Summer jumper derby

Summer was awesome! I will write more later when its not family time!!! A huge thanks to Alexis for being in charge of times, paperwork, etc. She also rode her horse Packer and ROCKED IT.

Callie was jealous

So she cut her head open. She looked really pathetic with the little trickle of blood down her big white star.
She's ok but will have a few days off cause I'm sure it hurts like the dickens.  I have always heard that the dickens hurts.
Callie is such a sweet girl.
I will be bringing two banged up girls to the jimmy clinic next week.

Things all seem to happen at once! Bring it world, bring it.
Mary Mack

Who's that hottie

(Photo's of Myra the best dog ever, Maggie, Piper, and the crew)






with a body? It's Beasty Bear. She is Air free.

All the air that traveled into her body through her puncture wound has left the building.

The hole itself is healing very well so far.

I am still holing my breath but I don't feel ready to scream every two minutes.

This is good, very good.

Callie went to the big V's yesterday. I totally missed Vanessa.

It was so nice to be back with her. What was especially awesome is how good Callie was. She will probably take two or three lessons to get back to where we were earlier this year BUT the good news is her submission is halfway there now. Her downward transitions are by no means good, but they are getting better, and I can do my homework on that one.

I often find that I take one exercise in a lesson with an instructor and I start to use it as a crutch.

Now with some horses this is ok....even good sometimes.

Beasty does not seek and destroy, nor does Summer. They are hottie's with a body.

Callie I realize is a bit like Fiesta. They exploit your innocent exercises and find a loop hole. They are both smart independent women. The would be single and living in Manhattan if they were humans. Callie would be the waify model that can eat whatever she wants and never gain an ounce of weight. Fiesta would be a bit round if she were a human as she wouldn't have anyone to monitor and limit her grain intake. Fiesta would be into fashions, and Callie would wear fashions. Neither would like yoga. They would prefer football, basketball, and any kind of running and jumping.

If they were forced to go to yoga (dressage) they would take water breaks frequently, and hold the pose until it starts to hurt and then go into child's pose for a little rest.

They are crafty and creative and find ways to get out of work. I fall for Callie all the time because I love her and I feel bad for her and her teenage gangles.

Fiesta is harder to feel bad for. In fact there is no time for any feeling. She is armed with an ARSENAL, AN ARSENAL of tools for evasive maneuvering. It takes all you have got to stay a step ahead of her.

Thankfully Fiesta is a big floaty mover that the judges drool over.

Callie seems to be back to her dreamy self on the regumate. I am hoping her dressage scores will start to reflect this. It is hard to let a horse stretch into the bridle when you worry that as their head goes out, their hind end will go up, up and awaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

Yesterday, Alison Bowyer rocked out on Knick XC at Serra Valley!!!!!!

Alison's muscle memory is kicking in her balance is up and her heels are staying down. She can trust her body and let her mind ride. It is really neat to watch this pair develop. Knick was a happy boy and he loves his stifle ice spa treatment afterwards!

Kari jammed out on Kaliente. This pair is for sure ready to climb the levels this season.

Rachel was her amazing self on her wonder pony. This is becoming one of my favorite pairs to watch and teach. So stinkin cute this chestnut mare and her wonder kid.

Court and Hunter were......perfect. they usually are. Courtney had the pleasure of riding in a hackamore. Her horse loved it. I am not so sure about Court. We will see how long I can persuade her to use it. Courts pretty tough. So is riding in a hackamore sometimes.

(All amazing photos are from Nicky Shipley. She's a hootie with a camera.)

My Darenth girls looked great.

Hannah, Ameriah and Pipestar. They are continuing onto phase two of my jumping exercise I have set up.

They rock.

So does Summer. No submission issues today, just a big sweet lap horse with insane movement. A big thanks to the hecklers I enlisted to get after me about my heels, hands and gaits. Thanks Kari and Alison!

Beasty hacked the water at Serra Valley!

She just walked...I was bareback. I peed my pants when she started doing this face

http://www.photostockplus.com/home.php?user_id=41021&tmpl=127&event=997603&action=viewphoto&photo_id=59219164&album_id=997685&pcount=44

But then she realized quickly we were not jumping. A caged tiger she is.

Beasty did jump right into the water and splash and play. One step down, three more obsessive steps to go.

It's pretty cool to ride your Intermediate horse, (who's super fit and had 9 days off) bareback while your students go XC. Beast and Henny should make babies. Run Henny Run.

How cool is this photo?

Of course I planed to do it. Emily is in the middle after earning her 27.

Mary Mack

Ahh a day off.

Today started with putting in the dogs in their recently fenced yard.

The following is a reenactment of the conversation Dave and I had prior to fence install.

"Oh this is going to be so nice!"

Then Dave replies "Oh I know. The dogs will be so much easier to take care of!"

"Yes. Scruffy will be so happy. She will get to run and play and then she will be so much better behaved in the house. Maybe she will stop sniffing the floor obsessively. Perhaps she will stop shredding the carpet. Peeing out of anger. Pacing, whining, barking, scratching, making me want to rip all my hair out and run from the house screaming!"-Me

Dave then says "Yep this is great."

It took Scruffy one day to find a way out. Then every time we plugged a hole, she would find another. Then when she ran out of holes to find, her desire to cause an accident on Howard Chapel drive increased with my desire for her to be run over in an accident on Howard chapel drive. What I mean is, she just started making her own holes. Hole after Hole. She can fit her rat like little body through about 1/4'' space. So the hole digging doesn't take her very long.

Thus Scruffy is on a 50 foot zip line inside an acre of brand new fenced in yard.

This does not deter her from breaking out.

She said to tell the world "no one can hold this bit(# down. Not even Alcatraz."

She says it with her actions.

Please note the zip line still attached to her collar in the photo. Also note the white pickets and board of wood used by myself to try to discourage the most determined dog in the whole freaking state of Maryland.

In other dog news, the new puppy Myra continues to be AWESOME. I love love love her.

She is almost 5 months old now. I think I might need to get a bigger baby gate.

Bobby, the third dog continues to be just about perfect except for the horrific odors that come from his body. Horrific.

Morven and stuff

Emily did a great job at Morven Park!

She was in 2nd after dressage with a score of 27.5. Em was in a big open competitive division with lots of professionals and definitely held her own. Emily and Jazz show jumped clean and rocked it XC. She went a few seconds fast, which is great since her next event they will be moving up.

Emily incurred 1.6 speed faults which moved her to 5th place with a score of 29.1!

Way to go Em, all that hard work paid off!!!!!!

Her mom, sister and Spencer (the bucket girl) were there to show their support. I am happy for Emily that she has a great support system and a great family.

Margret Rizzo of Mythic Landing events also put in a great show! I was lucky enough to get there just in time to see her show jump and they looked GREAT!

Margret has done an awesome job with that mare. The training and guidance that her coach Kelley Williams has provided sure does show what a good program she has. Solid.

It was so nice to go to an event and see the folks I know be so bright.

Speaking of bright, my students and Summer blew me away yesterday. Everyone was a rock star. Seriously, they all looked amazing as did their horses.

When I asked questions, they knew the answers.

A wonderful group they are.

And a wonderful and BRAVE horse Summer is.

Summer did have her first naughty baby moment. She briefly had a different opinion then I about who should be submissive . It didn't last long, she would never actually want the responsibility of being in charge . Summer is four and has never objected to anything we have asked of her. She tried her rearing legs in the excitement of XC and they didn't work very well.......I am very glad of this. That rear end could have some POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She is a big, lovely, girl. She moves so well and jumps so well it's easy to forget how young she is. She likes to stick her butt in your face in the stall for a tail scratch. She does not have any need for personal space. She is food motivated and sweet. She is a bit of a goober and a pure athlete at the same time.

Ah, gotta love the mares!

Beasty continues to do well. I bareback hacked her today. I will do that a few days this week and then after checking in with the vet, we will see what the next step is (I am hoping it will be light work).

There is still a good chance she will be ready for Plantation. I am in no hurry with her though. I want to do everything right and get that little star back to her super confident self.

I have a plan b and c.....and maybe a "d'.

Callie received a three day weekend and will be back at it tom. Callie likes her ears scratched and will put her head in your lap like a dog. And then bite you when you put a blanket on her. And then bat her eye lashes.

Myra continues to be the best dog EVER.

Maggie and I will be cuddling all day Tuesday and will not be taking any phone calls. Except from Mr. Macklin.

A BIG CONGRATULATION TO HANNAH SHIPLEY ON THE PURCHASE OF S.S. BUCKSHOT!!!!!!!!!!

ALSO A BIG CONGRATS TO GREY GOOSE'S NEW OWNERS!!!!!!!!