Hey! What kind of pants are those?

So, I live in Arkansas, right? Not exactly the mecca for English riding of any kind. It is growing! Right now my tack shop Lead Changes is located on the campus of Salem Equestrian Center, the largest eventing facility in the state. We're taking 13 horses to Holly Hill Horse Trials in Louisiana this weekend, which is one of the largest events in our region of the United States Eventing Association (USEA.) That's a remarkable number, and I'm not even riding! Why you ask? Well, I'm setting up as a vendor there for the first time. It's kind of a big deal and I felt like it would probably be too much pressure to try and ride AND sell tack, especially after my disastrous run at Greenwood. I haven't exactly broken the news to the Syd yet. He's going to be VERY disappointed to see all his show buddies take off in trailers on Friday! Sometimes you've got to make the tough choices, i.e. sometimes being an adult sucks. At least I won't be there to see him cry because I'm leaving on Thursday. Poor Syd.

But anyway, I digress...
If you live in a state like North Carolina or Florida or Kentucky, I'm sure it's fairly common to see folks out and about town wearing breeches and boots. Here in Arkansas, not so much. Unless you happen to catch site of me shopping at Wal-mart or Kroger. Because I both ride and sell tack, you would be hard pressed to see me NOT in a pair of breeches and boots, and usually sporting a ball cap as well so as to not show off my helmet hair. In fact, there are probably folks around that believe it's a myth that I OWN a normal pair of pants or even have hair!
It's gotten to be big joke with my husband and me. We'll be at Chili's waiting for a table, and he'll say in a rather loud voice, "Hey! What kind of pants are those?" We just laugh and laugh...

So a few weeks ago I'm strollin' through Wally World's frozen food section, and I feel a set of eyes burning a hole in the back of my head. I casually turn around and say, "Oh, I'm sorry! Am I in your way?" The bearded gentlemen in full hunting regalia standing about 6 foot 3 inches and weighing in about 300 pounds, looks at me again, says, "No ma'am," pauses, and then says, "Hey! What kind of pants are those?" It's a good thing I wasn't drinking anything at the time or it would have ended up all over his face. I had to contain my amusement, but I very simply and politely responded, "They're riding pants." To which he replied, "Yeah, that's what I thought," and sauntered away. I couldn't WAIT to get home and relay that little anecdote to my husband.

Happy riding! And if you see someone wearing riding breeches and boots, make their day and ask them the same question, and see if you don't get a smile!

New Beginnings

So...last October, shortly after moving the Syd out to Salem Equestrian Center, I put forth some very specific goals for myself, the number one goal being to qualify and compete in the 2011 American Eventing Championships at Beginner Novice. WE DID THAT! YAY! Now what?! I'm a very goal oriented person. (It's the Type A in my personality!) I definitely function best when I have something I'm aiming for. So what's next?

As far as my riding goes, I'm not sure...I have some ideas, but I'm not quite ready to throw them out there for all the world to see just yet. I do know this: My utterly disastrous weekend at Greenwood Horse Trials, which also happened to be Area V Regional Championships, definitely put a few things in perspective. I'll tell you one thing that FOR SURE will NOT be happening anytime in the near future: a move up to Novice. The Syd might be ready, but the rider is NOT.

For the immediate future what I really need to focus on is building my business. The economy is bad, retail is tough, and I want to be the next Dover Saddlery, Dressage Extensions and Bit of Britain all rolled into one, only more friendly and fun to work with and buy tack from!!! That isn't going to happen without a lot of blood, sweat and tears on my part! Now that my riding is at least headed in the right direction, time to get the store headed that way as well. That means growth! Major growth! So, for now, Lead Changes gets to be the primary focus of my attention. Have no fear! The Sydder is still number one in my book. He wouldn't have it any other way! I'm just gonna take a little step back from showing and sell some serious tack. Having said that, I am sure some of you have noticed that my name is suspiciously missing from Holly Hill Horse Trials' competitor's list. Well, that's because I'm not showing. I AM however taking my store. I just decided it would be too much to try and compete and set up shop (especially after Greenwood.) I'll be there cheering on all my peeps (my very favorite thing!) selling tack and even doing a little volunteering, which you all know is very near and dear to my heart. So if you're down in Louisiana next weekend, be sure you stop by the Lead Changes tent and say, "Hi!" And in the meantime, I'll be pondering on what my next blog should be about and what my next goals are for my riding. Until then, be safe, WEAR YOUR HELMET! And Happy Riding!

New Directions

September 24, 2011 Blog
Whew! So who knew going to the AEC’s would put me so far behind? I came home to find (in addition to the normal game of playing catch-up) that it’s the beginning of the fall show season, the beginning of the Holiday season if you’re involved in retail like I am, and we just started really taking my store mobile on top of all my normal day to day running a business and trying to improve my riding and get ready for Regional Championships tasks. It’s been a crazy ride (no pun intended!) In a perfect world I was going to write a series of blogs about my fabulous experience at the American Eventing Championships, but as I said that would have been in a perfect world…As it is I find myself almost two weeks out, and I haven’t written a word. So…to save time and endless ranting, I’ll just say that having the opportunity to ride in the AEC’s and to compete in such an amazingly beautiful and first class facility surrounded by the best riders in the United States was one of the best experiences of my life. I could quite literally go on and on about the perfect footing, the fun frantic course walk with Jonathan Holling, the beautiful horses, the fabulous new friends I made (eventers really are the best horse people in the world!) the way my area (GO AREA V!) represented itself, the majestic main barn, the tears elicited by hearing the national anthem being played, and what a ROCK STAR my pony (the best horse in the world!) was!!!!! But I won’t. All I will say is that for the first time EVER, I actually had FUN on the cross country course. FUN! Can you imagine? Well, until the AEC’s I really couldn’t, but WOW! Now I can’t wait to get back out there! Yippee!!!
What I really want to do is send this blog in a whole new direction…As a tack shop owner, I am constantly on the look-out for new items that have caught fire and caught on. I want to share those with you. I also want to help with common concerns and everyday items that the products I have in my store can help with. What I DON’T want to do is be preachy or make anyone feel like I’m putting a marketing spin on everything. What I do want to do is help. So…what tack question is nagging at you? What product are you absolutely in love with or what product do you absolutely abhor? What would YOU like to see me blog about? Send me your ideas and comments, and I’ll get to blogging! And have no fear, I’ll still write about the Syd and all our exploits; he wouldn’t have it any other way! So while the road to the 2011 AEC’s may have come to an end, the next road is just waiting to be followed! Happy riding!
　
　
　

Beginner Novice Cross-Country AECs

OK...so I have SOOOOO much to write about my unbelieveably amazing experience at the AEC's, but one of the coolest things that happened was being included in Eventing Nation's video coverage of cross country! Approximately 500 riders, and they chose Syd and I as a team to feature for the beginner novice competition. SOOOOOO flattered and thrilled!!!!! Here it is!
Enjoy! More to come once I get a bit more caught up!

A Mixed Bag

Today has definitely been a mixed bag of tricks. It started yesterday with some unexpected changes surrounding the AEC's and a couple of misunderstandings/miscommunications. As a result, I went to bed early last night and woke with the very distinct and unusual desire to clean my house (This is never a good sign as it usually means somethings bothering me. It's kind of like getting up on the wrong side of the bed.) Needless to say, I started my day feeling prickly and a little down. Okay, a lot down. It mostly has to do with having more on my plate than usual and just burning the candle at both ends for WAY too long. The flames are just about to meet.

I'm trying, trying, TRYING to stay focused on the biggest task at hand, which is the most important competition of my life thus far: The American Eventing Championships. Owning my own business and trying to take care of it and all the people around me, not to mention my furry children, is just about to put to me over the edge. Don't get me wrong! I LOVE MY BUSINESS!!! I DO!! But what's hard about owning your own business, and what most people don't realize, is that you NEVER truly get a break from it. It's like a child. It's always there, and it always needs something. When you're the sole employee, well you do the math...I'm the owner, manager, buyer, salesperson, full-time, part-time, CSM, marketing director, accountant (a job I LOATHE!) website designer, janitor, you name it, and I do it! Sometimes it all gets a tad bit exhausting. OK, more than a tad. This morning I was feeling the weight of that responsibility and then some.

So when I walked into the barn this morning to get ready for my jumping lesson, and one of the first things I hear is that it's supposed to rain for the AEC's, well...First of all, we're still a week out. Newsflash people! The weather forecast can and probably WILL change!!! Secondly, I just get so tired of "Gloom and Doom, gloom and doom!" I am NOT trying to beat on the folks at my barn talking about the rain. I'm just trying to take this one day and one step at a time. If I'm about to ride and it's pouring, well, I'll deal with it then! Today I just needed to have a good ride and stay focused on the task at hand.

As you might expect I was a little annoyed and yes, still prickly, when I finally got on my horse. Syd, sensing my mood, decided it was a good day to go to battle with me. He rarely picks a fight, but today he must have been feeling a little "on the wrong side of the bed-ish" himself. He did NOT want to go where I wanted him to go. But today, anger was on my side in a good way. I had just enough gumption to say, "NO! I'm the boss!" That was that! And I never had to even touch my whip. I just wasn't in the mood to put up with any shenanigans and told Syd so! As a result, we ended up having one of the best cross country lessons I've had in awhile. We went up the bank; we went down the bank; we went up and down the bank; we went up the bank, down the bank five strides to a vertical; we went up the pimple and down the pimple; we went up and over the pimple one stride to a vertical and then reversed it. Needless to say, it was just the cross country lesson I needed. I finished the lesson, dare I say it, feeling (gasp!) ready for the AEC's. FINALLY!
So sometimes good really does come out of bad...And the road to the AEC's is rapidly shrinking! One week from right now, I will have already ridden dressage!!!

It's so close I can taste it!

WOW! I can't believe tomorrow is September 1st!!! How did this happen?!

Tomorrow my ride times for the AEC's will be posted on the Chatt Hills website.
And one week from tomorrow I'll be in Georgia!!! Holy Eventing Championships, Batman!


I'm really having a hard time wrapping my head around the above facts. Everyone keeps telling me I'm ready, and my horse and me are ready. I've got the truck ready, the trailer's been in for maintenance, and all my show equipment is cleaned, organized and ready to go. A new batch of business cards are on their way. I've bought and embroidered enough "Lead Changes" shirts for everyone attached to me to wear. I've even ordered special AEC stickers from the USEA to put on the truck and trailer! We schoolled cross country at Holly Hill last Saturday, and rode in a schooling dressage show on Sunday. I've got my training schedule with an extra conditioning day built in all mapped out until the moment I leave. Clippers are greased, with a new blade attached, just waiting to be used. My show jacket is cleaned, pressed and ready to go. The camera batteries are even charged! Pretty much all I've got to do is pack, load myself, my horse, and my husband and hit the road. Do you think we could go ahead and leave now?

And the road just keeps getting shorter!!!!!

Friends

Today I want to celebrate friends both human and furry. It's a topic that's been on my mind a lot lately. It all started with a day out at the barn when I discovered Syd laying down in his stall taking his afternoon nap. Instead of getting up immediately in search of a treat (like he usually does,) he just laid there as I slowly walked in, knelt next to him and began to pet him like a dog as he just dosed away, content to let me do so. I mentioned this to a friend of mine a few days later who pointed out to me the amount of trust Syd must have in me to have let me do that. She said, "Think about it. He's a flight animal in a confined space in his most vulnerable position. He felt totally at peace and at ease or he would have stood up immediately." Wow! I never really thought about it that way. I was just enjoying those quiet moments with my beloved Sydder. For me, more than anything else, what I do, riding and eventing, I mean, has always been first and foremost about the relationship between myself and my horse. Without that, really, what is the point? And how can I expect my horse to take care of me around a cross country course and give him my all if I don't do the same? A lot of people tease me because of the time I spend pampering and grooming my big, bay beast. But you know what? I have the time, and it has paid off. I take care of him, and he takes care of me, and isn't that what friends are supposed to do for one another?!

Which brings me to my next group of "friends." This past weekend I got to hang out for two days at the Fletcher's farm. They brought Heather Morris in from Texas to teach an eventing clinic. I didn't ride, but instead took advantage of a gathering of horsey-type folks and set my tack store up to sell some goods. I've gotta say that it was a great weekend. Why? Because the more I'm around the eventing crowd, the more I like 'em. As the saying goes, "they're just good people!" It's true! They are! Eventers would give you the shirt off their back or the girth off their saddle if you need it. Now don't misunderstand me; we're a competitive, adrenaline junkie-type, group of folks. Just take a look at what we do! "Crazy!" is a pretty commonly used descriptive word for us, but we're good people nonetheless. And I had such a great time hangin' with friends old and new. And if you aren't enjoying what you're doing and who you're with, well, really, what is the point? I enjoy everything about this crazy sport I'm competing in, and I enjoy the people most of all!

Which brings me to one last group of friends (at least for the purpose of this discussion.) My dogs. Hence, the photo. I almost didn't include it. No matter how many times I look at it, I start to weep. However, it is one of those pictures that is a heartwrenching example of the phrase, "a picture is worth a thousand words." It was taken at the funeral of Navy Seal John Tumilson, one of the Seals that died in Afghanistan. Lying next to his coffin is his beloved dog Hawkeye. I don't even know what else to say about that except this, "Animals love unconditionally." Maybe if we as humans would begin to take our cues a bit more from them, we wouldn't have Navy Seals in coffins at all. I have never stepped a foot in my home when I wasn't greeted by wagging bottoms (not just tails) and smiling faces. No matter how bad my day has been or how exhausted I might be, my Pyr dogs are there to cheer me up just because they are so genuinely glad to have me home. And isn't that what being a friend is all about, really?! So, go home and hug whatever furry or non-furry friend you have!!! I'm headed to do that myself right now!
And the Road to the AEC's continues!

THREE WEEKS!

Three weeks from today I will be in Georgia preparing for my dressage ride on Friday at the American Eventing Championships!!!!!!! Just saying that makes the pterodactyls in my stomach hit the runway and take flight. Whew! It's gettin' close!!! We had another really good jumping lesson yesterday. It was not by any means perfect. In fact, the Syd and I made quite a few mistakes, but they were really good, "learn from this" mistakes, so I'm glad they happened. We're finally getting to a point where I'm becoming a little bit more finessed in my riding, so now Syd has to become that way too. He's been so over-compensating for all my bad, "just stay on" habits, that now that I am starting to really RIDE, he's thinking, "But wait! Usually, I have to save your butt and do (fill in the blank...) You mean I don't have to do that anymore?!" The progression is really interesting!

Even more wonderful was my lack of nerves yesterday and my lack of feeling like I'd lost my mojo. Usually when I haven't jumped in over a week, it takes me a bit to get my jumping "mojo" back and really feel comfortable. (I'm usually thinking, "Where's that dressage saddle?") Yesterday was different. Last week I was really unmotivated and tired, and really and truly didn't get much accomplished where my riding is concerned. I know! It's sad and wrong, but it's very true! I wasn't sure how my jumping lesson would go. Would I have the mojo?! From the beginning, I felt comfortable and where I needed to be, so that in itself is HUGE!!!!! Dare I say it: Maybe I've actually turned another corner!

Today was actually my fifth day in a row to ride. I've kicked my butt back into high gear. Karen Hooks, DVM and horse chiropractor and acupuncturist, came out and did an adjustment on Syd after I rode, just so he'd have a bit of a tune up before the big dance. He'll get tomorrow off to let his muscles and joints recover. He's worked hard this week! He deserves it! And I am going to use my time off to get my hair cut and colored because I deserve it! Maybe I'll even do something shocking again, and go blonde! Hmmm....Stay tuned as the road to the AEC's gets shorter!

Lack of Motivation

Really struggling to stay motivated today. It's the third day in a row of rain. While I'm VERY grateful for it, between the rain and all the extra tasks I've had this week, i.e. taking care of two sets of horses on top of all my normal stuff, I am REALLY struggling to stay motivated. Having our electricity go in an out isn't helping either, especially since we're on a well. No electricity means no water. Ah, the joys of living in the country...And now is NOT the time to be lazy or unmotivated. Not by ANY stretch of the imagination! Three words: AMERICAN EVENTING CHAMPIONSHIPS! And yet, here I sit, blogging about just that very thing.

I usually take Sundays off, but with the rain and the laziness today, I really don't see my horse getting ridden, which means I MUST ride tomorrow. That may work better anyway...I need to bring the trailer out here to the barn. That'll get the Timster involved, which will make it not so bad, since Sunday is usually our day off together. Sigh. I guess tomorrow is another day...and now I'm finding myself lacking the motivation to keep writing, so...

Theory of Convergence

OK, so I have this theory of convergence. Have I told you about it yet? I actually stole it from the movie "Say Anything." (One of my very favorite movies, by the way...on SOOO many levels. Plus, John Cusack! What more could you ask for?!) Broken down simply, what it means is that for everything good that happens there is something bad. It's not so much that I think that everytime something good happens that something bad is also going to happen. For me, it's really about balance, which is actually how the world works if you think about it. "For every reaction there is an opposite and equal reaction." It's a law of physics. There's good and there's evil; there's black and there's white; there's wrong and there's right; and so on. It's really us stupid humans that take things in excess! (and I am including myself in that statement!)

So...yesterday was an amazingly good day, mostly due to the fact that I FINALLY BOUGHT A HORSE TRAILER!!!!!!! I've been a horse owner for over five years now, and the Sydder FINALLY has his own limo! I can't speak for him, but I'm pretty darn stoked. It has everything I could have wanted in a trailer and more! (I won't bore you with the details) The most important thing about the fact that I bought a trailer is what it means for me. I can sum it up in one word. "FREEDOM!!!"

It also means that now it's time for me to do little, actually a lot of, paying it forward for all the rides my big bay beast has hitched over the years. I plan to do just that! More convergence...

So since yesterday was such a banner day in my life as an equestrian? Well, it meant working through some stress and making some tough decisions. Nothing bad, mind you, just trying to be an adult (ACK!) and a responsible business owner. Sometimes that is so hard! We all HATE those hard to make decisions, and as a woman, I particularly hate them! I'd much rather my knight in shining armor do it for me! But...in the end, it's really up to me. And you want to know the crazy thing? I'm sitting here feeling really relieved and really proud of myself for taking control and working through it all, and gittin' it done! WHEW!

And now that I think about it, today wasn't so bad after all! For one thing, IT FINALLY RAINED!!!!! A LOT!!!! I've never been so glad NOT to ride my horse in my life! And I know, I'm an eventer, I should ride in the rain, but this rain was accompanied by lightning. That would NOT have been smart. It sure was fun splashing in some puddles in my rubber boots!

And you know what else...I checked my entry status for the AEC's. You have to scroll down quite a ways to find me. I am at the back of the bus these days, but there it is! "Rider: Michelle Wadley; Horse: Il Sogno; Entry: COMPLETE!" Now is that a good thing? Or a bad thing? Hmmmm....not sure yet....what I am sure of though, is that the road there continues!

ONE MONTH FROM TODAY!!!!!

ONE MONTH FROM TODAY I WILL BE ARRIVING AT THE AMERICAN EVENTING CHAMPIONSHIPS AT CHATTAHOOCHIE HILLS!!!!

I STAND IN AWE!!!

ENOUGH SAID!

TODAY THE ROAD GOT A WHOLE LOT SHORTER!!!!!

Things that make me Smile!

I was a bit on the cranky side yesterday, so today I am reminding myself of things that I am grateful for that put a big, silly, "you know what eating" grin on my face. Kinda hard to be cranky when you're smilin' so hard your cheeks are closing your eyes! Which brings me to my list:

• my cat Edgar Runtski, who really does smile so big he closes his eyes




• my wonderful, long-suffering horse husband who supports me, puts up with me and loves me like no one else!!!!




• the little old man that I see walking every morning on my way to the barn that must be at least 80 but who is out there exercising, waving and smiling at every car that passes by




• selling tack to someone who is just getting into horses or is just getting BACK into horses that is so excited about a pair of boots they can't stand it



• MY HORSE!!!!!!!!



• when my dogs wag their tails at me so hard that their whole butt wags



• pizza



• pizza and beer



• pizza and beer and ice cream for dessert



• when a song comes on the radio that you love and haven't heard in ages



• "God is great; beer is good; and people are crazy!"



• my blog actually has followers!!!!



• kids on ponies



• my favorite movies (and this is an ENTIRE topic on its own.)



• even though we haven't had one of these for awhile...a rainy day, the couch, my pj's and either a good book or a great movie!



• sunflowers and morning glories



• a good conversation with a good friend

and finally (at least for the purposes of this blog...)

When I have a jumping lesson like the one I had today that is so unbelievably good, my trainer, my horse and me especially are shocked beyond belief! And to that I say, "WOOOHOOO!!!!"

And the road to Chatt Hills is getting shorter!!!!!

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire...

Or at least it feels like it is (as well as everything else!!!) I know EVERYONE is complaining about, talking about, worrying about and endlessly lamenting the heat, so I won't do that here, except to say, "It's destroying my motivation!!!" My mantra has become, "Today I don't feel like doing anything...I just want to stay in my bed...do,ta do, do, do..." And I've gotta say that even though he hasn't told me so, I'm quite sure the Sydder agrees. So I gave him (and more importantly me) the day off. Of course, I picked the one day not to ride when we actually had a breeze and the sun was behind the clouds, but oh well. I got caught up on a lot of paperwork for my store, and I even had time to write this blog, so all is well with the world!

One quick non-riding note: OH MY GOSH!! I ACTUALLY HAVE FOLLOWERS!!! THANKS GUYS!!! I hope I don't disappoint you!

And...here's the reason why I love having a tack store:
Salem Equestrian Center (the campus where my store resides) has been having one last summer horse camp all week. Today was the final day of said camp. The girls all go swimming in the afternoon, and they have all started coming into my store to change clothes and hang out. Could it be that it's because I have air conditioning? And a candy jar? Nah... Well, today I left to go talk to a parent for a second leaving two of them in the store. I returned alone to find a sticky note on my computer that said (in 11 year old hand-writing), "Hi! This is Delaney and Ashley! You Rock! Bye!" followed by a heart. Sure. Retail is hard work and long hours, but that sticky note? Yep! I'm pretty sure it makes it all worth while!

And the road to the AEC's continues...

Butterflies and Pterodactyls

OK...so today I have some 'splainin' to do. I mailed in my entry to the AEC's on Tuesday, which was opening day. Just doing that made my stomach do flip flops and loop de loops. Yesterday I got the confirmation e-mail that my made my entry official. There's no going back now! As my trainer Gena said, "Onward and upward!" Literally and figuratively! And so begins the hatching of the Pterodactyls. Huh? What the...? Pterodactyls?

See, here's the deal. I competed in my first event in SEVEN years in April of this year (Blah, blah, blah. It's been well-documented.) I made a joke about how I didn't just have butterflies in my stomach, I had Pterodactyls. Since then, it's become an ongoing theme. It's gone from just describing a case of nerves to a full blown joke, including their flight patterns and how long it takes for them to hatch. Soooo...getting a confirmation that my entry for the American Eventing Championships had been received and well, "entered" meant a new batch of Pterodactyl eggs just waiting to be hatched, so they could start flying around and wrecking havoc in my stomach, hence "Pterodactyls." Speaking of which, a good case of show nerves also usually equals a really good colon cleanse, but that's a whole other topic! And the road to Chatt Hills continues...

Playing Catch up...

Wow! It's been three days since I blogged. ACK! And trust me on this one, it's probably a good thing I missed yesterday. I was on a bit of a tear...yesterday was not the best of days. NOT however, where the Syd was concerned, but everything else was kind of crappy. Well, not kind of, definitely. But I digress...

My mission today is to get caught up and get caught up quickly. So here goes...
Sunday, Syd and I both got the day off. I didn't come anywhere near the barn. I really needed that. It's hard sometimes. I love what I do; I truly do! However, sometimes, because I work and ride in the same place, and because my pleasure is also my job, the lines get very blurred. There are days when it threatens to consume and overtake me. I am usually at the barn/my store six days a week, eight hours a day. That's why it is vitally important, but also very hard, for me to get out of here at least one day a week, and with this heat?! AY YI YI! Sunday was a much needed break.

Yesterday was conditioning day. Bubba and Gena, at the advice of Karen O'Connor, just purchased an aerator to help condition the footing in the cross country field and make it not so unwielding and hard, which is horrible for the horses legs. Yesterday I got to feel the difference. If I stayed on the track that had been aerated, I had a very forward, almost "horse show" forward horse, with a lot of spring to his stride. If I strayed off the track, no more forward. It was truly amazing the difference the aerator made. I'm a believer! Other than that conditioning day is what it is. Both of us were pretty darn sweaty when we were done. The humidity was so high, I thought I would have been better served if I'd had gills!

Today was kind of a mix between conditioning, just doing more of my "dressage" work in my jumping saddle and throwing in a few little fences in just for good measure. I need a jumping lesson desperately. Gena was sick last week, so I missed one. Until then, I am really focusing on that stupid right leg of mine staying out of the way, and fixing my tendency to lean. Leaning is bad.

The thing I noticed most today, I really didn't notice until I got back into the store and watched the helmet cam video of Hawley Bennett Awad from the Rebecca Farms event (which by the way, I'm posting a link to here because it is so cool!) I noticed that I am hardly talking to my horse anymore. And by "talking" I literally mean verbally communicating with Syd. I used to talk to him all the time...Recently, I think I've become silent. I'm not sure why this has happened. It's not that I'm not telling Syd, "Good Boy!" or being rewarding, I'm just not verbalizing as much. It sort of bothers me. Makes me feel like our relationship is suffering. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I just know it doesn't feel right, and it doesn't feel like ME. When have you EVER know ME to NOT be verbal. So, that's what we'll work on tomorrow...Until then...The road to the AEC's gets shorter by the day...

Almost forgot the link! Here it is...

http://useventing.com/blog/?p=18530

The "I Don't Wannas" and a Pony Ride

"Somebody's got a case of the 'Mondays!'"

Well, I didn't exactly have a case of that (Thanks "Office Space!") but I definitely had a case of the "I don't wannas!" which is probably worse! Didn't wanna ride my horse, didn't wanna write my blog, DEFINITELY didn't wanna do any business paperwork or exercise. Was there anything I DID want to do? Well, yes actually...I DESPERATELY wanted a hair cut.

See, here's the deal. My hair is extremely curly and unmanageable. Because of this, I keep it super short. Think Emma Watson or Morena Baccarin, the evil lizard queen in the TV show "V." It works great. I love it, except for one thing...my hair grows really fast, so I have to get it cut about every 2 1/2 weeks or I end up looking like a female Horshack (that's a reference to TV show from the 70's, in case you're wondering...) Because of this, I usually end up driving my poor hairdresser husband to the brink of insanity. Coordinating my schedule with his is nothing short of trying to get the national debt solved! As of yesterday I was about 2 weeks overdue for a haircut, which meant I had pretty much become Clint Black in a baseball cap. All I wanted was a haircut. So...I DID actually get my horse ridden, but everything else, not so much, because of my obsession with the haircut and those darned "don't wannas!" Thankfully, my husband took pity on my and YAY! I got the haircut. BIG YAY!!!

So back to the task at hand, the road to Chatt Hills. My ride yesterday was pretty uneventful, and I mean that in a good way. I rode in the jump field. We practiced my favorite spiral in/out excercise around the log jumps. (Love that!) It's so good for me and for Syd to do things like that in my jumping saddle since I tend to lose all dressage coordination out in the field. Then we just did some more little baby jump courses just to help me get my jumping mojo back (which I tend to lose when we haven't been jumping much.) (Do you sense a trend with the jumping? Hmmmm...) Syd was really good, and very agreeable. I worked really hard to keep my right leg out of the way. It tends to want to stick way out in front by Syd's shoulder which impedes my ability to turn. Not a good thing, but today the right leg stayed where it needed to. The jumping felt really comfortable and easy which is a major accomplishment, so all in all, it was a very good day! Especially in light of the "don't wannas!" It was the hair cut that really made the difference. :)

Today marked SIX rides in a row. I halfway expected Syd to hide in the back corner of his stall when I came to get him. Instead he was ready to go! He's such a good boy, and he really does love to work. Or maybe he just loves the pampering he gets afterward....Anyway, Saturdays are a busy day for lessons, so we rode dressage in the field so we'd be out of the way. More of the clock exercise and losing and taking back my stirrups. We got some AMAZING canter departs. I was VERY happy. Tomorrow Syd will get a very well-deserved day off. What a rock star he is! But OH SO JEALOUS! Which brings me to topic two...the pony ride.

Gena and Paula brought a pony back from Georgia to sell. Symphony is the cutest little red roan hunter mare. About 13 hands, she is just the most adorable little redhead. I got to exercise her today. It was the most fun I've had in a long time. SOOOO cute!!! And let me tell you...that little mare has a "GO!" button. Once I found it, dang! I would love to run around a cross country course on that! What fun!!! She even threw a couple of little bucks when I asked for the right lead the first time. All I could do was laugh. Talk about polar opposites from the big bay beast to Strawberry Shortcake! What a blast! All in all, just a really good day!!!

YOU SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!

Okay, so today's blog strays a bit from the "Road to Chatt Hills" path at hand because it's my Birthday. Truth be told, I'm not much of a Birthday kind of gal, and not for the reason you'd probably suspect. It's not about age at all. I firmly believe you are only as old as you feel. I feel about 27, and since I'm blessed with very good genes (Thanks Mom and Dad!) and hang out with a lot of young folks, most people don't come anywhere near to guessing my real age. No it's not about that... It's about, I'm sorry to say, romanticism. It seems that in spite of my very linear, logical, left-brained self, I am a HOPELESS romantic. There! I said it!

From a very young age I always built Birthdays up so much in my mind that there was no WAY reality could compete, so I was usually disappointed. As an adult some sort of craziness like pipes bursting or a breakup usually ensued. Eventually to avoid any sort of heart ache, real or romaticized, I just sort of decided a Birthday was just a day to reflect upon the past year and make goals for the next, kind of like a recap of New Year's. This particular Birthday has been a really good one for that since I have a lot of exciting opportunities happening with my tack store, and I'm trying to get ready for the AEC's. (On a side note, did I mention the font I'm using is called "Georgia?")

There is one thing, however, that has changed the way I look at Birthdays just a bit, and that is facebook. I never would have thunk it, but facebook has actually made me look forward to today. Why? It is such a neat, neat, fantabulous feeling to sit and read little Birthday wishes from friends old, new, near and far. In short, it's AWESOME!!! And it makes me feel so loved! I couldn't wait to get on the computer to see who I'd hear from! And it made me make a little promise to myself to check and see who's Birthday it is each day, so I can make them feel loved too. Maybe unwittingly I'm even wishing "Happy Birthday!" to someone like me and possible changing their point of view too! Heck! I'll even just settle for having made them smile!

Just so you don't think all my Birthdays were horrible and bad (which really and truly not many of them were), I'll share one of my favorite Birthday memories which probably gave my mom a heart attack. We were living in Dallas when I turned 13, and I was "living" at a riding stable called White Rock Stables. School was miserable for me there because I never felt like I fit in, but the stables and the horses and my friends there were my life. It made perfect sense that I had my Birthday party there. Cake, presents, decorations, the works! When all my little horsey friends and I got done eating and opening gifts, we all hopped on our ponies bareback and went running around through White Rock park jumping logs bareback and just being silly, horsey girls. It was wonderful! And it was one of the best Birthdays ever!

Enough about a subject I hardly mention...So what did Syd and I do today? Well, he needed new shoes desperately so I didn't want to do anything that might make him throw a shoe. He did eventually get new shoes today, but not until it was already hotter than blue blazes, so we worked on trot poles, the pimple, and little 18" jump courses out in the field for about 30 minutes. It was fun and productive, and it was HOT! Syd's a rock star, and Boy! does he know it! Big ole spoiled rotten beast!

And what did I do? Well, I held horses in the heat for 3 hours for the farrier after that, started checking in an order from UPS, wrote this blog, and I'm about to head home. Oh! You mean "exercise!" Right! Are you crazy? It's my Birthday! And I'm absolutely, positively, totally sure there's something fattening and chocolate in my future. How romantic is that?

Day Three!

Ever have one of those days where you are tired before you even get out of bed? Well, that would be me today. ACK! Having said that, it's been kind of a hard day to get anything at all accomplished. I'm usually not a very ADD kind of a girl, but when I'm tired, all bets are off. Thank goodness I rode and exercised before I did anything else or neither one would have gotten done!

So what did today's work entail? Well, first of all I have to say that I am quite proud of myself for actually having the gumption to get a work-out tape done AFTER leaving the barn yesterday, and not only going to get gas, run by the bank and the post office, but also after going to the grocery store. I felt so good afterwards, but I really had to MAKE myself work-out. Laziness in this heat seems to be the rule of thumb even for someone as Type-A as me!

Today was dressage day. I felt like I needed gills to breathe the humidity was so high! At last week's Cindy Thaxton clinic, she taught me a "clock" exercise which involves imagining the face of a clock on you saddle and then hitting the numbers 3, 6, 9, and 12 with your hips while keeping your upper body still, your calfs engaged, and your horse trotting forwardly on a twenty meter circle while staying round and within the contact. Sounds easy, right? WRONG! Talk about having to use all parts of your brain while separating body parts! That exercise was our homework until her next visit, and it's what we worked on today. Fifteen minutes of that, and I felt like I'd done an hour. It's SOOOOO good for me, but SOOOOO hard! We basically lived in that exercise on different 20 meter circles for about 30 minutes. That was enough! It can be really frustrating, but the difference it's making in my canter departs is unbelieveable!

The highlight of the day? The dressage arena is connected to a paddock with two chestnut lovebirds named Tom and Sandy. Gena, my trainer, has been leaving the gate between their paddock and the dressage arena open for them to have more room to roam. Just as I'm really about to get deep into my trot work, here they come. Each one positions himself stragically so that I can't really make any sort of circle. What comes next? Both horses, on cue, drop and roll. Hilarious! All I could do was sit and watch and laugh until they were done and the two of them casually sauntered out of the ring covered in sand. They TOTALLY did it on purpose, and I'm sure Syd was wishing he could join them instead of being forced to do the stinkin' clock exercise.

After all that fun was over, I decided to go for a walk. It was already noon and blazin' by the time I got started, so I only walked for about 30 minutes. I know the horses thought I had lost my marbles as I made loops of the pasture, and they snoozed under the trees. I just reminded them that they didn't have a national show coming up, and I did! :)

THE ROAD TO CHATT HILLS!

Boy! Have I been lax! OK...so I started this blog way back when, and if you have looked at it at ALL, you've probably noticed a severe lack of actual blogging. (sigh.) Well, NO MORE! I've accomplished a lot in the past year, and I'm about to embark on quite a journey, and darnit! It needs to be chronicled! So...here's the skinny: (I think this requires bullets and numbering.)

• I moved my horse to an eventing barn and went from not being able to trot in a open field to qualifying for Area 5 Regionals and the American Eventing Championships (AEC's).



• I opened my own tack store on the campus of the barn where my horse lives.



• I rode in a clinic with Karen O'Connor!



• I traded my VW Beetle in for an SUV that will haul a horse trailer.



• This fall we plan to take my store on the road!

WHEW! So the fact that we are even qualified for the American Eventing Championships is a HUGE DEAL!!! Last October when I was still in the stronghold of fear, and mentioned my goal of riding at the AEC's this fall, a lady laughed it me. I'm not kidding! She really did!!! That's how ridiculous that goal seemed! I had hardly even jumped an x-rail! And forget riding outside an arena! But I am proof that discipline, hardwork, a good trainer, and a willingness to push yourself out of your comfort zone bit by horrifying bit, DO pay off!

Suddenly I find myself a mere 8 weeks from competing at the biggest horse show of my life thus far. What to do?! After a bit of a much needed riding vacation for both me and the Syd (my fabulous horse) last week, yesterday, Monday, began our ramping up in fitness and ability for our goal which is to complete the event on a good dressage score. The AEC's are held at Chattahoohie Hills Farm in Fairburn, Georgia September 8-12. We'll be there, and we'll be ready!

And so yesterday the odyssey began. Today, I begin to put it all down on paper (well, really to type it all into a blog.) Here goes:

DAY ONE: Fitness day! (Which translated, means "trot sets!") Since we took a few days off, and since the heat in Arkansas has been BRUTAL, I took it easy on the big bay beast and sort of started over. We did a 10 minute walk, followed by two loops of the big pasture (one each direction) at the trot, two big loops at the canter, back to the trot, followed by a ten minute walk, for about a 45 minute session. And for those of you that are wondering, one loop around the pasture is about a half a mile. Mission accomplished.

And if I'm gonna put the horse in training and really get him fit, well, I TOTALLY need to ramp up my own personal fitness level with some aerobic and weight training, but (and here come the excuses...) Mondays are HORRIBLE for me trying to juggle my store (ordering and getting reorganized from the weekend) with riding, so I did nothing for myself. Bummer...Here comes the guilt...

DAY TWO: Flat work in the jumping arena, in my jumping saddle. If you know me at all, you know I LOVE dressage. I'm a bit of an "anti" eventer that way. It comes WAY easier for me than anything done in my jumping tack. One of my primary focuses is going to be maintaining "dressage" whenever I'm in my jumping saddle and when running around the cross country course. I tend to get a bit spacey, and Syd tends to get a bit "we're going!" Hence today's work session. I waited a bit too long to get on horse today, so it was WICKED hot by the time I made it out to the arena. Thirty minutes was all she wrote, but it was a productive thirty minutes, so all's well. Once UPS arrives, and I lock up the store for the day, I'll go home and do an exercise tape. NO EXCUSES!!! And tomorrow the journey continues...