Dressage Test: Level 1 Test 1
Dressage vs. Jumping
I’ve been struggling with deciding what to do with Frankie. I’m bored right now just doing our thing. I want to compete, but Frankie doesn’t want to event, I can’t afford to compete in the jumper ring, so I decided why not give dressage a try. I even got a dressage saddle. My initial plan was to show this fall. I’m not sure if that is going to pan... Read More
Frankie Learns a New Trick
“Hey, can Frankie drink out of the hose?” “I’m not sure—never tried…” Read More
Ugh…I need a clearer goal
My rides have been really good lately. Frankie has been a saint and my riding has been improving. Until this weekend. We have had a handful of really gratifying, eye opening, exciting rides. 3’6″-3’9″ courses that were delightful. Perfect. Pretty. I mean to the point that I was really patting myself on the back and ready to put the sticks back up. Frankie... Read More
We Won – What Now?
Very exciting news, Kristine Oakhurst a.k.a. Citizen Horse a.k.a. Citizen K won Purina’s Live from Lexington contest. I know, I’m a little late reporting on Road to Rolex. But I’ve been busy. I am very excited to go to WEG I hope to entertain you and give you the information you are looking for from this International event PLUS lots of video. I thank everyone... Read More
Duh – Frankie Needs to Train me Better!
So Frankie has been a regular superstar. Everyday. He is ready for work and giving me 110% consistently. We have been working on getting a really condensed, springy, energetic canter. Primarily working on the canter most of the ride. Of course, for fun, I like to throw in our super fancy tempi changes. These are not dressage correct by any means and probably aren’t that... Read More
Big…ger Sticks
Okay, so I was planning on waiting for the weekend to jump anything bigger than 3’6″. But I got out to the barn and just couldn’t help myself. I didn’t set a full course of big jumps AND the jumps weren’t that big. The majority of the fences were between 3′ and 3’6″ but I set a line that was bigger 3’9″ and 4’3″.... Read More
Frankie's Feelin' Good
We are almost there! Fitness level for Frankie is 100%, though I am dragging behind a bit. I have been diligent about our work and progress and we haven’t jumped big fences yet. Mainly because I needed Frankie to calm down! He was way too rushed over small fences to even consider big fences. Our flatwork has been great. I have been riding him in draw reins once a week... Read More
Getting there…
Well, all in all we are back to 100% outside of the size of fences we are jumping. Frankie has decided that he forgot how to jump fences and would much prefer to rocket ship over them. To make things even more interesting, for me, if I put the pelham on him he gets all up and down – even with the curb chain OFF – then crawls to the fence only to launch 150,000 mph over... Read More
One Day at a Time
The weather is amazing and when I heard it was supposed to be in the 70′s last weekend I was psyched! Saturday was going to be my day back in the saddle as long as Frankie’s stomach agreed. Not so lucky. Grrrr. Frankie was vaccinated on Thursday so he had a reaction to the vaccines and his legs blew up. No riding on Saturday, the edema had gone down, however I wasn’t... Read More
Set Back after Set Back after Set Back…
Well, I have ridden 5 times in the past six weeks. Yep. Not real happy about it. First, we hadn’t been jumping because Frankie needed his hocks injected. Finally got his hocks injected that was a week off. Then 2 days back to work and he comes up dead lame. I mean three legged at the walk. I freaked out. No swelling, no heat, just dead lame. The vet couldn’t get... Read More
Status Update
Yeah! Frankie’s Hocks were done 11 days ago. He went back to work 7 days ago and boy was he happy. Mentally, I think it was good for him and I to take 4 days off riding. Physically he breathed a sigh of relief. I could feel him really coming through, most noticeable at the trot. He is so funny at home, or more specifically, at home and not jumping. He just lopes around... Read More
Frustration and a glimpse of the outdoors
So riding has been very uninspiring. It’s cold, really cold, and the indoor is small and boring. It’s even harder when the ring gets the rail rut that is REALLY hard to ride in and out of. Often you’re better off either making the ring even smaller than it already is OR staying on the rail. Luckily I have had a handful of opportunities to take Frankie outside.... Read More
Evaluating Progress
Winter is just tough. The indoor is small, so it’s hard for me to work Frankie properly to keep him in shape and to work over fences the way we NEED to. My goal for winter was to have Frankie relaxed enough to jump around a 4′ course like a hunter. I mean loose rein, quiet, and relaxed. Problem is, 4′ in the indoor is virtually impossible. Sure, 3 fences-but... Read More
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