermediate but his dressage is a bit of a train wreck, might have broke 50 once or twice in his career....! So he's in Dressage Boot Camp. Carrie is helping me keep him exercised and he's coming along. Mostly it is his left lead canter, and seems to be a matter of strengthening his back and hind end....! He is a big impressive looking fellow, dead honest to jump, so he'll be fun once he's 'cleaned up'.
Stormy has, alas, fallen by the wayside.... I'm so busy I just tell myself she's getting "growing up time" as she is a much less mature 3-year-old than Jones....!
Vanna had her Formula One foal, who is now the biggest 2 month old filly I've ever handled! She has an attitude but she has quickly learned the value of manners (courtesy a wee little CTJ meeting at two weeks of age) and loads, hauls, stands quietly, gives her feet, and even trots in hand already. She is still nameless, though Dr. Smith calls her Pita since she didn't appreciate her vaccinations as a newborn.....
We have quite a few showing this fall: Dana, Marshall, Laura, and Heather all starting out, Iris, Carrie, Erin and Melanie with their established mounts..... (hope I'm not missing anyone!) In October we have shows and clinics scheduled every weekend and November is not lookng much different! Go team!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Dwayne is off for the weekend (Mopar Nationals) and I'm waiting for it to cool down a bit.... bit of a quiet season for us Southern eventers. No shows planned until a schooling show at shady Foxtrack on the 31st! Doing a couple clinics with my fave dressage trainer, Jennifer Baumert, to work on Revi's dressage skills..... that is going well.... and doing gymnastics with the horses at home. Of the three horses I had in for 60 days training, one went home to her owner's farm and hauls in for weekly lessons now that she is civilized w/t/c/small jumps, and the other two are now boarders and take lessons. One, Tide, is starting his eventing career at Foxtrack.
Working student Ashley Nee decamped for Boston but is back in NC now, may start taking lessons again. We have a new girl, Elizabeth, doing AM chores but she's moving to VA in August. Dana Carpenter will be taking over most mornings at least (Dana owns Tide) and we are looking into her converting to full-time on-premises w/s status this winter.
Our young stallion Seattle Jones is doing very well, bred three mares so far and still very well behaved, doing great under saddle, and has developed a killer jump! Vanity Fair, my TB mare who has gone intermediate, foaled a chestnut-turning-grey filly by Formula One and we are working on the logistics of breeding her back to British stallion Future Illusion (by Fleetwater Opposition). My Intermediate Hanoverian mare I am planning on breeding to Formula One as well.
Stormy, who I acquired from the same trainer as Seattle Jones, is finally back u/s after two months off (while I was concentrating on training horses) and is doing great. She is not as naturally bold as Jones, but we shall see. She jumps very cute.
Working student Ashley Nee decamped for Boston but is back in NC now, may start taking lessons again. We have a new girl, Elizabeth, doing AM chores but she's moving to VA in August. Dana Carpenter will be taking over most mornings at least (Dana owns Tide) and we are looking into her converting to full-time on-premises w/s status this winter.
Our young stallion Seattle Jones is doing very well, bred three mares so far and still very well behaved, doing great under saddle, and has developed a killer jump! Vanity Fair, my TB mare who has gone intermediate, foaled a chestnut-turning-grey filly by Formula One and we are working on the logistics of breeding her back to British stallion Future Illusion (by Fleetwater Opposition). My Intermediate Hanoverian mare I am planning on breeding to Formula One as well.
Stormy, who I acquired from the same trainer as Seattle Jones, is finally back u/s after two months off (while I was concentrating on training horses) and is doing great. She is not as naturally bold as Jones, but we shall see. She jumps very cute.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Training updates....
Got back yesterday afternoon from the VA Horse Trials. My little 6yo TB mare, Vanity's Revenge, showed a lot of improvement.... despite all the "atmosphere" at the VA Horse Center, she was pretty chill all weekend, was much improved in dressage in her throughness and straightness (just not consistently!), and showjumped well (just tapped one jump down) . XC was Saturday, and the downpours all day left the footing in the warmup extremely deep and chopped up, so I warmed up w/t/c in the dressage area and went xc "cold". The galloping lanes were deep but they had put down a fair amount of screenings around the jumps so those weren't too bad. Revi was great! I thought the course was a little harder than some of the training courses I've ridden there, which suited me down to the ground with the way Revi is going.... there was a 3-stride downhill bending line at four... no problem... a one-stride with a faux corner at seven.... no problem.... coop, bank, off over a log drop.... no problem! I didn't wear a watch as I didn't want to be tempted to chase the time with the condition of the footing, so we had about ten time penalties, but she handled the footing so well that next time I will go for it!
Melanie and Drayco had a great dressage (first place), an uncharacteristic jump down in stadium (he was surprisingly attentive in the coliseum, but there were only two clear rounds in her division so she only dropped to third!). On cross-country, he warmed up nicely but Mel was ready for his usual fireball antics on xc... which didn't happen, and she is so used to him being "hot" that she was a bit at a loss!! As a result they had stops that knocked them out of the ribbons, but next time he comes out of the start box like he's going for a Sunday hack she knows to give him a couple of pops to wake him up!!
A lot going on at home.... training horses are doing well, although there is one so hard-headed that I told her owner this morning "If a human told her to eat, she'd starve to death for spite!" But we're going to give her a while longer before deciding what to do with her, she is a very spoiled mare who raced lightly then sat in a pasture for four years so she has some definite OPINIONS. I'm confident she'll be a nice horse (the tough ones usually are!).... but maybe not for her owner, who is not a very 'insistent' sort. Ah well! Tide is coming along nicely, Tessa is doing GREAT w/t/c and going over poles, chasing the ducks from next door out of the arena (a month and a half ago it was a challenge to get her IN THE RING, now she thinks she is the bomb!). I am back to working Scamper and he is getting over his idea that whenever things aren't going his way he can buck his way out of it. He's going to make such a nice horse when he learns to think about his options first! It will probably take quite a few more Come To Jesus incidents before that really clicks..... (repeat, the tough ones usually are the best in the long run.....)
Rode Jones, my 3 yo colt, for the first time since the xc schooling a couple weeks ago. He was fabulous, of course. Oh, about the cross-country schooling.... that went so well! Heather and Christine and Laura went for their first-ever schooling and had a great time. Drayco went and he and Mel jumped mostly Training and Prelim stuff very nicely. And Jones trotted and cantered around like a perfect gentleman, walked and trotted through water, over ditches and tiny banks, and cantered a few Maiden fences.... a great start for his eventing career!
Upcoming we are going to the CHSC show at the Ark to do Jumpers, then the schooling HT at the Ark with all the greenies and Revi and Drayco, then Jones has a FEH show in Virginia. Summer is going to be busy!
Melanie and Drayco had a great dressage (first place), an uncharacteristic jump down in stadium (he was surprisingly attentive in the coliseum, but there were only two clear rounds in her division so she only dropped to third!). On cross-country, he warmed up nicely but Mel was ready for his usual fireball antics on xc... which didn't happen, and she is so used to him being "hot" that she was a bit at a loss!! As a result they had stops that knocked them out of the ribbons, but next time he comes out of the start box like he's going for a Sunday hack she knows to give him a couple of pops to wake him up!!
A lot going on at home.... training horses are doing well, although there is one so hard-headed that I told her owner this morning "If a human told her to eat, she'd starve to death for spite!" But we're going to give her a while longer before deciding what to do with her, she is a very spoiled mare who raced lightly then sat in a pasture for four years so she has some definite OPINIONS. I'm confident she'll be a nice horse (the tough ones usually are!).... but maybe not for her owner, who is not a very 'insistent' sort. Ah well! Tide is coming along nicely, Tessa is doing GREAT w/t/c and going over poles, chasing the ducks from next door out of the arena (a month and a half ago it was a challenge to get her IN THE RING, now she thinks she is the bomb!). I am back to working Scamper and he is getting over his idea that whenever things aren't going his way he can buck his way out of it. He's going to make such a nice horse when he learns to think about his options first! It will probably take quite a few more Come To Jesus incidents before that really clicks..... (repeat, the tough ones usually are the best in the long run.....)
Rode Jones, my 3 yo colt, for the first time since the xc schooling a couple weeks ago. He was fabulous, of course. Oh, about the cross-country schooling.... that went so well! Heather and Christine and Laura went for their first-ever schooling and had a great time. Drayco went and he and Mel jumped mostly Training and Prelim stuff very nicely. And Jones trotted and cantered around like a perfect gentleman, walked and trotted through water, over ditches and tiny banks, and cantered a few Maiden fences.... a great start for his eventing career!
Upcoming we are going to the CHSC show at the Ark to do Jumpers, then the schooling HT at the Ark with all the greenies and Revi and Drayco, then Jones has a FEH show in Virginia. Summer is going to be busy!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Three lessons and one training ride and I'm taking the afternoon off since it is Sunday! And hot. Again. Supposed to rain tomorrow and then I hope it is dry Tuesday, Revi and I are going to be the demo ride for an ICP Level III Stadium assessment. Paul Ebersole is the candidate giving the lesson so that is pretty exciting!
Revi is doing well, she finished about midpack in the Training division at the Fork, still working on dressage! She ate up the cross-country course, and we are putting up mirrors in our arena which is already helping a TON with dressage! We will see how that turns out when we do VA in May. Thomas (Heather's horse) finished on his dressage score at the Fork, which was good for midpack. Then I rode him Novice at Longleaf and he had a good dressage test, a really FABULOUS cross-country run.... we were doing better than Training speed on a light rein, and loped over the last few fences to avoid getting a speeding ticket!... and two rails in stadium, he just felt tired. He has no muscle in his topline so it is to be expected, I can't wait to see what he looks like in a year though! Melanie and her horse Drayco did great at Longleaf, finishing on their dressage score for SIXTH place out of thirty!
Revi is doing well, she finished about midpack in the Training division at the Fork, still working on dressage! She ate up the cross-country course, and we are putting up mirrors in our arena which is already helping a TON with dressage! We will see how that turns out when we do VA in May. Thomas (Heather's horse) finished on his dressage score at the Fork, which was good for midpack. Then I rode him Novice at Longleaf and he had a good dressage test, a really FABULOUS cross-country run.... we were doing better than Training speed on a light rein, and loped over the last few fences to avoid getting a speeding ticket!... and two rails in stadium, he just felt tired. He has no muscle in his topline so it is to be expected, I can't wait to see what he looks like in a year though! Melanie and her horse Drayco did great at Longleaf, finishing on their dressage score for SIXTH place out of thirty!
Friday, April 2, 2010
A rare free afternoon! It is hot hot hot here (80+!) and I'm not used to it yet, so after shoeing and teaching all morning, and grabbing lunch at the chinese place with student Kim Meeks, I'm taking a wee A/C break. I'm chillin' this afternoon because we only had a half-day of shoeing, and now Dwayne has gone to his friend's garage to work on his hot rod '36 pickup. So I'm free as a bird (until 4, my next scheduled lesson, which I probably could have made earlier--forgot it was Good Friday so the kids are out of school!). A/C break means noodle around on the computer for a little bit and read a chapter of my library book. Wish I could take a nap, minimal sleep last night, but it is against my religion to sleep during daylight hours!
Then I'm going to go see if Stormy (3 yo gdtr of Storm Cat x Mariah's Storm) is sound..... she had a bruise/abcess and just got the shoe put back on the other day. She needs to get back to work so she can catch up to Jones, who cantered a couple crossrails today in fine style. That's all he gets to do until next winter, when we'll jump a few real fences to see if he can do the YEH shows..... only if he requires MINIMAL o/f work to be ready. Not going to drill a four-year-old over jumps! I'll probably take Revi out for a hack.... she's been hitting the dressage pretty hard, getting ready for the Fork. Trying to get her more connected to the right rein.... dentist says her teeth are fine, chiropractor says she is often stuck in her left hip, saddle fitter is coming next week just in case that is why.... Meanwhile lots of lateral work and long/low to loosen her up.....
Then I'm going to go see if Stormy (3 yo gdtr of Storm Cat x Mariah's Storm) is sound..... she had a bruise/abcess and just got the shoe put back on the other day. She needs to get back to work so she can catch up to Jones, who cantered a couple crossrails today in fine style. That's all he gets to do until next winter, when we'll jump a few real fences to see if he can do the YEH shows..... only if he requires MINIMAL o/f work to be ready. Not going to drill a four-year-old over jumps! I'll probably take Revi out for a hack.... she's been hitting the dressage pretty hard, getting ready for the Fork. Trying to get her more connected to the right rein.... dentist says her teeth are fine, chiropractor says she is often stuck in her left hip, saddle fitter is coming next week just in case that is why.... Meanwhile lots of lateral work and long/low to loosen her up.....
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Vanity's Revenge is doing very well, she has run two recognized Training horse trials, The Ark and Southern Pines, and skipped blithely around xc. Southern Pines was her first "away" show and she was a little on-edge, so dressage and jumping 'manners' went bye-bye, but overall I was pleased. The following week we schooled at CHP and she was fabulous. Our next event is the Fork in two weeks.
At the Fork I will also be riding Trusting Thomas, who belongs to my client Heather. He has run two Novices with working student Ashley Nee, who is unavailable that weekend. Thomas is a big, rangy fellow who has spent several years running around with his head in the air, but he is coming right along learning how to carry himself properly, and is a very honest fellow (hence the name). It should be a fun day.
Another up-and-comer is Third Charm's three year old stallion, Seattle Jones, by Smarty Jones out of a Seattle Slew mare. In February our senior stallion, Lose That, passed away from a stroke, but Jones seems to be just what the doctor ordered to fill his shoes. He won the Future Event Horse competition at the Ark in February, and just went to his first show on Saturday, winning his first-ever undersaddle class and snoozing by the arena rail for most of the day watching students go in the jumper classes. Jones stands 16h, with a lovely uphill way of going, plenty of suspension, and a natural tendency to be round and light. With his exceptional bloodlines, conformation, gaits, and sweetheart temperament, all he lacks is the performance record to be the "whole package".... I look forward to showing him this summer on the flat and maybe doing some wee crossrail classes to get started on that!
At the Fork I will also be riding Trusting Thomas, who belongs to my client Heather. He has run two Novices with working student Ashley Nee, who is unavailable that weekend. Thomas is a big, rangy fellow who has spent several years running around with his head in the air, but he is coming right along learning how to carry himself properly, and is a very honest fellow (hence the name). It should be a fun day.
Another up-and-comer is Third Charm's three year old stallion, Seattle Jones, by Smarty Jones out of a Seattle Slew mare. In February our senior stallion, Lose That, passed away from a stroke, but Jones seems to be just what the doctor ordered to fill his shoes. He won the Future Event Horse competition at the Ark in February, and just went to his first show on Saturday, winning his first-ever undersaddle class and snoozing by the arena rail for most of the day watching students go in the jumper classes. Jones stands 16h, with a lovely uphill way of going, plenty of suspension, and a natural tendency to be round and light. With his exceptional bloodlines, conformation, gaits, and sweetheart temperament, all he lacks is the performance record to be the "whole package".... I look forward to showing him this summer on the flat and maybe doing some wee crossrail classes to get started on that!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Welcome to the Third Charm Event Team blog! Greetings from the frozen snowless tundra that is North Carolina this week! This is my first time blogging, so bear with me.
My name is Jennifer Holder and I own and operate Third Charm Training Center in Midland, NC with my husband Dwayne Holder. I am an ARICP certified instructor and when I can get all the considerable paperwork in order I'm going to go through the USEA ICP process. I am also a certified Journeyman farrier. Dwayne is a Master farrier, and I started shoeing my own horses under his supervision, then I started helping him a couple days each week, then he broke his collarbone and the rest is history.... I took over his approximately 300-horses-every-five-weeks route for a couple of months until he could get back to it, and with that experience behind me I went ahead and got certified! I do a few clients of my own, but mainly I shoe and trim all the horses at the barn (varies from 13-20), and still work with him a couple days per week.
As far as riding goes, I trained my first horse, a scruffy Morgan/Welsh tragically misnamed Beauty, to jump when I was a teenager by reading books and trial and error. We are talking extremely backyard, pieces of lumber propped up on sawhorses and barrels and tires out in the field. Unfortunately my first horse was about twelve years older than the seller claimed and was shortly retired due to arthritis. My second horse was an Off-Track Thoroughbred named Woody's Amni (Woody), who was, ah, difficult. I had her for eight years and learned more about straight-up survival than I can describe. When I bought her she had two gaits: jig, and gallop sideways. I stuck with it and managed to compete her through Novice level in eventing. I wish I had her now, since I suspect that my ignorance contributed greatly to our difficulties! However she certainly lived up to the stereotype of the OTTB.
But, then I got Copper, a TB stallion straight off the track--I rode him at exercise and watched his last race, then bought him! And he blew all the stereotypes to heck. Within three weeks of his last race, he went to his first show and jumped quietly around a Elementary combined test course. Our dressage score wasn't great, mainly because, thanks to Woody, I was waiting for the explosion! Copper was trotting around the ring going "Hey, lady, leggo my mouth I wanna put my head down...."
I've had Copper for fourteen years now and I give all the credit for the fact that I am a professional to him. He took me successfully through Training level eventing, 2nd level dressage and 4'3" Jumpers. Of course it helped that I was finally able to hook up with some good trainers during the time I owned him! I started riding with Denny Emerson during that time, who is great, despite the fact that it is a two hour drive and I can only make it a couple times per month during the winters when he is here in NC. Unfortunately I was not able to get Copper successfully to Preliminary....he was hit by a car in 1998 and developed arthritis in the hock that was injured in the accident. It did eventually fuse, and was manageable to the point that he was able to come back and compete at Training level and in some Jumpers with students, but I didn't feel it was fair to ask him to try for the upper levels. He finally retired at the age of 19 this past year.
Then I bought Bolivia, a Hanoverian mare with a nasty bucking issue. It took two years of chiropractic and accupuncture to straighten her out, but it was worth it! We went Intermediate in 2009, finishing third in dressage, sixth overall with no xc jump penalties and one rail in stadium. Then I turned her over to Ashley Nee, who had been begging to ride her for two years; they ran Training a couple of times in the spring and did very well. Bolivia is now being half-leased by my student Iris, who is a dressage rider and is looking forward to doing her first dressage show with Livi on Saturday!
Meanwhile Ashley had bought a promising 2 year old out of an Intermediate TB mare. Unfortunately the horse, by age four, had only grown to about 15.2h and said student felt she was too large for the horse. With the economy and the difficulty of selling a green, small, chestnut TB mare, vs. the cost of boarding, Ashley gave me the horse in 2008. Dubbed "Vanity's Revenge", she has done very nicely at Novice this year and has recently moved up to Training CTs and schooling HTs. She will run one or two Novice recognized and then move up to Training recognized in the next couple of months. She is very good in the dressage and brave and clever over fences; she seems to have a good bit of scope and confidence, so perhaps she will go to the upper levels.
More later, I have to head out and shoe some horses!
My name is Jennifer Holder and I own and operate Third Charm Training Center in Midland, NC with my husband Dwayne Holder. I am an ARICP certified instructor and when I can get all the considerable paperwork in order I'm going to go through the USEA ICP process. I am also a certified Journeyman farrier. Dwayne is a Master farrier, and I started shoeing my own horses under his supervision, then I started helping him a couple days each week, then he broke his collarbone and the rest is history.... I took over his approximately 300-horses-every-five-weeks route for a couple of months until he could get back to it, and with that experience behind me I went ahead and got certified! I do a few clients of my own, but mainly I shoe and trim all the horses at the barn (varies from 13-20), and still work with him a couple days per week.
As far as riding goes, I trained my first horse, a scruffy Morgan/Welsh tragically misnamed Beauty, to jump when I was a teenager by reading books and trial and error. We are talking extremely backyard, pieces of lumber propped up on sawhorses and barrels and tires out in the field. Unfortunately my first horse was about twelve years older than the seller claimed and was shortly retired due to arthritis. My second horse was an Off-Track Thoroughbred named Woody's Amni (Woody), who was, ah, difficult. I had her for eight years and learned more about straight-up survival than I can describe. When I bought her she had two gaits: jig, and gallop sideways. I stuck with it and managed to compete her through Novice level in eventing. I wish I had her now, since I suspect that my ignorance contributed greatly to our difficulties! However she certainly lived up to the stereotype of the OTTB.
But, then I got Copper, a TB stallion straight off the track--I rode him at exercise and watched his last race, then bought him! And he blew all the stereotypes to heck. Within three weeks of his last race, he went to his first show and jumped quietly around a Elementary combined test course. Our dressage score wasn't great, mainly because, thanks to Woody, I was waiting for the explosion! Copper was trotting around the ring going "Hey, lady, leggo my mouth I wanna put my head down...."
I've had Copper for fourteen years now and I give all the credit for the fact that I am a professional to him. He took me successfully through Training level eventing, 2nd level dressage and 4'3" Jumpers. Of course it helped that I was finally able to hook up with some good trainers during the time I owned him! I started riding with Denny Emerson during that time, who is great, despite the fact that it is a two hour drive and I can only make it a couple times per month during the winters when he is here in NC. Unfortunately I was not able to get Copper successfully to Preliminary....he was hit by a car in 1998 and developed arthritis in the hock that was injured in the accident. It did eventually fuse, and was manageable to the point that he was able to come back and compete at Training level and in some Jumpers with students, but I didn't feel it was fair to ask him to try for the upper levels. He finally retired at the age of 19 this past year.
Then I bought Bolivia, a Hanoverian mare with a nasty bucking issue. It took two years of chiropractic and accupuncture to straighten her out, but it was worth it! We went Intermediate in 2009, finishing third in dressage, sixth overall with no xc jump penalties and one rail in stadium. Then I turned her over to Ashley Nee, who had been begging to ride her for two years; they ran Training a couple of times in the spring and did very well. Bolivia is now being half-leased by my student Iris, who is a dressage rider and is looking forward to doing her first dressage show with Livi on Saturday!
Meanwhile Ashley had bought a promising 2 year old out of an Intermediate TB mare. Unfortunately the horse, by age four, had only grown to about 15.2h and said student felt she was too large for the horse. With the economy and the difficulty of selling a green, small, chestnut TB mare, vs. the cost of boarding, Ashley gave me the horse in 2008. Dubbed "Vanity's Revenge", she has done very nicely at Novice this year and has recently moved up to Training CTs and schooling HTs. She will run one or two Novice recognized and then move up to Training recognized in the next couple of months. She is very good in the dressage and brave and clever over fences; she seems to have a good bit of scope and confidence, so perhaps she will go to the upper levels.
More later, I have to head out and shoe some horses!
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