Happy New Year!

Hello 2015, so nice to meet you.

Hello 2015, so nice to meet you.

Ike and I would like to wish all our friends and family a Happy New Year!  We are excited about what the new year will bring to us.  Hopefully it will bring me the ability to sit the trot, the knowledge to compete successfully at Second Level, and the ability to laugh at myself when things go horribly wrong.  I hope for Ike the new year brings the ability to move his hulking body as one cohesive unit, the patience to put up with his spastic mother, and that his fear of large tractors and vultures stays in 2014.  Ike is hoping for more treats, less work, and that the hotwire between his paddock and his brother’s magically disappears.

Stay tuned for our new adventures!

Alison and Ike

Dear Santa, Leave The Presents, Take My Brother

"No, Mom, I will not wear Santa hat this year."

“No, Mom, I will not wear Santa hat this year.”

Ike and I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, a God Jul, Feliz Navidad, a Happy Festivus (for you Seinfeld fans), and Happy Holidays!  Whatever holiday you and your family celebrate, may your time together be joyous and memorable.  May you laugh until your cheeks and sides hurt, eat plenty of delectable food, and sip on delicious beverages.

Ike says to remember your equine friends when you are shopping.  Black licorice, apples and peppermints are particularly tasty.  Uncle Jimmy’s Hanging Snacks are also perennial favorites with Ike and Cigar.  Cigar will be sporting a new red halter to replace the one Ike shredded.  Ike will look dapper in his new burgundy polo wraps.  The boys also sent a holiday donation to an equine charity.

May your year to come be filled with straight centerlines, clear rounds, optimal times and plenty of barn time!

All our best,

Alison and Ike

Start Where You Are

Ike November 2014

I have practiced yoga for over 12 years now.  I remember struggling with even doing plank pose; and the thought of mastering scorpion pose, crow pose, or half moon pose seemed a pipe dream.  Yet now, I can perform all of those poses without a second thought.  As Baron Baptiste tells you on one of his DVDs, “Start where you are and from there you will progress.”  I try to remember those words as I struggle with mastering the skills necessary to progress to Second  Level.  You have to start somewhere and if you never start, you will never progress.   

The thought of Second Level  is daunting.  For more accomplished riders, they are probably thinking, “What is the big deal?”  I am thinking “Yikes!  This is where the crap hits the fan!”  No more posting the trot, no more big circles or bee bopping around on half speed.  You need to be fully present during every stride – much like you need to be fully present when attempting scorpion pose. 

I have spent some time checking out the new 2015 dressage tests for Second Level.  There is A LOT of work to be done this winter.  Well, let’s be honest, we might need spring  and some of summer to get into Second Level show shape.  I’ve broken down the tests and decided these are the key items for Ike and I to master.

Sitting Trot – This one is all on me.  I still tilt my pelvis in the wrong direction.  I still stiffen rather than relaxing.  I still lean either too far forward or too far back.  When I lean back and brace in my stirrups, I look like I’m water skiing.  (This is as close as I’ve ever come to actually water skiing.)  People say, “strengthen your core.”  My core is strong, but yet I still struggle to find the sweet spot. 

Collected Trot – Phew!  It is a lot of work to get the giraffe to sit down and really engage his hind end.  It is also a revelation to me to feel what a correct collected trot feels like.  It is not just slowing the horse down.  It is all about mushing the energy inwards and upwards.  When Ms. C yells, “there is your collected trot!”  I am thinking, “You have got to be kidding me!  How am I supposed to maintain this?!”

Medium Trot – This fall at the regional championships, we received a 6 for our trot lengthening with the comment “Conservative.”  I could not argue with the score or the comment.  If I tried to push for more, poor Ike would get unbalanced and we’d get scores of 5.  It was better to be conservative.  I am happy to say that our trot lengthenings are coming along.  They are not quite medium trots yet, but I am hopeful that they will be there come spring…of course, I still have to figure out how to sit that medium trot.

Collected Canter and 10 meter canter circles.  What size?!  I am pretty certain with Baby Huey that a ten meter circle is probably  a canter pirouette.  Still not sure how we are going to master this.  Any circle smaller than 15 meters usually ends up in trot.  Our collected canter quality isn’t always the best; Ike gets a little sticky and the canter feels like a pogo stick.  Just need more time and less help from the neighborhood wildlife (Ike wants to move quickly away from any wild creature.)

Counter canter.  Still our nemesis.  The shallow canter loop of the First Level Test 3 test is about the extent of our counter canter success.  A full three loop serpentine?  No way.  Even just riding the short end of the arena in counter canter is a crap shoot.  I have to over ride and over emphasize the counter bend and yet the boy can still throw in a flying change.  All we can do is keep trying.

Simple Transitions.  Slowly, but surely, we are progressing with our simple transitions.  Our walk-to-canter transitions are better than our canter-to-walk transitions.  The down transitions are better when we train in our double bridle; not at all surprising.  Ike still needs a few trot strides before the walk when we work in our snaffle.  I am still pleased with where we are. 

As if the above isn’t  enough…we also have….

Shoulder in and Travers.  If I had to pick Ike’s stronger movements, I would say it is his lateral work.  How could it not be with those long legs?  As long as I set him up for success, both shoulder in and travers are going well.  At least we have two strong points in our quest for Second Level success.

Rein back.  Rein back is one of Ike’s favorite movements when evading my aids for turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches.  Unfortunately, he also likes to duck behind vertical and give me more than the required number of steps. 

Turn on the haunches.  The best I can say about this required movement is that it is not in Test 1.  This is definitely a work in progress.  “Start where you are.  Start where you are.”

Our work is currently on hiatus as I fight the flu.  Have no fear.  Ike and I will be back to work before you know it.

What is a Horse Junkie To Do When Illness and Weather Keep Her Indoors?

Wreath 1

This has been a challenging week for me.  Not only has the weather been less than stellar, I also managed to contract some early season snot-germ that kept me at home.  My coworkers even told me to get out when I went to the office.  Bad Weather + Bad Cold – Riding – Barn Visits = Stir-crazy horse owner.  Rumor has it that Ike is less than concerned about our lack of work this week.  He has enjoyed his unexpected vacation by romping with his brother.

Before the cursed germs invaded my body, I had decided that I was going to get crafty this Christmas and make my own horse head wreath.  I found the instructions on Facebook, and I thought to myself that I could give it a go.  If you search around the internet, you can find plenty of them made by very talented people.  Some are made with real greens, others with garland purchased from the craft store.  All of them are pricey.

So in between napping, blowing my nose, and working, I decided to try my hand at making my horse head wreath.  I won’t bore you with the step by step instructions – you can find them on my Facebook page or Google “how to make a horse wreath” and you will find the directions.  I will however share with you a few tips to make your construction go easier than mine…

1) Use the cheap wire hangers that you get from the drycleaners.  I made my wreath with these cheaper ones and the wire was very easy to shape.  When I decided to make 2 horse heads for Ms. C, I used purchased wire hangers from Walmart.  The wire is a thicker gage from the purchased hangers, and let’s just say that it was not as user friendly for bending.  My husband grew concerned about my well being as the nasal-toned cursing grew louder and louder.

2) Purchase wire cutters.  Kitchen shears, school-kid scissors, and wire-strippers are all poor substitutes and will also lead to cursing.

3) The instructions I had said to use masking tape and hot glue for the frame.  Hot glue guns and I are not on speaking terms, so for Ms. C’s wreaths that needed to be outdoor friendly, I used green duct tape.  Duct tape, like baling twine, can fix anything.

Wreath 2

Ms. C’s first wreath

Ms. C's second wreath

Ms. C’s second wreath

4) Read the label of your ribbon while at the store.  Finding out 10 days later that your spool doesn’t have enough ribbon to complete the bridle causes a delay in the completion until you can return to the store to buy more.

5) When using craft glue to add embellishments to your picks, do not set them on the carpet to dry….you will have to cut them away from the carpet and then cut glue blobs off your pick.  Glue blobs are not very festive.

6) If you are sick, consider delaying your craft project.  The holiday ribbons and picks all have glitter.  The glitter gets everywhere.  A snotty, glittery red nose is not a good holiday look.  It is not a good look period.

Good luck if you give it a try.  Please share photos in the comments!

Alison

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ike and Alison

Ike and I would like to wish our friends and family a very Happy Thanksgiving.  We are so very grateful and thankful for everything –

Our friends who follow our adventures through the maze that is dressage riding/training;

Our friends and family who attend our shows to cheer for us as we head down centerline;

Ms. C who guides us through our training – we would be trotting ovals at Intro Level if it wasn’t for her guidance;

The clinicians who provide another point of view;

The managers, secretaries and volunteers who tirelessly work to pull together fantastic shows;

My fellow dressage chapter members who provide camaraderie and wisdom;

Our farrier and veterinarian who keep Ike sound and healthy;

My supervisor who is always understanding when there is another barn “emergency” or an upcoming show; and

My amazing husband who continues to support our efforts and who safely gets us to and from our shows and clinics.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  May your holiday season be blessed.

Alison and Ike

 

Can Someone Direct Me To The Bigger & Taller Store?

Ike in his blanket

Hmm, there is something amiss with this blanket

This past weekend, my husband and I watched the movie The Blind Side again.  It is an amazing story, but I mention the movie for one particular scene.  Mrs. Tuohy takes Michael Oher to the Big & Tall store to find some new clothing.  She asks the salesmen what they have available in Michael’s size.  He points to one rack and states, “This is all we have in his size.”  Mrs. Tuohy retorts, “Are you not a big and tall store?”  The salesman laughs and replies, “He needs a bigger and taller store!”  Well that is about where I am with finding Ike a winter blanket.  Yes everyone, that moment has arrived, Ike has outgrown his EIGHTY SIX inch blanket.  As you can see in his photo, we cannot close the front of the blanket – the velcro doesn’t even come close to securing in front.  As my blogger friend Susan noted, “He has massive cleavage spillage like the drunk girl on Saturday night.”  Poor Ike.

We have moved beyond the normal horse-sized blankets.  Most brands of blankets have a maximum size of 84 inches with some venturing into the 86 inch range.  When you start looking for sizes bigger than that, your choices are very limited.  I suppose most companies assume when you are that big, you don’t get cold.  When you type “88 inch horse blanket” into a search engine, you get about 5 websites with a limited selection of turnout blankets and stable blankets.  Cute colors/plaids/patterns?  Forget about it.  Color choices?  Typically one color choice – take it or leave it.  The best selection appears to be at Schneider’s Tack (the same place I found Ike’s double bridle) with a brand called Big Fella Blankets marketed “For Drafts, Large Warmbloods, & Wide Bodied Conformations.” Color choices are grey so we can look like a walrus or navy for the look of a blue whale.

But before I purchase a new blanket, I need to measure Mr. Wide Body to attempt to get an accurate measurement.  Pulled out my measuring tape only to find that Ike has also far exceeded the measuring capability of my tape.  Super.

So, to date, my dearest boy has outgrown our last horse trailer, two bridles, a girth, a multitude of bits, his 82 inch blankets, his 84 inch blankets, and now his 86 inch blankets.  Heaven help us if he outgrows his stall.  I will be footing the bill for a new wing of the barn…

Stay warm everyone!  Ike will do his best until the new blanket arrives.

alison

How to (Kind Of) Assemble a Double Bridle

DSC03239

So this winter means that Ike and I are beginning our introduction to the double bridle. Yep, I have never used one before. It was debated and discussed for a number of months before we decided that it could be helpful. I struggle due to lack of experience with dressage beyond First Level, and I lack the physical strength to half halt effectively in certain situations.  There are also Carpal tunnel in both wrists and my fibromyalgia that can make riding a struggle some days. My drive to learn and to escape the lower levels keeps me going, and the double bridle can hopefully give me just a little bit of extra oomph to teach Ike the skills to progress beyond First Level.  I will still ride in my normal bridle most days, but will use the double bridle during some of my lessons. [read – under the eagle eye of Ms. C so I don’t do anything stupid inappropriate.]

I found a very nice double bridle (it can convert to a snaffle bridle if necessary) and inexpensive bradoon and Weymouth bits through Schneider Saddlery (http://www.sstack.com/English_Bridles/Dress-Conv-Bridle-W-pat-Bead/$%7B(%20%20)#32871%20FS%20BK}) for a very reasonable price. Of course, assembling the pieces was not quite as easy as clicking “purchase” on the website. So, without further ado, I present to you “How to assemble a double bridle.”

  1. Stupidly smile at box when it arrives because it makes you feel like a big kid rather than a beginner.
  2. Open box. Remove the packaging and sniff the new leather.
  3. Lay out the various pieces on the counter to make sure all parts are present and accounted for.bridle on counter
  4. Look in box for some Ikea-style pictogram assembly instructions. Grimace and then mutter expletives when you realize there are none.  my look of horror
  5. Pour a large glass of wine.
  6. Retrieve laptop so that you can find a photo of the assembled bridle on the website.
  7. Attach the bradoon and Weymouth bits and admire your handywork.
  8. Remove the bits when you realize you forgot to attach the browband.
  9. Curse your ineptitude and take a big swig of the wine.
  10. Slide browband into place.
  11. Reattach both bits.
  12. Realize that the headstall is backwards because the throatlatch is in the front.
  13. Mutter more expletives as you remove both bits for the second time and then the browband.
  14. Have another large sip of wine.
  15. Curse the inventor of the double bridle.
  16. Pour more wine.
  17. Yet again study the photo of the assembled bridle and reattach the browband first and then the bits.
  18. Attach the noseband.
  19. Breathe sigh of relief when you realize you finally attached everything correctly.
  20. Attach the reins to the bits.
  21. Call your trainer to confirm each set of reins are attached to the correct bit.
  22. Admire fully assembled bridle.
  23. Find a keeper on the floor. Pick up before it is consumed by a curious canine.
  24. Scratch your head when you realize you cannot figure out where it goes.
  25. Shrug and put it in your wallet just in case you have an epiphany.
  26. Admire your accomplishment again as you envision riding down centerline with your horse wearing the bridle…one day….
  27. Finish the bottle of wine.

I am happy to report that Ms. C gave my efforts a passing grade.  Ike was a sport as we adjusted the fit.  And I have to say (please pardon my proud horse mom moment), that I think my boy looked pretty smart wearing this new bridle.  Wish us luck!

alison

 

From The Horse’s Mouth

Ike November 2014

Happy Fall Everyone!  I’m again taking over to fill you in on my life in my words.  I’m pretty sure that I should have my own blog by now, but Mom says that I’m not ready for such responsibility.  Sheesh!  What a mean Mom.  Seriously, how am I supposed to rely on her to give the full story?

I’m pretty sure that I did a very good job at the regional competition.  Mom had that silly grin on her face and tears in her eyes when she realized we got one of those big ribbons with the long streamers.  I gave one of the streamers a taste and I have to say that it was disappointing.  I will stick with apples and horse treats.  It was cool to have people cheer for me when Mom and I went into the big indoor.  People called it a “koliseeim.”  I say it was a really big indoor with lots of chairs and few windows.  How do I get one of those at the farm?  Maybe Santa will bring me one for Christmas…

Being at the show was a lot of fun, but by the end of the weekend I was really tired of being inside all the time.   We horses need to start a union and get some better benefits – stalls with attached paddocks will be on my list of demands.  An internet connection at the barn, a private apple orchard, and a climate-controlled barn will also be discussed.  And none of that pay-for-performance stuff.  I get my pay and benefits regardless of the color of the ribbon.  But I digress…My friend Winslow was there as were Roo and Flori.  Dad came along as well as my canine brother Tim.  Ms. C was there to cheer for me on Saturday.  It was big fun to have Miss Melana visit me at night.  We had fun sending photos to Mom.

Once I got home from the show, I had a whole week of doing nothing but hanging out in my paddock.  Mom came to visit, but there was no riding.  She said that I had earned my vacation.  I’m trying to figure out how to have vacation every day like my brother.  He won’t tell me the secret to full-time vacation.  I think he is afraid Mom might put him back to work.

But now that I am back to work, I have to say that things have become much HARDER!  What?!  I did really well all year, so how can the work get harder?  Mom and Ms. C have introduced me to this medieval torture device they call a double bridle.  They stick not one, but two bits in my mouth.  Two!!  What was wrong with one?  It has something to do with the work getting harder.  I keep hearing the word “kollekshun” used more frequently.  It basically means that I have to use my hind legs more and more.  There is also talk around the barn about some sort of Second Level.  The only other level in the barn is where they keep the extra hay.  I’m waiting to see if we will have horses moving in up there.  Mom and Dad have a second level at their house, so maybe my brother and I are moving.  None of the other horses are telling me much, but they all like to smugly stand along the rail while I have to work with all that metal in my mouth.  Luckily, I don’t have to use it every day.

You might be interested to know that my mane is finally growing back.  I really didn’t mean to scratch out as much as I did this summer, but the tick bite was really itchy.  My mane is at the length now that it looks like a Mohawk.  Cool, huh?  Maybe we can introduce that as a talking point at the union discussions this winter.

If you know anyone who wants to help me with my union formation, please send them my way.  It is awfully hard to type on Mom’s laptop.

Ike

Selfies with Ike

Friday night smile

Ike and his buddy Melana

Do you ever wonder what your horse does at night once you have returned home or to your hotel room if away at a show?  I’m neither curious enough nor neurotic enough to set up a web camera so that I can constantly monitor my boy.  I have never worried about the boys when they are tucked into their stalls at Ms. C’s house.  There are rumors of hot bran mashes and mice parties in the feed buckets, but I know that I can sleep soundly when both horses are home.

Now when Ike and I go on the road, I can be a bit of a worrier.  Will he get some rest?  Will he have enough water and hay?  Will he try to escape over the half door?  Did I remember to latch the stall door?!!  It helps that my friends and I take turns doing late evening barn checks.  My husband has become accustomed to my request to swing by the barn after dinner “just to make sure all is well.”

Well, I learned while in Lexington, VA for the CBLM Finals last month, that Ike had a late evening visitor.  My husband and I were watching television at our hotel when my phone buzzed with a new text message…

"Selfies with Ike!"

“Selfies with Ike!”

Hmm, young man, Mom is not sure that you are old enough to have girls in your “room” without adult supervision!  I texted back asked what the two of them were doing and if she thought she could fit Ike’s entire head in the shot.  Didn’t have to wait long to find out…

"Nailed it!"

“Nailed it!”

Phew!  That is a lot of head to fit into a selfie.  Good thing Melana has long arms.  There were selfies from Friday and Saturday nights as well as daytime selfies when Melana would stop by for some Ike time.  I was also informed that there might have been some snuggling as well.

Friday night love

Friday night snuggling

Oh, Ike.  Such a lady’s man.  I even got to join in the selfie fun on Sunday afternoon before my Training Level final.

Group selfie

Maybe that is why Ike did such a stellar job – his selfie buddy was there watching his performance.

The selfies didn’t stop when we returned home either…there must be a cache of photos on Melana’s phone.  Me thinks that someone misses her late night buddy.

"How I feel not visiting with Ike."

“How I feel not visiting with Ike.”

Ike says you are welcome to visit anytime!  He will leave the barn door unlocked for you.

Our CBLM Finals Recap – What Would Hilda Think?

Getting ready for the victory lap

Getting ready for the Training Level awards ceremony

Phew!  We are now back to reality after living in Horse Show World for 4 days.  Horse Show World is a world unlike any other that I exist in on a daily basis.  Your entire day revolves around your equine family member.  You drag yourself to the barn in the dark to make sure that your beloved horse eats at his normal time.  You realize that your horse is a rather slovenly stall keeper who likes to watch you mine for the poop piles.  Your hands get chapped from fishing out water-logged hay from the water buckets four or five times a day.  Seriously, Ike, why must you leave so much hay in your buckets?  The day’s activities are predicated on what time you need to begin your grooming/tacking/warm up in order to make it down centerline on time.  If you have two rides, this process might have to be repeated…But wait, you can’t leave the show grounds yet, since then you must wait for the class(es) to end to determine if you must frantically retack your horse to make it to the mandatory mounted awards ceremonies.  Even after you scramble to get there, you have to have your baby situated for the night before you can even consider a shower and a real meal.  And who hasn’t driven back to the show grounds for one last night check?  If aliens are watching us, they must think that our horses are in charge and we are their servants.

Ike and I after our First Level final 10th place finish

Ike and I after our First Level final 10th place finish

I am tickled to say that Ike and I finished out our 2014 show season with placings in both of our finals classes.  Yes, can you believe it?!  Both of them.  If you had asked me what the outcome would be, I would have told you that we might have pinned in one or both of our warm up classes, and had a slightly better than average chance of placing in our Training Level Final, but we’d be lucky to be in the top half of our First Level Final.  There were about 30 horse and rider pairs in each of the final’s classes.  Yikes!  When it was all said and done, we came home with a first place in our Training Level Test 2 warm up class, a 5th place in our Training Level Final, and a 10th place in our First Level Final.  [Shhh, don’t tell, I teared up when I realized I placed in each of my final’s classes.]

Here is video from the First Level Awards Ceremony – it cracks me up that Ike seems to realize that we were announced and that the crowd was cheering for him.  I have to say that I was so proud of Ike marching right into the Coliseum like he had done it before…I feared having to walk around by myself while Ike ran freely around the show grounds: 

It finally felt like validation for all our hard work.  We can do this in spite of all my self doubt and my lack of experience.  We started the season with the Hilda Gurney Clinic in Maryland and I can’t help but wonder what she would think of us now.  We were still trying to find a show worthy canter in April, and I am happy to say that we found it this past weekend.  The season that started off with scores of 5.5 for our canter work, ended with 7’s for both the left and right leads.  And let’s be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t be at this point without a cadre of amazing people who have helped Ike and I to establish our partnership.  Thank you to you all!!  If I try to name them all, I fear that I will inadvertently forget someone.  But I must say a special thanks to my husband who is my greatest cheerleader and supporter – I love you dearly for supporting this crazy horse habit!

alison