Return of Corofin

With the New Year and a belated blog post, I must announce that Finn is back in full work for the first time in almost 2 years! Now that he has managed to stay in work for three months I feel it is time to do him some justice and celebrate the bay beast. Finn has been in my life for four years now and I still smile every single lesson. He is like that boyfriend you can never completely kick-- always a little too handsome for his own good even if he is totally trouble! Recently I found myself at a new barn near Atlanta and had the pleasure of starting work with Bigtime Eventing Luckily, Lauren and her team proved that they really know how to make a horse happy and healthy! We tackled Finn's winter weight woes with a combination of good pasture and DynaSport making sure to slowly increase his intake wile also pushing him to build his topline. One really interesting thing that we found was that in a saddle that restricted his shoulder he would become extremely hallow and short stepped. Luckily, Lauren being the nice person she is offered me a ride in her beautiful Custom Saddelry Advantage I immediately noticed a huge difference in my position and was able to really ride effectively. Furthermore, the saddle allowed me to address my position and how it makes Finn struggle. Mostly, this meant moving my left leg closer to the girth and relaxing through the hip. In doing this I am able to free Finn's body up and allow his stride to open and extend. Here are some photos to show our progression this year! Back in July the wonderful people at SJTRA stepped up to the plate to help get Finn back in shape. Luckily they sent me this cute photo of Finn after his first few rides back. Notice the lack of hind end muscle and his more slight frame.

In November, Finn moved to Atlanta with me and I started working him a little harder. It was at this point that we started him on MSM and used previcox to help with his transition to nail on shoes. Not only did the transition go well, Finn actually seems better than ever in the nail ons and we are starting to taper off the previcox with the show season in mind.

This last photo is from this week after our school in Lauren's saddle! Notice the muscle in his hind end as well as the added weight! This week he will get a trace clip and mane pull in preparation for his first show back next month.

Overall, I can't wait to update on Finn's progress, look out for Thursday updates from here on out as well as video clips from cross country school soon to come. 

Small Horse Saga

Gameboy

After months away, I have decided that it is definitely time to bring the blog back-- no promise for weekly deliveries yet though. My main reason for heading back to the blogger is a problem I have become well acquainted with over the last few weeks.

About a year ago I purchased a beautiful 15.1 hand gelding from a well known UL rider with the goals of moving up the levels and hopefully finding my way to the AEC's. Sadly, between the return of Finn under not-so-great circumstances and my health seeming to fail me at every turn, it became clearly that two horses weren't realistic and Kaz was the far more marketable one of the two-- or so I thought.

As I have scoured equine groups on Facebook and read every 'iso' post on reputable horse sites I am beginning to realize that horses between the height of 15-15.2 hands basically fall into a black hole of marketability. Why? Because people are stupid because people want really big horses regardless of how tall they actually are. People have gone as far as to ask me if Kaz will ever be able to go training level.

The reality is that in a normal sale add you really can't say everything you want to say. You can't tell them that the horse is the best cookie nuzzler in the words or that he will brighten their day with the way he wiggles his lip with every neck scratch. You do not believe it is appropriate to tell them about the time you completely missed it to a giant oxer because you were nervous and he bailed you out even though it wasn't pretty and you probably didn't deserve it. You're reluctant to mention the time a 4* rider told you he was one of the scrappiest things they had ever seen or the time you picked up a silly stop at a schooling show because you rode like crap. You want to tell them that the horse will crack his back over every jump every time and that sometimes when he trots you get goose bumps because that is what dressage is really supposed to feel like. Sadly, because he is 15.1 many people won't even read below the first line of the add.

Here's to all the small horses, the fierce horses, and the really scrappy horses. Here's to the horses of the smallest statures and the biggest hearts, and the horses with the tiniest feet but the biggest shoes to fill. 

To the Horse That Gave Me Everything

            

            On Monday my dad will load Finn onto a trailer to head down to Maryland and start his new life. From 6 hours away I will wait patiently for the call saying he has arrived and I will do what I can to move forward with only thanks. Some horses ask more of us then we think is possible, we struggle to find the courage to jump the fences, the emotional strength to make the right decisions and the humbleness to laugh when we get eliminated at the water for the 6^th time. They force us to step outside of our comfort zones and become the people who we wish we could have been all along. It isn’t just about riding or winning, these are the horses that help us grow up.

            The truth is that nine times out of ten I had no clue what I was doing when I got on Finn, but he made me trust my own feel and let go of the fears I had harbored for so long. Even on his worst days he made me better. He trained me. For months I have tried to make Finn into what I wanted; what I thought that I needed. Things would work and then they wouldn’t and it because an endless cycle of disappointment on both sides. I felt like I was letting my best teacher down. He kept telling me he needed something else, something easier, but I couldn’t listen because I still needed him. I was selfish.

            But, Finn was still teaching, he was still forcing me to grow up. When he got to school with me he wasn’t happy, he was faltering. I saw that it was time. So now down the road he goes, to little girls, horse shows, ribbons, braids and a forever home. To new young girls to teach to be young women, finally, the opportunities are endless for the horse that gave me everything.

Ressurection

             I haven’t been in a position to write since January. Staring down at that MRI report, I didn’t know what to do. I have consistently been the over sharer. The girl at the dinner table that looks at you and exclaims, “Guess what my horse did today!” since I got the news that Finn had laminitis a lot of that has really changed. I turned away from social media and for once tried to look inward for some answers. I don’t really know how to write about the last couple of months; how to explain what it's like to go back and forth between keeping and not keeping my best friend. All I know is, the moment it stops being all about winning is the moment you finally start being able to win.

            When I got Finn I was somewhat cocky, I thought I knew everything about everything and when I walked into the barn I talked a louder talk than any other girl. All I wanted was a blue ribbon, just to prove I could. I determined my worth as a rider and owner on my penalty points at an event. I was the girl crying after the dressage, and sweating before the show jumping. I was the one who loved her horse but just didn’t know how to get around the course.
           When Finn left Brendan Furlongs with a MRI report that said Laminitis and navicular changes I really didn’t know what to say. They were mild, they were fixable, and they were what they were. However, was this the end of a partnership that hadn’t even started? In the beginning I thought about winning, I thought about ribbons and I committed myself to making him better for me, making him better so I could cross that finish line and gain what I thought that I deserved. When he got better too slowly I started to give up and I looked for other avenues; even taking another horse on trial at one point.
           I haven’t jumped a jump on my horse since March of this year and I have only cantered him about 15 times since then. Every day is a move towards strengthening as we have had set backs like two puncture wounds, a nasty bump to the leg and my move to college. Somewhere along the line I learned that I know absolutely nothing about anything. I just love my horse. It isn’t really about winning at all, and the couple times I have taken Finn to dressage shows this season he actually has won!

           I hope to be able to start the blog back up now that I have the courage back up to talk about my struggles. I hope to find some comfort in the community of people that have loved Finn for so long. Next week I'll even post some pictures of Finn’s new home in Pittsburgh!

Week 62: Fit and Happy

                  I know, I know, I have been bad. Somehow I have managed to neglect the blog for an ungodly amount of time that I would rather not cite. In the last couple weeks I have gone through some major life changes; not only have I been off of horses since December 19^th, I have also had my jaw broken and screwed back together! I must say, the first 48 hours were pretty hellish but it seems that I am on my way to looking almost normal. With the swelling down and my spirits up I can’t help but obsess over every aspect of my horse's training. It is hard to be the observer. It is hard to relinquish my grip on the reins. It is hard, but it is necessary. I have been proud of my training with Finn. I also recognize that there comes a time when someone else might be able to find some buttons that you just can’t find. When I went in for my TMJ surgery I knew that the dynamic between Finn and I was about to change. I knew that I was going to have to trust the professionals and accept the fact that he might grow more quickly than he had in my hands.

                Most of the focus in Finn’s training as of late has been on elevating and balancing his canter. Finn has a great canter, and always has, but like some horses he has struggled with truly engaging behind. While I have been able to get some pretty impressive trot work out of Finn, I really believe that Megan (trainer at Bit’ O’ Woods farm www.bitowoods.com) can get much better canter work out of him than I can. Finn is currently only in three days of work a week because I am poor and applying to college because of some constraints, but he seems to be doing pretty well. However, it does seem that he is a litttttlllleeeeee too perky outside. Some things thoroughbreds never change.

                Now that I am feeling better I have started to think about what to do with the next eight seemingly useless weeks of my life. I mean, come on, what even is life without horses? I have decided that it is time to get fit. After reading some great posts from upper level event rider Meg Kep I have come to the conclusion that my horse really does deserve a healthy rider! We ask our horses to be fit, we tell them they need to workout and we manage what they eat. If you asked any person in the barn what their horse eats they could tell you, so why should we treat ourselves any differently? I have decided to come up with a workout plan for myself and become as fit as my horse. I will be combining a ‘Couch to 5k’ workout with a weight training regime as well as a diet plan. I have decided to include both in this post but before you read further I feel the need to also say that fitness and weight loss are very different. My goal is actually to gain weight:muscle weight. Becoming fit isn't about getting skinny or looking good in leggings, it is about being the best you possible. Below are some stats and the diet plans that I am looking to follow.

 

Starting Stats

Age: 17

Height: 5 foot 3

Weight: 98 lbs.

Goal Weight: 115 lbs.

Goals: 5k Tough Mudder Run, Novice 3 day event, American Eventing Championships, Dressage @ Devon

 

 

 

Work Out!

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.   ~push-ups 3 sets of 12   ~ Military press 3 sets of 12 @ 40 lbs.   ~frontal raise 3 sets of 10 @ 25 lbs.   ~ Upright row 3 sets of 12 @ 45 lbs.   ~Lat. pull-down 3 sets of 12 @ 45 lbs.   ~bicep curl 3 sets of 12 @ 25 lbs.   ~hammer curl 3 sets of 12 @ 25 lbs.   ~kickbacks 3 sets of 12   ~dips 3 sets of 12   ~swimmers 3 sets of 50   ~crunches 3 sets of 50   ~oblique crunches 3 sets of 50	~leg extensions 3 sets of 20 @ 80 lbs.   ~squats 3 sets of 20 (with bar) @ 100 lbs.   ~leg curl 3 sets of 20 @100 lbs.   ~lunges 3 sets of 20   ~leg press 3 sets of 20 @ 100 lbs.   ~swimmers 3 sets of 50   ~crunches 3 sets of 50   ~oblique crunches 3 sets of 50	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.   ~swimmers 5 sets of 30   ~crunches 5 sets of 30   ~oblique crunches 5 sets of 30   ~push-ups 3 sets of 12   ~lunges 3 sets of 20	~push-ups 3 sets of 12   ~ Military press 3 sets of 12 @ 40 lbs.   ~frontal raise 3 sets of 10 @ 25 lbs.   ~ Upright row 3 sets of 12 @ 45 lbs.   ~Lat. pull-down 3 sets of 12 @ 45 lbs.   ~bicep curl 3 sets of 12 @ 25 lbs.   ~hammer curl 3 sets of 12 @ 25 lbs.   ~kickbacks 3 sets of 12   ~dips 3 sets of 12   ~swimmers 3 sets of 50   ~crunches 3 sets of 50   ~oblique crunches 3 sets of 50	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.   ~leg extensions 3 sets of 20 @ 80 lbs.   ~squats 3 sets of 20 (with bar) @ 100 lbs.   ~leg curl 3 sets of 20 @100 lbs.   ~lunges 3 sets of 20   ~leg press 3 sets of 20 @ 100 lbs.   ~swimmers 3 sets of 50   ~crunches 3 sets of 50   ~oblique crunches 3 sets of 50	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then run 1 mile for time.   ~swimmers 5 sets of 30   ~crunches 5 sets of 30   ~oblique crunches 5 sets of 30   ~push-ups 3 sets of 12   ~lunges 3 sets of 20	REST

  

 

Meal Plan! (General-you can cheat a little bit!)

 

 

 

I will also be pulling some recipe ideas from http://www.paleoplan.com/recipes

 

More to come next week with some updates on Finn and me! Happy New Year to all.