Pye Equestrian
Bounder Is Back On The Wagon And We're Seeing All Shades Of Gray
by Jessica on 03/20/12
"Bounder the injury addict" as I will now refer to him occasionally is "back on the wagon" and started his rehab today walking (oooooor more like bucking, hopping, spooking and squealing) under saddle. He was not handling stall rest with simple hand grazing very well at all (tranquillizer and all) so we took him in a bit early to get another x-ray and see if he had worsened his injury, or possibly, more could be done with him. It has only been four weeks since Bounder's last x-ray but the new one looks really great. The fracture line is barely visible at all which is excellent considering the short time period of rest he's had so far and the amount he's been bouncing around on it. So that proves that the injury is very stable and the likelihood of Bounder hurting himself further is no longer an issue and he is allowed to be ridden at the walk.
Great news! Except, since the leg isn't absolutely perfect, and because he's a mad man in turnout, he is still confined to his stall. So the only difference is that my "crash test dummy" butt gets to try and ride him around! Super... At least he'll get out, hopefully become a little less sensitive to his surroundings, get some exercise and remember that he has a job! He was pretty wild today but all things considered he really did try to behave. And I didn't fall off = Winning.
Considering Bounder's perpetual propensity for injuring himself more often then not, I've found myself really analyzing my situation. Since the end of Florida, leaving heartbroken and once again thoroughly disappointed, I've changed my plan of action a little bit. Or, I really should say a lot. Because I don't have a trust fund or serious financial backing, a string of horses, or even one horse that can complete a season (Despite how brillant he is...) the professional route is out for now. I am going to spend the remainder of the year trying to get Bounder and I qualified for Rolex next year, (We need a CIC*** and a CCI***) I'm going to keep working at Dover, I'm going to study for and take the LSAT at least once and I'm going to apply to several law schools with the intent of attending in the Fall of 2013. If I ever want to ride and compete I'm going to have to make some serious money and law has always interested me. I've found, in studying for the LSAT, that I really enjoy it all - Which is pretty exciting! I haven't been this passionate about anything other then riding, maybe ever. Now, if Bounder magically becomes reliable soundness-wise, makes it to Rolex and does really well, I will re-evaluate. But for now, Plan B is looking really good.
The details of the law school plan are being slowly sorted, including where I want to go, how much its going to cost, what I would do with Bounder, etc. etc. Honestly, its all very stressful - A massive life change if it all happens. So I'm trying not to look too far ahead. For now I'm focusing on the immediate goals. Get ready for the LSAT, get a good score, get Bounder going again, get qualified for Rolex this year! I've taken a long, hard look at a Summer/Fall schedule for him and I think I've come up with a basic outline. It is shown in detail on my Calender page. Not all of those events will likely happen but listing them all leaves the door open to do what we need to do to get experience. I'm viewing this year and next Spring as Bounder's last chance because it very well might be.
What I do know is that I plan on aiming Bounder for the Galway CCI***. That was a very tough decision to make, choosing between Galway and Fair Hill, and I put a lot of thought into it. Essentially, Galway has a higher probability of running a full CCI*** on good ground in good conditions. The last thing I want is to have to re-route at the last minute and travel all the way across the country again OR to not be 100% committed in my brain that "WE ARE RUNNING". Becuase I'm conservative by nature and have never been very brave, it's important to me to set a specific goal and focus on that in order to achieve it, so Galway seemed the better choice. Becuase that is a long drive and a taxing trip I plan on attending the Woodside CIC*** beforehand and staying out there until Galway. Another shot at a CIC*** and a chance to get a feel for the courses out there. Not to mention that I'm considering law schools out in CA, I've never competed out West, or lived out there, and I'd really like to get a feel for it. Something seriously new and different!
And in keeping with the "new and different" trend I've decided to change my cross-country colors. I have been red, white and blue since my Young Rider days ten plus years ago, and since it seems I'm making some changes and attempting to, for once in my life, see different possibilities or, if you will, "shades of gray" I'm going to honor that notion. The new colors will be gray and white! I wondered why no one really used those colors (a medium gray, anyway) and I quickly discovered it was quite the process. Matching the color, for one, is a pain. But finding a helmet cover in that color was a serious challenge! I ended up having to purchase the fabric myself and ship it to the company making the helmet cover. That's a first.The only item I've acquired in those colors so far is a new jockey whip and some white vet wrap, but the rest is on its way! I'm exicted.... For everything that is happening really! Just keep your fingers crossed that Bounder's luck has turned around. If I hear one more, "Jess, I'm so sorry, you really do have the worst luck of anyone I've ever know", as kind and well-intentioned as I know it is, I'm going to lose it! The bad luck can't last forever.
In hopes that Bounder can stay at least 60 days sound,
Jess
Florida: Part 5, What The Hell Is A Phalanx Bone?
by Jessica on 02/22/12
I really did not think that my last entry about Florida this year would sound so much like my last entry about Florida last year. As I"m sure a lot of you noticed, Bounder did not compete at Rocking Horse 2. For about a week leading up to the event Bounder did not feel quite right. First I thought his neck might have been a little sore and then I thought his back was bothering him. By Tuesday before the event Bounder was expressing his discomfort loud and clear by displaying what can only be labled as, "Head Flailing". The very same behavioral symptoms he displayed last year at around the same time when his back hurt. I was pretty upset, got off immediately and, in tears, stated that I would not ride the horse until we knew exactly what was going on. I'm maybe just a little tiny bit protective of this horse and maybe just the slightest bit black and white, maybe....
I called up Florida vet Dr. Erin Jones who looked at Bounder last year and who also is good friends with Bounder's primary vet Dr. Hersman from Animal Imaging in Las Colinas, TX. I was very glad she was able to come out because I was very impressed with her last year and I trust her opinion. She did a physical exam of Bounder and found that he was somewhat muscle sore in his back. That didn't really surprise me considering he had very invasive back surgery not all that long ago and the past six weeks were the first big and long challenge of his back strength. So we decided to take him home, let Dr. Hersman investigate further and make sure that this was nothing we needed to worry about. On the up-side I spectated all of Rocking Horse 2 and had fun cheering on my fellow barnmates who made the big jump up to Advanced. My best friend Maggie Deatrick dominated in her and her horse Dante's first advanced to finish 4th. And friend Sydney Elliot had a fabulous showing with Michelle Taylor's Pancho Villa in their first Advanced run to finish 7th. That much southern talent makes any weekend better, even if you're not riding! The always friendly David O'Connor came over to say hello and asked how my weekend was going. When I figured out he was actually talking to me I slowly responded, "Oh, I'm not riding." "Oh, so your having a great weekend!" "Well, I was supposed to be riding, and I'm not riding." "OOOOH, so you're having a bad weekend..." At least that conversation made me laugh later lol.
I took Bounder to Dr. Hersman today and he completed a full physical exam. His back was fine and he looked really good overall - That is, until we did a small trot circle on concrete. Both directions he looked a little off left front. That's very unusual for this horse, his legs are sound as rocks and he'd been through this part of the exam a million times on this surface. Dr. Hersman and I exchange curious looks. Dr. Hersman investigated the leg and flexed the ankle hard and got nothing significant. We then put him in the round pen to watch him go around and he looked very sound both directions except for one strange thing. He did his classic "head flailing" going to the left at trot and canter and looked a little aggitated all the way around. I was very surprised because I had never seen him do that without someone on him. Even when his back was very painful last year, he was fine on the lunge. I kept that in mind. Dr. Hersman decided to just start blocking the leg, hoof up. He did the first round of blocks to deaden the hoof and as soon as we trotted him in the small circle it was very clear that he was now completely sound. The only thought both Dr. Hersman and I had was that maybe the injury he did to that hoof after his back surgery was in some way causing him discomfort, although it seemed unlikely with how well it had healed and how good it looked.
So we went into the clinic and began the x-rays (This is the beauty of one of the best imaging centers in the country). X-rays are basic, but they are very good x-rays and if that doesn't work you have LOTS of other high-tech options! Dad and I waited inside while Dr. Hersman x-rayed Bounder's back, neck, and the lower part of his left leg. We all went into the "room" to view the x-rays on the big screen and hear Dr. Hersman's thoughts. He pulled up the x-rays of Bounder's neck and it looked the same - "Good," I thought. Then he pulled up the x-rays of Bounder's back (I was pretty nervous) and they looked great, free and clear - "Thank god". Then he pulled up the x-ray of the lower part of his left leg. When he pulled the x-ray up, first on his PC, I heard him say, "Well that's strange" in a quiet voice. Then he excused himself for five minutes. Meanwhile I'm looking at the screen that he left in plain view like, "WTF is that line???"
Dr. Hersman came back in, sat down, and said "I was just consulting one of the other vets - That looks like a fracture." Pretty sure I said, "Excuse me???" Dr. Hersman continued to explain that the line we saw was a fracture of Bounder's Phalanx bone or P1 in his left front. (Forgive me, my termonology might not be 100% correct.) There was a period of silence. All I could think to myself was, "Oh shit, he broke his leg, do I have to put him down?" Stupid, I know, but I guess those old phrases really do get stuck in your head. Fortunately for all of us, the fracture looks like a hairline fracture in a human. If I had competed the horse, or jumped the horse, or even ridden the horse, the bone could've split. In fact, Dr. Hersman clearly felt awful for jogging the horse around on the concrete and lunging him in the round pen. But he was SOUND on a straight line and in the round pen - Who would've thought this was the reason??? Sure shocked the shit out of me! If only horses could talk...
So, note to self, "head flailing" means something really hurts, not my back really hurts. I guess Bounder kind of does talk. Smart horse. He needs 6 to 8 weeks of stall rest. Not at all his favorite thing, so to prevent the bucking, rearing and general leaping we will have to sedate him a little. He is supposed to remain quiet, and if possible, still. He does, at least, seem very happy overall. He's thrilled to be back home, he's sound on a straight line at all gaits and also on a circle on soft ground, so I think he's pretty comfortable just walking around. Of course we will miss the entirety of the spring season so no CIC*** or CCI*** this spring. I swear if I could just ride this horse for one complete season, or even more then two events in a row, he would be unbeatable. Maybe one day I'll get to test that theory. For now its more hand-walking and grazing, I'll do a bit more running, and hopefully come summer/fall we'll be back in action.
Until next time,
Jess
Florida: Part 4, The In-Between
by Jessica on 02/07/12
So I am currently writing from one of the four laundry mats in the Umatilla area and I must say that the perk of awesome internet access somewhat dulls the dread of doing so much laundry. Things have been anything but quiet at Rocking Horse since the first horse trial. Although no major events have taken place its fun to watch everyone who boards there during the winter working away every day at improving just slightly. Everyone has a slightly different training plan for their horse and a different way of working to achieve a better horse and winning results.
Bounder has been going beautifully and I think we've managed to really progress in a few areas. I got to go watch the first of the High Performance training sessions in Ocala and although I was really sad to not be riding this year I learned almost as much from watching. Mark Phillips is really a brillant instructor on the flat and after auditing and taking notes for three days I was able to go home and really feel a difference on my own horse. It's amazing the things you let slide when you're not thinking about it. After really insisting that Bounder be soft and through on his right side in the warm-up the rest of the really tough work came easily. Basics, basics, basics. Duh. I'm going to list the notes I took for myself. This is only a small sampling of what was said but these were things/exercises I really wanted to write down and remember for myself:
1. Bend the horse around the right leg. Not pushing haunches out. NEVER pulling on the right rein. "Bend the whip!"
2. Go to shoulder-in, use outside leg to make the trot bigger. Change the bend to make sure the horse is through on the outside rein.
3. Do a 15 meter circle in counter-canter, then come out of the circle and do a flying change on the long side.
4. Half halt, trot on the spot, hands low, leg on and allow him to come up.
5. In your training, do a shoulder-in or ten meter circle before he loses the half-pass. Never let him do a bad half-pass.
6. He has to reach through for the bit!!!
7. If the head comes up, the hands have to come higher!
8. Wider hands in half pass. Do NOT cross the inside hand over the neck.
9. In half pass, keep the body parallel to the center line and change the flexion back and forth.
10. Turn the volume up, not faster flatter, more out in front of you, move the feet! (My own thought for myself - This level of impulsion and balance will fix the changes and half pass!)
11. Counter flex in true canter on a 15 or 20 meter circle then go counter canter. (This exercise came up when one of the horses was anticipating the flying changes and not holding the counter-canter.)
12. Hands DOWN in medium canter to keep him up and in front of me.
13. Pinch the knees for downward transitions - Stops the shoulder.
Besides using Mark's words to better my own flat work I've also managed to get a better canter in the show jumping by carrying a stick. Sounds dumb, I know, but my horse is terrified of dressage whips so I kind of assumed he was terrified of all whips. Not the case. When I tried to carry the dressage whip in a jump school he literally had an anxiety attack. When I carried the jumping whip all I had to do was tap him on the shoulder when he was behind my leg and he perked right up and was not at all offended. Not sure I'd actually ever "hit" him with it, but the shoulder thing works well. I kind of feel like a 10 year old hunter child. Just missing the long braids with bows...And the constant perched position...AND the groom. Damn, I should get on that last one....
We've also done a few fun things in this in-between time. The whole Gold Chip crew went and watched the $50,000 grand prix at HITS on Sunday where hometown girl Tracy Fenney, who lives down the street from our Texas home, took first and second! On Monday we all went to Universal Studios to ride the roller coasters and have a little non-horsey time. I have not been since I was little so I really had a blast! Of course after the first circuit on all the big coasters my age began to show as my old neck injury started to flare up and I decided to be the official "bag watcher" for the remainder of the day lol. At least I got on all the big ones once!
Part of the barn will be going to Ocala to compete at the horse trials this weekend and the rest of us are eagerly awaiting the big Advanced move up the weekend after that at Rocking Horse 2. I must admit I'm very excited. I'm ready for a second chance at this event and Bounder has been going better then ever. Good luck to everyone competing in the next couple weeks and GO EVENTING!
Until next time,
Jess
Florida: Part 3, Rocking Horse 1
by Jessica on 01/28/12
Fortunately for me I get to write this blog entry from my comfy bed in my trailer! My lovely friend Claire has secured some internet service to do her school work and has allowed me to access her source for blog updates. Yesterday and today were competition days for the upper level riders at Rocking Horse 1 here in Altoona. This weekend was Bounder's first Intermediate in a year and only his second event back after his time off and back surgery. He was wonderful.
My goal for the dressage was to have it resemble the work he was doing this time last year. He exceeded that expectation. The really cool thing about this horse, is that now that he's completely pain-free, he's so laid back. When I went to warm him up early Friday morning (despite the wind, rain and dropping temps) he was seriously plodding around. I am going to have to learn to ride a very different horse from now on! I managed to get him halfway in gear and he put in a lovely, accurate test that lacked a little sparkle but couldn't be criticized. He was relaxed, forward enough, obedient, etc. It was nothing like his last test a few weeks ago in Ocala and with a little bit more energy would far surpass what he did early last year. I am going to try carrying a whip for schooling and see what happens. He has been very whip shy in the past but this is not the same horse I used to own. Bounder scored a 33.2 and was in 5th place.
We show jumped a few hours later and unfortunately for me, with my glasses, it was still raining. I was lucky that Bonner Carpenter was kind enough to carry a dry rag in her rain coat so that I could wipe my glasses every five minutes. The course rode really well for the most part, the heavy rails were secured firmly by deep cups, and Bounder jumped his normal, lovely clear round. I did find, with his new relaxed attitude, I had to ride him a little harder to get the same over-jump that I'm used too, but he responded. In every picture the photographer got my face is doing something between growling and scowling. Mike would be proud.
I will admit to being pretty nervous about the cross-country. The course walked well, didn't look like anything too difficult, but Bounder and I are a little short on outings, Rocking Horse has some big fences and there was definately enough to do. The ground was great thanks to the rain and I was pretty sure I found a bit more breaks by rigging some rein converters up on the three-ring I used to run him cross-country in. Again Bounder was quiet on his way to the warm-up and very ride-able in the warm-up. That's a nice change! Mike put him in the box for me (I mean, come on, he's still a red-headed thoroughbred) and I took off on course in a hurry. I managed to make time at Ocala and I really wanted to make the time this weekend. He was over-jumping in the warm-up so I wasn't surprised when he got a good two feet over fence 1. I'm used to it to some extent. So I kicked on and came flying up to fence 2, a good sized table near the tree line. I guess its because I'm trying to be a more forward and braver cross-country rider, or that I really wanted to make the time, but I can honestly say I should've taken a pull. I saw a long stride out of a lot of pace to a big table and just went for it. I heard the spectators gasp as we left off one foot, swam across the top and landed on the back side, almost on our knees, with our nose near the dirt. Oh boy. "That was really scary, get your shit together," was all I thought until I realized my reins were messed up. From fence 2 to fence 3 is the longest (most advantageous) galloping stretch on course and I spent the entire time cantering trying to unwrap my left hand from the left rein. I don't know how, but the rein got tangled around my hand and in the rubberband from my whip. I did not succeed in freeing my hand.
The rest of the course rode pretty well with the exception of me getting pulled out of the tack several times because my hand was rigged to close to the bit. I managed to stay out of his way, but between the over-jumping and my compromised position I'd say I got shaken loose more then a few times. It REALLY doesn't help when your horse likes to land at the base of all mounds, slopes and hills. I'm pretty sure he doesn't see why he should waste any time being clever with his feet and sees jumping down to the flat ground as the easier option. Normally I manage this quite well. Today it made me a little nervous! I kept cruising right along but never managed to gain the time I lost at and directly following fence 2. We were 19 seconds over the time and I finished absolutely kicking myself for my dumb decision and my lost time. But hey, the horse was great, and it's cross-country riding. Shit happens and you just gotta go with it, right?
We finished in 3rd place which was a really happy result for me. Overall the weekend was great and Bounder, although a little overly enthusiastic with his jumping, felt amazing throughout. I also have to give a rew quick shout-outs. My best friend Maggie Deatrick had her first clear Intermediate show jumping round and also our new friend Jordan Payton completed her first preliminary with a lovely clear cross-country round. Emma Fisher gathered second place in another huge Intermediate division for her first event back this season and Jacob Fletcher had a brillant weekend on his new horse in their first Intermediate together. Elizabeth Crowder is the biggest help anyone could ever ask for (doing lovely braids on Bounder for me, I'm seriously challenged) and Heather Morris rode several (I'd have to count) around this weekend - All extremely well. Last, but not least, our fearless leader Mike rode 4 horses this weekend despite the fact that he's coaching a ton and is really sick. Mike is not a complainer and I'm pretty sure I've never seen him take a sick day. I know he was feeling really badly this weekend and he still managed to do the same professional job as always. Go Mike!
It's been really fun to have the whole Gold Chip gang here and I'm really looking forward to working hard these next two weeks in preparation for the Advanced at Rocking Horse 2.
Until next time,
Jess
Florida: Part 2, Ocala & A First Time For Everything
by Jessica on 01/10/12
So I am once again reporting to you from the Umatilla Public Library, the only place I can get a decent internet connection. You know you're jealous. And I, of course, forgot my power cord, so I'm hoping I have enough battery to write this blog post. Obviously Bounder and I made it to Florida and have now been residents of the Sunshine State for a week. Last weekend we contested our first horse trials together in almost a year at the Florida Horse Park.
Bounder was in the Open Preliminary B division and I luckily got to work with Jon and Jen Holling for the weekend, whom I absolutely love! I can sum it all by saying it was a really great "ComeBack" weekend for Bounder. He hasn't competed for a very long time and he hasn't really even been off the farm much so I was holding my breath all weekend long just waiting for something interesting to happen; But it didn't. He was a very, very good boy. The dressage was definately our most rusty phase. Both of us were nervous, the ground wasn't very good, we were in a small ring, I had never done this test before and in all honesty I'd probably spent more time focusing on Bounder's jumping rather then his flat work. So our test lacked a lot of.... Everything LOL! I thought the 34.4 we recieved, with an error (Oh yea, duh), was a bit of a gift! Maybe the judge was responding well to Bounder's shiny coat or my heavily made-up face. Whatever, I'll take it. Granted I was in a division with some serious rider and horse power so first and second, captured by Michael Pollard with two of his lovely advanced horses, scored at 20.4. Nice.
I was pretty disappointed in my performance after the dressage and when Jon asked me how it went I told him, "Horrible". Not with anger, or even sadness, just stating a plain fact. He didn't believe me at first. "No, really" I said. "It was bad. This horse has never scored over 42 but that might have done it". And this is why I love Jon (besides that fact that he knows his shit). He looked at me and simply said, "If you go jump two clear rounds this weekend, in two weeks, no one will remember your dressage score today. It really doesn't matter." I knew he was right. And he managed to say something that not only made me feel a LOT better but also redirected my attentions to something positive, concentrating on the rest of the event. He got me to forget and think ahead - NOT an easy task when it comes to me. Thank you Jon.
Bounder was a bit of a wild man in the show jumping warm-up. I only jumped a few jumps and he was jumping really well, ten feet up and straight, so I ignored the squealing, rearing, hopping and general attitude and thought, "This is Bounder, this is either going to be REALLY good, or I'm gonna be 30 feet in the air with no control." Fortunately for me, Bounder was amazing and jumped literally the best show jumping round he's ever jumped. For the first time I would not have changed a single foot fall. The rhythm was lovely, the distances just came beautifully and he jumped out of his fur but not in an unridable way. I definately cried upon exiting the arena. For a horse that has been through as much as he has, to come back like that, I can't tell you how much it meant to me.
So all that was left was the cross-country the next day. I golf carted around the course w/ Jon and Lexi Scovil (her lovely mare won the JYOP, btw, and is for sale) which was quite entertaining. It involved almost taking out a tree (or us, depending on how you look at it) nearly getting bounced off for at least 1/3 of the drive, leaping from the moving golf cart so we didn't waste the already dying battery all while drinking a beer. Yup. Are we sure Jon isn't from Texas? Oh yea, and some useful information about the course lol...
When it was time to run and jump I felt very ready. Bounder's show jumping round the day before gave me a lot of confidence that I had my ever ready partner back for good and I knew my one goal was very attainable - Go fast. I really feel like I've been given a "second chance" with this horse and I no longer feel like I have time to hang around. Every event could be the last event and almost losing him forever has changed my thinking and allowed me to feel free to go for it. After Jen did me a great favor and wrestled Bounder around and into the start box I set out on course, and because I don't want to write a novel here, I'll just say he was great. You would never know he hadn't run cross-country in a year. He just sailed around what I would say was a good preliminary course with a lot of different questions. He was very strong and my hands, wrists and arms are still sore, but who cares. He jumped beautifully and happily. I just kept telling myself to go on and gallop, you'll deal with slowing down when you have too. This wasn't an easy task lol. I also kept telling myself that he'd settle down as I went - Wrong. I might need more bit. But oh well. I kicked on, had just one sketchy moment near the end of the course where I forgot for a moment I wasn't riding a machine, but he sorted it out just fine and we finished under the time. For the first time ever. I'm almost embarassed to admit that - But hey, it is what it is.
Bounder is very proud of himself and very sound. Two things I'm very grateful for. We eagerly look forward to Intermediate at Rocking Horse 1 and in the meantime will be hacking about Rocking Horse in the lovely Florida sun. The rest of Gold Chip and my good friends Maggie and Claire will be arriving in a couple weeks - I can't wait!
Until next time,
Jess
P.S. HE'S BACK!
