Update!



So a lot has happened this past year in regarding to my horsey hobby!

I moved barns in February of this year! Zalsa is now out at Raintree Ranch in NewCastle. I am so thrilled with my decision. I now have access to two wonderful trainers and an amazing facility. Things have been sort of a roller coaster since the move – but that is life with horses. When switching facilities I unfortunately also had to switch farriers, which meant my sensitive mare getting some new shoes and new angles. Unfortunately she did not agree with the new shoes and shortly afterwards in April let me know by not having that great of a first show to the season. Unfortunately with horses, they cannot just tell us what is wrong, so an ultrasound and two heel blocks later we discovered that she was just foot sore. Thank goodness! Onto the second new farrier, and her feet are coming around! Yippie!

I am still so totally stocked with my two wonderful trainers! I cannot express the appreciation to all they have done for Zalsa and myself. I am so lucky to have access to them on a daily basis. Along with the new facility, new trainers, and new farrier, I now have a wonderful new vet! She is out at Raintree almost everyday so it’s always nice to have a second pair of eyes when you can’t quite figure out if something should be a concern or not.

Overall the show season has been a blast! The rocky start in March left me hungry for more. Two shows later, Zalsa and I placed 4th at the May Woodside Event at training level. Plans are to move to Prelim sometime in the fall. I gave Zalsa a nice mid-season break at the beginning of June and we are finally back into full work! I seriously cannot handle not being able to ride my own horse. I do love to help others at LLE by offering to ride their horses, but no horse is quite as fun as Zalsa!

So onto the latest news – having Zalsa back into full work after her small break, LLE went to Woodside to school the cross country course in preparation for the show in August. Woodside is one of my favorite places to school so I was totally stoked, plus I would be schooling all the prelim. I have been schooling prelim since February, but never a full course – usually just a few of the combos. Anyhow so I was totally ampted. Lauren had a large group of students, along with Teresa and her student, so we had 7 horses total. We decided since most were training level and below that we would follow the BN-T tracks and jump the prelim out of order. First two prelim fences I point Zalsa at she jumps them beautifully. At this point I need to remember to keep my horse moving forward, the larger prelim tables you need the added momentum…. Check… onto the water complex. I walk Zalsa around in it for a while, and Lauren’s other students start with the “new” training downbank into the water. I say new since it was built for the may course, with last years water entry on the other side. Anyhow I have already done this down bank before with success so I was ready for it. I know Zalsa does not like this new location, but she puts up with it and into the water we go. This is when the unexpected happens….

From my point of view-- Land in the water, something is wrong and Zalsa’s front end comes up with her front feet out in front of her. I see two legs in my field of vision. I am thinking oh crap something is not right. Next thing I know she brings her front end up again this time higher but with her feet underneath her. I am already unseated at this point and very concerned something is horribly wrong with my horse. I am mostly off, so I know I am not going to fight it and while falling to the ground think “oh I get to test my airvest out – I haven’t had one go off on my before” so one loud pop later and I am laying on the very hard sloping gravel edge of the water complex. I hear multiple people yelling at me to stay still. My vest if inflated and I have my arms crossed over my chest. The vest surprisingly did not knock the wind out of me, but at think point my legs are on fire! Everyone is still yelling at me to stay still and I proceed to just lay there with my eyes closed very still…. Lauren, Teresa and Vicky are instantly around me asking if I am ok. I take a moment to slightly bend my legs (since I landed like a log with them completely straight) and they are both moving, however with large amounts of pain… Vicky takes my now deflating airvest, and Lauren is off to grab Zalsa. I take a few moments to bend my body around so my head isn’t sloping down towards the water and I get up. I think the first words out of my mouth are – “what did my horse just do” – lauren informs me that Zalsa has pulled and shoe and broken her breakplate. I of course and totally bummed because this means the schooling day is most likely over for me. Second words out of mouth to lauren “oh nooo! Will you come back to woodside??” – at this point Lauren knows I am totally fine…

At this point we still don’t totally know what happened. Multiple people saw some different angles and nothing really seems to add up. Conclusion is that we think Zalsa upon landing in the water, clipped her front bell boot and shoe with a hind leg. Freakout moment #1 -- she flings her front legs out in front of her, which them caused her breastplate to snap from her girth and hit her square in the face. As everyone knows my horse already has an issue with things around her face, so freakout moment #2. End result – broken breastplate, floating shoe and bellboot in the water, and me testing out my airvest.

Fortunately we are both fine. I was able to get Zalsa’s shoe tacked back on and we were able to walk around the course minus the breakplate. I see a large amount of water schooling in my future, since I am pretty sure she blames the water for the mishap. I am generally ok—cut up elbows are minimal, two very sore and bruised thighs, and one nasty wound on my hip. Sunday and Monday were rough for me -- Adi and Haley helped on Sunday since Bryan was out of town. Lots of icing and I feel like I can probably get back on by Thursday. Zalsa gets a nice tune up from Sabine in the meantime :)

There is nothing like an update without photos! So here are some:

 Zalsa and I at the Greg Best Clinic

 Zalsa and I at the Greg Best Clinic

 Zalsa loves Adi

 Little Lauren capturing my warmup for woodside

March Twin

 Zalsa loving Raintree ranch

 new blanket for Zalsa

 Todd's came to visit and I got Kiley on a horse!!!! She loved it!!!

 kumo sleeping with his tounge out

 This is adison -- on our way home from a horse show -- she someone ended up with Soda in her Swedish fish bag -- we still do not know how this happened

 Me on Vinnie at Horse Expo -- here we are doing canter pirouette's -- A very special thanks to Sabine and Vicky for letting me ride!!!

 Me showing off my new boots from Argentina -- I look a little crazed in this photo.... oh well!

 kumo loves the lawn!

 New Saddle for Zalsa -- just had to get the red piping!!!!

My helpers on our way home from Woodside -- I needed ice for my legs and Adi and Haley had to get them from the cooler in the back without spilling any ice... ahhahah it was entertaining to say the least

some recent photos!

So wow... I haven't blogged in FOREVER! I guess I have been keeping myself too busy! Work has been good. I have been working on this large project for a while now, and I am happy to say it is almost done! Since my last post I have gone to a number of horse shows, and actually placed well in a few. I got a 3rd place at the Inavale HT in Oregon, and got 1st at the Aspen Farm HT in Washington.... I guess I just do better out of state! HAHAHA. I am getting ready to move up a level this next weekend, and so I figured I would post some photos of the past few months.

stadium round at Inavale. On my way to 3rd place!

cross country in the rain at Inavale!

Stadium round -- first training unrecognized show. Look at her overjumping it, such a good girl!

And then the not so pretty last jump.... takes some mad skills to be able to do this and still keep all the rails in the cups!

Hiskens -- training XC

Inavale dressage -- so fancy!

Aspen dressage

Aspen setup. The stalls were so HUGE! And this was the first show I took Kumo to. He was really well behaved and loved rulling along next to Danielles bike.

Kumo passed out at Aspen in the trailer after a long day....

We arrived home from Aspen at 7am. This is what Kumo did the WHOLE day

Zalsa with her new at home GIRLIE browband!

HOT paso robles and my first Horse Trials

So I have been schooling and showing Zalsa like crazy for the past two months. We have both been mentally and physically preparing for the Twin Rivers Horse Trials. This will be my first time doing a full horse trails. I did the combined test in January, but that did not include cross country. Zalsa had her first try out with Danielle in February and made it around the Novice course. Zalsa of course was not on her best behavior since she was pissed I was nowhere in sight. Anyhow so Thursday morning Kaiti, Danielle and I loaded up the horses and headed to Paso Robles. We got there and the heat was already moving into the valley. Kaiti and I both got to ride some dressage and get the horses settled into the facility. Friday was dressage day. Kaiti went first and got an impressive 34. Canada was a bit amped, but Kaiti handled it with ease. Then it was my turn… I was nervous…. Upset stomach nervous…. Not sure why since I have been doing dressage schooling show, but I will blame it on the heat… Zalsa was an angel. The heat was really getting to her and she wasn’t her usual “hot and spicy” self, which made for a very quite dressage ride. I had two minor errors in my test, but the judge must have loved Zalsa, and I got a 25.7. (for those non-horsey people, the lower your score, the better.) That put me in 2nd place for my division and boy was I excited! Saturday was stadium. Kaiti again went first, and only had one rail. Canada was looking awesome and Kaiti was all smiles. My warmup was great, my round was going amazing, and I made it over what I thought was the only scary fence on course…. And I let me guard down and didn’t really ride her to the one stride combo… and I got a rail and refusal. Bummer…. I was no longer in 2nd, I was not sitting in 10th place. As I was walking back to barn kicking myself in the butt, Bryan walks out from under the tent in front of our stalls. TOTALLY surprised me by driving 5 hours just to watch me at my first horse trials. He then promptly had to put up with my grumpy butt since I wasn’t very happy with my stadium performace

Sunday was cross country day. Cross country is what most eventers live for, and I was ampted. Really nervous but ampted! There were three things on course I was worried about. 1- the ditch 2-the water 3-cutout table on the way home. Kaiti, Danielle and I walked the course twice and both Kaiti and I got lots of instruction on what lines to take and how to ride to each fence, so I felt sufficiently prepared. Kaiti went first and finished with no jumping penalties, but came is a bit too fast. The show wasn’t very good about letting us know what the “real” time fault time was…. There were two times floating around the barns and warmup, we checked before going on course, but were told the wrong time…. so Kaiti ended up getting some time faults for coming in a bit early. She was bummed, but Kaiti still got a 7th place ribbon, out of a 20+ person division. So then it was my turn. Warmup was a bit rocky. Zalsa was jumping good but I was nervous, and just about every oncoming horse spooked Zalsa and sent her side stepping. Anyhow our number was called and Danielle walked us over to the start box. Zalsa still doesn’t know what it is, so we had no issues with her getting overly excited. The countdown started and before I knew it we were off. The first fence was a bit of an awkward jump since Zalsa really wanted to just go back to the barns and wasn’t sure why I was leading her away from everyone…but we made it over and afterwards she realized what we were doing, and moved along nicely….Jump 6 was the first question… I schooled the beginner novice ditch before heading over my ditch, and she made it over nicely. We galloped along up the hill made it over everything, and then on to number 11, the water. I kept my eyes up and legs on, and she hoped right on into the water. Her exit out over the log was a bit funky but we made it. Then down the hill to fence number 14, the scary cutout table. I rode her left of center, since she likes to run out to the right, and she popped right on over. The last remaining obstacles and water were easy and she was excited to be heading for home. Finished right under optimum time with a double clear round!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!! Bryan got to run around with Danielle while I was on course, and my parents got to hang out at the water complex and cheer me on. I finished the weekend with an overall total score of 37.7 which placed me 8th in my division. I had told myself at the beginning of the weekend I wanted to be in the top 10, and that is where I ended up.

The whole experience taught me a lot, and I loved every moment of it. Kaiti and I have officially caught show fever and can’t wait to get into the full swing of show season!

Some photos from the weekend:

Kaiti in Stadium

 Zalsa over the first fence

 Second fence

 Great shot by my Dad in between the wine bottle standards

 Out of the combo that I screwed up..

 wine jump

Videos from the weekend:

Zalsa Cross Country part1 - double clear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2IxaXIqo5Q

Zalsa Cross Country part 2 - double clear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZu-d9xk2JQ

Zalsa Dressage - score 25.7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU19qPpKxeg

Twin Rivers Combined Test

So this past weekend my barn traveled down to Paso Robles for the Twin Rivers Combined Test. For you non-horsey people a combined test is Dressage (kind of choreographed dancing?) and Stadium Jumping (jumping in an arena over jumps that can be knocked down).

Anyhow it was such a fun weekend. This is Zalsa’s first time doing a combined test and mine as well. Anyhow we ended up leaving at 5am on Saturday and arrived around 11am. We unpacked got the horses settled in and then went out for some Cross Country schooling. Cross country is jumping out in natural footing over immovable jumps. Zalsa is turning into a cross country machine. She was really good and only refused two fences, a scary coop and then a ditch. She is such a good girl.

Sunday was the show day and we started with Dressage. I lunged her some, so she wouldn’t be as hyper and we warmed up and went in for our test. She was SO good for her first time. I was a little worried about my position since I tend to lean forward, and a little worried about her head being a bit high…. But it all worked out, I got a bit tense towards the end which then translated to Zalsa being a bit tense, but we ended with a REALLY good score of 33!!!! Low thirties can carry you to a win in three-day so I was very happy with her. Just think of the scores she can get if I get her stretching down and me sitting more upright! Yay!

So then to stadium. She was pretty pooped by this point since she had done dressage only an hour before and had schooled cross country for two hours the day before. She did excellent in the warm-up with the non-scary jumps that were brown…. Then in the arena the scary jumps got the best of her and we had a rail and a refusal… but worst of all I got a bit frazzled and ended up jumping the wrong fence, oops! So we got eliminated for that… But then a couple hours later we got to try it again. This time with the fences at a bigger height. We ended up with one rail and one refusal, but I was happy about it. She was such a good sport for all of it and I learned a WHOLE lot this weekend.

I absolutely am loving watching Zalsa’s progress. Dani has been such an amazing trainer and I love all the girls at the barn. I can definitely say I lucked out with the horse, the trainer, and the barn! Yay for me!

stadium warm up

Cross Country schooling

Cross country schooling

What a cute face!

Does everyone like the lightening bolt I left on her butt??

Little miss Kiley

So Kiley got to get experience something pretty awesome on Monday night. She got to sing in from of 21 thousand people with David Archuleta! She currently rehearses with David’s voice coach and was asked to sign in the David Archuleta concert this last Monday. Bryan and I weren’t able to make it out but got a chance to talk with her last night. She said it still hasn’t kicked in that she got to sign on stage with him…. I guess she was pretty nervous, but when we asked her if her voice was shaky….she said no… so I am guessing she did awesome! She is such a talented little girl…. Her singing voice is just so spectacular!!! Anyhow I just had to get a shot of her with her Christmas present from us on…. and of course her new glasses! Carla also sent me some photos of the concert…. Enjoy!

so tuckered out at the end of the night, but still in her David sweater! hahaha

Christmas time!

So the holidays are almost here! Too many things to get done, not enough time….. Well Bryan and I have been keeping busy this holiday season with some decorating, traveling, holiday parties, soccer, and of course some horseback riding.

My Mom and I decorated most of the house this year while Bryan was in Vegas in November. We put up the Christmas village which normally goes up at my parents house….but my Mom insisted that it go up at our house…. Guess she just doesn’t want to have to deal with all the taking it down… it really is fun to put it up and such a pain to take it down… Anyhow the place is officially decorated. Bryan and I went and got the tree a few weeks back and he decorated it all himself!

We were able to make it out to Utah for Thanksgiving and it was so nice to spend some time with Bryans family. Time with the Todd’s is always a blast, but the time always goes too fast. We got to spend about a week there and it only seemed like a few days. Hopefully we can make it out there again soon!

Zalsa and I

Christmas picture of the barn
Turkeys in the side lot....there were 33 this day.... Bryan and I caroling....hahah Kumo enjoying the new Christmas decorations that are sort of invading his perch

And the decorating begins