The Three Ps on The Journey, and much Moore

This weekend at the Jeff Moore clinic we made much headway into learning many things, including developing power in extended gaits, adding or taking away angle and bustle in shoulder in, renver, and traver, climbing uphill halts and transitions, as well as counting flying changes.

We even played at the THREE Ps: piaffe, passage, and pirouette.  The piaffe is pretty good, we have ideas to continue to develop the passage, and the pirouette is in there it is a matter of me learning to ride it in such a way as to allow the horse to accomplish it.

Not yet perfect, but I certainly have a clue about how to school and even continue to develop the pirouette, piaffe, and passage.

Learning the piaffe:

Learning the pirouette:

Videography credit: Stacey Smith of Bridge Equestrian

Wall of Fame

Maybe it's that clydesdale commercial from the super bowl, or maybe it's something else but I've been feeling a sense of pride and nostalgia thinking about all the fun times I've had with Delphi, and looking forward to many more great experiences with my new horse Rijkens.  It seems trite but it really is about the journey, the day-to-day seemingly small episodes that are fulfilling and keep me eagerly going to the barn day after day.  I owe a debt of gratitude to the horses and horse-people in my life, both past and present.

Delphi's wall of fame.  The blue ribbons, HDS rosettes, and USDF medal she won in the seven years I owned her, complete with her bridle name placard Karen Brown made that hung in the tackroom at Blue Fox Farm for five years, her sales ad photo, and pictures from our first and last show.

 More Delphi memorabilia.  The nameplate from her tack trunk, swag she won competing at dressage shows, and the stock tie, a gift from her Aunt Ceil, that I wore at shows with Delphi.

Rijkens is starting his own wall of fame.  With ribbons from our first (and only at this point) show complete with his sales photo, baby picture and snapshot from our first show together.  With room for more!

It Takes a Village

Aristotle said the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  This must be why Rijkens is so great because he, as most pampered show horses do, has a staff of seemingly thousands.

His supporters include:
Four trainers/clinicians: Karen Brown, Lurena Bell, Jeff Moore and Charles deKunffy.

His veterinary staff: Dr. Michael Davis his dentist, Dr. Danny Dutton his soundness expert, and Dr. Robin Robinett his chiropractor, with Waller Equine Hospital on standby in case of emergency.

His farrier Aaron Register.

His grooms that care for him daily are George, Julian and Antonio.

His breeder Cheryl Kellerman and first owner Cherie Everett who brought him into existence.

His trailer is maintained by New West Truck and Trailer. 

His professional braider at shows Bree Bell Bandy.

His massage therapist/body work Equine Touch expert Sandy Bartlett.

His saddle fit thermal imager Jennifer Weems of ThermScan Diagnostics and his saddler Marshall Griffin Enterprises.  

His owner and personal slave: me.

His cheering section made up of his many doting Barn Aunts.

Living according to the lifestyle to which she has quickly become accustomed, as all horses should.