Spoke to soon...shame on me!

Well, we went to the Horsemasters ride in East Texas this past weekend.

To make a long story short, I was heart broken. I thought I had a bad ride and that everything that was bad, happened because of rider error. I figured Summer would do fine, but I was wrong. She did not place at this ride. However, I was SHOCKED that I placed 2nd in my class. I just knew that she would place and I wouldn't. The way everything looks now, she may have been bumped down in yearend standings right now. I am maintaining 2nd, but she may be 4th again.

When I got her card, I expected it to be horrible, but was surprised that it was a 96. She received a 96 two weeks ago that placed in her the 2nd place position.

I think, no, I know, I am getting too competitive and I don't think I like it. I don't like feeling disappointed if Summer doesn't place. Or is that just human nature to be competitive? But I just hate this disappointed feeling. She competed against the same horses she competed against 2 weeks ago. I know that they just did better than her this time, so for the last ride, we need to step it up. Course I say that now, and we will crap out again.

As for my title, "Spoke to soon", read my last blog where I said that Summer was out of her slump! AAAARRRRGGGGG...Why did I say that?!?!?! (smile)

On the up side, Alice Yovich's husband Peter, took some fabulous photos at the ride. Thanks Peter!!!

Horsemaster's CTR

Well, we made it.

I left Friday morning around 8:15, got to Big Sandy and the ALERT Academy about 10:45.

It is so pretty there. Pine trees that go on forever they are so tall. And they were everywhere. Just absolutely beautiful. I parked near Mary and Kim and they saved a place for Liz cause she was coming in last. It was real nice. Pat (Mary's husband) took care of us girls. He cooked for us and made a real nice fire both Friday and Saturday night for us to sit around.

At the academy, there are shower and restroom facilites. And I don't mean a few, there are quite a few. So it sure was nice to get to take a hot shower after the ride.

There were 15 in my class. It was the biggest class. So once again, I felt like I was just there to get my completion points, no ribbons for us.

Friday we checked in. This vet is Miss Metabolics! But that is okay, Summer's mets have not been too bad. But, this vet called her "findings" out different than the other vets, so you didn't know where your horse stood on their mets. During trot out and the lounge, Summer decided to trip all over the place, but luckily she was not counted off for it. It is a sandy loom out there and she kept hitting soft spots.

Saturday morning we had a judged mount. The HMS judge gave me a good, but the vet judge said Summer took a step and gave her -1 point. I honestly do not recall Summer moving at all until I told her to. Oh well. Then we all timed out. I decided to time out right in front of the pack. I was going to do this ride alone just to see how she would act. Well, she was on booger patrol from the get go. But when the Mustang gang came up behind us fast, I could not keep Summer's mind on me. They would pass then slow down or stop and Summer and I would pass them, then they would pass me again. It got old, so Summer and I really slowed down to stay away from them. Summer fought me almost the whole ride Saturday. I just don't know what was with her. I guess she was just having "one of those days". Another observation on trail was to back up a small incline. Well, Summer and I do that all the time at my barn in the pasture, so she aced that. The vet judge did mets again and once again, I didn't understand and just hoped Summer's mets were where they should be. The HMS judge also did a hidden obstacle, which I never saw her. But I got a good on it. It was going down a steep hill. The judges check for your position on the horse and if there is any body sway from the rider. When we passed the two mile marker, there was a friendly little goat running loose in the field, well most horses (including Summer), just knew it was a horse eating beast from outer space. But we got past that with no one injured. We got back into camp and the vet judge took mets again, then told us to drop saddle at our trailers and come back when the horn blew for more met checks and a soundness check.

At this ride, it was not all flat land like I was told, it was as hilly as the last ride we just did. But this time, I used my gel pad instead of my Skito. I figured though, that will all the fighting Summer did and the hills, I just knew that she would have sore loins yet again. But I was ecstatic when I check her loins myself and there was NO soreness! Another thing that could have helped was we didn't do near as much pacing which is not good for their backs. We did more RW and racking. Anyway, I was just so happy about that, that I could care less if we placed. The vet checked her and she found no soreness either and no lameness issues. YIPPY!!!

Sunday morning we did a trot by for the vet and had to trot straight to the HMS judge. I got a good on that too. I rode out with Jenny for a little bit but Summer walks much faster than her RMH Magic. At least in the morning she does. Jenny said Magic had to want to walk that fast and he is usually a little slow in the mornings. I am sure he just didn't get his cup of java! (smile). Of course we left them and I rode with a man named David Walsh. He was on his BLM Mustang, Rocky. He gentled Rocky in that Extreme Mustang Challenge. And out of over a hundred and something horses, Rocky placed 14th in trailabilty. Very cool. But of course, Summer out walked him too. Then I caught up with George and his SSH Beau and Sue on her mule Sugar. Sugar's horse half is TWH. I rode the rest of the ride with them. Summer did great with those two. She didn't crowd them and every 10 minutes or so, we all changed places, kinda leap frogging. We only had one on trail observation and Summer blew it. But, she is just now learning to side pass to the right, so I didn't get upset with her. Had they asked us to go to the left, we would have aced it. Oh well, I got some work to do. At the two mile marker I hooked up with Liz and we tried to ride in together, but Summer out walks her APHA, Jazz. No biggy though.

We got in, dropped saddle and went straight to get in line for check out. Once again, Summer had NO loin issues!!! WOOHOO. I used my gel pad again. I guess that will be my pad of choice for these rides. I will us my Skito on more relaxed trail rides as to extend the life of my gel pad.

Well, Summer and I both received 5th place. Hey, at least I placed. With 15 in my class, I really didn't see that happening, so I was happy about that. I just know that there is some ground work I need to do with her.

This sure turned out to be a long post, so...

TTFN

Horsemaster's CTR...getting ready!

Well, I got new brakes on my truck. It stops on a dime and gives you 9 cents in change now!

Tuesday night and Wednesday night I have been practicing my off side mount. My girl stood like a rock the entire time. Course that could change at the ride if the judge asks me to do it. She also side passed to the right several times when asked. I am real proud of her, she is really coming along. I just worry as why we are having loin issues all of a sudden. Conditioning her may have caused a body shape change. As a matter of fact, I am positive it did. But the saddle fitter said her saddle fit fine. I just keep wondering if it is the new pad. I just know I need to get this resolved this summer. Horsemaster's is my last ride this season, my next ride (God willing) is in September. I am not going to Indian Territory as it is just too far a drive for my truck and my wallet. And I am supposed to work Cass Co., that is unless I enter it. We'll see.

Once again I am nervous. I am riding this ride by myself. I need to see if Summer's mind will stay on me and not on Cimmy. Her and Cimmy ride wonderfully together but Summer is starting to get that competitive mind going and want's to be ahead of him, which is fine cause she walks faster, but when it comes to obtacles, she gets upset if he leaves her. So this ride will tell me if I need to start riding all the rides alone. But I am sure I already know the answer. I did that Texas Trail Challenge by ourselves and she was a dream horse.

Anyway, gotta go
TTFN

This past weekend...

What a beautiful weekend we had.

Saturday, Summer got her "every six weeks" shoes. Amanda and I went and got hay. I got me a chemical potty for my trailer. Woohoo, no more 2am trips to the porta potties at the rides! Then, Tracey, Ashley, Kelsee and myself went for a nice evening ride in the pasture. Kelsee's horse however, is not a trail horse, she is a barrel horse and she jigged the whole ride. Then there was the lovely creek crossing that Summer, Amira and Gypsy did, but Honey was NOT going to do. Needless to say, there were a small wreck and Kelsee started to panic. Tracey tried to calm her and I got off Summer to get Honey. After several minutes of trying just about everything, Honey crossed the creek. Of course when all was said and done, I was soaked up to my knees and my tennis shoes are still wet today! But all in all, it was a nice ride. The only real issue was Honey and water don't mix. Hmmm...I thought it was oil and water, but I found I was wrong (smile).

Sunday was a trail clean up day at the barn. We have never really had an official trail clean up day. It is usually June, Amanda, and myself. When Tracey moved in, she helped too. But that was it. Now with gas prices soaring, folks are starting to use them instead of trailering off. For this I am glad cause we had almost every boarder out there working at some point in the day. It was real nice, and the trails look great! What else was nice was as had a hot dog cook out with all the fixin's. That was nice too, everyone sittin' around shootin' the bull.

There is one more major trail that needs work, but I think Tracey and I can take care of that one. I call it the desert cause of the two different cactus that grow over there. Barb has also given permission to permenantly mark the trails with brightly colored horse shoes nailed to trees. This is great cause I am tired of buying surveyor tape.

Horsemaster's CTR is this coming weekend. I am ready to go, but my truck decided that it isn't. I heard a "whirring" noise, but when I gave it gas, it went away, when I let off the gas, it came back. I told David, he said some choiced words, he said it is probably my differensial (sp?), which could cost a lot. Son of a biscut eater, my trailer is all loaded, (except for my hay) and my truck is loaded with all my bedding. I guess I need to be thankful though, that it happened now and not on the road. However, I am just tired of stuff happening.

Anyway,

TTFN

Deep in the Heart of Texas CTR

Well, after last week, I wasn't sure I was going to go. I was depressed but knew I needed to clear my head with a weekend with my horse and friends. I am glad I went now. I still had some crying bursts when I was alone, but that is okay. I needed those too.

Friday morning at 5am, I got out in the rain, got in my SUV and went to the barn. Hooked up my new/used trailer (in the rain, yuck!) and prayed that Summer wouldn't throw and big fit about getting into a trailer she has never been in, in the dark and, did I say rain? (yuck). Well, after about 20 seconds of twirling the end of her lead rope and tapping her butt with it, she got in. Thank you Lord. I was supposed to meet Mary at the corner of Garden Acres and I35. At that time I had a "D'oh" moment, I couldn't find my cell phone, crap! Summer and I drove back to the house, now I have my cell phone. Drive back to I35 (thank goodness I don't live that far from it), got to the "meetin'" corner and was 12 minutes late. But there was no Mary. I called, she is running late too. Once we finally hooked up, we were off.

We got there at about 10am. I got electrical hookup cause I brought a heater and 125' of extension cord, plus it is nice having water right there for your horse. I have to say, sleeping in my little trailers tack/dressing room was quite cozy.

Well, on to the ride. The HMS judge was TOUGH! I though Patsy was tough, but Cheri Jeffcoat was TOUGH! There were things I just couldn't do that she asked of us. I do not ground mount Summer. I use a mounting block or good natural terrain, which the hill she was at was very small and Summer's saddle rolled every time I tried to get on. After 30 seconds, she handed me my mounting stool. My pad is fleece as is my girth, Mary thinks that is my "rolling" problem, and I bet she is right. Anywho, at least I tried, if you pass you loose one extra point. She asked for a couple of in-hand obstacles, one of which Summer aced and one we need to work on. She asked for a few more on trail obstacles, like walking on brush and a gait obstacle. Summer and I did pretty good to my standards. I know I just need to slow down and Summer will do much better as well. But I knew that I was not going to place. But at least I would get my 4 completion points.

The vet judge was Carter Hounsel. He was the Christmas ride judge that called Summer grade 1 lame and I pulled her before she started. He is a real nice guy and really puts the horse first and will tell you what he feels even if you don't like it. To him, the horse is number 1. I really like that in him. Anyway, Summer checked in sound with good metabolics.

Well, the weekend weather could not have been any better. I know that Granny asked the Lord to give me beautiful weather. And I know she was watching me.

Summer only lost 1 metabolic point on gut sounds and 1 other for something else, I can't remember, but she lost 6 points for pain in the loins on Sunday. OUCH, 4 for her right side and 2 for her left. I felt horrible. We had a saddle fitter there that sales Specialized Saddles and he had a saddle pad that he could hook into a computer and it would show where your saddle was not doing well. Even the vet wanted me to let John (saddle rep) check my saddle. Well I did it and was shocked (as was John) that my Big Horn endurance fit Summer surprisingly well. No hot spots at all. So the vet asked me if I was having pain issues myself, I told him my back had been giving me fits all weekend, he believes that was it. I was over-compensating for my own pain, which caused her to have pain. Loosing all those points on her back, I was sure she would not place either. We had 8 competitors in our class and two tough judges. But I was truely okay with that.

I stayed for awards just to see who would place. Well, surprisingly Summer and I both place. I got 4th and she got a 5th. Once again, I was shocked. I guess that if the judges were tough on me, they were tough on everyone. I just have to figure out the loin issues with her. I told Carter that I was going to start driving her more, as she trots under harness that would strengthen her loins, he agreed. I have lost 5 pounds and have several more to go, that will help too. And I hope my back isn't hurting in two weeks, cause that is the Horsemaster's CTR and I plan on going to that too.

Well, that is my story, there was more too it, but I just don't feel like typing anymore.

TTFN