The Great Migration North has finally concluded with the first load coming up on Monday and the last arriving last night. I absolutely love the farm up here and my wonderful house on top of the mountain. All the horses settled in great and are mowing down the thick grass.
I had 4 horses at Difficult Run this weekend, Take Two in the preliminary, Czechmate in the training, and Landmark's Legendary Romance and Landmark's Ginger Rogers in the beginner novice for their very first event. I was very disappointed with the footing on the preliminary and training courses so I just ended up doing the combined test with Take Two and Czechmate. They both did good dressage tests and were third and first in their divisions and left all the rails up. There was an incident with screaming children at the end of the ring during Czechy's round, and although he has the same instinct as me at the sight of small children (turn and run) I made him deal with it and circle by them during our round.
Roma and Ginger were exceptional for their first event and finished 3rd and 4th with very brave clean rounds.
I have to give a shout out for OCETs great showing at Rolex with Hannah and Olivias fantastic cross country rounds and Karens great weekend on one of my favorite horses, Quintus 54.
I am competing Rocket in a dressage show this weekend and then Jax and I are off to Virginia Horse Trials with a bunch the next week. I hope everyone had a great Mothers Day weekend and check back in soon!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Comeback Weekend
Sorry it has taken so long to post, things are quite busy at the farm with Karen, David, and Max off at Badminton.
Florida Horse Trials went really well. I had Maria Brazil's lovely horse Pas de Panique in his first Preliminary and he really showed his class by winning the big division. I also had Chuck Akre's Take Two in the preliminary combined test and she was a wild child in the dressage but show jumped a beautiful clear round. The Ramsays Czechmate and Rowdie Adams Hector were both in the training and finished 3rd and 4th respectively. Czechy is becoming a really exciting horse and I can't help but giggle with delight over every jump. I also had Ms Jacqueline Mars' Smilla and Landmark's Dam Gypsy in the novice. Smilla is a very talented mare from Ireland that I am riding for Karen while she's gone.
All the horses were in top form and Jacqueline Janes is to thank for that. She did a fantastic job keeping all my horses going while I was hurt and you will be seeing her competing Snooze this summer :)
It's going to be a very busy week packing up and getting ready to head north to Virginia and quickly unpacking and getting set up before taking 5 to Difficult Run May 7-8.
It's great to be back and check in often for updates!
Florida Horse Trials went really well. I had Maria Brazil's lovely horse Pas de Panique in his first Preliminary and he really showed his class by winning the big division. I also had Chuck Akre's Take Two in the preliminary combined test and she was a wild child in the dressage but show jumped a beautiful clear round. The Ramsays Czechmate and Rowdie Adams Hector were both in the training and finished 3rd and 4th respectively. Czechy is becoming a really exciting horse and I can't help but giggle with delight over every jump. I also had Ms Jacqueline Mars' Smilla and Landmark's Dam Gypsy in the novice. Smilla is a very talented mare from Ireland that I am riding for Karen while she's gone.
All the horses were in top form and Jacqueline Janes is to thank for that. She did a fantastic job keeping all my horses going while I was hurt and you will be seeing her competing Snooze this summer :)
It's going to be a very busy week packing up and getting ready to head north to Virginia and quickly unpacking and getting set up before taking 5 to Difficult Run May 7-8.
It's great to be back and check in often for updates!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
It has been 5 weeks today since I broke my arm. What I have I learned in these 36 days? (not that I have been counting)
1. I am a horrible patient
2. I am a really good "fibber", my doctors have actually believed me when I said I haven't been riding
3. I do not like being a spectator, or watching other people ride my horses, even if those "other" people are Karen & David O'Connor. By the way, thanks guys! :)
4. But most importantly I learned that I really REALLY love what I do. Not just the competing but the whole day to day process.
We all go through lows and say to each other "why in the world do we do this sport?!" and I think there was probably a lot of people asking that question after the tragic losses of Mandar and Dekorum this past weekend, but I don't think any of us could quit even if we wanted to.
Personally, I can't nail it down to one specific reason, I suppose it is a bit of it all. You can go with the obvious highs- winning, a great cross country round, a 20's dressage test; but there is a lot more than that, the little things of day to day training, when you have a breakthrough lesson or a great jump school. It's the people we get to know and the friendships that are formed, and most importantly it's the bond we create with our horses.
It's refreshing and motivating to come to this realization and in some ways this forced hiatus may have been beneficial mentally, or I am desperately looking for a cup half full attitude :).
This year will without a doubt be a rebuilding year after having to retire both of my Advanced horses, but I think I have stopped feeling sorry for myself and can really be excited about the classy and talented young horses I have in the pipeline.
Poplar went well for OCET this weekend and I will be competing at the Florida Horse Park in April with Reba, Patrick, Czechy, Tinker, and Maria Brazil's Pas de Panique. The 4 year olds Ginger and Roma will also come along for their first competition exposure.
Until next time,
Lauren
1. I am a horrible patient
2. I am a really good "fibber", my doctors have actually believed me when I said I haven't been riding
3. I do not like being a spectator, or watching other people ride my horses, even if those "other" people are Karen & David O'Connor. By the way, thanks guys! :)
4. But most importantly I learned that I really REALLY love what I do. Not just the competing but the whole day to day process.
We all go through lows and say to each other "why in the world do we do this sport?!" and I think there was probably a lot of people asking that question after the tragic losses of Mandar and Dekorum this past weekend, but I don't think any of us could quit even if we wanted to.
Personally, I can't nail it down to one specific reason, I suppose it is a bit of it all. You can go with the obvious highs- winning, a great cross country round, a 20's dressage test; but there is a lot more than that, the little things of day to day training, when you have a breakthrough lesson or a great jump school. It's the people we get to know and the friendships that are formed, and most importantly it's the bond we create with our horses.
It's refreshing and motivating to come to this realization and in some ways this forced hiatus may have been beneficial mentally, or I am desperately looking for a cup half full attitude :).
This year will without a doubt be a rebuilding year after having to retire both of my Advanced horses, but I think I have stopped feeling sorry for myself and can really be excited about the classy and talented young horses I have in the pipeline.
Poplar went well for OCET this weekend and I will be competing at the Florida Horse Park in April with Reba, Patrick, Czechy, Tinker, and Maria Brazil's Pas de Panique. The 4 year olds Ginger and Roma will also come along for their first competition exposure.
Until next time,
Lauren
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Starting 2011 with a bang! In more ways than one....
We started 2011 strong with the horses coming out great and top placings in the first few events. That's the good bang, the bad bang is that I got thrown from a young horse and broke my arm and wrist. I had surgery last Thursday and they got everything plated and screwed back together so me and my bionic arm will be back in no time! In the mean time Karen and David are riding my horses(not bad jockeys ;)) and Karen is going to compete my new ride Veronica, owned by Sharn Wordley and previously competed by Scott Keach, in the Intermediate at Red Hills and CIC** at Poplar. David will compete Pacific, owned by The Ramsays, and Landmark's Monte Carlo, owned by Jackie Mars, at Poplar and I will run only Take Two just to get back in the swing of things. I will be back and running by The Fork in April.
I want to congratulate April Simmonds on her purchase of Impressively Done and their 2nd place finish at their first event together this weekend, and Mary Bruenig on her purchase of DipNSnuff!
I am starting a syndicate for Snooze's only full brother Vermiculus so please check my website www.laurenkieffer.com for more information and a view of the proposal.
I want to congratulate April Simmonds on her purchase of Impressively Done and their 2nd place finish at their first event together this weekend, and Mary Bruenig on her purchase of DipNSnuff!
I am starting a syndicate for Snooze's only full brother Vermiculus so please check my website www.laurenkieffer.com for more information and a view of the proposal.
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