Traveling for horse shows is not a new thing for me.  Growing up doing h/j shows, and now eventing, in a place where the closest shows are 2-4 hours… traveling becomes normal. Week-long h/j shows, those are pretty simple. Lots of supplies but not much tack and equipment. Weekend-long events, also pretty simple. Lots of tack and equipment, not a lot of supplies. But two weeks of eventing and 4 solid days of travel for Coconino? Sweet Jesus, the amount of crap we need is overwhelming. Add the complication that we have to fit it all into a 2 horse Brenderup and my regular size truck… I’m still not really sure how that’s going to work.

I’ve been keeping (and regularly adding to) a list of all the things we need to take with us. Priority one is hay, because in Arizona you can’t get the type of hay our horses eat, and I’m not changing their hay on a long trip like that. So, we shall load up the truck bed and stack that shit sky high.

Aside from just figuring out what to pack and how, we have a lot of other stuff to get ready too. The truck and trailer need to get serviced and checked out before their 2,000+ mile round trip journey. We need health certificates to cross state lines and booster vax for our USEF paperwork. Our layover and pit stop destinations had to be checked out and planned (done!). The horses need to start on electrolytes and an immune booster, because Bobby and I are both paranoid and it’ll be hot. I already located a feed store in Flagstaff where we can buy Triple Crown in case we don’t have room to take enough with us, plus a laundromat to wash clothes in between weeks, a place where we can shower if our Plan A doesn’t pan out, and the closest grocery store and Walmart to the show grounds. I’ve stalked the hell out of Flagstaff via Google Maps.

Aside from all that logistical crap, we also have new tests to learn (Training B for Bobby, the N3D test for me. By the way we both hate our new tests. There will be much whining on the way to Arizona.) and extra stuff to acquire. I was down to just one pair of white breeches so I got two more (the really nice Winstons for when I want to look legit and a cheap, fun pair for when I need my butt to be inspirational)

plus I had to get jog outfits. I’ve figured out that jog outfits, which I was originally excited about, sound much more fun in theory than they are in execution. I still haven’t decided exactly what I’m going to wear but I have several options, so that’s what matters. I’ll figure out the rest later. I also got my awesome new custom belt from Boy-O-Boy Bridleworks in my colors that I’m more than a little obsessed with.

 

And – my Winston coat that I ordered a couple months ago has arrived from Belgium! I can’t wait to have it in my hands.

I didn’t really like using Henry’s navy and yellow bonnet for dressage (nothing says LOOK AT ME BEING UNSTEADY IN THE CONTACT like a bright yellow line across a horse’s forehead) but Henry is too fussy about his precious ears to go bonnetless at a summer show, so I got a monotone one – navy with navy beads – from If The Bonnet Fits. A little bit of sparkle but mostly very subdued, for a more elegant dressage look.

I also got an awesome box of stuff from Riding Warehouse with poultice, hoof pack, some Licky Things, a jacket, and some ice boots, PLUS a box of stuff from Teddy’s Tack Trunk with liniment, more of my favorite fungus spray, a couple more brushes, etc. I needed all of these things for our trip, so now I think we’re fully stocked on pretty much everything but fly spray.

The last thing I really wanted before we embarked on our journey was a custom helmet cover for my skull cap but I’m out of budget money for non-essentials now, so that won’t be happening. Gotta just suffer through with the plain navy one that doesn’t have a stitch of yellow on it. Sad story, I know.

I still have a few more odds and ends to pick up for Henry (Red Cell paste, Flair strips, etc), but otherwise I think we’re all set. Now if anyone needs me I’ll be playing a really fun game of How The Hell Do We Fit All This Crap In Our Tiny Amount of Space. Because I really don’t know. Anyone want to volunteer to rent and drive a U-Haul?

 

 

I think most of us have probably had THAT boyfriend or family member. You know, the one who insists they want to come see you horse show, but spends the whole time complaining. They’re hot, they’re cold, they’re bored, you aren’t paying enough attention to them, it smells, it’s dusty, they’re hungry, when are you going to be finished? After one or two shows of babysitting THAT person, you never want anyone you love to come watch you compete ever again.

I’ve had one of those. I’m not sure that I’ve ever wanted to murder someone more than I did that particular week, and the scars are forever on my psyche. Now when someone says they want to come watch me show, my immediate reaction is something like this:

It doesn’t matter how much you love someone or how great of a person you think they are, you just never know what they’re going to be like at a horse show. Let’s be clear – I show for myself. It’s fun for me, I have my own little social scene, and I don’t have to worry about anyone else or what they want/need. It’s a nice, albeit expensive, reprieve from the responsibilities of my “real life”. So if you march up in there and need to be babysat or ruin my otherwise good time with your whining and neediness, I just can’t do it. I’d rather you support me from afar with a few facebook likes and a really nice present on my birthday (hey, a girl can dream).

When my dad, uncle, and grandma said they wanted to come to Holly Hill, my first thought was “Oh god”. Nothing against them at all, that’s just my knee jerk reaction to anyone wanting to come to a show. My uncle is a character, he’s entertaining but you never quite know what he’s going to do. I was worried about the mud and substantial amount of walking for my grandma. My dad… he’s the most patient, sensible person I’ve ever known, so I had hope for him. Still, there was trepidation. That’s a lot of people.

Turns out, though.. they were model citizens. By far the best “horse show spectators” I’ve ever had show up to watch me compete. They would arrive right around the time I was getting on (standing far enough back to not be in the way, but close enough to hand me things I needed), bringing food and drinks with them. That’s really nice, because I don’t ever remember to eat or drink appropriately at shows. Then they found their way down to wherever I was riding, stayed well out of anyone’s way, stayed quiet, and met me back at the stalls when we were done.

They didn’t need to chat a lot, and they didn’t complain. Even when they accompanied me on the course walk they didn’t whine about the rapid pace, the crazy humidity, or the constant rambling to myself. And then, after I was done riding, they left! They didn’t want me to entertain them, they didn’t complain about the fact that I couldn’t come spend time doing other stuff with them. They just smiled, said good job, and went on their way. That right there is how it’s done. Best horse show spectators EVER.

I see a lot of bloggers who have boyfriends or parents tagging along with them to horse shows though… how does that work for y’all? Are they all just really well-behaved or are you somehow able to keep zen long enough to not kill them?

 

Opening date for Coconino! Well technically the 3Day opened last Tuesday, but I was waiting for week 1 to open so I could send both entries together. Now we begin the really fun period between Opening Date and the show itself where every lump, bump, cut, scratch, and bite are legitimate reasons to panic. Still waiting for someone to invent a bubble wrap horse suit.

All kidding (and neuroses) aside, I’m pretty excited. Granted, it’s been raining a ton, our riding and turnout schedules have been all over the map, and there are more monsoons on the way, BUT we’ll be ready. We’ve been planning this for months and it feels like we’re finally in the home stretch. Most of the planning so far has been fun but now that we’re only 6 weeks out from departure, the more there is to do, so it’s starting to feel like crunch time. Making a 16 hour drive each way to spend two weeks eventing is no small task and there seems to be no end to the list of things we need to buy or do or remember to pack. That’s a whole ‘nother post in and of itself though. Maybe tomorrow.

But today – today is kinda fun. I’ve wanted to do a 3Day for basically ever, so this will be a cool thing to check off my bucket list. And filling out the entry for Henry’s first Training was a little bit of a milestone moment. I’m 5% sad that I won’t be the one in the irons, just for sentimental reasons, but I’m 100% sure that having a pro up there is going to be the best thing for him. He’s ready, and I’m feeling really confident that he’ll do great and learn a lot. Plus it’ll be fun to just play Owner for once – all of the fun, none of the pressure!

So there go all those pieces of paper (seriously, so many) and all the checks and all my money. Yay, I’m poor again. But if the secret to happiness is spending money on experiences, not things, July should be a pretty damn happy month.

Yep, I did it. I cheated on Henry.

I used to ride lots of different horses all the time, but since I’ve had him I’ve probably only sat on 3-4 other horses. Our barn is small, everyone rides their own horse, so there’s not a lot of opportunity to throw a leg over something else. But this past weekend Bobby was going out of town and he asked if I’d hack Halo around while he was gone. Ride your big fancy national champion event horse? I mean, I guess.

Saturday was the first day the horses have been able to go out in forever, since it won’t stop raining and the mud is ridiculous. When I got to the barn the first order of business was figuring out who was muddiest. Henry won that particular contest by a landslide, so I brought him in first to hose him off (there is no currying that mud off) then tossed him in his stall to dry while I rode Halo. This is the accusatory stare I got from Henry the entire time I was messing with Halo:

Bonus of riding Halo, I also got to try Bobby’s super fancy custom saddle. It definitely felt different from my CWD, but not necessarily in a bad way. It’s a nice saddle with good balance.

Halo was not exactly super pumped about w/t/c in the ring, but he was polite and indulged me without complaint. He feels like riding a Cadillac, whereas Henry is more like a Ferrari. Halo is a big long horse with a big long stride (pretty sure his canter step is approximately 25′ long) and good suspension in his trot. He requires and prefers a lot of support with leg and hand to keep him together. He’s very obedient, but he’s more of a “pounds and inches” kind of horse whereas Henry is an “ounces and millimeters” kind of horse. Henry is very sensitive, much more compact, and most of our warmup is spent trying to get him to come into my hand at all. Very very different horses for sure.

It was nice to be sitting on a different horse again though, since it’s been a while. Halo is quite the gentleman, which I have to assume is a natural quality since he sure as hell didn’t get it from Bobby.

 

I hadn’t been to the Luxe EQ mobile in a while – so long, in fact, that they’ve gotten a bigger trailer and lots of new inventory. I decided it was time to remedy that (plus I really wanted to look for some new white breeches) so last Saturday I loaded up the best road trip corgi ever and made the drive to the h/j show at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center.

Our timing was pretty spot on; we arrived right as they were opening the new arrival of Snaks 5th Avenchew. There were some stray crumbs and bits in the bottom that Quinn was more than happy to help clean up.

The treats are really cute though, they’d make great gifts or a fun splurge item at shows. I came home with the Pony Pop-Tarts for Henry (which you saw him devouring in yesterday’s post) because how could I not?

First I poked around everything outside… the Asmar, the Le Fash, the Tucci, the EIS, and some sale stuff. There were no navy Le Fash left in my size, thank goodness, otherwise it probably would have come home with me since I was already feeling weak. I’m pretty sure there’s some kind of high tech gadget inside the trailer itself that emits a resolve-killing pulse wave or something. Every time I get close my debit card sprouts legs and starts climbing out of my wallet. I think I’m overwhelmed by having so many nice things in one place.

I made it through the whole outside display without touching anyth- no, wait… the treats. Crap. Scratch that. But anyway, once we were done perusing all the stuff outside, we wandered inside (also known as The Danger Zone). As soon as you walk in you’re not really sure where to look first, because you pass through the portal (er, door) into a sea of helmets, belts, boots, and bonnets. I love all those things.

The Kasks are new, and I haven’t seen any in person before. They have some really cool features including a magnetized sliding clasp and lots of customization and fit options. Definitely awesome helmets. I’m 100% married to my navy and yellow Samshield, but the Kasks have some features I haven’t seen from anyone else and that makes them interesting.

I’ve reviewed the Majyk boots on here already – Luxe EQ has a few different models, including the brown leather ones that everyone seems to be asking for.

Then there are the belts. TS, Brian Toohey, CS Simko, Manfredi, Asmar, etc etc. If you need a belt, of basically any size or color or material, this is the place for you. Good lord the belts.

Once you manage to pry your eyes away from the belts, there’s a nice selection of gloves (including a couple Roeckl models I haven’t seen anywhere), socks, and stock ties.

Then just beyond that are the hats and visors. Since we have two seasons – summer and monsoon.

Below the visors is a little rack with a new brand called Dada Sport. I really liked all the details on all their stuff – nothing ostentatious, still looked really clean and elegant, but had just a little something extra to set it apart.

Across from the visors are little things like earrings, stock ties, some really cute placemats and towels, etc. See the thing along the back wall that looks like a purse? THAT’S A COOLER!!! YOU CAN KEEP YOUR BOOZE COLD WITH IT. Or water, I guess, if you’re into that. I’m really not sure why I didn’t buy one, I think I got distracted by the breeches and forgot. They were really reasonably priced too, therefore a life necessity.

In case you’re wondering, this is what Quinn was doing the entire time up to this point

As you go further back you hit the breeches, sweaters, shirts, and coats – the really fun stuff. By the way, Animo does custom coats now. Good luck forgetting that. So many colors.

I couldn’t even get pictures of everything, but there are more bins and racks hiding a mountain of breeches and shirts in different colors and sizes. Lots of Cavalleria Toscana too, which I LOVE but somehow neglected to take any pictures of.

And then finally at the back of the trailer – the giant stack o’ Tucci

and the wall of Winston coats.

But the real question is – what did I come home with? When I mentioned that I needed another pair of whites, Megan (the owner and a long time friend of mine), immediately started digging and pulled out lots of different options for me. I tried on several pair (a couple different weights of Animo, some Anna Scarpati, some Mastermind, and some Winston) and of course the ones that fit me perfectly and looked the best were the Winston. As soon as my coat arrives I will officially be head-to-toe Winston, since I already have their Vienna shirt too. And a sweater. Although I don’t have the Winston socks or hat…. yet.

I also tried on the burgundy RJ Classics Gulf breeches and was really pleasantly surprised by them. I wasn’t expecting to like them that much but so far I LOVE them! I think I’ll have to go back and get more colors, especially the green once it comes out. They might possibly be my new favorite schooling breeches. I’ll review them once I wear and wash them more, because so far they seem like a really good value.

As usual I was not disappointed with my journey. I probably didn’t even cover half of what’s in there… it feels a little bit like my version of Disneyland. You’re pretty much always guaranteed lots of cool new stuff to look at and try on, and there’s nothing like being able to see and feel things in person. Especially white breeches.

Luxe EQ usually makes the rounds on the Texas h/j circuit, but since we pretty much stop showing in the summer the mobile will be traveling all over the country. If you’re in any of these areas I definitely recommend you drop in and see (and try on, which inevitably leads to buying, so bring your wallet) all the cool stuff!

Brownland Farm (Franklin, TN)      May 25 – June 5

Lamplight (Wayne, IL)      June 7-26

Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (Williamsburg, MI)      July 6-24

Kentucky Summer Classic (Lexington, KY)      July 27-August 29