Month: September 2018

While I’m definitely not a fashionista when it comes to “real life” clothes, I’ve always been really into riding clothes. There’s just something way more satisfying about a great #rootd, ya know? I like things that are a little bit different though, which can be hard to find in the equestrian world where uniformity has been the name of the game for… ever. So when I come across cool new brands that aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd, I tend to get excited. And when I get excited, things tend to just magically show up in my closet. Such was the case with Sweet Iron Co., a brand out of Australia.

I first came across this brand early this year on Instagram. They describe themselves on their website as “Australia’s newest equestrian apparel brand. Bright, funky and fresh clothing with no snobbery or ridiculous prices. Available in sizes 6 – 20 (Australian).”. I can definitely relate to that, except for maybe the bright part. Don’t worry, only a few things are bright. But they do have cool, subtly funky designs, a huge size range, and affordable prices. And if you’re ready to be put off by the whole overseas thing – shipping to the US was free and took about a week. You can’t beat that.

Originally Sweet Iron caught my eye with a couple of really cute polo shirts that had a skull pattern on them – I’m a big fan of skulls. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to bite the bullet yet though, so I just followed their account and kept an eye on them. Their product line kept growing, expanding to more polo designs, then eventually adding gloves and now long sleeve shirts. At that point, I was done for. Not only did they have gloves with a skull print, they made a houndstooth long sleeve. I can’t resist a good houndstooth, and I love long sleeves. So I bought some black breeches to make an outfit work, because of course I did, and then finally caved to the funky Australians.

It’s always sketchy trying to guess at sizing based off of a size chart, but I’m happy to report that theirs is quite accurate. I’m a medium Kastel, bust of about 36″, and ordered the size 12. It fits perfectly. A little bit of breathing room, but it’s not baggy. The cut is really nice for the female figure, not boxy at all, and it has enough tail to tuck in without being crazy long.

The shirts are made so that the collar can be worn two ways – folded over like a polo, or popped up for a more formal look.

I like that their designs are a bit funky without being too “in your face”. I am not a fan of a crazy bold or bright pattern, so I like that they have shirts with skulls and unicorns and the like, but that you wouldn’t really even know it until you got up close. It enables you to be a little weird without being over the top tacky about it. I can appreciate that a lot.

The gloves are right up my alley too. I don’t know why, but something about putting skulls on the gloves just gives them a fun, badass feel. I have really big hands so I was a little nervous about fit, since they only have the sizes available as medium and large. I typically wear an 8 Roeckl and the Sweet Iron size Large fits, but barely. The back is stretch lycra, so that does give some flexibility in the fit. The material on the palm is actually pretty similar to the Roeckl – a cell phone friendly, grippy synthetic.

The other two great selling points of the brand are the size range – the shirt’s bust sizes range from 31″ to 47″ – and the price. With the short sleeve shirts coming it at $49, the long sleeves at $59, and the gloves at $35 (with free shipping, mind you!), everything is super affordable. You don’t have to feel guilty indulging your slightly funky side, since you’re not spending stupid amounts of money to do it. They’ve also got other accessories like stock ties, pins, hats, and socks, and have more stuff added to the line quite regularly. I know some new breeches and tights are in the works.

If you’re looking for something a little different that won’t break the bank, I would recommend Sweet Iron Co for sure. I mean, who doesn’t want a unicorn stock tie, or skull gloves, or a rad houndstooth shirt? Ok, maybe some people don’t… but I sure do.

When I started blogging, there were a lot of things I never considered. I wasn’t really sure how long I would keep it up, but I was definitely sure that no one would actually read any of it. Four years later, I’m still always surprised to realize just how many people DO eventually find their way here, somehow or another. If there’s one thing I’ve learned for sure, it’s that there is nothing low profile about chronicling your life on the internet for any and all to see. At this point I just assume that everyone reads everything… vet, farrier, trainers, clinicians, friends, family, people I ride with… you name it. And I’m continually surprised at how often I’m right. Word gets around, that’s for sure.

There are pitfalls that come along with that, of course. The biggest struggle, that I think all bloggers can identify with, is deciding just how much to share. On one hand, you want to be brutally honest. Life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies, progress is never linear, and no one wants to read about someone who sugarcoats everything. I sure don’t, anyway. But at the same time, do you really want to put every single little detail out there on the internet? Putting yourself out there like this opens you up to a lot of criticism… I knew that going in, and I’m ok with that. That’s part of it. But at what point to we get to preserve some of our own privacy?

The other side of that coin is – at what point do we have a responsibility to preserve the privacy of others? This is a tough one, and there’s not always a black and white answer. Some people don’t mind being mentioned here. Others see it as a gross violation. And if I have something less-than-nice to say about someone in my life, is it fair to drag them through the mud here? It’s a sticky subject.

I definitely haven’t shied away from criticizing a couple of public figures in the past. If there’s some kind of controversy making the news, and I have an opinion about it, I’ll probably write about it. To me that seems fair enough (although plenty of people disagree with that, too). But if there’s something going on with me privately, either with a barn mate or a professional in my life, I try very hard to keep any details of those situations out of this space. And I certainly won’t write anything that I wouldn’t say to someone’s face, because I HAVE to assume that whatever I write about someone, they will eventually see it. I feel like I have to be able to stand behind whatever I write, unequivocally.

So, if someone at the barn takes my hoofpick, or if someone cuts me off in the ring, or said something rude to me, or if I feel otherwise “wronged” in some way like that, 99% of the time you’re probably not going to read about it here. Not in anything but a most vague and passing sense, anyway, and definitely not with any of their identifying details attached. Mostly because I think it’s rude AF to talk about people like that on a blog, rather than just working it out with them in person. But also because I feel weird about mentioning people on the blog anyway, even if it’s to say nice things. Privacy, and all that. I mean, clearly I’m not private, but some people are, and I feel like it’s important to respect that.

Of course, there are no rules about things like this. Everyone is different, has a different approach to blogging, and there’s not really a right or wrong answer. Some people do things differently, some share more, some share less, and others don’t shy away from criticizing the people close to them. It’s something that I find myself pondering a lot, though. So I’m wondering – if you’re a blogger, how do you feel about this? Are there certain things you try to stay away from? And if you’re not a blogger – where do you think the line is as far as privacy goes?

Another WEG is done and dusted, and setting all the drama aside, I think we can all agree that we at least got to see some of the best horses in the world doing their thing. That part was awesome.

A couple weeks ago I broke down some stats on the bloodlines and pedigrees of all of the eventing horses – now I’m back with some stats on the top 25 horses from eventing, dressage, and showjumping.

For real though, it’s interesting. I promise.

 

To start, let’s look at the top 25 (individual placings) dressage horses.

The average age was 12.8 years.

The average blood percentage was 31.5%. There were a couple of Lusitanos at 0% of course, but the lowest blood % on one of the warmbloods was 9%. That’d be your second place horse, Verdades. The highest blood % belonged to the first place horse, Bella Rose, at 49%. How’s that for contrast?

40% were geldings, 44% were stallions, and 16% were mares. However, of the top FIVE horses, 60% were mares.

De Niro had the most offspring in the top 25, as the sire of 3 horses. Diamond Hit was the sire of 2 horses. Krack C was the damsire of 2 horses.

Two horses had a full blood damsire – Bella Rose with an AngloArab damsire, and Mister X with a TB damsire. One other horse in the field had a full AngloArab as the dam’s damsire.

20% had a showjumper within the first 3 generations. The 4th place horse, Cosmo, is by a 1.60m jumper stallion, Van Gogh.

 

Next – the top 25 individually ranked jumpers.

The average age was 11.6 years.

The average blood percentage was 42%. The lowest clocks in at 29% and the highest is 56%. The top 3 horses were slightly below this average, at 32%, 33%, and 36%.

40% were mares, 24% were stallions, and 36% were geldings. However, yet again, of the top 5 horses, 60% were mares. Also worth noting that the gold medal dressage horse and the gold medal jumper were both chestnut mares.

Lord Pezi was the damsire of two horses, and Diamant de Semilly was the sire of one and damsire of another.

None had a dressage horse within the first 3 generations.

 

And finally, back to the eventers. We already looked at the whole field in depth, but let’s take a look at how the stats shook out with the top 25. 

The average age was 12.5 years.

The average blood percentage was 62%, with the lowest being 37% and the highest being 100%. The top 3 horses were 53%, 69%, and 72%.

16% were mares, 8% were stallions, and 72% were geldings. The top 5 were all geldings.

60% had Selle Francais blood, 26% had Holsteiner blood, and 28% had both. 28% had at least one full Thoroughbred parent.

Jaguar Mail was the sire of 2 horses in the top 25. Three stallions had offspring in the top 25 of both the jumping horses AND the eventers: Diamant de Semilly, Balou du Rouet, and Vigo D’Arsouilles.

Of the DOUBLE CLEAR XC ROUNDS: the average blood percentage of those horses was 66%. And of those double clears, 33% had a full thoroughbred sire. 20% had a full thoroughbred dam. Another 33% were either full French AA or had French AA in fhe first 2 generations.

And my favorite statistic, which has nothing to do with the horses but everything to do with an epic mic drop: ALL 3 INDIVIDUAL GOLD MEDAL WINNERS WERE WOMEN.

 

While Presto was walking through water, wearing a way-too-big surcingle, and learning about ground driving, Henry was having a different weekend experience. Well… slightly, anyway.

You already heard about the Friday afternoon hack with both boys. While Presto was falling on his face, Henry was plodding dutifully along, up and down the hills, with few complaints. That horse really does love to hack out, he’d stay out there all day.

Saturday was his second visit from the new farrier. Even though it will take us a few cycles to really get Henry’s feet where we want them to be, I was already much happier with how he’d felt and looked throughout this first 5 week cycle. The first couple weeks were like a whole new horse, I could immediately feel more shoulder freedom and better/quicker breakover behind. Around week 4 he started forging a little bit on our long trots out in the field, but he never got to where he was looking super long or unbalanced, or felt wonky. That makes me MUCH happier.

The farrier was able to continue taking things in the right direction. shortening the toes up more and encouraging the heels to keep growing. Henry needed to be drilled and tapped this cycle too, with show season starting back up, and I was really happy that the farrier countersunk the stud holes and checked each one with an actual stud before he put the shoes on. That makes things easier for me. There’s nothing worse than getting to a show and finding you’ve got a bum stud hole.

He did charge me quite a bit more this time than last time, which I didn’t really realize until I went back and looked at how much I paid the first visit. This time was like $100 more. I guess that’s what I get for thinking he didn’t charge me enough last time lol. But both boys’ feet look massively improved already, so I can’t complain too much. If anyone in the Austin area is looking for a good farrier, I would definitely recommend him. He was even early for our appointment. What sorcery is this?

After the farrier was done I tried to get on and do a productive dressage ride in the arena but someone was so wild from the cold front that he just kept turning into a dolphin, so I gave up and let him canter for a while. Sometimes there’s just no point in forcing the issue.

On Sunday we were up bright and early (more accurately: dark and early) to head down south for a jumping lesson. We needed one. Badly. Since Chatt, in early July, I have jumped a grand total of twice at home and 3 times in XC lessons. Our first fall horse show is 2 weeks away. We should prooobably get on that. No wonder stadium is our worst phase.

As soon as I started trotting, my Trainer proclaimed that Henry looked the best she’s ever seen him. I told her that he’d just gotten shod again by the new farrier the day before, and agreed that he’s feeling so much better in general. Amazing what having balanced feet will do, eh? Especially having the hind toes shorter and more squared off, he’s feeling much stronger behind.

The lesson went decently enough. Trainer is kind of mean in that she doesn’t give me a smaller course anymore, I get to pop over a little fence a few times for warmup and then we go straight to a bigger course. Which is actually fine, because (no one tell her) I find the bigger fences to be a little easier to ride. You have fewer options when they’re bigger – better sit up and go forward. And I have to give Henry credit, even with so little jumping in the past couple months, he always picks right back up where we left off.

But in my case it means that I’m still having all the same old struggles. Controlling my upper body better. Half-halting sooner. Keeping that inside hind underneath him in the turns, and thus keeping his shoulder and poll up. Not getting weak to a deeper distance. All the things that I know and have heard a million times but still struggle with anyway. Now that the ground has softened up a bit and I fixed my jump course, we’ll be jumping once a week again. I get so freaking annoyed with myself making the same damn mistakes over and over.

 

Henry was great though, I have no complaints with him. We had some rails but they were my fault. I think we’re both starting to figure out the ride in the hackamore, though. It’s a little better. It’s definitely not there yet – my timing is even more important when we’re bitless – but it’s improved.

When we got home Henry proceeded to find the only muddy spot left in his turnout and roll in it. Pretty sure he was looking me in the eye the entire time he was grinding the mud in. That’s okay though… between me and Presto he puts up with a lot, so he definitely deserves a nice roll in the mud every once in a while.

It was yet another really full weekend here with the boys! It was actually one of the few “at home” weekends I have for the next month and a half or so, but somehow it never fails that things just kind of happen anyway to fill up the days. Granted, even a quiet weekend at home can seem pretty full when you’ve got two characters like Henry and Presto. A lot happens between the two of them. First: Presto’s version of events.

The forecast for the weekend looked pretty dismal, and the boys had been stuck in their stalls overnight all week due to on and off rain. They’re used to a lot more turnout than just the daytime. So on Friday afternoon I hopped on Henry, grabbed Presto, and took them both on a long walk out in the hilly field.

Presto was a little bit full of himself for the first 20 minutes or so. At one point we were crossing a little natural ditch, and Presto was so busy trying to sneakily bite Henry that he wasn’t paying any attention to where his feet were, and ended up falling on his face. Splat. Baby horse go boom. The look of sheer bewilderment on his face was priceless, I wish I’d caught a picture. He minded his feet a lot better after that, though.

The worst of the rain was supposed to come through Friday night/Saturday morning, so I tucked the boys into their stalls with extra hay. Since the water system in Presto’s outside shedrow has been under repair, he’s been in the stall next to Henry in the main barn. I have to admit, it’s kind of nice having them right there next to each other. Convenient, for sure, when you’re a helicopter horse mom.

I woke up on Saturday to some major pouring rain. Like that shit was coming down sideways for about an hour. I needed to go to the feed store on the way to the barn to pick up more alfalfa, so I waited until mid-morning for the storm to pass. Still though, the road I usually take to the feed store was closed due to high water, and I had to drive all the way around to come in from the other direction. Texas is so saturated by this point that even just an inch or so of rain is causing some flooding.

I knew my fields would be too wet, but I wasn’t sure how the arena would hold up. Generally it takes ridiculous amounts of rain to make that thing unrideable, but it has happened before. Once. I had to laugh when I walked into the ring to inspect the footing, though… the back half, where the round pens are, is covered. The rain came in so sideways that the covered round pens had standing water in them. I’m talking several inches of standing water. The uncovered part of the arena was wet, and had a puddle in one corner, but otherwise had already dried out quite a bit. This was kind of perfect, because you know what I saw when I looked at that underwater round pen?

The plan was to introduce long-lining/ground driving to Presto that day, so I dressed him in his way-too-big surcingle and took him out to investigate the underwater round pen. He snorted at the water a couple times before splashing his way around. At this point I’ve dragged him through so many puddles he isn’t particularly impressed with water in any form. I’d like to keep it that way.

That done, we got down to business. I had him trot a minute or so each direction on the lunge line to get his focus. With the storm came a nice little cool front, and Presto was the most wild he’s ever been for “work”… in that he spent one whole circle snaking his head around so much that I thought he was actually going to buck for the first time. But no. Just a lot of slithering.

After that I hooked up the other lunge line (I have actual long lines coming, but… who can wait when lunge lines technically work just fine for the first time?) to the outside of his halter. As he walked a circle around me I gradually moved the line from over his back, down to behind his haunches. That isn’t totally new to him, I’ve been running the lead rope around his butt and under his tail for a long time, to get him used to the idea. He just kept chugging right along at a polite walk, so I gradually moved myself more and more behind him, to a ground driving position. It took some clucking to keep him going, but before I knew it – voila – he had it.

The steering was sketchy, that’s for sure. Not only is it a new concept for him to be directed that way, but a rope halter isn’t exactly my favorite thing to use for something like this. I will probably end up trying to rig Henry’s side pull next time we do it. But we still managed to walk all over the arena, making figure 8’s, turning and walking over poles, and even going between the skinny standards over a pole on the ground (ok, that one took 3 tries). For a first attempt at ground driving, though, I was pleased with his effort and the fact that he seemed to understand it pretty much immediately.

After that, it was farrier time. It’s to the point where I can just stick him in the crossties for the farrier and leave him, and he’s totally fine. I was on the other end of the aisle tacking up Henry, so I just walked over there every once in a while to make sure everything was ok.

He’s totally a big boy for the farrier these days. A+, gold star, the farrier loves him, so I’m happy. It’s super important that he has good manners for that.

Presto’s regular turnout was a little slick so I stuck him out in the arena while I did some stuff with Henry in the barn. He was standing there happily grazing around the perimeter when I put him out, then a few minutes later I heard the sound of hoofbeats and baby horse screams. It was like he suddenly realized that he was alone, so he was out there running laps.

Well ok, he ran like… 3 laps. Then he settled down to a trot for another lap or two.

This horse is not particularly good at or dedicated to being wild, which I’m 100% ok with.

A little corner paddock had dried up pretty well by early afternoon, so I stuck both boys out there for the rest of the day to graze. It’s taken me a while to trust them together unsupervised, because Henry can be a real jerk and Presto is a little dumb about knowing when to run away, but they both seem to have settled. Henry is less rude than he used to be (I think he secretly likes Presto, even though he would never admit it) and Presto is quicker to vacate the area when Henry’s ears go back. I don’t really want them getting turned out together all the time, because they’d end up attached to each other, but it’s nice to at least be able to turn them out sometimes and not worry about them too much.

On Sunday it was dry enough for Presto to go back to his regular turnout with his donkey friends, which he loved and they hated. He likes to play Cutting Horse with them, against their will. Since he’d been so good on Saturday I just left him alone with his friends, only going out there to say hi and check him over.

It looks like we’re supposed to get a few days off from the rain now, which all of us are happy about. Being stuck inside sucks. I’m going to try to pony Presto a couple more times this week, and then Friday we leave for FEH Champs! He is not in a particularly flattering phase right now, but oh well.