5 Years - Kearsarge Meadows Horsefly Trap Still Working !

Five years ago (Summer 2010), we built our first pasture friendly, chemical free, horsefly traps.   Each year, we see fewer and fewer of these nasty horse eating pests.   The traps catch a lot of the female greenheads / horseflies, but they also catch a few wasps, mosquitoes, and other flying bugs that were attracted to our big wood traps.

You can see the original photos dating back to 2010 on our Kearsarge Meadows page on FaceBook.

Due to the sheer size and weight of the traps, they have stood up to all sorts of wicked winds!   Of course, due to their heft, they require some effort to move and position.

This model was being delivered to the pasture by ATV is the Holstein. :-) Note the black and white "tail", made from painted hay bale twines.   :-)

We have found with experience that careful positioning the traps makes a world of difference.   Ideally, the traps need to be placed along the flight path of the hungry horseflies as they go in search of fresh blood.   So, it really helps to know where the horseflies are hatching!   In our case, the farm pond is the hatching grounds.   We place the traps on the side of the pastures closest to the pond.

The durability of the traps has been fantastic thanks to keeping them indoors during the winter season.   The only parts that have needed maintenance so far are the bungy cords which hold the containment systems in place, and the containment system, which is the popular "Trap & Toss" without the chemicals added.

Our horses graze around our traps with no problems at all.   There are lots of horsefly traps available on the open market.   If you have not considered purchasing one and you have horseflies, build or buy yourself a trap or two!   Your horses will thank you for it!

Thar Be Pirates About!

Freestyle Work Begins Again

Friend and fellow dressage rider, Jutta Lee of Appledore Farm invited me to her farm to view the first FEI Intermediare 1 freestyle / kur she was working on for a dressage competition which was three weeks away.  The music she selected was straight from the Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, was deep and powerful, and sounded like it was performed by a full orchestra.

Some of the music was wonderful.  However, some of it just didn't feel right.  As Jutta expected, I was honest in my opinions.  We both have enjoyed success in freestyle competitions, so we starting sharing ideas....

Since I have more musical training and enjoy the challenge, I offered to create the Pirates kur for her.  With a copy of the soundtrack loaded into my iShuffle, I listened to the music several times and agreed she had selected a song that was great for her canter work.  However, I found nothing wonderful for the walk and trot.  We were going to need to look elsewhere for more Pirate music.

Hurray for iTunes!

On YouTube, we found other dressage freestyles that used "Pirates of the Caribbean" music.  One was fairly good (viewable here on youtube) and encouraging in the sense that it proved the Pirates music could be used fairly successfully for dressage.  This particular kur included music from other films.  A few iTunes purchases later, I had the soundtracks from three other Pirates of the Caribbean movies - Dead Man's Chest, At World's End, and On Stranger Tides - loaded into my iShuffle and I immersed myself in Pirates music for the next few days.

Using Pinnacle Systems's Studio 10 software, I watched video loops of Jutta and her horse, Glorious Feeling, performing the walk, trot and canter portions of her freestyle while listening to the music, most of which is composed by Hans Zimmer.  I listened for hours on end.

Finding ideal music for a horse and rider is an inexact science at best.  First, one needs to understand and accept the musical tastes of the rider.  After all, it is she who will have to listen to the music over 100 times!  I knew Jutta wanted to stay clear of Spanish guitars, vocals, and death marches!   :-)

Searching for music, luck certainly helps.  And patience.  And keeping an open mind.  Fast forwarding after a few seconds of sampling a tune is NOT a good idea!  For example, one of the Pirate songs, at first, did not sound suitable at all.  But, at the very end, there were a few measures of truly beautiful walk music!  A couple minutes into another song, I discovered entrance music which Jutta and I both liked.

Music is 10% of the Score

In USDF / USEF dressage freestyles, from 1st to 4th Levels, the music makes up 20% of the total score.  At FEI level, the music of a freestyle only accounts for 10% of the overall score.  However, at International Level, the quality of the music is expected to be very good.  It also must be pleasurable to listen to and even the horse needs to accept it!

Leave the Chippy Choppy to the Chefs

One key to making a good freestyle lies in a deep desire to avoid what I call "chippy choppy" transitions which can insult the ears of the audience AND JUDGES.  You know what I mean.  When a piece of music abruptly and prematurely ends and another follows.  Smooth musical transitions are very important to making the music more enjoyable, more entertaining and simply easier on the ears.

While cutting and editing music, maintaining an even beat in the music must also be considered.  An incomplete beat during the trot, for example, will cause a blip which can cause the whole picture to appear unbalanced for a moment.  It will also throw off anyone who was happily tapping their feet to the music.... something we hope judges will do while enjoying the performance!

It's the Rider's Music

In the end, the music belongs to the rider.  She must love it, live it, sleep it, dream it, hum it and become one with it.  And so the rider's input into the composition is critical.

In the end, we create a Pirates of the Caribbean freestyle which flows smoothly from movement to movement, matches Glory's graceful lightness and powerful impulsion, includes the sounds of ship bells and cannons, and left one member of the audience at the July GMHA Show - USDF Vice President Beth Jenkins - with goosebumps!

The Debut CDI

After a few "trial runs" with the freestyle at schooling and USDF shows, Jutta and Glory made their Concours de Dressage International debut at HITS on the Hudson in Saugerties, NY.  They won the freestyle class!  And were written up in World Dressage News!

Next stop, the NEDA Fall Festival and CDI-W ! If you are there, come say "Yo ho" to the Pirates!

The Babies

After a winter siesta, the dressage competition season is now resuming. For many of us, our individual competition calendars are pretty well decided, we've started sending in show entries, and the end of the year goals are coming into focus.

For me, for the first time since 2007, my dressage goals do not include qualifying for and competing in the USDF Region 8 Championships. In fact, I may not even enter a USEF / USDF show at all.

Piper, with whom I was already half qualified for the 2012 Championships, has been sold to a wonderful family. I look forward to seeing him and his new owner competing in New England this season!

Now, there are two horses who are getting the majority of my attention this year. Young horses who have been quietly standing in the wings, waiting for their turn to be center stage: Bea Yewtee & Big Ben.

Bea Yewtee

Bea is out of my retired 4th level mare, Jeddien. Her sire is Da Vinci, who was a lovely grey FEI dressage stallion who stood at Cornell University after retirement from competition.

Bea was a little foal, when compared to Ben who stood at 11 hands high at birth! She is and has always been fiesty. Sharp. Edgy. She's a fast learner and a nice horse.

Riding Bea is interesting as she has trouble standing still for any length of time. I call her my "Energizer Bunny". A little trotting machine with a lot of "hock action". I suspect she is hovering around 16 hands and in many ways is a lot like her dam. Compact and powerful, for starters. Bea is a liver chestnut with 4 white socks. Very pretty.

Big Ben

Ben is very different from Bea. First, he loves to canter. However, he would really rather stand around and chat all day. His first riding lessons began with him having to learn that he was not allowed to have a roll in our indoor arena with the rider (me) in the saddle! He's cuddly and friendly.

Second, he is BIG. He wears a size 36" girth and my leg only goes 3/4's of the way down his side! I've not measure him yet and am not sure I even want to know.... I do know, however, that I could use a 4th step on my 3 step mounting block!

Ben has long smooth supple strides and a surprising amount of natural suspension for a big guy. Ben is out of Marja, a Burggraaf mare we imported from Holland while she was carrying Ben. Ben's sire is the talented Dutch show jumper, Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve.

Both Bea & Ben were imprint trained and handled daily since birth. I started both of them when they were 3, and then left them to grow. And grow they did! They continued to be lunged... occasionally.... and put through groundwork training... occasionally... and ridden indoors and outdoors.... occasionally. But nothing regular and certainly not to the extent so that their training is where it should be or could be at their age.

Yup, they have some catching up to do. However, both young horses are well behaved, past their terrible 3's (and 4's) and eager to learn. And, both are super comfortable. That's an extra bonus!

So, my goals for this year are to focus on both of "the babies" and to get them out to schooling shows. After earning awards and titles through 3rd Level, it seems odd to set my sights on Introductory Level, but that is exactly this years goal. Easy tests and lots of experience away from home.

Realistically, if all goes well, I will enter GMHA's October show, which is part of the USDF 2013 Show Season. If I do that, I will aim to for qualification at Training Level. Woohoo! Gotta start somewhere.

And so, the journey starts all over again.:-)

2011 USDF Regionals

Wow! Where did this year go? Another USDF Regional Championship has come and gone!

Walking through my barn late at night, I say "Hello" to lots of happy equine faces peering out from their cozy stalls. This year, 2 of those horses contested USDF Region 8 championship classes. One is a boarded horse. The other is my husband's "Piper Warrior". Next year, I hope to see at least 3, maybe 4 of the horses on our farm qualify and travel to the Regionals.

For some, competing at the Regionals is an important required finale for the show year, satisfying the goals and objectives of their businesses or their riding careers. For others, it is a dream goal, sometimes achieved, sometimes not. For my own horses, it is something in between. We work throughout the year with the goal of earning qualifying scores in all competitions. Riding and placing well in the Regional Championships is more of the dream goal.

This year, we really only tried to qualify for 1st Level Open and 1st Level Freestyles. (Earning that very nice qualifying score in our 2nd Level debut was not part of the plan!) Training Level was "off limits" according to he who pays Piper's entry fees. In the end, we only qualified for the latter category. However, we still managed to do fairly well (but not great) in Year End Awards at 1st Level Open.

The Regionals this year brought the usual mix of weather. We managed to compete in fair weather all weekend, but bore witness to some monsoon style dressage. (We had our fair share of foul weather rides in April and I truly don't relish going through that again anytime soon.) And this year's competition had a very wide range of scores! Unprecedented high scores were earned by a few of our fellow competitors. Scores in the 80%. Wowwee! Very well done.

Two Freestyles

As done in previous years, I entered my freestyle partner in Saturday's "Freestyles - Level of Choice" class. Or as I call it, the "cocktails & evening entertainment" class. This class is always scheduled during cocktail hour in Ring 1. The spectators will be enjoying their VIP seats, sipping wines, munching on hors d' oeuvres. Some even watch the rides. The following morning, the USDF Freestyle Championship classes take place in the same ring.

Riding in front of an audience does not faze me, nor my horses. So, once Piper got used to seeing 5 judges booths instead of the usual spooking 1, Saturday evening went okay. We earned a fairly good score of 67.167%, enough for 3rd place, and half qualification for next year's championships. However, the next morning, while there were less spectators, there was much more activity at the FEI ring in the distance, distracting Piper to the point where being "on the bit" was not of much interest to him. He wanted to watch what was going on 500 yards away. (Horses. Sigh.) And so, with my equine dance partner popping above the bit whenever headed towards the FEI ring, we earned a 65.667% and 4th place in the USDF Region 8 First Level Freestyle Championships.

Now, Piper's freestyle to "All of Me" and "A-Train" is retired. Next year..... Maybe Queen. Maybe Abba. Not sure yet. Stay tuned.

Selecting A Trainer

Online, in books, and in DVDs, there's a vast array of information from which dressage riders can learn about the art and sport of dressage. However, one dressage topic that seems to be light on suggestions is selection of one's dressage trainer. Maybe this is because it's such a personal and subjective thing.

For the past 6 years, since moving back to the USA after 12 years in England, I have been working and training alone. My husband, who thanks to auditing several European dressage clinics & lessons, attendance at shows, and viewing training videos / DVDs with me, is my primary "eyes on the ground". While he's able to tell me what he observes, he often does not know to ride corrections or make improvements. However, sometimes he comes up with great suggestions and exercises that work well.

So for the past 6 years, I've basically been going it alone without a trainer. With the show results I have enjoyed, I like to think I've done pretty well. But I want to do better. Much better.

Last year, I started looking for a trainer. And with that effort, I began to realize I definitely had selection criteria that were important to me, important for the trainer to meet.

While searching, I found that there are a lot of perfectly qualified dressage trainers in New England, and several within 100 miles of my farm. Some have impeccable competition credentials. Some are USDF Certified. Some are judges. Some actively compete. Some will travel for lessons, coming to Warner. Some do not. Variety is certainly not a problem.

The selection of a trainer can be approached several ways. Word of mouth is a good starting place. Signing up with a best friend's trainer is not unusual. Selecting the trainer who is closest may be another option. Personal economics might make price important. Watching lessons before taking lessons is one method I often recommend. Forums, social networks, blogs, clinics, and shows are all potential sources for making more contacts and learning who's who. Yup. There are lots of approaches.

But what to look for in the trainer? That is the question! As I got deeper into my search, I found there are several things I seek in a trainer:

• First and foremost, the trainer must have utter respect for the horse and it's nature. (No huggy, kissy, baby talk to my horse, thank you!)
• Before I sign up with a trainer, I need to see the trainer in action with their students or their own horses, either in lessons or at shows. I need to have respect for the work I observe as well as a fair level of agreement with the approach, methods, communications, and demonstrated outcomes.
• The trainer will have had a lot of dressage training themselves and is interested in updating their own knowledge and skillset.
• During the first few lessons, I like to sense there is structure. I need to know what we are working on, what the targets and purpose are. Not just what do to, but why. And I need to be able to envision how that work leads into future training.
• For a long term relationship, the trainer must be willing to get on my horse, match what he sees with how it feels, and come to understand my horse better. And ideally he should be able to ride my horse better than I.
• Price will not necessarily limit me taking a lesson, but will limit the frequency of lessons. However, at the beginning of the relationship, a higher frequency is important to reach a successful level of communication, so price is a factor.
• Finally, this last criteria is surprisingly critical to me. When I train my horses away from the watchful gaze of my trainer, I often hear his voice and guidance in my head. Therefore, his voice and words need to be of a quality which I am happy to have bouncing around in my head for many hours between lessons.

Last summer, I had developed a short list of potential trainers to consider. However, it was through a series of shows that I had several opportunities to observe another dressage rider, someone I did not know anything about, in action. She was not just competing in the same shows as I, but was also handling young horses (I'm currently working two youngsters who were born on my farm), cleaning stalls, and interacting with her clients.

We exchanged polite hellos the second or third time we bumped into each other, as one sometimes does when recognizing a fellow competitor at consecutive shows, and eventually spoke briefly while riding our respective horses around the main competiton arena the evening before a show, she on a young horse, me on Piper.

My initial "Blink" reaction was completely positive. Watching her work with her horses fully supported it. Before winter set in, I contacted her, made an appointment, and trailered Piper 60 miles to her farm for one lesson. Just one. To see how it would go.

It went great. I selected a trainer. She accepted a new student.

This summer, we resumed lessons on a (mostly) weekly basis, weather and other interruptions permitting. It's still a new relationship, but it's progressing really well. Already, I can feel how my riding is evolving and where the guidance will take us. It's all good.

There are no self-help books on how to select a dressage trainer. Instead, each rider has to write their own book.

Back in the Saddle Again

Ever wonder why you ride?
Ever wonder what your life would be like without riding?
Ever imagine what you would be doing instead to fill your time?

Sometimes I wonder these kinds of things. And for one week, I got a taste of what that would be like. And it was not fun at all.

After a week of rest and cuperation, I climbed back up into the saddle. And, oh my, how great it felt!

So, if all goes well --- KNOCK WOOD !!! --- the competition season will now resume for me and the boy, and it will finish off nicely without further incidents. One can hope. Meanwhile.....

....Yippee!

Sidelined by Injury

Yes, the game continues.....

Entries for the Regional Championships are due in this week. However, we are only half qualified for 1st Level Open, 2nd Level Open, and 1st Level Freestyle. So the question is, for which Regional Championships will we complete our qualifications and which do we actually want to contest if we do qualify?

We only have 3 shows left on our calendar. GMHA July's 3 day show is our best chance to complete qualifications. Entries went in early, as usual. The show starts today, July 22nd.

But not for us.

Sidelined By Injury

After a normal weekend, rolling out of bed this past Monday morning was excruciatingly painful. My right leg wanted nothing to do with walking, let alone riding. By Tuesday, the pain was no better and a visit to the Doctor was in order.

After examination, it was decided that I had either torn or strained an adductor muscle (shown in red in the drawing to the left). Pain killers, anti inflammatories, and muscle relaxants were prescribed. Lots of rest. And of course, no riding. If the pain did not subside within a few days, x-rays and / or an MRI would be ordered.

This week, I have to send in entries for the Regional Championships....

Waiting Game

My horse show binder was open and ready. My favorite little Black NEDA Omnibus Book was earmarked and potential classes I might enter were circled. However, until I knew how my new situation was going to play out, I was not going to write any more checks towards non-refundable show entries. I needed to wait. I needed to be patient.

Tuesday and Wednesday were depressing. I was starting to envision a life without riding. Giving the horses away. Selling the farm. Curling up on the couch, eating bon-bons all day, getting massively fat, working my way to a heart attack, and dying. Yup. It was depressing. My pain was not going away.

Thursday, in comparison, was wonderful. I could walk again! With only a few tweaks of sharp pain. Okay, I was not completely better, but I apparently had NOT torn any of the adductor muscles. Just pulled or strained. I was going to be okay. I was going to get back into the saddle.

Friday was even better. And so show entries went out the door. First Level Championships only, as I predict we will complete our qualifications for those. Second Level is too much of a stretch. Next year, we will shoot for Second and probably Third Level Championships. But then, who knows what next year will bring?

Happy 40th Anniversary GMHA Dressage!

While I miss the fun 40th Anniversary Party at GMHA for exhibitors, members, and supporters, I will sit at home resting my leg for another day, knowing that I will ride again. Very soon.

So, for the next 3 weeks, I will focus on completing our qualifications for 1st Level Open and 1st Level Freestyle. And while doing so, I will be extra careful to warm up my legs before riding, stretch them gently, cool down slowly, and drink plenty of fluids. I really don't want to go through this kind of pain ever again.

Half Qualifications

The season didn't start great.  But at GMHA June Dressage in Vermont, Piper and I had a fairly good show.

To qualify for the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Regional Championships, 2 qualifying scores must be earned in qualifying classes at 2 different shows under 2 different judge juries. Qualifying scores differ from level to level, and also by rider category: Junior Rider / Young Rider (JR/YR), Adult Amateur (AA), Open / Professional. As a barn owner and ARIA certified riding instructor, I am in the Open category. Professionals are expected to do better in dressage than the under 21's and adult amateurs (even though this is often not the case in reality) and therefore have higher qualifying score targets to meet.

For Training Level, the qualifying score is 68% for Open Riders, 63% for the JR/YR and AA Riders. That's a full 5% difference.
For First Level, the Open qualifying score is 66%. For everyone else, it is 62%. The gap is 4%.
For Second Level, the Open qualifying score is 64% and 61% for everyone else. The gap closes to 3%.
For Third and Fourth Levels, the Open qualifying scores are 62%, 60% for the others. 2% gap.
For the FEI levels, 60% is the qualifying score for all riders for all levels.
The complete Regional Championship rules can be read here.

Last month, at the 3 day long GMHA June Dressage Show in Vermont, we earned our first 2011 qualifying score for First Level Open. The test also earned us the Show High Point Award for KWPN Dutch Warmbloods.

Second Level? Sure, Why Not?

One joy of dressage shows in the USA - or at least in this region - is that riders must send in their entries well in advance of the actual show. The most popular shows fill up very quickly, so entries really need to be mailed in closer to the opening date than the closing date.

For GMHA shows, which are very popular, entries must be posted early. And with that, one must decide whether to only compete well within their current dressage level or to predict their readiness for the next level. I decided to chance it and see what Piper could do at the next level: Second Level.

Piper's lateral work is reliably in the 6 to 7 range. Leg yields, shoulder in, haunches in, and half pass. His reinback, a movement introduced at 2nd Level, was learned a long time ago and is good. And his turns on the haunches, which also debut in the 2nd Level Tests, are pretty good and could earn 7's at Third Level.

However, from a Second Level requirements perspective, his medium work is marginal, but coming along nicely. Whereas 5's were the usual score for his trot and canter lengthenings at 1st Level, now we get 6's and 7's. However, there is a lot more he needs to do, and a lot LESS he needs to do, to earn 7's and 8's in true medium paces at 2nd Level.

Would we be ready for Second Level at GMHA? Maybe. So my entries for GMHA June included Second Level Test 3. (I like the flow of Test 3 compared to the "easier" Test 1 and Test 2 tests. Also, Test 3 is the qualifier test, and when given a choice, I prefer to ride qualifiers.)

As our Second Level debut test got underway, I was feeling pretty confident. There were no goals set, just an experience to get under the belt. But Piper felt good and put in a respectable test, earning a 64% qualifying score! Very unexpected.

Three Half Qualifications

It's July and we are sitting on half qualifications for 1st Level Open, 1st Level Freestyle, and 2nd Level Open. Pretty exciting. The USDF Regional Championships are in September. Qualifications close on August 15. Entries for the Regionals, however, have to be sent in by July 23. Yes. August 15 is the last day to qualify, but entries are due in 3 weeks earlier. Fun, eh?

The game continues....

Dressage Lingo

I've got rhythm!

I've got music!

I've got Piper!

Who could ask for anything more!?

Well, maybe one thing more. If competing in dressage, it really helps to know the lingo. Over the years, the United States Dressage Federation has developed a really good glossary for judges which competitors can benefit from reading, as well. The updated 2011 version of the USDF Glossary of Judging Terms can be found here, in pdf format, and makes for great bedtime reading!

Now. Where was I? Oh yeah, I've got rhythm....

Redemption and Summer Weather

After the terrible season debut at MVHC in April, I decided to enter a local schooling show to put things right again in May. With lovely weather and no pressure to achieve qualifications, we were able to enjoy a very easy show experience, Piper and I, while also winning the combined First Level Test 2 / 3 class.

Summer seems to have suddenly arrived! And with it, show season kicks back into fast and furious mode. We have several local shows lined up...

However, with the good weather, training also shifts back into high gear. This includes working over trot poles to strengthen and further improve the trot, going for long hacks and trail rides, putting in fittening miles at trot and canter around the outdoor arena on the grass - after all, sometimes we have to show on grass, and continuing with little games to help Piper learn new things.

Left : A poor man's hay net. Noisy and scary at first, but then great fun!

And for all of our horses, their reward for getting through another long winter is clear: Grass pastures! Yes. Summer is here!

Restarting the 2011 Season with a Bang!

This weekend, Piper and I competed in our first competition of 2011, reviving the paused 2011 season. And oh my, what a show it was!

Despite what the calendar said, Mother Nature decided to throw horrible weather across New England. Travelling from New Hampshire to Connecticut the day before the show felt like time travel. We left the land of lingering snowbanks to find forsythias in full bloom! Spring had sprung in the southern part of the region. It was glorious. That was on Good Friday.

Saturday, show day, bitterly cold rain was constant except when replaced by stinging sleet. Now anyone who knows Piper knows he can be quite the woose at times as well as a bit of a drama queen. And sure enough, the cold rain and freezing sleet on his face and body was simply more than the poor boy was able to cope with. But I insisted we push on and ride the new First Level Tests 2 (a very nicely designed test IMHO) and 3, returning to the stall between tests for blanketing and drying off.

Out of 118 rides scheduled for the day, 35 were listed as scratches / no shows! That's 30%. The highest I can remember ever seeing at a dressage competition. Yes, it really was brutal weather conditions....

With half of our 1st Level Freestyle qualification for 2011 already in the bag, the plan was to complete qualification at this show. Ha! After the lunch break, the wind and sleet was worse than it was in the morning for our first two tests. During our warmup, Piper got a crash course on how to canter through puddles. He was not happy about it at all. But since we were there, we were going to carry on, no matter what!

And what a disaster! Timid horses don't suddenly get braver when pushed harder. Instead, they tend to retreat. They withdraw. They can become worried and more timid. And sure enough, instead of sucking it up and getting on with the job, PIper was simply overwhelmed for our third and final ride of the day.

Piper was tense and stiff. A 2x4 would have been more pliable. Canter work in the freestyle was non-existent. Simple changes went missing along the canter. My carefully thought out choreography went out the window. And in the end, the ride turned into a schooling session of sorts, trying to get Piper to do a little bit more than he wanted to do, trotting through puddles and striding over the small streams purposely put in place by the ring crew to help drain the arena. It was not fun.

( I have to smile..... Jeddien would have loved it, stomping through the puddles for fun. But not Piper. Two radically different creatures. )

I respectfully withdrew. Huge kudos to the judge who was incredibly understanding about the situation, offering kind words and positive feedback about what she did observe. Still, as you might imagine, it was a bit embarassing. But it was also a learning opportunity......

. . . Next time it rains, guess which horse will be worked OUTDOORS instead of indoors!?

Yes, we have restarted the 2011 Season with a Bang. Or was that just a Loud Thud?

Herr Christoph Hess Returns

Two years ago, NEDA, the New England Dressage Association, invited Christoph Hess to the area for the annual "Spring Fling" clinic.   It was Hess's first visit to the area and included the obligatory eating of boiled lobstah!   I reported on the clinic in NEDA's "Tip of the Hat" newsletter with this article.

This week, Christoph returned to New England for a tour of clinics in the region.   Tuesday and Wednesday, he was in Georgetown, Massachusetts at the beautiful Rosebrook Farm, home of Cindi Rose Wylie's Quarterline Dressage.   There, Hess cheerfully worked with a wide variety of horses and riders, from novice to Grand Prix.   As it was two years ago, it was educational, entertaining and inspirational.

Today & tomorrow, Hess is at UMass in Amherst.   After that, he'll be going to Lexington Kentucky and Cleveland Ohio.   Hess will be back in New England for a Young Horse and Dressage Forum Clinic with Michael Poulin on April 9 and 10 in Rhode Island.   Details can be found here.

With a monster nor'easter snowstorm predicted for tomorrow (April Fool's Day of all things!) and tons of the white stuff still in our pastures and outdoor arena, getting motivated for show season has been challenging.   However, after hanging out with other dressage trainers, riders, and enthusiasts, and watching quality training with a world master, the dressage sap is once again flowing!   Time to tap it and start boiling!

Managing Horse Show Entries

In New Hampshire, we are still gazing at snowbanks of fairly impressive but slowly diminishing height and striped pastures of alternating areas of mud and melting snow.   We're a few weeks away from the start of green springtime, but competition season is approaching none-the-less!   So for me, this is the perfect time to put together my ....

The Horse Show Binder

I've come to believe preparing ahead of time to send off entries in an orderly fashion makes life so much easier in the long run.   For each horse I plan to compete, I fill out one entry form with all but the show name, show date, and actual classes entered.   As required, I ensure each line of "Rider", "Owner" and "Trainer" have my details shown in full.   No dittos or "same" allowed!   When each entry form is done, I make about 10 copies per horse.   This goes into the HSB.

For each horse, the HSB also contains sections for:

• Multiple copies of the KWPN registration papers
  
• Multiple printouts of USEF & USDF memberships
  
• Multiple copies of the Coggins / EIA test results
  
• Multiple copies of a dressage test showing qualification to ride in Freestyles
  

Other sections of the HSB include:

• Laminated horse show checklists, used when packing the trailer & truck both to and from shows
  
• Copies of entries sent in to the various show secretaries.   So far, I've only had to refer to them to remember which horse was going to be doing what, when, and where!     :-)
  
• Printouts of ride times
  
• Printouts of scores & results earned
  

The HSB seems to grow and evolve over time, but proves its worth each year!

Read Each Show's Entry Requirements

While nearly all the USDF Region 8 shows listed in the NEDA Omnibus Prize List (aka the Little Black Book) use the entry form included in the distribution of the book and also posted here in pdf format on the NEDA website, not all shows do.   Some shows have their own entry forms.   Reading the fine print in each prize list is critical to sending in a perfect entry form and avoiding disappointment in not getting accepted into the show.

Know the Key Dates

Each dressage competition has unique dates for acceptance of entries, also known as the Opening and Closing dates for entries.   Some shows open entries months in advance, some only a few weeks in advance.   Keeping track of these can be key to getting your entry accepted before the show fills up!

My first year back in the USA after 12 years in England, I learned that the USDF does NOT send congratulatory letters to riders who have qualified for the Regionals the way British Dressage did.   So, while waiting for my letter and invitation to arrive in 2007 when Jeddien and I first qualified for the 3rd Level Open championships, I missed the "entry window" for the championships!   Fortunately, I still got my entry in before the final closing date!   Phew!   Lesson learned!

For those aiming for the USDF Region 8 Championships, keep these key dates in mind!

• Championship Qualification Dates: August 17, 2010 to August 15, 20
  
• Fall Festival Entry Dates: July 18, 2011 - August 15, 2011
  
• Championship Entry Window: July 18, 2011 - July 23, 2011   (The 6 days when only the entries of horse / rider combinations who are riding in championship classes are fully processed - including open classes - and given priority!)
  

Using good calendar management tools can really help plan and manage the dressage competition year!

Summer Dressage Fashion

One of the challenges of competing in the summer time in dressage involves staying cool enough to ride well.   When the temps climb high enough, show management will often allow riders to compete without jackets.   But not everyone looks fabulously wonderful in a white shirt and white breeches while sitting the extended trot!

In a recent issue of Horse & Hound magazine, a new rather chic piece of equestrian apparel caught my eye.   Made by Equetech, the same company in the UK that made some of my favorite competition shirts, it is a waistcoat / vest which looks like a double breasted tailcoat without the sleeves and long tails.

Personally, I think this is a very elegant looking alternative.   And definitely very dressagey.   But would it be accepted in the USA?   Would it be allowed with the current USEF DR120 dress code rules?   Would riders want to buy it?

I also wonder if Equetech will make a version with points, like on a tail coat.   But that would be redundant, I guess, as the points on a tailcoat are supposed to make it look like the rider has a waistcoat on under the double breasted coat.   Still, I think points would finish the look quite nicely.   Just a couple triangles of gold at the waistline....

Time will tell.   In the meanwhile, I am VERY tempted...   My first thought:   Time to email Dressage Extensions!.   Let's see what they think!

One final thought about these nice "cool" alternatives to jackets....   It gives the jacket-less dressage competitor a place to display their USDF medals.   And you know, for those of us who worked very hard to earn our medals, being able to wear them is kind of important.   :-)

Return of the Helmets

It's been a long time coming, but personally, I think this makes sense.   Starting in 2011, the USEF Rules for Dressage, section DR120: Dress (page DR21) state that all riders must wear "protective headgear" while mounted unless they are riding in only PSG through GPS classes and are over 18 years old.

Protective headgear is defined as helmets made to ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) / SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) standards for equestrian use and which carry the SEI tag. (PAS 015:1998 is the standard used in the UK.)

When it comes to this rule, the number of USDF & Olympic medals a rider has in his trophy case is not a factor.   Wearing a tailcoat / shadbelly does not exempt the rider from the rule.   Calibre of horse and / or rider don't make a difference, either.   The rules, although complex when first read, are pretty basic.   And so is the message.   The USEF and USDF want riders to properly protect their heads!

If a rider is competing two horses, one which is doing 4th Level & PSG and the other who is doing PSG and I1, the rider MUST wear an approved helmet whenever riding the first horse, but can wear a top hat when riding the second.   To help differentiate who can wear what when, some shows may decide to use different ranges of show numbers, or maybe even colored dots on bridle numbers.   We'll see how the show managers in Region 8 help support compliance to the new rules.

I've had the pleasure of riding in my two top hats.   Both are tight, unlikely to ever blow or bounce off while doing a test.   They get very hot in the summer.   They are tricky to get hair up into.   And they have to be handled very carefully, protected from dust, rain, sweat, and so on.   But they are ever so elegant to wear!   However, I have also competed at Fourth Level and in USDF Regional Championship classes with a well fitted helmet and three point harness.





SmartPak and Charles Owen & Co, Ltd put together this short video on how to fit a helmet.   I like that Renee asks about fitting a helmet knowing she will be putting her hair up to ride.   Whenever I try on helmets, I put make sure I test the fit as if I were competing.   Hair braided, twisted, pulled up, whatever I will be doing that year.

For those looking for more information & statistics about helmets and safety, check out the American Riding Instructors Association website about helmets.   Very interesting.

I still have a couple of my old "hunt caps". However, they are simply display models now.   Reminders of my equestrian past.   Decorations.   I wonder if the silk top hats will one day follow suit.....

The NEDA Omnibus

For many dressage riders in New England, the NEDA Omnibus is a much beloved possession.   The little black book.   The season's bible.   The favorite bathroom read.

Email and facebook notifications recently went out saying that the Omnibus Prize Lists were in the mail.   Yippee!   And as they arrive, the dormant competition itch will spring back to life, and with it, the need to put together our 2011 competition calendar and schedule of dressage activities.

Each year, I get at least two little black books.   One as a member of NEDA, the New England Dressage Association.   The other as an advertiser in the book.   One copy will travel in my "Horse Show Briefcase", the other will move from room to room in the house.

So what makes this little book so important, so revered amongst the mountain of dressage & equine books in my library?   Timely content specific to the dressage competition season.   Aside from prize lists from each of the USDF Recognized dressage competitions in New York and the New Engand states, it provides the USDF & USEF Dressage tests (our USA national tests), all of which were redesigned for 2011 through 2014, movement requirements for dressage musical freestyles per level, information about how to qualify for NEDA Year End Awards, and lots of ads by local professional trainers & training barns.

NEDA members who are new to dressage will also find lots of basic USDF rules information.   Reading the USEF Dressage Rulebook is still highly advised, but the Omnibus provides a good quick start.   They will also find listings of some of the local Schooling Dressage Shows.

Another great tool for the dressage enthusiast / competitor / trainer is the new 2011 USEF Dressage Test Book.   With the new tests now in use, getting to grips with them as early as possible is a wise thing, especially for those of us who have a tendency to sometimes go off course.   The new book contains the new USDF Introductory Level Tests and the new USEF tests for First through Fourth Levels.   Unlike the 2007 through 2011 version, the new booklet has a cool cover.   Like the older version, the price is still only $5.00 plus shipping when purchased via the USEF using this order form.   And it is still only 4 x 7 inches in size, which means it can go straight into the coat pocket for reference while riding!

So, for the moment, I sit here waiting for the postman to arrive.   In the meantime, my competition horses are scheduled to get their required Coggins tests for 2011 as well as their spring vaccinations which will help protect them from disease as we travel around the region.   We are getting back into serious goal minded work.   And if winter insists on keeping its grip on us much longer, the clippers may be put to use very soon.

A New Year Begins

And so it all begins once again.  A new year.  And with it, thoughts about new goals.

By the end of 2010, Piper Warrior and I had achieved our 2010 dressage goals, and then some.  We made it to the 2010 USDF Region 8 Championships in 3 categories!  And we finished 2010 with several National & New England Dressage Association (NEDA) year end awards, including:

• Champion - NEDA Year End Award, USDF Freestyles
• Champion - Top Scoring KWPN Dutch WB at the NEDA Fall Festival / USDF Region 8 Championships
• Reserve Champion - USDF All Breeds, KWPN First Level Freestyles, Vintage Rider
• 3rd Place - USDF All Breeds, KWPN First Level, Vintage Rider
• 3rd Place - USDF All Breeds, KWPN Training Level, Vintage Rider
• 4th Place - USDF Region 8 First Level Freestyle Championships
• Multiple High Score of the Day show awards

The 2010 NEDA Year End Championship for USDF Freestyles came with a massive championship ribbon and a gorgeous embroidered Mountain Horse jacket.   Very nice!

For the USDF All Breeds KWPN Reserve Championship title, we received a really nice 2 1/2 inch USDF silver medal on a red ribbon.  That was quite a surprise.  Now that I know about them, I'd like to earn some more All Breeds medals!  Gold would be nice....

Looking at Piper this morning, it is a little difficult to imagine the woolly black warmblood will be ready to compete again in four months time, but that is part of this year's game plan.  Well, that's only if he does not sell before then.    (Click here to view Piper's online for sale ad.)

And the plan for Big Ben is for him to enjoy lots of dressage arena time before he is sold.   (Click here to view Ben's online for sale ad.)

For another youngster in our barn, Jeddien's daughter Bea, training begins in earnest this year.

And finally, we have a number of students who will be competing this year, training for and pursuing their own riding & competition goals.  Whether their goal is to perfect 20 meter circles at home, develop a more confident trail horse, have a few enjoyable outtings with their horse, or compete in the 2011 USDF Regional Championships, we'll have fun working on progress and success together.

Today, January 1st, 2011, it is a whooping 55 degrees outside!!!!   Our woolly horses are outside, rolling in the melting snow, and enjoying a sneak preview of weather not meant to arrive in New Hampshire for another few months.  It's all a bit surreal.

So, for now :   Happy New Year, Everyone!

Jeddien's Retirement

When your horse is a wonderful dressage partner, one with whom you have enjoyed years of dressage education, fun, and success, the retirement of that amazing equine can a difficult thing to accept, embrace, and enjoy.

Since the 2009 USDF Regional Championships, Jeddien has not competed.   Training continued, but with Piper coming along well in his training and two youngsters in the pipeline (including Jeddien's daughter!), it has been easier to accept that Jeddien is pushing 20 years old, struggles to maintain her girlish figure, and quite frankly has nothing else to prove in life.

And so, without planning, without any fanfare, Jeddien quietly retired from competition.   She still gets ridden occasionally, but no longer is she asked to try to work towards the next level, Prix Saint Georges.   She continues to go hacking, which she totally loves, and happily lets my dressage students have a feel of the upper level movements.



Surprisingly, and as a magical Swan Song for the old mare, Jeddien was accepted into the "Dressage Today" magazine's video clinic with Axel Steiner, "O" judge.   She is in the November 2010 issue, page 16.   The photo Mr. Steiner and his wife, professional photographer Terri Miller, critique is shown above.   I smile everytime I see it.   Carole MacDonald always seems to capture perfect snapshots!

Jeddien's History

Jeddien (Bustron x Uriant) was born in Holland June 21, 1991 on a small sheep farm.   She and her mother, Enia, were the only horses on the farm.   Interestingly, Jeddien truly hates sheepskin touching her body, squealing and kicking out at it.   I'm sure there's quite a story there....

With the help of Frits Donderwinkel, I imported Jeddien into the UK in March 1994 after viewing two videos of her.   She passed the vet check and I purchased her for a mere 5500 UK pounds, about $8000.   I started her and trained her.   We competed and won together in the UK through Advanced Medium Level.   We qualified for the Regional Championships, both Summer and Winter Seasons, nearly every year and competed at Medium Level Restricted and Medium Elite at the Winter Championships at Solihull.   When my husband and I moved to the USA in 2005, Jeddien came with us, as did Piper Warrior.

In the UK, Jeddien and I trained with Robert Pickles, FBHS.   We attended clinics with Christine Stuckleberger and Jan Nivelle for dressage, a Parelli UK instructor, and Tim Stockdale for showjumping.   Yes!   Showjumping.   In one competition at Merrist Wood College, Jeddien earned a double clear ribbon on her first time out over a colored course!   She loves to jump!

Once Jeddien understood what was expected, she won the majority of the competitions in which she was entered.   She even had her photo in UK's "Horse and Hound" magazine twice!   In her final show at the 2009 USDF Region 8 Championships, she walked away with two 3rd Level Reserve Championship titles!

In 2006, Jeddien gave birth to a stunning little chestnut filly who was sporting four even white socks!   Born with legwraps on!   Bea Yewtee is by the late "Da Vinci", a gorgeous gray FEI stallion who stood at Cornell University in his later years.

It was a year later that Jeddien first competed in the USA, starting at 3rd Level, then 4th, and for one weekend, 1st and 2nd, and only then so I could earn my USDF Bronze Medal.   In 2007, 2008, and 2009, she competed in the USDF Region 8 Championships at 3rd Level Open / Professional, coming 3rd, 7th, and Reserve Champion respectively.

Jeddien was also the very first horse several riders ever rode, including my husband who went on to train at a British Horse Society approved Riding Center in the UK.   Jeddien is thoughtful and careful with all new riders and has been the source of a lot of smiles.   Most recently, she let a first time young rider invent his own game of equestrian soccer where they, together, scored goals with her big Parelli ball.   He thought it was much more fun than doing 20 meter circles at the walk!

The Future

So now, the plan is simple.   We will continue to ensure Jeddien enjoys her life, well into her senior years, on our horse farm in New Hampshire.   She will continue to be pastured in the daytime with her little gang of geldings and stabled indoors in the evenings.   She will, of course, continue to run up vet bills, dental bills, saddle fitting bills, and farrier bills.   It's a good life, an easy life, and one which she enjoys.

Nope, there was no retirement party for Jeddien.   But some fellow competitors have commented to me about her absence from the show ring...   Relief, maybe?   I like to think so.   :-)

Jeddien is a wonderful unique character, a true chestnut mare, a real star and prima donna dressage queen, and my Horse of a Lifetime!   As Axel Steiner put it, I have been blessed to have such a willing and generous equine partner!   She is also a beloved member of our family, now and always.

Riding in the Championships

At the 2010 Regional 8 Championships, Piper and I contested 2 classes per day over 4 days.   While a little bit of a gamble, in the end, this worked out really well.   It meant that prior to the Training Level Championship class on Thursday and the First Level Championship class on Friday, we rode a warmup test.   And the night before the Freestyle Championship, we were able to ride our Kur in an open class in the same ring as the Championship.

Two years ago, in September 2008, we took Piper along to Saugerties when Jeddien had qualified for the Third Level Open Regional Championships.   This was the same year that Piper started to compete in the USA and was dealing with wicked phobias of judges stands, tents, booths, and whatever else was used to house judges.   And with golf carts, show jumping, banners, flowers, dogs, cyclists, lots of horses, stabling away from home, and everything else that keeps the Saugerties show atmosphere buzzing, Piper was overwhelmed to the point of submission.   He found SAFETY in the quiet calm of the dressage arena, and was actually a good boy, although a bit shy and withdrawn at times.

Last year, injury sidelined Piper in the summer.   This year, he came into his own and became a little competition star.   And at Saugerties, this became even more apparent.   From arrival to departure, he was braver than he'd ever been, taking everything in stride.   The few little moments he did have would have been expected from most horses.   Especially competing in the impressive Ring One for the first time.

Day One - Training Level Championships

With a fabulous first ride time of 9:12 am, Piper went into Ring 3 and pulled off a very nice, calm Training Level Test 1 test.   The super score of 69.565% was enough to earn him 2nd Place in a class where the scores ranged from 70.87% to 46.957%.

An hour later, we were in the same ring again for the Training Level Championships, Open Division.   As expected, the class included several well known professional riders on really nice horses.   Knowing this, I was hoping we would finish in the top half of the large class of 24 combinations.   Earning an okay 65.4%, we finished 11th out of the 22 who started.   (There were 2 scratches.)   Scores ranged from 71.6% to 53.8%.

Day Two - First Level Championships

Our warmup class on Friday was Training Level Test 2.   Another good sized class with 18 starting.   Making it more interesting, the class was watched by about 20 judges attending a judges' forum.

I like Training Level Test 2 because it has two full trot diagonals in it.   With Piper and his very steady trot tempo, these movements offer a great opportunity to earn easy 7's and 8's.   However, to earn those, the rider has to remember to perform them!   And sure enough, I did not remember one of them, thus earning a deduction of 2 points for going off course.   However, a quick wave to acknowledge the judge's bell, and we went around again and did a nice diagonal.

In what should have otherwise been a quiet and easy test, Piper decided to start tossing his head and going well above the bit.   This was a new behavior for him, and not welcomed at all at this point in the game.   Of course, the judge saw it too.   In the end, we earned 66.071% in a class ranging from 70.714% to 55%.   6th Place.

The First Level Regional Champion, Open Division followed later that morning.   And by then, Piper had decided he really liked this new game of head tossing, pulling against the bit, and ignoring the rider.   It was not a fun ride at all!   And when the score of 56.184% was posted, I was not surprised.   We came Dead Last in the class of 23 combinations, a class which won with a very respectable 69.605% score.   I can't remember the last time I came last....   Talk about a bump in the road.   I was not a happy camper after that test!

Day 3 - Open Classes Only

Saturday morning, bright and early, Piper and I rode in the Training Level Test 1 class of 13.   Scores ranged from 69.565% to 55.652%.   Our score of 66.087% put us in 4th Place.   While this is an easy test for Piper, he was still playing up.   And now I was really starting to wonder why... and had a sneaking hunch it was to do with the bit.

A week before Saugerties, I switched Piper's thinner KK ultra bit for a thicker one.   The thinner one was what we had spent the whole season competing in.   At home in the runup to this show, he was really great in the thicker bit.   Responsive, light, happy.   But we had not tried it in competition.   And this was, in retrospect, not the competition at which to be testing new tack!

Riding in Ring One

That evening, we were given a scratched slot in the USEF / FEI Freestyle Level of Choice test.   Since it was in Ring One, where the Freestyle Championships were scheduled to be run on Sunday, and was being held during cocktail hour in front of the grandstands and VIP tents, it was a perfect opportunity to press all the buttons of both horse and rider and see how well we were BOTH going to cope.

Ring One can be intimidating.   Even the super brave lionness of a horse, Jeddien, thought twice when entering Ring One in her 3rd Level Freestyle Championships in 2009.   Entering under the pedestrian bridge into the sunken fishbowl arena is awesome and can really get the blood pumping.   For Piper, it was a true test of his new found bravery.   But with a little encouragement and help from the NEDA volunteers, he squirted into the arena and we made our way around past each of the 5 judges booths.   I introduced myself and Piper to each of the 2 presiding judges and took a deep breath.   "This is a practice run", I told myself.   "Ride it and have fun."

Then, the bell.   Positioning ourselves outside of the arena near K, I signaled the announcer and within a few seconds, our "Tic toc tic toc" music intro began.   I made a supreme effort to find Piper's trot and adjust it to get into sync with the music, pulled off our halt at X, then headed directly on the diagonal to M, as planned in my choreography, thus avoiding having to head directly towards the judge.

The rest of the test is mostly a blur...   as they sometimes are for me...   with exception to Piper pulling against the bridle in the canter, but only to the left, and the final centerline where Piper suddenly took great exception to the view of C several meters ahead.   With our final line from A to C being a zigzag legyield movement, it was just impossible to keep Piper trotting, flowing sideways, and going forward.   He walked the final legyield into our halt at G.   None-the-less, I saluted and smiled, happy just to be there, happy to have ridden our freestyle, happy to be done.

Suddenly the audience reappeared out of nowhere, bursting my private little bubble in which I tend to ride my dressage tests.   People were applauding on three sides of the fishbowl.   A moment of mushiness swept over me as my eyes welled up and my heart filled with immense pride for my horse.   It was good.

When our winning score of 65.833% was posted, I was thrilled to see that not only had we won the class and a nice $50 gift certificate donated by NEDA's own Beth Jenkins & Paddock Saddlery, we had earned our first qualifying score towards the 2011 Regional Championships.   An excellent result!

Day 4 - Freestyle Championships

Bright and early on Sunday morning, we entered Ring One for the second time.   After the night before, I was confident we could pull off a bit more accuracy on our choreography, now knowing that Piper might back off a little in this ring.   I could adjust for this.   I also felt confident that I could get him to trot the full final zigzag movement.

As the test progressed, I was pleased to see my confidence in Piper's confidence was well placed.   And while he was able to finish the zigzag, his head tossing was no better than before.   And with the same judges viewing the same freestyle in a space of 16 hours, they were a little less tolerant of Piper's lack of submission.   Our score dropped nearly 1.5% to 64.375%, putting us in 4th Place in the Regional Championships for First Level Freestyles.   The final scores for the class ranged from 68.333% to 59.167%.

Considering it was Piper's first complete year of serious competition, 4th was still a good result.

Day 4 Continues - Tack Change

The weekend was nearly over.   And with it, we had one ride left to go.   Another run at First Level Test 4, the test in which we earned a disappointing 56% two days earlier.   Even though we had just started competing at First Level recently, this score was not acceptable to me.

Before tacking up, I put Piper's old bit back on the bridle.   In the warmup, he was FABULOUS.   I had my 2010 season partner back under me again.   But, enjoying the warmup so much, I probably left my competition test in the warmup area.   Piper was running low on fuel.

The last test of the show was polite and Piper behaved.   I left the arena beaming like someone who fully believed they had just won the class with an unprecedented winning score.   Yes, I was very pleased with the boy.

We finished in 6th Place with a 61.842% in a class of 15 where the scores ranged from 72.368% to 55.263%.   We had improved our earlier L1T4 score by over 5%.   However, more importantly, I remembered the advice I always give others....   Never change your tack right before a big show!   A mistake I will not make again....



The Awards Ceremony

The last thing we had to do before packing up the trailer to go home was ride in a Mounted Awards Ceremony in Ring One during the lunchtime break.

Leading up to the Championships, I was able to worry myself to sleep at night, thinking what might happen during the Awards Ceremonies, which in my dreamworld we would of course be attending!   But when it actually came to pass, Piper acted as if he had been doing Mounted Awards Ceremonies all of his life.

He stood.   He waited.   He got bored.   He tried to eat the long white ribbon hanging from his bridle.   And he happily did a circuit of Ring One with the other competitors from the First Level Freestyle Championship class.   No problem.   He was a super star!

Good-Bye, Piper the Wuss

Looking back at this competition year, it's really amazing to see how much Piper Warrior has matured.   Piper the Wuss is finally growing into his real name.   While not quite a Warrior yet, he has certainly come a long way towards being a braver, more confident competition horse.   And that, in turn, makes him all the more fun to ride and partner in competition.

It'll be interesting to see what next year brings....

Arriving at the Championships

The 2010 USDF Region 8 Championships are now history.   The final weeks and days leading up to this huge event is all a bit of a blur now.   Suffice to say, training continued and several practice runs of the tests and our kur took place.   And a small tack change was made...   which I will get back to later.

After a four and half hour long drive, arriving at the HITS showgrounds in Saugerties New York is always a relief.   Piper traveled very well, arriving in excellent condition.   During the trip he munched on some of the wet hay provided in his haynet and he enjoyed apples at our two fuel and rest stops.   As always, the first priority was to get Piper out of the trailer, and this was done within a few minutes, as soon as we got the first bag of shavings into his stall and a water bucket in place.   The next hour involved unloading everything and carefully arranging the tack stall out of which we would "live" for the next four days.

While some training & boarding farms decorate their show barn areas with very handsome custom embroidered curtains, chairs, and wall hangings, with farm names and logos proudly displayed, we are still doing things on the Home Depot scale.   A 12 x 12 foot plastic blue tarp works well as our floor rug and allows us to keep our hay off the dirt floor of the barn aisle.   Two $6 shower curtains hung on the inside of the tack stall offer some privacy.   We also string a heavy rope diagonally across the tack stall, providing a place to hang clothes, blankets, gloves, coats and more.   Full length folding lawn chairs and pillows, positioned towards the back of the tack stall, provide comfortable places to rest, read, and nap.   A cooler of drinks and snacks between chairs acts as a coffee table.   It's certainly not luxury living, but it works for us.

By the time we has settled in, moved the trailer to the trailer parking lot, and fed Piper dinner, it was dark.   The trip to our hotel, one at which we had stayed two years prior, was short and easy.   Settling in there was simply a matter of signing in and dumping off our suitcases.   Then, we were off to the nearby Mexican Restaurant for dinner, back to the barn for night checks, and finally back to the hotel for the night.

The next day, Piper was going to be competing in his first ever USDF Region 8 Championship class.   It was a long journey that was about to reach the final milestones.