Top 10!!!

I have had a bunch of questions regarding our plans from here on out, so I figured that I better do a blog post!

Oslo and I successfully qualified for the Pan Am Selection trials in Ontario. We are actually ranked 10th in Canada! Unfortunately, we would have had to have left as soon as we got back from Oregon in order to make it to Ontario in time for the trials. I would have wanted Oslo to get at least 4 days rest after such a long trailer ride (4 days long). Therefore, Oslo would have gotten one day off once we got home from Oregon and then had to be loaded back up on the trailer and make the lng 4 day trip to the Ottawa area. I could not do this to Oslo. After the trip to Oregon he seemed a bit tired and he has already been on the road quite a bit this year. In order to keep Oslo healthy and happy for many years to come, I think we had to skip the trip. Trailering for that long can just be so stressful on them and it has been so hot in the East.

Additionally, the cost of everything this year is adding up and a trip to Ontario just to experience the trials is just not realistic for us. Reality has hit now and there are 4 top Canadian riders that are almost guaranteed to compose the Pan Am team. I would be attending the trials for the experience to ride against the top Canadian professional riders. It would have been one heck of an experience, but not necessarily the best one for Oslo.

We did even check out flights for Oslo: $11,000 ONE way =(

At first I was swamped with disappointment, but I have already learned so much this summer and have had a very fulfilling year. I cannot get over how lucky I am to have a horse such as Oslo and a family that is so supportive of my dreams. Oslo and I have learned so much together and I know he is the fundamental stepping stone for dressage career.

Thank you to all my friends and family who have been behind me the entire road and always offering supportive and encouraging words. A very special thank you to my sponsors as well! Oslo and I would not be anywhere near we are without them!

I hope that everyone understands our reasoning for the choice we have made regarding the trials. It is a bummer and I really hope that Dressage Canada realizes the issue with Western riders attending trials in the East (all but one Western rider who has qualified for the trials are not attending the trials due to the travel distance and cost). Fingers crossed that next time it will be easier for us Western riders!

I really cannot regret any point this year thus far and considering I started my show season later than everyone else (had to finish that engineering degree!) and still qualified, it has been a damn good year!

The next focus will be on Cashew since she has her KWPN Keuring September 13th! I am very excited to be showing her there and competing against the rest of the KWPN 4 year olds.

As for the rest of the team: you will see us all at the Dressage Festival in September. Oslo, Skippy, and Cashew will all be in attendance!

Thanks again to everyone!


Lindsay and Oslo

Home and Pics!

We arrived home last night at about 7:30pm. The entire trip took us just over 12 hours and we were all very excited to be home and streth our legs, especially Oslo!

Oslo has earned himself a number of days off now and some galloping in the field when I do get back on him. At the moment he is enjoying the green grass and letting loose in the field!

Here are some of the pictures I promised of the show grounds and the trip. Enjoy!

Mt. Hood, Oregon

The beautiful barn

The indoor arena

The main competition ring where Oslo and I showed

Alberta Bound!

We just passed over the border into the mother country and are well on our way home. We left DevonWood Sunday afternoon after my ride and made it to Spokane after picking up our friend and her horses on the side of the interstate. She was also headed to Spokane for the night from the show when her horse trailer tire blew and flew off, taking the fender with it. Her poor horses were stranded in the trailer for over an hour in 40 degree heat while road side assistance came and put her spare on. So we stopped and dad helped her out and then once we got her back on the road we convoyed together to Spokane for the night. We hope she is able to get a new spare today and finish her trip back to Montana today!

Oslo and I rode the I1 test late Sunday mowning. He was definitely tired but we to see on the suppleness and we had some great stuff! The trot work was especially good and it showed on the marks since we consistently got 7s instead of 6s on the trot tour. The canter was fairly god but I think this is where we both started to show our tiredness. Oslo missed the flying change aid after the extended and then I got caught up with the focus on sills was and was a late on Mt first change aid in our two tempis so I rode a three to begin with. I was definitely mad at myself for that because Oslo would has been there for me if I would have just asked on time!! But I was very happy with the rest of it and Oslo's rideability over the entire weekend. Mistakes will be made and I was just so happy to have kept Oslo so supple through the entir test! Our final score was just over 65% which put us in 3rd place - very respectable considering the level of competition at the international level.

I definitely want to come back next year. It is such qn amazing facility and the show is run really well. Maybe next year we can have a big entourage of Albertans make the trip down!

Back to navigating now! I will try and post pics once we get home too!


Linds and Oslo

QUALIFIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today started off amazing!!! Oslo and I had a great stretchy ride first thing in the morning. Oslo was supple, in front of the leg and energetic. I was focused, relaxed and prepared. The combination allowed us to ride one of the more brilliant PSG tests we have ever ridden! Since we had a great stretchy ride in the morning, we had about a ten minute warm-up before our actual test. Yes, this did freak me out a bit, but Oslo felt so ready and we wanted to conserve his energy. No point riding the movements over and over again in the warm-up and tuckering both of us out. So we went in a little early (the ride before us was a scratch) and we went in with energy and cadence! The trot work was steady and fairly supple (could always still be more supple!) and he had considerable more cadence today. The canter work was forward and was the most supple gait. The only mistake was the first walk pirouette and that was mainly a rider error and lack of communication. Otherwise, it was a great ride and Oslo felt spectacular! Leaving the arena afterwards, we were just to come out of the gate and our biggest fan, Ruurd Dykstra, stood up and whistled and clapped, completely catching Oslo off guard! Oslo wheeled around and jumped over the side of the gate back into the arena! He seems to be terrified of the benches at the end of the arena now where Ruurd was sitting! No worries though, we still love our fans!!!

Since we had such a great ride we won the PSG class with a 68.68% which means we have all four of ou qualifying scores for the Pan Am Selection Trials!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were all so ecstatic and it feels so amazing to have accomplished the goal we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year. We have had some tough times, but our ride this morning made up for those!

We then left Oslo to nap in his stall for a few hours while we drove out to the Oregon coast. It was very cold and windy! Definitely a shock for us since it was about 85 degrees Fahrenheit today at the show grounds and then we get to the coast and we almost get blown away and had to put sweaters on. I guess that was alright though since we couldn't stay long. We wanted to get back early in the afternoon to get Oslo out of his stall and let him graze for a good couple of hours. Having just Oslo at this show I have had lots of time to hang out with Oslo on the grazing patch and watch the other rides. Some good quality time with my best friend!

We had a super short warm-up for the freestyle as well. Oslo came out quite supple and with a fair amount of energy. We were the last ride and I felt him start to tire near the end of our warm-up. Additionally, as we entered the ring, Oslo noticed the crowd and came up in front. I had to ride the once around in posting trot since he was very looky and braced in front. I knew suppleness would be an issue, but I could feel him getting tired so I had to try and be strategic. Unfortunately, I wasn't quite tactful enough and couldn't get him as supple as he needed to be. We still had a good ride without any errors, but overall he was too braced in front and against the hand. Our score was 67.9% and it placed us 5th in the FEI Freestyle class (behind some VERY fancy horses). Overall I was happy with it, but I realise now that I need to be better at getting Oslo more supple in the trot work while we are actually in the test! I need to be more tactful and quicker to prevent him from getting braced in front. Yet another element I need to get better at!

Overall, it was a great day and I am very happy with Oslo. Days like today make me realize how lucky I am to have such a great teammate!!!! Tomorrow's focus will be suppleness (again!!), and I will especially try to make it a focus while we are in the ring.

Cheers to our last qualifying score and to Oslo being amazing!!!



Linds

Rough Day

It was a rough go today =( Oslo felt a little stiff in our stretchy ride this morning but still felt really relaxed and in front of the leg. Our actual warm-up for our test felt great and he was so on the aids. Oslo was in perfect shape and so ready. Unfortunately, my mental game was not there today. I almost felt like I psyched myself up too much and thought through the whole test instead of just riding what felt good in each moment. I went into the ring thinking of every little thing Markus and I had gone over to make that PSG test perfect. I did all those things, but forgot to work together with Oslo. I feel like I let Oslo down in that test. We had such great energy and Oslo was there for me, but I never supported him with the appropriate half-halt or guided him properly into the movements. Our energy was great, but I didn’t balance it. I solely focused on riding that darn test and totally forgot about the most important element: teamwork! Sorry Oslo.

Therefore, we were nowhere near our needed qualifying score and only received a 64%. I am so bummed and angry at myself. Especially since Oslo gave it his all and I didn’t utilise that. The scores do seem a bit low at this show – the panel of judges are definitely not giving away any marks.

Looking on the bright side: we were able to sneak into another PSG test tomorrow! Now I have a chance to redeem myself. We ride at 10:42 am tomorrow so hopefully that will still leave Oslo with some jam for our freestyle in the late evening. I would prefer not to do two tests at that level in one day on Oslo, but I feel I need to ride that PSG for myself and see if I can keep the great energy and ride a balanced and brilliant test! Still so much learning to do in this sport! It is never ending!

I should be heading to bed. I need to make sure Oslo is settled in the morning and take him out for a light stretchy ride before the PSG.

Tomorrow is another day......

Linds and Oslo

Beautiful Oregon

Good morning! We arrived at the DevonWood Equestrian Centre yesterday early afternoon. It was about a 6 1/2 hour drive from Spokane, where we stopped the night before. Oslo seemed fairly tired when we arrived and he has spent most of the time sleeping in his stall. At one point he was sleeping on his nose against the stall door! He seems to be a little more sedate than usual, but I am not going to even start talking about that since I know he can change his temperament in less than a few minutes! We did go for a trail ride around the beautiful facility yesterday evening and he still seemed fairly alert, so I am hoping he just needs some good rest. We will do a stretchy ride today to see how he is feeling and get used to the footing in the show ring.

DevonWood facility is absolutely amazing! Everything is so well maintained and the barn is out of a European magazine. The lawns are perfect and there is a separate grazing area for the horses with lots of clover (Oslo's second favourite to dandelions!). Oslo is stabled in the brandnew stalls up by the spectacular barn. Thick rubber mats and a large stall that has never been used! The people and owners are very nice and super friendly. Another great thing about the facility is that the main competition ring has exactly the same footing as the warm-up ring. There are two other show rings along with warm-ups for those rings as well. It is located about 20 minutes from Portland and is set on a lush, green hill with a variety of large trees. It is very picturesque! It is slightly chilly here this morning though and overcast. I guess that is better than 40 degrees though!

Angie Golley, Courteany Fraser, Joni Lynn Peters, and a bunch of other B.C. rides are here as well. It is nice to have some fellow Canadians to chat and hang out with! We are camping right beside Angie Golley, Jennifer Peers, and Ruurd and Wieke from Central Alberta. It is awesome to have such fun neighbours to sit and chat with in the evenings!

There are over 250 entries at this show and I think things are going to get very busy, very quickly! There is supposed to be 500-1000 people at the Freestyles Saturday night and there is a special area for several tents of vendors. I am not usually a big shopper, but there are NO taxes of any kind here in Oregon, so we might have to purchase a few things!!!

That is all I have to report for now. Jennifer has kindly donated her internet stick to us for the weekend, so I am hoping to update the blog regularly.




Linds

Quick Update

We are currently on hwy 22, nearing the Crowsnest Pass. It is almost 25 degrees and sunny. The scenery has been spectacular ever since we turned off hwy 2. Perhaps we might be moving to Southern Alberta......

Cool news: the Canadian Pan Am Games leader board has been updated and Oslo and I are currently in 14th position!!!! Crossing our fingers that we get our last score in Oregon and we will remain top 15!

Oslo and I also want to send a big thank you out to Gwen, Oslo's massage therapist! We both feel such an amazing difference after her visits and it keeps Oslo healthy and fit for competitions. So, thank you very much Gwen.

We are about ready for a rest stop now!


Linds and Oslo

One More Sleep

I think I have almost everything packed now. It seems like I don't have nearly enough stuff, but I have to remind myself that we are only taking Oslo!

Today we had a good ride and we rode later in the morning to get some of the heat, but not roast! We figured we should be working in at least a little heat since it is supposed to be warm down there. We rode the I1 test and overall it went quite well. The changes were a bit tight, so we schooled some lines of changes after the test and worked on me using more half-halt (yet again!!!) and letting him be more free in front. After some work and focus on the half-halt, we had the bigger jump with a more free and longer neck, making the changes much more expressive.

We will be leaving tomorrow morning around 7:00am. Calgary rush hour is preventing us from leaving any earlier. Since we are headed to the Crowsnest Pass, we will be going right through Calgary and there is construction on Deerfoot bridge, so we really want to avoid rush hour! The border crossing we are using is Kingsgate, in B.C., and it is open 24 hours a day, therefore we thought it was alright to leave at 7:00am rather than 4:00am!

I actually phoned Telus today and ordered the correct text messaging plan for the US. Unlike last time, when I went to California and ordered the wrong plan off the horribly confusing Telus website and had a $300 cell phone bill waiting for me when I got home. Thankfully, Telus seemed to understand my situation and credited me as if I had actually purchased the correct plan!

Tomorrow evening at this time we will hopefully be all settled in at Spokane Sport Horses. Mom is very excited for the drive - it is supposed to be beautiful and it looks like we should get some good weather. I am personally a little worried about the pass. Last time I did that pass in the Prius and those mountains seemed huge!!! Might be some slow truckin' at times.

Oslo will have the back two stalls in the trailer to hopefully relax in on the journey. The first two stalls are full of extra shavings, hay, and bikes.

Some last minute laundry and tack cleaning and then off to bed!


Linds

Nearing Departure!

Today Oslo and I got to practice our freestyle in our outdoor ring! It was finally dry enough with it being 28 degrees Celsius out! Oslo and I found it a bit hot and we didn't quite have the energy and cadence we have had the past couple of weeks. I then got a bit frantic in the trot since I was looking for the extra energy. Lesson learned today: Ride for the big energy, but have enough half-halt to control that energy! Therefore, we need to make sure I don't get the trot too frantic in the freestyle (mom thinks the music gets me a little wired!). Energy: YES, Half-halt: DEFINITELY! That will be the focus for tomorrow's ride, along with getting Oslo just that bit more in front of the leg and therefore supple. We will do a "show warm-up" and then ride the I1 test since we haven't ridden that for a while. I have been so focused on the PSG since that is where I need the score of 67% to qualify, but I need to make sure we can still get the good quality gaits in all the movements in the I1 test as well.

I finally started do laundry and packing today for our week long trip. With us just taking Oslo and only being gone for one week, the trip seems minor compared to our California adventures with three horses. Tomorrow will be the big packing day and even though I may not be bringing as much stuff this time, I need to make sure I am organized and completely prepared for show day!

Unfortunately, Lientje (the dog) will not be coming along on this trip since the DevonWood Equestrian Centre does not allow dogs on the show grounds. I tried to make the argument that no one could say no to the extremely cute dachshund face, but we didn't want to bring her along and have her have to sit in the truck all day. Dad is definitely sad - I think he was looking forward to a horse show where he had time to spend walking (or carrying) Lientje around.

My ride times for the show are:
Friday, PSG, 3:04pm
Saturday, I1 Freestyle, 8:23pm (we are the last freestyle of the evening!)
Sunday, I1, 11:26am

Fairly good times. I am not always a fan of riding later in the evenings, but it is supposed to be 29 degrees on Saturday, so I am sure Oslo and I will be quite happy riding at 8:23pm that day!

The excitement is building!!!!!



Linds

5 Days Until Our Departure For Oregon

I hope everyone is surviving the rain! We have had so much rain and unfortunately have had to ride inside our small indoor for the last couple of weeks. Therefore, we haven't been able to ride our tests but we have been riding the movements to the best of our ability in our 40 metre ring! We cannot ride the full half-passes or line of changes, but we are modifying things to get the same effect.
Our half-passes in the trot are considerably better now that we are not allowed to ride any collected trot half-heartedly anymore! Every step of collected trot has to have cadence, energy, and suppleness! It is much harder work of course and very physically demanding for both of us. So we work really hard for a good 10 or 15 minutes and practice some movements and then take a break. And repeat! Quality not quantity!!! We know we can do everything, now we just need to add that extra brilliance to everything! I feel so focused now in getting the best trot possible along with the biggest, exuberant canter every ride. It has been a great couple of weeks since being whipped into shape at the Markus clinic! Consequently, I feel Oslo and I are very strong right now and are ready to bring it all to the show!

Oslo, dad, mom, and I will depart first thing on Tuesday morning. We will head south to the Crowsnest Pass and cross the border into Washington. Spokane will be our stop for the night and then after driving for about 6 more hours on Wednesday we should arrive in Sherwood, Oregon at DevonWood Equestrian Center. We are leaving Cashew at home to have a good week off. She has been going so well lately and since she is only four I do not want to push her too much or make her ring sour. Our next big outing will be the Dutch Warmblood Keuring in September. Skippy will get most of the week off as well, with Suzanne, who works at the barn, riding him a couple of times to keep his cardio up!

Hoping for sunshine so we can practice our freestyle at least once before we leave!



Linds

Markus Gribbe Clinic

Oslo and I attended the Markus Gribbe Clinic July 1^st and 2^nd. Markus is the Pan Am Team and Dressage High Performance Coach. It was quite the honour to ride in his clinic. Markus has amazing attention to detail and taught me so much regarding how to ride that “perfect test”. He had suggestions and comments on every movement and for the time between movements as well.  I have never taken as many written notes as I did from this clinic. He helped Oslo and I show off our best items in the test such as our extended canter, half-passes, pirouettes, and voltes. On the other hand, he showed us how to camouflage our less strong suits, such as our walk work. Markus was also very demanding and was exactly what I needed at this point in time. I have a tendency to not ride as brave in the show ring or at clinics as I do at home, but Markus brought me to a new level when riding away from home. It really was the perfect clinic and clinician for us at this time.

Exactly two weeks until we leave for Oregon now. Oslo and I will be practicing that PSG test making sure to include all of Markus’ tips. I also am going to be hacking and taking Oslo out in the field quite a bit over the next little while. I feel he has been to a lot of shows and done a lot of travelling these past few months, so I want to make sure he stays fresh and mentally healthy. Yesterday I took him for a gallop in the field and it was so nice to be able to just relax and go crazy forward with no boundaries!!! I also think the field has its place in dressage training since we can get a more exuberant canter and we can work on the expression in the changes. Also, hills are great for Oslo’s walk!!

Recently Oslo and I were mentioned on Dressage Daily in an article about Contango's sons. Go Contangos!!!!
http://www.dressagedaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6312:contango-son-don-tango-high-score-dressage-at-kwpn-stallion-performance-test-&catid=150:breeding-news&Itemid=61

They even quoted our blog!! It is pretty exciting to even be mentioned in these big stories!

One More Qualifying Score!!!!

We had a great weekend in Calgary. Oslo received a score of 68.4% on his PSG test on Friday. This is another qualifying score for us on our way to attending the Pan Am Selection Trials.

This means that we are going to be heading to Oregon July 22-24 in search of our last qualifying score. Oslo also had a good freestyle on Saturday, with one judge rewarding us extremely well for our music and choreography. He gave us 8s and 9s for the music and choreo, which combined with our good technical components, to result in a score of 78% from that judge!!!!! That test is going to be framed and put up on my wall. =)

Cashew had a great first show as well. She had a score of 68.9% in her first FEI 4 Year Old test. She had some submission issues, bucking into the canter, but overall the judges still loved her. Her second go resulted in a 71.8% in the FEI 4 Year Old and on the last day we did a Training level test just for fun. This test was outdoors and we hadn’t had her in that ring before. Therefore, the big purple flowers in front of the judge were just a little scary. So the first half of our test was a bit tense and she would question going past the judge. After a few passes though she settled into things and had a great test. She finished with a score of 69% and won her class. The judges really seem to like her – she is well put together and quite pretty! Thank you to Allison for all your help this weekend! Both Cashew and I were happy to have you there.

Skippy had a happy weekend, which means he also had a good weekend! He is so much more forward in his tests now! In his PSG class he finished 7th out of 23 which is very respectable. He continues to improve and he is always so much fun to take to shows. He has the greatest personality. He definitely did his fan club proud this weekend!

Next weekend Oslo and I are going to the Markus Gribbe clinic in Calgary. He is the Dressage Canada coach. I have never ridden with him before, but I am very excited to be instructed by Canada’s dressage coach. After that we will be training with mom and working on getting that PSG test amazing! We just need one more PSG score now. Our training will have an emphasis on suppleness and trying to get the cadence in the trot to be second nature for Oslo. If we can combine the cadence with the suppleness, we will be unstoppable!!!

Enjoy the summer weather (minus the bugs)!

Linds

Calgary Here We Come!

Early this afternoon we head off for the show in Calgary this weekend. This is a very important show for Oslo and I. We really need a good PSG score! If this show goes well (and I guess I should be thinking and positive and say WHEN this show goes well) we will make the trip to Oregon for my last qualifying score. At the moment I have a very good Intermediare 1 score, so it really all comes down to our PSG test on Friday. I have been riding that test in my mind for the last week and Oslo and I schooled it again yesterday. I feel that we are so much more confident now and so ready! Wish us luck!

Skippy and Cashew are also coming to the show. This will be Cashew's first show that she is actually entered in. We are doing the FEI 4 year old test which means you have two goals for the ring: forward and stay in the ring! She has been going so well at home and since she travelled with us to Cali, I really don't think the show will be scary for her at all.

Skippy is in Oslo's class so he is also doing the PSG, Intermediare 1, and the Freestyle. He has been way more happy since we got home. We have had super forward and connected rides, so I am excited to get him back in the ring as well. We just have to keep him happy!

Cheers to a great show!!!!!



Linds 

Rankings

Oslo and I are currently ranked 19th out of the 59 that are delcared for the Pan Am Selection trials! We need to be top 15 in order to attend the trials in Ontario.

I am  sending in  my entry forms for the Oregon show today and we will just see how the Calgary show goes at the end of the month. We will make a final decision after Calgary, but at least this way my entries are in if Calgary does go really well!


Linds

Update

I have had a number of questions from people regarding whether or not Oslo and I have our qualifying scores. Therefore, I decided that I should do a blog post on our current status and our future plans.

Currently Oslo and I have two scores with an average of 66.5% and we need four scores with an average of 67%. Two of the four scores must be from a CDI competition and all scores must be from a panel of at least three FEI certified judges. Both of the scores we have now are from CDI shows, so I just need two more scores over 67% from a panel of three FEI judges. Oslo and I will be attending the CA/ADA show, in Calgary, at the end of June where there is the correct panel of judges. If we receive good scores at that show, we will only need one more show before potentially qualifying for the Canadian Pan American Games Selection Trials held in Ontario at the beginning of August. Unfortunately, we do not have any other shows in Western Canada that would serve as qualifying shows. Therefore, we will  need to travel to California to attend the CDI show in Pebble Beach, the second weekend of July. The weekend after that there is also a qualifying show in Oregon, but that would leave us only a week afterwards to try and get to Ontario for the trials if we were to qualify.

We have not yet made a final decision on whether we are going to venture back down to California for the Pebble Beach show. I truly believe that if we did make the trip, with our past California show experience under our belt, that we would be able to obtain the needed scores. Although, the trip is a long one and it is physically and mentally hard on Oslo. He is not a spring chicken anymore and I need to consider his health when debating whether to make these many long trips. In addition, the shows in the US are very expensive and just getting to California is an expensive expedition. On the other hand, with our extra confidence and training we received over the last few months, I feel not attending the extra shows would be throwing away an opportunity.

We have a few days before making our final decision before our entries must be sent in for the Pebble Beach show. Many different factors, making for one tough decision.



Linds

Home Sweet Home

We arrived safe and sound at about 5:30 pm this evening. Skippy took off bucking and running in his field, as did Oslo and Cashew. Oslo couldn't roll enough in the dirt.
The horses did find the musquitos a bit of a nuisance, but we put fly sheets on them and I am sure they are all happy to be home!
The lawn is super long, but the May Day tree is in full bloom and I had forgotten how beautiful it is here at home in the summer! I am looking forward to a good night sleep tonight and spending time on the farm tomorrow. Also, I cannot wait to see friends and get updated on everything we missed!

Thanks everyone for all your support and encouragement along the way! I miss you all and I hope you enjoyed reading the blog. See you soon!


Linds

Canada Here We Come!

We quickly loaded everything up early Sunday afternoon after presentations and were headed North! We stopped in Vegas Sunday night to give the horses a break before the next two long days and I didn`t want Oslo doing a full day`s haul right after being ridden. It took us just over four hours to get to Vegas from LA. Due to the EHV we had been having a very hard time finding barns to stop at for lay-overs since most barns are closed. Consequently, we ended up staying at a vet`s “farm” on the outskirts of Vegas. It was the definition of sketchy. Fortunately, the pens were safe and that was the only reason we stayed. Just across the fence were donkeys, and on the other side there were bulls. The first time the donkeys “honked” Oslo lost his mind and tried to jump the fence. Even Skippy was a little worried. Cashew seemed to handle it well and settled the quickest, but I don’t think anyone got a very good sleep that night. Oslo was terrified so I stood out in his pen with him for a couple of hours to try and settle him while dad got some sleep. The wind and cold (yes, it was cold in Vegas – apparently they had snow the morning before) didn’t help the situation either. We had all the blankets we had on the horses and I am thankful mom brought a toque! Eventually Oslo started to relax and eat, but mom and I stayed up for a good part of the night to monitor the horses. Once the wind died down after midnight, the horses seemed much more comfortable and mom and I got a couple of hours of sleep. We left at about 5:00am and I have never seen the horses so eager to get in the trailer! Let’s just say we won’t be stopping there again! The fences were safe though and it did allow the horses time to put their heads down and stretch their legs.

Yesterday we drove from Vegas to Butte, Montana and stopped at the nice fairgrounds there. We had to make sure there hadn’t been horses there for the last month in order to make sure it was safe to stop. We didn’t want to go anywhere that had had outside horses on the property in case they had brought in the EHV. The horses were in pens attached to stalls which hadn’t been used for over a month and the couple of horses that live on the property had just had vet checks done. Therefore, we felt it was safe and the horses were so happy to get out and not have a donkey “honking” in the middle of the night!  This morning we did wake up to frost though, which was a sure sign for us that we are getting close to Canada!

Today is our last day of driving! The horses were a bit more hesitant to get on the trailer this morning. They are getting tired from the travelling and I cannot blame them. I keep trying to reassure them they are going home this time and get to be outside in big, green pastures as soon as we get home. They will all get several days off to frolic in the fields!

I am personally very excited to be back in Canada! No more billboards advertising ER wait times or 6 lanes of interstate! We are coming home!!!!! =)

Linds

Flintridge Show

I am very apologetic for the late post. I did not have access to the internet on the show grounds and we did not have a rental car to zip off to Starbucks for a couple of hours. So, I am sorry for the delay!

Overall the Flintridge show went alright. Highlights were Oslo and I being Reserve Champion to Jan Ebeling in the Intermediaire 1 test, along with the Freestyle. It was pretty special for Oslo and I to be standing beside Jan in the presentations! Scores were generally low at this show though, so Oslo only ended up with 66.7% in the I1 and a 66.8% in the Freestyle. The weird thing about this show was that Oslo was LAZY! We used our new warm-up approach of going out a few hours before and taking 10-15 minutes to just stretch and focus on getting through the right side. Then Oslo gets to go back to his stall and relax before going out about 15 minutes before our ride time to get him fully in front of the leg and collected. It seems to conserve his energy and help him relax. Apparently on Friday he was too relaxed though (this is when the saying “be careful what you wish for” comes into play!). We went into the ring and he fell so behind the leg and he kept wanting to walk! Therefore, our trot work was a bit unsteady and we had two mistakes in the PSG test because he wasn’t in front and therefore not supple. He cantered out of the first halt (instead of trotting – definitely a suppleness issue!) and his rider went crazy on the extended canter and didn’t collect soon enough at the end, so Oslo swapped behind early. I just couldn’t get over his lack of energy in the test. I asked mom if him and Skippy had been switched on me or something. Bizarre for Oslo! Consequently our score in the PSG was only 64.6% which Lientje and mom thought was a bit low, but the very conservative Linda Zang was on the judging panel so all the scores were low. Our I1 test was a bit more energetic since we did even less warm-up and really focused on in front of the leg. It was still very “blah” for Oslo though. Our test was clean though and we felt the score of 66.7% was fair (Linda wasn’t on the panel that day, haha!). And, like I said before, it was special to be in the same ranks as Jan!

The freestyle was a serious disappointment for me. We had a clean ride, but for some reason, I got considerably ahead of my music. Consequently, I felt our quality of movements was not as good as it could have been. Being ahead of your music sucks! That is the bottom line. Of course afterwards, I had all these brilliant ideas of how to get back on with the timing, but unfortunately those didn’t come to me in the ring. Therefore, I am still frustrated with myself. The freestyle is special to me and I feel like I wasn’t on my A-game. Oslo, on the other hand, was better for the freestyle. He was much more in front and with me that day. The combination of his extra forward and my focus on the forward I suspect got us in trouble. Dressage is all about partnership, and unfortunately I feel like I was the one who didn’t do my part. Although, I feel like I have learned a lesson (yet again!) and am now prepared for such a situation again. There are so many things to learn in this sport!

Skippy had some better tests this weekend and with Lientje’s help on Friday we got him considerably more in front of the leg again. He still likes to lean against the left leg and not step into the right rein, but we are still happy with his progress, especially with him carrying more behind. I could really sense this weekend that Skippy was tired of this whole showing and travelling thing though. It is starting to get to all the horses and us too. Skippy misses green grass, pastures, and all his friends back home! The last day I took him out early and just let him walk on a long rein for about 20 minutes. We have decided that although Skippy only needs a 15 minute warm-up, he needs time before to relax and have time to get his head in the game. So, we gave him extra attention and just let him chill on a lone rein before our warm-up. As a result, he seemed much happier and we ended with a good test. He won his class and a nice wine glass for his owner Claudia! I know she will appreciate that! =) From now on, I will make sure Skippy gets his “chill out time” before starting out warm-up, because I don’t think the happiness of your horse should be underestimated.

Cashew has been great and I even took her in the big show ring (the ring where all the CDI tests were ridden) on Thursday for schooling. She went down centreline with confidence and I felt like we owned the place! Past the flowers, judges’ booths, announcer’s booth, and stands without the blink of an eye. FEI 4 year old here we come!

Linds

Last Night in Sacramento

I had three good rides this morning on the horses and then we went touring around Sacramento for a few hours. The horses love it here and are really enjoying their turnouts and chowing down on the grass. In the evenings we sit in gazebo by the arena and eat dinner while watching the horses in their turnouts. The weather here has been great. Sunny and warm in the daytime and then cool at night.

Tomorrow morning we hit the road first thing for L.A. We are hoping the traffic is alright and we have heard there is a bunch of construction on the interstate, but we are crossing our fingers the drive doesn't take too long. We are hoping to be at the Flintridge show facility early enough so I can get the boys into the show rings Wednesday afternoon. The Flintridge show is much smaller than originally anticipated due to the EHV and many barns being closed. There are still a bunch of big names going to be at this show, such as Jan Ebling, but Steffen has closed his barn, so unfortunately no one from Arroyo will be there. It seems likely that the next few shows in the area will be cancelled because of the virus. We are all actually very surprised that Flintridge hasn't been cancelled. We are happy to hear that it isn't though! Hopefully Oslo and I can keep everything together and actually play with the big boys down here! Fingers crossed the facility doesn't look anything like Del Mar!

It has been a relaxed couple of days so I don't have much else to report. I cannot believe we leave in less than a week for home. It has all been going so fast!


Linds

Cashew schooling

Skippy in the warm-up

Oslo Reserve Champion I1

So Proud of Oslo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oslo and I have amazing news! Saturday we had a great Intermediaire 1 test with only one mistake in the last flying change in our half-pass zig-zag. He was so much more with me and he felt so on the aids. He just felt great. We had a bigger trot as well which bumped our trot marks up. In the end we got a 67.4% which made us the Reserve Champions! Sunday we got even better! We rode the Intermediaire 1 Freestyle and Oslo came out very nervous. We were warming up right beside the show ring and he was not a fan of the other freestyle music being played. He was very tense and we did not really have a walk. Once it was our turn to go though, our music came on, and I swear, Oslo took a deep breath and relaxed. It was like he recognized his music and became so rideable. Holy crap, he felt so good!!! Our freestyle was error free and he was even more supple today (which was what we really went for since Brenda Minor commented on the need for more suppleness the previous day). We ended with a score of 70.7% which made us the Champions of the Freestyle! They played the Canadian anthem for us and then we got to lead the victory lap, at a TROT, because once again Oslo was not a fan of the music being played during the presentations and was very far from calm. Axel Steiner commented that "it was probably safer that way" (us trotting)!

Skippy had another sluggish test on Saturday, but near the end I got him more in front of the leg and I am hoping he is starting to figure out that he needs to work in the show ring as well! Sunday he was much more forward for the freestyle and he finished with a 67.9%! Even though we had some mistakes in our changes (which is SO weird for Skippy - we needed a better connection) we were happy with his forward! One step at a time!!

Cashew was such a good girl at the show as well. We just schooled her in the rings and trail rode her, but she couldn't have been better. Hopefully this means she will take on to the whole show thing really well once we actually enter her in some classes!

We are currently in the Sacramento area, staying at Michael Etherly's farm where the horses can get out in big turnouts with grass! They were so happy yesterday to get off the trailer and head straight to the pasture. They have been in the trailer, stalls, or dirt turnouts for almost 5 weeks now, so we thought they were in need of some frolicking in grass pastures! We will depart for the Flintridge show in LA first thing in the morning on Wednesday. It will be approximately a seven hour drive. Flintridge will be our last show and then Sunday afternoon or Monday morning, we will be homeward bound.

Hopefully the horses get some much needed R&R time in their pastures here and are all ready for the show in Flintridge on the weekend.

We all say hi to everyone back home!


Linds

First Show Day

All in all it was a good first day. Always could have been better, but I also need to remember that it could always be worse too! Oslo was semi normal and we only had a few moments of tension in our test. He had a much better trot than he usually has in the show ring, so even with him breaking in the first medium and an error in our four tempis, we managed a 66.3% in the PSG which put us 3rd in the class (first place was a 67%). I was quite happy with him, especially since I was very nervous, knowing what happened in Del Mar. He still needs a better work ethic at times and to focus more, but we are on the right track!

Skippy was on the lazy side again today, but he still managed to win his PSG class! Our goal is to get him way more in front of the leg today and I need to make sure he stays that way in the show ring. I think sometimes we under estimate Skippy's intelligence since he definitely knows when he goes in the show ring!

Cashew has been a super star and I have had some great rides on her while at the show. She did have a traumatic experience though today when she was in the warm-up ring and a horse took off with the lounge line dragging behind it. This absolutely terrified her! She was snorting and trotting around with her tail up in the air. She needed a few minutes to relax and calm down, but afterwards we had a fantastic ride.

Unfortunately, the show had many scratches do the EHV virus outbreak and we are a little worried about the show next weekend potentially being cancelled. We have contacted the show organizers and it is still a go, but the show is being held at a private facility, so if that facility decides to close, the show would have to be cancelled. We are taking extra precautions in the barn areas at the show and following biosecurity practices. All the vets we have been in contact  with though are not overly concerned and feel the virus has been limited to cutting horses or horses that have been in contact with the cutting horses that were at the show in Utah, where the original outbreak started. We just have to hope it stays that way!

Funny lesson learned: Don't buy gas with your credit card and then go down the street and try to take out a bunch of cash from the bank in the United States. Apparently this is normal behaviour for criminals who steal credit cards and this will result in your credit card being blocked!

We got to sneak away on Thursday for a couple of hours and visited the Golden Gate Bridge. It was definitely a pretty neat site and amazing engineering for being built in 1937! It was super windy though and by the time we walked half-way across mom and I were frozen since it is very exposed out there! Apparently the wind is always blowing in that area. Also, the traffic here is insane. Six lanes on the interstates and they always seem busy. It is rush hour every hour! I cannot believe how many people live here!

Today is the Intermediaire 1 test for Oslo and Skippy. I already stretched Oslo out this morning since we figured he needed to get out after he tried to take off while I was hand walking him. He just seems so nervous and insecure when I am hand walking him, but once I get on him he seems to relax a bit more. So hopefully we can have a really short warm-up before our test since he should be stretched and a bit more settled from this morning. We will also do a short warm-up with Skippy since he is going in the hotter part of the day and we tend to do a shorter warm-up anyways to try and conserve as much energy as possible!

Wish us luck!


Linds

Happy Birthday Oslo!

Yesterday was Cashew's birthday and today it is Oslo's birthday! Carrots and crunchies (or cookies as they call them down here) for everyone!!!!

Happy Birthday Cashew - She is Officially 4 Years Old Today!

Woodside Arrival (San Francisco)

We arrived last night just before 8:00pm and it was raining. Actually raining, unlike what it was doing in San Diego. We left at about 10:30 am from Arroyo. I had a great lesson on Oslo in the "rain", as they call it down there, and Skippy had some good stuff in his lesson as well, but also some of his typical lazy moments. Still a good morning and I was the only one riding in a t-shirt and by the end of Oslo's lesson, I was the only one still riding outside! As soon as it began to "rain" all the horses were brought in from turnout and everyone abandoned the outdoor rings for the small covered ring. That was ok for us though, because it meant Skippy and Cashew could get turnout in the morning - our tough Canadian horses didn't mind that is was kind of raining! Steffen did ride Ravel outside for a while, so Oslo and I got to share the ring with Steffen and Ravel - that was kind of special! By the time we had left, everyone was in the covered ring and the turnouts, and outdoor rings were closed. Dad and I couldn't believe it. What would they do if they actually got a real rain storm, or better yet snow?!?!?! Haha, I guess they are just so spoiled with the weather there, that when it kind of rains, it is very disappointing to them.

The drive up to San Francisco went fairly well. It took us about 9 hours since trucks pulling trailers can only go 55 miles/hr in California on the interstates (and dad is Mr. Safety so he follows the speed limits!!). The horses seemed happy when they arrived though and each of them drank a full bucket of water (this is very impressive for Oslo!). It was definitely a bit wet and mucky though and for the first time in weeks we were actually a little chilly. The sun was shining this morning though and the weather looks good for the next few days (fingers crossed).

Mom arrived yesterday and met us at the show grounds late last night. It is nice to have her back and Oslo made sure to welcome her this morning with his typical "love bite"!

The show grounds here are much more "horse friendly" and there is grass everywhere - Skippy thinks he is in heaven! I am hoping Oslo is much more relaxed here since it has more of a natural feeling and seems like a more laid back show. The grounds are fairly large though, and it may be a bit of a walk to the show ring, so there are still a few mental hurdles we have to prepare Oslo for.

There are some B.C. riders here as well that we met this morning. Nice to have some fellow Canadians to visit with!

I am sure most of you have heard, but there is an outbreak of the EHV-1 (Equine Herpes Virus) in the US and parts of Canada. It started in a cutting horse show in Utah, so most people are not too concerned here since it mainly has been found in cutting horses. Barns and shows are taking extra precautions though, and we are trying to be very careful. This is a deadly virus, therefore we need to make sure the horses do not come in contact with any other horses that may have potentially been in contact with a sick horse. We had actually heard rumours that the show this weekend was going to be cancelled due to the virus outbreak, but there has been few cases in California and they have been limited to cutting horses. There are barns closing to outside horses though, and the bottom line is that everyone just needs to be careful. We may have issues coming home as well since some states have apparently closed their borders to horses (such as Utah and Idaho). This means we may have to take an extremely long way home, or have to quarantine the horses coming across the Canadian border, or both. We will just have to wait and see what happens regarding the virus and border crossings in 2 weeks, when we head home.

The plan is to get Oslo in the show ring this afternoon and take Skippy and Cashew for a ride as well.

The country around San Francisco is absolutely beautiful. Much more lush and green than San Diego. There is also a Starbucks close by, so hopefully I can sneak out every once in a while to use the wi-fi to update the blog.

I was checking the weather at home, and just to let you guys know, it is going to be at least 5 degrees warmer there than here! I hope everyone is enjoying it back home!


Linds

Last day at Arroyo =(

Today was our last full day at Arroyo. I rode all three horses by myself today since Lientje was away teaching a clinic in Chicago. Oslo has never felt so good. He was so through and supple and on the half-halt and in front of the leg and.... just amazing!!! Skippy was also quite good and we are thinking the extra alfalfa he has been getting might be helping our in front of the leg issue! I am trying to teach myself to not push in the rhythm with him (actually on all of them). I need to put my leg on for a stride or two and then relax it, not push every stride! Cashew was a bit spunky today so therefore I lunged her for just a couple minutes to let her take off and buck for a bit. I think it was really good for her actually just to let loose for a few minutes. When I got on she was great and we had another great ride. We are just continuing to work on the suppleness in the higher frame.

The rest of the day was spent packing and cleaning.

Tomorrow morning I have a lesson at 6:45 and 8:15 am. We are pretty much packed up, so dad and I hope to be on the road by about 10:00 am. I just wanted to get in a couple more lessons with Lientje before we left since she was gone all weekend and Monday. It should be a busy morning, but hopefully the boys are good and we get off earlier enough to get into San Francisco at a reasonable time.

I am really hoping Oslo travels well and that he is much more settled this time. He has been going so well that I hope we can show some of that off in the ring this time! It can be so frustrating to have a horse going so well and then he falls apart mentally at the show. So, we are crossing our fingers and I am hoping we can support each other a little better this time!

Goodnight from San Diego for the last time this trip!


Linds

Sunday

I rode Cashew first thing this morning. We had all the rings to ourselves and we had a great ride! I love riding on the weekends here since you usually have the place to yourself! Cashew was really good and I am so excited to be riding her!!!

We took the boys for a walk and then dad and I were off to go hike Mount Woodson. It was a really good hike and great exercise for the legs! It was very cloudy near the summit and it actually tried to rain a few times. It was also very windy so we didn't stay at the top for very long since we are acclimatized to the warmer weather by the ocean! We are so in trouble when we get home! lol

I will ride all three horses tomorrow and the rest of the day will be spent packing and organizing the trip to the San Francisco area on Tuesday. We are headed to the Woodside show late Tuesday morning. I will have a lesson on Oslo and Skippy first thing and then we will start heading north around 10 or so, in hopes to avoid the rush hour traffic in LA, which is two hours away from here. We will be staying in the horse trailer for the rest of the trip, so I may not always have internet, but I will try my best to update the blog as much as possible.

Goodnight for now!


Linds

Saturday

This morning I practiced Oslo's freestyle since we got the new and shortened version from Karen this week. The timing works a lot better now and I was really happy how things turned out.

Skippy and I practiced the Intermediaire 1 test and I was quite happy with him as well. A really soild test for Skippy!

Cashew got the day off since she has been going well and was very good yesterday.

The weather has been slightly cooler the last couple of days and mostly cloudy. Still high teens temperature wise, but not bright and sunny. Less chance for me to get a sunburn though, so it's not all bad!

Dad and I took the afternoon off and spent a couple of hours walking on the beach and ended the day watching the sunset. What a romantic afternoon we had!!! haha. We spent some time by the dog beach watching the many dogs chase after tennis balls in the ocean. I wish we had brought Lientje (our little dachshund) just so we could take her to the dog beach! The dogs and owners always look like they are having so much fun! =)

Tomorrow morning I will ride Cashew and then dad and I are off for a hike.


Linds

Great Day!

I am going to start with something non horsey this time since I think even the horsey people can hear the words "inside leg to outside rein" too many times!

Since I was done all 3 lessons before 9:30 am this morning, dad and I ventured off and did a hike up Cowles mountain in the afternoon. The summit was the highest point in San Diego and was definitely a good workout for the legs. It was slightly foggy/hazy today so we couldn't see Mexico, but we could see downtown San Diego and it was a great view and a nice break from the city. Even though it was a hiking trail, there was still a fair amount of people though and I came to the realization that I am beginning to get a bit home sick. I miss Canada and the farm!! The one good thing is that the barn is nice and quiet - it is my escape from the traffic noise and crowds. Good escape I think! Dad and I are planning on doing another hike on Sunday and it is supposed to be less busy.

Now to the horses... I had lessons with Lientje on all three of the horses today. My first lesson was at 7:00 this morning on Skippy. Skippy thought this was too early for him or he was just not in the mood for work. He started out super, but then he began to feel tired and lazy very quickly. He almost seems to be a horse that works better the second or third day in a row. It's like once he has a day off, he gets used to it and doesn't think he should have to work again! Our main focus with him has been left leg to right rein. First we really need to get him on the right rein and almost hollow him right. Then we add the left leg and I try my hardest to shift his big barrel away from the left leg into my firm right rein. All I can say, is that it is a lot harder than it sounds!

Oslo was very good today. Perhaps a little tired, but the trot was easier today. We also worked more on the canter pirouettes and I feel like I am much more prepared to ride them properly in the ring now. Half pirouettes on the centre line is on of the greatest exercises ever!

Cashew was less feisty today and didn't put a foot wrong in the trot. I think she wore herself out a bit yesterday so she felt a bit tired in the canter today, but overall she was very cooperative today and we had some very good trot work.

I will ride Oslo and Skippy tomorrow and then Cashew on Sunday. Lientje is gone Monday, so I will ride all 3 on my own and then Oslo and Skippy will get a final lesson first thing Tuesday morning before we head to the San Francisco area for the Woodside show. It is about an 8 - 10 hour drive depending on the traffic through L.A. and the number of rest stops we do. We are arriving to the show grounds early to hopefully let Oslo adjust. I am crossing my fingers that is enough time for him and that the show grounds will be less scary this time.

It has been a long day! I think I will sleep tonight! Goodnight.


Linds

Steffen Lesson Day

Yesterday I had a great lesson with Steffen. He is much more picky on test movement stuff than Lientje, which was good for me. He really liked how Oslo was going though and how he was in the connection. He said a few times how happy he was with all that. So, he went after the precision of the little things such as halts. We also rode the pirouettes on the centre line, really working on the rideability of them and Oslo staying in front of the leg. Steffen is the master of pirouettes and is so picky about the quality! Steffen says Oslo collects really nicely in them and has the right idea, he just needs to stay that much more listening to the leg, especially inside, so that I can eventually ride them smaller and tighter. We also worked on the cadence in the trot. Same stuff as with Lientje, but instead of using the whip as much, he got me to use the leg, and spur when needed, along with me clucking! At one point he said I needed to cluck louder and all I could do was laugh since I was lucky I was clucking at all (for those of you who don't know, I have always had trouble making the clucking sound)! So then we went to the trot half-pass and he emphasized the need for the neck bend and the shoulders going over first. He says the focus with Oslo should be neck bend with an expressive shoulder sweeping over and then worry about the haunches later. He says the impressive part is the shoulders and front legs, so that is what we should get first. We also did walk pirouettes and he thought Oslo should get very good marks for those as long as I keep the rhythm and activity. So first we rode the pirouettes too fast and focused on the activity and then I had to slow them down a bit and work on the rhythm since he was now active. All in all it was pretty good and I am very happy that Steffen was very happy with Oslo's connection. Lientje also stayed for the 2nd half of my lesson (she rode her horse before so she was putting him away, but then came back to watch). I thought that was very nice since it was late and she could have just left to go home, like everyone else does at 4:00 at the barn!

The other exciting event at the barn today was the capture of 2 Rattlesnakes! Bugsy, Lientje's dog would find them and chase them into the corner! Dad and I also saw a Gophersnake on our way from the barn to the parking lot. It was much bigger than the Rattlesnakes - about 4 feet long or so. I guess that is one thing that we don't have to worry about back home. It is way too cold for dangerous snakes!

Skippy's Lesson with Shannon

Today Skippy had the wonderful opportunity to be long-lined by Shannon and Lientje. Although, Skippy did not consider himself so fortunate. He was very cooperative though and Shannon thought he was quite cute! He did really try hard and after the long-lining I got on him and had a lesson with Shannon and Lientje together. He felt amazing to the right - engaged, quick, and light in front. To the left he was also good, but we still need work on the right rein connection. As Shannon put it: "inside leg to outside rein!" Where have I heard that before?!?! For a moment I thought mom was yelling at me!! =) haha. Boy do I want to pull on that left rein, but really I need to get him more in front of the left leg so he steps into the right rein connection. This is not something that comes in one lesson, or even many lessons sometimes, but at the end he was much more properly bent around the left leg and I had a good feel in the right rein while Skippy stayed quick and light. Overall, it was a great lesson.

Oslo and Cashew had a long walk in hadn today and then turnout with Skippy later in the afternoon. The horses are so craving green grass. It may be warm down here, but it is kind of deserty. They irrigate their lawns, but that is not for the horses =( Today Kate, the barn manager mowed the lawn in the front of the barn and all I could think of was how Skippy would have done just as good of a job! Instead he got to eat the grass clippings! I do feel kind of sorry for the horses who live here all year round because they would never have real grass. At least Oslo, Skippy, and Cashew will return to lush green pastures!

Kassandra Barteau moved into the barn a couple of days ago to become a working student for the Peters. For those of you who don't know, she competed young riders 2 years ago on her fancy stallion: GP Raymeister and her parents are the famous Barteaus who ride and train near Chicago. It is a big name for the dressage world. It has been fun getting to know her a bit more.

Dad and I miss mom but we are having a good time and I need to thank dad for being so helpful at the barn. He may almost be as good of a groom as Raffa (Steffen's groom for Ravel)! He has also been going around fixing things and building shelves for people at the barn. I think the barn manager loves him!

Other interesting facts that we have learned from our trip so far:
- San Diego drivers are crazy and no one knows how to merge
- about half the people at the grocery store are wearing riding pants and riding boots (finally I fit in!!!)
- HOA lanes are the greatest things ever and reduce our driving time to the barn by a significant amount
- the weather here is almost perfect
- one should always wear sunscreen when riding in San Diego!!!

I have been trying to post pictures, but the internet seems to be a bit too slow at times here. I will try a few more times and if it still doesn't work I will send some to mom to post at home.

Tomorrow Oslo gets a lesson with Steffen! Hopefully he can help us even more with the expressive trot work.

I am off to bed for a good nights rest. Goodnight from San Diego!


Linds

Mom's Departure and Tuesday's Lessons

Today started off a little sad with dad and I driving mom to the airport =( She left this morning for home in order to attend some meetings and look after the farm. Dad and I were both very sad to see her go, but we knew she had to.

Once again all three horses were super in their lessons today with Lientje. I was extremely happy with Oslo. We did some test movements today to test the gaits in the lateral work and just for good practice. For instance, I just need to make sure to half-halt before each change in the canter half-pass zig-zag and then the quality of the changes and half-passes are better. And then I don't have to worry about running out of space either! His trot work was even stronger today. We just worked on getting it more steady and exuberant in the lateral work. We ran through the Intermediaire trot tour trying to get more expression in everything and really keeping the forward in the shoulder-ins on centre line.

Skippy was really good right from the start. As soon as I picked up the reins he was up and light. We did some working pirouette work today and he stayed quick, in front of the leg and light. He felt great. We got the trot shorter and lighter again today as well.

Cashew started off a bit feisty and had a couple of bucks in her! But then she was fantastic! She was so forward today we spent most of the lesson reinforcing the half-halt! Since we could work on the half-halt she was much rounder and supple in the higher frame. She felt so good! Even in the canter she was more supple today and very forward!

Skippy gets his long-lining lesson tomorrow with Shannon and Lientje. I briefly saw Lientje long-lining another horse today and it looks like a very cool procedure! One person is behind the horse with two lunge lines attached to each side of the bit (similar to reins) and then one person is in front with a rope attached to a big caveson on the horse. The person in front keeps their head up and taps their shoulder with a whip to get the front leg more expressive and the person in the back has a lunge whip to get the activity in the hind leg and keep the horse round in front with the lunge lines. It is very complicated and takes precise timing, hence why Lientje wants Shannon to help with Skippy. Shannon is very good with working the horses in hand and has lots of experience with it. Therefore, she has good timing and a good feel.

That's all for today!


Linds

Cashew's beautiful canter!

Monday's Lessons

Today was awesome!!! All 3 horses were super and mom, Lientje, and I all feel like the horses are making lots of progress =)

Starting with Cashew at 8:15 am, it was actually chilly here. I rode the beginning of the lesson in a jacket! haha. Anyways, Cashew was very forward today right from the start. She was a bit "saucy" as Lientje said, actually taking the bit and running through the shoulder a few times. Nothing serious and we worked things out. Her frame was higher as well, so we worked on lots of suppleness and moving away from the leg. She was brilliant! Forward and pushing in a good frame. What more could you ask from a 4 year old!?!?! Both mom and I are very excited for her progression over the next few weeks.

Oslo went next at 10:30 am and he was also brilliant! Big, exuberant trot, and a much better jump in the canter today. The trot was so much steadier today and Oslo seemed more confident in the work, so we took the big trot into the lateral to see if he could sustain it. It was a success! I really have to ride it and help him out most of the time, but Oslo is really starting to be able to hold the throughness while pushing so much better from behind. It sure feels like we are on the right track! Now we just have to figure out the mental part of Oslo and we will have one heck of a horse! =)

Last, but certainly not least, was Skippy. Again, we were working on a bigger trot and a steadier connection. As soon as he would hit the bit we went to the half-steps to sit him back down and get him more on the seat. It took a lot of half-halting and quick hands to keep him supple, but in the end we had a much bigger trot without me being pulled out of the saddle! His canter was great as well. Much more active and again, a better connection. Lientje officially wants an "I Love Skippy" t-shirt now too!

So, overall a great day with the horses and I am so excited for all of them! Hopefully we can keep this up for the next couple of weeks!

This evening we are taking mom out for dinner before she leaves for home tomorrow morning. She is flying out of the San Diego airport tomorrow morning and then meeting us in San Fransisco in a week and a couple of days for the Woodside show.



Linds

Weekend

Saturday I rode Oslo's and Skippy's Freestyle since the barn was empty and I had the big arena to myself for the day! Skippy's Freestyle seems to have really good timing and it was good for me to practice the canter tour again since the half-pass to pirouette and vice versa routine is quite challenging for us. Oslo's Freestyle needs some adjusting though. At the Del Mar show I got slightly ahead in the canter tour and had to do a pirouette right in the corner and it made things messy. Practicing it again on Saturday confirmed there is just a few too many seconds of canter in the pirouette section. Therefore, we talked to Karen Robinson (the Freestyle master!) and she is going to take out 4 seconds and send it back to us asap. Hopefully that will make it a bit nicer to ride!

I also rode Cashew on Saturday and she has progressed again sooo much! I cannot get over how much she has learned in the last 3 days. She was so forward today and much more supple in the higher frame. GOOD GIRL Cashew!!! Her trot is also starting to get bigger and I am finally getting comfortable with her extravagant canter! We are really starting to get used to each other. It feels good to be working on a girl's team again! No offence to Oslo or Skippy. Geldings have their benefits too!

Sunday was a rest day for everyone and then we will have four lessons with Lientje this week - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Oslo and I are also hoping to fit in a lesson with Steffen at some point too. In addition, Skippy has been signed up for a long-lining lesson with Shannon and Lientje. Now that Skippy is doing so well and really starting to understand things, Lientje thinks an in hand lesson will be very good for him. I am excited to see how that goes. I have heard that Shannon is amazing at working the horses in hand, so I am sure it will be a very educational experience for Skippy and me!

We have been using the shaker on Oslo almost every morning and he seems to find it quite relaxing. At first he was a bit suspicious, as was I, but I think we are all in agreement that it makes you feel good afterwards! It is a nice set-up since they have an entire stall with the floor being the shaker/vibrator. It allows Oslo to eat hay and walk around while mom or I are standing in there as well! We all get the vibrating treatment for 15 minutes. When I ride Oslo fairly soon after the shaker, he seems quite loose and supple as well. Too bad it wasn't portable and could be taken to shows!

After we took the horses for a long walk this morning we headed to lake/reservoir in the middle of Rancho Sante Fe and went hiking around the lake. It is a beautiful place - a peaceful, quiet lake in the middle of the city. Walking around the lake and rolling hills you would have never known you were in San Diego!

Congrats to everyone who rode in the Young Rider show and received qualifying scores for NAJYRC and to everyone who had good rides!

Back to work tomorrow with 3 lessons with Lientje, all in the morning!

Hugs to all our friends back home!


Linds

The Boys in Their Lessons

Cashew's Lesson

Today I only had a lesson on Cashew first thing in the morning. The boys got the day off after 3 hard days in a row (Cashew had her day off yesterday). Lientje was very happy with Cashew's progression in the forward department!!! She was so much more in front of the leg today right from the start. That allowed us to work on getting her frame a bit higher and suppling her in that higher frame. Yesterday we got the higher frame at times but it was almost impossible to supple her up there because she wasn't really in front of the leg. Therefore, today was a great day for her and she truly felt awesome at times. She gives such a nice feeling when she carries her head slightly higher and is really stepping through. Since she was already so much more in front of the leg today, her hind leg was also quicker and she had a spectacular canter. So uphill and over her back!!! We even went for a trail ride afterwards and we eventually got over the bridge and past the pond! Couldn't have asked for more from her today =)

We took a break from spending the whole day at the barn and spent the afternoon hiking after mom got her pedicure (her toes are a bright orange now - so her!). It was a good break for all of us - we got to go hiking beside the ocean at Torrey Pines Park and the horses got turned out for the afternoon!

Tomorrow I will practice my freestyles on Oslo and Skippy. The barn is usually empty on the weekends, so hopefully we can have the main ring to practice the freestyles.

Good job everyone at the Young Riders show today. We checked scores as soon as we got home and a lot of people had a good day it looks like!


Linds

I had two lessons with Lientje yesterday and both were great. We worked on getting the trot bigger again with Oslo. It is such hard work for him and he doesn't always handle hard work very well mentally, so we have to be very tactful when we go for that bigger and steadier trot. He was great though and we mix the trot in with some more relaxing canter work, along with lots of breaks, just to keep him sane and healthy! He is starting to feel so awesome at times, so now we just need to keep building our strength and keep him mentally stable =)

Skippy was AMAZING again today. At the end of the lesson Lientje was actually speechless because he was going so well. He really gave me good right bend today and much better straightness, while maintaining the in front of the leg. Consequently, his trot work was spectacular for him because he was straight, through, and very in front of the leg! GO Skippy =) We also did some canter work and his half-passes are really coming along as well, I just need to make sure he stays more in front of the leg in the transitions within the gait so that he doesn't "hit the bit" and pull me out of the saddle at times! He really is progressing well and he seems to love it down here. He just seems so happy and isn't opposed to the work these days. I hope he just continues to get better!

Cashew had the day off today since she went 3 days in a row already and we don't want to over work her young body or brain. She gets a lesson today though while the boys get the day off. This is how we usually do things - 3 days on and 1 day off. Cashew did get a couple of walks around the property though, along with her turnout. She is such a brave horse, especially if I am walking beside her. She went over the little bridge by the pond without even hesitating! The pelican was a bit scary at first, but even Skippy finds that it scary!

I am off to the barn now. My lesson on Cashew is at 7:30 am and then I am taking mom to get a pedicure for her early Mother's day present.

I hope everyone has a great day and that the first day of the Young Rider's show is a success!


Linds

3 Lessons With Lientje

Today I had a lesson on all three of the horses and everyone was great! Cashew went first in the morning and we worked on forward, forward, and more forward! She just needs to be more in front of the leg with a slightly higher frame and then "everything will come after that" as Lientje says. Lientje was very impressed with Cashew's temperament and thought she had an amazing canter. =)

Oslo was much better today and we had some excellent trot work. Oslo was trotting like a big horse!!! And he was through his back!!!! He did find the work very hard and got slightly stressed about it, but we need to go there now in order for him to strengthen and eventually get comfortable in that top notch work! His canter still needs a bit more jump, but we will continue working on that and it is something we know he can do well once he is a bit more relaxed and through.

Skippy was spectacular again today! Lientje is soooo good with him and she always seems to know what to do with him. He was so in front of the leg today and almost ran away with me at one point! Lol. He had a great collected trot and we are finally getting into his right side. He can actually bend right now and hold it. His canter was also great today and we got both half-passes, going both directions, fairly equal with great bend and collection. We are all very happy with him.

There is a virus/unknown disease going around the barn that causes the horses to get weird bumps on their legs. It then proceeds to causing the entire leg to swell up and cause a decrease in energy in the horse and sometimes even causes unsoundness. It seems to only affect the "outside horses" (horses that don't live permanently at the barn). Vickie Argals and Lindsey Stroh had all three of their horses get it while they were down here last month and now Michelle McWilliam's stallion seems to have it. Therefore, we are trying to be careful and fly spraying the horses legs (since dad thinks it may be bug/spider bites) and not wrapping their legs very often since there is a belief that fresh air may help. Crossing our fingers that our horses don't get it. It is such a strange thing and the vets have no idea what it is so we are just trying to keep the legs dry and clean!

Tomorrow I only have two lessons and we haven't decided yet who I will just ride with mom in the morning. Everyone has been going great and I have so much to work on with all of them so that will be mom and I's homework for tomorrow and the weekend.

Tomorrow evening we are also going for dinner with Lientje and her mother, who is visiting from Germany.

I just want to send out a GOOD LUCK to everyone attending the Young Rider Show in Red Deer this weekend. I really hope the weather is good for you guys. I specifically want to wish Meagan and Walker good luck in the FEI Junior tests! And Julia and Missy kick some butt in the Childrens tests!

Goodnight from San Diego!


Linds