We arrived last night after a long drive. Taco traveled very well, as usual. He has a nice big stall next to Megan's Flo. I'm watching their dressage lesson with Peter Atkins right now. Earlier I watched Susan and Tate's gymnastics lesson with Mary Lowry. They both did great!
I ride dressage this afternoon with Mary and then some gymnastics with Peter. I'll try to post tonight!
I've been thinking a lot lately about riding safely at speed. It's a hot topic these days in eventing in general, because of the increased attention to safety in the last several years. But I am thinking about it even more because I co-wrote an article about riding the steeplechase at a Classic Three Day event. My friend Holly and I interviewed upper-level eventer Pam Wiedemann, the steeplechase clinician at Waredaca. She gave all sorts of tips about preparing for the steeplechase, which you will be able to read in the August issue of Eventing 2.0.
The most important preparation, it seems, is to learn appropriate speed by marking a track at various distances and trying to cover those distances in a set amount of time. As many times as I have gotten the advice to do this, I never have (hanging head in shame). Until this week, that is, when I measured out the track at Panther Springs. I measured out to 220 meters (should take one minute at a brisk trot), 350 meters (should take one minute at a nice forward canter), 400 meters (should take one minute at an easy gallop), on up to 420 (the lower limit of Training level cross country speed), 450, 470 (the upper limit of Training level cross country speed), and 500 and 520 (the range of speeds for the steeplechase phase).
The 400 meter marker (orange cone)
Then I tacked up and hopped on. I did my trot sets (220 is indeed a brisk trot) and then tried some canters. My idea was that I would do what felt like an easy gallop and see how far I got in one minute. So I did that, and found out that I was going a whopping 350 meters per minute. I was a little surprised since I thought that it was more like 400. Lesson number one—I was not going as fast as I thought. I was riding with the hand brake on—partly because I did not want to set off a green horse that Amy was riding, and partly because I was wondering whether Taco would go nuts and take off. Both concerns were unwarranted. But I felt it was a good session because I know what I need to do next time—take the hand brake off! I can't wait.
This has been a challenging week in other ways since I took my truck in for a leaking brake line. I went to a garage in Nashville, which specializes in heavier-duty work than my usual garage. The mechanics discovered major work that needed to be done, including brakes (pads, rotors, and drums) and the front end (tie rod ends, ball joint, radius arm bushing). Ouch! Apparently the garage that I have been using for oil changes has not been lubricating the chassis properly or inspecting the brakes, and thus missed some developing problems. I am angry with them, to say the least. I am just grateful that I had the brake line problem when I was not hauling so that it was discovered before I was on the road with my precious cargo.
I am out of town (again) for July 4th, and then I return for about a week before eventing camp at Come Again Farm in Indiana. I will blog as much as possible from camp to update on everything I'll be learning!
I have to say, the past week has not been that interesting. The end of the previous week was OK because I got to do some jumping and show off a little bit. Also, I really appreciate Stacy sitting lighter on my back when I am headed toward a fence. But then she left for almost a week. She went to a place called Brook Lin Nooyurk, I think. I don't know. She said is was for work, which for her does not involve running and jumping but instead means "reesurch". She says she has to do it to buy me carrots. This sounds flimsy to me, but I put up with it. What I do know is that I got a little bit bored.
I am really grateful for Amy, I must say, because while Stacy was off ignoring me, Amy helped get some of those ticks off. I really hate ticks. They make me very, very itchy. She found some of the horrible creatures in my mane and got them out. Amy is pretty great. She feeds me every morning and most nights, and she brings me out to my very nice field when it is evening and then brings me in before it gets too hot in the morning.
Anyway, Stacy came back yesterday. She had lots of carrots, so I guess she got them from working in Brook Lin Nooyurk. So it is OK that she went. I was happy to see her and she gave me a whole body massage with that nubby tool and then she scritched my tailbone (another hangout for the awful ticks) and yes, I had to go back to work but I was so bored I was ready to do something different besides stand in my stall under my fan.
Now it is supposed to be hot this week so I think I will have to work in the morning before my nap and then have my nap afterward.
Oh yeah, here are some pictures of me with my favorite guy, Ruger. He is a lot of fun-- can you tell? One time he even busted into my pasture from his own so that we could hang out. He is a lot younger than I am so I tell him everything that I know about life.
Team Taco has still been going strong-- but for the past two weekends I have been out of town, volunteering at events. On Memorial Day weekend I was at May Daze Horse Trials, hanging with Amy and the Panther Springs Farm crew, grooming where I could and doing three different jobs (dressage steward, scribe, and XC starter) at the show. Then last weekend I was at the Indiana Eventing Association T3D, again wearing three different hats there (10-minute box timer, Long Format Club event representative, and USEA reporter).
In other news, I finished a scholarly article that I sent to a journal... so I have been a busy bee at work too!
I do love volunteering, for two reasons. Well, three, actually. First, I always learn something. Always. I can watch what works or doesn't work for other riders when I am stewarding or jump judging or starting, get in-the-moment critiques from dressage judges on the test in front of us, or find out how a horse trials actually runs. These are just a few of the lessons I've had while volunteering. Second, I get to meet and talk to people who care at least as much about the sport of eventing as I do, and make new friends. Event officials are just people, and some of them are great fun to hang out with! And my co-volunteers are some very generous and likable folks. And, finally, I get to help make the sport happen. That feels good and easily trumps pouring rain, freezing wind, and baking sun.
Taco has been very patient when I have been away, and has greeted me with his wonderful little nicker when I arrive back at the barn. He has also been going so well for me and has been quite a joy. Here is a nice view of what I see from his back.
On the flat, we've been working on more lateral work-- shoulder-in. I've also kept playing with the counter canter. I've been using my trot sets to practice my two-point and get that right leg lengthened and wrapped around him instead of gripping with the knee as it likes to do. Over jumps I have been practicing staying up in my two-point and making the adjustments I need to up there--which is very hard for me! But he seems to like it better so I persevere.
I continue to feel grateful for the luxurious stretch of time in which I've been able to work on basics. The lack of pressure of an upcoming competition helps me take each moment at a time and appreciate just being with my number one guy. When we go back to competing at the end of July, my goal will be to ride as well as possible and meet any specific goals I have for that event (hint: they will probably have to do with riding forward).
Message from Taco:
A handsome man like me needs lots of carrots to stay good looking! Please send some.
The title has no particular meaning; it's just something I call him sometimes. Taco has been his lovely and adorable self, and I always smile when I walk in and see his face pop over the stall door. He has been a superstar for the past week or so. The hives made a very brief appearance last week after some rain (hmm.... pattern here...) but I am pulling my hair out less. I am still considering doing an allergy test.
Why yes, I do know that I am cute!
One thing that I have noticed, now that I have experienced a stretch of not competing, is that I am concentrating on the quality of my riding and training more, for their own sake. Since last winter was so harsh it felt like we never had that nice downtime in which to ride a lot and make some progress. So, now that the weather is good and the semester is over, I have felt like I have paid better attention to our development as a partnership. I hope that this work transfers over to the shows when we go again.
I've actually been enjoying dressage schools. Why is it that the best dressage rides happen when there is no one watching but the dog? I've been playing a lot with leg-yielding and counter canter, and both really help supple him. Then I try some lengthenings at the end of the ride and get some nice ones! It wouldn't be a bad idea for us to visit a dressage show this summer.
Our lesson last weekend was really challenging and interesting. Amy wants me to try sitting lighter on Taco's back during the approach to fences. So the trick is to teach myself that I really can be effective with my aids in two-point. Taco responded by jumping well, we thought. What do you think?
I am going away this weekend to volunteer at the MayDaze horse trials at the Kentucky Horse Park. I'm looking forward to the trip and to seeing many friends ride by as I fence judge, but I am not wanting to leave Taco. I'll also be gone the following weekend at the Indiana T3D, where I will volunteer for both the event and the Long Format Club. And then I will spend six days in mid-June in New York City doing research. So I'll be missing my number one guy a lot over the next few weeks, but it makes my time with him all the sweeter.
Although there can be thrilling, transformative moments, teaching and learning can be like watching paint dry. Every day brings practice and incremental improvement. I feel that I am learning every day from Taco and Amy, but it is a slow process that takes place over time.
I had a good jumping lesson this week. Earlier in the week I did a short jump school on my own, practicing a figure 8 over a slightly narrow, small vertical and getting pretty good at influencing which lead we landed on.
In my lesson, we started with that vertical and then added a course, turning either left or right on a bending line and continuing on. I was pleased that I kept thinking throughout, adjusting what I needed to in the moment. I felt like an active partner for Taco. The difference, Amy thinks, is probably my short jump schools on my own. I don't need to do much in those sessions to get a positive results in lessons.
First of all, I would like to thank all of the humans who have taken such a keen interest in my well-being. You are all very kind. I live a very active, adventurous life and I sometimes manage to acquire injuries. I would rather live life to the fullest and take the risk of getting hurt, but I know that this causes great distress to Stacy and it also used to worry Annikaa lot, too. So I will try to avoid getting hurt but I cannot make any promises.
Last week was a pretty good week. Stacy came to the barn on Sunday and put me on the lunge line. I showed her that one of my legs was sore (I had done some delightful galloping in the mud the night before) and she untacked me and gave me a bunch of carrots. Then she went home. The next day, I had to jog on the driveway a bunch of times, and then Stacy tacked me up. She put me back on the lunge and my leg still hurt a little bit but she couldn't see it. Then she got on me and trotted a couple of circles, and finally realized that my leg still hurt. She got off and took me back to the barn for my carrots.
The next day the Needle Man came to see me. He poked me with some needles and then I had to trot on the lunge and jog back and forth for him a bunch of times.It wasn't so great. However, then the really nice part of the week began. Stacy would show up and brush me, and then she would take me out to eat grass for a really long time! It was immensely enjoyable.
But it got boring after a while and then the weekend was exceedingly boring.The place where I live now, Tennessee, got a lot of rain. It rains a lot here in general but the rain last weekend was very heavy and there was thunder and lightning. I heard Amy say something about a "tornado warning." As a result, I was forced to stay inside for one night. I was incredibly bored and that is when I started to think about blogging.
This week, my leg feels better, but I had something really bizarre happen to me. I got lumps all over my body. I do not know where they came from. But Stacy got all worked up about it. She kept squeezing my left hind leg, the one with the scar, and she hosed me off with cold water. She made me wear a strange thing on my head when I went out to my pasture. She also gave me some food that had medicine in it, but I did not mind because it did not taste bad. The next day, I felt a lot better.
I am not sure why I have to wear this.
For the last few days Stacy has been riding me again. I had forgotten that I like working. Sometimes when I think about working, I don't want to do it. But then I get started and I like it again. Stacy said that we could jump over a few things this weekend, and that is something that I quite enjoy.It is better than "dressage," which is what we did today and tends to get a little tedious, I must say.
Stacy says that we are not going to do a lot of traveling this month, but we will travel more in the summer and go to a "camp" in July.That sounds OK to me. I like going to new places.
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