First Show: Intermediate B

Saturday was the first show of the season. I opted on Friday night not to show on Saturday. Too many things had gone wrong on Saturday (buying a new club printer at 9 pm at night because the one we’ve been using had given up the ghost) and I was in a very emotional state. I decided that it would be in the best interest of Ashke and my relationship to not bring him into my emotional mess. It was a wise decision. I was too tired and too unsettled for that to have been a good riding day for either of us. Instead, I spent the day managing the show, which was actually a good decision, for our first show. It will get easier going forward.

Sunday started with a warm water rinse for Ashke, since he decided that rolling in the dirt on Saturday was a great way to keep himself clean. He walked right on the trailer, stood mostly quietly at the trailer all day and was a great companion. He was clearly worried about me, but seemed happy to be showing. His relaxation improves with each adventure.

Note to self: it is recommended to actually ride your brand new to you dressage test in a regulation court prior to the show. Same thing can be said about the EOH course as well.

There were some really good moments. That said, I really need to have Amanda set out a specific series of things for us to do during warm up, so that I'm not floundering around wondering if I have done too much or too little. I want him warm, relaxed but not tired going into the court.

I have to laugh at some of the comments, because my running commentary inside my head is actually funnier in light of the comments. Maybe I will do a spoof and change the comments to what I am thinking during the ride. The part that really sticks out to me is the 10m serpentine after the first leg yield. I don't know why I have such a hard time riding that particular exercise, but I was two strides past E when I realized I should be turning.

Doreen was very complementary on the condition of my horse and how much his topline has improved since we rode for her two years ago. That was really the turning point for me in terms of how I was expecting him to go, plus that was the last show we rode in a bit other than the Garcia. We have both improved immensely, but that was definitely the turning point. I thought that my score was exceedingly fair and was very happy with our first show. There is plenty to work on, but that is part of the journey.

Probably the biggest change, was my lack of anxiety about showing. I actually felt pretty calm and okay. I did use an inhaler, since my chest has been tight due to everything blooming at once.

Maiden Voyage

And I didn’t even get a picture. However, I did hook up Marvel to the Maverick and hauled Ashke to Circle Star Arena for a Tarrin Warren Clinic.

Do you see that blue hash mark in the middle of the center blue line?

That would be a hitch guide.

Yowza!! I love my truck.

Tarrin had me work on really small circles.

One handed.

Because she is a sadist.

He had a much harder time bending to the right.

Not a surprise.

This has been a chronic issue.

Tarrin had me walk forward. Halt. Back around the corner then canter off.

Ashke was a little frustrated by the whole thing.

He really hates not having the answer.

We ended on a good note.

I am only sharing the best of our practice.

My riding was pretty shit, but Ashke forgave me.

Second fairly good video of the double slalom.

There was much fail.

The clips from working the single slalom.

We were both pretty wiped when we were done. Ashke was a trooper and tried very hard for me, even when he wasn’t sure of the answer.

So Many Changes

I am struggling to come to this space right now, mostly because I feel I must edit what is on my mind the most this spring. Suffice it to say, I am doing okay. Not great and it ebbs and flows with each day, but moving forward one step at a time. Ashke is doing awesome and our connection gets deeper with each day. He seems to love what we are working on, and I am excited to show him in our first show the first weekend in May.

Until then, here are some pics:

Lily posing for her picture in bed with me in the morning

Amanda keeping the boy warm before our lesson on Weds.

Two of my very favorite creatures on earth

Billie, born on the 24th, finally let me touch her

Putting everything in her mouth, just like any other Bebe.

Straight Egyptian Arabian

To answer Lytha’s question:

The Straight Egyptian Arabian began as long ago as our recorded history of domesticated horses. They were integral in the spread of Islam, as Bedouin warriors mounted on the finest of Arabian steeds proved to be invincible. At it’s heart, the Straight Egyptian is the product of blending strains of pure, undisputed, desert heritage. They were significant in the battle between the armies of the West under Richard the Lionheart and the conquering King Saladin from the East. King Solomon of Israel housed 40,000 of them in his royal stables and Sir Walter Scott hailed them in his work “The Talisman”. 

More recently, the Turkish ruler, Mohammad the Great, brough together the finest Arabian horses he could find and demanded Arabia’s most priceless desert horses as terms for his peace treaty. His collection brough to Egypt 1100 of the most beautiful and valuable Arabian horses in the world. When he died, his herd was passed to Abbas Pasha, who kept incredibly detailed written records of the breeding and history of all of his horses. He combined Mohammad’s herd with the horses he had gathered from the Bedouin’s, the cream of the desert horse. When he died, his herd was dispersed.

Some of the herd was purchased by Lady Anne Blunt, who divided the horses she purchased between her Crabbet Stud in England and her Sheykh Obeyd Stud in Egypt. Egypt itself formed the Royal Agracultural Society and gathered up the best of Abbas Pasha’s herd for the overall good of the country. All the Straight Egytian horses in the Arabian world are decended from the Abbas Pasha stables, either through horses that Blunt purchased, or from horses that were later purchased front he government of Egypt. Some of these horses were imported to America. 

In 1952, the Blue Catalog was created. It is a proven list of horses that trace their lineage to the desert on every line. This Blue Catalog was started by one woman, but taken over by Al Khamsa (Letha - Al Khamsa is basically the breed registry for the SE Arabian). All of these horses trace in every line to the Bedouin desert horses or horse purchased by Lady Anne or from the herds of Abbas Pasha. The Asil is a German organization with the same goals. Asil means purebred. Egyptian related means the sire is SE Arabian, but that not all the lines are pure. 

The Crabbett stud is not Straight Egyptian, since Lady Blunt’s daughter did not keep the breeding lines clean. They do have a high percentage of Egyptian blood. The same applies to the Russian, Polish and Spanish Arabian. The foundation sires were straight Egyptian, but the breeding lines did not stay with SE Arabian breeding. 

The SE Arabian holds less than 2% of the Arabian breed registered in America, but holds 30% of the National Titles. 

The Pyramid Society was established to preserve the SE breed, and hosts the Egyptian Event annually. 

The purity of the Straight Egyptian breed has endured since the beginning of history due to the passionate devotion of its caretakers. They are known for their beauty, stamina, courage, intelligence and strength. I can attest to how special they are. And Ashke has not forgotten that his ancestors slept in the tents of their owners, carried their chosen riders into battle, and carried Kings in parades. In his veins in the unbroken heritage of thousand of years.

Arabians LTD, where Ashke was bred, is closing down their operations. The woman who shaped the breeding program for that stud is retiring and selling her blood stock. I’m sad, because I had hoped to someday visit and see where Ashke was born.

Ride #29, #30

I rode on Saturday and Sunday morning with barn buddies. On Saturday, I went to lunch at a wonderful Mexican restaurant and ate incredible tacos. Maybe close to the second best tacos I’ve found in Denver so far. 

Overall, my rides were pretty good. I still struggle with keeping my mind focused on “what to do next” when riding by myself. I tried to ride without spurs on Saturday and Ashke was like “I don’t know what you want” so we went back to them.

Here is video:

They got to run around and be wild horses before our ride

Changes

Half pass to change

Sunday’s practice of the double slalom

I also struggle to set myself up correctly for the changes. I am back to that place where it feels like I am struggling with slowing down the timing so I don’t feel like I’m rushing. Moar practice and better body management on my part. At least we have started to correct him throwing his hips in when on a lead. I also need to remember to do twice as many right to left lead changes as the other direction. So, many alternate them with simple changes to help him gain strength and understanding.

First baby born in the barn.

Lesson: Ride #28; Monday Night #29

The lesson was just me, since the other woman I mostly lesson with is off flinting around the globe. I wasn’t warmed up when we started so the first ten minutes was loosening his back and joints, then moving into some trot and canter to really get the muscles warm. Then we mostly worked on me keeping him straight through the change, both before and after. I know you all are going to be surprised, but looking up at where we are going instead of down at his shoulder or the top of his neck, makes it easier on him to carry himself correctly.

Really working on straightness

The other thing I am working on, which is hard for me, is using just my thigh to hold his shoulder up and not let him dive. When I move my lower leg, he wants to change, so its very important that I isolate the upper thigh without swinging the calf. 

This is why dressage is so challenging.

More changes

Ashke really is giving me everything. We had a couple of moments when he didn’t want to listen during trot to halt transitions, but he caught on pretty quick and when I rode again on Monday night, he was sensitive and listening to my seat. 

I am very aware of my fragile emotive state right now and am checking my feelings at the door when I walk in. Ashke is such a healer and he is making it very easy for me to be in the moment with him. 

Week In Images

Left hand, ringless

Wild and free

Ashke and Kat

Storm of biblical proportions.
Bomb Cyclone

Saturday ride (#26) 

Ride #25 was my lesson on Thursday where we worked on straightness after the change.

Marvel 

Able to pull my horse trailer

Sunday morning ride (#27)

Included a bounce and a cross rail, where in I did not hit him with my spurs

New gelding next to Ashke

A lot of love in that look

First tail wash since October