Eventing University was a complete success!

Joy was perfectly wonderful. We tried cross country and stadium for the first time, got some great dressage tips and hung out with some really nice people, especially the owner of Joy's new boyfriend, Baxter (she likes them tall, dark and handsome!) I am officially in love with eventing and I love being able to take my horse to new places and enjoy her.

On Sunday it was cold and windy, spitting snow in the early morning. We had Cross Country first which I was unsure about simply because I haven't done it but I decided to have a positive attitude and try my best. I shouldn't have worried! Joy was perfectly happy and we jumped a lot of great obstacles. It was a mixed group so we started out slow, the instructor Amy was super nice and encouraging. After some little logs we tried a ditch, bigger logs, a coop, a bench thingy and big jumps. We did most of the Beginner Novice jumps on the course and a few Novice ones. Most of the big stuff was around three feet tall and fairly wide and Joy was perfect. We had one refusal at the tire jump but she popped over it second try,and we jumped a lot of stuff. I need to work on keeping my shoulders back and collecting her before the jump so she has support to get over it.

Stadium was with the same instructor after a long break (I ate lunch and talked, Joy got to flirt with her new boyfriend) I haven't jumped courses in years so it was good practice for me to try and remember everything, we started over some little cross rails and progressed to a small course with one in and out and an oxer. We worked on staying balanced and relaxed with our rhythm (hard! she likes to speed) and me keeping a good position, I think if I had a jumping saddle it will help me keep the leg back but right now I just want one saddle that fits perfect, don't care what it is!

Dressage was good, there were only three of us and my friend (riding Joy's boyfriend) left after her horse came up lame :( So we worked on relaxation, rhythm  and balance.I wish I had dressage early in the day since that is a true portrait of how Joy is on a daily basis and not when she is kinda sleepy and mellow. But I still feel we got some good feed back on the areas we need to work on and I got some really nice connection with her, she looks like a totally different horse when she relaxes her neck down, We got some really nice basic exercises to work on balance and connection so that was super!.
 

Everyone was super friendly and nice, so different then the dressage show we went to last year! I got lots of nice compliments on Joy, on what a cute little jumper she is and how much personality she has. The jumping instructor was very encouraging of us sticking with the eventing and remarked on what a strong bond we have and how much Joy trusts me.

I am glad Joe didn't come with me, he would have been freezing cold and bored, not to mention worried about some of the jumps we did, I think he might like it if we played "my little pony" instead and I just brushed them a lot although he is very supportive and happy I am having fun, he just worries about me getting hurt. There was a professional photographer there so hopefully will be some good pictures soon, although I reckon I will look like a super dork in all of them.

All in all a wonderful experience and I am very happy to have gone, now I just need to get a job so we have some extra money this summer I can do more events :) The day after I was so sore, actually still am in spots, especially my inner thighs, abs and shoulders. Definitely going to keep up doing Pilates and start doing the evil that is Yoga.

The 17th is coming up awful fast.

We just got back from a nice but brief trip in the UP, it was fun and great to see my family. Returned to greener grass and six unexpected baby bunnies, Unexpected because I didn't think she held to the first mating, apparently Rosie is Super Fertile Bunny. They were born in the communal female hutch but I decided to move them inside because I didn't want someone else to step on them and one of the other girls peed in the nest, ew. So far she is settled in well and seems to be nursing, big danger is she will abandon them if she feels threatened. So far every time I walk by she is looking for more treats and babies appear to have full tummies so that is excellent.

I am really getting excited about the eventing clinic, at the same time I am nervous about how we will do but at this point I have to trust she knows her job and work on any weak points. In a perfect world we both would be more fit, her connection with the bit would be stronger and my flexibility would be greater but it is not a perfect world and I am ok with that. I still plan on doing a little more schooling but at the last minute is is stupid to over school and play catch up.

My mom had a great suggestion about work, I like training and love working with young horses. She thought I should look into learning acupuncture. I have always had an interest in alternative therapy's for horses, I believe strongly in doing what is best for the animal whether it is finding a drug that works, or holistic treatment but I don't like the "quick fix" approach and unfortunately it seems that many vets (and doctors) will prescribe a drug rather then finding out the cause, changing feed or using some type of bodywork. I would love to add in another tool to help horses be fit and happy. Might look into a vet tech program as well.

Today I have lots to do from being gone for a couple days, house needs some tidying, horses need brushing, Joy needs riding and bunny cage needs fixing. I also need to call animal control and talk to them. We had the neighbors call on our dogs because they felt their chickens were in danger, I am really upset over it since our dogs don't go out unsupervised and Emma was just running over to their fence and barking because their dog is always, always outside. Sadie is not at all aggressive toward poultry and she has been living her with us for over a year. I am really upset they didn't talk to us about it first before calling animal control. Anyway I have to get the dogs registered with the county and they have to have their Rabies shots done by a professional vet. Emma is just old enough for hers and I did Sadie's last year myself, I am disappointed the rescue didn't mention anything about getting the dogs registered, I thought you only had to do that in town and not in the country. J's family has lived here for decades and never had any dogs registered. I really dislike making those types of phone calls too, but she gave us ten days to get it sorted out and it will be done in eleven so I guess it is not going to be an argument, I just need to have a positive attitude.


Rosie says "stop looking at my babies"

The don't look like much now but will soon take over the world with their cuteness.

Things are getting interesting! If all goes well (and according to plan) Joy and I will be attending a Eventing Clinic on April 17th, I am alternately elated and freaked out. I'm also really wishing I had a instructor or coach to help me fill out the forms, I am stuck on the question "Horses Experience" I mean in general riding we have a really solid walk-trot and canter, working on submission to the bit (collection) and balance. We can put down a solid Training Level Dressage test. In the jumping in the woods over fallen trees and brush category I give us an A+. In trail riding we are really really great, and generally galloping in fields goes well. But I have never Evented and I am worried if I put down none for experience we will be stuck with the walk trot over poles ponies.

I have a vet coming out tomorrow to pull blood for the Coggins, I didn't plan on going to anything so soon in the spring so luckily found someone who can come out so soon since we will be spending four days in the UP leaving on Wednesday. Baby is eating her noms, so we won't have to eat her, she is gaining weight, I would still like to see more on her. I need to pull another fecal on her, so annoying having to worry about parasites. I guess I got spoiled with Joy being healthy but she has always gotten good care so it is not like it was an accident.

I rode Joy this evening, in the big back field. She was all go, but got some really nice canter transitions. She was impatient and is getting pully on the bit. Like wanting to stretch down into my hands, I have to work on not throwing her away but remaining consistent in my contact. Also have to keep my position consistent since she is a big tattletale, when I am balanced and soft so is she. She also makes this chomping at the bit that sounds like fap fap fap, which is hilarious.

hmmm bed time...