November activities

The Carolina Horse Park had their first Schooling Horse Trial Nov. 22. Lina and I went and did BN, hopefully for the last time. The jumping was great, dressage had some wonderful moments. Eileen and Milky Way did their first event, getting 4 in a division full of adults! Maggie is a fancy mover, so did well in dressage. Jumping was a little exciting, as they were last of the day on course. Maggie wasn't sure she liked that! She was a good girl though and Eileen rode her great!
Mikayla and Quaker were 6th. Quaker acted like he had evented his whole life, although this was his first time out! Great pair, these two.
Molly took her new guy Maiden and was 3rd. Very easy for them, ready to move up! All in all a great time. We will look forward to going back in March.
Several kids went to TTC saturday to support a Special Olympics show. All did well with everyone getting ribbons. Shelby did her first jumping class on Levi, so now they have that under their belt. Levi was good to realize Shelby just wanted to take it easy and this was NOT cross country! Mikayla and Quaker got some more experience and Hayden and Hope too. It was a fun day and nice to support a good cause.

Forgot the Walker update!

So, the day Derry died, I got home from the show to find Walker had gone downhill again. We started him right away on steroids . I decided to ask an old PC friend to help me. Mary Gochneuer is a Graduate of Yadkin Valley PC, like me. She is also a vet and has recently studied neck injections. She came up and worked on Walker, injecting his neck and doing some acupuncture. He has pretty extensive arthritis all throughout his neck. So, I feel I have now done all I can and have an accurate diagnosis, in keeping with what Dr. Meeker thought. Meeker, Dr. Vickie Newell and Dr. Mary are all in agreement. So, now we wait.
He is happy now, so I will be content with that. Of course, another 10 years of that would be nice.
And one more thing, Paige Meier is now a B!!! She took the test a couple of weeks ago in Virginia. Awesome news!

And....what else has been going on?

I am trying to remember what else has happened. I have had computer problems forever and I hope brother Shaun has got me straightened out for now. I really do NOT want to go computer shopping now.
I went up to Tryon to do a clinic for River Valley PC. in Sept. About 10 or so, I thought, I am getting a cold. An hour later I was like, er... maybe something more? By noon I had to abandon ship and head for home. I am hoping that was my case of Swine Flu.
Sept. 27th was TTC Horse Trials. Cameron and Levi were 3rd in Maiden. Jesslyn won, after a spectacular fall warming up for Dressage!! Sue and Finesse were 2nd in Beginner Novice. Molly and Candy were 1st in Jr. BN!! Go Candy! McCall took the no pressure approach by jumping out of the dressage arena first thing! Good strategy, they then went clean XC and Show Jumping!
October 3rd we took some little ones to TTC again for a Hunter Show. Not a very good beginning to the day, after arrival a got the sad call that my boy Derry had died after we left. Poor Alex was at the barn by herself, but my wonderful neighbor Beth came up immediately to help. Derry was 27, in my life for 22 years. I will have to write about him later.
Back at the show things were going well.Thankfully, Molly Owens had come to school Cody for us and ended up prepping all the kids while I returned home to say goodbye to Derry. Hope got ribbons in every class at her first show with Cody! Hayden and Peter won a class! Mikayla got two 2nds in big classes jumping Quaker Oats. They are a super pair! Lina had another 10 minute warmup for a dressage test. I didn't much feel like riding but she needed to be ridden so we went ahead and did the test. Lina won, with the best score of the day. She is my best, best girl.
The next outing was The Ark HT Oct 10th. Lina had a great test and clean in everything to win BN. Jesslyn's Raddison had one stop xc but really got into it for the first time! They went to Hillcrest then and had a great round at BN, so they are coming along well. Jesslyn always gets "project" horses and makes them into nice mounts.
I went to Julie Bradford's wedding Oct 17th. I taught Julie from age 11 to off to college. That was a fun day, beautiful happy bride!
The 18th I was able to go back to River Valley and have a nice clinic with no flu sypmtoms involved :)
We were back to school xc at Hillcrest last saturday, then I had to go back to a baby shower for another old student Brenna Leary Dickerson! It is an added benefit to have these young ladies, and some gentlemen, and follow through the milestones of their lives.
Besides Derry I lost two old friends, Eddie California and Jungle Jim. Both old guys with good long lives. Still tough though.
So, many ups and downs this fall. I am off to the Carolina Regions Fall Fling next weekend, which should be FUN! I have a clinic for Triad PC and I am going with several students to the first schooling HT at the Carolina Horse Park, YAY!
Onward we go!

And... what else has been going on?

Belated end of summer update.

the last few weeks have been spent prepping for the Carolina B testing in Aiken at the beautiful Jumping Branch Farm. Four Carolina girls went for the rating.
In the last THREE DAYS, the lameness problems hit. It was sad, that's all I can say. These young women have worked so hard all summer for this and it all fell apart on them at the bitter end. Boo.
However, they have a lot to be proud of.
Arielle Ostrov was so totally ready. Her flat sections went great, with complements for both her tactfulness on her horse as well as an extremely effective switch ride.
She trotted out for the Grid section and Pheobe was lame! In the preceeding weeks, Arielle had offered horses to fellow Pony Clubbers in need of a horse and here her girl was off. Her mare Darla was there and did flat with Sammi Jo Majors, so off they ran to get her. After the Grid, Darla was worn out. Sammi had passed nicely with Darla on the flat but was not able to ride the switch horse to the examiners satisfaction. So, Sammi stepped up and let Arielle ride HER horse for the course work.
These are the moments that make PC so worthwhile. Did this end happily ever after? No. Arielle tried her heart out but could not figure out Bailey over a maximun course in a 1 minute warm up. Another " Does Not Meet Standard". Boo, again.
Megan Cullen had problem after problem with her horses this summer. Arielle offered two horses, but they were too big for Megan. At the LAST MINUTE plan "D" went into affect, take my horse Lina for the flat and jump Finess. Lina is a very pleasant, but not naturally talented horse. There is a reason she is not doing third level, folks.
Megan could not produce what the examiners wanted, because Lina couldn't do it. Boo yet again.
Jessie Kirpatrick's jumping horse was kicked monday night. No, really. Five days before the rating. After much panic stricken activity, Jessie was offered the Hoffman's wonderful mare Sassy. Jessie brought her up thursday to jump, then went home and jumped every horse in her barn. Jessie passed the flat, the switch, the longeing..... but not quite there over fences. After the course work, Sassy was done. Jessie stayed to set fences, a classy act.
I was very proud of all of them.
Hopefully, next time will be the outcome they all deserve.

Walker again and other stuff.

First of all, Walker continues to do well. He is showing no symptoms at this point. He is just coming off the steroids today though. Think good thoughts that he remains pain free. If he stays ok, I will then move on to trying to find out what the heck is going on!
I did a C3 and B for the Old Dominion region at Virginia Intermont last weekend. I always enjoy meeting all the new people. It is a nice facility, too.
I then went to Charleston for a few days with the excuse that I had a couple of lessons to teach! That took 4 days, right? :)
I came back friday evening in time to take 5 people to HIllcrest today for a combined test.
Great results!!
Mikayla and Quaker Oats were 1st!! This was their second outing, so I am very proud of them.
Cameron and Levi were also 1st in their division! Their dressage score improved by 9 points, excellent job for the boys.
Mom Sue got to go this time and ride Lina. They were very good to finish 4th. We did not realize they were timing Maiden and they picked up times faults or would have won. They did a great job too.
Faith and Megan were 4th. They actually improve over the last time with lots of 7's and an 8 on gaits. They jumped clear too. Faith is so flashy.
Eileen and Maggie improved their dressage and moved up a division to jump 2'. They are coming along together. Cameron, Mikayla and Eileen will be aiming for the TTC Horse Trials in September. I am looking forward to that!
The working students continue to come. I had sisters Caroline and Kate Ingram and Katie Drummond. This week Arielle Ostrov, Paige Meier and Aaron Beltran Davies are all here getting ready for upcoming ratings. Should be a very fun week. We are taking a trip to the Ark to school too.
My next trip is to the New Jersey region for a C3 and B at the end of August.
No wonder I need a vacation every month. I work every single day that I am home. I think I need a snow day!

Walker update

Walker is doing better. We are not quite sure why! He is on heavy anti-inflamatory drugs. But I hope we are actually healing whatever is wrong. There is no doubt that if it was bone growth impinging on the spinal cord he would probably not have responded so well. It could be that there was some kind of swelling and we are reducing it?
I am also sure the prayers helped!!
I hope he continues to get better... that is an understatement!!

And yet more summer....

The USPC Championships were held July 23-26 at the Virgina Horse Park. I went to coach the event teams for the Carolina Region.
There were some good results and some nice "Pony Club" moments.
In no particular order...
Britany Alston and Snickers were on a scamble team and ended up first in Novice! They seem to excel working as a team, for people who had never met before wednesday!
I was very proud of the Carolina Novice Team. Allison's horse went lame at the last minute and although they tried to bring a sub, they were not qualified, so didn't get to ride. Grace's horse didn't want to play on XC, so the team was pretty much out. HOWEVER!!!! They WON the horsemanagement for their division. I have coached at Champs for years and usally when a team is hit by that kind of bad luck they tend to give up. Not these girls!! They rocked! Stephanie and Vegas were great throughout. Stephanie had a tough time last year and I know she is proud at how well she came storming back this year!
One of our Beginner Novice Teams was third! This team included my student Molly and the wonderful Candyland. This was the two Mollys two Allies team. I know I am forgetting some people. I will have to look for my program!
Our Training riders, Christina and Aaron both were solid and were 3rd overall, 2nd HM.
For the first time EVER we had two Preliminary riders! Danielle and Arielle were both competent and confident. Danielle had one glance off for which she took all the blame, I like that :) Arielle had a super xc and one of her best SJ rounds. She was 5th individually. Both these young women should be proud, I know I am.
I was so busy it is a shame, but I don't know how the other disciplines ended up.
I emjoyed being there with all the Carolina Family. It was another fun year.
We also attended a hunter schooling show with a few kids. No great ribbons but some good riding. We just use these shows for practice as it is so great to be able to do a couple rounds back to back and get the nerves out!
ON a sad note, Walker's accident with the car 3 years ago has caught up with him. We found out a couple of months ago that he had fractured his neck at that time. Hard to believe he went to Champs one month later and was on the first place First Level Dressage team!
If he turns his head the wrong way he cannot move it and if something causes him to turn it hard he staggers and gets a hazy look in his eye.
We will retire him and see what happens. I have sent the xrays to State, but Dr. Meeker doesn't think there is anything we can do. So we will just love him and pray a little too. He is a sweet, sweet boy.
We will keep hanging in there.....
Later.

Hillcrest Dressage and CT

I want to update before I forget everything!
Yesterday we went to Hillcrest with 9 horses!
Lina was very good to get 2nd with a 9 on her first halt. She gets the short end of the stick attention wise. You can warm her up in 20 minutes for dressage and about 5 for Show Jumping. It's a good thing as we were rather busy.
Faith went as a last minute sub for Megan Cullen, whose horses have a calendar and know when shows are coming. They were outstanding with a bunch of 8's on their test. They had one stutter to a stop at the 8th fence in SJ. I think Faith was thinking they were done going away from the crowd and a bit tired. Her dressage was good enough to keep them 3rd. Faith is one fancy mover!
McCall Dimarco and Paris did their first CT! No problems jumping and now it is time to step up that dressage! They had a nice quiet test, though.
Cameron, who is a BOY, was a star in SJ with Levi, who is just a bit naughty and has too much fun. However, even BOYS have to practice dressage..... . Poor Cameron has about 4 "sisters" bossing him around at the barn. He is the "somebody" in the "somebody needs to do.... (insert nasty chore)".
Eileen Ann Dixon, the birthday girl :0 did a great job with Milky Way. Maggie tried one run out and Eileen rode like a champ to convince her otherwise. Eileen is my niece and of course, I take all credit for her.
Mikayla Mathers and Quaker Oats got the cute pony award. I braided him myself and he was adorable. He was so good. He hasn't been anywhere in at least 3 years! He was very well behaved and liked going to the party. They had a quiet test and a lovely clean round. I can't wait to take him XC! He is a super jumper.
Heather Phillips and Lilly had a lovely test. We were very happy with Lilly, they were first in their class.
Walker and Alex Adams tried a new test and did a good job.
My sister, Mary Dixon, brought her Friesian Stallion Nastase. He was gorgeous. He is SO quiet you would never know he is a stallion. He hasn't been out in a year and was very ho-hum about everything. I have a baby of his and I sure hope he has that attitude.
A big THANK YOU to Sue Evans, Cameron's mom and all round star helper. Next time, SHE will get to ride!
Everyone here really pitches in to help. MCCall's mom, Louann, warmed up my two little ones while I did her daughter. I am sure she was wanting to watch but stepped right in to help. Alex and Megan are great big sisters to all the kids. We are really lucky to have such an outstanding group at this barn.
One big milestone this week, I have paid all my cancer bills. I really can't describe very well what that is like. Another step in moving on.
I need to get ready to go to PC Champs, so of course I am sitting here instead....
Back to work!
Kathi

Times flies when you are having fun and working 12 hours a day!

Four Camps down so far. The Texas camp was great as expected. We had a small group but lots of fun. After coming home to a Birthday Party given by my friends Sue and Cathy I had a couple of days of lessons before heading off to the beach! It was a wonderful break and a good way to turn 50, surrounded by friends from Texas, Maryland and DC. Lots of family, too.
Back we came and into three weeks of camp. I have had bunches of working students too. Lots of guest horses.... it has been hectic but fun.
We have twice gone to the Farrier's Meeting at Davie County Large Animal Hospital. We take a crew everytime we go. I have had two HA candidates, among others and they have especially learned from it. There are about 15 farriers in attendance and they are very willing to talk - big shock, eh?!
Speaking of which, CONGRATULATIONS to Robin Coulter, the newest H-A from the Carolina Region! Whoo - HOO! Robin is getting married in a couple of weeks too! ALSO, Robin helped us match up the gorgeous Bella with her new owner Gloria Ripperton. Good luck to them both, seems like a happy pair.
So camps are done, we are taking 9 horses to Hillcrest Dressage and Combined Test on wednesday, then I go to coach about 16 Pony Clubbers at Champsionships in Virgina. Mouse will be my helper. Mouse loves Morgan Whitehead, the Show Jumping coach. A little quality time coming up.
Another Congrats to McCall Dimarco on getting her D2 yesterday with almost all Exceeds Standards!
I will update after the next busy week!
Till later.
Kathi

Summer is starting!

And we're off! Summer means traveling to National Ratings, working students and summer camps!
I did a rating for Eno, a C2 om May 31st. They were well prepared and all passed. We did it at Quail Roost in Durham. They have a fabulous new XC course, WOW! I would love to go back there and school.
Then only four days later I flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico for an HB. It was a lot of flying, going thursday, rating friday, home saturday. However, I had never been that far West, so it was worth it.As usual, I was picked up at the airport by a total stranger, dropped off at someone's house and had a lovely evening with some people I had never met who feed me really great quiche and ice cream! There were 6 fantastic candidates. They were the best prepared group I have ever had. Congrats to them and their Region for doing an excellent job.
They do have this annoying tree out there, a Cottonwood. It "snows" cotton on you. It was really pretty at first, against a backdrop of beautiful flowers at the farm we were visiting. However, 4 hours later, it was getting really old! They say it does that for about a week or so, a long week I'm thinking! They have a lot of wind out there. I kept waiting for the thunderstorm like we would get, but I guess it doesn't rain there! Very interesting to visit, but of course, not as pretty as North Carolina.
Starting tomorrow, the working students are coming! We will be prepping for everything from A down. The next big trip is to Texas June 16-20 for their Regional Camp. Only bad thing about that, it conflicts with the Carolina Camp. OF course they asked me a DAY after TExas confirmed, so I accepted that and am missing out on being with all my friends at June camp, darn.
Weather permitting, we are schooling at the Ark this saturday. Updates will follow!
Here is wishing a safe and fun summer for us all.
Kathi

Disney and Rolex

I have been singing the Mickey Mouse song enough to drive everyone around me crazy, especially my nieces. Disney was so much fun. That is the first vacation I have had like that and we had a blast. I have to say, it was nice to be away from the horses for a bit!
I was home for a few days and then went to Rolex. The winner was Headley Britannia, a 15.3, 16 year old MARE! Yeah for her! That was awesome to watch.
Today I did a rating for Cardinal II Pony Club and I have another one for Eno at the end of the month. Other than that I will be home for the entire month of May, a rare occurance! Then I head to Albuquerque for another HB.
We had a good turnout at the Race for the Cure in Winston on saturday. Compared to last year at this time, I have come a long way baby!!
I did get to take a few kids to a show before Easter and they did great! Hayden and Barney won their first class together! Levi and Cameron kicked the hunters butts and were Champion of their division. We are looking for some more schooling shows for this summer.
M I C K E Y.... M O U S E......... :)

ZOOOMMMMM Time is FLYING!

Since Southern Pines, I have gone to Aiken to judge at the Carolina Show Jumping Rally for a rainy weekend, flown to Philadelphia for an H-B , which included a 7 hour stay in the Greensboro airport :) Don't we love flying? And then an overnighter to compete at Tamarack Hill's Horse Trial.
The event went well with Lina being a very good girl. No surprise there! Dressage was respectable. I tried a different bit in SJ, which did not set well with the Princess. It was, how shall we say.... stinky? But we escaped with only one rail. Cross Country was a vast improvement with our best round ever. We finished 5th! It was a really fun couple of days.
Sue Evans and Levi competed Maiden. It was Sue's first event and she is a convert! She said about 20 times, "That was FUN!". Levi was so cute and perky. However, he had to voice his opinion about being left in the barn. Sue came to watch my XC and when I met her back at the barn, she looked shell shocked, because Levi was missing and his stall door was still locked. Knowing my pony, I walked around to the closest grass, and he was there grazing. After inspecting the pony and the stall door we discovered that he had jumped over a 5 foot door, minus a little skin. We will have to tell him about a fellow named Theodore O'Connor.
I think it is very hard for me to travel and compete, so I will plan for the next event to fall at a better time. I hope to get to one more event towards the end of May. I have no desire to get into the hot weather! Today was a beautiful day, a bit chilly but sunny and NOT raining.
Next week, I hit Disneyland! I haven't been since 1977! My sister and nieces and I are being treated by our good friend Linda Daniels. Quite a treat, eh?
Before I go, we are going to a schooling hunter show at Irish Oaks with some kids on saturday.
Next update after MICKEY :)

Southern Pines Horse Trials

Well, it rained. A lot.
But it was FUN! Yes, eventers are crazy. Hardly anybody scratched. Saturday was what the Irish call a soft day, I believe, just drippy all day but no real downpours.
Lina was too relaxed in dressage. I am probably the only person who can say that at that event! She was just too quiet after we started the test. She actually started doing her, "I am so relaxed I am ready for a nap" groaning sound. Oh well. She has an outstanding record in dressage, so she is entitled to one off test. We were tied for 8th out of 22.
Show Jumping- I made a unique mistake and made Lina run out in the in and out. My fault entirely. but added 4 faults and 19 time, geez!
XC was super. out best round ever by FAR! We did have a terrible 2nd fence. When I stopped by to thank the jump judge I saw that it was a pony clubber I know. Jonae from Eno. So, I had a witness to the only bad moment on course, dang!
Without my error, we would have been 6th. So Lina was 6th and I was 15th!
It was so wonderful to return to the world of eventing at that quality of competition. Ever snce I shattered my leg in 2000, my goal was to get back to doing recognized Horse Trials, so I could just go and have fun. It had been an interesting 9 years, but I made it.
That reminds me, we are trying to have a big group representing Cornerstone Farm at the Race for the Cure on May 2nd. Please email me at ncsporthorse@yadtel.net and I will send you a link to sign up. The cut off day is April 15th.
Later!

This past weekend I attended the US Pony Club National Examiner's Seminar in Baltimore. I misread the agenda and got there about 8 hours too early! Duh! So I went to the Aquarium. It was very cool. I loved the dolphin show. However, there was a pre-school class there, sitting right behind me, with very LOUD screams of enjoyment. Ouch.
The seminar was great as usual. We saw a terrific dvd of the basic balanced seat. They showed a horse and rider, then it morphed into an animated horse and rider, then just the skeleton. It would appeal to riders of all ages, I would love to get a copy for myself.
One of the most important jobs for us is to make sure we are testing to the same level. We spent about 17 hours doing this! I can tell you, there is no more dedicated group than the NEs.
I will find out soon where they will be sending me this year. I know that I am going back to the Baltimore area April 4th for an HB.
We were talking about how when we go to do a test we often have no idea where we are actually going. We know someone will pick us up at the airport, and two to four days later, someone will bring us back! In the meantime, we will work, we will be fed and we will get from place to place as needed. As a system, it seems to be working!
Off to Southern Pines I on friday! Rain, rain go away.....

Schedule for Winter/Spring 2009

We have already had a couple of outings this year.
We schooled XC at Tamarack Jan. 31st. It was an interesting day with THREE falls! New horse issues with all three. Megan Cullen and the beautiful Grace jumped a little too big at a cordwood pile and did a slow motion roll. Grace was a good sport about continuing and trying to figure out the jumps. Megan had to call on Christina Hoffman for a little help as she sprained her thumb. Christina did great with her young horse, Brownie. Robin Coulter has a super new horse, who took issue with going away from the crowd and tried to leave Robin in the dirt. He saw things Robin's way and I think he is going to be a fun project, very talented, awesome gallop.
Ashley Bell has a very typey, talented mare, who is a bit opinionated! Another pair to watch in the future. Ashley is a good bouncer and is up to the challenge on this mare.
Less exciting participants were Sue Evans and Levi, Molly Owens on Ditto, Tori Placentra on the borrowed Candyland (Tori was grinning ear to ear).
Next up was Hillcrest Horse Trials.
I was lucky to win on my very good girl, Angelina at BN. We have not competed that level in two years due to health issues, so we were pretty happy. Christina and Brownie also finished 1st at Novice, Molly was 4th on Ditto and Candy at N and BN. And newcomer, Cameron Evans was 6th on Levi in their first event together!
I went to the Winter Wednesday at the Carolina Horse Park last week. That is the first time I have ever ridden there! It was fun, although it was really cold at 6:45 when we pulled out. It was one of those days where you drive 5 hours to ride 45 minutes, but I feel it was a good prep for competing in the Southern Pines I HT coming up March 14-15.
I will be traveling to Baltimore Mar. 6-8 for the USPC National Examiners Seminar, and then back to put the final touches on Lina for SP. I am really looking foward to it!

Old people can blog!

Well, I have decided to add a blog to my website! We'll see how long that lasts. It will be great to update happening around the farm and with the horse that I am showing, Anglelina.