20??

Merry Christmas 2011 Update

2011-12-16T07:02:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2011

Greeting Friends & Family,

Two thousand and eleven has been a very interesting year to say the least! I started the year thinking about my show horses and gearing up for all the excitement of showing LaGrange; the six year old jumper that I had been so successful on, and Ganowe; the older Grand Prix horse, campaigning throughout the year. Little did I know at the start of the year that our direction would change and go to what I suspected to be ‘off course’, however, now I am entirely grateful for this summer’s experiences and the new friends I have met along the way.

All seemed to be going well after getting the acceptance letters to Devon, and after popping in a few horse shows. At Garden State (NJ) I thought we had LaGrange jumping really nice, feeling as if he would probably be right on his game for Devon in the 6 Year Old Young Jumper Division…. two weeks prior to Devon, LaGrange was in his paddock walking crooked and very sore. Swelling developed over his entire right side and it was evident that the goof ball had slipped and hurt himself in the field. Luckily, no major damage was done but it did sideline him from four horse shows and by that point was not fit to jump around the 1.25m courses. Out to Funnel Lake Farm he went to enjoy the summer off.

Three days after LaGrange had his spill in comes Ganowe with a huge cut on his pastern, just missing all the joints/tendons/blood vessels ect… an extreme, extreme close call. With the vet stitching him for all most two hours the hopes of showing him were now two months out in waiting for him to heal. Both horses were at their peak of fitness, and had been training like champs! So, as the horses were sidelined so was the rider… what was I going to do with no horses, no horse shows, no direction or plans for the rest of the summer? Certainly not sit at home!

I was able to continue out riding at the point to point racing meets through the spring with the River Hills Gang which always is a bit of fun, and I was also asked to ride for the Maryland Hunt Cup as an out rider. The Maryland Hunt Cup is probably the hardest US Timber Course, and although I’ve been out riding for many years, out riding for the Hunt Cup was a thrilling experience to watch and be apart of first hand. After the races I talked to some friends and pulled in a few off the track thoroughbreds that needed to careers and started to work on them. It was a good distraction but not nearly the adrenaline rush I was use to getting when I was showing.

In June I invited myself, through Penny Woolley, to start helping around her and her husband’s barn; Double Trouble Stable, at the Fair Hill Training Center in Fair Hill, Maryland. I thought that if I get all these horses of the track, why not learn more about that life and what the horses go through and do. So started a great learning experience and I am forever thankful to Penny and Tim for allowing me into the fold of there racing community. I remember realizing two things the very first day: 1. I’ve never worked for anyone in my whole life… yikes! And 2. I had no idea the amount of things I get away with when I take ex races horses home and ‘expect’ them to go do whatever it is I tell them.

Horses at the track are led around with a chain shank over the nose, whoa-back and coming-in end up a main part of your vocabulary as it does for the horses, horses are tied up to the wall to be groomed, they walk forever around the shed row (what I learned about walking around the shed row: 1. you learn to talk to yourself 2. don’t start humming a song unless you know another song or else you will have one song in your head all week 3. when you think your done walking you still have 15 more minutes left), my idea of a bath is not Tim’s idea of a bath, I’m not fast enough at tacking up, time is everything, 15 minutes can never be gained, backward and forward are very important. Needless to go on there were so many little things that create the big picture. I suppose if I had grown up with it like I did in the horse show world I would have been okay, but taking what I do naturally and letting that go to follow someone else’s rule was a bit of a challenge, however, I loved it!

My first day on the track was riding the ‘pony’… a 17 hand paint pony name Striker who was as wide as he was tall and could gallop along with any of the horses in training if needed. The familiarity on the pony was a nice way to get to know the track. I would have to admit, although I shouldn’t, that I am not 100% on all the different mile markers around the track. For everyone else out there it is second nature almost like reading a jumper course at the in-gate, for me it’s a different story, and on a few occasion I managed to not go far enough or hear, ‘Are we training that one for steeple chasing because you just went over a mile and half’ … oops!

I was lucky enough that Penny and Tim also allowed me into the barn to get the full know-how of everything that goes on. From stall mucking, grooming, tacking up, hot walking, turning out, scrubbing buckets, blanketing, grazing, you name it I did it, although I may not have done it in the approved manner the first time I did attempt to figure it out! Finally, I got the opportunity to riding a few horses that were having trouble in training and needed to fall back from there regular routines and just go out cross country, or ride around the paddocks or the shed row.

The first one I ever rode was a 2 year old filly who we called Domestic, her real name ended up being ‘Getmeoutofhere’. She was having trouble in training because she would get nervous and tie-up. So my job was to ride around, jog, canter, and keep things low key and happy for her and let her get more fit so that she could go back into full training. Domestic would also be the first horse to run off with me for a mile and half but I still think its okay because she did go on a win her first ever race, so, I was very proud!

By the end of summer I had ridden almost all the horses in the barn which I deemed the, Woolley Ponies. Some I got along with better than others, and others I was put on because no one else really wanted to ride them. The ones that I didn’t really want to ride taught me the most about racehorses, and even more importantly taught me a lot about myself. I think the biggest thing I learned while riding horses at the track was relaxing, and I learned this while jogging. Jogging horses on the main track I would have to say is the worst possible job. The first lap around the track is usually ‘okay’ but the second time you start to feel like the horse you are riding is a totally different creature and at any minute you are going to be unloaded. What I learned out of jogging is that you can get away with a lot if you just pretend everything will be okay despite the bucking, head tossing, and the feeling that the horse will spin out from under you.

It is in a horse’s instinct to go with other horses. Pretty simple natural behavior, but it is not in horse’s instinct, despite their breeding, to be race horses and win. It takes a special horse and training to actually teach a horse to be a winner and leave the pack. A lot of what I learned this year had to do with just that. Along that theory I was for a time, riding a Woolley Pony called Emmitt (Imatigresstoo), her claim to fame would eventually be going to the race track and then actually winning a race!

When I first started on her she had never raced, she barely stayed sound to jog on the Tepeta track, she could careless if a horse passed her, wouldn’t change her leads, on regular occasions would leap up into my unsuspecting face, she would bite, and try to kick you. Emmitt was just about the size of a horse, had flopped ears, her shoulders were non existent so your saddle had a tendency to move around, and if I jumped off of her at her full gallop I’d probably run faster! Despite all these things, Emmitt would go on to be one of my greatest teachers.

I wont say it to be fact but I’m pretty sure since I didn’t know much about training racehorses or riding around the track at the time, the fact that Tim sent me out on Emmitt every day meant that he had sort of given up or lost hope for her. All I was usually told to do was jog to the 5/8ths and gallop one turn and past the gap, and make it home alive. Since the instructions were fairly simple I started to do my own thing along the lines of trying to understand the horse. Was she sore or incorrigible, was she confused or did her elevator not reach the top floor, what was with Miss Emmitt? I also started to manipulate pieces of my world of training horses into her world and before too long we were getting more and more fit, she started to actually look like a racehorse and on occasion galloped with purpose.

Emmitt’s first race was a near disaster; she trailed so far behind the field that she looked like she was going to pull herself up, but then, out of no where, the little filly picked up her pace and didn’t finish dead last. The next few races she got better, and better. She started to carry herself on the track in training and acted as if she might really want to go be a racehorse. The thing about Emmitt was that you could never tell her anything. You really couldn’t ask her anything either, you had to think it, and pray she thought it too!

Eventually, Emmitt won a race, which evidently was the day after she managed to fling me off. It was right after we had galloped and were heading home. Three solid bucks out of no where and I was sent flying to the other side of the horse path, landed on my feet and watched Emmitt gallop back into the barn. I rode Emmitt two times after that and then she was sold and I never saw her again. I did keep tabs on her and found out she was beat a distance in her last race and is now happily retired to a nice farm with a little girl that loves her.
In my time at Woolley’s we had 57 starts, 10 winners, 5 seconds, and 10 thirds. Not that I know anything about all that, I just know it was really neat to watch horses that had never been to the training track, never been to the gate, and then go on to the races and perform. I learned that there is so much that goes into getting horses through training, trying to get them fit without getting sore or unhappy, that the reality is, it is amazing that horses even make it to the race track, never mind them winning.

In completing my summer I learned how to break a horse from the gate for the first time (as in both of us… for the first time. I was told, “It’s just like you jumping a big jump or a puissance wall, that’s what it will feel like.” For anyone else who has never broken from the gate… THAT’S NOT AT ALL WHAT IT FEELS LIKE… FYI!), take them to the track for the first time, and breeze for the first time. I got to opportunity to go to the races and go to be apart of getting horses ready and walk them in the paddock area, I was also able to break in a couple yearlings (more importantly watch the professionals do it), I met tons of new people that are exceptionally colorful, full of life, and ready to lend a hand. It’s very important to stay grounded, and always learning. That being said, I am particularly indebted to Woolley’s and all of the Fair Hill community for putting up with me.

Outside of the morning galloping I continued working and whipping-in for the River Hills Foxhounds. Earlier this spring we had a puppy that I helped to ‘create’ – haha, and we called him Lonesome… he ended up being the only puppy born this spring. I showed him at the Kimberton Hound Show in August and he was the Champion Puppy! Very proud of the little man. I manage to hunt each Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and still feel like I am able to learn something as I am out there. My horn blowing has got a bit better which I am happier about. Instead to sounding duck like, I was able to pick up 60 hounds at a joint meet and carry them to the line they hit a miss on. Pretty cool feeling is all I can say. I also started two new horses whipping-in this year.

After galloping, and River Hills I go home and ride horses, clean stalls, feed, etc… They say when your doing what you love it doesn’t feel like work. I will have to agree 100%. There is no way you can wake up at 5:00a.m. go to bed at 11:00p.m. without loving what you do and not feeling burnt out.

My mom, sisters, and grandparents came down from New Hampshire this June and stayed for two weeks. I really enjoyed my time with them and wished they could have stayed longer. I really appreciated there support and helping me around the farm in getting ready for the Clinic that we held here at the farm with Mommom and Jimmy. It was really neat watching Mommom and Jimmy in action. Both are such a wealth of knowledge. If only someday I can be like the two of them with horses. Again – back to realizing one must always keep motivated to learn.

One of my peak achievements this year was when we finally brought Ganowe back into action. I will have to put a ‘shout out’ to a young girl who helped me get him back into shape. Elena Olivieri came out rain or shine and help to get Ganowe fit by riding him 6 days a week and taking him for walks. By the time she was done we took him to the Brandywine Valley Horse Show in July at Devon and competed in a 1.40m Mini Prix. It was our first horse show back after riding in the Columbia Benefit Grand Prix in September 2010. I had only been riding young horses at home, and galloping race horses since the two horses had been laid up, so for me jumping back into the ring at a 1.40m course was thrilling. I ride each day at the track knowing where I want to be in the show ring. I live for jumping horses. This year because I was so hungry for it, was the first year I started to really pull together as a rider and with Ganowe and we started to come together as a real team.

Its not easy explaining it, but it took all of two years to get to the point where I can say I truly trust that horse, and I’m pretty sure he feels the same about me. We went on to place in several 1.40m Mini Prix’s, we were bumped out of first two times by fractions of a second, we did our very first Jumper Derby on an outside course with water, and banks of a big open field at Nona Garson’s Horse Show in New Jersey. We did two Grand Prix’s, one in the end of August and the end of September.

The first Grand Prix in NJ was the biggest I had ever done. Really difficult course and I am still thrilled that we made a good technical round. In August we won in a tied jump off in a puissance class at Berks Equine Council, and my little mare Judge Beautiful was second. We also went on to win the Mini Prix at that show for the second time in a row. Despite my feeling of a slow spring and no horse showing, we did make up for it and take the season out with a bang. Once all the big shows moved to qualifiers indoors and then on down south we decided to let Ganowe go out the fields and go be a horse again. Keeping him fresh and happy is key as he is one goofy character!

Needless to say I was and still am very busy with day to day activities involving horses. I helped more or less be a body in helping to get, The Mask Ball off the ground from a few ideas from a picture to fun evening with a lot of close friends, and raising money for the hunt. I also started on a racing board in helping to promote local racing and getting some new ideas into the community. Although I don’t know a thing about it, I am happy to once again sit back and learn about the steeplechase/point to point ‘world’.

I did take a small vacation this fall. I left on a Friday night around 9:00pm after hunting, and left for New Hampshire with a friend of mine, PJ, who I met at the Training Center. We drove through the night to my parents house, arriving at 5:00a.m. We stayed up the whole day and enjoyed all there was to see in the fall foliage and brilliance of New Hampshire in the fall and drove home to PA then next evening, proceeding back to our daily Monday routines! You only live once right?

So, that’s what I’ve been up to this year; living and loving life, working hard, enjoying the moment, and keeping my eye on the future. I really cherished everyone’s love and support which has carried me through the bumps that invariably come along the road of life.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Keep the faith!

Cheers - Priscilla

March 6th - LaGrange 1.20-30m Jumpers - NJ Horse Park

2011-03-12T04:48:00.000-08:00

Today was our maiden voyage in the 1.30m... SUPER GRANGE was in action!!!

I was very excited with the feeling I got from LaGrange today. He definitely put his 'best hoof forward'. The NJ Horse Park had some great new jumps! I love the variety that Mr. Allen offers to us for these shows. 'A'+ job for the Woodedge Team!

We did a total of three classes. As I mentioned from the last show I felt LaGrange starting to get bored by the last class.. we changed this for him by finishing with a 1.30m course. He was pretty sharp. He noticed the change and actually smoothed out between the jumps, and actually felt like he was ready to jump and perform. It was a nice feeling. We finished Champion with two 1st and a 2nd.

Since he doesn't put a lot of effort into his jumping, he tends to get a little bored jumping the same things. I know once he gets more comfortable at the 1.30m I'll have the hurdle to get past again...

and the beat goes on!

February - LaGrange 1.20 & 1.25m Jumpers - Dream Park: Glouster County, NJ

2011-03-12T04:31:00.000-08:00

We took LaGrange to the wonderful and new NJ Horse Park's facility in Glouster County.

They have a really great indoor show, with nice colorful jumps, great lighting, good footing, and plenty of schooling room to get a young horse like LaGrange ready. I have been riding LaGrange a lot more as he has been getting more and more fit after his time off over the fall. He is starting to feel much more mature and able to focus but I have noticed that by the 3rd class he is bored with the jumps and starts to get a little goofy inbetween fences.

We wrapped up with two first and a third.

THANK YOU!!!

2011-01-25T12:19:00.000-08:00

I have had a pretty exciting day today. Usually I write about my show days or the days leading up to it. However - today was an unexpected surprise.

I don't know where you are in the world right now but to paint a picture of the day I had lined up was to get dressed in my many layers, given the 'balmy' temperatures of 25 degrees out side, go out into the icey, snowy tundra of my Pennsylvania farm and proceed to turn horses/ponies out to their paddocks, muck stalls, feed, and ride. Given that there was no fox hunting today, this would look to be a welcome 'day off'.

On top off the excitement of mucking out 26 stalls, I was to meet with a CWD (saddle company) rep in hopes to get a professional sponsorship. The meeting or interview went great! I'm very excited and I hope to continue on with 'THE FITTING PROCESS' by the end of March. VERY EXCITING!

So, on about my daily routines after my interview, being all excited, came another surprise which came in the form of a text, telling me that there was an article in the Chronicle Connection. I know that my ways may seem strange to some, but it was so relieving to have an article written that just seemed to 'Get It'!

http://www.greenfieldseq.com/TheTeam/CHRONOARTICLE_PG_2011.html

I really feel strongly about connecting to my horses, understanding them, and letting them be. Most of the horses I get are usually sour or sore whether it be from racing, eventing, show jumping or hunters. It happens all the time, I know, but it doesn't mean a horse is done. It doesn't mean you need a new one, it means its time to get back to the animals needs. Because that's just it.... they are animals. The need our love, and direction, they need freedom, and understand control. They are amazing creatures.

I hope that by the end of my career I can help to influence this style of horsemanship throughout of equestrian world.

And thank you to the Chronicle Connection and Molly Sorge for such a great read.

Cheers - Priscilla

Jan 9th 2011 - NJ Horse Park

2011-01-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

It was a little bit chilly at the New Jersey Horse Park on Sunday but we made the best of it!

We took LaGrange for the 1.25m and we picked up Judge Beautiful who Lauren Mower is riding to potentially qualify in the Children's Jumper Division M&S/NAL/WIHS.

LaGrange was his goofy self, with a little head toss and a couple hops around. Once the jumps were up high enough for him to care a little bit he smoothed out. He certainly gives a great feeling over a jump!

We ended up 1st, 1st and 4th = Champion

Lauren and JB did a great job. They have only been together 6 days and they placed with two 3rds and a 4th in the M&S Classic.

Both Lauren and I had a great start into 2011!

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-22T17:15:00.000-08:00

Greeting’s Friends & Family,

We are nearing the end of 2010 and what a year it has been! I’ve managed to pack it full of many exciting moments, and many, many valuable lesson’s learned (or I hope to have learned!). All of you know my life is FULL of horses. Eat, sleep, and breath horses. Horses are not just apart of my life, but a way of life. This year I started a ‘Blog’ (aka an online journal) to share my experiences with my friends and family about all of my horse shows and record every fox hunt; all 55 of them so far this year, for the fox hunt that I work for. In some spare time I manage my farm’s web site, as well as the hunts. Along with my horse showing, and fox hunting I was able to share several weeks this summer here in Pennsylvania with my family who moved to New Hampshire and was able to have them back again for a week during Thanksgiving. I also managed to drive three times to New Hampshire and back home again, all in one piece! Along the way this year I sold and trained a bunch of horses. A few of them left with a bunch of tears but like always I’ve managed to grow from these experiences too.

I’d like to share of few of the experiences throughout this year that have meant a lot to me. In the world of showing horses I moved at the start of this year from being very successful in the amateur division, to dropping my amateur status and turning professional. A lot of my goals are years in the making, and I believe its time to start now by laying the foundations of success. A top Grand Prix trainer and rider who I've known for two years now, told me 'Welcome to the real world' when he realized I dropped my Amateur Status with the United States Equestrian Federation, and according to Jimmy my trainer, I have a 'long row to hoe' and for me this new ‘professional’ role gives me a whole new feeling of excitement!

My quest to compete in Grand Prix Ring actually started in June 2007. At the time I knew very little about riding show jumpers and I didn’t care, I had the heart, the 'guts', and most of all the unstopping desire to reach my goals. With great help and wonderful horses, the quest so far has been going well, even though it has taken about three years to get into the Grand Prix Ring!

At the beginning of this year (2010) I was told by my coach that he felt like we were starting all over again, referring to the change from Amateur to Professional. What I did was jump from a little goldfish bowl into the ocean! I realize now that what I have learned over the last few years is that there is no value that you can place on experience. You can buy the best horse, and you might have great talent, but experience, experience is what will make you truly great. 2010 marked my start back to the 'drawing board' to soak up more experience. I used to want everything all at once, but I know now that’s not the way to do it. So bring on the experience!!! I'll take a full helping please.

I suppose another thing I learned is that I have to trust the feelings I get from my horses, and no matter what rails you have, no matter what turns you make, no matter WHAT, you have to trust yourself! But there is a price to pay with this... (aka arrogance), you better darn toot'n be ready to stand behind your choices’ in the ring (as in life). When your the one in the drivers seat and you’re the one making the rules once the buzzer goes off, then you better take a little lesson in arrogance (a sense: a manifest feeling of personal superiority in rank, power, dignity, or estimation).

What does arrogance have to do with my riding? Here is something that has been drilled into my head for the last three years, 'Sit up and ride the horse. Ride right down to the bottom and own the place!‘ I think I’m starting to finally get it! I guess the way I see it, is that you need the kind of ’arrogance’ that keeps you going forward, that makes you tune out all the can not’s, and keeps you plugging away at what truly matters. This year really helped me relate my showing and riding experiences into every day life. Its amazing how connected everything is and its amazing how when you trust yourself, and you trust your horse, you can come down to any jump as arrogant as you want!

Another valuable lesson learned was never hold onto excuses! I learned this lesson while showing at the Devon Horse Show (Remember Devon… 'Where Champions Meet' ?) All in all, I was very happy. I had, however been thinking too much a long the lines of 'excuses'. What exactly... well using the excuse that it was LaGrange’s third show ever, or using the excuse that all LaGrange had ever done until 3 weeks before the show was fox hunt and go to the races to outride.

I used these excuses to tell myself that our 6th and 7th place ribbons where ‘okay’. But that’s just what they were, excuses. I could have won just as easily as we did not. I learned to wrap up all those silly excuses, in a small figurative little bag and thrown them out the window. LaGrange is a 5 year old, thoroughbred, gelding, and 2010 marks my first year showing him. When he isn't busy eating or playing in the field with his friends, and you look at him with his crooked blaze and his floppy ears, you can't help but look into his eyes and see an old soul. He is such a kind hearted horse.

I also had a really great time at the Berks County Equine Council where I was entered in a Puissance. A brick wall jump that they raise up, and up until no one can jump it. I entered late, so I was at the top of the order of go.. JB, my horse and I made it to the 4th and final round at 5'4", by puissance record standings isn't huge but for my 3rd go at the puissance I was happy at the height to get experience. 'JB' was all game and seriously had it in her to keep jumping a big wall. My lack of experience and not knowing where to be at the base got me in trouble in the final round having the fence down... but we were one of three to actually complete the two jumps and not to crash into them! Great effort for the girlie considering the jump was bigger than she was!

At the same show, Ganowe was entered in the Berks County Mini Prix and we were 3rd to go in the order out of 15... We ended up one of two horses that made a clear effort in the first go and went on to win the mini prix with the fastest round. It was such an honor to ride Ganowe, and then to have them put the ribbon around him made me feel so happy for him. He so deserved the ribbon, and I feel like he knew that's where he belonged. Ganowe is such a cool horse, and he loves to compete. It was nice to give him a good ride and I felt we were able to be a successful team together. After we were all done and the horses were wrapped and on the truck ready to go home, they had a look in their eye that they were proud of themselves too. That's a good feeling.

So my very big day had come in Clarksville, Maryland at the Howard County Grand Prix. It marked my very first Grand Prix ride, and a pretty neat experience to compete with 21 riders who's Grand Prix/Olympic experience was above my own (since this was my very first Grand Prix. Ha-Ha.). The best part of the whole time there was the sound of the buzzer after they said, "Number 13, Ganowe 2, with owner/rider Priscilla Godsoe from Nottingham, Pennsylvania. When not showing she whips-in to the River Hills Foxhounds 4 days a week, and this will be her 3 start in the Grand Prix ring" ... guess they didn't get my info straight but oh, well.

When you have 40 seconds to get to the first fence in a jumper class you tend to get a certain amount of confidence or control that you feel when you are in the ring, right before you your course; I think its a rather euphoric moment. Instead of going into the whole course and how it rode and felt, I'll just sum it up that we had a really good go, we met all the distances and combinations, and all the tricky stuff. I have to say the whole experience left me feeling extremely confident. I really felt after that class that I was actually getting somewhere! I am slowly reaching my goals!

Along with showing I spend much of my free time foxhunting, or playing with the 9 foxhound puppies that we had this year. Foxhunting through the years has been a great outlet for my energy and riding. There is nothing better than being outside with a good horse and a pack of fox hounds. I’ve learned a lot of things this year that have spilled over from my showing, into fox hunting. A lot of it has to do with just trusting yourself, and the instincts you have. I’d like to share an excerpt from the hunt ’Blog’ from one memorable days of hunting this year:

Day 46 of the Hunting Season - November 22nd, 2010. Twas a hunt of rather epic proportions and as our MFH Jim Paxson would add, "The hunting god's were with us". I believe the weather had a big role in our day leaving the scent to lay fast and strong, and thus giving the hounds 'wings' as if the were flying across the fields and through the woods.

I rode a horse called Willie II (or as Fred calls him Willie Also), and I would say that through all of the hunting season to this point he has managed to be one of our fittest hunt horses at RHF. My reason for stating this, is that I hit the bottom of Willie II after our first - and only run of the day. I cannot recount any time when this has happened to me in all of my hunting seasons.

We started out by casting in towards the Old House and around the Palisades. Fred viewed the fox from the Stone Pile woods headed out across towards the Pipeline... (I do think it is safe to say this was Fred the Fox...but I could be wrong - it has happened once or twice), I do know this much, I got to the Fishing Creek Road, and didn't stop galloping until I got to the crossing where you can get up towards Gibson's and Ankrums little streams. I had to make a call, and as a whip you run this risk, be wrong and suffer the consequences - which are monumental, or be right and hope like heck all the hounds are there or accounted for before the Master gets there!

Hounds were coming off the meet side, heading straight down towards the little stream, and right straight back up the other side toward the cornfield at Doug's. I listened for a second to see if they were going to run high along the river, or was the fox going to head back towards the Bone Woods??? All I knew was that we had 21 1/2 couple of hounds running and I heard them and them I heard them leaving my direction the other way. Its hard to express the country we were hunting unless you've seen it or hunted it, but basically its a winding ravine and if the hounds get to one side of it you cannot hear them, and you can lose them, very fast!

So, I was given two options.. a: continue down the Fishing Creek Road in hopes the hounds didn't head out across Gibson's towards the park, or b: go up the path and just stay with the hounds and hope to god that we didn't go where ever we didn't plan on hunting that day (Deer hunting season is going to start next week - we were hoping to not go to the park, and not go across the Fishing Creek Rd... it is now safe to say, we did accomplish to not do one of those 'Do Nots' which was, we didn't go to the park... crossing the road - yes we did that!) To add to the decision process, I was the only one with the hounds, so, no one else was going to be catching up very fast either way.

I galloped up towards Doug’s and I saw the hounds across the cornfield and heading towards Sinclair's, it wasn't until I got to the next cornfield behind Doug’s that I saw the hounds had gone parallel of the Fern Glen Rd and dropped down in the woods toward the Murder House. I knew what this meant... and I was pretty much panicked. Actually I was totally panicked. I was the only one with the hounds and I had managed to let the hound drop to the road and I couldn't get there fast enough to do anything. Its really hard to make the call on the radio and say, 'The hounds have crossed the road and are heading towards ... '

Oh... yes, for those who were out, this part, which is only now funny - In my little panic state I had managed to confuse my road names saying we were headed towards Scalpy Hollow Rd (total and complete opposite direction - Note to anyone every wanting follow in the joys of whipping-in, Whips are not allowed to be wrong.. not so much as once, ha ha). So, Scalpy Hollow was actually Harmony Ridge, either way, which ever road, I knew that as fast as I was going on my horse to catch up to the hounds, it was just that, I was only catching up, and not actually getting in a position to do anything. Not a good feeling.

The hounds had run from Gibson's, to the Murder House, up the Pine Tree Side of the Power Lines and thankfully took a bend towards the Loop and Montana Ridge. At this point I was on Harmony Ridge, I was not going to let a single four legged creature cross that road and head towards Benton Hollow and beyond. MFH Jimmy, Fred, Gary, and Al were along the Fishing Creek trying to listen through the echoes and try to figure out where the hounds might go next.

I dropped in off of the Harmony Ridge Rd towards Herr's Point, I couldn't hear a thing... nodda. MFH Jimmy was, to say in a way as to not over exaggerate, ready to sit down, put his head in his hands, and quite possibly need a glass of Jack Daniels in order to start to feel better because for a good 15+ minutes we had managed to completely lose all 21 1/2 hounds. With the Thanksgiving and Children's Hunt coming up, it was going to be rather embarrassing to have to announce that we were going to have to cancel, why.. because we lost all the River Hills Foxhounds. MFH Jimmy was starting to mumble on the radio, Gary, Fred and I started to realize we had better see or hear a hound quick or we might as well pitch tents because we were going to be pulling an all nighter finding hounds along the Fishing Creek. Also as a side note: I was suppose to leave that afternoon for New Hampshire, and I was also running thoughts through my head - how do I call my family and say I'm not coming because I lost all the hounds?

Fred thought he heard or saw hounds near the stone pile, and how he go up to the stone pile was beyond me, I was sitting on the Herr's Point Side listening when I saw Fred go cantering out across the field and found the lead hounds full speed ahead going into the Bone Woods, practically back at the meet. What joy. You know if you find lead hounds, the middle and back hounds will eventually meet up at that point as well.

If you could visualize the terrain and know that where I was and where Fred was, was a pretty big span of area. However, if you happened to be a bird you would have been fine, but in my case had to come down from the ridge I was on, cross the Fishing Creek, and go back up the other side. Putting two and two together I was making an assumption that the fox was going to head back towards the covert we originally pushed him out of, so I swung wide and came up by Adam's side and headed around the old house and back in towards Sam's and the Bone Woods (a part of my swinging wide was fear of running into MFH Jimmy and not having anything to be able to tell him that would have been comforting or assuring)

MFH Jimmy, Gary, and Al were at the Dog Box, and were able to get the hounds up to the horn. I was at the end of the Bone Woods and from my view it looked like a lot of hounds were coming to him. I rode around and to all of our amazement, astonishment, and disbelief, every single hound was there. The hounds were tickled with themselves, they had ran so fast and so strong, and they knew they had worked together as a pack. Personally, I found two things completely amazing a: Audrey was with us and b: Keno and Kiki had kept up! I don't really know how that's possible... but they did and that's all that matters. I guess it really proves that the Pen Marydels have a lot of heart.

Sometimes people will say Pen Marydels aren't fast, now I have never been one to say this, but it has been said. But, let me tell you this Mr. Nay Sayer, when your riding a fit thoroughbred, your eyes are watering at a full gallop and you still cant keep up, then you my friend are riding to the wrong pack of Pen Marydel Foxhounds, because if your going to head out with us - hold on to your hat and get read to ride!

If your not bored by now reading about all of this, then I encourage you to try and get on the computer and follow everything on my two ‘blogs’ or by following on my web sites, www.greenfieldseq.com and www.rhfpa.com. I’ll leave everyone in 2010 with this quote,

‘Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them. Disagree with them. Glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world.. Are the ones who do.’

I hope that somehow in all of this, and in my journey that I too can help inspire others while trying to fulfill my own dreams and goals. I also what to take this time to thank all of you, who have stood by me, who encourage me, who help me clean my tack before horse shows, who send e-mails to wish me luck, who bring coffee to the hunts when its super cold, and those who have loved me - Thank you.

Merry Christmas and I wish you all the very best 2011!

Woodedge - Dream Park - December 12th,2010

2010-12-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

Nice and easy day at the Dream Park horse show grounds in Glouster County, NJ.

Despite the threat of rain, we stayed dry and it was rather warm. I took La Grange, my little 5 year old, fox hunter/show pony in the 1.15m. We were 2nd in the first class and 3rd in the second class.

I was thrilled with the little man. For just fox hunting and hanging out at Funnel Lake, he went in the ring and jumped the jumps well. Still room for flat work improvements, but all that takes is time. Slow and steady.

Cheers for now - P

Duncraven (With The Fab 5's)

2010-10-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

Sunday October 3rd, 2010

We took the three FABULOUS 5 years olds - LaGrange, Tinka's Lady, Irish Cheer (Braddock)to the Duncraven horse show in New Jersey on Sunday.

We had a really good day and I was able to feel really confident about the things that I have been doing with the horses on the off showing times. I really feel like they are growing, and learning and feeling, most importantly, more confident with themselves. Its such a good feeling as a trainer to feel the horses really trust you and then when they do things showing they trust themselves.

I took Tinka and Braddock in the 2'9" class to let them get around the course and see the jumps, and everything that young horses feel the need to look at.
Braddock was 1st (double clean)
Tink was 2nd (time fault - aka rider error haha)

Since the two went so well we decided to move them up to 3'6" at the height they usually school at home..

I can't remember which horses won what... but here is how we ended:

LaGrange Champion
Tinka's Lady Tied Res Champion
Braddock Tied Res Champion

I'm so excited to have these two guys and girl to work with :-)

More to come

$40,000 Howard County Grand Prix - September 25th, 2010

2010-09-27T05:54:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

I had a really exciting weekend in Clarksville, Maryland at the Howard County Grand Prix.

We arrived at the show grounds at 11:38am on Friday to check in before 1:00pm and get Ganowe settled in. After getting everything unpacked I got my number; #13, which was also my order of go for Saturday.

I took Ganowe for a stroll around the grounds Friday night around 7:00pm, it was in the 90's all day so we thought it would be best to just wait until it cooled off.

We had an early start Saturday with a work around the schooling area at 6:00am, followed by a trail ride through the woods around Marama Farm. We didn't have to be ready until 2:00 for the course walk, and then the parade of riders in the ring.

Pretty neat experience to go in with 21 riders who's Grand Prix experience was above my own, since this was my very first Grand Prix. HaHa.

The best part of the whole time there was the sound of the buzzer after they said, "Number 13, Ganowe 2, with owner/rider Priscilla Godsoe from Nottingham, Pennsylvania. When not showing she whips-in to the the River Hills Foxhounds 4 days a week, and this will be her 3 start in the Grand Prix ring" ... guess they didn't get my info straight but oh, well, the best part was knowing I had 40 seconds to get to the first fence, and I'm not sure how to describe it but there is a certain amount of confidence or control you feel when you are in the ring, and start your course. I think its a rather euphoric moment.

Instead of going into the whole course and how it rode and felt I'll just sum it up that we had a really good go, and we met all the distances and combinations, and all the tricky stuff. I have to say the whole experience has left me feeling extremely confident, and I'm so excited to go back at it again. And also, I am really excited to ride my young horses everyday, knowing that they too will be in the Grand Prix ring someday, and that's just such an exciting thing to be apart of in bringing them along.

That's it for now... Ganowe looks good, looks sound and looks happy, so he is no worse for the wear! Good ol' Man :-)

xo-P

Bareback Puissance at Plantation Fields September 19th

2010-09-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

What fun, fun, fun...

Bareback Puissance at Plantation Fields

I took, JB, she was really good.

I dont think I trust any of my other horses besides her to go down and jump the wall.

We jumped around 5' and then went back at 5'3" but had it down. I had one more wait but she saw a shot she wanted to jump from and we got a bit off kilter.

Oh well!

Everyone stayed on top, and stayed safe!

Thanks to Katie Walker and Plantaion Fields for letting us be a part of the fun :-)

Quentin Fall Show - Sept 4th, 2010

2010-09-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

GREAT DAY!

I was up at 5am to go fox hunting, and then after hunting, we left at 2:00pm to ride in the $10,000 1.40m Prix and the Quentin Fall show.

The course, as I walked it, seemed to be set to the forward distance, and the turns to the jumps left no room for error. I had to ride second, however, to my advantage I was able to watch Kevin Babbington navigate the course in the first round. After watching Kevin, I felt really confident in the plan I had made for my ride, so in I went!

The first fence was a very plain, airy vertical, and not the smallest fence on the course. From there you bent to the left to another vertical (easiest fence on the course... and I had it down) and then to a large square oxer sitting on the turn at the in gate. After the oxer was an in and out, vertical to oxer along the rail at the stands to a bit of an off stride vertical still along the rail, and then fence six was an oxer with a tight turn to the left to wrap around two fences to get to seven, which was a liver pool oxer.

Now in my opinion, fence(s) 8 a,b were apart of the toughest elements or the course, an oxer to an oxer in and out, set pretty long. I couldn't have been more pleased when Ganowe jumped in, and I could feel him know exactly were he was and he felt so confident jumping out! From here we bent around fence three to get to a swishy jump for fence nine. From nine was a bit of a long gallop to an airy, plain oxer along the rail and then a left bend to another oxer on the turn but set a little different than I thought when I got there. Either way it rode okay, just a little bit surprised.

The last elements were 12 a,b... I had to ride into the first part which was an oxer, and then a bit of a quick hold to come out clean over the vertical.

Phew... okay so you just rode the course with me. I had a blast! We didnt make it to the jump off, but I know we are on the path to success. I felt really good about everything.

Helen Goddard was the fastest, double clear in the jump off, and then Kevin Babbington was the fastest four faulter, and Michael Walton was also a four fault round to finish up the jump off in third...

Ganowe and I finished 9th, we were able to pretty much pay for the day, and go home with something more valuable... EXPERIENCE! And the drive to keep going at it.

off to Ludwigs tomorrow!

Cheers - P

Duncraven August 29th 2010

2010-08-29T17:12:00.000-07:00

Candle has been burning at both ends for the last two weeks... so don't mind me if I'm not as insightful as I should be.

I did have a good day at the show. I took Ganowe in the Meter 1.25 class and he felt great. We were able to be the fastest clear to win.

Also went in the 10,000 Mini Prix at Meter 1.30... course and fences were great I really enjoyed some of the different things the course asked from us as riders.

Our out come in the Mini Prix was not what I had planned, haha, but we finished 10th and I felt really good about what I learned and accomplished.

I 'facebook stalked' someone we all know at the horse shows, Brian Livell, and on his FB he has a quote:

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."

I don't know why, but for some reason it hit a cord with me and I'm going to use that to sum up the day.

Good Night all, see you Thursday and Saturday at Quentin :-)

Cheers - P

The Super 5's @ London Grove Horse Show - August 14th, 2010

2010-08-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

FUN DAY!

I don't have anything super exciting to report and don't have any pictures (sorry).

Horses that I took to show (MY SUPER 5 YEAR OLDS - haha):
TINKA'S LADY
IRISH CHEER(aka BRADDOCK)
LA GRANGE

All three horses were great. They are definitely handling the new world of horse showing as a 'cool new thing'. The most exciting part is that as each class progressed they got better and better.

Tinkadid great in the L2's, and seemed very comfortable with the height while learning about turns and new jumps. I think after the first 2 classes she would have been perfectly ready to do a class in the L3's

Braddockwill need to move up into the L2's. He was very comfortable in the L1's placing very well in all three classes. Time for a step up buddy!

La Grangewas the coolest, as in he was very 'chill' and he jumped GREAT! Probably one of his best shows.

Okay, I'm tired and ready for bed! Night all :-)

-P

Sunday August 8th 2010 Berks County Mini Prix & Puissance

2010-08-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! Yes I know its Tuesday, not Sunday but I wanted to wait until the pictures were up so I could share them...

I had such a great time and my horses; Judge Beautiful, and Ganowe 2 were just awesome!

'JB' was entered in the Puissance and since I entered late I was at the top of the order of go.. We made it to the 4th and final round at 5'4", by puissance record standings isn't huge but for my 3rd go at the puissance I was happy at the height to get experience. 'JB' was all game and seriously had it in her to keep jumping a big wall.

My lack of experience and not knowing where to be at the base got me in trouble in the final round having the fence down... but we were one of three to actually complete the two jumps and not to crash into them! Which was impressive to me and showed me how much heart my little girl really has... ps.. 'JB' is maybe, just maybe 16.1 hh and I'm at least 5'9" so, I was out there looking like I was on a pony! Great effort for the girlie considering the jump was bigger than she was!

Ganowe was entered in the $5000 Mini Prix and we were 3rd to go in the order out of 15... We ended up one of two horses that made a clear effort in the first go and went on to win the mini prix. It was such an honor to ride him, and then to have them put the ribbon around him made me feel so happy for him. He so deserved the ribbon, and I feel like he knew that's where he belonged. Ganowe is such a cool horse, and he loves to compete. It was nice to give him a good ride and I felt we were able to be a successful team together.

After we were all done and the horses were wrapped and on the truck ready to go home, they had a look in their eye that they were proud of themselves too. That's a good feeling.

Next show will be Vince Dugans, I'm taking Braddock and Tinka! Wish us luck :-)

-P

Having fun.. and taking care of yourself!

2010-07-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well everyone, we had a great day yesterday at the Fair Hill Jumper Show.

I took Baggage, Tinka's Lady, Irish Cheer (aka Braddock), and La Grange.

It was a pretty hot day, but the horses did great.

I took Tinka and Braddock both in the 3' jumper class, and I was thrilled with the effort they put in. Both horses had never really shown, they had definitely never seen tents all around the ring, and lots and lots of people and horses all over. Both horses jumped around great depite the fact they were unsure of everything, and I got by on them trusting me! Thank goodness for that :-) Tinka ended up 4th, and Braddock was 5th!

Next class was the 3'3, and I took La Grange in that. It was his 6th horse show. I think he woke up on the wrong side of the stall! For some reason he was just not in good humor.. silly horse. It took two classes to mellow him out. We ended up 3rd in one class and 2nd in the Jumper Classic.

After the three 5 year olds showed (Tinka, Braddock, La Grange) I pulled out my Ace, 'Super Bags'. I really enjoyed riding him again. He jumped ONE time since showing him in May at Blue Rock so his first round in the ring was a bit playful! By our second round he was all game, and put forth some killer turns to produce a winner, winner, winner! In the Classic round we place 2nd.

Now, I have been beating myself up for this one.. A here are my reasons: I did not eat all day, I did drink a lot but by my very last class I was over heated, and was not 100%. I was getting dizzy and did not do my best. What made me upset was that I did not take care of myself. Its really important to do this. If you can't eat while riding you should prepare to eat that morning or eat a big meal the night before. I didnt do either one. So what cost me the class was not taking care of myself and there is no excuse! If you are expecting your horses to perform, you better be able to perform yourself! So a note worthy experience.

All in all a great day!

Middlesex

2010-06-28T05:32:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 27th, I took Ganowe 2 to the Middlesex Horse Show held at the New Jersey Horse Park. We shipped in for the $10,000 1.30m Prix. There were 20 entries, and I was on the order of go at 5th.

I walked the course with my mom, and explained the different things that I saw in the course. It was fun to share that with her. I gave her Ganowe to work with since she has been down from New Hampshire and she has completely fallen in love with him. So for her it was more exciting to watch the horse go since she had been riding him every day.

I on the other hand had not ridden the horse since our 1.40m course at Blue Rock which was in May...but I guess that it really doesn't matters when riding Ganowe. For me, the 1.30m course was my forth go at a bigger level course. I felt pretty confident in the ride I gave Ganowe. He felt perfectly confident, and very game to tackle whatever I pointed him at.

I've had Ganowe for a year this month, and not that I'm looking for a 'pat on the back' but we've come a long, long way and I think that our course at Middlesex was our first course that we really did together. It felt good. We didn't complete a fault free course, but we tackled the hardest elements with ease.

I wish I had the ability to show every weekend at this level, and continue getting to know Ganowe, but its easier said than done. I have to bring along the young guys and keep Ganowe fit enough to slip him in every once in a while. We will get there! I have full confidence :-)

Swan Lake

2010-06-28T05:18:00.000-07:00

Wednesday June 23rd I took La Grange to Swan Lake in Littlestown , PA for the 5 Year Old Qualifier. Looking back at the day I was happy with La Grange, and I was pretty happy with the ride I gave him.

Swan Lake was our fifth horse show ever. I trust that La Grange can actually JUMP, so what we are working out is experience. He doesn't back off the jumps but he does see the score board and he does see the tents and the people moving around when we are on course, can sometimes distract him from jumping brilliantly and causing a rail.

I think what I realize is that I expect A LOT from this little guy. I think we can get so wrapped up into what we want, and forget to see where we've come from, and be grateful for all our experiences and improvements.

We finished 3rd in the qualifier. Our next stop is Princeton on Thursday and the Dream Park on Friday. Both shows holding the qualifier classes.

Pictures From Upperville

2010-06-18T18:40:00.001-07:00

Schooling Show with Tinka's Lady and Irish Cheer

2010-06-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

Upperville

2010-06-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty long day yesterday... got up at 2:30am fed the horses and then we left for Upperville, VA to go in the 5 Year Old Young Jumper Qualifier Class with La Grange. It was a brand new experience for La Grange seeing as it was on the grass in a big field. The jumps were great, the footing wasnt too bad, and all in all I had a great time. La Grange felt really confident jumping the new jumps and handled everything well leaving us in 5th Place. I didnt have anyone to video tape or do pictures so I'm sorry, you'll just have to trust me that it was a good day.

Next stop is a small schooling show this Sunday, and then PJA :-)

La Grange and Priscilla Godsoe at the Devon Horse Show, June 2nd, 2010

2010-06-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

Devon 2010

2010-06-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

2010-06-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

No Excuses

2010-06-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

So today was DEVON..Day One: and, also, more importantly show three for La Grange.

All in all, I was very happy. Extremely happy. However, the boss was not. Why? Well I guess I have been thinking too much a long the lines of 'excuses'. What exactly... well using the excuse that it was our third show ever, or using the excuse that all he has ever done until 3 weeks ago was fox hunt and go to the races to outride. So, now those excuses where wrapped up in a small figurative little bag and thrown out the window, somewhere on Sugartown Road as we left to go home this morning.

One would think that those 'excuses' sound pretty legitimate.. they are, if you were on any other horse besides La Grange. He is a goofy little man, when he isn't busy eating or playing in the field with his friends, and you look at him and his crooked blaze and his floppy ears, you can't help but look into his eyes and see an old soul. He is such a kind hearted horse. He walked into the ring at Devon, couldn't care at all, acted like this was his job.

From my place in the jockeys seat he felt like he jumped fantastic. I could feel him take a little step back at the size of the jumps. Usually we go in a class that is one level smaller to get a feel for the jumps and the lines, but not at Devon. Remember Devon 'Where Champions Meet' ? So, cold turkey jump the jumps, go clean and jump off... ummm not so easy.

With the slight hesitance that I was feeling I started to ride with my reins a little loose, loosing the 'frame' that we had been carrying so well, and I tried to give him a confident and free ride around the course... that lead to a couple rails down and a green ribbon.

So again, what was so bad about all that you say? Well, I wasn't on just any horse, I was on La Grange, and that's what I need to keep in mind. I decided to remember this as well, "Veni, vidi, vici" and know that we, La Grange and I, can do anything. We are on the path to greater things, and that's far better than being on no path at all!

We ride tomorrow at Devon at 9am - wish us the best!

Cheers for now - Priscilla

La Grange & Priscilla Godsoe at Blue Rock - 5 Yr Old YJC JUMP OFF

2010-05-27T04:30:00.000-07:00

La Grange & Priscilla Godsoe at Blue Rock - 5 Yr Old YJC

2010-05-27T04:29:00.000-07:00

Blue Rock Horse Show

2010-05-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

We had another great day.

I got over more jumps and I got to go around a Level 7 course on my wonderful Ganowe.

La Grange went in the Level 1 and 3 classes to get around the course and get experience before the 5 Year Old YJC Class. With each class he went better and better. In the 5 Yr Old Class we were one of four to jump off. We had a great time and were double clear to get the blue. He was wonderful.

Baggie also went in the Level 3. He hadn't shown in month or so, so I just gave him a school around the course. I couldn't help myself but go for it in the jump off. Baggie felt great as well and he went on to win the class out of 40 horses. I also took Baggie in the Level 5. Again he felt wonderful, however I jumped into 7a, an oxer, to a tight 7b vertical.. we had 'b' down. We were the fastest 4 fault round and ended up 8th. I was happy.

Super Ganova (Ganowe) went into the Level 7 Speed ad he was great. I have to admit that I did not ride the course the way I had envisioned in my head. I had a really great trip planned but we had the first fence down, haha, and I bumped up the pace..I think I ended up over riding and found myself disappointed in ME... but not Ganowe. He was great.
on
Alright... I'm beat. I'm heading off to bed. Next show - DEVON!

2010-05-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

Little Fish - Big Pond

2010-05-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday morning as I sit on my couch and write about Friday... not that I was avoiding writing but I did feel a bit tired after riding all day Friday, battling the elements of the Thunderstorm on the way home, and then waking up early Saturday to ride for six and half hours at the Radnor Races. This morning just feels like a better place to start.

We got to the St. Christopher's show grounds in Quentin, PA around 7:30a.m. which gave the horses plenty of time to relax on the truck, and gave me time to make my entries. I had brought Ganowe for the Meter 1.20 and the Welcome Stake, Judge Beautiful for the Meter 1.20, and the first timer, La Grange for the 5 Year Old Jumpers. As it turned out, like it always seems to, all of my classes on all three horses seemed to be lined up back to back and I was pretty much jumping off of one and going in with another.

I ended up taking La Grange in a Meter.95 to let him see the jumps, and the ring, and the big sign at the end of the ring that flashed his name across it. He had a double clean trip, not fast enough to win, but a great effort for his first ever time in the horse show ring. La Grange is a young Thoroughbred that we started fox hunting two seasons ago. After a few times out I fell in love with him, and I knew he was very special.

There are not many 3 year olds that you can hunt the hounds off of, whip off of, take down a busy highway, walk down train tracks to stop hounds, out ride at Winterthur, Willowdale, Radnor, Plumsted, Fair Hill, etc... As impressive as his fox hunting and out riding abilities have been he had started to show some talent for jumping, however, he was only 3 years old. He had to sit on the 'back burner' so to speak and just grow up and be a horse.

As a 5 year old, La Grange made a lot of development changes in his body, he started to fill out, he started to put on muscle and fill out a lot more in his neck, and just over all started to really look good, so, I decided now should be the time he gets a little more in gear for another shift in his career change, show jumping! No sooner, and when I say that I mean about one week, did I talk to Jimmy about showing La Grange, did we have his USEF number, and papers lined up to start the Young Jumper Division, and our entries were in for our first show at St.Christopher's.

We cantered straight into the ring in our first class, the buzzer went off and we put down our first clean trip, went into the jump off and put in another clean trip. In the 5 Year Old Class we did have a rail at the 10b combination, and did not make it to the jump off but I was able to ask him to turn a little more, wait a little more, and basically just ride him around the course as if he knew exactly what he was doing. All in all I was ecstatic on his performance. Later that day I entered him for Devon in the 5 Year Old Class. He will be showing after Junior Weekend on Tuesday and Wednesday, in the Gold Ring at 9 a.m. Nothing like jumping right in there with the best of them!

Now onto the Meter 1.20 class with Ganowe and JB, both were fantastic. Both jumped wonderful. I hadn't jumped JB since February? and I hadn't shown her since October... I'm definitely not recommending this strategy for everyone, but that's just how it worked out for her. I ride her every single day besides Saturdays and Sundays, so don't worry, she was/is fit! I decided in the last two weeks to show her in my own hackamore/sidepull contraption which really seemed to benefit her jumping performance. I was absolutely please with her mindset, her jumping, and the overall way that she felt in the speed class. She is really a confident animal. Ganowe also felt great, he jumped beautiful, and I was able to ask for some trickier turns, and just see what he had in him before I took him in the Welcome Stake later that afternoon.

In the Welcome Stake I went 14th out of 20 horses, in the schooling ring Ganowe felt great, but when I went in the ring, landed off my first fence I thought something was a little funny, I headed for fence two, my mind more focused on how the horse took each step then sitting up and riding the tall vertical in front of me, and we had it down. Rider error!!! Haha (only today is it really a 'haha').
In the landing off fence two he still felt soft and I went on to fence three knowing full well Jimmy was right in front of me and would have told me to pull up if he saw something really wrong. I do have to add this in, Jimmy is an amazing rider, but he is not just an amazing rider, he knows how to watch a horse. He knows what is going on, he knows how they feel. I do trust everything that he sees in the horse, even though sometimes I wish he would get on and feel what I feel in the horse.
After the landing at fence three I knew everything was fine and I went on and rode my course. Horse felt great after that. From fence one to three I was mentally not there. I ended up disappointed in my ride because of that. I had a very specific plan for the course I had wanted to ride, but it didn't happen and I had to improvise.

Improvising happens A LOT in the jumper ring, but what it taught me was to never loose your game and never loose your focus. Its not that I wanted to ignore what the horse felt like, but my reaction time needed to be a lot quicker and faster. After that class I was happy to look back and think about how far I have come with Ganowe. I haven't had him a year yet and He's been a phenomenal horse, and a great team player. I appreciate him, Jeremiah, JB, Alice, and Baggie for all they have done for me in the last three years. I hope what I've learned from them, from Jimmy, and from Mom-mom with help be bring La Grange along to the champion I know he will be.

Next show, Blue Rock!

Ride With Arrogance

2010-04-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

Arrogance/sense: a manifest feeling of personal superiority in rank, power, dignity, or estimation

Okay so what does Arrogance have to do with my ride today at the Four Seasons Horse Show?? Not too much, right? We shall see... besides, it was the 'phrase of the day' that seems to now be ringing in my ear.

Marty, a trainer and rider I've known for two years now, told me 'Welcome to the real world' when he realized I dropped my Amateur Status with USEF. That being said and with a hearty chuckle, might have been enough to let you sink into your boots and think, what have I gotten myself into! However, I didn't say it then, according to Jimmy I have a 'long row to hoe', but I really had a lot of fun today. I felt energized and excited. How great is it to ride with Marty, and Kevin Babbington, Hugo Hesca, Helen Goddard, Devin (I forget his last name)... I don't know about you but from where I was sitting along the rail today and in the ring, I was having a great time! So today for me, was a great day in the 'real world'.

I suppose I forgot to add my results in all this, I'm sure your dying to know! I took Baggie in the Meter 1.20 and he was 3rd, Ganowe went in the Meter 1.30 and was 6th. I also took both horses in the $7,500 Jumper Class at Meter 1.30. Baggie was 8th and Ganowe 5th!! Baggie felt great today, I think that was one of the wonderful feelings to me. He was double clear in the 1.20 but I didn't go for time in the jump off...geez! what was I thinking? Ha ha, it was okay in my mind. I know whats in there! Baggie did act a little worried in the Classic, the first fence was a lime green and white square oxer, about the biggest fence on the course and he seemed a bit taken back with the width once we were in the air. I almost feel like I could hear him thinking, 'whoa who put this here!' But he had a lot of inner confidence and that just makes me feel great. It wasn't too long ago that when he got nervous he would drop back to a trot and trot over such fences blasting me almost out of the tack! I'm really hoping we are over that now. So anyway we ended up having a couple rails down which wasn't ideal. It was what it was, and like I said before we now have 14 more fences of 'experience' under our belt. Ganowe aka Super Nova, was great too. I just have to learn his stride and 'coil' him up more from behind. I kept getting into the combinations with a lot of horse and I really had no idea until it was too late. His stride opens up almost without you knowing because the whole time your out there you just feel like your floating. Super Nova is a really special guy to me and I'm really, truly grateful that I get to ride him and be a part of his life. I have A LOT to learn from him.

So what did 'I' learn today...

I suppose I learned that I have to trust the feelings I get from the horses, and no matter what rails you have, no matter what turns you make, no matter WHAT, you have to trust yourself! But there is a price to pay with this trust... (aka Arrogance), you better darn toot'n be ready to stand behind them when you walk out of the ring. Your the one on the horse. Your the one in the drivers seat. You make the rules once the buzzer goes off. And like I heard today (after I was done riding), 'Sit up and ride the horse. Ride right down to the bottom and own the place'. So there it is, my thoughts about trusting yourself. You trust yourself, you trust your horse and you can come down to any jump as arrogant as you want! Sounds easy huh? Ha-ha... That's all for now, off to bed!

'It feels like starting over...'-JCP

2010-04-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this should be an interesting endeavored...

I started my quest for riding in Grand Prix in June 2007. At the time I knew very little and I didnt care, I had the heart, the 'guts', and most of all the unstopping desire to reach my goal. I had managed to be very successful in my first few year and started to acquire some nice horses. All with some good sized issues, whether it be lameness, lack of confidence, and mainly lack of experience!
Yesterday I went to a horse show in NJ, and on my travels there, I started to just meditate on all of my horses, and seeing what each horse has given me, feeling the confidence they have instilled in me, and knowing that I am but a small piece to this giant puzzle I'm looking to complete in my life.
I was a bit taken back yesterday when my coach, also my best friend, told me that he felt like we were starting all over again and sort of acted as if he wasnt excited to be taking those fist steps again. I suppose I have learned a lot in the last few years, and I believe the most important thing is that there is no value you can place on experience. You can buy the best horse, and you might have great talent, but experience, experience is what will make you truly great. So here I head back to the 'drawing board' to soak up more experience. I used to want everything all at once, but I know now thats not the way to do it. So bring on the experience!!! I'll take a full helping please.
I tried explaining to my friend yesterday that life is a lot like walking into the city with all of its skyscrapers, and buildings. We choose to walk to into certain buildings much like we choose a goal. You walk in and the lobby is generally pleasant area. The receptionist greats you and tells you where you need to go... at that moment you have the choice, stairs or elevator? Most times I take the elevator to save time, and face it I'm not really interested in climbing all the stairs! But a lot like life, the elevator doesnt always work, but the stairs.. the stairs are never broken! They are always there to lead the way up and after a certain amount of climbing, and a little sweat forming on your brow you start to think, geez this better be worth it when I get to the top. You see a sign on your way and you open a door to a certain floor and you welcome the break. You walk around, get a drink, maybe do some chatting but all the wile eating up valuable time from you reaching your goal. At each level you stop at the option to turn back is always there, and the option to just stay where you are, is always there. So its your choice to keep going. And I think thats what I've realized lately, its my choice to keep climbing the stairs and no one elses. As my analogy did not work for my friend and I received a very strange look as he reached over to turn up the music, I sat back and just smiled. I felt great. I felt excited and I felt ready to make mistakes and grow. I can only be my best today, and thats what we went for.

At the show I decided to take Baggie and Alice in the Level 4, 5, 6/7nd Ganowe in the L 5 and 6/7. all went pretty well. Alice was 2nd and Baggie 3rd in the L4 (4') and then Baggie was 1st in his first L5 (4'3) class, Ganowe was 2nd, and Alice 3rd, and then in the L6/7 (4'6-4'9), Baggie was 1st again, Ganowe 4th, and Alice 5th... It was a wonderful day back in the tack over some bigger jumps. With each step that each horse made into the ring, I smiled, I smiled know that each step they took with me was a step to my goals, and I appreciated all the effort they were giving me. I told my friend the night before, that win, loose, or draw I was ready to whatever came my way. And I think Iwas. Baggie had never jumped a big course before and hadn't shown since Harrisburg in October, and the same went for Ganowe, he hadnt shown since Washington International in October. And yes, the same went for me! I had to dust off the old boots and allow all of my 'mental training' to come into play. I do have to say, at least because I want to remember it since it was pretty funny at the time, I went first into the L 6/7 class and the added 3-6 inches did look, um bigger! With the first jumping being a nice sized oxer I could feel Baggie thinking, oh my goodness has this lady gone crazy? Not that he was coming back from the jumps but I could feel him using his body differently, and I could feel him thinking about the turns and the approach to the jumps and him knowing, wow these are bigger then last time... so, in my mind I thought, ok your jumping all of these, and I took him around the course. As I came out of the ring Jimmy laughed and asked if I was preparing for the Maryland Hunt Cup. By no means a compliment however I want it to be a mark in Mine and Baggies relationship. There is only room to get better, and in my mind no way but up. I have a destiny with the top floor, and each day I ride, each horse I ride, each night I go to bed thinking about my goals is one step closer to the top!

Hang on and enjoy the ride - Yeeeha!