The high's and the low's are giving me motion sickness!

I hope everyone is enjoying this GREAT weather! I am. Clif and the Princess have informed me that they would like their fans already (really guys, come on!). They already have busted out the fly masks and fly sheets (well I busted them out, they "gently" encouraged me to). Clif made his need to have his mask and sheet obvious when he went flying around the field bucking because there was at least 3 flies in a 5 ft radius. How dare them touch his perfectly manicured skin, don't flies know better! Tess just makes pitiful faces until she gets what she wants, then she goes to back to eating. I suppose she is like having a 4 year old child who has figured out that all they have to do to get something is make a face and you will move at lightening speed to turn that frown upside down!


The high's of eventing are great, Clif is currently on one, how fabulous for me! He's really quite fun to ride now, and you always smile at some point with him. He finally understands most everything. He lengthenings are becoming extended trots, his leg yields are easily made into half passes and his walk-canter transitions are getting more and more solid, as are his flying changes (except I do not dare do those in a dressage saddle yet!). It's really cool to have made a horse from literally the first time somebody who weighed more than 110 pounds rode him (I mean come on, compared to those jockey's who isn't fat!?). I remember when I first got him, he wouldn't move, no really like literally wouldn't move. Mom had to lead me around for a few days, finally we figured out that not going in a left handed circle was acceptable. After the non-moving stage he proceeded into the not stopping stage (which he still continues today as he demonstrated brilliantly in his gallops this week, stupid rubber snaffle!). It's also been so fun to prove so many people wrong about him (even me at some points). He was a bit of a freak to put it mildly when he was younger..and by younger I mean 6 months ago. He definitely did not have a following...we'll put it that way =). I have to give the credit for turning my attitude about him around to Bobby Costello, Bobby never gave him (or me!) an excuse, "just keep going" were his remarks no matter what was going on...and I have to say no excuses changes attitudes! There are a lot of stories about Clif...(his 5 mile Saturday morning stroll through downtown Southern Pines and a cemetery without a rider can be used a small example). He's turning out to be an amazing horse.


As a result of Clif and the Princess's hard work, I am currently ranked 3rd on the USEA Preliminary Amateur Leaderboard for the country..pretty cool...THANKS PONIES!!!


The princess has always been a fun horse. She should have been a lab, she loves the attention (as long as your not putting on a saddle!). She has always been a big challenge for me to ride. I do not think she is a very easy horse to ride either..but that's just me! She is a difficult ride on the flat, she just does not understand why she doesn't get a 10 for not putting her head down! She is great to show jump usually, all you have to do is get her near the fences and she will do whatever she can to leave them up, she doesn't really like hitting rails, but at the same time, you interfere...oh dear! She's really a blast to jump when you can get it all together, she has springs (and she sometimes jumps like a deer..no really...like a deer). Cross country has been a struggle for me with her, she does not pay attention AT ALL, the jump judges are far more interesting and for that matter, so is that bird in the tree. I have a really hard time keeping her confident without pushing her or feeling like she understands something when she doesn't (which is what happened at Southern Pines HT). She is a bit complicated to say the least...but then again she's a woman (I fully maintain that I am an uncomplicated woman). Another factor is that she has never actually tried at anything in her life (and when she does, SHE BUCKS...BIG), she doesn't had to try jumping....basically ever--except in grid work when the strides are short and the oxers wide. It's hard to ride that type of horse, her brain is slow, her feet are slow, her talent can get her out of anything...so it should be easy to ride her, come on Hillary! I just need to figure it out even more! I have started riding with Sharon White a few months ago and she has helped me incredibly with both horses. She is is the princess's personal "Tess whisperer"; she is amazing at being able to really know and understand each horse and their needs and how to ride them. She is the reason that Clif is going the way that he does now and she is the reason I'm starting to be able to ride Tess :). I think everyone eventually finds that trainer that they really fit with and can easily relate, understand and communicate with, and Sharon is that for me. She is so down to earth about everything and very realistic but always incredibly positive, a great influence on me!


The lows of the sport are the falls, the expenses and the soundness of your horses. The soundness is my low right now...enter Tess. Miss Tess had a hard time dealing her spring shots. After recovering from that she stepped on her heel..ding bat! And while still recovering from that she has something else appearing. She has an appointment with the vet on Monday, so unless she is sound tomorrow and is able to be ridden this weekend and still looks good for the vet Monday, it is doubtful that she will be heading to Chatt Hills (major bummer, as it would have been the perfect course for her.) Anyone who knows me knows I am a bit OCD with my horses, I feel they deserve the best, they do manage not to kill me and I try to return the favor. Soundness is something I'm good at, and I'm not good at much with these dang horses! I notice the small things in my horses and try make sure they feel better than the day before everyday they are ridden, that being said the issue with the princess is probably not a huge deal, but I would rather find a strain somewhere now then run her and find a hole in a suspensory in two weeks. So soundness first is our motto!


On a human note, I was able to do some fun 22 year old things on my weekend off from showing! I went to one of my best friend's bridal showers, it was a lot of fun to see people and not smell like a horse I must say. This weekend I am also going to The Fork CIC*** to watch, yay! Should be a good motivator..not that Clif wants me to push him anymore, he would like me unmotivated since he is my sole horse to work on at the moment!


Next weekend is Chatt Hills. Clif will be doing his first intermediate. AHHHH. I'm trying not to think about it, it is working only because I am giving myself an ulcer worrying about Tess. He is going great on the flat, his XC has been great all year, and his show jumping quite good. He will do two more jump schools and another gallop this week to make sure we are ready! I've decided to bribe him with Ms Pastures for a good dressage test, to be sound sunday, and leave the rails up....and maybe to also jump all jumps on the first attempt! Ha!

Enjoy the spring and green grass!

Game Face For Southern Pines!

(Tess goes into the water!)

Here is my sidenote! Southern Pines HT's is an event I have not been to in about 2 years, which in the eventing world is a long time! I decided that the past courses were just not the type my horses neeeded; this year was so different (due to an awesome new course designer). The courses were amazing; big and gallopy, so friendly and yet asked all the questions. Such a nice course to be able to ride!

My mom and I headed down to the Carolina Horse Park on Thursday. I had two quick flat lessons with Sharon White Thursday afternoon. Clif was great (that's becoming a theme!) and Tess was also great (She gets many people to watch and compliment her when she is good, this makes her very happy). So we went into Friday on a positive note.

(Clif and I studying Friday Night--he typed!

Photo by Marisa Notarnicola)

Friday was a nice, relaxed day. Clif did not go until 10:30. He warmed up really well, relaxed, happy and lovely. Unfortunately, we had a bit of a melt down before going into the ring (Clif wanted to know why there was an XC advanced skinny near the ring?!?!?). His test was still fairly solid, but just lacked the relaxation he has had in his previous two tests of the year. So while not the end of the world, it was a bit of a bummer, but his test of 33 did put him in the top 5 out of 20 or so horses. Tess was quite good in her warm-up, unforunately we lost it about 3 minutes before going into the ring. Instead of just trying to negotiate with her throughout the test, I decided to ride her and make her do atelast something productive. This should serve as an example of how obnoxious she is; in her test which was about a 45, she received three 8's (I mean really Tess!). Talented and naughty is a not such a fun combination some times! Oh well, we will conintue to work through this phase she is going through, especially since I feel that it is mostly due to the fact that she is actually close to be submissive (hence the current state of anger for not being able to do whatever she wants!)

(Clif into the water!)

Saturday was XC day! Tess went out first and was really quite perfect. She had a very very very unfortunate stop in the sunken road which was A,B,C. She went at 9 AM and the sun was right in both our faces, she never quite saw the C element until she was about to take off for the B element! I saw C, so I assumed she did as well...not so smart there Hillary! She jumped all the tables (which were nice and big) very well, she jumped the water super (which was again quite big for prelimb)and she was great and very straight for the skinny and corner. Clif went at about 10 AM when it was a bit warmer. He was a bit more relaxed in warm-up than he has been. I let the fences help me with his wildness, especially for the first few fences, this seemed to make a big difference and helped me a good bit. The course was made for a horse like Clif--it was big and gallopy, he was right at home. He was quick and solid jumping through and over everything, I couldn't not have asked him for much more. Saturday was a good day!

Sunday everyone got to show jump. Tess jumped first once again. Her show jumping was not exactly stellar. I did not ride her forward enough to the first two fences, which were taking you directly into the crowd and patron tent (this event was part of the Professional Riders Organizations series of sponsored events, hence the tents and people!). She did not quite know what to make of the crowd and I was not quite sure what to do with her (Let this be yet another lesson that two "I don't know's" does not lead to a know), let her be quiet and take it in, or keep her forward and not quite have her attention, I choose the quiet...not so bright as it turns out! We had the first two fences down, which is totally unacceptable for a horse that can jump as well as she can. After about the third fence we settled back into a good forward rythm and she jumped well, so we at least ended on a good note. Clif jumped next, and he was in 6th place heading into SJ. He was quite good, as usual these days, and jumped one of his most responsive and accurate rounds ever. He ended up 4th out of about 20 horses, finishing with only a few time penalties from XC added to his dressage score of 33 (Clif says "if she had let me run off like usual, we would not have had those dumb time faults and I would have been 2nd!").

(Tess over the jump on a lump!

Photo by Marisa Notarnicola)

Clif is funny, when he gets to a show these days he puts on his game face. He went into to show jumping with a new attitude and he was not messing around, I think he quite likes being the center of attention and getting ribbons (too bad he removed it during his victory gallop and proceeded to step on his new white ribbon, getting dirt all over it!). Tess was also improved, although her score does not reflect it, she was much more confident on XC than she ever has been and her SJ was good after our yucky start.

(Clif over one of the many tables)

Our next outing will be Chatt Hills outside of Atlanta, GA. Tess will continue on her road to the Virginia Horse Trials CCI* with another preliminary run. Clif will make the big jump up to intermediate! He feels great and very ready to be an intermediate horse, hopefully the feeling will be the action!

I will give everyone an update before we head towards the great unknown in April!!

Hillary

Good Times!

Hello!

I hope everyone has been dong well! I have been, it was my much needed spring break!

This week we headed down to Full Gallop Horse Trials in Aiken, SC. Thursday was yucky weather with nasty storms starting around 12 and lasting until about 3...when my lessons were. I was glad for the weather to break a bit, even if it was for just about 3 hours. I had quick jump lessons with Sharon White on Thursday. Tess jumped 3 feet over everything and was being great, so not much needed to be done with her, just me! Clif was also a good, a bit of a wild man, but good. He jumped great as well and got an easy last jump school before the weekend. Friday the weather continued to be nasty, love the spring storms! (NOT!). Clif and Tess had flat lessons on Friday. Clif was a bit wild in the beginning (big surprise there) and ended up beautiful! He had brilliant canter work and discovered a new trot with a bit of suspension...pretty cool!!!!! Tess then had her lesson...and oh, what a lesson it was. She was an absolute monster; she has been so good at home...oh well! She was just flat out unwilling to cooperate. Sharon helped me work it out with her a bit, we took off her flash and let her see if she liked that..she did not love it, but she liked it much better. She ended on a positive note and almost having removed my arms from my body.

Saturday was an early day, starting at 5 am. Tess did dressage first at 7:40....I'm going to blame the dressage on the fact that the princess was not impressed by being harassed at 5:30 in morning for something as horrible as dressage. Her test was actually impressive...impressively bad. She is such a lovely horse, it is very frustrating to have her be so naughty when she is fully capable of being the top or one of top horses in dressage. Better luck next time I suppose! Clif was next and was a bit tense to begin with. He relaxed a bit and started going well. We then went to warm up around the ring..someone had a trot through a puddle and Clif thought that was the end of the world. We did a nice spin and bolt with me hanging on the side of him. Man am I glad he stopped! Poor Clif, if a lady bug moves behind him, he is out of there! He settled back down and went around the ring in pretty circles. I need to be more confident in what I am asking him, he knows the tricks now and is relaxed, he is capable of getting straight 8's on his canter work, and he would have had I not backed off his canter lengthenings, oops. He got a 31 on his test which quite good, especially for him!

Saturday was also the day of show jumping. Clif got to show jump first. He was good for the warm-up area being so awful. But, I got him to a nasty distance with no leg and he said "No way dummy!". So after a nice little stop and some rattled Clif nerves we got it all back together. He jumped around well...he had the first fence down, which was a bit too bad, but not at all a big deal. I just didn't quite have it together enough for him to jump well over it. He is a funny horse, he seems quite the know-it-all, but is actually a bit timid and does a lot of over compensating for it with wildness. Something we need to work on! Tess jumped around lovely, she jumped about 4 feet over the first fence, it was very scary!!! She continued to jump well, we had one fence that was not as perfect as planned when she came above the bit and against me. That is what we are working on and will continue to work on, but 1 fence out of 10 isn't so bad..it is progress!!

Sunday was not quite as early, yay! Clif was the first out again. He was a maniac, but then again, he was in a rubber snaffle. I think we will upgrade to a regular snaffle from now on...such big bits he has! He definitely needed confidence around the whole course and did get better as it went on. He galloped around really quick and jumped pretty well...no thanks to my shoulders that needed to be around 6 inches further back! He was 5 seconds over the time which was good considering we had several discussions about our speed around the course. Tess went out next and she was AWESOME! I kept waiting for her to get her attitude out...but it never came. She went out of the box happy and focused..what!?!?! Yes that's right, happy and focused! She was great through the first few fences..I kept feeling like I was doing something weird..then I noticed I was smiling! I'm usually so serious with her (and I have to be) that I never really notice anything. She was super about everything, I could not have asked for anything better from her! I'm so so so proud of her. She doesn't have a picture of her on here because the camera went dead! But I will be sure to put some up from Southern Pines of her..she would be so angry she did not have her princess photos up!

Overall the weekend was great for the everyone. Clif ended up winning! He's won two in a row now, and this was his first full prelimb win (Pinetop was only a P/T division)! What a good horse! Tess ended up 8th which was not too shabby considering our dressage :). I think there were about 20 in their division, so big divisions! Well, I am off to continue scrubbing buckets, boots, and soaking Clif's smelly haynet (Got to love the horses that dunk hay in water EVERY SINGLE time!) Everyone take care, find time to ride and more here after Southern Pines II Horse Trials!!
Hillary

Gearing up!

I hope everyone is enjoying this lovely weather we're having, I am!!!! It's great for horse washing, trailer washing, truck washing and avoiding frost bite!


The horses are super. Everyone is getting ready to head south to Full Gallop Horse Trials this weekend. I will be heading down early to get jump and flat lessons with Sharon White on Thursday and Friday. (Quick side note: If you have never had to the chance to ride with Sharon...RIDE WITH SHARON. She's great, positive and has such an incredible way with every horse.) I am very excited to actually compete and be prepared! Although Clif and Tess both did Pinetop over Valentine's day (they were so so so good), they had not really been able to do any serious flat work or consistant jumping all winter. So it should be really fun to have them ready to show off...which, no doubt, they will be both very interested in doing if there are cookies involved!


Clif is going great. He is lovely on the flat, being really quiet. My goal for every ride, more like every stride, is bouncy ears..so I look like a bit of a weirdo talking to myself while sitting trot going "bouncy ears bouncy ears bouncy ears", but whatever it is working! He knows all the tricks now! How fun! Clif has also gotten to jump big which pleases him, not much does so I make the most of what makes him happy (cookies...cookies are a vital tool for any successful relationship :) ).

Everyone got a bath this weekend. I gave the princess her bath, then went to get Clif. Clif and Sammy (My good friends retired horse who is the resident expert on three days!) were no where to be found...they have mastered opening the gate! I went into panic mode..got cookies (are we seeing a theme here!?!?!)...called Clif and Sam....only to find Clif's little face peaking out from behind the barn! Little brat was playing hide and seek! If anyone knows of a horse that could use some personality I'd be happy to donate some of my horses to the needy!


Tess decided that she was working so hard she deserved a break! She stepped on a clip and gave herself nearly a week off! She needs her princess beauty rest! Geez! She started work a few days ago and seems quite good. Funny enough, everytime she gives herself time off she comes back rounder and softer...so as much as I would rather her not make a mess of herself, she seems to benefit from it in some weird way. Wouldn't you know it! Tess also got to XC school with Clif Saturday. I have to say that I am now positive that she is such a different horse. She was happy, focused and forward to her fences...this is most definately not the way she has schooled in the past. This new princess of a mission attitude is quite nice, I think I'd like to keep it! Needless to say I am quite anxious to see how she goes this season! Oh and Clif was good as well on the XC school, he would be so ashamed that I need even tell you this (You should be able to guess!).






Well enjoy this weather! More after Full Gallop!


Hillary







<--- Packed and Ready for Show Season!

A Bit About Us

Hello!

I hope this posting finds everyone well and with happy horses! I thought I would give everyone a bit of information about Clifden (clif), Vitesse (Tess), and myself.
I am currently a college senior at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina (otherwise known as Alaska!). I have a major in psychology with a concentration in business and have been on the Dean's List the past 3 semesters while keeping 2 horses going full force, lucky for me that I have the best family in the world (my friends are great as well!).

This year has started out very busy, I am taking 18 hours this semester in order to graduate on time..oops :). This year's cold has been brutal and the snow has been incredible! We have had over 68'' in Boone, and yes this is in North Carolina! Luckily, my horses live at home where the snow has been much less, but still somewhere around 30''+! As I mentioned above, my family is great! My grandparents bred, raced and housed Clif until he was nearly four when I got him. He was decent on the track, but had a unfortunate tendon strain that sent him packing! Lucky for me! Tess, was also a very spoiled resident of my grandparents farm (Snooty Fox Farm) in Florida for 4 years until she came up to the rural world of NC to be broke. My Mom and Dad are great, they are so supportive and helpful! My mom feeds and keeps everyone happy and going when I'm at school 3 days a week, how lucky am I!?

I cannot forget my trusty dog Kinley! I found Kinley living in a manure pile while working in Southern Pines. She has turned out slighty better than you would have thought coming from a poop pile! She accompanies me on all my trots (poor dog! those take almost 45 minutes sometimes!) and my gallops (she usually stops to watch by the second 5 minute round!). Most importantly, she is also extremely talented at getting me run away with!

Clif is the wild, fun boy of the farm. He would definately be the class clown/bully/star athlete/everybody's boyfriend. He's the whole package of that kid in school we all couldn't figure out if we liked or not! But, as it stands now, I think he's pretty great. It has definately been a long road for him to get to where he is. He has had several nasty injuries and at one point even neurological problems, but seems to keep coming back stronger, happier, and more sane (thank god!). He completed his first (and my first!) long format CCI* in October at Mid-South where he was absolutely foot perfect and finished 6th. He started the year out excellent with a win at Pinetop II H.T. in the prelimb/training division, finishing on his dressage score of 30.5! Clif is very much looking forward to starting his career as an intermediate horse in April at the BEAUTIFUL Chatt Hills in April.

Tess is the queen of the land, or actually the princess! She was broke as a 4 year old and had a bit of slow start due to a very large buck (she is an Aberjack baby!). She started her career out fabulously finishing 7th at her 2nd event and 1st novice at Virginia HT, and going on to win her 3rd novice start to finish at Champagne Run HT on her dressage score of 30 in a division of over 25 horses, what a good princess! Tess is all woman; everything about her is big, except for her body--biggest heart, biggest attitude, biggest jump and biggest stride! She's a blast to ride as long as you keep signing happy songs in your head while your doing flat work. She has started out this spring with a happy outlook on life-- jumping fabulously and her flat work is coming along well, not too much more I could ask of her. Tess is the resident ADD horse, NOTHING escapes her attention and when she has something to focus on watch out! She is also the resident cookie stealer, as she has learned that she can knock over the cookie jar! She then proceeds to just go to town because it will take me atleast 10 seconds to stop her and she can get atleast 10 cookies in her mouth by that point! Tess ended 2009 on a high note with a win at Virginia HT in prelimb! She also started out the year well in the training division at Pinetop II, her placing didn't show it but she was great; her flat work is seriously improved, her XC was forward and she jumped great, and her show jumping was very calm and happy, maybe a bit too calm as we had a bump on a rail!
Hope everyone stays warm, happy, and healthy!
Hillary