Cross Country Schooling at Apple Knoll with Swift River Pony Club

The club finally came together to get a schooling day in at Apple Knoll.
Little Finnegan and I were the champions of the day, being the only pair not to seperate at some point!
Apple Knoll is having a schooling event soon so all the jumps out on course were numbered which was awesome! It was a great oppertunity to see how the jumps would relate to eachother on course verses taking the jumps individually like I tend to normally do when schooling.
Finnegan was great all day, we stuck to mainly the training level fences- which was a great confidence boost after out fail at King Oak last weekend. I finally took Jerry's advice and used the running martengle and it was wonderful! I don't kow why I don't listen to him more often.

Molly took some videos through out the day and as soon as I get the link from her they will be posted!

King Oak Farm Fall H.T.

It's been a full year since my last event and I was really hoping for better results than the last one too! (Wesman got himself eliminated in Stadium by literally backing into a corner- so typically.)
But little Finnegan was feeling fine the week before and I was excited to finally go to an event!
True to my style of epic preparedness I got to the barn in in the morning, five minutes later than I wanted, only to find that my horse had yet to eat his breakfast because he was still outside and covered in dirt! Luckily my times were late enough in the morning that I could give him a proper bath and braid him before Dad came down with the trailer. It was so wonderful to be able to braid little Finnegan's forelock! (A feat, unfortunately, not regular enough with baby Wesman.)
We pulled into King Oak with a good amount of time before my Dressage test so I ran off right away to walk the cross country. Most of the fences have been there year after year, and the course looked great. One addition that I had not seen at King Oak before was two roll tops before the water on a three stride bending line- Pretty tough for the level, but at the time, I thought nothing of it.
When I returned to the trailer (with a PRIME parking spot right next to the cross country start box) breakfast was served.After some pancakes it was time to yank little Finneus out of the trailer to get ready for our debut.
Warm-up for Dressage was great! He was stretching into the contact, bending beautifully and completely tuned in... The actual test, not so much. By time the whistle blew we had only gone one length of the ring and did not have time to go completely around- so when we were in the ring the voodoo in the woods next to the arena were a lot to handle! The test was tense but accurate and we received at 39. Tied for 10Th place (not that we had any goal set aside from finishing!)
I was very anxious about stadium for reasons still unknown... Our warm-up was rushed and our performance in the ring was unfocused. Turning from the second jump to the third Finnegan slipped on the hill and we didn't get it together soon enough to make it over the jump... I think the stop freaked him out and he stopped again at the third. Bummer. The TD allowed us to go jump around cross country permitting we didn't die.
We trotted the first little inviting log- because we had nothing to lose! and finally got into a rhythm after the third jump. Turning to 6a I had completely forgotten how difficult the 3 stride turn would be to 6b and he soared over the a. We called it quits after that. No sense running at something that isn't there.

So we didn't finish, but we did learn a lot.
It's just some days I feel as though the eventing gods have it out for me...

Pony Club is trying to pull together a schooling day at Apple Knoll soon...and we are entered in Ethel Walker in October.
We shall see...

The hunt continues...

Things with Wallendohr didn't work out.
However, the good news is, that I have looked at two another horses!
The first is Jackson. He's a TB/Clyd 17.2 hands! His owner is off to France and needs to sell him ASAP. He's super cute but really inexperienced and not quiet what I'm looking for. If only I had a ton of empty stalls, acres and acres of free land, and money to spare!
The second, though, is Finnegan, he's a little 15 hand TB currently running training level. We went up and tried him last week and he is just darling! His owner is in nursing school and is looking to lease him out until she graduates in two years.
This past weekend we went up to Huntington Farm H.T. to see him compete.

Moose in the cross country field!!

The hunt is on

After too much time spent waiting for a horse to magically appear in the third stall I decided that perhaps I should take matters into my own hands...
And since I have virtually no money to buy a horse I've posted an want ad for the eventing community in hopes of lease coming my way...
We went up to Kingsbury Hill to look at a horse this past week. His name is Wallendohr he did one event, two years ago, and go eliminated. Welcome to my life. However, he's gorgeous! 10 y/o,TB/WB cross, dappled grey, 17+ hh.

We'll see!

Todd!

Cold Hill Farm has a new resident!

He's been popping in and out of the farm for the past few weeks checking the place out and has recently been a more permanent fixture.

He's a Pheasant, he's beautiful, and I named him Todd...

Final lesson of the semester= epic cross country adventures!

For the last PE lesson of the semester we got to go out to the cross country field!
My favorite schoolie, Popeye was a SUPERSTAR and he totally wants to be a little event pony!
He was VERY enthusiastic!





Unfortunately little Popeye is off to camp and cannot be play event pony....

Nashville to Kentucky

IHSA Nationals unfortunately were the same weekend as Rolex.

So I went to Nationals and the parents went to Rolex.

We left school Tuesday afternoon but competition didn't start until Thursday...

Wednesday was a schooling day, and like every other day, the MHC crew was in the arena before anyone else...

So when we weren't watching schooling we napped...

Most of the team classes were on Thursday- so after flying to Lexington, KY, Wed, my parents drove the rest of the way to watch me ride!

And even though the general consensus was that I rode awesome, and before first place was announced Bob Cacchione point and winked at me, I walked away ribbon-less. Like a few other riders on the team we were not what the judges were looking for.

As the weekend went on the ribbons trickled in: Cap'n Petts placed 3rd in Open Flat, Kim took 5th in Walk-Trot-Canter, Bridget was 6th in Walk-Trot and Cassie was 4th in Open Fences... Landing us in sixth place overall.

We did have a few riders qualify individually and they did awesome! Tripp finished 8th in Intermediate Flat, Lorin was 5th in Alumni Fences, and Emme WON Walk-Trot-Canter!!!

We had a ton of fun at the show, but when competition was over Saturday we had other plans!
We were after all in Music City!

On our way back to the hotel to get ready for some line dancing we drove past the area of town that was hit worst by the recent tornado.

At the show the was a fundraiser to help some of the families that lost their homes in the disaster...

Meanwhile back in Kentucky...
Bonner Carpenter and Acapulco Jazz only added 11 time penalties to their dressage score on cross country...
Gina Miles played Games with the Prince Phillip Cup Pony Clubbers...

Bruce Davidson was all smiles watching Buck leave the start box...

and Lucinda Fredericks and co. won more stuff than they came with...

Lets hope next year Rolex and Nationals are NOT at the same time!

Last stop before Nationals for the Eq team...

Before heading down to Tennessee we went up to Dartmouth for an unofficial IHSA show. This was the last opportunity to ride in front of a judge before we left for Nationals.

We had to wake up before the sun so we could get up there on time but we got to take a bus (instead of vans) so sleeping the entire drive was totally an option!

Lucky for us, it was a wonderful opportunity to get out some bad luck! Three or four people lost a stirrup on course, we had many incorrect leads, and even a few wrong diagonals!

But we had a ton of fun, and our walk-trotters DOMINATED!

AND while the Eq team was putting on the final touches at Dartmouth, the Dressage team was in Ohio competing at Nationals! Trying to defend the Champion status earned last year proved to be difficult. The team pulled out a sixth place finish at the end of the weekend.

Zone Finals

Hosting Zones presented a whole new level of chaos than hosting a regular show for either IHSA or IDA. There was no room for error, everything had to be perfect! We spent all week preparing the horses and the barn. All the riders (those who qualified individually and the eight selected to represent the team) rode at any spare moments and even the not so spare moments. Regular PE lessons were cancelled to give the riders the extra rides.

Before long the big day was here. The four best teams in the Zone piled into the arena as did countless individual qualifiers...

Horse draw was set...

Gift baskets were out...

The ring had been dragged...

The National Anthem sung...

And soon enough my class was up! (Collegiate Cup Novice Flat) I ended up drawing the one horse (out of four) that I have not had the opportunity to ride before: Panama, a horse from Stonehill College. He was a tough ride but we placed second.

And with team riders placing no worse than second all day, MHC won!

Meanwhile, over at UMASS, the MHC Dressage team was competing in the last show of the season. MHC Dressage clinched the regional title, again, and secured a spot at Nationals!

OHIO AND TENNESSEE HERE WE COME!!

Potholes in My Lawn

For now the snow is gone, providing a chance to fill the potholes the horses have made from stomping in one location all winter long...

Dad had a great time out on the "tractor"...

and little Corky put on his serious face for the occasion...

The horses are for whatever reason content with the "grass" having eaten hay all winter long...

A dull week at the farm, but it's just perfect...

MHC Eq goes to Smith...

The last regular show of the season brought the team to the barn of Smith College.

UMASS ended up winning the show but MHC clinched the Regional title!

Dad came with his camera, and everyone was happy!

Our traveling buffet...

My faithful steed and I winning Novice flat!

So we got reserve... BUT we won the Region and we're going to Zones! (which works out well since we're hosting Zones!!!!)

IHSA debut

In case two days of hosting an intercollegiate horse show wasn't enough, this weekend we did it again! This time MHC hosted an IHSA show.

IHSA home show is a lot different than IDA...

There was horse holding of sorts...

and UMASS riders spreading the love...

And some blurry loose ponies...

And fast running Dakota horse, Freddy, decorated as a wonderful Birthday present...

a little Hannah Montana...

some senior lovin'...

AND THEN FINALLY: My first IHSA class ever! Novice Flat aboard Jake! I won!

Then the team won the show! BY A LOT!

It was such a crazy awesome day!!!

IDA debut

This weekend was significantly epically jam packed!

Saturday was the first IHSA show of the semester hosted by UMASS. Though the team pulled in many blues, UMASS proved the winners at the end of the day leaving MHC in second.

At the same time, MHC hosted the first two IDA shows of the season! My time spent around the shows leading up to my attendance at MHC has prepared me well for IHSA, but to be perfectly honest I didn't know very much about IDA when I joined the team.

The first day of showing seemed to run pretty smoothly as all the team members did most of the actual running! I never thought in the middle of winter I would be too warm to wear the coveted Big Blue, but I was!

I didn't get to show on Saturday, but I did warm-up one of the intro horses, Mackenzie, and ride him in the "parade". Everyone rode well and MHC team A pulled out a first place finish at the end of the day.

After we finished the daily clean up we had a short team meeting to announce who would riding the next day. I was told to come with my show clothes: MHC team B Upper Training!

With one exhausting day down and not nearly enough sleep day two began! A few touch-ups and the horses were ready for the day ahead. Like Saturday I warm-up a horse, this time one that would be in my division, Frenchie! It was my first time riding Frenchie dressage and he's way different when your not lugging him over jumps! But the parade went well and we were on to horse draw. As luck would have it, I drew Frenchie! (Apparently unlike IHSA, riders competing in IDA are allowed to warm-up horses in their division as long as this takes place before the horse draw.)

In IDA you get 10mins warm-up before you ride the test, which I so dearly needed. Becky was coaching another rider when my 10minutes began, and to insure that no second go to waste, Julie, a fellow Upper Training rider, helped me out until Becky was available. The last bit of our warm-up was eons away from the parade and after a quick last look at the test I was ready!

The test went alright. At events Dressage has always been something I struggle through. Putting in an accurate test with consistent connection and good rhythm unfortunately does not happen enough for me. And so was my problem at my debut. I ended up 6th, which is pretty good for my first, but certainly leaves room for improvement.

The rest of the day went pretty well. Becky had to leave in the shortly after my test because Jerry had been hospitalized! (Tooth extraction+infection=UMASS Medical) She was back in time for awards. Team B ended up ahead of Team A in final placings for the day coming in reserve overall!

A very tiring weekend, but it was so much fun!

Wesman

Yesterday morning my baby Wesman passed away.

When I went out to the barn in the morning to feed around 6:30 he was sweating profusely and quaking in his stall.

By 8:00 the vets were out and Wesman had begun to ooze a foamy orange-yellow liquid from his mouth and nose.

Originally thinking it was choke we sent a tube down to his stomach to try to dislodge the blockage at which point we noticed the discoloration in his gums and tongue. He had gone into a state of shock.

Immediately after removing the tube, Wesman started to convulse. He tripped and stumbled his way out of the barn before collapsing about 15 feet from the door.

The vet tech and I held his head upright as Wesman tried to drain the fluid from his body. A few short moments later, he was gone.

The vet returned to do a post as he stated he had never seen something like this before-It had come on so quickly that he wanted to further investigate. The best he could come up with was sudden arrhythmia that caused the left side of his heart to stop and his lungs to flood with fluid.

HOME AGAIN HOME AGAIN JIGGGITY JIG

All the horses got picked up from Will's a few days ago for Ocala and unfortunately Wesman and I did not go with them. School starts soon so Wes and I are home! It's bittersweet.
Billy and Houdini have been living the good life since Wesman's been in Virginia. They have had a very peaceful and relaxing winter thus far...

That was of course until wonderful Fairway Horse Transport came and picked up Wesman and brought him home a couple days ago. Billy was enthusiastic about seeing him again...