Friends and I jump judged at Poplar Place Farm yesterday. We got there at 6:45 am and did not leave until 6:30 pm, there were at least 150 riders that ran cross country. It went all the way from CIC 3* to beginner novice. So many wonderful rides but then also lots of scary near misses. Only had to have the EMT's out to pick up riders three times, most of the other riders just bounced back up.
We were at the prelim fence 7 a/b comination, it was a bounce combo so you had to be very accurate coming up to it. There were so many that didn't get the strides right but they had wonderful horses who tried their hearts out. Only one rider came off, she came in too fast and jumped into the combination too long and the horse never had a chance to get up in the air for the second element. Poor thing face planted into the fence, causing the rider to flip over his head. She landed facing him and they both had this look of shock and confusion. Then the horse took off back to the warm up. There was hair and blood on the fence from the horses head. He was ok, just a little bruised and shaken. It is mandatory for horses and the riders to get checked out by the EMT and the vet before they can continue.
One horse was hurt very badly and had to be euthanized on course, he shattered his back leg above the hock.Poor horse kept trying to get up but when they put the tarp up to block spectator view, we knew it was bad. The horse and rider had been having some really hard rubs on the fences. The pair got into trouble at the water complex, and they crashed. All hell broke loose then, officials, EMT's and vets flying to get to the complex. I have never seen so many people move that quickly, I am impressed with the Poplar team, very thankful that they know their job and love the horses. The rider is devastated, she had ridden this horse at Rolex within the last year or so.
I feel so bad for her, it has to be heartbreaking to lose a horse that way. I don't know that I would be able to handle it. It is going to break me when I lose Buggs, he is my heart.
School is going ok, I had to drop my history class. It was just too much for me, I couldn't keep up. Trying to keep everything read and written plus my lessons and riding my own horse was wearing me down. I can make up the class if I need to next semester or in the summer, it isn't the end of the world.
Was going to ride today but it rained all day, I am NOT complaining. We haven't had rain in several weeks and we desperately needed it. Arenas flooded, so may not be able to ride tomorrow either. Although it is supposed to be raining again.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
13 September 2010
Getting ready for a show this weekend, lots of grass mowing, painting, jump course setting and straightening up. It is always a crazy time the week before our shows, everyone scattered in all directions. The place looks so beautiful before a show, as picture perfect as we can get it.
We are working on getting the place ready but in reality there may not be a show. We have only gotten a few entries. Several other events going on this same weekend that were scheduled after ours. We may have to change plans, see if the judge would be willing to do some lessons and ride-a-tests, rather than a show. Good learning experiences either way.
I have wanted a tattoo for years, every birthday I ask for that but am never brave enough to actually go through with it. Well this year I was, I got a a tat on my lower right leg, just above the ankle. My art is the White Horse of Uffington, done in a slightly tribal way. Big bold lines. I LOVE it, looks so cool. And it didn't even hurt that badly. It did in a few places but no where near what I had made it out to be, already on the lookout for my next piece.
Charmer has been off work since the first of August, mostly due to the heat. I started back to college as well so that has taken some time away from riding. I am ready to get back into it, getting the passion back. I lunged him a bit yesterday, he was so pretty. Got to work on the canter departs, and my actually riding the canter. Working with the canter from the ground for now, to get the depart a little less scary and out of balance. He did great going to the left, picked up the lead in a good balanced frame. Only had a couple of departs that were slightly unbalanced. When we turned the other way, going right, he flips out and pulls away hard. Runs down the arena with the lunge line flying behind him. Damn horse, finally catch him. Make him do it again, this time a really nice depart. Get a couple more and then he stops dead and pulls back. I make him move on, which he does after being threatened with a beating. I ask for the transition again, get a nice one and then we stop.
Not sure what the issue is, if any issue, with the right lead canter. He is a leftie, so right is going to be slightly more difficult. We will just take it slow, I am going to check my saddle again, his bit/mouth, legs and feet, just to see if there is a problem somewhere that I need to take care of.
Buggs is doing great, looks so good. In good weight going into the winter, had to drop his feed a little though. Didn't want him getting too much heavier than he is now. I know that he needs to go into the winter slightly heavy but too heavy is not good for his feet and legs. A balancing act, something that I am not so good at, a bit of a klutz ya know. He has a ouchied on his right hip bone, when I pulled the scab off a plug of gunk came out. A bit of pus and ick, I had no idea he had a problem, hadn't been hurt there as far as I know. Teresa said it was most likely an abscess, I looked online to find out more info on this but haven't been able to find much. Mostly talk about feet abscessing not parts of the body unless there was a wound. I felt like such a bad mom, he seems ok though. It hurt for me to smush it to make sure there was no more pus. Just putting swat and medicated spray on it so that it heals well. As I write this, both boys are standing in the barn napping. Tails swishing, ears drooping and eyes half closed, life is good.
We are working on getting the place ready but in reality there may not be a show. We have only gotten a few entries. Several other events going on this same weekend that were scheduled after ours. We may have to change plans, see if the judge would be willing to do some lessons and ride-a-tests, rather than a show. Good learning experiences either way.
I have wanted a tattoo for years, every birthday I ask for that but am never brave enough to actually go through with it. Well this year I was, I got a a tat on my lower right leg, just above the ankle. My art is the White Horse of Uffington, done in a slightly tribal way. Big bold lines. I LOVE it, looks so cool. And it didn't even hurt that badly. It did in a few places but no where near what I had made it out to be, already on the lookout for my next piece.
Charmer has been off work since the first of August, mostly due to the heat. I started back to college as well so that has taken some time away from riding. I am ready to get back into it, getting the passion back. I lunged him a bit yesterday, he was so pretty. Got to work on the canter departs, and my actually riding the canter. Working with the canter from the ground for now, to get the depart a little less scary and out of balance. He did great going to the left, picked up the lead in a good balanced frame. Only had a couple of departs that were slightly unbalanced. When we turned the other way, going right, he flips out and pulls away hard. Runs down the arena with the lunge line flying behind him. Damn horse, finally catch him. Make him do it again, this time a really nice depart. Get a couple more and then he stops dead and pulls back. I make him move on, which he does after being threatened with a beating. I ask for the transition again, get a nice one and then we stop.
Not sure what the issue is, if any issue, with the right lead canter. He is a leftie, so right is going to be slightly more difficult. We will just take it slow, I am going to check my saddle again, his bit/mouth, legs and feet, just to see if there is a problem somewhere that I need to take care of.
Buggs is doing great, looks so good. In good weight going into the winter, had to drop his feed a little though. Didn't want him getting too much heavier than he is now. I know that he needs to go into the winter slightly heavy but too heavy is not good for his feet and legs. A balancing act, something that I am not so good at, a bit of a klutz ya know. He has a ouchied on his right hip bone, when I pulled the scab off a plug of gunk came out. A bit of pus and ick, I had no idea he had a problem, hadn't been hurt there as far as I know. Teresa said it was most likely an abscess, I looked online to find out more info on this but haven't been able to find much. Mostly talk about feet abscessing not parts of the body unless there was a wound. I felt like such a bad mom, he seems ok though. It hurt for me to smush it to make sure there was no more pus. Just putting swat and medicated spray on it so that it heals well. As I write this, both boys are standing in the barn napping. Tails swishing, ears drooping and eyes half closed, life is good.
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