Big Dooz News!!!

Some of you already know this, but back before I made the final decision about buying a young thoroughbred, I was actually in discussions with friends and partners about possibly breeding my next horse instead. 

Obviously at the time we still fully believed that Charlie would be with us for years to come. Although, eventually, uncertainty around his soundness won out and we determined that the timeline for breeding didn’t quite make sense with my goals.

a classy mare with a classy pedigree!

It was such a fun idea, tho, and as one does, we spent countless hours musing about how that particular fantasy could play out. My longtime equine chiro / acupuncturist had a good mare available, and there was a lovely local stallion standing at Hilltop Dressage from which friends of mine have produced very nice and universally useful babies.

As it was, I shifted gears and you all know how the story went instead: with Mondeuse coming home to me in August 2023!

GK Calucci stands locally and has been on my list for a long time 

But I dunno guys, there’s something about that dream that just won’t quit, just won’t stop nibbling away at me. I’m not getting any younger, ya know? Bringing along young horses isn’t going to be the easiest thing for me forever (well, real talk, it ain’t exactly easy now, it’s only just going to get harder!).

And meanwhile, news broke last month that after 35 years, Hilltop Dressage would actually be closing up shop — the end of an era! 

champions like this only come around once in a lifetime!

That news was a bit of a shot across the bow around here — it got ALL of us talking! Especially considering Doozy’s recently minted status as Champion mare… We started wondering if it made sense to just pause for a minute, and really think this through, game it out, ya know?

And after much soul searching, we decided… What the hell, let’s go for it! And we’ll do it the old fashioned way too — with Doozy still able to continue on for most of the competition season early in her term so we can keep building on the momentum from this winter and spring. 

so what the hell, let’s give that black dot a shot! 

And then, right around this time next year — we should have a little bebe Dooz! How exciting!! I know it sounds kinda crazy — you might even say foolhardy — but it really just feels so right!!

So get ready for it, and for ALL the foal pools!! Take your bets on all the things — what color will the bebe be? Any markings? Will it be a giant, or a fine boned elegant little thing?? Will Doozy pass on her crooked legs?? 

Be sure to mark your calendars for April 1, 2027 to see what happens :D

“i’d like to speak with the manager”

Not naming any names or anything… But there miiiiiight be a little red mare out there gettin ready to write a strongly worded letter about this whole w*nter situation lol…

the look of a mare who is running out of patience with the whole “sn*w” mess

“wtf is it actually snowing again right now???”

“this is bullshit”

“if i slip and fall and die, i’m taking you with me.”

meanwhile. in baltimore city. 
nbd, just scoopin’ up some actual literal icebergs in the middle of rush hour traffic!

Stay warm out there, kids!

wakey wakey!!

It’s been a little rainy around here, but still sorta mild and balmy — jussssst warm enough to let the mare out nekkid, even tho naturally she would wallow around in the mud like a little piggie right before our big lesson….

pictured: wallowing

But oh my goodness, how cute tho!

“sorry, busy.”

Not gonna lie, I’m such a ridiculous bleeding heart… I’ve literally been known to just… sit down and wait for Charlie to finish napping rather than disturb him….

“you can’t be serious tho.”

But ya know. Sometimes we’re on the clock, right? Can only hit that ‘snooze’ button so many times before, siiiigh, it really is time to get up…

“okayyyy, i guess if there are carrots involved….”

Because we had important stuff to do!!! Places to go, people to see!! 

“NOBODY SAID THERE WOULD BE CROWS”

Another fun exciting clinic ride as we dig into “Continuing Education Season” lol!!

#MajesticAF

And we finally got a ton of media too!! Yay!!!

lol this is her ‘tired’ face

Doozy, naturally, was an absolute super star. This horse, she is prettttty cool, it’s gotta be said. Like. Chaotic, ridiculous, often honestly quite silly… but cool. And I get the distinct impression that she’ll only get better as things get more ‘interesting.’ 

So. Anyway. More to come on that, hope y’all have a great Sunday in the meantime!

saddle spam

Happy Labor Day Weekend, folks! It’ll be a quiet one around here — long overdue! Tho naturally I have to have **something** to occupy my attention, so we’re deep into our Veritas Eximo dressage saddle trial!

Isn’t it pretty?? A little worn, sure, but in quite nice condition

Looks pretty good on the horse too — and let’s just pretend this saddle pad is the right shape. As far as I’m concerned, it’s #closeenough

I took legit about 8,000 pics of Doozy just standing here, and she looks kinda silly in 97% of them lol. I swear she is the prettiest little mare, but somehow the camera always catches her mid-expression haha.

It’s a nice saddle, tho. I like it. I think Doozy likes it, tho you know how it is with sensitive red mares… It can be hard to tell. Maybe a smarter person would use that chunk of change and buy a new horse instead of a new saddle. Ahem.

“Excuse me, but *I’m* the star here!!” — doozy, 100%

You know how it is, tho. I like the animal, and I want the full spectrum of tools to get the best out of myself and her. This saddle might just be a big part of that!

Tho. Frankly. I think part of my sorta #yolo attitude right now is just from being a bit tired from a long grind this summer. So realistically I’ll probably extend the trial to give myself a bit more space to decide for sure.

“ffs, are you done yet??” — pushy biscuit

Honestly expecting to roll with the brown bridle for a while tho bc… Eh, we try to keep things fairly consistent in the Land of Dooz. It ain’t exactly the worst picture tho, right?

Well. Ahem. Except our fancy new (consignment) bell boots suddenly rubbed the shit out of Doozy in our ride last night. Christ almighty, poor mare! It’s always gotta be something, amirite??

At least her skin funk cleared up again without evolving into full fledged skin moss omg. Small wins, but we’ll take it!! 

Anyway. That’s it from around these parts, hope y’all have a nice weekend too!

friday foto finish: just charlie videos

Happy Friday, y’all!! It’s been a long week, and I’ve been out of town for most of it. Nothing new and exciting going on, so let’s close things out with a fun collection of some of my favorite Charlie videos, in no particular order <3 <3

a brief horror vignette

killer charles finally free after the heel grab from hell

killjoy charles, not participating kthxbai

Most Saintly of Charles

just charlie himself, playing with anything and everything

no blanket was safe within his reach

still steady despite a conditioning ride gone awry!

super sweet with stall invader michael <3

was occasionally one among ridiculous creatures

charlie + iggy peaceful in a stream

one last peaceful ride out <3 <3

TGIF, y’all. Any favorites?

Freedom feels better when ChatGPT agrees with you

Happy Independence day to my domestic readers — and congrats on living literally anywhere else to friends from beyond our borders ;) 

How about a nice light hearted and fun frolic through potential flame wars on this fine Friday, yes?

Ahem haha, anyway. In my last post, we had some discussion about training “by the book,” vs by what makes sense to the horse. And Kat left a funny and very relatable comment about a former trainer who said, “ you can teach a flying change by touching their right ear with the dressage whip, but that's not the generally agreed upon aid.”

Which naturally brings us to the whole “Form Follows Function” debate. And, doubly naturally, I kinda already know which side I sit — as a rider with, uh, not classically correct posture etc, I’m happy to believe any source that tells me that “Sure, that’s fine — the form will come in time!”

For a balanced view of the positions, however, I turned to ChatGPT and asked for arguments both for and against this theory. The response is as follows:

this conversation is facilitated by the legend himself, charles <3
(there are many ironies in this *ancient* fauxtoshop, and i choose to enjoy ALL of it lol,
including original source material lol)

Extending the “form follows function” debate to riding

In horse training—especially disciplines like dressage—there’s a long-standing tension between prioritizing form (posture, frame, position) and function (balance, engagement, relaxation, responsiveness, etc.).

Here's how we can map pro and con arguments in this context, while respecting the nuances of horse-and-rider biomechanics and training philosophies:

---

Arguments for "form follows function" in horse training

(Function leads, form emerges as a result)

1. Organic Development:
   If the horse moves correctly—relaxed, forward, and balanced—correct posture will emerge naturally over time, avoiding forced shapes.

2. Physical Welfare:
   Forcing posture can lead to strain, tension, or even injury. Function-led training respects the horse’s current physical and mental readiness.

3. True Engagement:
   Engagement of the hindquarters, lifting of the back, and flexion of the poll cannot be “shaped” from the front—they must be developed from correct movement.

4. Emotional Harmony:
   Function-first training tends to emphasize trust, responsiveness, and softness, avoiding conflict-based methods used to achieve a look.

5. Long-Term Soundness:
   A horse that moves with functional alignment stays healthier and sounder over time, even if the form develops more slowly.

   
   

dear sir charles, the **perfect* biomechanical form <3 <3 <3

Arguments against a strict “function first” stance

(Or, arguments for “form enables function”)

1. Correct Form teaches Function:
   Some postural shapes—like a lifted back, flexed poll, or engaged hind legs—can help the horse learn correct movement. Without some guidance toward those forms, function may not develop properly.

2. Neuromuscular Training:
   Like a ballet dancer using specific positions to build the right muscles and awareness, postural training can “educate” the horse’s body about how to move better.

3. Rider Position Affects Horse Function:
   For riders especially, correct posture is often a prerequisite for functional riding. Poor rider form can block or mislead the horse.

4. Discipline-Specific Requirements:
   In disciplines like dressage or equitation, specific frames and postures arefunctional within that context (e.g., collection, lateral movements).

5. Form Provides Consistency:
   Using consistent shape cues and expectations (when done sensitively) can create clearer communication and structure for both horse and rider.

---

Bridging the Two:

Many modern trainers adopt a "function informs form" or "form and function co-evolve" approach. They might use postural aids lightly to educate the horse's body, but always monitor function (relaxation, rhythm, thrust, etc.) to avoid forcing.

well ya know. at least that’s the idea!

SO. Dear Reader. As with just about everything with horses, there doesn’t seem to be one clear answer here. Many right ways, few wrong ways. 

I’m curious — you already know where I stand slouch, but what do you think? 

fff: northern lights

Apparently the northern lights were visible in unusual places this week! I didn't see it personally, but a friend sent a pic <3 <3 

a star among stars <3 <3

Have a great weekend, folks!

reset the clock, pls!

Doozy and I are slowly but steadily creeping up on one year of ownership, if you can believe it. In some ways, progress has felt slow. So slow. Esp if you compare to how lightning fast things went with Charlie's introduction to eventing. 

But, eh. Charlie was older and I was still in a very productive weekly lesson routine at that point. Plus, let's be real. Charlie was a lot more straight forward to get going than Doozy has been, at least as it relates to alignment with my particular skill set. 

some random pics today guys bc, whew, i've been trying to tone down the constant picture taking, lest my new barn mates think i'm a total creep!! so here we have my cats in my 9th floor apt when pigeons flock on the window sill LOL

I dunno, tho, guys. I honestly feel good about the pace of our progress right now. I'm still constantly learning so much about (and from) this mare. Which.... Ya know, was kinda the whole point anyway, let's be real. 

It also seems to me that so much of our progress to date, so much of what we work on, can't really be measured in jump height or movement score... But also absolutely cannot be skipped if I have any aspirations for success against those other metrics later on in our journey. 

and an unexpected blossom on a poor potted plant the cats tried to murder! i'd given this plant to my green-thumbed grandfather, with whom i shared a beloved tradition of weekly visits where we'd drink exactly two glasses of wine and relentlessly dissect the current state of US politics. after he passed, the plant came back to me (along with a few others from his collection), and its unexpected bloom after so much cat damage feels.... hopeful.

For example, Doozy is teaching me a LOT about what "relaxation" means, and why it matters. Charlie could more or less work through his tension. At times, actually, a little extra tension could bring out more sparkle in him. That's.... not the case with Doozy lol. She sizzles and whistles like a cartoon bomb about to blow haha, and ain't nobody wanna see that!

I had an important breakthrough this month, tho: Whatever or however Doozy was yesterday, she is... moreso that way today. 

In other words, if Doozy's ride yesterday was, "ok, I guess, in that it happened and nobody died...", then today she might actually be pretty good. And tomorrow? Very like to be: Wow, what a mare, great job!!

It goes both ways, tho. Bc if she had off yesterday, and did nothing but eat and chill and enjoy her turnout.... Well. Today, she might be one step closer to feral. And god save your soul if you give her a third day in a row of that, bc she gone be..... untamed when you next try to ride!

source: xkcd

It's helpful to think of our rides in this construction, tho. It helps reinforce that if I need Doozy to be at her best on any given day, there's probably a multi-day lead up to prepare her. 

It also reinforces that.... I can't just come into Ride 1 after a day (or more) off with expectations appropriate for the Ride 5 horse of our last ride. That's an instant recipe for stress, frustration, and disappointment. 

So. "Warming Up" for Doozy is a multi-day affair at this moment in time, and Day 3 seems to be a very sweet spot, with 4 and 5 similarly pleasant --- esp if we can splice in some enjoyable and pressure-free hacking in there somewhere!

anyway, onto the main point: apps for riding!!! this is a screencap from Soundbrenner, a very basic metronome app that's suited just fine for the task. i prefer to use it for a trot tempo.

Approaching our rides with this mindset is already starting to pay huge dividends, too. On one hand, it helps me stay disciplined and consistent in keeping the horse ridden. And on the other hand, it keeps me realistic about expectations vs getting baited into the weeds of micromanaging the horse or fucking with her face when she's not fully ready. 

As a result.... Holy shit, guys, the horse is becoming schooled! In our most recent "Ride 1" after a day off, I was legit about 10min into the ride, had already done 5min of trot... and was like, "Well shit, that was straight up fine work... Should I just canter and be done? Or like..... Keep going??"

So often, it's so much work to just like.... Trot a circle.... that the ride time consumes itself and we're both properly puffed by the time it feels as if we accomplished anything at all.... So to be 5min in to trotting and feeling like, "Ok, now what?" was legit a Brand New Feeling for us hahahaha. 

screencap from IntervalTimer, your standard issue running / workout timer app that lets you configure different routines.

Thankfully, after years of Saint Charles, I had a technology answer for the next step of structure to our flat schools!!! This will not be news to long time readers, since both of these apps had been in regular usage for Charlie.... But this is legit the first time they felt productive to use with Doozy, so I'm going to reintroduce them. 

First is Soundbrenner, a metronome app. It just... sounds time. Tick Tock Tick Tock, at a tempo of your choosing. But don't be fooled --- the first time I used this with Charlie, it shocked me how much strength it took (from both of us) to actually hold the rhythm. Like, true story, I tried the metronome with Doozy a few months ago and was instantly like, NOPE NOT YET lol....

It's honestly a great tool, tho. I came to consider it something like a "pocket coach" with Charlie, would legit keep it tick-tock-ing away in my pocket during competition warm up. It's the perfect thing to focus on, rather than getting drawn into nitpicky fussy tiffs with the horse. There's a reason rhythm is the first step in the training pyramid! 

more unrelated --- i went to the Maryland Thoroughbred Horse Breeders Yearling Show this weekend and took ONE ZILLION PHOTOS, more to come

Second app is also quite basic, but also quite revolutionizing for me: IntervalTimer. Literally just your basic interval timer that you can preprogram different routines into, based on your plans. 

There are legit infinite ways to program this type of tool.... But I quite like my "Charlie Flats" program. After a 5ish minute warm up (which was about the time it took to walk from our barn to the ring at the last place), the program shifts into 2min intervals. You could get creative with high vs low intensity intervals, like 3:00min on, 0:30sec off, etc... 

But I actually really like the 2min marker. Basically, for about half an hour, this thing just rings a bell every 2min. I don't always react to the bell, but it helps me attune to the nature of our rides. Are we staying symmetric in our exercises? How many intervals does it take for the horse to feel soft and engaged? Can we do 2 or 4min sessions of leg yielding exercises, followed by 2 or 4min sessions of serpentines or spirals? How long did we actually canter??

twas fun looking at all the sweet TB bebes! stay tuned (hopefully... eventually...) for a dedicated post!

This week was my first time using both of these apps with Doozy, and it feels like the opening of a new chapter! Sure, she got a little wobbly when I started the metronome app, bc it changed a bit how I was focusing on riding her (ultimately, I think, for the better). 

But overall, the introduction felt like exactly the next level of structure I need to keep guiding her, whether it be her Ride 1 or Ride 5, into productive and balanced sessions. 

Think you'll use either of these apps? Maybe you do already? Or maybe you have other apps or tools that help passively guide your rides??? If so, do tell!

memorial pictorial ketchup

Happy long weekend for readers in the US, happy Monday to the rest of y'all. We've had a pleasantly quiet week around these parts, easing more or less gently (if somewhat damp from all the sweating...) into summer.

my sweet beautiful red mare. i swear, sometimes i really do groom her!

Last you heard of my intrepid red rockette, we had a dressage lesson originally planned as preparation for another show. She had been kicked, tho, so we missed other prep and I was on the fence about the show even tho it was a great lesson. 

stall noshies are best noshies

Well, she got kicked again, ugh (mare tho, really??), and this time was pretty sore. So. Eh. We took a little time off, and are just now getting back onto the weekly schedule again. 

oh yea... also, she got kicked AGAIN. this time a direct hit to her hock

It's honestly all good, tho. That earlier dressage lesson was really valuable and timely, esp with letting Trainer C sorta zero on in what she sees as our most immediate key issues. Number 1 among them? Inside Bend. 

"my legggg, it hurtssss" --- sad mare diary entry #1,034

And the second biggest issue? (at least from my perspective...) My outside hand's general fuckery. Bc as far as I'm concerned, these two issues are related. I think I've been riding Doozy fairly counter-bent mostly as an emergency braking mechanism, with that outside hand ready and willing to do whatever to bring that train to a whoa.

not a significant wound, but a big ol' hot swollen bruise right on the joint

It's really just in the last couple days that we've gotten back into daily schooling sessions again (vs general hack-abouts), and that's been my primary focus: inside bend. But always. 

in the meantime, somehow without any of us noticing, doozy turned into an extremely pleasant hacking horse!

I'm trying to keep my outside hand literally pinned to the saddle, and my inside leg straight down under me, but **on** the horse to push out for a leg yield feel (with outside leg also down under vs braced out in front doing only-god-knows-what), and inside rein just working that lateral supple --- keeping Doozy's nose visible to the inside.

she doesn't do the gates yet, but honestly isn't far off!

Sometimes Doozy wants to Ping! off the leg contact and shoot off... Often she wants to fall in toward the inside flexion vs staying up straight and moving off the inside leg... And occasionally she wants to go whole hog and exaggerate the whole exercise, falling wayyyyy out onto her outside shoulder with hyper inside flexion. 

she is, however, the "normal" one

My job, as it may be, is to basically not get distracted or baited by any of these slightly not-quite-right responses, and to just stay hyper disciplined on the one thing I'm asking for: inside bend while moving off the inside leg. That's it. Beginning and end. 

Like in the case where she goes way overboard and falls out on the outside shoulder? Fiiiiine. Good girl, that is inside the line I've drawn. (And we'll refine later, right?)

the most pleasantest <3 <3 <3

I also keep repeating in my head advice from erstwhile coach Dan C, when he said, "If what you're doing isn't working, slow it down." Always good advice for Doozy, let's be real. But also good for me to remember that instead of just sorta spiraling into some weird pretzel-y tug of war at trot... Just come back to walk again, and reestablish the posture. 

shift gears to --- spring clean up! holy f'ing lord how did i get so many blankets?!
also. ahem. yes, these are CLEAN. i SWEAR. stop looking so closely tho omg

And guys! Omg, it's working! Absolutely ground breaking to find that.... inside leg to outside rein actually like, WORKS and stuff!

We had three rides in a row last week that kinda blew my mind, not gonna lie. Not bc they were like, amazing or whatever. But bc it finally felt like I could lay down some mortar on Day 1, put some bricks on it on Day 2, and by Day 3 --- we actually had a solid wall!!

just doing normal dooz things

The first ride really sucked, tho. Not gonna lie. Again, we'd had some time off, Doozy hadn't done any proper schooling in a little while. She was wild. Friends riding with us were cantering and doing things. It was stressful and hot and Doozy had a white lather on her neck despite us not doing anything more than walk and trot. Oh and I also damn near fell off at one point....

shifting gears again: it's the most wonderful time of the year, guys!! lookiee at all my pretttttiessss!!!

But it resolved well. And I reminded myself that what I'm looking for is a response, a feeling. It doesn't matter if that feeling comes from just walking. The feeling is what matters, and what I want to end a ride on. 

why yes, we are embracing a barbie theme this year, why do you ask?

The next ride was... very different. We rode in a different ring -- the dressage ring instead of the jump ring -- and we were alone. Actually, it was the middle of the day on a week day so the whole farm was quiet. And we just picked right back up where we left off the day before. 

poor Icee, tho, not his favorite time of year! it's hard being a svelte pelted Barn Panther in this humidity!

Doozy still sweated more than what was necessary, but seemed less stressed. Actually seemed to be thinking and thoughtful. Focused on ME, not the wider world. Obvi since we were alone I basically spent the whole time singing her praises and verbally encouraging her through every step (which she loves), but she really seemed to get it. 

turns out, tho, the heat makes this Icicle a Nice-icle!! we'll take it!

We actually **Trotted** OMG. Sounds stupid. Isn't tho. It's real, it's where we are, and we celebrate the trot, yo! Went through a few cycles of repetitions too, to confirm that the feelings were reproducible. Got canters on both leads -- including the right lead that's been a bit elusive with her kick-sore hock, and then a little more trot, and a LOT more praise. Short sweet, and done. 

speaking of nice!! look who showed up in one of my lockers --- hello snek fren, pls take care of the source of all those mouse turds!

Third ride really proved the whole concept. Which, again, is staying really hyper focused on extremely basic and gentle fundamentals: inside bend, moving off inside leg. Nothing more, nothing less. Not "on the bit," not leg yields, not shortening or extending a gait. Just.... Inside bend, moving off inside leg. 

a better nice tho --- cute pony frens 

And guys, Doozy clearly felt like she'd had a breakthrough. Like she's starting to understand that... Yes, I'm asking her to do specific things. But... It isn't really hard, and it's definitely not fast. She just needs to tune in, trust me, and try. 

doozy looking sweaty and tired after her 2nd ride of what was a 3-day breakthrough session

And the moments where she gets it??? Omg, GREAT!! She's obvi got a HUGE trot in there, but she also has a stretchy trot just waiting to be understood. And a collected trot too --- tho obvi will need a lot more strength and balance for that. 

figuring life out, learning lessons and stuff <3

Once this horse really understands that, actually, we kinda just wanna trot for the sake of trotting... I think she'll love it haha. But for now, we'll keep staying hyper focused on the basics --- and keep taking lessons --- and see where that gets us!

On that note, hopefully a few more lessons coming this week! Hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend too!