still digging out from 2020

Can I just say for a second how freakin excited I am for daylight savings this weekend? Like.... A lot of things feel like they're getting better after what was undeniably a global shit show from March 2020 through to March 2021 (and it's still not over yet!), and daylight savings feels like a proverbial "light" at the end of the tunnel. 

this picture gives me flashbacks to charlie grazing in the same spot back in 2017 at his second horse show.... gosh he was so skinny then!

There's a lot of good news happening, and glimmers of hope and relief and all that. Like, my parents and grandfather have all been fully vaccinated --- a huge relief. All that good news combined with warmer weather and the promise of longer days soon are really helping improve my mood right now lol.

lol clearly so gud at #haircare. pictured: mud dreads

Which, it turns out, is a good and welcome thing, bc.... Guys. My mind game is TRASH right now. Absolute garbage, wow. 

snip snip, mother fuckers!! 
lol and yea... quite obviously i didn't even bother to wash the tail before trimming ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Amy and I signed up for Loch Moy's final cross derby of the season, and, frankly I'm lucky Amy was there. Bc it's highly unlikely I would have even ended up going --- the vague feelings of existential doom were that strong. 

charlie is so helpful haha -- wondering if Amy needs assistance zipping her vest!

Even once we got there, I just had this sorta deep seated feeling of "Nope." Just general bad juju, ya know? And it didn't get any better after we strolled around the arenas eyeballing the courses while Intro ran. 

punky looking exceptionally chill! with his green bow on for St Patty's Day <3

We had basically the best ride times in the world --- late enough that Charlie actually got to go out into his field for a little while in the morning, and I didn't have to wake up at any god awful hour. We'd also be riding in the warmest part of the day when footing promised to be the best -- while still promising to be home before dark. 

and there's maryland man!

Idk, tho, I just wasn't feeling it. This past year I've tried to adapt my mentality to just go with my gut and only do things I want to do. It works out well when my gut check says, "Yes, Absolutely!" like it did to the idea of schooling at this exact same venue with these exact same arenas and jumps back in December. 

literally jumped these four fences. and like, two warm up jumps. mega intense, yo

So I guess I was kinda surprised my gut would be so fickle and decide to 'nope' out on this day. But. Idk. Barring anybody standing there with an actual cattle prod forcing me to Do The Thing, I just decided to scratch. 

will write about an earlier lesson later, but based on charlie's reactivity i decided to add a rein converter, so one rein activates both curb and snaffle -- rather than just having one rein on the curb (or two reins, like i used to do way back in the day). note we also still have the leather curb strap

Which, ya know, I can objectively agree that this is pretty stupid. But whatever, it is what it is. In the meantime, Amy did her schooling round (which was fantastic!) and then her own timed run (also excellent -- tho a little slow from walking in a couple places, plus a rail). 

And while we waited around for her results to be tabulated, I started thinking that I wouldn't even do my schooling session either. Like, what's the point, right? Plus, it was looking like we might actually be able to get home in time for the horses to get turned out before PM feeding --- wasn't that more important to me anyway??? 

chaos!

Amy disagreed with that position tho, and ended up getting her way when the scoring software server went down and they were delayed in posting results. Obvi I'm never one to stand in the way of someone potentially collecting any satin, so we obvi had to wait for the results. 

And at this point, the window for getting the horses home in time for turnout closed anyway so... Eh, I got on my freakin horse and rode him around during the schooling session. And it was fine. 

this might actually be a new fence for us -- we jumped the BN back in december

I chatted with a few friends and acquaintances as we sorta slowly milled around, and opted to stick in the least busy arenas to just sorta do as we would. Charlie walked trotted and cantered around like he's done this a zillion times before (he has), and then I aimed us at a few jumps. 

 

have jumped this lattice literally a million times, including with isabel

Like, criminally few jumps. First a tiny little log, then a BN roll top. And, then, a quick serpentine across the big ring catching four of the N fences on course. All of which went exactly like you'd expect them to go for Charlie: perfectly fine. 

have also jumped this fence (and every version of it) tons and tons

And ya know, that was it. The schooling session wrapped up and we left the arena to go back to the trailers, untack, and go home (Amy's results had since been posted). 

very simple little roll top

I know it sounds so stupid to write it out like this -- to pay money to enter an event, drive all the way out there, and then not even want to ride... But eh, idk, it's just where my mind is right now. 

This past year has been such a grind that, for a lot of people, I think, the grittiness reserves are pretty much on empty at this point. 

they always park us in so tight at loch moy --- it's a busy place! 

I could try to find a million excuses or justifications or rationalizations for why I wasn't feeling it on this day..... We haven't had a truly serious jumping lesson in months.... Haven't had an xc lesson in over a year... It's been cold and wet -- the ground only just this week actually firmed up for riding... Ooh, and I wrecked my ankle *again* by dismounting directly on top of a jump pole bc apparently I'm destined to be crippled for life.... 

But. Eh. It's hard to tell how much of that is "real" vs just trying to wave away the general slump and stagnation of a year spent in a pandemic. Esp when you compare it to the year prior --- like in 2019 when I took literally every single riding lesson and clinic known to man. I rode with everybody that year, and felt the strongest and most capable in my riding as I had in ages. 

lol charlie didn't even break a sweat. good boy with your fluffy cute mohawk <3

On one hand, it's hard to compare my riding now to then. On the other hand, tho, reminding myself how much homework went into that riding helps make me feel like it's completely reasonable that we are where we are right now. 

Which, again, "where we are" right now is basically a good place. Charlie's doing really well and is the absolute bestest most reliable packer around novice fences.   

literally 1min of schooling followed by 6min of charlie getting untacked lol

So, eh, I'm gonna give myself a pass on the day lol. Basically my plan / hope for the year is to just go out and do ALL the things -- try to make showing feel mundane and routine and normal again, focus on the parts that are the most fun (doing it with friends! riding courses that feel easy!) and not really worry too much about anything else. 

the sweetest <3

From that perspective, it was honestly a pretty nice day. Beautiful weather, good horses, incredible facilities -- and the little bit of riding I *did* do was quite pleasant. Good 'nuff for right now haha. I'm satisfied with at least feeling like the general environment is improving. 

Anyone else feeling ready for daylight savings, spring, and the promise of an eventual return to normalcy?? I know I'm not the only one still digging out from the mental fallout from all the fuckery of 2020.... Anyone discovered any helpful coping techniques to feel like you're getting your riding back on track? 

dream farm tour

On a cold snowy Sunday a couple weeks ago, we took a little excursion from our charmingly rustic home barn to go to a dressage clinic nearby. I was just chauffeur for the day so was basically only there to make sure everything was in working order for the truck and trailer.

always a relief when the truck starts up no problem in wintertime!

Which, thankfully, everything was. It occurred to me that I've had this Chevy for nearly 7 years now, and it was already old and high mileage when I bought it... Somehow, some way, it manages to keep on truckin, tho! 

this simple rig has been an absolute game changer for me

Like, sure, I've done some minor (and not-so-minor) repairs over the years. And every time I take it in for more work, I remind my mechanics that this vehicle absolutely has an expiration date -- that it must be, above all else, reliable and safe. At some point we'll have to decide if it's still worth maintaining, vs buying something newer.  

transporting us to new and different locations since 2014!! look at that gorgeous valley view!!

But.... So far, the mechanics all assure me they understand and agree -- while kinda shrugging like, "We're just not there yet." It's doubtful the truck will go another 7 years (and I'm already low-key succession planning)... But, for now, it's running reasonably well for our purposes! Whew!

um, is this not the absolute most charming little barn you've ever seen??

Which, obviously, includes tons of fun day trips to all the lovely horse facilities Maryland has to offer. Like this particular visit to an as-yet-unnamed brand spanking new farm! Which.... omg, my immediate reaction upon first arriving was, "I wonder how much they charge for board??"

oooh, and here's its big sister -- the newly constructed main barn with attached indoor arena!

Bc guys -- this place is stunning! And is completely decked out with all the amenities. 

so brand new there aren't even horses living in here yet

Plus, it already promises to be a new up-and-coming local venue --- as demonstrated by this particular weekend hosting grand prix dressage rider and clinician Jess Fay (formerly of Hilltop -- who you may remember from some of Charlie's past lessons!). 

gotta admit, i'd love some indoor wash stall access again LOL

Everything is brand new and absolutely unsparing in attention to detail and comfort. It's spacious, bright, and somehow very warm feeling despite the blustery weather --- maybe bc of all that wood paneling? 

peepin around all the various doors and unfinished lounges and tack rooms and two indoor restrooms!

The riding facilities themselves were among the nicest I've seen around too. The fanciest indoors I've seen in Maryland have generally been at dressage barns -- and are often on the narrow side for setting full jump courses (with the exception of Austen's barn and its generous proportions).

direct access to the enormous indoor arena

Not so at this farm tho --- the indoor is straight up sprawling, and accessible from within the barn and from the driveway. Plus it's lined with giant windows that appear to roll up like garage doors. 

just look at this bright beautiful space --- with all those retractable windows! Punky looks quite at home, no?

The outdoor arena was still snow-covered during our visit so we didn't go down into it, but it's enormous too - featuring extensive lighting units that look plenty capable of fun 'under the lights' type events haha.

omg and a heated viewing lounge -- comes preinstalled with barn rats lol

And supposedly there's a third ring too -- a smaller grass dressage ring originally intended for warm up space but grew into its own fully fledged court. It's apparently referred to as the "Mint Julep" ring, how cute right?

looking from one lounge across to another lounge -- that also overlooks the outdoor arena on the far side

Really, tho, I haven't seen facilities like this since I lived in Rochester. Giant indoors with heated viewing lounges are common in areas with predictably intense winters vs more mild states, like most of Maryland. Tho again, fancy dressage barns are the exception, at least locally.

looking back on the lounge from inside the arena

So obviously now I'm imagining what it would be like to board at a place like this --- gorgeous new stalls! Incredible footing and large scale arenas, indoor and outdoor!! Indoor wash stalls AND bathrooms!! Imagine the possibilities! lol...

just a quick peek at that outdoor ring --- look at the lights!!! 

The pastures and paddocks, from what we could surmise while pulling up the winding driveway, looked pretty nice too - and extensive. 

everything is just so picturesque 

AND -- there's already a couple horses living onsite. Tho they're mainly in the older refurbished small barn while the main barn gets finished. 

so far the little barn is where any horses are currently living

It's interesting to me, bc this farm has so many of the attributes I personally value as a rider. But.... On the flip side, it's missing some key pieces from Charlie's current home. 

For instance: there's apparently no accessible hacking whatsoever beyond strolling the fence lines. And, obviously we have full xc courses at home right now -- not exactly a common amenity. 

our intrepid visitor horses got to hang out in the stalls while waiting their turn to ride

There's more, tho. All the amenities I love so much are mostly for my own comfort, and only really impact a couple hours of Charlie's life in any given day or week (like the riding spaces or wash stalls). Meanwhile, I still remember all-too-well how unhappy Charlie was at the first barn I kept him (through no fault of anybody there!!).

i think Royal wanted to stay forever tho!!

Comparatively, at Charlie's farm now he seems so happy in his stall and with his herd -- two key aspects constituting the lion's share of his daily existence. Charlie is relaxed, consistently in good weight and condition, not weaving in his stall, secure in his herd hierarchy, and generally more pleasant and easy to handle than he ever was at the last place (where they literally had stall signs warning of his aggressive behavior....).

It's interesting thinking more deeply about my needs vs Charlie's needs, the relative importance of various amenities, and the risk of upsetting a happy horse. Bc honestly....there aren't really any right or wrong answers, ya know? There's pros and cons and unintended consequences to every choice we make for the horses. 

So... Lol, I'm keeping my options open haha. For instance, as you all know, 'mentorship' has felt like a missing piece in my current barn lifestyle. Would that be worth moving somewhere new? Maybe, who knows! What would it take to make you move barns?

modern problems? modern solutions

Maryland has had so much precipitation this winter... It's honestly kinda unreal. It's not unusual to have one or two big snowstorms and a couple bitterly cold snaps. But... So far we've had something like 4-5 distinct snowstorms, plus a couple absolute rain deluges. 

jump ring still under snow....

Everything is sodden and waterlogged, with patches of snow still covering a lot of ground. Tho I guess I'm grateful that it's muddy bc it's relatively warm? Rather than frozen solid? Lol... Idk. 

bridle paths are a combination of snow and mud

There's not a lot of good riding ground, tho. Mostly just the indoor --- and the dressage court is pretty ok too since it gets good sun and has dark footing. 

or just... ugh, mud. everything is SO SOGGY

So things have been fairly quiet around here. Altho the coming week looks prettty niiiice weather-wise.... Maybe things will dry out?

i kinda love how the snow almost looks like an intentional ground line! still much much too wet to even think of jumping these guys at home any time soon tho

In the meantime, tho, we're getting excited about opportunities elsewhere. Like, at Loch Moy's epic wintertime cross derbies!! And in fact, I actually signed up to volunteer at the first of the season!!!

It was unfortunately postponed a couple times for weather reasons, and ended up finally happening in absolute downpour conditions. Jump judges could luckily stay inside our cars... but I honestly felt badly for the riders. Oh well, that's how it goes sometimes!

oooooh but i know the perfect place with acres upon acres of all weather footing!!

This wasn't my first time volunteering in the new #CovidEra, but interestingly things are still developing there. This year, Loch Moy (and presumably other venues?) is rolling out new technologies to accommodate "touchless" scoring and therefore reduce contact and interactions between individuals.

just jump judging things!

The organizers told us to download two apps in advance: CompeteEasy and Nominate Jumping. Apparently Australia events have been using these apps for years, and Loch Moy is looking to adopt the system for all unrecognized events moving forward. (I'm assuming for recognized the USEA will need to make that decision on how scoring works?)

all my various equine-related apps. the bottom two are new, with the "Jumping" app is the new contact-free scoring tool

Jump judges received orders of go, maps, and scrap paper for any notes.... But otherwise all scoring was done on our smartphones using the app. 

The organizers had us log on to the venue wifi and gave us the login credentials for the app. Then we selected the event and phase from a menu of choices. We were obviously using the "jumping" scoring mechanism for the derby, but I believe there's other options too -- and a timing function.  

the judging screen. note the circled "settings" icon, the magnifying lens "search" icon, and the "more" button. on the left side, i was judging fences 13 and 14; on the right side I was judging 15 thru 18B

All the riders and divisions were preloaded in the app. You could either type the rider number into the search bar and hit the magnifying button to load that rider and division --- or you could search for the rider number using the magnifying lens to open up all the divisions. 

various setting and search options

It was easy to select my assigned fences (I had a few for each division, since everything is so close together in derbies -- I had a whole little corner of the course). You can see in the above screen shot that each individual fence can be highlighted (red) and scored. Just tapping the "clear" button was enough to register that score. 

judging my jumps from the dry safety of my car

Common outcomes like "refusals" were also right there on the main screen, but using the "more" button had all the other potential outcomes too -- points for rails, missed flags, falls, etc, all the various penalties. None of my fences had a penalty all day, tho, so I never had to use anything other than, "Clear!"

out my driver's side window were my other jumps -- the little alleyway connecting arenas. intro thru modified jumped the ditch, tho intro and BN could option the log instead, while training and modified had the vertical set up a (very short) two strides out.

The app also had a section for notes per rider, and the camera / video icons that make it look like you could record and assign footage to each individual rider as needed (like maybe if you're judging a skinny and need the footage to determine if the horse passed within the flags?). I didn't use any of those functions tho.

this horse was sooooo fancy -- Esprit de Jaguar, remember him from the 2019 4yo champs??

Obviously we also all had radios and were calling in the riders' progressions around the course anyway, and scorers in the office confirmed all the penalties etc. There were a couple times throughout the day where they had to double check on something, or maybe a couple instances of the app not updating. But by and large, it seemed like everybody had a reasonable enough time using it. 

this mare is so cool too -- i've done clinics with them before

From a volunteer perspective, tho, these derbies are pretty low key and low stress anyway. You might remember from my having ridden in a couple that the days are organized so that there are roughly ~45min schooling breaks between each level. So all riders have an opportunity to get into the rings and jump around everything first before their times. 

Meant for a LOT of time just sitting around idling in my car, tho, haha! And actually, virtually all these pictures and gifs are from the schooling sessions -- not the actual timed rounds. 

omg the ponies were so so so SO cute tho!! even if everyone was a little sad about the rain

While at times it felt a little boring to just be sitting there waiting for the next division to start.... It was totally worth it. Not least bc Loch Moy is now offering a menu of choices for volunteer swag!! In past years I've always just received schooling passes (most of which expire unused). But apparently now you can choose to receive a gift certificate instead!

lol i thought somebody stole my horse at first

I guess there's a limit of 3 certificates per volunteer per year, presumably since they're so freakin valuable. Idk if the value of the certificate is tied to the amount of time spent at the event, but I was there for 6hrs and got a $60 certificate --- redeemable for all sorts of MDHT activities including starter trial entries omg. 

so so so much water, the retaining pond washed over the driveway out

So, uh, yea. Obviously that's a no-brainer haha! I love volunteering in general anyway -- but especially love volunteering at Loch Moy. These low key schooling events and derbies are so fun and such great opportunities for riders of all levels and backgrounds. I'm always happy to be out there supporting that -- and esp happy to also get what basically amounts to a 50% discount at our next starter trial lol. Yes plz!

C'mon, spring, we're ready for ya! I'm hoping it'll be Charlie's turn to get out and about sooon! Maybe he wants to go to a derby too?? Anybody going to the March derby???