Month: October 2015

Well… that was embarrassing. Henry has been so good all year that I suppose we were due for a clunker, but when we throw in a clunker, we REALLY throw in a clunker. I’m not really sure what was up with him this weekend, he was just kind of pissy in general and not himself. If he was a mare I’d swear he was in heat, but alas he is not, so I’m at a loss. I’m having the vet out this week just to make sure there’s nothing physically wrong.

He warmed up for dressage really well. Like, REALLY well. He was moving great and our connection was great, and he was actually fairly uphill for once. Impulsion is magical. We were the very first horse to go for dressage and it was quite a bit colder that morning than it has been, so I figured that had something to do with it.

When we went over to the the dressage arena we’d just barely started to trot around when the judge rang the bell, so we weren’t even able to make a full lap of the arena before we went in. And as soon as he stepped foot in the ring, he took one look at the gazebo and the videographer and decided that he was super tense and kind of wild, and that I could take this dressage bullshit and shove it where the sun don’t shine. The first half of the test was an effort of trying to keep him IN the ring (I’m not shitting you, he hit a post with his foot and knocked down a length of the plastic chain. It was all I could do to keep him from ducking out at A.) and at the correct gait.

By the end of the test he finally started to settle and we got a few good movements, but in general he was just lit up and not very rideable. We ended up with a much deserved 40, our worst score ever. Although funnily enough everyone else on their green horses had a pretty similar morning, because after dressage we were actually tied for 4th. What a shitshow that was. Somehow we still managed to get some good transition scores, an 8 for the halt, and a 7 for gaits though. I’ll take the charity.

Stadium wasn’t any better. In fact, it was much worse. Again he warmed up really well, and when we went in, we jumped fence 1 fine, had a good approach to 2 but he was just diving down onto his shoulder at the base, so we had a rail there. After that, everything just went all to hell. He pulled me past pretty much every distance, got super flat, and tapped or knocked down pretty much everything.

At the two stride he landed so far into the line that we baaaaaaaarely fit in a second stride, and he popped straight up in the air over the out, almost tossing me right over his shoulder. I had to monkey climb my way back into the saddle, and since I was now at an impossible approach to the next fence, I had no choice but to circle.

Myself and my trainer only remember two rails but they had me down as having pulled three (that ain’t even worth trying to protest) plus my circle and a time fault. OUCH. OUUUUCCCHHH. We dropped from 4th to dead last.

I have no idea what the hell THAT was, but I’d like to never repeat it. I’ve never had such a bad round on that horse, and he’s never been so unrideable ever. Mortifying. I couldn’t find anything physically wrong with him and he was eating and drinking normally, so I just left him alone and decided to see how he felt the next day before XC.

Did I mention the XC course was the biggest, most technical course we’ve ever taken on? Yep, there’s that. I’m sure anyone who saw my stadium was like “This chick is going to DIE on XC”… because that’s totally what I would have thought too.

When Bobby said in Episode 4 of The Shitshow: “a gift card is like two awesome gifts: 1) it’s the gift of something free and 2) it’s the gift of shopping”, it might have been the wisest thing to ever come out of his mouth. Going through all of our prizes and redeeming the gift cards and certificates has felt a little bit like winning the lottery, especially because all of the companies have been so awesome about sending our stuff to us quickly.

On Wednesday I got my first COTH issue, which is 50% dangerous (ads. so many pretty ads.) and 50% awesome. No way I’m escaping the next year without buying anything because of the Chronicle.

Then yesterday I got a package from Kastel – their hooded winter jacket, which fits perfectly. I almost can’t wait for cold weather to get here so I can wear it and review it.

I also got my XC boots from Professional’s Choice, which look nice too. They’re basically identical to my Majyk Equipe boots, from what I can tell.

Hidden at the bottom of the pile of packages was a big envelope from USEA. A little while back I put in my form to redeem our Silver Medal at BN, and the certificates and medal came! Pretty cool. I really do love USEA and their awards programs.

The arrival of that stuff also prompted me to go look up the scores required for a Gold medal at BN again, and it turns out that our score at AEC was the last one we needed, so now I can put in for that one too. Think I’m gonna wait til the end of the season and see if we get our last score needed for Silver at Novice so I can apply for both at the same time. Medals errywhere. Need moar medals. I’m not really sure what to do with them though… or the certificates. Or his ribbons from AEC (seriously, what do I do with these ribbons that doesn’t involve cutting them up or stringing them across a room like a kid? Help. I don’t usually keep ribbons.). I need a Henry shrine in my house or something. I’m sure the SO wouldn’t mind that at all, an entire room dedicated to Henry…

And last but not least, something that was not free but I’m pretty excited about anyway: thank you cards for all of the sponsors of Team Always be a Unicorn. Naturally they feature a unicorn.

As for the weekend, we are off to Greenwood today to run their mini-Rolex-looking Novice course. We are the first horse to go on Saturday and second on Sunday. I’ll try to be awake enough to stay on my horse.

 

 

I feel like I’ve really accomplished something noteworthy in my life right now. Not for making it INTO the Chronicle of the Horse, although that itself is a pretty awesome thing, but for succeeding in getting a unicorn into the magazine.

I was also VERY HAPPY that the Chronicle listed the breeding of the horses! As a bloodline nerd, I love it. Also, go Thoroughbreds.

It’s in the October 12th issue! There’s also a good little write up on Bobby and Halo’s story:

 

Still no pictures, but the video was finally posted yesterday! Hallelujah.

My particular observations:

1. Henny looks like a squirrel. He’s all ear hair, teeth, and swishy tail.
2. He’s much happier jumping out of the faster pace in the first half than when I had to slow way down toward the end to make time (we both agree that 350mpm is dumb).
3. Look at him save my butt at the bank like a bonafide saint.
4. I never get tired of looking at that cute face.

And I pulled video stills for those who don’t want to invest almost 5 minutes of their life to watching a BN course.

   The same video people will be at Greenwood this weekend, and I’d reaaaaaally like a video there since their Novice course is fairly stout, but it’s EXPENSIVE. Understandably so, equipment wise and manpower wise and time wise, but I might be a little too poor to justify another video right now.

I’ve pretty much given up on official pictures or videos from AEC ever getting posted, so now I’m going out of order and posting 5 things I learned before I actually finish the show recap of stadium day/awards. Desperate times…

Everything is better with a team

Seriously, if you ever get the chance to participate in an Adult Team Challenge or Championship, DO IT. I always have fun at shows no matter what, but having a built in team of people that you genuinely want to succeed and do well makes it even better. It’s not often that we mere mortals at the lower levels get the opportunity to compete as part of a team, but there’s just something about being “in it” with other people that makes it more special. Your success depends on theirs, and vice versa. You feel a responsibility to your teammates that makes it even more important to do well… you don’t want to let them down. I was more excited for Bobby when he won than I would have been for myself, and I was super proud of and elated for every person on the team for going out there and getting the job done. I’ve never yelled and screamed and cheered so much in my entire life. Also, if you qualify for AEC and even have just a remote chance of making the trip, DO IT. This was, hands down, the most fun that I have had at a horse show ever. The prizes are badass, we had parties every night, and the atmosphere was awesome. I mean, come on, that British announcer guy alone is worth the entry fee.

It helps to have a trainer as crazy as you are

The ridiculous unicorn and rainbow and glitter theme would not have worked as well with a super serious, reserved, quiet trainer. Don’t get me wrong, when it’s time to do work she’s all business, but AM can take a joke and is completely on our level of nuts, and the fact that she so good-naturedly played along made it extra fun for us. Especially when she bet us that if we won the team championship she would wear the unicorn mask for our win photo. Chronicle of the Horse subscribers, keep an eye on the AEC results issue.

Bobby and I, as dumb as we are separately, are even dumber together

I mean… I knew it was bad, but going through all the footage to make Shitshow episodes was eye opening. We are a couple of dumbs that are compounded times a million when we’re put together. We appear to have no shame, no filter, and no sense of propriety. You’re welcome world.

There are always people willing to help

We had so much support every step of the way, from trainers to friends to sponsors to you guys reading the blog and cheering us on – it means a lot to feel like you’ve got people in your corner. And of course an extra special thank you to Riding Warehouse, Mango Bay, Gypsy Tails, Straight Shot Metal Smashing, Uncle Jimmy’s, Willow Tree Farm and Lori at Mars. We had SO MUCH COOL SHIT thanks to you guys. The Unicorns looked pretty fantastical and had a great time.

Making Bobby fancy = I win at life

Bobby actually said the words “Having fancy shit is fun!”. Direct quote. From the man with rubber boots and plastic tack who has spent the past year making fun of me with all my ‘fancy shit’. Give him some nice new gear and all the sudden it’s like the beast has been unleashed. Wait til y’all see him at Holly Hill when he rolls up there in his new outfit. He’s still clinging to that Wintec for dear life, but ya know… baby steps.