BB and I snuck in a last minute entry to the POP show this weekend and had our BN debut. His highlight of the day? Trying and succeeding at stealing alfalfa from an open hay bag I thought I'd hung far enough away from him in the trailer. Mine? One of the most fun XC runs I've had in a long time.
I'm not posting videos for two reasons, one is that they're a bit shaky. My husband was kind enough to come along to meet BB and film, but when zoomed in his phone video is quite shaky. Two, our dressage test was ride five and stadium was ride six, so for his video blog debut I think he deserves to be shown off better.
Dressage: I'm an idiot and misread times and showed up for dressage warm up with eight minutes not eighteen. We trotted a few circles, cantered both directions, then went in. We hadn't done a run through of this test, and I hadn't ridden it since Ben and I did one BN run back in 2022. But the lovely thing about going from a 17.1 creature to a 15 hand one is I had all the time in the world. Our canter transitions and canter work in general needs the most work. I have a really hard time not shoving into the transitions and I've been working on it, but there's still a long way to go. The rest of it was really pleasant but with plenty of opportunities to show more and be more consistent. Which makes it pretty exciting that we scored a 32.9.
Stadium: In warm up JT encouraged me to get up off his back and ride him forward between fences. I am struggling with keeping my hands forward through the landing but not snapping forward too quickly on him and jumping ahead. We popped over a few warm up fences pleasantly and then went in to do the thing! The downside of going down in height is that the fences do look bigger in spite of him being a super scopey and talented jumper. I spent the first half of the course kind of gawking at things and then remembered I do kinda sorta know how to ride for the second half. We had two and four down, two I buried him at and it was an unimpressive vertical he just didn't get his knees up over. Four was a very similar story. Five through eight rode great though.
Cross Country: I walked the course between dressage and stadium. JT essentially said he's trustworthy, just go out and have fun. And we did!
#1 - Log box
#2 - Step table
#3 - Oreo coop
#4 - The Villages
#5 - Bunker
#6 - FHP splash - his only squirrely moment, he broke from canter and then dawdled a little sideways before heading through the water
#7 - Green roll
#8AB - Turning tables (7 stride line)
#9 - Log
#10 - Ditch - I probably should've gotten his shoulders up more for this. He's so good and honest, but we kinda bombed over the ditch.
#11 - Ramp - set purposely in the shade
#12 - Golden roll - I could feel him starting to get a bit tired around this point
#13 - Hitch your wagon
#14 - Ocala water - he'd gotten his feet wet already so galloped on through this
#15 - Log too
#16 - Lincoln logs
It was so much fun just galloping around and playing. Again, we learned more about each other as we went. If I kept him straight, he jumped SOOOO well. And any wiggliness didn't feel like he was looking for an opportunity to run out, it was just... slight crookedness? I'm not sure how to describe it. He is the most pleasant, talented pony, and I'm so excited to keep getting to know each other. He did pick up quite a forward gallop mostly of his own accord for the whole first 2/3 of the course before he got a bit worn out. We made it around 40 seconds faster than optimum time though, and we have a plan for his fitness going forward (aquatredding... long walk hacks...). With our two rails we dropped back to 9th place of 12. We would've finished in 3rd without those rails though. We've got an outing planned at a jumper show on Friday to practice that phase.
Butterball has been at JT's barn on and off for the past two years. I thought he was PERFECT the first time I laid eyes on him a year plus ago when he was popping over some fences with a working student on board. He was one of the three horses AT rode in BN at Majestic a few weeks ago and his owner was there. I was standing next to her watching Goggles go and mentioned how delightful and adorable I thought BB was. She responded that he was for sale. I had NO IDEA that he was for sale and once I heard that, the wheels started turning. I went home and told Ryan that I wanted to sell Goggles and buy a pony named Butterball. He responded "Why don't you?"
"Yeah, why don't you (feed me that cookie)??"
We set up a trial ride a week later. AT brought him out and jumped him around. She described him well, "He's straightforward and trustworthy over the jumps. If he starts to get wiggly in the bridle then just kick him forward." Then I popped on him. I was honestly hoping there would be something unpleasant about him. I don't love horses that are really wide, and I don't love kick rides. But... he was neither. He was perfectly sized under me and responsive to the leg. And he was so freaking trustworthy. I just felt completely at home. We jumped around some fences larger than I've seen in 9 months.
The next week we set up a day for me to take him XC. He arrived at Majestic solo and walked off the trailer and started grazing. He called once while we were walking out to the jumps, but then settled down to business. Again, it was just delightful. We popped around with one oops at a corner where I didn't get him straight to it and he realized at the last second it was wider than he thought. But when I opened my left rein to correct a runout, he dove back between the flags and over the corner. The next go round he read it perfectly. The one adjustment will be his gallop and fitness. On the thoroughbreds it is, obviously, so easy to just let them open up and flow forward, BB needs... a bit of encouragement and would happily canter pleasantly around without realllllly moving into that forward XC canter/hand gallop. On the other hand, he goes XC in the same french link full cheek that he jumps at home in and is a perfect gentleman with no diving down into the hand or spooking at other fences (ahem Ben).
From there, there was a PPE, which he passed with flying colors*, and then a wire transfer, and then I was the proud person of one Butterball. *I did get told that there was some fat around his sheath and on his crest that was not ideal. I will be going through a massive adjustment period learning how to feed (or not really) this dude.
Now a bit more about him:
He has several names - his registration papers say WPF Who's Your Daddy. His USEA is WPF Westerlie. His USEF is WPF Golden Boy. His owner and I agreed that there was no way we could ride in the ring to the announcer saying "...riding Who's Your Daddy." I'm not sure whether he'll be WPF Golden Boy or WPF Westerlie going forward, might also depend on how much money USEA wants to change his name. He also has gone by West as a barn name, but got nicknamed Butterball when he came to JT's and I kinda love it.
He was bred by Whispering Pines Farm and sold as a three or four year old. Since then he's had the same owner. He is by the Hanoverian stallion Westporte and out of a Welsh mare, Lorelei Socialite. (Sorry Jen, I don't know more about his dam's breeding, maybe you do?? Or know where to find such things?). He's 14.2 hands and seven years old. Funny enough he shares his birthday (March 26th) with my dad. He's competed at beginner novice and done jumpers including at WEC in the indoors.
He is just a delightful, easy, charming creature. He is just pleasant to be around in addition to being incredibly talented. In our trial ride, I did get a little lecture on not letting him poke around in a pleasant but not through trot. He's got a nice floaty trot so it is easy to get lulled into just enjoying it rather than asking him for what he is capable of. But man, when he connects, both in the trot and canter, it is just amazing. And the vet who did his PPE kept commenting on what a great walk he has and what great feet he has. I'm so excited for our journey together.
And this does mean that Goggles is for sale. I seriously do not need (do not have time for... do not have money for...) three horses and he's at a great age and stage to find a new person. He has turned into quite a fun, trustworthy horse himself, but he'll always be 17.1+ hands and he'll always be a bully in group turnout, two things that just don't necessarily work with my horsey lifestyle.
Goggles had his BN debut on Saturday with AT in the irons. The initial plan had been for him to spend the week while I was out of town at their farm and then come home with me when I got back. But then Debby happened. Goggles pulled a shoe Friday evening and was scheduled to get it back on Monday, but that was when Debby was the worst. TBH, it turned out to be a bit more of a storm than I expected. It was extremely slow moving, so we ended up with rain and wind from Sunday evening to Tuesday morning with the worst of it early Monday. This meant that he didn't get his shoe back on until Wednesday. At that point it just made the most sense to leave him until the morning of the show. Also, unbeknownst to him, he wasn't going to go back out with Ben once home, so it wasn't going to be a super relaxing return home for him either.
Ben and his new friend "Romeo" who is actually a friend. No bites, no kicks, no drama. Just two dudes hanging.
Mooching for treats
So Friday he got his mane pulled and got bathed. Then Saturday I picked up a friend and her horse right down the road from AT's and then loaded Goggles up. We've traveled with this friend before and while he enjoys company (and puts in a small protest when he loads solo into a trailer), he absolutely does not participate in buddy drama. It makes him a pretty excellent companion. Goggles marched right in to the trailer at JT's.
Once at Majestic, Toby and Goggles munched hay and drank water pretty contentedly on the trailer together with Goggles only occasionally trying to eat Toby under the head divider. I took Goggles off the trailer at the same time as Toby and stood around with him. He ate until Toby left and then stood and stared. Which is MUCH BETTER than the kite flying option he has occasionally chosen.
I think his withers grew again? He's looking more uphill these days.
AT had three horses in the BN and Goggles was the last one, but they were essentially back to back for dressage. Then she had a short break and then the rotation started again for stadium + XC. I tacked Goggles up and hand walked him to the dressage warm up. I had his rope halter and line over my shoulder just in case, but he actually had all his brain cells installed. He wasn't super duper relaxed, but he was responding and not going up in the air or standing on me, a major improvement from trying to hand walk away from friends at previous shows.
As they went in for their dressage test, the skies looked pretty threatening. I was reallllly hoping it wouldn't open up in the middle of the test because he HATES getting rained on. I mean, he would've dealt, but we were going for a soft back and some bending and giving, and I know that would've all gone straight out the window if he started getting rained on. Fortunately it just provided some relief from the heat and did not rain, which carried on through most of the day until we were actually leaving with horses on the trailer.
His test was lovely, he stayed soft and relaxed and really tried the whole time. He even got a 7 on his left lead canter circle! As soon as they halted and saluted, he periscoped up and craned his head/neck to stare at the horse in the arena next to him, he is such a busy body. The test was good enough for a 35.9 and 5th place out of 9. Definite progress!!
I hosed him off and let him graze for a few before putting him right back on the trailer. Toby was hanging out tied to the trailer and even without him on, Goggles marched right on and started eating hay again. He did have another moment when Toby left for stadium, but he mostly settled after a few. Then Toby came back to change bridles and boots before XC and that time when he left Goggles cared even less. Good! See, he always comes back!
Times were scheduled relatively close together, he dressaged at 11:10 and then had stadium at 1:15. He was tacked up and ready to meet AT after she finished her second stadium + XC ride. They headed to stadium and popped a few jumps and then headed in. He was super for the round, mostly very rideable, although he didn't lift up quite enough to one half halt and knocked a rail on a small vertical. But overall relaxed and happy again.
Then they headed over to XC and hopped over the warm up jumps once and then headed off. Again, he was just super! They front loaded the course with horse spooky jumps (blue and white cabin for #2) and rider spooky jumps (trakehner for #3). He did eye the blue and white cabin, but AT said DO IT and he did, jumping it a bit awkwardly, but going. He had a steady relaxed rhythm the whole time and looked confident out there. Really cannot ask for more!
Overall this was a GREAT show for him. AT does such a good job giving him a calm, confident ride with the right balance of get your shit together sir and praise. He is responding really well, and I'm excited to get back out there with him.
I think this came at the right time, the firsttwo shows at Majestic, in dressage in particular, he was having a hard enough time just functioning, so he couldn't have dealt with any more pressure. So it was just fine that it was me in the irons, just helping him deal as much as possible. But this time he was ready for more pressure and could handle it without his brain exploding, so having AT ask for more bend and a softer back was perfect.
It was a great day for the whole crew - two division winners and solid rounds from everyone else. Goggles' 35 and one rail was good enough for 6th! Our friend went and grabbed ribbons while I finished packing up as the rain was threatening, and she came back with a 5th place ribbon. Since the skies opened up as this was happening, I didn't bother going to exchange it. Goggles had a minor fit when Toby got off the trailer, but seemed to calm down once we were back on the road again. If things go according to plan, they'll get to be trailer buddies for Stable View Oktoberfest at the end of September.
Home and desperately curious about Ben and his new friend. "I HAVE TO GO SEE, STOP TAKING PICTURES AND LET ME OU!!!"
Full disclaimer, there were four people in the class we placed first in, our one clear round, but there were just two and three people in the other two classes. But he still looks so cute with the ribbons.
4-
1 trailer loading and tarp, 3 lunge sessions with trot poles
Flat rides
5
Conditioning rides
0
XC school
1 – with AT
Shows
1
– HSITP jumpers (+ warm up day)
Goggles: Goggles had 15 rides this month, averaging every other day. The big news this month was his trip to do jumper rounds, which he most certainly did. There was a lot to work on, but he showed up and TRIED the WHOLE time.
July was also the month when trailering just... seemed to click... and in spite of doing a lot of it, he just... kept walking on the dang thing. Once I'm sure it isn't just a temporary fluke, I'll sum it all up in a post.
We increased the distance of our hacks down the road. He has continued to get more and more relaxed, to the point that his first ride after the show was in the bareback pad.
Is trustworthy steed?
Seems that way...
This month I discovered a pretty large hole in his understanding of multiple ground poles in sequence. I noticed it under saddle when trying to do some raised trot poles and then noticed a lot of anxiety when doing 4 trot poles on the lunge. So we did three lunge sessions just very casually. He wants so badly to be a good boy and DO THE THING so he gets a lot of anxiety about DOING it. So these lunge sessions were just in his rope halter and on the line, lunge whip mostly tucked backwards under my elbow. As a trained horse, he needs to feel confident with the lunge whip, so it is present, but I found that if I moved it much the tension went WAY UP. We'll get there though. Ben lunges sooooo well but does require the presence of a lunge whip but never requires much use of it. Whoever taught him to lunge did a great job, and he's simultaneously relaxed but in tune and responsive to just voice commands. I'd like to get there with Goggles eventually. Our last lunge session of the month he was much more relaxed and seeking out his two trot poles and mostly slowly stepping over them while articulating more with his hocks vs. rushing forward and down and frantically stepping through them.
He went to JT's at the end of the month since I was headed out of town for 8 days. He's signed up for his BN debut with AT at the Majestic schooling show this weekend, so I felt like it would be most fair for both him and AT to give him the week with her. I also was hoping he was finally emotionally stable enough to deal with moving to JT's barn for a week with his Relyne AND gastrogard to help keep his belly happy. He went XC schooling and had a great report back, just one stop at a blue and white cabin that has thoroughly spooked many horses.
He also got hind shoes put on this month. He wasn't lame behind, but he was losing a hind foot behind him with some regularity. So back in those he goes. Hopefully once it's winter and dry again they can come back off. We'll see.
Ben: Ben had a hard month. He did get a few good acupuncture sessions in, including one at the Chi institute. This was my first... not positive experience there though. During the scanning the instructor was emphasizing REALLY digging in with the hemostat tip he was using to scan. Which meant that my sensitive thoroughbred was "sensitive all over". I don't doubt body soreness from his feet, but c'mon, every single point was hot? I've seen other people emphasize the need to find a neutral spot on the hindquarters or shoulder or neck and decide what is just... the fact that you're running some foreign object along their skin with some degree of pressure and what is an actual response. This helps establish the amount of pressure you need to use ON THAT HORSE. I've had A LOT of positive experiences there with instructors I've really liked, so we'll keep going back if we make it into the lab sign ups, but I will request not to work with this particular instructor again. This instructor seemed a better fit for... not a thoroughbred. Ben did still seem to enjoy the treatment portion as well as hanging out with the students and being his usual friendly, social butterfly self, but I was still annoyed and he was certainly uncomfortable for the 5-10 minutes of scanning that the instructor (and then the students after he demonstrated HOW HARD they had to scan) did.
Pretty wide eyed after walking off the trailer, it's been a minute since he's gone somewhere other than JT's!
Scoping things out
His feet continue to be an issue, because, shocker, these things take time, and Florida in the summer is not the most friendly time of year to try barefoot. My husband and I put on EasyCare octos that lasted for exactly a week.
On the plus side, I found them in the field after they came off and could reapply if I thought they would stay on. They also made him instantly MUCH more comfy. He got a tiny amount rasped off by his usual farrier and was lame at the walk afterwards, so these did get him over the hump of that.
His hind feet are doing pretty well. I can't assess soundness since he's still so lame up front, but when my husband was helping me with the octos, I had him press all over with his thumbs and the prior soreness from this spring to just finger pressure is gone.
When Goggles headed to JT's, Ben got to go out with two of the barn owner's mares. They were all most delighted.
Going to make this a permanent set up since Goggles is just too mean.
While I am absolutely THRILLED with Goggles, I wanted to get down a few "I could have done better" moments from the show last weekend. And I'll sprinkle in the show photos.
1. Get off the damn horse. When they were still running the 2' division, that should've been my cue to get off and hold him and let him graze.
Shot from under the covered where we eventually jumped to the small covered area where we were hanging out during the first of the rain
Under the covered
Dunno if that would have changed his feelings that he was having during our rounds that led to all the bucking, but it would have been better horsemanship. And I know this.
Feelings that we might be a feral llama. I love this picture because he looks like he is posing for the camera. Also SIT on your outside seat bone! Sheesh.
2. Ride to better spots. JT said that she has an exercise she feels like will help me with this. I unintentionally BURIED him to the single diagonal once, but that oops aside, I was riding him to take off spots that were a little too deep to most of the fences.
Absolutely buried him, he didn't touch it though in spite of what this picture looks like
3. Figure out what his 12' stride feels like. Once in the outside bending line we got 6 and a scramble instead of 7. And we got tight to the out of several of the lines. I'm very proud we didn't add because I have managed to do that on this 17.1 beasty, but now we need to figure out the proper pace so I don't have to woah at the last second.
A bit tight to the out of the 5 stride
4. Praise every moment of softness. I'm not going to be too hard on myself with this one, but he REALLY responds to the neck scratches with the inside rein, and I didn't take every opportunity to do that to try to soften his back during our rounds. Again, I'm not at all upset he had a hump in his back, bucking and that tension are 100% the way he feels his feelings and he had every right to have a load of them. But the more I can soften my seat and that inside rein the second he softens, the more likely he is to stay soft and not buck. Timing is everything
Chaos eye facing the camera
I love his stripe/snip, he's got the cutest face
I said it in the last post too, but I am SO freaking proud of him. He didn't think for one second about noping out of any of the jumps. He didn't care that the flower boxes were right outside of the arena, and he was just so bold and brave about everything. Once we can get his back consistently soft, he's going to be really genuinely fun to ride.
