London 2012

I've been filling out my passport renewal forms in anticipation for a big trip to India next year. This trip has been in the works since I was in college and I am going with my old professor/mentor. He just got back from his 7th or 8th trip there. He sent me inspiring emails while he was away saying things like "India is calling".  I can hardly believe that this time next year I will be writing about my experiences there.  As a way to follow through on my goal of going there, I stopped cutting my hair about a year ago...I will cut it on the banks of the Ganges (and bring it home to donate). I decided to forgo any other travel plans until I make this trip happen, but I do have a little trip planned afterward.

The 2012 Olympics!

With a sister living in London and a brother in Holland, it will make acquiring tickets relatively painless (the process is INTENSE). I'll have a place to stay when I go over and my Dad has already offered to fly me over to Ireland to visit him after the games. Being that I am the only horse lover in the family, convincing anyone else to join me at the 3 Day Event will be tough -- I don't actually mind though. I am completely happy doing my own thing. I just hope that we can all agree on a few events around the same time so we get to enjoy the Games together in some format. They're only selling 12,000 tickets to the cross country day and knowing what a HUGE following eventing has in Britain makes each and every one of those tickets very special. Basically, to get a ticket for any of the events there is an application process...UK residents getting first chance at any available tickets. I sent my brother information on the dates and events I want to go to with priority on the cross country day. When you send in your application you basically state which events you want to go to in order of most desirable...it's not guaranteed that you will get the one you really want. You are notified within a month or two about which tickets you got. I can't even imagine the organization and management a process like this takes.

So fingers crossed that my brother can make this happen!

100th Post -- and time to reflect

It's nearly a year to the day that I started this blog. Actually it's been 368 days. It seems a bit surreal. For one thing, I have never, ever, ever been able to keep up with a journal. Generally, I think they jinx my life so at the first sign of detriment I stop...evident by a stack of half-started paper journals under my bed and a handful of blogs under construction. Truthfully, I never thought I would keep up with it outside of my superstitions. I get distracted easily, involving myself in various projects to fill as much of my spare time as possible. But, over the last year, I started to feel a real sense of accomplishment from writing here, collecting friends and readers along the way, and discovering something truly satisfying about the ability to look back the last year chronicled. While I know my writing skills are sub par (the result of too much art school), I feel like what I type here comes from the heart, and I consider this space quite sacred. I've found myself touched and inspired by your blogs and that alone keeps me coming back, painstakingly typing out my thoughts and feelings.

St. Patrick's Day

"Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy." William Butler Yeats

New book entitled...Prince of Wales OR Get Off My Damn Leg!

Though I have rarely worn spurs throughout years and years of riding, I am a strong believer in backing up aids, either with a whip or spurs and preferably being equipped during times of frustration...having to get off to fetch said backup can be downright frustrating and counter-productive. Anytime I've hacked out without a stick I have ALWAYS regretted it, as the predictability of a trail ride is like trying to see into the future and I wind up having to yank a branch off a tree to reaffirm my position. I'm not against either when used correctly, ie. The Persuasion Stick (sometimes horses just need ahem, encouragement -- or perhaps, a reality check) and certainly spurs hold a special place. That special place is allowing your leg to be effective without exhaustion. Particularly on a horse that has gotten a bit "dead" to leg in general. I have seen photos of Kazi ridden with a dressage whip, but I have also heard stories of him been rough handled at the track and based on how I've seen him spazz when he feel trapped, I'm going to stick to spurs for now (I've also seen him ridden in spurs and he does really well). Looking at some photos of me riding him last weekend I noticed that my leg was in this intense position trying to get him aware of it. If he was a horse I knew a little better I would probably get on and if I got no response he'd get a swift smack behind my leg -- generally that's all it takes some horses to humbly respect your leg. Sheesh, this paragraph makes me sound like a bully. I'm really not. I'd like to think that the best system is to teach the horse to respond to the lightest of aids. I've seen Kazi be ridden (and ridden him myself) enough to know he's ignoring us a little. I think some of it has to do with fitness, but also, I think he's smart and he's looking for ways to evade the tough work. One thing I know for sure, is that no matter how out of shape I might feel, my inside right thigh should not be burning every time I get off!

A request

Now that I am nearing my 100th post, it would be super nice if you are a curious reader of mine, that you might officially "follow me". I took a quick look at my stats today and was quite astounded at the depth and breadth of my readers (and lurkers)!

So follow me! And, if I am not already following you get after me!

one of my favorite sites

I have been obsessed with this site for years, both as a cynic and as a photographer:

www.asofterworld.com

This set of images comes from there and made me think about how us horse people justify riding these 1000lb+ beasts.

hehehe.

finally, a few moments to play catch up!

Work and life have been busy and productive so I've been completely slacking with the journal entries! Not to worry, I HAVE been making time to read everyone else's blogs, it's only been my own that has suffered.

Kazi says "pbbbbbttttt"

In the last few weeks, I have gotten to ride Kazi two more times. The second ride was awesome and ultimately determined whether or not I would lease him (I am). He was really responsive to me (still a bit stiff and not forward enough) but after we warmed up he loosened up quite a bit. Although he's outside all day, his turnout is rather small and certainly not big enough for him to really stretch his legs or back (more on this later). The beau came to meet him for test ride #2 and he was instantly impressed with Kazi's personality. Yay! I really wanted to see how his brain worked so I asked quite a bit of him on that ride. We worked on LOTS of lateral stuff and he was super cute trying to figure things out. His groundwork training really helps with this and you can almost see him translating the Parelli work to stuff under saddle. I'd ask for a turn on the haunches and he'd look at me with a big question mark and then I would make his body move and a little light bulb moment would happen and he'd say, "Oh, THIS...ha, I know how to do this". Each movement became easier and easier as he figured out what I was asking of him. By the end of our ride he was chewing and happy and had created tons of foam! D said that she hadn't seen him like since his trainer rode him last year! Hooray! He was rewarded for a great ride by some hand grazing on the fresh spring grass that is poking up around the arena.

I went to see him last Saturday and the girl who trained him post-track was there too. It was awesome to see her ride him because she didn't let him off the hook for one second. He's completely the kind of horse that needs to be pushed through the sillies. He looks to his rider for security and without it he freaks a little. He was especially goofy on Saturday. He was leaping around the arena, spooking at things he's seen a million times and just being a baby. He would get all bunched up at the scary end of the arena and then spook at something. He was being particularly sticky about moving forward and after she hopped on him and put him through his paces he was much better. I realized that using a small set of spurs will help tremendously (she was riding in some). At this point in his fitness he requires SO much leg that you become exhausted riding him. I really want to improve his willingness to move forward, and then forward into contact. He'll take up contact, but it's not always correct. Unfortunately his owner has been taught some incorrect things, and I don't want to offend her or rub her the wrong way, but I'm not going to ride him that way. For example, she told me to drop my hands low and wide by my thighs and see-saw him into a frame -- it makes me cringe. To be perfectly honest, I'd rather him trotting around in a lowish frame moving out before I ever ask for contact. I want him moving off my inside leg into my outside rein (which right now he seems to ignore outside aids). I pride myself on having light and quiet hands and that's not going to change. Hopefully, getting to ride him by myself will help and I found myself a bit frustrated Saturday with the tips I was getting. I also ordered a new set of spurs which should be arriving in the next day or two. I want to be able to focus on getting him forward without having to use every inch of my body to balance him. I also don't want him to get dull to leg aids. Right now I feel as though I am just nagging him with my leg. The other thing to note is that I got on him without doing any ground work first. Granted I have only ridden him 3 times, but my test ride was in 50 mph winds and he wasn't nearly as silly as he was last Saturday. I think it helps get his brain in the right place and puts him into work-mode a little easier. I also got a super nice compliment from his owner Saturday when she said watching me ride him the week prior made her feel very jealous (not in a bad way mind you).

vrrroooommmm!

After everyone rode him we free lunged him in the arena. I really wanted to see him move out and I figured it would be good for his body and brain. It was just incredible to see him run around, holy hell can he run!

Kazi says "Go fast, turn left!"

Here are a few photos of him from the track borrowed from his owner's facebook page:

win photo!

*so sad he can't jump, he's got a beautiful hind end

Hopefully, I can get out there this weekend and have another ride on him. Last week it was so warm I rode in a t-shirt. This Saturday it should be close to 60 so I can't wait! I'll try to get some photos or video of the two of us this time.

Let the journey begin.