A Weekend of Highs and Lows

This post isn't about me, but rather two people who have shapped the rider I am today.

This past weekend was Pine Top Advanced Horse Trials. My current trainer/best friend, Lindsey Solorzano, took Taylor to contest her first advanced horse trial. Over the past 6 years that I have known Lindsey, I have always promised that I would be at her first advanced. So when I had a bride wanted to book their wedding on February 25th, I felt terrible that I couldn't go with her. Luckily, Kristin, a new friend for me, was able to go with her. I'm very happy to say that Lindsey completed her first advanced in style among some of the biggest riders and horses in the world. I am incredibly proud to be her client/friend, and I am so happy that all of her dreams are finally materalizing, and her hard work is paying off. To top off her great run on Taylor, Ramsey finished 7th in a strong prelim group. She bought Ramsey a year ago, and he has quickly become a fantastic upper level horse for her.

On a somber note, in the middle of my wedding Lindsey called me. She had already texted me that she had gone clean, so I knew that everything was ok with her. The call was followed up with a text message that shocked me. Lindsey and I first met when we were both riding with Megan Moore. Lindsey's text message read that Megan's horse, Hopper, had suffered a brain aneurism on course and had passed away. Megan purchased Hopper right before I started riding with her, and I was fortunate to watch his first event ever at River Glen, his first intermediate, and his first one star. I would never wish this sort of heart break on anyone. I know how much Hopper meant to Megan, and I extend my deepest condolensense to Megan and her Dad, Howard. I wish I could find the pictures that I took of him at his first event.

On a happier note, things have been quite busy around the farm...well as far as my phone is concerned. Spring has sprung here so my phone has been ringing with all my 4-H girls ready to start lessons again! Allison brought Lucy out for a lesson today and had the maiden voyage in their new trailer! The Finks are taking a vacation on Spring Break, so Lucy will be coming to the farm for some jumping boot camp to prepare for 4-H Districts. Kim, another client, will be bringing Chocolate the pony for some training in hopes that another student will lease him out! I also received a message from a friend that I had class with in school, and she may be bringing her Thoroughbred Rufus to board with us. And on a final note, one of my favorite horses I have trained is returning to the farm tomorrow. Parker is now a 9 year old, and he isn't quite working out for his current owner. Parker is best in a program and he thrived when I had him at Jenna's while I was working with her. So Parker is coming back for some training and work, and hopefully we can find an adult amateur that he can have some fun with!

Parker at May-Daze HT in 2008, where he finished 1st

I'm done with weddings until the 24th of March, so my weekend are going to be taken over by my horses, and I wouldn't have it any other way! The 10 and 11, Buddy will be going to Lakeside to do some jumpers, and Chocolate and Parker may go play in the Hunters. The 17th Parker and Buddy are going to Snowbird dressage, and the 31st Buddy and Parker will be competing at the Paul Frazer Combined Test.

Go give your horses a kiss and an extra carrot, I know I did today!

Motivation at its Finest

Since today was such a cold and nasty day, I spent the majority of the day on my computer looking at event calendars and filling out entries. Here is my event calendar for the year (tentatively)

March 11-12 - Lakeside KHJA
March 17 - Snowbird Dressage
March 31 - Paul Frazer Combined Test - Novice and Training Combined Test
April 7-8 - Spring Bay Horse Trials - Novice
April 15 - MET Jumper Show
May 25-26 - May Daze Horse Trial - Training
May 28 - Lakeside KHJA (students)
June 9 - District 4 4-H Show (students)
July ?? Antebellum CT - Training
July 21-22 - Gemwood HT - Training
August ?? - Summer School Combined Test - Training
August ?? - Antebellum CT - Training
August 31 - September 1 - KY Classic - Training
September 28 - 30 - Jumpstart Horse Trial - Training
October 18-21 - Hagyard's Midsouth 3-Day Event - Training 3-Day

Hope to see some of you all there!!!!
   

One Amazing Day

Well...we did it! Buddy and I are back! I just got back home from an incredible trip to Aiken. The show was a one day event at Full Gallop Farm. I found us a place to stay right across the street from the farm. The farm had individual turnouts for the boys, which was great for Buddy, as he is used to being out all the time. Once we arrived we settled the boys in we went across the street to walk our courses. After we were done we worked the boys a bit. Buddy was wired, but with Lindsey's help we got him to focus.

Lindsey rode Taylor in the Open Intermediate first thing Wednesday morning. She and Tay finished 3rd in the division. After that it was all about Buddy! Lindsey is not only one of my closest and bestest friends, she also doubles as my trainer. Dressage is Buddy's least favorite phase. Its not because he isn't good at it or can't do it, he actually is quite fancy. He just lacks the focus at times. He probably has the horse form of ADHD. But he tried really hard, and I was very proud of him for not being in a dressage arena for two years, nor being in a competition setting. O well, the dressage work will continue to improve as he gets out more.

Since this was a one day event, we were to do stadium first and then go straight to the cross country. Because of my issues with a previous horse, Stadium has been my most nervous phase. I originally walked the course when it was set at the Advanced level, so by the time it was put down to Novice, its looked incredibly doable. Buddy was cool and calm in the warm up until we started jumping. The footing in the arena was chewed up and deep to the jumps, so he was taking quite a pull to the jumps. After some reassurance he would be better in the arena, we went into the arena for our course. Buddy was spot on. After learning to ride him forward to the jumps the last couple of weeks, he got every distance and finished the course with no rails and no time. YAY!

Off to the cross country course! The course wasn't very technical, but rather big and gallopy, which is exactly what we needed. We set off on the course and Buddy ate it up. He took everything forward and once again out of stride. The course took us through some woods and over bridges, so that caught him slightly off guard. We finished the course still going strong. When we crossed that finish line all I could do was envelope Buddy in a big hug! He was absolutely amazing.

We capped off the day with dinner at my favorite Aiken restaurant, Takosushi. We left this morning and got back early this evening.

Next for Buddy and I is training at the Paul Frazier CT at the end of March. Until then we will keep working on the dressage. I am so excited to officially be back in  the ring. Best part is that I had no pain after the day. Tomorrow its back to work! Thank you to everyone for your support and thoughts!

It all started...

If you ask my dad, the horse bug kicked into full on sickness at the 1997 Rolex 3-Day event. I believe this was the first one that I ever went to. We were walking around the trade fair, and there in all its glory was a hot pink hoof pick. I didn't have a horse to use it on, but I just had to have that $.99 hoof pick.


Now we go to 2009. My friend Nicola called me and asked me if I would be interested in taking her horse, Buddy, and selling him for her. Prior to this I had been dabbling in the hunter/jumper world and had has success selling a few ponies for a friend. Nicola was going back to England and was hoping she could sell her other horse, Cruiser, before she left, leaving her with Buddy to find something to do with. Funny thing is, I actually really wanted Cruiser, not Buddy. I told her I would try him out and see what we could do. To this day Lindsey and I don't know why I took him on. He was a complete mad man....Nicola couldn't even remember the last time he had jumped. But after a pow wow with Lindsey and her confidence that I could do something with him, I agreed to take him on to sell for Nicola. Nicola dropped him off at the farm on December 23, 2009.

Buddy and I worked hard that winter, and he helped me get my mojo back. There was nothing that horse wouldn't jump. We took 5th place at our first combined test. I took him to FENCE HT with Lindsey, and we took 5th place at that as well. I had slowly started falling in love with this crazy, blue eyed, half saddlebred horse who would do anything for me. While at FENCE, Lindsey and I went schooling and she had us schooling all of the novice xc, and some training, without even batting an eye. Upon completion of the lesson, she looked straight at me and said "You need to buy him."

The negotiations started. I honestly did not need to be taking on another horse just graduating college, but I knew he was special. My grandfather somehow caught wind of me wanting this horse. While I was at work her called me as asked me about Buddy. That day he told me he was giving me the money to buy Buddy. I started crying at work. I couldn't believe it...best graduation present ever.

Buddy and I have been riding a crazy roller coaster since that time. We were going strong until a minor tendon issue set us back in the Fall of 2010. 2011 started with a minor abcess. Finally able to start back into work in February, I thought we were golden. In March, I started having immense pain in my pelvic and abdominal region after riding. I had experienced this pain before, but never to this degree. I stopped riding and due to doctor's orders I did not get back on until the end of June. No one could diagnose what was wrong with me. During this time Lindsey rode Buddy a couple times of week to keep him in shape. One day she called me up and said he wasn't feeling right. We decided to give him a week and then call the vet if he didn't feel better. He didn't get better so I called the vet. Buddy was diagnosed with a mild case of EPM, a disease that affects his balance and coordination. So now Buddy was on crazy amounts of medication (like me) and told not to work (like me). We both slowly got better and tried to come back again at the end of June. My good fortune lasted about a month, and then I was sidelined by the pain again. I was in pain for a month straight, until we finally sought out the help of a specialist 2 weeks before my wedding. Finally a doctor had answers for me. I was diagnosed with a combination of problems, but the good news was that there was a cure and a way to get back in the saddle.

After another 2 months out of the saddle, I started riding again. And today I am happy to say that Buddy and I was back in full training!!! No more problems for either of us!

Next Tuesday we will be traveling to Aiken for our first event together in almost 2 years. I started this blog for my friends and family to follow our comeback to eventing. It has been a bumpy road, but I am so excited for the year coming up. Our overall goal for the year is training at Maydaze HT, but I am just happy to be back in the saddle!

Until Next Time,

Angela