[~*~anebel~*~]

I've decided to start a journal because I have a month off school and am excruciatingly bored. It will probably get updated very infrequently, lol. Just basically a trials and tribulations of my journey into the unknown international dressage scene...

Meeting Robert Dover was a huge leap for me. Yes, he has a bit of a "rep" in some circles, but he is a very nice man and very passionate about his work. You know you're doing well when you have haters I guess.
He really encouraged me to get on with my training and just get to Prix St. Georges, which I'm sure my horse can do and I've schooled it, but learning how to train a horse there is a completely different story. I miss the old schoolmasters I used to ride, and now I think I've just begun to appreciate them!!
Although the clinic was not sponsored by our national organization - they sure as heck knew about it! We got a phone call not even a week after from someone sitting on the dressage board asking how my rides went, and just relaying some information on what Dover had said. Really really excellent/positive on all fronts!!!
Another one of Dover's plans is to get the Developing Horse program going up here AND the Developing Rider program too. So sweet!! I'm missing Young Riders by one year with this horse, but it looks like I may have a year at PSG/Developing Horse and then a few years of YR Grand Prix and Developing Grand Prix. He's also planning on instating the "Dynasty Dup", much like the "Brentina Cup" in the US.
Also, just got our LA/PSO newsletter. Apparently my dad's name is "Bob" and I now have a male name. Sweet, way to give recognition to your volunteers. I wish new letter editors would PROOFREAD things. Almost fired off an email about that one and then remembered how easy it is to set fire to bridges, especially the rickety straw ones that we have with acquaintances.
Speaking of burning bridges, the drama llama has been in town lately!!! One side doesn't know half the story yet, so I won't post about it. Plus I don't like airing other people's laundry... But the gist of it is that there are some people not on speaking terms so.. I get to groom horses instead of clean stalls for work this month - woot!
I'm getting pumped to get back to my horse on Monday! He's 3 hours away at my coach's right now... He was there for a clinic and then there was a blizzard and no one wanted to pull a trailer, so lucky pony got trainer rides for Christmas! And now he has to put up with me again... It still doesn't diminish the goal set at the Dover clinic - 4th level in 4 weeks!

Wish me luck!

 

[MIEventer]

I never read "Member Journals" I always mark this section as read and just move on - but when I saw yours, I had to chime in.

I think that is wonderful Anebel! Be proud of your accomplishments, and don't let anyone waver your dreams or goals.

I have a friend, who is in her early 20's who never gave up - and now, she's riding CIC*** and CCI*** and just got scouted by Bruce Davidson - she works hard, rides hard and don't give up. If she can accomplish so much, so can you.

You aren't in this sport for anyone at all, but yourself - so don't worry about the straw bridges, just keep striving!

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

Thanks MI!!

 

[Skyhuntress]

well i think you and rowan will definitely make it

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

Awwe thanks hun!

I got offered a permanent job at the barn today - sweet. Also found out a certain PSG rider is very interested in training with my coach. Like, trailer for 4 hours both ways for two lessons interested. So that would be awesome as she is one of the sweetest/loyal people ever. It's going to be so cool for her getting to GP. And I'm also hoping that we can get in a bit of a rhythm and start riding together more, especially now that I work at her barn!
Rode Porky today in lieu of not having my own horse. Geh his problems are like the opposite of my horse!! SO not used to sitting on a large, tense, piaffe machine!! Canter-Walk transitions always have at least one step of passage and it drives me nuts. But oh well. It was good to ride! My hips hurt!!
I'm excited to ride on Tuesday!!! I'm hoping that Mr. Rowan has improved his attitude during the flying changes, and that we can do them with slightly less ***-in-the-air... Just a nice, level change is all I want! (and then 5 in a row, every four strides...)
ANDDDD I found the boots I want. Konig Patent Grandgester Boots
Konig Grandgester PATENT (!!) boots. I love shiny boots, but hate making them that way. Patent leather FTW!
I won't be getting them for a while, because they are about $1250 on that site, and getting them in NA I would imagine would cost $1500 ish... So I'm going to make nice with the tack store people and count my pennies!! Maybe that's my present for next year And a tailcoat too? That's only an extra $600... Lol.

Dressage is an expensive sport, GET USED TO IT!

 

[MIEventer]

Wholly shiney boots! *puts on sun glasses*

I am not much onto the shine, I like the subtle matt looking leather, but whatever snaps your panties!

Congratulations on the job offer! What a phenominal opportunity that will open so many doors for you in the future!

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

First day at my coach's!
My horse now does his changes clean 35% of the time as opposed to never and he is about 3 feet shorter horizontally than when I sent him down there. Yes!!
I can't ride my way out of a wet paper bag though
And as it turns out I am now the "little elf" for my coach and her upper level students. I'm so glad I brought the truck because tomorrow I'm going to UFA to pick up a lot of stuff! It's cool that I am basically grooming horses worth in total more than my house... And no one yelled at me today!!
My back is killing me though.

 

[MIEventer]

I can't ride my way out of a wet paper bag though

BWWAA HA HA HA HA HA HA! We'll have to start a club!!! You'll have to start watching the weather like I do, to make sure that we ride only on dry paper bag days.

 

[paintsrule]

Dry and wet paper bag??

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

Blerg.. piece of advice do not drink a bottle of wine on work nights!!!
I'm so glad my coach's GP horse and I have an agreement that he no longer tries to kill me! Otherwise he may have succeeded today...
Haha.
So I finally got to warm up my horse in a lesson! I didn't do a half bad job either, but man was I tired after a full 45 minutes of riding in a lesson (which tells me that I'm not riding properly otherwise... lol). We worked on a lot of stuff!! The short steps are coming, they aren't quite half steps but he is staying more active which is nice, it helps our collected trot. Medium trot is still impossible to sit and look decent, but I can get a few half halts in now lol. We have a canter pirouette! To the left. The right is sketchy still, but I think I could pull off a half pirouette in both directions in a test and not get a 4, woot!
Changes are a different story.. Apparently I can't ride a straight line in the canter lol. So I'm still not allowed to touch them. Yesterday was the first day that he did 10-12 without bucking/running off in a single one!
I need my 3rd/4th by the end of March. So hopefully I can keep my act together after my coach leaves for Florida in *gulp* 8 days!

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

*headdesk*
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
Gah I am so frustrated right now!!!! WHY ARE THERE NO CLINICIANS EVER.
Except for ones that I don't like!!
Cindy Ishoy is declared, and pce'd the heck out of here and now Joni Lynn Peters is busy until THE END OF MAY.
*headdesk*
Well I guess this means I'm applying to ride in the demo clinic for something stupid like $700 to ride with Jan Ebeling in April.
So I now need to be ready to put together a third level test by the middle of March with no lessons.
*headdesk*
And then start showing in May with 4 lessons in 4 months. Lets see the last time I tried that.. oh yeah my bloody horse started stopping. Oh yeah and the jackass has started it again! I am so ready to just give up and sell the horse and go buy another young one. I <3 young horses, they don't do stupid things for no reason.
:'( I want my coach to come back. I Skyped her yesterday and she's so excited for her horse to get to Florida! She won't be able to come back until March, at least. Her CDI schedule is so busy.

Now auditioning for a clinician! Preferably have represented North America or Europe internationally and teach classical dressage!
Any ideas?

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

Bringing this up from the grave!
So it's the end of March and I somehow got my horse to third level (Despite concerns in my last post)
Rode in a freestyle clinic last weekend and got that all squared away (just waiting for my music to show up in the mail!).

So because everything has been going SO WELL, I decided to help little Ro out and put hind shoes on him. As my coach said "It's time." and when I asked if I should take them off after show season I got "Do you know what you're going to be doing next winter?!?!" so I took it as a no. Anyways. He got them on Monday, two days off, rode him on Wednesday and on Thursday he was just a little off. Now, my horse farts wrong and I call the vet, but when it's something to do with his legs I call the vet frantically until she picks up and promises to come out the next morning. Which she did (she is so amazing I love my vet!). So she comes out, I chuck him on the lunge and imidiately it's visible. "Left hind" she says. Hoof test it, nothing. Flex it three times, nothing. So we gave up and blocked it. It was immediately better (despite Ro's immediate "OMFG MY LEG IS GONE" reaction, which was fairly entertaining). Called the farrier who was thank God in the area and there within 10 minutes (I love my farrier too), pulled the shoe and reset it with only 5 nails, excluding the one we suspected was "close". Then I wrapped up my poor pony and left him for the night.

It just so happened that this was the first day of the Gina Smith clinic. So I missed my ride but still went out and watched, and went for dinner with Gina. Who sat beside me (I'm of course pinching myself, the woman has ridden internationally more than I've shown). Not only is she a guru, but she is seriously nice!! We had a laugh about a lot of stuff, a few bottles of wine and went home to bed.
This morning I drove out to see my poor horse who was perfectly happy in his field until I came and chucked him on a lunge only to find that he was sound!! Called the vet, she OK'd the clinic and he was whisked away to see Gina. We went in our barn's rig which consists of a truck so large you can pull a fully loaded four horse trailer with full living quarters and a full tackroom. But we only took the "small trailer" which they use for hauling mums and babies. So Ro got an air-ride box stall. Spoiled brat
We got there, unloaded, watched the stallion before him go for a bit (bred by the same farm as Rowan) and then I was up! Had a fantastic lesson despite a spooky arena and worked through all our third level. Sucks I couldn't have had two lessons but oh well, gives me a fresh perspective and things to work on!

Now for the Jan Ebeling symposium at the end of the month (which is surprisingly cheap!!) and on to show season!!

YouTube - DressageLeggy's Channel <-- My YouTube channel, I should be updating it soon!!

 

[kathryn]

I'm glad Rowan feels better now! And very cool about Gina Smith!