31Oct 2014 by myexracer

Eric Smiley Clinic

Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_1634" align="alignleft" width="300"] Eric Smiley, Jezebel & Sammy[/caption] Eric Smiley was coming to town. He's a very sought after clinician and also an Olympian. I just missed him last  spring when he was teaching in this area  and really none of my horses would have been prepared for a clinic at that level last spring anyways. I personally think its important to be prepared. To make sure your not wasting anyones time (your instructor) or your hard earned money as these clinics are not exactly cheap. Sammy decided to ride Jezebel both days in two jump lessons. One was private the other was a semi private. Being as the clinics were being held at my farm i had the opportunity to audit sans big piles of cash both flat…
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23Oct 2014 by myexracer

Fall with Jez

Barn tales, Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_1624" align="alignleft" width="200"] Its fall the leaves are turning[/caption] Jez is doing great, she loves her new job... Jumping bean. Shes had some really great rides with both Michelle and Sammy. I get great feedback on her progress all the time. Shes one pretty amazing horse. On this day the video was shot we were sharing the ring with another rider who was jumping 3.3+ so we had to splint up jump runs as Jez was jumping 2.6 (ish) There were 3 of us n the ground acting as ring crew. It was good for Jezebel to have to stand quietly and wait for the other horse to do its run. She did really well, was very patient and was an all around happy pony. She has a lot…
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08Oct 2014 by myexracer

Training day: Grids

Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_1598" align="alignright" width="300"] Major grid![/caption] Grid work its now on the agenda for Miss Jeza-bobo. She did great on her first day. She figures out whats being asked of her after just one or sometimes two shots at it. The grid was a tough one, very challenging. Sammy started with with trotting though, poles down. Once she understood the layout of the grid  we added jumps one at a time. She jumped the grid like a champ! http://youtu.be/9nCH20hm0Oo [caption id="attachment_1599" align="alignleft" width="300"] Skinny[/caption] She wasn't so sure of the skinny though. That makes sense as with a skinny you have to remain straight and Jez is still wiggly sometimes as evidenced by her second run at the grid (on the video above) Jez was asked to acknowledge the skinny…
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06Oct 2014 by myexracer

Learning by listening

Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_1591" align="alignleft" width="300"] Weee![/caption] Jezebel is back in full work, shes finished her round of ulcer medication and shes on a maintenance program. Theres going to be a little trial and error for that but a plan is in the works to control her ulcers. Seems Jez is just a thinker or rather an over thinker she must get that from me. She's been doing well both on the flat and over jumps at home so it was time to school off property. Step one, ride over to a local barn and school in their jump ring. Which is exactly what happened. Sammy rode Jez to Covered bridge (I drove over) it's on the far side of our farm and its where Circe did her first schooling Jumper show…
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24Sep 2014 by myexracer

Get out ya seat and jump around!

Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_1562" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jump Jez Jump![/caption] Jezebel is back into work. Shes still being treated for ulcers and I'm still in the process of devising an ulcer maintenance plan for her but she's feeling much better and is ridable. Both Michelle and Sammy have taken her on successful rides on the flat. I even popped on her after Michelle one day because she was  being a super clam and listening pony. I felt awkward and dorkish. That's what not being able to ride does to ya. I'll get better the more i get on her. She was doing so well with her rides on the flat that Sammy decided Jez could have a jump day. [caption id="attachment_1563" align="aligncenter" width="864"] Small cross rail[/caption] She was super happy to be jumping.…
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28Aug 2014 by myexracer

Jezebel tried to kill me

Barn tales, Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_1513" align="alignleft" width="300"] Bad Bucking Bronco [/caption] Well not really but thats what i'm calling it. The better half was taking his lesson my my trainers event horse and i tacked up the Bo and was going to ride her for the second half of his lesson then Sammy was going to get on Jez. She had been kept in the night before to keep Circe company because i'm dealing with lameness issues with her (post to come about that once a definitive diagnosis is had) so JezaBo was a little up but not to bad. The better half was riding in the lower gymnastics ring looking really good by the way, he was trotting over poles and getting the lazy Rep to move forward. Sammy was explaining to…
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08Aug 2014 by myexracer

Circe’s first show

Life with Circe, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_1474" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jump 2, scary blue blocks![/caption] A short hack away from my barn is Covered Bridge Farm. A really nice private barn that has recently put up a nice ring with lights and everything. They have been putting on some casual schooling jumper shows and Sammy thought she'd take Circe to her first show as one was coming up. Awesome! The better half got off work early to watch (evening show) and i brought my camera, of course i did. The ring was really nice. Good footing, lights for night time riding, and a 2 story observation room! The ring was divided in two (cuz its huge) they had a course set up on one half and two warm up jumps on the opposite side. It looked…
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04Aug 2014 by myexracer

Plugging along

Barn tales, Training
[caption id="attachment_1466" align="alignleft" width="200"] The better half and the event horse[/caption] Everything is plugging along according to plan. The horses are doing well, progressing and thriving. Ive been getting plenty of ride time on both horses and my confidence on both improves daily. My better half is taking lessons every week on my trainers event horse (an un-raced TB) and getting better with each ride, its really nice to see him figuring the whole thing out. I on the other had need improvement. Besides being out of riding shape it seems i'm posting from my hands. Thats not something i've done before. I'm going to chalk it up to me having had too much time off regular riding and my unfitness. I'm using my hands for balance.. bad! Michelle was…
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12Jul 2014 by myexracer

Jumping beans!

Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_1387" align="alignleft" width="300"] Jump![/caption] Jump training has started. Circe was up first with Michelle on board. After her normal flat work, Michelle decided to take Circe over a few cross rails and a couple of little jumps to see how she did. Circe loves to jump! Who knew!? Shes a careful jumper with scope to go higher then the little baby jumps shes going over now and she tucks her front legs up underneath her. Every single time her ears were perked forward and she never refused anything. It looked like she was having a good time. I really didn't expect to be able to start this work with her this quickly, so of course i'm tickled pink. Especially because she really seems to be having fun. I'm consistently…
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