It's an odd thing, to choose when another life ends. It's not a feeling I care to have again any time soon. But it was a promise kept to one of the great loves of my life. It was a promise made in 2003 when she became mine. As hard as it was/is to make… Continue reading A Promise Kept
Category: thoroughbred
Napa Under Saddle
Anyone involved with horses knows that it takes a village to have any kind of success. That village includes all kinds of people including vets, farriers, trainers, saddle fitters, family and friends, and even your other horses. Some in your village may help you with your horse directly while others may help you make time/space… Continue reading Napa Under Saddle
Water: It’s Automatic
When we went to look at our farm before making an offer, one of the first things I noticed in the paddock was a Nelson automatic waterer. I could see that it wasn't working and asked the seller about it. The seller said that unfortunately, the waterer didn't work and had never worked in the… Continue reading Water: It’s Automatic
The Next Generation
FrostyJChardonay Well, I bit the bullet and bought a filly directly from the track. What? Yep. I have been thinking that is time to bring the next generation along slowly, without an agenda, while The Queen (Jewel) is still happily working. That way, there is no pressure to push for performance. This lovely filly had… Continue reading The Next Generation
Building the Topline
My mare Jewel is 20 this year. That is hard to believe. And for the first time this spring, she really showed her age coming out of the winter. She wasn't thin, but she really lost her topline. While you could never see ribs, her loin muscles definitely vanished. Sigh. It is hard to admit… Continue reading Building the Topline
Fresh From the Track: Ground Work
So...you have just picked up your first off-the track Thoroughbred (OTTB). What you do first really depends upon the horse. If he just came from the race track or a training facility, chances are he will need to go through a let down process. The "let down" process is akin to a detox. In… Continue reading Fresh From the Track: Ground Work
15 Seconds of Perfection
One of my favorite things about having the horses at home is being able to sneak out of my house at night and check on them. Some time after midnight last night, under the cover of a moonless dark sky speckled by stars, I slipped out of my house and to the paddock behind my… Continue reading 15 Seconds of Perfection
Back To Basics
Our focus today was on trot-canter-trot transitions and helping Jewel to stay soft and springy through them.
A Dressage Horse
For those of you who know me "in real life" you know that this journey of mine with my beautiful mare has been a long one, with a very twisted, jagged path. It was never a straight line (in any direction) -- especially not upwards, and many times not even forwards. However, as my fitness… Continue reading A Dressage Horse
Unexpected Results
In the past, I have had some pretty good show nerves. Nothing that made me puke, but I did have to watch what I ate for breakfast and be relatively close to bathroom if you catch my drift. So, since I would actually like to show my horse, I figured I ought to get some… Continue reading Unexpected Results