On the Road Again.

Our very first event together, at Octoberfest back in 2005.
This is the final halt, before he grabbed the bit and jammed
his nose into the dirt (almost pulling me through his ears).
Such sweet memories.

This weekend is {drumrolllllllll} my and Eddie's return to competition. Now, before you get all excited and set your calendar reminders to tell you to check Facebook every 20 minutes for exciting event updates, I'll just tell you that it's only dressage. With that being said, dressage is famously our worst phase, so the "only" in that preceding statement is very tongue-in-cheek. We have been spending a lot of time the past year on our flatwork, so I am excited to see how we do back in a legitimate competition setting. I am riding the Beginner Novice Test B, the USEF Training Level Test 1, and the USEF First Level Test 1.

All y'all dressage queens out there? YOU CAN STOP LAUGHING NOW. My cow horse can be fancy, when he wants to.

Wish us luck!

Next Year.....

For the love of a horse....

As luck would have it, I jinxed my wonderful friend, Kelsey, by getting very excited and posting about how much I was looking forward to heading up to Lexington with her for the Hagyard Midsouth CCI*. Following their recent outing at Middleburg, Pirate came up lame and after a few very scary days, it was determined that he has torn the fascia around his right hind suspensory. The ligament is enlarged (or "irritated"), but thankfully NOT torn or strained. He will start shockwave therapy and handwalking, so he will undergo some careful rehab, but his prognosis is very positive and the vets anticipate and hope for a 100% recovery. 

And, all this means: no Hagyard Midsouth CCI* for Kelsey and Pirate this year. HOWEVER, this unexpected end to her fall season leaves K free to plan a trip to Chattahoochee the weekend before Thanksgiving (if, in fact, it is Francis WHITTINGTON who will be there....not Francis "Wittingham" as the clinic announcement suggests). You didn't think we'd miss attending that, did you? :-)

They'll be back next year!

Winner!

Julie and Gilbert with their first place goodies!

My friend, Julie Downard, has had a lean year or so (I'm certainly no stranger to that!) and has not been out competing as much as she used to. A few weeks ago, she had some "super kind financial backers" who helped her to enter this past weekend's Middle Tennessee Pony Club horse trials in Nashville. Julie has not trained with anyone, ridden in any clinics, schooled cross-country, or competed much at all in many months, but she spent the past 6 weeks or so preparing diligently for her one event this year. 

Today, she and Gilbert (Sullivan's Luck) finished on their dressage score of 37.5 to win her Beginner Novice division at MTPC. Congrats to Julie, who is the inspiration of under-funded Tennessee amateur eventers (meaning  ME) everywhere!

Julie and Gilbie at their last MTPC event a few years ago.

Friday Favorites: Erika Adams

Erika and Williston, Open Intermediate (River Glen, 2011)
Photo by Samantha Monnig

My "Friday Favorites" endeavor would be sorely remiss if I didn't feature a local rider at some point. Erika Adams is a Knoxville eventer who is the fearless leader of the Road Less Traveled Eventing Team. This is a fun and laid back group of riders, no doubt due to the fact that Erika is very down-to-earth, unassuming, and rather un-intimidating (when she's not wearing a Batman t-shirt). However, in competition mode, she is totally professional, all-business, and no-nonsense (when she's not flashing rocker horns at the professional photographer while galloping cross-country). As you can tell, Erika is an eventer who enjoys life and takes it as it comes. If only we could all be as happy and energetic! So, here is my Friday Favorites for this week, courtesy of Erika Adams.

1. Favorite name for a horse:  Most of my horses are named after poetry, and I am waiting to get a horse worthy of the name Invictus. Outside of the realm of poetry, I have always loved the name Free Radical.

2. Favorite drink:  Very dirty martini. Swamp water dirty.

3. Favorite vacation destination:  Anywhere I have ever been.


4. Favorite book:  There are so many......seriously. If I had to narrow it down: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and Leaves of Grass, and the Harry Potter series, and the Chronicles of Narnia series, and Diaries of Adam and Eve, and and and.....

5. Favorite reality t.v. show:  guuurrllll.....America's Next Top Model!


6. Favorite pair of shoes:   I love boots. Everything from my Treadsteppers to the knee-high stiletto boots that go great with "the little black dress."


7. Favorite high school subject:  I was always more of a History, English, Art type. But, I was inspired by any teacher that loved to teach their subject. Even if that was calculus...


8. Favorite pizza topping:  Pepperoni with spinach and black olives....mmhmmmmm! Think I am getting hungry now....


9. Favorite city that you've never lived in:  If I wasn't into the horse thing, I would be on the West coast. Seattle. I have visited there many times and each time I go back, I fall more and more in love with it.


10. Favorite motto:  I have 3:
"The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground" -- unknown
"Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow" -- Norman Vincent Peale
"I set my goals high and reach them one stride at a time" -- Me

Erika and Williston after cross-country (River Glen, 2011)
Photo by Samantha Monnig

Wannabes

I have been [intrigued by the hunter derbies] over the past few years and their fabulously beautiful and creative pseudo-cross-country jumps. But, I have to say that the line between hunters and eventers is just getting dangerously thin! I think they really want to be eventers (at least the working hunters at Horse of the Year Show); they just want to stay clean and tidy by jumping XC indoors. Hey, at least the footing is always good and you won't have many runaway horses on course!

Is this a jump? It looks more like part of the interior design
at Bass Pro Shops! 

Tops

[Richard Harrow] is the most intriguing character on t.v. today, in one of the most intriguing shows on t.v. today. I hope the writers continue to develop some of the complexities they've already introduced with Harrow and that they don't just let it fizzle out. I recently read a fascinating novel by Louisa Young titled [My Dear I Wanted to Tell You] that struck home with the Harrow character. I couldn't get it out of my mind! And, in addition, the actor who plays "Richard Harrow" is a [Huston], which makes him all kinds of unique and interesting in it's own way. I'm all about some Boardwalk Empire and I'm ecstatic that the 2nd season is back on in full effect. I can't wait to see what happens this fall! 

HBO.....just please don't [kill off another of my favorite characters] in one of your series this time around. Please.

In the Dog House

I am frequently heard proclaiming that my house is "the Beagle house." But, this is taking it a bit too far. I kind of love it, though. It looks just like my Beagle, Max (red collar and all)! Put a couple of horses out back and throw in a pot-bellied pig, and that's my idea of pure heaven.

Living the Good Life (Sort of)

[Dream on.]

I had never seen [this blog] before, but a college friend shared a few links to it on Facebook the other day, and once I looked.....I was hooked. FUNNY.