sneak peek at the 2016 Plantation Field Horse Trials!

So I feel kinda guilty about this post. It's a weird hybrid between teaser and kinda giving away the whole farm. Basically you always know when I go to a big event, I'm going to have a TON of media, but maybe not the most words.

And here I am wasting most of those words, with only a fraction of the media. Bc.... I've been too busy falling in love with the oh-so-lovable Charlie to edit media. Sorry, kinda? Not really? But also, in my defense, videos take for-fucking-ever to upload on my home internet. But ooooh I have Plantation videos, I promise!

But because I feel compelled to give you something in the meantime, here are some huntsmen and hounds. Both of these riders are in fact Maryland Hunt Cup winners. To quote the announcer, Legendary. 

And speaking of legends, we got to see a bareback puissance class during the lunch break between the 2* and 3* cross country. It was maybe a slightly unusual puissance too, in that there was a team aspect. And who else to have as a team captain other than the incredible Bruce Davidson Sr?!? Mounted on a lovely dapple gray bc of course! (And yes he's in the video too :D)

Naturally, the puissance had running commentary by none other than Dom Schramm, with Phillip Dutton (far right) pinch hitting as jump crew. Bc of course. As promised, video and media abound!

Plus drones. All of cross country was captured by these crazy apparati, which sound for all the world like SO MANY BEEEEEEES.

At the end of the day tho, it was all about some BAD ASS cross country. Like the above. Giant 3* oxer trakehner? Nbd, let's jump it one-handed. Incredible. Just... wow. 

Plus so much more - I promise I have so many pictures and videos etc of most of the jumps ridden. Tho obvi I had to take a special shot of this 2* hanging log sponsored by Good Ol' Dan. 

Oooh and obvi leaving the best details for last - the day was perhaps most special bc I got to spend it with some of my favorite bloggers (and friends in text life), Allison of PONY'TUDE (plus hubby Mike) and Megan of Let's Get Ready to Runkle! 

A New Normal

I've been saying for a while now that something needed to change in my riding situation. That I've been eager to figure out a new regular routine, a way to keep riding on my own terms without hustling up a horse every time.

taking in the sights

Perhaps you already connected the dots that I have been horse shopping. Perhaps not, in which case, SURPRISE!

Charlie Murray (2009 gelding)

Charlie Murray is a 7 year old OTTB last raced earlier this summer. This tall drink of water actually wasn't even on my list when I went to visit the facility, but his sweet, quiet disposition (and good looks) caught my attention.

via PedigreeQuery.com

After looking at a couple horses there (and a few others elsewhere), he was the one who stayed on my mind. The one I started dubbing "plain but promising" haha.

big horse in a little round pen!

I especially enjoyed hanging out with Charlie at the facility - where he had only been for a few days but was still very nonchalant about everything. Took encouragement to move out in the new-to-him round pen, and would stop to nibble grass as he went.

Mostly tho, in addition to liking the way he is put together and liking this 'type' TB, mostly I just liked HIM. Charlie is just a downright pleasant horse to be around.

bath time!

Including watching him get his first bath at the facility with some volunteers. This guy was so curious that at one point he had gotten a bucket stuck over his nose an it took literal moments for anybody to notice. Bc he was just hangin out, like "Ha, I got a bucket!" rather than flipping out or anything.

kind eye

So I put a deposit down and got him vetted. He's got some typical race horse stuff (feet need attention and residual body soreness) but the structures and joints and whatnot are in good shape. He was green-lighted to go forth and be my event horse!

wearing a hat bc my trailer is... not Charlie-sized

So I have since brought this big guy home - believe it or not he kinda sorta fits in my stock trailer. Maybe. It's maybe a bit snug....

new digs!

He's been settling in at the new h/j place over the weekend, and has eased into the new environment mostly ok. They have a fairly conservative program for building horses up to turnout (he has been accustomed to 16 hours out daily) so his first day found him as not the happiest camper with not enough time out.

checkin out the outdoor

We did lots of hand walking tho. Taking a peek at all the fun grassy areas outside, wandering by the arenas and fields and trailers and whatnot.

grazing by the gazebo

This guy literally just took it all in. Giant truck in the middle of the barn aisle cleaning stalls? Lessons going on in both arenas? Soccer game next door? Strange guy using a leaf blower to clean the aisles (who was seemingly around every single corner haha)? None of it got more than a glance from Charlie.

yep this is an indoor!

I'm really optimistic that he'll ease into the routine of the place pretty quickly too. By day 2 he got a much more substantial chunk of time spent out in solo turnout, and that will continue to grow until he's back to overnight group turnout.

coming to say hi

I stopped by in the morning to check on him and he was hanging out quietly, checking out all his neighbor horses. But of course he had to come over and say hi. This guy is just so friendly.

"Hi neighbor!!!" - Charlie

His former owners have had him since 2012 and very clearly loved him. And apparently spared no expense in his care. Poor guy, I'm a little bit of a downgrade for him unfortunately (look no further than the tiny stock trailer haha).

let's be real. i bought him bc he's game for selfies

But I suspect he'll be just fine. I like his temperament and disposition a lot, and think he will do well in a program centered around routine and consistency (two of my favorite words!!).

more evidence of downgrade status: mismatched tack

But of course you probably wanna know more, right? How is this horse to ride?!?

"I'm on a horse!!" - Emma

The answer? He's a real sweetie. Go button, steering, and brakes are all apparently in working order. He's a little tense and mouthy under saddle right now (still learning to be a riding horse instead of a race horse) but basically just does what I ask.

obligatory between-the-ears shot

He's still wearing his race plates up front and is barefoot behind, tho that'll get fixed later this week. But he was still happy to go when I asked!

post-ride, post-bath grazing

So I'm very excited. Charlie is certainly not the prelim/training packer that Dan wanted me to buy (lol sorry Dan but money is a real thing!) but he feels like a horse right up my alley. I can't wait to get him going!

25 things you don't know about me

It's Friday and I haven't ridden a horse since last weekend. So instead of trying to conjure deep thoughts or compelling, provocative content, I'm happy to recreate this fun guided list from L Williams over at Viva Carlos. Seems like a great way to get to know more about bloggers!

I'm happiest when.... there are a lot of fun plans on the schedule to look forward to. 

... Especially if .... those plans involve horses with friends!! (duh haha)

I've always wanted to.... be wealthy enough to indulge in weekly shampoo/hair washes at a nice salon (complete with fabulous head massage, naturally).

My family and I....  like big over-the-top dinners with lots of wine and cheese

I was a terrible.... math student. Ironic lol. C's get Degrees!!

My first job was.... at a barn! My first riding instructor had me "helping out" and learning the ropes pretty early on, and basically the day I was old enough for a working permit in Maryland she hired me on as a paid employee. I've worked at barns ever since. 

I could probably eat..... a bushel of steamed Maryland crabs all by myself. Mmmmm old bay!

I stole.... a ride on the commuter train to DC. Actually have done this a couple times. Usually by accident (by falling asleep when they were collecting tickets) but sometimes bc dammit I gotta get on that train and don't have time to buy a ticket... sorry Amtrak! 

I was born on the same day as.... Yanni. And Condoleeza Rice. And Claude Monet. lol. (and just about anybody else conceived on Valentines Day haha, take that for what you will....)

My all time favorite movie is.... gosh, how to pick just one? Favorites are hard haha

I do a pretty mean.... Natalie impression. And Natalie is a real bitch, yo. 

I'm still mad.... at a lot of things haha. I hold grudges. (plz never sing that "Let it Go" song at me tho!)

I always knew I wanted a.... HORSE!!!

I'm not afraid to.... fail. I'm afraid of lots of things haha, but messing up is thankfully not one of them (maybe bc I do it so often?). 

I make the best.... half-assed DIY sewing crafts projects! 

I have almost no.... clue what my life will look like in 5 years.

I always cry when.... it makes the least sense. 

I'm (now) a.... rider with no horse. But I think.... I would like to change that.

I spent 8 years.... living in the same apartment and working the same job. One of those things recently changed in a big way. Hard to say yet how the rest of the chips will fall. 

I wish my folks.... had more animals on their small rural property. I'm talking goats and mini donkeys and chickens. One of these days I may or may not just show up with some critters and make it happen for them lol. After all, my mom was always the kind of parent who could never say no when we would bring home stray unwanted animals and beg to keep them. 

At 5 I was deeply in love with.... my stuffed animals!!! 

I believe if everyone.... followed basic common courtesy, the world would be a peaceful place.

I can't stand....  commercials that are louder than the tv show.

city kitties!!!

Naturally, after wrecking myself stupidly off Lion after what was otherwise a pretty baller lesson (giant corners ftw!), I had to skip off to NYC for a two day work trip. Bc nothing quite suits a sore, slow moving, crutch-assisted walker like the kind, spacious and friendly sidewalks of Manhattan.

Except, wait. That's exactly wrong haha. I was WAY too slow for those New Yorkers haha. Luckily I was mostly off the crutches by Monday, and some strategic (and TIGHT) ace bandages gave my sore muscle the support it needed to more or less do its job, albeit a little slowly.

Manhattan isn't my favorite city - it's slightly too crowded and pushy, and I suspect I'd be unhappy in day-to-day life there. But for a short visit it's definitely fun, esp if you're inclined towards walking all over creation. I wasn't able to take much advantage, but work meetings had us moving around enough that I still got to see and experience enough to enjoy myself. 

Especially when we arrived early to one meeting and got to stroll around Central Park for a little bit, taking in the pleasant weather and local fauna. 

Like this adorable City Kitty!! Lolz... Apparently it's more than just the human citizens who like to get out and about!

Ok so in all seriousness, these 'city kitties' aren't truly adorable - more like harborers of disease and pestilence. But as someone with an affinity for nearly all furry fluffy critters, I have an appreciation for (domesticated) rats. 

I interned at the local zoo in middle school, where part of the job was processing the weekly shipment of feeder mice and rats. The rat pups (so called bc they legitimately look like teeny tiny puppies) were so cute, I always felt bad feeding them to the various birds and snakes and lizards etc.

So one day they let me take one home to keep as a pet! And I gotta say, they actually make fairly nice pets. More friendly than the typical gerbil/hamster/guinea pig!

Anyway tho, I've been to Central Park a couple times - but each time only briefly and in slightly different corners. Its such a massive park considering the location, and it's so easy to feel like you're light years away from such an urban hot spot (aside from the ambient noise lol).

And bc I can't help myself, I snapped all sorts of low quality, poorly composed pics for the blog. Bc if it can't be horses, it might as well be something! (Like city kitties!!!!) Or like this archway vista. Definitely wouldn't mind having a barn door that looked like this arch too. Feels very grand. 

Lest you wonder why you're seeing random pics of NYC on what's otherwise a dedicated horse blog, here's proof that I had my eye out for anything even remotely horsey haha. This is how devoted I am to bringing quality horse-related content to readers here at 'Fraidy Cat Eventing. Not only am I shooting pictures of manure, but also editing them. You're welcome!

Anyway I think all the walking did me good. The muscle is definitely still sore - esp when it comes to lifting the leg from the hip. All the joints work fine tho and the muscle seemed to loosen up with the movement (so long as I didn't over do it), so that each day we were there I could move a little faster and more comfortably than before.

Which is a good thing bc while this particular week is fairly quiet on the horse front, I've got some STUFF planned for this weekend. 

It's still unclear how much riding will actually be involved, but there will DEFINITELY be horses. Hopefully lots of them. Esp if everything goes according to plan and I can make it up to Plantation's big event this weekend - ideally I'll be there on Sunday for xc. Anyone else thinking about going?

I'm always so inspired by upper level events, watching the pros get it done so easily and beautifully. And these days I need all the inspiration I can get haha. It's not totally clear how my riding routine is going to shake out in coming months, but one thing is for certain: if I'm having trouble jumping something as nice and well schooled as Lion, it's time to get my nose back to the grindstone haha. 

We'll see tho. There are still a couple more work trips ahead of me. Tho I doubt any will be quite like this NY trip. Idk if it was bc we were there just after 9/11, but damn the security everywhere is tight. Like, look how ridiculous this ID tag is for getting into a museum for a 1 hour mtg? Does this maybe count for the most meta selfie ever?!?

October is shaping up to be a particularly busy month too, with 4 potential trips. It's hard bc I want to make plans and I want to add things to the calendar and whatnot. 

But in a way I'm grateful bc even if everything works out exactly the way I want, it'll be important to go slow and not rush and not suddenly pile on all the pressure again. (esp if I'm still a little gimpy lol)

In an ideal world, tho, I'll have something to ride whenever I want. And that something isn't likely to be Isabel. Much as I love that sassy mare, I have had zero inclination to ride her for anything more than the very occasional trail ride.

I'm hoping something will work out at the new h/j barn just bc it's so close to home for me, and so easy to get to even after a long day at work. 

Anyway we'll see what the weekend brings horse-wise. And definitely lmk if any of you are going to be around Plantation on Sunday too!

vicarious horse showing

Just because I'm not currently competing myself doesn't mean I don't love a beautiful day spent at a horse show.

striking poses all around. except Pig. Pig is sick of our shit already lol

Mostly I've gotten my fix by accompanying Brita and some other barn mates to their various horse trials and jumper shows and whatnot, but the other weekend I made it out to Loch Moy for a rated dressage show with Austen.

the sky was doing weird but cool things

It was kinda cool being at Loch Moy for something other than a horse trial haha. Plus Austen has been to a couple of my shows so it was nice to return the favor.

team spirit!

And obviously I was happy to make myself available for dog holding and last minute test learning and quizzing (and then the occasional heckle when Austen still went off course bc I'm actually kinda an asshole). Mostly tho it was cool to just watch Pig go out there and do his thing.

dressage done right?

I'm sure Austen will have plenty to say about the details herself eventually (maybe) - I was mostly just there for the atmosphere, ponies, and booze. Let's be real haha.

It was supposed to be lesson day for me at eventing barn OF... but I skipped out, choosing to go to the show instead. Idk. Y'all have probably heard more than enough about me being tired of hustling up rides, and I just didn't really feel like riding Gogo or Noel again. Hanging out at a horse show with friends sounded WAY better.

two very handsome (and sweet!) dudes

Esp bc I got to meet another blogger and internet-famous ponykins: Jan and Penn!! Obviously it'll surprise exactly nobody to learn that Jan is absolutely wonderful in person. But Penn. Omg. Guys. What a sweet quirky friendly horse!

"Ppl, plz to give me this sweet smelling beverage?" - Penn

Jan arrived after Austen's day was wrapped, so we got to hang out a bit and decompress while she unpacked and schooled and whatnot in preparation for the following day's tests (which she already wrote about and hot damn did they do well!).

contemplating the xc fences on the hack over to school

I mostly just liked watching tho. Especially watching how other riders like to go through their warm-ups and practice movements and stuff like that. Both Austen and Jan have been known to write fairly detailed reports of how they ride certain movements and whatnot, but nothing quite compares to actually watching.

i think they'll stick to dressage tho haha

Penn is just freakin adorable too. And such a nice guy! We all wandered around the xc field a bit longer after Jan finished her school, then off to a quick dinner before I took my (unfortunately sick) self home.

Penn spies water!

Fun times all around, I think. It's been an odd year for horse showing for me lol - I've attended way more as spectator than as competitor. But it's cool. Watching and supporting friends is fun too. Do you like to go watch horse shows? Or is it one of those things that if you're going to go, you're going as a competitor?