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Last week Willow Tree Warmbloods hosted their first Oldenburg inspection! Michelle decided to present the pony foal Nunez WTW to them so that he could get his Weser-Ems (Oldenburg’s pony book) papers. He’s officially a German Riding Pony, y’all.

The inspection was on a Monday, so I couldn’t be there this time, but Michelle looks to have done a great job of managing everything on her own. Inspections can be quite the production between getting the farm ready, setting everything up, and primping all the horses. Luckily she has other friends around that are willing to lend a helping hand.

Their efforts were well rewarded when Nunez showed himself off really well and got great scores, earning himself a Premium designation! He is really beautiful and athletic with tons of presence, so I’m not surprised.

His sire Nuno is on a roll, all of his foals have been Premium this year. Sebastian, the inspector, really loved his dam Stormie as well, giving her good scores and encouraging Michelle to continue using her for pony breeding. Clearly she is a great producer! Seeing how well Nunez turned out is making everyone even more excited for Stormie’s 2020 Usandro foal.

If the pony foal isn’t enough cuteness to satisfy you, Michelle also let a friend’s daughter present her favorite mare, Hanna. Hanna is a 24 year old Selle Francais mare who started her career doing the jumpers in Belgium before being imported and turned into a junior hunter. She’s taught a lot of kids how to ride, and now – with the help of Michelle and Sebastian – she’s turned one of them into basically a pro handler. Handling and presenting horses in hand is definitely an art, and we don’t have many people in this country that are good at it. Kid is pretty good already, she seems like a natural!

Michelle presented some of the other mares as well, some for inspection and some just to get the inspector’s overall opinion on the program. He quite liked Peyton, the TB mare, commenting that she is exactly the type of thoroughbred that should be used in sporthorse breeding. It was nice to have him agree with us, since we spent forever finding juuuuuust the right TB mare to add to the program.

While I was sad I couldn’t be there this time, all in all it looks like my favorite breeder and favorite mares all had a great day. I think Nunez has been going around telling everyone on the farm that he’s officially F.A.N.C.Y. – as if his ego wasn’t big enough already.

Whoever buys this kid will definitely have one heck of a pony!

I talked a lot last week about the subject of gratitude, the power of saying thank you, and how much it really enhanced my Coconino experience. My horse, my coach, my friends, my family… I mentioned how important all of them are in this whole crazy endeavor. But there’s someone else, who, while might not directly impact the experience, is often there to document it. And we all know just how true “pics or it didn’t happen” really is.

If you’ve paid attention to any of my picture captions here or on Instagram, you’ve seen the name Dusty Brown. He’s not a horse professional or a show photographer, he’s a horse show husband to barnmate Julie and and horse show dad to barnmate Kate. He hauls the horses, fixes whatever is broken in whoever’s living quarters, and, my particular favorite: he takes pictures. And not just pictures, but like… AWESOME pictures.

Dusty is super dedicated to doing a good job. He doesn’t wander aimlessly around and stumble upon lucky shots, he’s got a list of ride times (which in our group is lengthy), a plan of action, and he’s out there way in advance plotting all of his angles and what jumps he wants to get. He even has this badass 360 camera thing that he sets up so it can get really cool video like this.

 

He’s got a great eye, and for some reason he seems to not mind sitting in the woods all day, taking pictures of rider after rider. He is a better person than I, in that regard. Dusty also has the uncanny ability to remain in the background of whatever is going on, which allows him to get fantastic candid shots. I never even see him, I’m pretty sure he’s got an invisibility cloak or something. He’s also great about capturing whatever he sees along the way that he thinks might make a cool picture. He’s pretty much always right.

And then, after he spends all that time trudging around the show, taking pictures of all of us, he edits and uploads the best ones into an album. This is no small feat considering we had 19 horses with us in our group this time and there were thousands of photos to go through. Dusty also somehow manages to always get in a completely different position or at different jumps from the show photographer, so you end up with totally different pictures. As a blogger who always needs media, it’s just as exciting to have him at a lesson or XC schooling, too. I don’t know WHY he does it, but I’m really appreciative of the fact that he does.

He even does special photo shoots for sale horses, snagging some beautiful pictures. We all know how much those matter, yet how much of a pain in the ass it can be to get them.

 

Three cheers for anyone who’s willing to stand around (or run back and forth from ring to ring) all day and take pictures or video. It’s not the most glamorous part of this whole thing, but if you ask me, it’s one of the most important. After all, once it’s all said and done, all we really have left are the memories and the media. Thanks for being there to help capture it.

It is entirely possible that I have a wee bit of a riding shirt problem. I few weeks ago I reorganized my closet (ie gave it some semblance of order with work clothes on one side and riding clothes on the other) and was amazed at how many shirts I have. Show shirts, sun shirts, polos, cross country shirts, shirts with my trainer’s business name on them… I have a lot. I just love shirts, ok? Like… did I take 14 riding shirts with me to Coconino even though I knew we’d be doing laundry and I really only needed 5? MAYBE.

But when it comes to show shirts, I like something that’s just a little bit different. A little bit unique. A little bit fun. Just a plain white shirt with nothing on it? Nah, fam. Nah. I left the hunter world a long time ago, I don’t need that boring nonsense.

Of course, I’m also cheap. Love you, Cavalleria Toscana, but I’m not paying over $75 for a shirt. It’s just not happening.

This love for all things unique and yet also budget-friendly has led me down some perhaps slightly less well-beaten paths. It seems as though I find my best things overseas, with smaller brands that maybe haven’t made the jump over to the mainstream US market yet. So I follow a lot of these smaller overseas brands on Instagram, which always gets me into trouble, yet I have no regrets. That’s how I find the good stuff.

I’ve been really into that whole laser cut, perforated athletic clothing trend lately. It’s a subtle but interesting detail, my favorite thing, and it has that whole benefit of added ventilation. Biiiiiig plus when you live in Texas. I couldn’t really find anything in that style that was affordable, though, until I was scrolling through Instagram one day and saw the above post from Australian company Black Horse Clothing. I’ve been watching them for a while because they have a lot of cute breeches and tops, and the prices are good, but that perforated shirt – called the “Shannan” – really stopped me in my tracks. I needed it.

I loved the look of the contrasting white collar and cuffs, the piping, the zip top, the little Australian flag on the back, and of course – the perforations. And the best part? It was only $69 USD. This wasn’t my first time ordering a shirt from Australia, so I knew my size (their size charts are spot on, too!). The only real hesitation I had was figuring out what color to get. Talk about crippling indecision.

White was appealing because of it’s ability to go under any color show coat, of course, but with all the details of this shirt I was really thinking that I also wanted something I could wear for lessons, schooling shows, or when jackets were waived. I’m not into the StayPuff look of all-white, so that narrowed me down to navy and gray. I figured gray could fill all of the above purposes, while still looking good under my navy or hunter green jackets. Plus I have a lot of navy, but not a lot of gray.

Then I did what any good friend would do and talked Hillary into buying the navy.

But in my defense, the navy shirt looks AMAZING on her gray horse with a pair of whites, she wore it at Coconino and got about 1 trillion compliments. Plus since we ordered together we got to split shipping. Win-win.

I also wore my gray one at Coconino, in the jumper rounds.

I really like these shirts a lot. They’re stretchy and comfortable, and close-fitting without being super tight or clingy. I LOVE the pop of contrast of the white cuff and collar against the gray and navy. Yes, it was dirty by the end of the day, but it washed up really well and is nice and white again. Dress it up with whites and you’re good for a show day – either zip up the collar and put a jacket over it, or unzip the collar and wear it by itself. Dress it down with colored breeches and you’re good for a clinic or lessons. It’s super versatile. I do think that if you’re very tall or have a very long torso or very long arms, you might find that it fits a little short. I’m 100% average in my build, 5’6″ tall, and the sleeves and torso length are perfect on me.

If you’re scared of ordering from Australia – don’t be. Our shirts only took 6 business days to get to us, better than some US-based shops can do. The transaction was easy and simple (I paid via Paypal) and I had tracking information the next day.

While the Shannan top is my favorite, Black Horse has a good variety of shirts, breeches, sweaters, gloves, jackets, and accessories as well. They even have a men’s line! I’ve already plotted my next purchases, whenever my budget allows. Odds are good you can find enough stuff to offset the $20 USD shipping charge, or just be evil like me and rope someone else into ordering with you and splitting it. Worth it.

Typically this time of year is Henry’s vacation. I like to give him a nice holiday every year, and summer seems like the best time since it’s miserable in Texas and Henry doesn’t handle the heat very well. It tends to work out pretty perfectly where we get back from whatever show we’ve traveled to for the summer, and then he gets his time off  to rest and relax and recharge.

I don’t give him completely off, since Henry’s not the kind of horse that does well if you just throw him out in the field and forget about him. He’s got to be inside under fans during the day in the summer or he’ll roast alive, and he needs to stay fit and moving in order to keep his body feeling it’s best, so after owning him for this long I’ve gotten it down to a science. Usually I leisurely hack him a few days a week out in the field and do one stretchy trot/canter day. Sometimes on the hack days we take Presto with us, because why not. It’s a considerably lighter schedule than normal for Henry, no jumping and no galloping, but enough “work” to keep his muscle tone and not lose too much fitness.

Normally by the time Henry gets to his vacation every year, he’s pretty ready for it. Since it comes right after a long travel period, he usually seems to like having a bit of time to himself, without too much human attention. I don’t blame him. I’m usually ready for a bit of a break after that, too. I get to read more, spend a little more time at home (I mean, ok, I go to the barn like 5 days a week instead of 6-7), and focus a bit more on doing things with Presto. It’s a nice mental recboot for both of us before Henry and I start gearing back up for the fall season.

This year, though, Henry has been a little different. He came back from Coconino feeling so fresh that it’s kinda like he never spent 36 hours in a trailer and ran a Prelim in between. The night he got home he was tearing around the turnout, bucking and playing with the other horses (generally NOT his thing), and he’s been doing the same pretty much every night since. On our hacks he’s been much more perky and forward, and the other morning he was so wild that I had to canter him for 10 minutes just to get the crazies out.

He’s also been gravely offended every time I focus on Presto. He stares at me accusingly across the barn aisle when I’m in Presto’s stall, and watches me as I piddle around the barn. He’s not a particularly human-centric horse, so that’s a little bit odd for him. And so far this week, every time I’ve ridden him back up to the barn, he’s walked right past where I usually stop and dismount, wanting to keep going. Even during feeding time. How weird is THAT?

I considered taking him to a local h/j show this weekend and jumping around a couple 3’6″ classes, since our last jumping experience didn’t end particularly well. I don’t think he cares about that, but it might have been beneficial for me to just go jump around. But Texas is in the middle of a big VS outbreak, and there have been a lot of cases in our county, so I’m thinking unnecessary travel isn’t the best idea at moment. It also doesn’t help boarding at the vet’s house, where you hear about all the new cases long before they’re actually confirmed and released publicly. It’s spreading like crazy at the moment, and not very far from us either. Please stay away, infected flies and mosquitoes. I’m covering my horses in ridiculous amounts of fly spray, but there’s not much else I can do aside from laying low. So – no jumper show. Which is too bad, because I think Henry would actually like to go.

So instead, I’ve just kind of been… not resting him as much as I usually would. I don’t know if he just feels really good right now, or if those few weeks off in May/June were enough vacation for him. The heat finally broke, too, it’s only been 90 degrees this week and it feels AMAZING, so that might be part of it. He just doesn’t seem like he wants much of a break. I’m still keeping his schedule a lot lighter than normal, but we’re cantering more, and I’ve thrown in some bareback dressage rides.

Normally this is such a good time of year to dial back, with the heat, hard ground, and the lack of shows. Well, except for that one BIG show, but I’ve had little to no desire to go to that since they moved it to the end of August. That sounds absolutely miserable for the heat-and-humidity-intolerant Henry, especially considering it would cost me more than 2 weeks at Coconino did.

So instead I’ll just cheer on my barnmates from afar. I am a little jealous about the KHP aspect of it though, I would really like to run around the cross country there someday. Just… not in August. Yuck. Hard pass.

Henry also needs a cracked molar removed, which will force him into a (hopefully) short vacation whether he likes it or not. I’m not particularly excited about that but it needs to be done before it turns into a problem. The appointment is on the books, and I’m not looking forward to it.

In the meantime I’m just kind of piddling around, and sort of trying to figure out a fall schedule that makes sense. Picking shows has given me some crippling indecision, and I’ve made zero progress. The season will start when I’m in Europe for Burghley, and by the time I get home, it’ll be in full swing. My budget will limit me to 2 shows, so that makes it extra complicated. Thus, like a mature and responsible adult human, I’m choosing to ignore all of that completely and procrastinate on making any kind of plan. Because why not?

If you want to show in Texas, you learn pretty quickly how to deal with long trailer rides. It’s 2 hours each way just to get to a lesson, 2-6 hours each way for a recognized event, and then of course if you want to show out of state, you have to drive between 6 and 10 hours in any direction just to cross the state line. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the shows in our area, which are great, but we’ve only got 4 venues in the entire giant state of Texas that put on events. Sometimes you just find yourself needing a change of scenery.

Our summer pilgrimages have become a bit of a thing by now. I don’t think anyone will ever succeed in talking me into going to Chatt in July ever again, but Coconino hasn’t let me down yet. It’s fun, it’s pretty, and the weather is amazing.

Of course, to get anywhere worth going, especially in the summer, we’ve got to drive at least 14 hours.

The hardest part of these long trips is getting the horses there in the best possible condition, feeling good and ready to show. This year’s trip is the first time that I felt like I’ve finally really and truly dialed in the best way for Henry to travel long distances like this. Before I dive into what we did this time, what’s worked for me, and what hasn’t worked for me, I have to put up a big disclaimer: every horse is different. What works for some doesn’t work for others. Some like riding a certain way, some need special care, some get more stressed than others.

Here are the main points I’ve learned when it comes to me and my horse:

Start gut support several days in advance. Because nobody needs ulcers, and travel is just about the biggest stressor there is for a horse. I’ve done omeprazole paste in the past, but this time I tried the ranitidine powder that my vet has compounded. We started it before we left and he stayed on it for the entire trip, it was easy to administer, and it seemed to work great.

Break up the trip. We did this our first time going to Coconino too, because 16 hours (which really ends up being 17+ with a trailer and gas stops) driving straight through is awful. I know because that’s what we did coming back from Chatt last year, and I will never ever ever do it again. My horse was miserable and so was I, both mentally and physically. Somewhere around 8-9 hours per day is the point at which we both seem ready to be done driving.

Take the weather into account. Most of the drive to Coco was HOT. The trailer has good ventilation and fans (Henry finds those to be vital in the summer), but still… roasting them all day isn’t ideal. Both mornings we left at the crack of dawn so that we could get most of the driving out of the way before the hottest part of the day.

Keep them moving. Some people like to stop every 4 or so hours and walk the horses around for a while, but that’s not always possible or safe, especially with young horses and remote highways. Since that wasn’t an option, we took advantage of arriving at our layover location early, let the boys settle in for a few hours, then got on to take them for a long walk. They got to stretch, clear their lungs and noses, and get everything circulating again. It really seemed to help, Henry arrived feeling REALLY good in his body.

Control the dust. Maybe I’m hyper-sensitive about this after spending years traveling with Halo, who was very prone to pneumonia, but I always soak the hay and wet the bedding to keep the dust down in the trailer. Shipping fever is one of the bigger risks with a long haul, so the more you can do to keep their airways clear, the better. If you can, pick the poop out of the trailer at your stops, and check to make sure the horses are getting good ventilation. Another big part of it is making sure that they’re able to lower their heads enough to clear their airways as needed.

Know your horse’s preferences for comfort. I learned last year that my horse does not haul very well over long distances in a slant load. He was incredibly sore on his bracing leg for days after we got home. Some horses are the opposite and prefer to lean their bodies against a slant wall. You might not have an option, but knowing how your horse rides in that particular trailer will help you tailor the trip accordingly.

Be prepared. This includes everything from making sure your truck and trailer maintenance is up to date, to having spare tires, to carrying a first aid kit, to ensuring that you have the correct paperwork for travel. If you’re worried about truck or trailer problems, a USRider membership might not be a bad idea either. On this trip, for the first time ever for me, we got stopped in New Mexico and asked to show our horses’ health paperwork. Make sure you keep your coggins and health certificate on hand. I had forgotten to print hard copies and had to pull mine up on my phone, which was fine, but hard copies are easier.

Make a plan. In addition to finding a good layover facility, it’s not a bad idea to figure out if there’s a feed store near your destination(s) that carries the same feed and type of hay that you typically use, as well as basic supplies. You don’t want to change anything with your horse’s diet while you’re traveling, but if you can get the same feed there, sometimes it’s a lot easier to just buy it upon arrival rather than haul weeks worth of stuff along with you.

Provide plenty of water. I always pack water from home, since the horses are more likely to drink water that smells and tastes familiar to them. In the past we’ve offered water at stops (and Henry almost never drank), but this time we tried something a little different and hung buckets from the center dividers and kept them about 1/2 to 3/4 full. They didn’t slosh, and the horses actually DRANK! The last day especially, when we were getting into the hotter areas, both horses drank a full bucket during the drive. If you have a horse that is a particularly bad drinker you can add water to their regular grain ration to help get a little bit more hydration.

Use each stop to assess, and make changes as need. Every time we stopped for gas I opened the escape doors, checked each horse for injuries, made sure they weren’t too hot, gave them both a cookie, checked water, etc. The stops are a good time to see how the horses are traveling, see how the ventilation is, and open more doors/windows if needed. If you have trailer cameras (my favorite invention ever and worth every penny) it’s pretty easy to keep an eye on all of those things constantly, but if you don’t, the stops are really important and your best opportunity to get ahead of any potential trouble.

Really though, I think the most important thing is knowing your horse. Know how they prefer to ride, know what they might need help with, and be ready to provide them with extra support if needed. With the right kind of management and good plan, it’s entirely possible to make long trips without putting a lot of stress or wear and tear on your horse. This trip Henry traveled the best he ever has, and arrived each day feeling super fresh, happy, and loose.

I’m sure there’s more I forgot to mention here, but these are the main takeaways I had, anyway. Making such a long trip can be really daunting, but with a little bit of thought, preparation, and good management, it can go just fine.

What are your favorite tips and tricks for hauling long distances? Or, if you haven’t made one before, what are your biggest concerns and hesitations?