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!