Taken from post on March 2nd, 2009
I can’t believe how fast my week in FL went! I arrived into Logan at nearly midnight last night. I was rather worried when we arrived into Boston’s airspace and the pilot said the runways were closed for deicing. We ALL clapped when we finally made it down to terra firma. It was a long drive home for my hubby because the weather was getting rather nasty. IN his great wisdom, he brought his new car instead of the truck… I was more than thankful for a snow day today since I didn’t get to bed until well after 1am.
I don’t know exactly where to start to explain my week. Quick overview: I didn’t drive cones Sunday because I was soaked to the skin, freezing cold and not having fun. Due to NO fault of DL, we got the big E on the marathon. Dressage went well and I had a couple of major blunders. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday saw some very good lessons and some top notch time just driving out on the trails. I had a great time in FL!
Now, onto the details. Last Sunday, my flight left Boston on schedule in the afternoon and I arrived in Tampa for drive to Steeplechase and the rental home of Merry and George Hoag. I was over to the Black Prong Annex about 7:30 am to have a cup of tea and schedule my lesson for 9am. DL went very well for me and both Larry and I were pleased with our warm-up and driving parts of my dressage test. After the lesson, I took DL on the trails for about a half hour. I was REALLY pleased because DL and I were back as a team together enjoying what we both love to do together.
I buzzed over to Ocala and did my food shopping for a couple of planned dinners before leaving for Sunshine State on Wednesday. Monday night, Larry, Kim (marvelous barn manger) and I had a quite dinner planning the next few days of minor chaos. Tuesday, I had another good lesson in the morning putting more of the test together and time out on the trails. I found out that Merry and George were not going to Sunshine State and Merry asked George IF he would navigate for me. Thankfully, George said he would. George was arriving on Thursday afternoon from CT. Merry helped me clean up DL with some neatening of hairy yak legs and the horrible mane thing. By the time we finished, DL looked much more presentable and there was a rather large pile of hair.
In the afternoon, Natasha Grigg and Kirsten arrived. Kirsten immediately started working on getting Cody, Rivage and Wiley ready to leave about noon Wednesday. Larry arranged to have DL taken over to the show in the HUGE semi that the Morgan pair people from MS had with my carriage in Larry’s trailer between the three horses. I felt so helpless not having my trailer and truck there to take DL over. My trailer is always packed with everything I need and I don’t have to worry IF everything I need is with me. I now know that showing off the grounds of Black Prong is stressful for me.
Tuesday night dinner went well and I bowed out early to try to get a good night’s sleep before the chaos of packing everything up on Wednesday. Things went according to plan and Kim rode over with me to the show grounds. After unloading everyone, it came to light that poor DL didn’t have any water buckets, no shampoo, and numerous other little things like brushes . I went to the nearby Tractor Supply and we were back in business. Both Kim and I returned to Black Prong to take care of animals.
Just before I was climbing into bed, I got a call from Larry. I guess the young woman that was driving in to groom was in a car accident. While she was OK, she could not come. Larry asked if I would help out. I am sure that YOU all know what I said. SO, I was up early to be at Horse Park for the joys of harness and horse cleaning for Larry’s afternoon go in FEI dressage.
Kirsten is a marvelous organizer. She had the exact schedule that we needed to get everything done. As I was cleaning brass on two harnesses, I made a series of realizations. I STILL hate to clean brass. Driving a pair is twice as much work. Having both a presentation and marathon vehicle to clean is a great deal more work. As we bathed TWO big horses (one grey and one bay), I realized that I am extremely fond of chestnut pony sized Cobs that have only one white stocking. Wiley (the bay) tried to lift my aged old body in the air while bathing. SO, I tried my age old ‘baby talk’ thing that I do. Soon, I had this soft eyed big bay horse relaxed and resting his marvelous pony like head on my head as I scratched his shoulder. The bathing thing went much faster…
Larry’s dressage test was a thing of wonder. Wiley and Rivage floated into the ring and never took a step wrong. Maybe someday, I kept thinking to myself about DL and I. About an hour after Larry’s amazing test, Larry and I took DL out to see the show grounds. DL was a little stiff in the bending department from being in the stall for over 24 hours. Normally, she spends her life at Black Prong out in a paddock. I pleased that DL quickly relaxed and got her rhythmic trot back.
I must admit I was exhausted by the end of the day. Larry asked me IF I wanted to walk the hazards. I think I must have given him a rather pathetic look. Getting old is not a pleasant thing to see… I dragged my tired butt back to the hotel and had a quick dinner before sleeping the sleep of the exhausted one. I only drove my dressage test in my mind twice before slumber overtook me.
Friday dawned another beautiful day in FL. I was up early because I had many things to get done before my dressage test at about 1:30. Larry and I took DL out about 8am to warm her up a tad. She was tiny bit heavy in my hand and Larry took the curb chain up a link. Much better and both Larry and I were very pleased. Larry had a FEI meeting at 1pm so we asked Sam Orem to stand in for Larry. At 12:45 Larry zoomed in on his scooter to help hitch and Sam came over. I let DL do her big walk as went over to the warm-up area outside of the actual warm-up ring. Sam did a marvelous job of getting me ready.
I must admit, I had a great deal of confidence as I trot over into the dressage ring until about 30 meters into the ring…. WHAT was my problem? There were two sawdust marks for X! I had a mental panic. WHICH one? Now really, there should be no panic on a stupid thing like this since I should have the eye to know better but.. I used the first one which of course, was the wrong one. NO matter, I drove the rest of the test using the one I started off with. IF you are going to wrong, BE wrong BIG time! Otherwise, I was very pleased with my test which is more than the judges’ thought.
The rest of the day is a rather blur. George and Merry arrived and we did a course drive in Natasha’s borrowed golf cart. At each hazard we debated various routes. While the hazards were more ‘open’ than many of the hazards at Black Prong, the gating of the hazards was more complicated with some interesting turn backs to get all the gates. George and I felt pretty good about our first course walk but knew that we needed another in the morning to get them down better. While we were sitting calculating course times, an announcement came over to check the new course times. Because of the expected heat, times were changed. George did a recalculation of my times on my laptop and the sheet was done for the morning. We were fourth to go at 9:12am.
George arrived early in the morning for our final hazard walk. We jumped in the golf cart that was supposed to be good 55 hours of driving. As we headed to the first hazard, the golf cart kept getting slower and slower. I know have a small fear in my gut that the stupid thing is going to DIE in the middle of the course. Natasha is going to KILL me. Course official are going to KILL me! SO, we decide to leave it at one of the middle places out of harm’s way. By now, stress is creeping up on me and my plans have flown out the window. DEEP breath Claudia.
George and I decide to walk down to the first hazard and then back to the fourth hazard and get the stupid golf cart back to our stabling area. I am FRAZZLED and the course hasn’t started yet. The golf cart limped back and George and I prepared.
DL was a saint on the marathon. Track was a 11kph which is much less than DL can do at a slow trot. I am sure she was highly confused about me keeping her so slow on marathon. George and I were constantly looking at our watches keeping her slower and slower. I think at about 2 km, DL gave up trying to rip my arms out thinking THIS is not a marathon. With some walking, we finished without under time faults. The walk section went fine. By the time we made it to the vet check, it was one dry pony. Natasha helped out with the 10 minute break but little water was needed to cool out and pony that wasn’t hot.
Section E was at 12kph. Once again, George and I had to work to keep her over minimum time. I tried some flexing things in the forest before we got to the first hazard because DL had got used to bearing down on me to keep so slow. Personally, I think this was the worse marathon that DL and I have done together. She was totally confused about the going slow thing and then trying to get it all together to fly through the hazards. I hadn’t walked the hazards enough with George to feel confident.
Hazard one was OK but we nearly flew by gate D. I had to drag her around and she flew out of the hazard to be slowed down again on track. Our hazard two (actually three) at the windmill, we took the short route for A and George promises me got all wheels over the orange line. I had a brain fart in a couple of hazards since I really hadn’t walked them the way I usually do. George and I had minor fight in one hazard when he told me to go left and I knew we walked the hazard on ALL right rein. My dear girl just kept on trucking knowing that I would make the right decision sooner or later.
Definitely our best hazard was the water hazard since DL was finally getting the idea that we went slow and then went fast in the hazards. We have never practiced this technique. Our vet check at the end of E was a easy. DL barely had a little sweat worked up.
As we walked over to barn, one of the officials zoomed over to tell us about the supposed error at the windmill. While I was disappointed, I was NEVER disappointed in my pony. I was disappointed in myself for not spending more time walking in the hazards so they flowed better. I was disappointed in myself for not doing a better job of rating my pony and having her better understand what I was asking of her. She gave me her heart and I didn’t live up to my end of the deal. I was delighted when Alice came over to visit after marathon. It was SO nice to meet another Welsh pony person.
I must admit going out to dinner with the Orems on Saturday night really brightened my life. It was an evening of good food and great friendship. Sam was very kind to drive me to restaurant. I was over the top exhausted both physically and mentally. I went to bed happy that I am so involved in a sport that is so supportive of all involved and more than willing to help each other out.
Sunday morning I got up early and headed over to the show grounds. Rain was in the air. I had decided to drive the cones for the experience. I definitely need more experience! As I pulled in, I ran over to cover the seat of my carriage with my tarp. AS I was doing this, the sky open up. FL rain is a deluge. One moment I was pulling the tarp over and then next moment I drenched to the skin nearly head to toe. As the deluged eased, Larry arrived with the offer to ride on his scooter to the cones course. I jumped aboard and nearly froze to death as we zoomed across the polo field. As we waited around, I got colder and colder. My fingers turned into bright red frozen things with my arthritis screaming. I asked myself “ARE you having fun?” No, was my answer.
I walked over to Larry and told him I had decided not to go. By this time, I was shaking with the damp clothes on. I walked back to the barn not feeling defeated but rather knowing I made the right decision. I helped Kirsten get the pairs ready for Larry and then jumped in the car to drive to Tampa airport. OH, goodness, I am back to beginnings of this long email.
Fun was had and much was learned. Once again, I know I have the most marvelous pony in Tangwyllt Dawna Lisa. She is a much better competitor than I.
Yours, Claudia Novakhttp://www.tangwyllt.com/