New Disciplines

Roze at Twinbrooks

Summer is quickly passing by and I realized it's been awhile since I've updated my blog. Our formal show season in a sense has come to an end. Roze has done and given more this year than I could have ever expected. She has earned more than enough points to be awarded her Legion of Honor and has earned me one of two scores I need at Second level for my bronze medal. She's been a real trooper and exlemplifies the meaning of a willing partner, trying to please me more than ever.

During our last show in June Roze made it clear that she had enough of dressage and as I promised her (minus one lesson with Sarah), we took most of July off to relax, trail ride and pursue other avenues. We have gone on several trail rides in which Roze was the trusted and enthusiastic lead horse and we decided to attempt jumping again. It has been three years since Roze or I went over a jump, but being at a hunter barn, the opportunity is always available. One weekend this past month we decided it was time to give it a go and did Roze love it. She made it loudly and clearly known that this is her chosen discipline, at least for the moment.

Since our accidental discovery of Roze's love for jumping we have managed to squeeze in two schooling shows and a lesson. She has been eager, pleasant and willing during all our rides while jumping. We have some more lessons planned in the near future and will be looking towards trying some eventing. With this shift in direction we'll be leaving the Arab shows behind for the year and giving Roze an opportunity in a new venue. Stay tuned as I'm sure we will have some interesting adventures.

While you may be thinking that Ty has been left behind, fear not, he just had an extended summer rest, that has come to an end. Since Ty got a bit sore after our first show we gave him the last two months off to rest, recoporate and hopefully finish growing. He's slowly getting back into a work routine and we will start making plans for shows again soon. It was extremely challenging to have two horses at a show and while I would rather Ty was not sore, it did sort of work out for the better. He needs a bit of fine tuning but Ty has not forgotten his training. I expect him to come back better than ever.

New Records & Closing in on the Goal

Roze has gotten better and better with each show this summer. She's had a very taxing schedule with 4 shows in the last 5 weeks and a clinic on the one weekend off. We have three more planned shows for June and then she'll get a break before we decide our next move.

Getting Roze back out on the show circuit has made me realize how much she's matured. It's been two years since she was shown. Previously we had to plan to work for at least an hour before any class to get some of the crazy out and get her to focus, this year has been entirely different, a light warm up and we can head into the ring with her focused and responsive. I think she's thrilled to be back in the show ring and it shows on so many levels.

One of my goals for Roze this year was for her to obtain enough ponts to earn her Legion of Honor before "retiring". If my calculations are correct Roze is now just 3 1/2 points away. I'm very anxious and feel like putting Roze in bubble wrap to keep her sound and healthy for those last few points. We're hoping this weekend she'll score well enough to earn her final points and then I can take a deep breath and relax a bit more.

Roze earned a new career high score this past weekend of 71.78% at Heavenly Waters winning her class. I had no expectations of earning any 70's with Roze, but she was having a good day and we just went for it with our second ride and it paid off.

Our next step is to finish her Legion of Honor scores, we'd like to perfect our second level rides to get those 60's needed for my bronze medal and then maybe, just maybe we'll shoot for third level next spring ;) In the meantime - enjoy the photos from one our recent shows.

Ever Changing Plans

So as life goes, it has a way of not going as planned. We started out with high hopes for both Roze and Ty this year and a full schedule of shows, as luck would have it, Ty's tendon is bothering him again and he's off for a few weeks. With this time off he likely won't hit the show ring again until late summer if at all this year. We'll have to carefully consider his performance future as he heals and rehabs.

Roze on the other hand is doign quite well. She's now got two shows under her belt and is back to the show horse I know and love. You'd never know she hadn't been out to a show in two years. Mason Dixon was a bit rocky as I think the upper second level tests are a bit out of her range. This past weekend at the Empire show she was better.

We have a clinic coming up next weekend with Judy Westlake to fine tune her talents and then back to the show ring with a full schedule for the summer with hopes that we'll obtain the points necessary to earn her Legion of Honor. Stay tuned...life is full of suprises.

What a Difference a Year Makes

This time last year, Roze and I, made a journey 12 hours west to Purdue University for her to have surgery on her right hock. It's hard to believe that it has only been one year.

Looking back there was a lot of uncertainty at how good the outcome would be. At best we were hoping she'd be comfortable being ridden and at least be more comfortable getting around day to day. There were a lot of possible complications, this was only the third time this type of surgery was being performed so that in and of itself left a lot of questions, and of course anytime you put a horse under general anesthesia there are great risks of complications.

After a tense week at the University's hospital, Roze pulled through with flying colors and we safely returned home. We had to wait a long six months for Roze to fully recover to see if the surgery would allow her to be ridden and compete again.

Roze's hock post surgery

Despite a set back in December when Roze buggered up her left hock and needed stitches, she is back in full work and ready to compete. We'll be at a schooling show this weekend and Mason Dixon is scheduled for the end of April.

I will be forever grateful to Dr. Adams at Purdue and Dr. Juzwiack at Manor Equine for giving Roze another shot at competing. We're hoping Roze will earn her Legion of Honor this year and whatever the outcome is, it's great to have my show horse back!

Our plans are to breed Roze next spring and we'll show her as long as she's willing and able. We're excited to see what Roze will produce as she's the quintessential show horse. Stay tuned for the next chapter....

Video from this month's riding lesson:





We've still got lots to perfect, but we're getting there.

Dreaming of Warmer Days

From Blog Photos

So the days are finally starting to get a bit longer, the snow is slowly melting, and the horses are beginning to show the first hints of shedding their winter coats. This time of year for many signals that spring and warmer days are a head, however for me the show season count down officially begins. We're just three months away from our first planned show of the season and of course there is still so much to learn and prepare for.

Roze has healed very well from her Christmas day fiasco. She's back to work, albeit a bit out of shape again, but full of energy and feisty. We're schooling second and third level movements, hoping she'll debut at second level this spring and garner enough points this year to achieve her Legion of Honor. We'll also head back to the Hunter Pleasure ring where she enjoys showing at the hand gallop. We'll allow her to work as long as she's comfortable and happy doing so.

From Blog Photos

Ty continues to be amazing. I continually have to remind myself that he's still a baby under saddle. He's very easy going and just an all around wonderful horse to work with. We intend for him to debut at first level in the spring and to show second level by the end of summer. We'll continue to move him up as he's ready.

From Blog Photos

From Blog Photos

“None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

2010 In Review

2010 has been a roller coaster of a year. Both Roze and Ty have experienced a number of ups and downs, which I guess keeps life interesting.

Roze started the year off having surgery at Purdue to fuse her right hock. It was a gamble and the final outcome is still yet to be determined, but after recovering most of the summer Roze is showing promise that she may return to the show ring next year. During a follow up vet visit we learned that while her recovery from the surgery has gone exceptionally well she has developed arthritis in her left hock, it will limit her future ability to show, only time will tell how long she'll have. We did manage to make it to a schooling show at the end of November and while we're still rusty it was great to actually be back in the ring.

Roze never wanting to leave us with a dull moment some how managed to get her leg hung up on something on Christmas morning and needed 6 stitches, she's healing well, but I'd really like her to just be happy with work for awhile. She'll have her stitches taken out next week and I'm hoping before the end of January she'll be back in the ring.

Ty also had his fair share of ups and downs this year. He had a stellar start to the show season only to have it cut short when he injured his annular ligament which resulted in surgery for him. Ty scored 70's on all three tests at his last show in June, it was two weeks before Regionals and we were extremely excited at his chance of doing well, but alas it was not meant to be this year. Ty has fully recovered and is now back to work schooling at First and Second level, we're going to keep our fingers crossed for next year.

Even with a short show season, Ty placed 6th in the USDF All Breed Awards at Arabian Training Level with a score of 65.079% and placed 4th in Region 15 for USEF Horse of the Year Award Arabian Training Level. He's certainly proven to be a diamond in the rough and I'm happy to have him as part of our family.

We wish everyone a prosperous and happy 2011!!

From Snow 2010

The Journey Back Begins

It certainly has been a long and trying road with Roze, she's been off for nearly two years and was dealing with issues for two years prior to that. We are extremely hopeful that we have resolved her soundness issues once and for all and Roze can get back in to shape and accomplish what we set out to do all along.

Roze is currently 6 months post op and is doing fantastic. She's improving weekly and getting stronger and back in shape. The video above is from our second lesson since Roze has been back under saddle. In my opinion she looks better than ever. She's extremely happy to be back to work and once again the center of attention.