Eventing Guest Writers: September 2010 Archives

Samantha Clark's Opening Weekend Report

By John on September 27, 2010 11:07 AM, Filed Under Eventing Guest Writers

Samantha Clark, who has been a dear friend to Eventing Nation from the very beginning, was kind enough to write about her wonderful opening weekend at the WEGs. Check out Samantha's 2010 Radio Show from Sunday, and the 2010 Radio Show Facebook page throughout the WEGs for the latest info and photos. Thanks for writing this Samantha and thank you for reading.

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By Samantha:

It's hard to delineate when exactly WEG started. Do you count the preparations; for the competitors their journies to Kentucky started years ago, maybe I should consider my path to WEG begining when I (foolishly?!) agreed to co-host the 2010 radio show with Glenn the Geek? Rather like not noticing your own children grow up, the Horse Park, and indeed Lexington has slowly been making improvements, adding infrastructure and making ready, and then the preparations became more refined, the courses took shape, tents started going up, people arrived, then horses, the course now looks fabulous with brush and flags and flowers - how did this all happen?

We will get to the eventers in a moment, but the reining kicked off WEG competition on saturday morning, and didn't disappoint. Everyone was excited to see Anky who probably got the loudest cheers of the day, it was a terrific change to see her enter sitting very upright and proper, albeit in a spangled shirt, and then as she moved through her patterns and the crowd egged her on, and the loud music, she really got into, leant forward, (as much as you can in those saddles!), and really gave it some welly!

The Games officially opened on saturday night with a countdown using Kentucky images, then a terrific spectacle that had so much wonderful stuff in it it was hard to know what maybe could have been left out to make it slightly shorter. Not the athletes parading by country, certainly not Dr. Lyons and Muhammed Ali, or the Haitian Harmony Choir, definitely not Chris McCarron representing TB racing with four of his students for the Racing Academy, or the wonderful music by CherryHolmes....

For anyone who's ever been to the Olympia Christmas Horse Show in London, the ceremonies had that feel, of celebration and extravaganza, there was music, lights, fantastic performances, and even the most beautiful pink sunset to accompany Wynnonna Judd singing My Old Kentucky Home, which even made Glenny Glenn tear up!

For all the athletes who've made it this far it must be a dream come true. The venue looks amazing, the energy is great, and all the riders seem to be really enjoying milling around and watching the other disciplines. For me too, I'm in absolute heaven, I want to slow time down, I truly don't have enough hours in the day to wander around and take it all in, and then do reports, I wish I could have a RunHennyRun helmet cam so everyone could share this with me. Yesterday at the endurance start, I bumped into 3 members of the Kiwi event squad, and than later I happened to run into Mark again so we sat and watched the French event team have a jump session together. Hello? Pinch me!

On the way down to the reining arena I caught the tail end of a US flat training session with Mandiba and Woodburn under CMP's eagle eye. Both horses look stunning - their coats are in perfect condition, their feet looked really good, they look completely ready to go for gold, and their riders look hungry for the spoils too.

Then I went back up to the endurance where the British eventers were being supportive, but seemed slightly overwhelmed by the action in the vet gate.

The Black Stallion, aka Moorelands Totilas, is the talk of the Games and everyone has been vying for a glimpse, (the same goes for Hamish and Dave, who come in a very close second!), and while biking back from endurance I happened to see him working in the warm-arena, so threw caution to the wind, my bike to the verge, and started snapping.

Notice the ipod - I have it on good authority he's listening to the 2010 radio show!

Yes, there are definitely glitches that need to be ironed out, ASAP, but really it's already been amazing, exceeded all my expectations, it truly is the Horse Olympics. As I biked back to my car Sunday night it was a gorgeous evening, I was exhausted but I suddenly saw some of the endurance riders in the distance coming towards me, and I got goosebumps and buzz all over again. This may only come to Kentucky once in a lifetime, and I may be operating on about four hours sleep each night, but I am sure as hell going to enjoy the Games, and hope you'll join Eventing Nation, 2010 Radioshow, 3D3W, COTH, USEA, H&H and everyone else that my brain is too addled to remember so we can share it with you as best we can. I should also say apologies to my houseguests who I barely see, and a big shout out and EN karma to 4 time US National Para Champ Rebecca Hart who rides Norteassa next week please.

Finally, an EN favourite who finally gets to spend a little q-time with his beloved; it was so sweet to see Boyd and Silva walking away from the Dressage trot-up together, arm in arm, and they very generously posed for you.

Thanks Boyd and Silva, and thanks for reading.

Working Students for Dummies

By John on September 23, 2010 1:33 PM, Filed Under Eventing Guest Writers

I am very excited to introduce Coren as the latest member to join the Eventing Nation team. I met Coren several months ago and I quickly realized that Coren is one of three people on the planet who spends more time online reading about eventing than I do, and Coren's subsequent email news tips have often left me scratching my head and wondering "how the heck did she find that?" Seriously, I think Coren has emailed me Ukranian eventing news at least twice. Like all of us, Coren has spent time as a working student and decided to base her inaugural Eventing Nation post on her own experiences as a working student and on infamous working student war stories. The next time you hear from Coren she will be posting under her own EN writer account. Thanks for writing this Coren and thank you for reading.

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From Coren:

As we all know, the working student plays an important role in the eventing community. Working students are arguably the glue that holds the performance sport horse world together. Event riders in particular rely on the skilled and generally very cheap labor of their working students to perform tasks as varied as mucking their stalls to procuring sponsorships and mailing out monthly invoices. Unlike in Great Britain where there is a professional Grooms Association (http://www.britishgrooms.org.uk/) that standardizes the treatment of these invaluable resources, US working students are typically subjected to a vast and varied gamut of living conditions and work expectations that make it difficult for them to give their all. In fact, Eventing professionals have learned how to cash in on one of the greatest arrangements of all time... being paid for the "privilege" of employment. That's right, instead of paying their working students for their labor, many professionals actually charge for the right to clean their stalls, groom their horses and weed whack their pastures! It is reminiscent of a by gone era when young men were sold by their fathers to work for the local silversmith to learn a trade, and yet those sons still had to pay for this "privilege."

Since most professionals learn their trade by spending years as working students themselves, it only makes sense that they learn not only how to ride horses during this time but also how to treat their own future working students. With only their own experience telling them how to treat/use/employ/abuse their working students this former working student has decided to offer her own "Working Students for Dummies" suggestions (of sorts). The following is a tongue-in-cheek top ten list of tips for all professionals, not-so-professionals, self-labeled professionals and wannabe-professionals.

1. Interview Ahead of Time. Interviewing is the best way to find a suitable working student. Relying on heartfelt e-mail about how much someone loves horses and wants to eat, sleep, breath them for the rest of their young lives is not always the best way to find a new employee. However, please be advised, first, BEFORE the interview, tell your current working student, the one you are replacing, you are interviewing others. This helps to avoid any future awkwardness. Once you have interviewed, you might also want to consider a trial period. There is nothing worse than discovering the person that just gave an amazing interview (to replace your current working student) comes to work only to ask "since these horses were turned out together, do they share the same stall?"

2. Understand Your Working Student's Goals and Expectations. Before hiring a working student, make sure that they will fit into your program. If you only teach up to preliminary, do not hire a working student whose goal is to go intermediate that year. This situation works well for no one. Even more importantly, if my goal is to improve my flat work, do not wait two months into my time with you to share with me that you in fact do not teach dressage because you do not have the time.

3. Make Your Expectations Clear. I am aware that I am basically your slave. In fact, I am probably pretty excited to be your slave. But that does not excuse you from telling me what you expect from me in this job. Contrary to popular belief, working students are not mind readers. If you tell me to work six days on, one day off, but really meant forty-five days straight, please be upfront.

4. Be Professional. Everyone loves having friends. But I didn't come to work for you to be your best friend. Your stories are funny. Mine probably are too. But it is important that we treat this as a business situation. Don't gossip to me about how annoyed you are with working student B and then go gossip to working student B about how annoyed you are with me. But most importantly, remember, if your dad shouldn't be doing it with his secretary, you definitely shouldn't be doing it with your working student.

5. Say Thank You. Yes, I am aware that I just ripped off the wool cooler with secret belly straps causing your brand new, super talented, four year old to run manic through the show ground. But, remember, I also just braided twenty horses, cleaned twenty stalls, packed for twenty horses, and had them all on the trailer by 3am. So please, just tell me thank you for what I did do right.

6. Nobody Likes Being Forced to Sleep With Ralph. While you may have your partner of choice to share a drooled on pillow, I do not like drooling with Ralph (the mouse). If you have agreed to give me living accommodations, please make sure they meet some sort of standard. While you may have low standards, I doubt they are low enough to live with Ralph, Ralph II, and Ralph III all the way to Ralph XXV. So, remember, if you can't bear to live somewhere, I probably can't either.

7. Personally, I Don't Like Wearing My Underwear Inside Out, and I Doubt You Do Either. While I understand it is important to "work your way to the top" because that's how you and everyone else did it, I do appreciate coming to work with underwear that is clean and on in the proper way. Do you like to have your laundry done? Well guess what? So do I! Please, give me a day off. Days off are important to me, and should be to you too. Who wants a crabby working student riding in the brand new Devoucoux with dirty inside out underwear?

8. Be Organized if You Expect Organization. Running an organized business is important to most top professionals. Believe it or not, it is important to most working students as well. But how the heck do you expect us to be organized if you can't handle very minimal managerial tasks? A basic step to organization is a schedule that allows everyone to follow along with the day and understand what is expected of them. And for goodness sake, if you are running three hours late from your bikini wax, just tell us so we don't leave your four star horse tacked up for an absurd amount of time.

9. Be Realistic. We are humans as well. Therefore there is only so much you can ask of us at one time. If it is 3am, pouring rain and your working student asks you to stop at a service station because the wind shield wipers are only smearing, her head is out the window to see the back of your trailer when turning, she has your dog, two small children, and top two competition horses in your two horse tag along that does not have stabilization bars, please pull over, feed her, let her go to the bathroom, and sure as heck don't berate her or accuse her of being cranky and having a bad attitude.

10. Give Feedback. Refer back to number three. I am NOT a mind reader. If you like the way I am doing something, don't be afraid to tell me. Everyone likes to have their confidence boosted. But more importantly, please don't let me find out from three other working students that you hate the way I tack up your horse even though you pretend to my face that I do an outstanding job. I don't mind being wrong and making mistakes (isn't that how we learn?) but if you have a problem give me constructive feedback, don't just expect me to "figure it out."

Leah Lang-Gluscic, chapter 5

By John on September 19, 2010 6:53 PM, Filed Under Eventing Guest Writers

When we first announced Leah as a guest blogger and explained that she was quitting her job at a high-profile Investment Banking firm in exchange for trying to make a career as a professional rider, reader reactions ranged from encouragement to claims of insanity. By the looks of this post, it sounds like Leah is very happy with her decision so far. Thanks for writing this Leah and thank you for reading.

Link: Leah's Previous Entries

From Leah:

Hello again Eventing Nation. Well, I think it is safe to say that the transformation from investment banker to eventer is complete. I just came out from the barn after shoveling shit feeling genuinely happier than I have in a long time. While we all know the reaction that 99 out of 100 people would have to my feelings of exuberance, I have an inkling that everyone reading this can relate. I also can't remember that last day that I haven't worn breeches for at least ten hours, which may have something to do with my mood as well.

In the last three weeks, things have been busy to say the least. BJ and Bam have gone to two horse trials and have started hunting. At Loudoun and Seneca, Bam went fairly well, continuing to go clean cross country, and at Seneca stadium finally clicked. Dressage keeps creeping down towards the twenties, which, these days, may or may not get you a ribbon. BJ had to be withdrawn from Loudoun, after dressage and stadium, but before cross country, as he was very footsore. However, we got him outfitted in some pretty cool Series I shoes and pads, so he was set to go at Seneca and is feeling great. We had a few rails, but cross country was a blast.

I must say the most eventful day in the last few weeks was BJ's first time out hunting. This horse, which is usually cool, calm, and collected, was absolutely bouncing off the walls. For the most part, as long as we were moving he was fine; however the standing and waiting was extremely trying. Then about ten minutes from the end of the hunt, BJ decided that he was indeed an eventer and had no business following anybody. This led to a canter that was slower than the walk of the horse next to me followed by leaps through the air. Needless to say, these acrobatics confirmed that I have a very athletic horse. Fingers crossed that he gets the hang of hunting, as Bam is feeling happier and fitter than ever after only two times out and I am hoping for the same result with BJ.

Bam also has had a shell-shocking experience at a clinic with German dressage trainer and examiner, Ulf Wiltfang. I wasn't sure what to expect, as Bam is very green in regards to dressage. The only way I can describe Ulf is as a dressage whisperer. By the end of my ride, I had this absolutely huge trot, Bam was completely coming through his back, and he was about 10x more sensitive to my aids. On top of that, Ulf kept saying, "you have found yourself a great horse," which really surprised me as I was not expecting such a positive reaction from a dressage rider. Hopefully our dressage scores will start to mirror the potential that Ulf saw in Bam.

This past Tuesday morning, as a bit of a reward for his efforts in the dressage clinic, I took Bam hunting at the first away meet of the season. Turns out, I parked my truck and trailer right next to another avid Eventing Nation reader, Betsy. She had recognized my name from this blog, and we immediately starting sharing stories of how first thing in the morning we both check only our email before Eventing Nation every day. At the meet, we ended up talking about WEGs and the Canadian selections (the US team had not been announced yet!). I know this sounds corny, but I could not get over the sense of community that I felt all as a result of this website, and on a random Tuesday morning in a sparsely populated hunt field of all places! Just another proof point to what a kick ass sport we have, and a reason I am feeling particularly good about my career move. Thanks again for reading and best of luck to everyone competing at WEGs, go USA!

Working Student Diary, part 3

By John on September 16, 2010 7:31 PM, Filed Under Eventing Guest Writers

With all the talk about the WEGs lately, it's hard to remember that most of the eventing world has been carrying on this week with business as usual. Tonight we bring you part three of Jenny's adventure as a working student and EN guest blogger. Jenny has ambitiously decided to spend the next year of her life as a working student for Team CEO, in Lexington, Kentucky. Jenny is two weeks into her working student experience and seems to be enjoying herself immensely, although most working students enjoy the first two weeks and the real question is how do they feel after two months! Thanks for writing this Jenny and thank you for reading.

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Link: Part 1, Part 2

From Jenny:

I can't believe it has already been two weeks since I first arrived here in Kentucky! I am having the time of my life, and I am already dreading having to leave here (even though I am several months away from that time!) Team CEO is everything it says it is-- a team! Everyone is incredibly welcoming, and I already feel like family. In the past two weeks I have been familiarizing myself with all 47 horses, the wonderful clients, and all of the farm routines. Megan also found me a friend (another working student...yay!) named Andrea, and the three of us spend every day together riding and doing barn chores.

As far as working student positions go, I am about 100% positive Andrea and I have the best one in the country, maybe even the world! Not only are we treated like family, but our daily routine consists of feeding, turnout, riding, riding, riding, and riding! Did I mention we get to ride A LOT? Of course we have other barn chores, but we are extremely lucky to have a very riding-oriented program where the emphasis is on improving our riding as well as schooling future event horses and learning from Megan's talented upper level horses. Every day is different, and Megan is always keeping things interesting and giving us new things to do, whether it's traveling to look at a clients potential new horse, taking some horses x-c schooling off property, going on trot or gallop sets on her upper level horses, or working with our vet Chris Newton, who is one of the selected DVM's for WEG. We have lessons every day, and I am happy to say that Molson is surviving Kentucky boot camp! I am even more surprised that I am surviving boot camp-- with the number of horses we ride per day as well as the torturous stirrup-less lessons, I certainly have the stirrup-bar bruises to prove it! I can already feel us becoming stronger both in our dressage lessons and our jumping lessons. Last weekend we shipped out to do some x-c schooling and Moo was a superstar, we even mastered a Prelim sunken road! I am having almost too much fun, to the point where I am sad on Sunday nights when I realize that Monday is our day off and we don't get to play with the horses!

This evening we drove over to Keeneland to watch the yearling sales, and that is a whole different world from us eventers! Megan started quizzing us on conformation and teaching us how to look for a good eventer, since most of her horses are OTTB. Let me tell you, it is a lot harder than it seems! I did take two judging classes in college, however we were mostly judging pleasantly-plump Morgans, instead of world-class, million dollar thoroughbreds! While there is no chance I would ever actually bid on one of these horses, it was still fun to get dressed up and experience the racing hype that Lexington is famous for!

This coming weekend we will be leaving Kentucky and traveling to Illinois for the Dunnabeck HT. I am a little nervous, but Megan is so positive and has so much confidence in Molson and myself, that I can't help but feel excited for our USEA debut! This week we will really have to buckle down and practice because I don't want to disappoint Megan or Molson! Next weekend we will be going up to Wisconsin for Otter Creek, and then it is WEG...eek! I just bought my x-c ticket last week, so now I am counting down the days until October 2nd! Until next time.

xo, Jenny

The Ginger Giraffe, part 2 -- Patience

By John on September 8, 2010 11:22 PM, Filed Under Eventing Guest Writers

Eventing Nation's UK connection, aka lec, recently adopted a rescue horse and generously offered to take us on a multi-part tour of the horse's development. Thanks for writing this lec and thank you for reading.

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Link: Part 1

From Lec:

Since last time I wrote to Eventing Nation, I have not done a huge amount of interesting things with my young ginger giraffe, but I have been working on key issues that affect every young horse--namely contact and forwardness.

Arthur now has a very clear idea of going forward. A dressage lesson with a GP dressage trainer shouting forwards at me all the time drilled into me and the horse how forward we need to be. My main struggle is that this was all very well in an indoor arena which was 60 x 30m but as soon as I took my schooling onto grass (I do not have an arena at home) we were inverted, hollow and slightly out of control with no walls to bounce off and provide boundaries. I could not touch his mouth as it made him more inverted so I was almost weeping hecause I had this horse who was going in flat out trot with its head up my nose. Arthur was never going to relax over his back and stretch into the contact like this, so I reverted to the good old neck strap. Slowly I managed to slow the trot down and Arthur responded to my tugs on the neck strap every time he shot off. With slowing down the trot came the relaxation across the back and stretch in the neck. Last week he just suddenly got the idea of long and low which seemed like a massive breakthrough and I was glad I had been patient about it.

At the last time of writing Arthur had no canter. This gait has now progressed and I can canter in a light seat in a circle. His kicking out attitude has gone and been replaced by a willing worker. The canter will be a slow progress but I think it will come as he gets stronger. Slowly he is beginning to understand the 'inside leg to outside hand' concept but lateral work still is met with the idea that leg on means forwards faster!

Recently, I went to an unaffiliated dressage competition to do the walk and trot test. I was just hoping to introduce him to dressage boards, atmosphere and vaguely doing the right movements in the right place. I had no expectations as he is on a knifes edge with the contact--he is either beginning to stretch into it or inverted. I was actually quite pleased because he was superbly behaved and he did all the transitions in the right place. On his 20m trot circle he actually relaxed and stretched. The test was a bit dull and boring but I feel that balance and control are more importance than flash and panache. I took the horse home as the competition was only 5 minutes up the road and then came back later to find out how he got on. I was met with a nice 71% and 1^st rosette. I was thrilled as there had been 11 in the class and though I think it was very generously marked I think it bodes well for the future.

Its coming slowly, need more stretch and my reins need to be longer to allow that.

Relaxation over the back coming but more stretch needed in the neck rather than curl. Longer reins needed!

Also, Arthur has started jumping! We borrowed a friend's arena and started him off over trotting poles before progressing to a small jump. He was confident about it and was if anything slightly lazy since he is 17.1hh and cannot be bothered to make an effort over 2ft. I moved the fence to gradually to about 2'6 and the result was better. At home he has been progressing well. He is still really green so I have to be careful not to be tempted by putting the fences up and instead I make them wider to get a better shape over them. Over grids he is just beginning to give me the feeling like he will be quite athletic. Over uprights he is quite lazy until they get to 2'9 where he then actually makes an effort to jump out of trot. Until the canter can be shortened and lengthened he will stay doing all his work out of trot. The plan is to take him cross country schooling in the next two weeks as I think he needs more to make him think and make an effort while keeping it really small. I am also debating about taking him autumn hunting and depending on how the cross country schooling goes a small hunter trial following a more experienced horse as a pair. I also have my riding club camp to look forward to which is 3 days of horsey fun and a lot of wine! I am very lucky as live in a very equine area with 5 large show centres within 45 minutes drive so I have my pick about what to do.

More traditional way of going! Naughty rider using outside rein to balance and turn!

Finally my greatest frustration has been my farrier. Arthur lost a shoe last week and the farrier keeps re-arranging his schedule which is driving me crazy, so Arthur has had an impromptu holiday for a week. I am lucky that I am not eventing this season or else I would be fuming at so much lost time. Sadly I think its time to find another farrier which upsets me greatly as this one is fab but long term I cannot deal with his unreliability. I am absolutely anal about horses feet so the long quest will begin to find another one who I trust and does a good reliable job.

Sharon White's thoughts from England

By John on September 6, 2010 11:47 AM, Filed Under Eventing Guest Writers

US eventer Sharon White is in England with her horse Rafferty's Rules preparing for the Blenheim CCI3* on September 9th-12th. Going over to England is always an eye-opening experience for US eventers and I love hearing them talk about their trip. Sharon attended Burghley this weekend and was kind enough to write to Eventing Nation with her thoughts and observations. Thanks for writing this Sharon and thank you for reading.

From Sharon:

Hello EN! Sharon White here reporting from England where I have been for the past couple weeks in preparation for the Blenheim CCI***. This is my first time competing in England, the mecca of eventing, and I told John I would give my views on Burghley and British Eventing.

About Burghley: Burghley is in a word, massive. I thought everything in England was smaller than in America--road, cars, parking lots (especially parking lots)--until I went to Burghley. Bughley is huge and there are people everywhere. There are so many people that it's hard to get close enough to some of the jumps to see them. The crowd is not only large but very well educated! The comments I overheard made it sound like people really follow horses and riders and know their histories.

I will say I spent all day at Burghley on Saturday. I arrived early to walk the course, then walked around the course while it was running to watch horses at each fence, then spent the rest of the day watching the big telatron screen, where you could see the most. And I have to say EN knew more about what had happened with the airlifted rider than I did! When the rider was airlifted, there was a long hold, but you didn't know what had happened or what was going on, the announcers just immediately started interviewing British WEG riders. I find it quite amazing that I was at a venue but knew less about circumstances there than someone in the States!

About England: The best thing I've discovered since being over here in England is that eventing is an awesome sport back in the United States. Let me explain myself. Yes, England is the mecca of eventing and it is amazing, but our US events totally hold up to what I've seen here. We have great cross country courses and great events, super facilities and organizers, and at all levels our riding skills and horses seem comprable.

All that being said, one of the big differences that I see is that there are many more events here in England--you could go 5 days a week to different events. Also, there are many more top notch competitors in England. At the Highclere HT last weekend, the intermediate and advanced all ran on monday (as it was a bank holiday), and there were 5 intermediate dressage rings and 3 advanced dressage rings all running at the same time. That is a lot of upper level eventing going on at the same time. And every other rider was a team rider from some country. Many, many great riders, many, many nice horses. It's a density of talent competing against each other that we don't have in the US. The other big difference is the footing. The soil is just different here. If I were a farmer I could probably tell you how, but I'm not so I can't. The soil is loamy, so it makes for good turf (and excellent dairy I might add--the cows get better grass I think). This makes keeping your event horses sounder a bit easier.

The crowds at all the events in England are also a big difference. At Highclere HT they had a country fair going on with shopping, food, moonbounces, pony rides, a rock climbing wall, and...ferret racing. Ferrets running in tubes. I now can completely appreciate what Phillip is trying to do with Plantation. Make it a fun day for the family to get outside interest. Our sport is just as great at home as it is here in England, they just liven it up more here. I've had the chance to walk around Gatcombe and Badminton while here, and the settings are amazing, and there's great tradition there, but I couldn't help but feel we do have equally beautiful places in the US. Morven Park, for example, is steeped in our own history, with amazing grounds and a beautiful course, and I think the terrain and course on the advanced side of Morven rivals any event anywhere. And think about The Fork! That is a beautiful spot with a fabulous course and facility. And that's just to name two. My point is that we have great events back home in the US. We just need to make the general US public realize that! I vote for wine tasting. Get wine tasting and dog agility involved in all events and we'd have to turn people away. Go eventing.

Working Student Diary, part 2

By John on September 2, 2010 8:33 AM, Filed Under Eventing Guest Writers

Today we bring you part two of Jenny's adventure as a working student and EN guest blogger. Jenny has ambitiously decided to spend the next year of her life as a working student. Everything in eventing depends on working students, from the development of new talent to the financial viability of top programs. Thanks for writing this Jenny and thank you for reading.

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Link: Part 1

Hello Eventing Nation!

Well, the good news is that Molson and I have made it to Kentucky--he is a mere twenty feet away from me happily munching on hay in his stall, and I am here sitting in my new room, trying to balance giving lots of pats to our resident cat (literally the most affectionate animal I have ever met!), and typing this! The bad news is that while I was only joking in my last post when I said something always goes wrong when you don't need it to, my words actually became a reality! I am lucky that my amazing parents joined me on this long adventure, so I had ample help along the way. Day one of our trip was driving for twelve hours, from Massachusetts to Connecticut first to pick up Moo, then straight to a layover stop in a town just outside of Pittsburg. For my first time ever driving a trailer for more than a few hours, I have to say it was pretty easy and relaxing. I am such a worrier when it comes to my horse's safety that I would much rather prefer driving him myself! However, day two brought a stiff neck and a sore ankle from flooring it up all of western Pennsylvania's hills, so my lovely father stepped in and drove the rest of the way. In the beginning of the journey on the second day, my dressing room door just did not want to stay shut, even though I had properly closed and locked it! Twice I looked back and saw it swaying open, but luckily both times it was when we were breaking, so nothing fell out and no harm was done!

Just when I began to relax, and stopped worrying about all of my tack falling out into the middle of the highway and causing multiple accidents, a large 'pop' came from behind-- one of the trailer tires blew up. The tire was somewhat polite in that it just so conveniently happened to pop right before a truck weigh station, so we pulled off of the highway and I proceeded to call US Rider. Not only is US Rider great because they found someone to come help us out, but they sent us David. David was a kind man who was out riding his horse when he got the call that someone had a blown trailer tire with a horse on board, now sitting on the side of the highway in the 95° heat. I should also mention that this was on a Sunday. David and his Morgan/Mustang mare galloped two miles home to his truck to come out and bring us a new tire (our spare wouldn't last all the way to Kentucky). David, if you are reading this, THANK YOU! After a couple of hours, we were back on our way to our final destination--Team CEO with Megan Moore!

In the two days it took us to get down here, about 16 hours were spent driving, 3 were spent stopping for gas and offering water to Molson, and 2 were spent sunbathing (more like burning) somewhere on the highway in Ohio, waiting for David to come rescue us. Needless to say, I have never been so happy to unload a horse in my entire life. Moo was an absolute angel the entire trip, and is now quickly settling in to his new home--although the hot walker is still a terrifying monster that he wants to stop, stare, and snort at all day J

At the moment I am the sole working student here, and I have been told that tomorrow, my first day of work, we have dozens of horses to ride--I think I have died and gone to heaven! With that said, sleep is looking like a high priority right now!

Until next time

xo, Jenny

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Eventing Guest Writers: September 2010 Archives

Samantha Clark's Opening Weekend Report

Working Students for Dummies

Leah Lang-Gluscic, chapter 5

Working Student Diary, part 3

The Ginger Giraffe, part 2 -- Patience

Sharon White's thoughts from England

Working Student Diary, part 2

Need anything for the barn?

Omega Alpha

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Eventing Guest Writers: September 2010 Archives

Samantha Clark's Opening Weekend Report

Working Students for Dummies

Leah Lang-Gluscic, chapter 5

Working Student Diary, part 3

The Ginger Giraffe, part 2 -- Patience

Sharon White's thoughts from England

Working Student Diary, part 2

Need anything for the barn?

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Eventing Nation

Omega Alpha

EVENTING NATION

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Dubarry

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Devoucoux

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