Author: Amanda C

I was all alone at this show, with no trainer, and most of my friends had conflicting ride times, which means I have very little media. Well, ok, a friend of mine came out and got some video clips of XC (thanks Lucy!) so I have a lot of XC media and basically nothing else. Also I forgot my helmet camera at home. Whoops. But since I have no pictures at all to accompany the recaps of dressage and stadium, we’re just gonna jam all three phases into one post and make the less fun phases short and sweet. There was also a lot of “extra” stuff going on at this show, outside of the riding parts, so we’ll cover all that tomorrow. On board with that? Good.

First off, it was cold AF on Saturday morning for dressage, and I went bright and early at 8:30. Henry was a little electric, and a yearling galloping up and down the fenceline of the pasture right next to warmup did not help. Also apparently we had two late scratches in our division, which were not communicated to the warmup stewards. I finally got Henry feeling relaxed and connected, so at that point I just let him walk for a while as we waited for our turn. At this venue there’s one big warmup field, then when you’re on deck they let you into a smaller, flatter side area that connects to the arenas. My plan was to let him walk and relax until they let me into that space, then wake him back up and put him back together before we went in.

But then they realized they were missing people in front of me, the ring was sitting open, they were running behind, and the judge was getting irritated. They called me over and sent me straight in. So, awesome… I’d just been walking for 10 minutes and now I found myself circling the arena. Which I got about 1/5 of the way around before the judge rang the bell and sent me in.

Henry was very obedient, but I never could quite get him back in front of my leg. He was a little stuck in the canter and a few of the down transitions were flat and sticky. He did nothing wrong, he just wasn’t really as connected and up into my hand like he has been. The judge in that ring was really freaking cranky (by the end of the day a lot of people were talking about that) and massacred me with a 39. Like, ouch. We’ve scored 39’s before, and those tests were relative shitshows of angry oversensitive on-the-verge-of-explosion Henry. This wasn’t anything like that, it just needed more impulsion. And I don’t even know what the scores and comments were because I went to pick up my test and it was missing. But… oh well, whatever. What are you gonna do.

After that was stadium, in the early afternoon. I spent a while watching most of the Prelim horses go and felt pretty good about the course. Most of the problems were coming at the first double at 4AB (it seemed that no one could really get a great distance to that, for whatever reason) and the last square oxer at jump 10. The line was riding a smidge long, and if you got to that oxer at all flat, that front rail would go flying.

Again, my warmup was brief. I cantered a few laps, jumped a vertical and an oxer, and then they were calling me on deck. The course itself was fine. I’m not super stoked about how I rode it, I got him a little deep to the first double and a little long to the second double, but Henry was jumping really well. Holly Hill has a bit more “filler” to their jumps, more stuff to look at, which is beneficial for a less careful horse like mine. He tapped a couple – jump 1 and the triple bar – but everything stayed in the cups. Clear round!

Cross country was on Sunday morning. I’d walked the course twice the night before and my impression was that it was tricker than it seemed at first glance. The first 7 fences were no big deal… some were large, but they were just single fences. But from fence 8 through fence 17, it was question after question after question. A combo with a big brush to an upbank to a downbank to a rolltop. A trakehner. An upbank bending line to corner. The water was basically a long bending line from barrels to a log jumping in, then bending line through the water to an upbank, 3 strides to a log. Then shortly after was that nightmarish ditch wall in the picture above. All fair questions, but in pretty rapid succession that left little room for error and would definitely require you to have control of your horse’s shoulders.

Also yes you read that right, there were 3 freaking upbanks. I’m still feeling a little leery about them after our mishap at Chatt, so I was not particularly thrilled about that. Mostly though, I was worried about that ditch wall. Henry had definitely never seen anything quite like that, and it was deep and dark and just… gross looking, with that brush essentially anchored right in the middle of the ditch. It makes for a weird floating look to it.

I’ll do fence pics in batches as I talk through the course…

Henry came out of the box like his freaking tail was ON FIRE, he woke up that morning knowing what phase was  next and he was ready for game time. Fence 1 was a simple log, then it was a nice galloping fence at the hay feeder, to a big log oxer. Nice fences to get into the flow. Four to five was a smaller table to smaller log oxer bending line. Fence 6 was a skinnier brush-topped rolltop with the ground dropping away quite a bit on the landing. Henry jumped the snot out of that so the drop on the back end was extra exciting.

Fence 7 was a max square table, which used to make me crap my pants, but I’m pretty desensitized to them by now. After that it was time for the real questions to start. We hung a right turn to the big brush fence, which had 5 slightly bending strides to the upbank, three strides to the down bank, then 5 strides to a rolltop. Henry jumped in super here, although I could have done with a smidge more whoa on the landing, since the 5 to the upbank came up a bit tight. He was clever with his feet here though, and I just supported with my leg and let him work it out, which he did brilliantly.

From there it was down to the trakehner, which he actually took a little peek at (that ditch is like 5′ deep and there was all kinds of shit down there from the recent rains, so I don’t really blame him) but I gave him a little tap at the base and he hopped over. Then we swung another right to the upbank (I didn’t like this one, it had a log on top of the lip, which always makes me a bit nervous with upbanks – something to trip over), right turn to a corner.

After that we headed to the water. We hopped over some barrels first, then the log into the water was off to the left. It came up fast, the horses only had about 4 straight strides before the water, and there was a lot to look at. Banks, bleachers, people, photographers. Henry was laser-focused though and didn’t even hesitate, jumping over the log into the water, and then taking the bending line to the upbank, 3 strides to a hanging log. This jumped so well, it kind of felt like redemption for my mistake at Chatt.

But I couldn’t really even let up for a second, because straight ahead was that Nightmare Factory (my own personal name for the ditch wall). I sat way up, gave Henry a little tap-tap on the shoulder, and proceeded to completely bury him at it. He gave precisely zero shits and hopped over it anyway, because BLESS HIM. Honestly, he deserves every cookie and carrot that he has ever eaten in his life (of which there have been many).

After that we had two big brush rolltops, and the rest seemed like a cakewalk. There was a little hanging log that was mostly like a “don’t trip over this” kind of thing by this point, then a produce table which used to look ginormous to me that now looked delightfully adorable. The last fence was another hanging log similar to the first fence, also pretty small.

I don’t really check my watch anymore these days until a few fences from home, mostly just to see where we stand. I looked down at it for the first time after fence 18, and we were cruising a bit ahead, so I dialed him back down for the last two fences. We crossed the line at 5:14, with the OT being 5:28. Easy breezy. He was still full of run and cooled down quickly.

 

A few people in our division had some trouble on XC, which boosted us up from 4th to finish 2nd. It was a fun show, with plenty of challenges, and I’m super happy with how Henry stepped up to the plate. It makes me a little emotional just seeing how confident and happy he is now, and how much he seems to love his job. He’s matured so much over this season, and I really couldn’t be more proud of that goofy little horse.

If you haven’t entered Riding Warehouse’s Horseware giveaway yet (here it is on facebook, or here on Insta), you should. It’s a great giveaway, and it includes the item that I’ve basically been living in for the past couple weeks: the waterproof Brianna jacket.

I was able to snag an emerald green one, but RW carries the admittedly much more versatile black version, as well as last year’s turquoise version in XS and XL in their sale section. At first glance I wasn’t sure how much use I would get out of a jacket like this here in Texas. It’s got a decent amount of fill (do you use the same terms for human jackets as you do for horse blankets? I’d compare it to a midweight turnout blanket.) with a warm quilted lining on the inside, and a waterproof exterior. But since Texas has been completely drunk since the middle of September, I’ve actually already worn it quite a bit.

The cut and fit of this jacket are perfect for riding – it’s just the right length so that you aren’t sitting on it, and it’s slim enough to not be bulky. But for me, my favorite feature is the hood. First, it’s fully removeable, which is a MUST for me in a riding jacket. It’s also got a little brim built into the front, providing more shade if it’s sunny, or more protection from the elements if it’s raining or snowing. The hood is nice and big, so you can retreat pretty far into that thing to shield your face, or you can even (maybe, depending on how big your noggin is) pull it over your helmet. It also has a flap around the front that can snap to cover your lower face, if necessary, as well as elastic toggle pulls to adjust the fit around your face.

There’s also a hidden elastic drawstring inside at the waist, if you want to adjust the fit, AND there are 4 pockets – 2 inside and 2 outside. And since everything is waterproof, you don’t have to worry about putting your phone or your course map in there. I also appreciate that the front zipper is 2-way, and has a placket that you can snap over the top if it’s windy or raining.

As far as sizing, I find Horseware’s stuff to be pretty true to their size charts. I have a 36″ bust and wear the medium jacket.

My only real complaint with this jacket is that I think the zippers on the outside pockets could be bigger, with larger pull tabs. It looks very sleek with it’s current small, semi-hidden ones, but they can be a little hard to grab and zip/unzip when you’re wearing thick winter gloves (like when I was scribing last weekend, wearing some legit mittens).

Overall though, this jacket is a really well-designed (that hood, it is love) and versatile piece of clothing for a rider. I like having a waterproof coat that’s still attractive, and a warm coat that isn’t bulky. Definitely a solid purchase, IMO, especially with a 20% code (which I pretty much always have, if you ask!) or at the very least, a really legitimate reason to enter Riding Warehouse’s giveaway. We can’t escape the inevitable… winter is coming!

Is it just me or are some horses getting way hairier this year than normal? Admittedly, Henry maybe isn’t the best gauge of these things, considering that he’s a hairy horse in general, but I’ve now body clipped him twice already this fall, with the second clip coming just two weeks after the first.

His leg hair, which is always fairly draft-horse-esque, is already long enough to braid some dang cornrows into, if you were into that kind of thing. It billows in the wind, all gross and golden against his black legs. I flat out refuse to clip his legs though, mostly because he is really good about the rest of his body yet a complete freaking turd about his legs. For real, it used to take me twice as long to do his legs as it did to do the rest of him. But also because I’m an eventer now, and I consider one of the biggest perks of my changeover from h/j land to be the whole “not clipping the legs is totally normal” stance that they have. I am all about that.

Henry gets hot so easily that I always try to keep his coat pretty short, so I do probably clip him more than most people would find necessary. Still though, I got almost as much hair off of him on the second clip as I did on the first. Seems like a lot more than normal for the end of October.

Meanwhile, baby horse has been a little slower to launch into Yak Mode. His hair is getting long, but nowhere near what he was sporting last winter. Of course, it’s early yet. If he’d like to grow that 6″ of plushy ridiculousness again (please don’t), I suppose he has plenty of time.

As an aside, you might spy the farrier in the above photo. Poor guy was here on Monday to do both boys and then back AGAIN on Tuesday, because SOMEONE named HENRY decided to pull a shoe off literally SIX HOURS after getting his feet done. And I tried looking for it in the tall grass but yeah right, that was a lost cause. I don’t know where he threw it, but it was somewhere far and well-hidden. Poor farrier had to come out the next morning and make a whole new shoe, clips and studholes and all. I really appreciate him coming so fast though (and being so darn pleasant about it) considering we’re leaving for Holly Hill tomorrow. Where I get to try out my newest acquisition:

Yep that’s a folding cot. I tried a little twin air mattress for when I want to sleep in the trailer itself (like if it’s cold or raining, and camping in the tent seems unappealing) but at Willow Draw that stupid thing deflated on me every two hours during the night. I feel like I don’t really have to tell you how annoying that was and how much I hated air mattresses by the next morning. This weekend we’ll try out the cot instead… at least it can’t deflate?

I like how a couple weeks ago I was like “ok, show season is winding down, just one more show” and now I’m all like “j/k, enter everything, bye money!”. I feel like there are two ways I can spin this:

OR

You choose.

Originally my season was going to end after this weekend at Holly Hill. Mostly because the only recognized left after that is Texas Rose, and we’ve already run Training there multiple times. I mean, the course changes a little every time, so it’s not boring, but we’ve seen a lot of the same stuff enough times by now that I wasn’t feeling inspired to spend $400 to see it again.

And then Texas Rose added a PT division. For non-eventers, PT is basically part Training and part Prelim. You do the Prelim dressage test and showjumping, and the Training XC. Before the Modified division was born, this was kind of meant to be the stepping stone between levels. Of course, we have no venues within a 16+ hour drive that offer Modified, so PT is still our only available in-between.

I had no idea that Texas Rose had added this division until Trainer tagged me in a post about it and said I should do it. To which my first reaction was:

I mean, sure, we’ve done a few schooling show Prelim CT’s and several jumper classes at that height now. Theoretically, this should be fine. But my first reaction to her was like “you is dumb, you is high, you is concussed, and you is crazy”.

And then I thought about it for like 10 minutes and was like “ok, why not”. Because if you give me enough time I can talk myself into anything. Also I cave easily to peer pressure and everyone was saying to do it. But mostly because if Trainer thinks we can do it, I believe her. See yesterday’s post about why it’s so important to me to trust my trainer.

Although when I responded to her and said I’d enter but joked that if I died she’d have to take Henry, she was AWFULLY DAMN QUICK TO VOLUNTEER.

All joking aside, I know we can do it, barring any huge mistakes on my part. That’s always the qualifier though isn’t it? Mistakes are always possible. Texas Rose wouldn’t generally be my first choice of places to try this for the first time – their stadium courses are always technical and definitely set to height and the atmosphere is “grander”. It’s a little intimidating. If we jump all the jumps in the right order and I stay on my horse, I’ll be thrilled. But I also know that if I sit up and ride like I know how to, we are actually capable of doing a decent job of it, so mostly I just have to figure out how to get my headspace right between now and then.

At this point, I am equal parts nervous and excited, which I hope is a good sign? Who knows.

Also, after volunteering last weekend, I now find myself with a metric crapton of credits that I either need to use or lose. I still have some left over from all the winter shows I volunteered at last year too, and they expire soon. At this point I think I have enough to cover the entry fees for a couple of the off season Pine Hill schooling shows. The first one of which is December 2nd, which I think I definitely want to do, before winter gets too firm of a hold. I have no off season plan yet though, so CT vs HT and level are all up in the air. I need to get with Trainer and see what she thinks would be most beneficial to us. I guess it depends on how these next couple shows go. At this point I’m leaving the ball completely 100% in her court.

So first we have to focus on Holly Hill this weekend, and then we’ll come home and start thinking about those Prelim parts of Texas Rose. The thing I said I’d never freaking do. Perfect example of why you should never listen to me.

Somewhere amid the many hours in the truck that Hillary and I have logged together in the past month (along with many WhichWich sandwiches and cups of FroYo – brain food, clearly), we had a long conversation about trainers. Specifically, details about some of the ones in the area, and why I ride with the one I do despite the fact that she’s 2 hours away. That, of course, evolved into a conversation about what qualities are important to each of us when it comes to selecting a pro to work with.

For me, it all comes down to trust. I am definitely not naive enough to try any of this without some solid professional guidance. In eventing especially, I want and need at least semi-regular feedback (or for XC – very regular feedback), and I feel like I have to be able to trust that person’s judgment 100%. At it’s core, it’s a safety issue. Sure, not all accidents can be avoided, that is the nature of horses, but having poor judgment sure can get you (or your horse) hurt a heck of a lot more often, and faster, and worse. Cross country especially is not something to be messed around with. I want someone who is just as invested in keeping me and my horse safe as I am, who knows us and knows what we’re capable of. I would much rather someone move me up the levels slowly, and take extra time filling in the holes in my and my horse’s education, than try to do things too quickly and get me or the horse hurt. If I trust their judgment and they say I’m ready, I will believe them and I’ll feel confident about it… because I trust them.

I also need someone who will be honest with me about how things are going. Blowing smoke up my butt is not helpful, and feels borderline insulting, as if I’m too stupid to know otherwise. I mean, I’m not the brightest, but I know I’m not a future 4* rider sitting on a future 4* horse. Plus, if I’m riding like crap and need to pull my head out of my butt, say so. If I need to go back to basics and re-think everything I’m doing, say so. If my horse can’t handle the level or my aspirations, say so. I would prefer someone to deliver a harsh truth 100 times over than to lead me on or put ideas in my head that won’t ever pan out. Realistic expectations and honest, open communication keep me happy. I need to be on the same page.

Of course, I also want someone that believes in my dreams and goals as much as I do. I want to be able to say “Here’s what I want to do someday… help me get there!” and trust that they will keep that in mind and help me develop towards those goals. I’m not expecting them to get me there for sure, nothing is a guarantee, and a trainer can only do so much, but I do want to feel like when they look at me, they remember what my goals are and help me make the right decisions to get there.

I also need someone that expects me to be a thinking rider. I like for things to be explained to me in depth, so that I can feel what’s going on and try to correct it myself. Or have them educate me on different questions/combinations and how to ride them, so I can execute these things when I’m on course by myself. Basically, give me the skills I need so that I don’t have to depend on them for success. I feel like a trainer should be a builder and a refiner, but not a crutch. Again, in eventing this is really important, since they can’t provide us with assistance when we’re in the ring or on course. But also since I am not in a program at a barn with a pro, I need to be able to take what they give me and go home, work on it, and be successful by myself.

It’s important to me too that whoever I ride with has a good eye for soundness-related things, and a lot of knowledge on care. Sometimes that little “hmmm… have you thought about maybe trying X?” can be the difference in night and day for a horse. That level of horsemanship is vital, IMO, especially since they see things that I might not feel.

For me, this combination of qualities has been hard to come by. In my 25+ year riding career, I’ve only come across a few trainers that I feel have really fit the bill, with the current one being one of those few.

Is it inconvenient to drive 2 hours each way for lessons? Uh, hell yes. It’s also really hard to fit lessons in with any real regularity or frequency, given that it ends up being a most-of-the-day commitment. When those are the stakes, you definitely have to want it, and you have to re-arrange your life sometimes to make it happen. I have no doubt that we’d be farther along, and probably more polished about it, if I had professional help at my disposal all the time. That just isn’t an option in my current circumstances. And I would rather get less frequent help from someone who meets all these criteria than regular lessons from someone who doesn’t. I have come to trust my trainer implicitly, so those are the sacrifices I make, and we do the best we can with the situation. It’s worked out pretty well so far.

Plus, like… if this woman has put up with my bullshit for almost 4 years now, clearly she is made of some tough stuff. Or she’s deaf. Either way, it works.

What about you guys? How do you choose a trainer? What qualities are most important to you? If you have to sacrifice something, what’s the first thing on the chopping block?