Success and One Incredible Show!

It's tough growing up... lol I know, I know.
I have incredible friends, 2 in particular, who are avid equestrians - eventers, but we won't hold that against them.  We have wanted to go to a show to compete together for YEARS!  but always things didn't line up, mostly because they event... and I don't jump.  It scares the hell out of me!

This time, things worked.  We all went to the PAADA Dressage Daze II show in Ponoka.  They run a Wild Rose (provincial) level show concurrently with the EC Silver dressage show.  My ladies brought their ponies and did Wild Rose tests and Ritchie and I were back in the Silver show. 
Ritchie had a rough start to the weekend because of some terrifying Ritchie-eating pigeons above the judge's table in the short arena.  They were literally going to eat him!  He pulled things together and rode through 2 improved tests with me Sunday.  The scores weren't our best 62%, but I felt we'd had some significant improvement in the Director/Directee relationship.  We maintained our counter canters and had our simple change at X this time.  More wiggly, less straight, but I was still pleased with our improvement.  The scores weren't exemplary, but they were still good enough for firsts in both our tests and an eventual Adult Ammy Silver Championship once again. 

My friends, however, were incredible!!  Both had personal-best rides!  Both ribboned in their tests.  We squealed and laughed and hugged and jumped up and down with excitement at each win.

6 years in the making, it finally happened.

Thank you to my friends for helping me remember why showing is fun.  Let's do it again!!!

Happy Horseing!

So Proud!!!

The family good fortunate continues!  I'm so proud to share with you that my very dear friend, one of my favorite people on the planet, and her Standardbred gelding, Good Time Charlie (Charlie Pants!!) have been selected as part of 2016's ambassador team for Go and Play Stables! 

I am so excited for their season and for this recognition for their hard work. 

Charlie (pants) is a 2011 gelding and a half-brother to my Jose Jalapeno, both are by the illustrious As Promised. 

Although now residing in Sherbrook, Qc, I had the opportunity to work with this outstanding pair in a trick clinic and join them for schooling at Beaumont cross country.  There is no limit to where these two will go and I couldn't be more excited about watching the journey! 

Please go show your support and follow her at http://goodtimecharliestb.blogspot.ca/ and check out Good Time Charlie on facebook! 

Happy Horseing!

Best Job!

I've said it so many times...
Teaching equine first aid is the best job in the world.  I've had more opportunities being involved with Equi-Health Canada then I'd ever imagined I could.  I've met hundreds of people and travelled throughout the 3 western provinces to teach. 

This weekend was a full-circle for me. 

The first time I'd learned about equine first aid was at the Edmonton Garrison Saddle Club while I was boarded there 4 years ago.  This weekend, I taught a clinic at the EGSC and donated proceeds back to the club. 

As always, Jose was a fantastic demo pony.  All the demo ponies were wonderful!  Plenty of laughs and smiles. 

Even my Ali girl got in on the scenarios doing all 10 of the advanced scenarios on her toy horse!

Happy (and safe!) Horseing!

Equine First Aid Army Style!

Giving back is something that's always been important to me.  My husband, whom I love and adore, spent several years in the army.  No small part of us meeting was because of the time he'd spent in "Mounted Troop". 
Mounted Troop is a group of soldiers attached to the armoured corps of the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians).  They are Canada's last and only active cavalry unit.  These soldiers are fully deployable, active members and nearly all of them have had little to no horse experience prior to joining the troop. 

Anthony and I had spoken previously about what we could do to support the troop and help to educate them.  I'd approached the troop's Sergent about having the troop certified in equine first aid a few months ago.  The proposal was very well received and we set up a date to run a clinic for them. 

Yesterday, we spent the day certifying the troop in equine first aid.  I had the pleasure of having my most handsome husband as my assistant. 

The troops were fantastic!  They had fun, the horses were very cooperative and really enjoyed the extra attention.  It was one of the most rewarding clinics I've ever run. 

Happy Horseing!

We're BAAAAACK!!!!

With the support of the most wonderful friend, Ritchie and I made it back to the dressage show ring last weekend at the PAADA Dressage Daze 1 show.  We rode two first-level tests (TOC which we rode test 3, and test 1).  I don't know when, how, why my confidence got shaken, but it did happen.  Taking the time away from the horse and successfully reintroducing myself to him has been very positive.  I'm enjoying him and we're having fun!  Blessings and so many thanks to Renate for taking the horse out, clinics, shows, trail rides, schooling, and doing more with him than's been done in the last year plus! 

Poor girl was NOT feeling well at all when I arrived to pick Ritchie and her up to head down to Ponoka.  Have I mentioned how incredibly fortunate I am?  She came anyways.  Feeling like a huge amount of poo, she still came with, rode the horse for me (I'll give you more on this in a minute), organized us, did some lovely braids and otherwise was my rocking support.  I know how much poo she felt like, I came down with it on Tuesday! 

I've found something that works for me and my confidence issue.  Renate gets on the horse (cold, no lunging) and works him around for 5 - 10 minutes.  A little WTC, rides him in the scary corners and generally just goes around with him.  After she's been on him, I feel confident that I can climb on and be in charge and successful.  If I have to get on first, without her, I'm kind of a wreck in my head!  Strange, I know!  Anyways, it works, we are continuing forward and reaching success!! 

Ritchie's got a new name, Kind Richard, and periodically in the tests, Kind Richard goes on "crusade", which is to say that he's no longer waiting for me to give him direction but is rather sure of exactly where we're going next and is leading the way...  This lead us to a couple of mistakes in the TOC (test 3) test we had first.  The single loop/counter canter ended up having a half change, trot steps, uneven shape and then the simple change of lead at X ended up being nearly on the second quarter line before he came back to trot!  The remainder of the test rode fairly well with him in an over-rolled behind-the-bit frame.  I picked him up and made more of a conscious effort to ride him UP for test one and was much more pleased with the results.

Pretty Red Ribbons for King Richard!

In the end, pony's scores were just where we'd left them; 62.6% for first test 3 and 67.7% for test one.  Two pretty red ribbons, honestly earned.  The big surprise was, after I was nearly back home again, I got a text from my old friend Katherin, who was show medic, that Ritchie and I had won the Adult Amateur Silver High-Point CHAMPION!!! 

So Purdy!!!!!

This is the very first time I'd won a championship with a horse that I'd bred and trained and shown myself!  Tears were in my eyes reading that message.  I'll be meeting her this weekend to pick up my purdy ribbon. 

Can not wait for next show! 

Happy New Year, This Was NOT A Trail Ride

This winter, Jose and I have had the pleasure of boarding at the Edmonton Garrison Saddle Club.  It's been wonderful being part of a very eclectic club again.  On January 1, I got an e-mail early in the morning inviting all the members out on a "New year's ride".  Oh heck yes!  I thought it would be a great time to take Jose out of the arena and hack around the big pastures with a group. 

This is not a trail ride.

Jose was fantastic!  The weather was pretty mild except for a wind, but we had a wonderful time being out.  I posted some pictures I took on the group's facebook page with the caption "hack out".  They all tease me cause I do NOT trail ride.  That's dangerous.  I also do not jump, but I will school obstacles periodically.  Regardless, it was a wonderful way to start the year! 

I also have the most generous and fun friends in the world.  No, seriously, I do, yours may be great, but mine are better.  This was my Christmas gift from them! 

Yes, BuckWild Breeches (seriously, go get a pair, you will LOVE them!!!!)  They got me the red pair with zebra-stripe full seat.  OMG, they know me so well! 

Yesterday I sent in my memberships for Equine Canada.  I opted to get my Gold dressage membership so we can take Ritchie anywhere we want, and I also got my Eventing membership as Renate is set on taking the pony eventing this year.  I'm glad I'd already gotten my AEF membership as Equine Canada cost over $200 itself!  I'm told that I still have one more membership to get for the eventing side of things... And we haven't gotten to our first show yet! 

Le sigh.  The good news is, at least we're going SHOWING this year!!!  :)

Happy Horseing!

What's Next?

Did you know that I didn't show at all last year?  I know!  I feel the same way.  I really miss it.  But what do I want to do this year?  Ritchie boy is going to be joining my incredible friend (Grain Before Groceries) to try his talent in the eventing so I may well catch a class or two on him in the 20 x 60 again (ya hoo!!!) but I've got a couple of fillies who can use some time in the show ring in hand too.  And there's Jose!  I have a really fun friend who wants us to join them with their "Mongol Hoard".  Seriously, how fun will that be?!?!?!

But maybe a simple rail-class show or two.  I miss just being out and having fun with people.  Now that we're at the Garrison Saddle Club, perhaps there will be more opportunity to take friends and go have some adventures. 

Maybe going for a hack at Blackfoot (read THIS IS NOT A TRAIL RIDE) with a group or playing around at Beaumont again.  That was a riot last year! 

So many directions to go, just got to pick a few, or several, and go for it! 

Hm....