My 2013 Resolutions

Here they are, my 2013 New Year's Resolutions.  Get excited, people!!  First of all,  resolution means firm determination, resolving to do something, or a course of action determined or decided upon.  My determination has been half-hearted at best in 2012, and the year seemed to be a huge mess in general (I'm certain many will agree with me).  So, this year, I want to resolve to be resolved!!!  Fight for what I want, not be afraid to take chances and step outside of my comfort zone, and achieve.

Ready?  Go!

Lose 50 pounds-Oh, here it goes, the stupid weight loss goal.  Everyone has one.  I have calculated that to be about 1.5 lbs average per week.  That's pretty achievable, and I'm going to hold you all to keeping me motivated.  After all, I have a wedding to stand up for in August (love you Krista!).  But that's not the only reason I'm doing it.  Everything seemed to go down the drain after my broken arm, and it's time to, pardon my expression, get my shit together!!!

Learn to play the guitar-Don't worry, I'm not quitting my job to start a rock band or go on the road.  I have always wanted to learn to play the guitar or piano (thanks to my Sara Bareilles obsession, along with many others).  It is more likely that I can financially handle the purchase of a guitar versus piano, and plus, it's much more portable.  I'm excited to get started with lessons!

Ride Better, Jump, and Finish 2013 by completing a recognized Beginner Novice Horse Trial-In 2012, I watched all of you riding and having fun while volunteering for lots of horse trials (since I was side-lined).  Since my fall and broken arm, my riding has been very guarded and cautious, and most of us can relate after a traumatic fall.  I am certain that Smokey and I can improve our confidence together, and become a stronger team together.  It's time to stop putting those goals on the back burner, stop making excuses, and get out there and ride!!

Happy New Year's Everyone!!  I hope you are making resolutions and will keep me motivated to achieve mine!!  Cheers to a super fabulous 2013...and 2012?  Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!!

Excuses, Excuses...

Hey everyone!
As you might have noticed, I didn't do my 25 days of Justin Timberlake.  Two main reasons.  One, it's difficult to find the SNL skits online, and a lot of the ones I did want to include were nowhere to be found.  And two, I was completely preoccupied and too busy to blog!!  Amber and I were in California for the AAEP Convention in the beginning of December, and almost immediately upon my return, I was sick.  And that lasted for about 2 weeks...or more....I'm actually not sure I'm 100% over it just yet.  When I found the energy to do anything, I was trying to get my house decorated and put together before the Holidays.

Excuses, excuses...yes, I know.

I'm anxious to announce my goals for 2013, and I'll devote an entire blog post to those goals.  Yes, lots has to do with the Grey Pony, and many are things that I have wanted to do for many many years.  I figured you guys out there will hold me accountable, and I'm counting on that!!

Until then, enjoy the rest of the year!!  Hope Santa was good to you!!

Considering how 2012 went, I figured the best investment for me was a new helmet!!    Best gift ever!!

Wrigley apparently was very good this year :)

25 Days of...

And I will get to the rest of that story in a minute.  First of all, has it really been since August since I have blogged last???  I think I was experiencing a super blogger BURNOUT!!    Well, here are the cliff notes version of what has happened since August:
-The whole chiropractor thing didn't work out.  Our schedules just didn't mesh.  So, on a whim, I called in a vet that does acupuncture, Dr. Chris Cahill.  He came out the same day I called him and did several areas on his back and hips.  Then, Michele came out and massaged him and he was hysterical!  Stretching and lovin' every minute of it!

-I got an iPhone!!  I love Instagram :)  That is important news.  That was in September, just so you know what month we are now in.
-Smokey has felt FABULOUS since all the acupuncture treatments and his massage.  No back problems whatsoever.  Do the happy dance!
-I decided to enter a show.  We did the Thoroughbred Horse Show Association Show at the KY Horse Park.  We did all 3 intro tests, including C (and that means a little bit of canter).  He didn't get the left lead right away, but did a flying change and all was good.  The experience was...enlightening.  The Paso Fino Nationals were going on at the Horse Park at the same time.  Needless to say, my horse was quite "distracted".  But, it was a beautiful day!!

-After the show, I was looking at the pictures that Krista was so gracious to take during the show and I found that my Dressage saddle was putting my leg in front of me!!  AHHHGGHH!!  Horrified.  Thus begins the search for a new saddle...to be continued.
-Mom and Dad came for a visit!!  Smokey was his normal self:  a complete ham.  He constantly kept us laughing all weekend with his antics.

-I have sat in 6-8 different Dressage saddles trying to find one that fits both me and Smokey.  It's amazing what happens when your lower leg is in the correct position.  We haven't had any major issues/arguments over the left lead with a saddle that fits us both properly.  Amazing that a little thing like that could have been easily fixed a long time ago.  Granted, we are a long way from being perfect, but this is a start!

Okay, now to my 25 Days of....wait for it.....Justin Timberlake!!!  I decided to share one of my favorite videos of JT doing his comedy thing on Saturday Night Live.  Mostly because I believe that everyone needs to experience the hilarity.  So, I'm starting a day early, but I can't wait.  So, here is the official 1st video:

http://mediatram.com/rutube/justin-timberlake-snl-give-it-on-up-2-homelessville-832608

And remember, Christmas isn't about Santa kicking a cup of soup in the croutons!!

My Taylor Swift Moment

So, most of you all know that Taylor Swift is notorious for writing songs about her breakups.  This is my blog version of a Taylor Swift song, so bare with me.  Usually I'm just blogging about Smokey and his shenanigans (since this is a blog about him), but I thought I would get a few things off my chest and out into the world. 

Since my divorce was final in 2011, I spent a fair amount of time getting myself back together.  Last winter, I decided it was time to get back on the proverbial horse and started to think about dating again.  Seeing that I work from home and my trips into the social scene in Lexington consisted of an all female populated barn and the grocery store (usually after the barn), I figured out that online dating sites might be a good idea to broaden my social life.  Thus starts the arduous task of filling out a profile and then search was on!

I went on a couple dates, talked to a couple guys, but nothing really peaked my interest.  Until recently.  I met this guy a few weeks ago and I thought we really hit it off.  He was smart, could hold a conversation, interesting to talk to, honest with his answers, funny, and laughed at my stupid jokes.  I was instantly intrigued and excited!!  We talked and texted all through the next few weeks, and I enjoyed getting to know him more and more.  YES, it seemed to me that my faith in the opposite sex may be able to be restored after all!!

Sidebar:  Dating is a ever fluid entity, constantly changing and adjusting to the parties involved.  I get that those of us on dating sites are all out to find the most compatible person for us, and that means we are sometimes talking to more than one person at a time.  No big deal, you never know when you might meet that person you are looking for.

The guy I met was talking to a couple different woman, and I was fully aware of this.  He was never deceptive about his status with me or the others involved.  The problem came into play when one of the women wanted to be in a relationship with him.  Meaning, no dating other people.  Now he had to make a decision, and it basically came down to her or me.  My competitive side wanted to say "bring it on, chick, I'll win this battle", but (thank goodness) my common sense said "woahwoahwoah! wait just a minute!".  I wasn't ready to be in a competition for a guy I barely knew, let alone be in a relationship with him!  How in the world did I end up in this type of situation!!  One day, I'm having a great time with him and then all of the sudden I'm being judged like a head of lettuce in the produce section of the grocery store!?!?!  My common sense pulled through for me and I told him that I was pulling myself from the dating options.  After all, what would have happened if he didn't pick me?  I would feel like crap about myself all over a guy I wasn't sure I even wanted to be with!  Stupid.

He responded that he would respect my decision and that I was a beautiful, intelligent, witty, funny person, blah blah blah.  Really?  Okay, number one, I didn't need you to tell me all of that because I already knew it.  And two, if you see all of that in me and still think that you need to "shop around", what exactly are you looking for in a woman?  You know what, Mr. Know It All?  You barely knew me.  Just think about how much more I could have been to you if you had stuck around?  You didn't even get to see half of the things I could be to you. 

There is a guy on this dating site that I am on that has chosen to rant about women only wanting to date jerks and how he wasn't getting any dates from this site because women only wanted to date broke, no good, free-loaders.  Well, what about guys who don't want to date witty, smart, beautiful women?  Maybe they need to be honest and write "I'm looking for woman who is stupid, ugly, boring, and uninteresting". 

I leave with you Taylor's most recent break up song.  Like.....ever.  Preach on, girlfriend!

When it rains, it pours

It seems that my big grey pony has run into a string of bad luck.  Before you start feeling bad for him, let me first say that most if it is self-inflicted in some way or another. 

First, his back is still hurting.  Michele came out to give him a massage, but that didn't seem to help one bit.  I lunged him the next day, and he seemed okay, but when I rode the following day he was not okay at all.  Probably gave me one of his biggest bucks ever (and I stayed on).  His trot work was so-so and his canter work was backwards:  taking the right lead to the left and visa versa.  The biggest thing I noticed was him grinding his teeth, which is usually an indicator that he is not comfortable, nervous, or in pain.  I finally decided that something was very wrong with him somewhere and that more action needed to be taken.  Now, the problem is that there are a few chiropractors around the area but some of them are impossible to get an appointment with.  My friend at the barn, Rachel, suggested someone that she uses out of Louisville, so I decided to try him out. 

While waiting to hear back from the therapist/chiropractor, Smokey decided to up the ante a bit.  I turned him out this past Wednesday and not 10 minutes later he is bleeding from a wound on his left shoulder!  He was playing with a horse in the field, and I guess he ran into a wire somewhere on the fence.  There was a lot of blood but once we rinsed it off to find the source of the injury, it really wasn't that big of a wound.  It was, however, a puncture wound and those are pretty difficult to deal with considering that part of the wire or whatever might still be in the wound.  So, to be on the safe side, I called Dr. Cook from Woodford Equine just to make sure everything was okay.  It turned out to be pretty deep but he gave me a regimen to follow for the next few days that included flushing with betadine/saline, hot toweling to increase circulation to the area, bute, and a couple days of stall rest.

Today, the puncture hole is healing up.

The wound is healing nicely, the most important thing is to make sure it doesn't get infected.  So far, so good.  However, the swelling is slowly moving down his leg. 

Can you tell which side is swollen?

He's pretty sore and walking gingerly right now.  Considering the fact that he was driving me crazy being in the stall all day and night, I decided that he could go out now.  It's probably good for him to walk around on it and move that leg.  He was pretty pathetic today, and I know he's in a lot of pain. 

It HURTSSSSSSS!!!

I do feel sorry for the Smokey, but honestly, it was his own fault!  We had a long talk this week about money....and how I am not made of money....and how money doesn't grow on trees....and how I had to put off the chiropractor appointment until this was healed....and how I wish he would just be a little more careful....and how I wasn't having any fun right now!! 

Anyways...that is the update from Smokey and me.  Once we get every part of him worked out, I will let you know.  Right now, I'm planning for our first horse trials to be in 2020.  Seriously. 

Smokey Being Naughty!!

HELLLO!!  I know what you are thinking-2 entries in 2 days?!?!  You have never been so lucky!!

As I mentioned previously, my Smokey has been extremely accident prone lately.  Ok, let's try irritating to other horses so much so that they decide to let him know how they feel about him and his antics.  Due to his soreness, I decided to pull him from the little schooling show I was so looking forward to today.  But, I decided to give him a bath regardless yesterday and took the following photos for proof.

Exhibit A:  On his face, who knows about this one?

Exhibit B:  Bite mark on right flank area

Exhibit C:  Another bite mark

Exhibit D:  Bite on left shoulder

Exhibit E and F (a little one):  Right hip

Exhibit G:  Right front leg

All of those things will heal within days, but it's his back that is still very sensitive.  It looks like he will be having a visit from his friend, Michele, for some massage work.  He's been on muscle relaxers all weekend and doesn't seem to be improving.  Then, it's back to work and back on track!

He is so pretty when he's clean....he GLOWS!!!  Haha!

Have a great week everyone.  The Olympics start Friday, so get super excited!!!

The good, the bad and the ugly!

Hi readers!
I know I have been silent for quite a while, but I'm back to blogging here now (more on that later).  Lots has happened so I have decided to divide it up into 3 sections:  the good, the bad and the ugly. 

The Good

• You may or may not know of the infamous Eventing Nation blog.  Us eventers swear by it for all of the most up to date information, gossip, and insanity in our world.  They have a blogger contest each year, and this year, I decided to enter.  I wrote a little silly entry and sent it on to EN, not expecting to hear anything back from them.  Little did I know that they would like it and I became one out of eight finalists!!  Our next assignment was to write on a given topic, and unfortunately I didn't make the final finalists.  But I was thrilled to just be a part of the finalists!!  Thank you to all my friends and family who voted for me, I really appreciate every one's help.  And especially thanks to my friend, Bryan, who helped to inspire the entry topic, and Erica, for helping with editing.  You guys rock!
• I entered a SHOW!!  My first show in 2012 and since the broken arm.  YAY!!  It's a little tiny schooling combined test this Sunday, and we are only doing the ground poles division.  Hey, you gotta start somewhere, right?  Well...hold that thought until The Bad. 
• I got a promotion!!  YAY again!!  Starting in August, I will be a Research Nutritionist for Buckeye.  Basically, I will get to do more science and work with the R & D Team.  But don't worry, I will still be doing sales as well and won't be moving to Ohio.  I'm excited about this new opportunity and being able to work with my good friend, Amber, more closely.

The Bad

• I know that several of you have been watching all the coverage on who will make our Olympic Equestrian Team.  I was especially intrigued this year because Buckeye sponsors Allison Springer, and she made the short list.  After an eventful trip to England, she competed at Barbury, the final test for the Olympic team hopefuls.  She did great, ended up 12th and 2nd highest American horse and rider combination.  Unfortunately, she was not chosen for the team, and will stay in England to serve as an alternate.  My heart broke for her because I know how hard she worked to get a chance to be on the team, and it seemed like the right time for her to be considered.  Regardless, I wish the team the best of luck.  The Olympics are only a week away and I really thing the Canadian team looks supreme...and the British team with William Fox Pit of course is sure to be at the top (plus he has home field advantage :)

William F-P:  It can't hurt to have legs that long!

Allison & Arthur at Rolex this year

• My horse.  He has a tendency to get himself in a lot of trouble.  Lately he has been coming in to the barn with several bite marks, and I am certain that they are instigated by him.  Today, he came in with several more of the usual and even some scrapes on his face caused by who knows what.  On top of that, he is very sore on his right side around the loin area.  The left side is fine, just that right side.  So....the aforementioned show plans may be on hold until Mr. I-need-to-wear-body-armor-24/7 decides to stop messing around in the pasture. 

The Ugly

• Poison Ivy!!!!  Yes, apparently I have it around my house.  I first noticed my itchy-ness a couple days after pulling weeds in my yard.  Apparently I was pulling poison ivy, and I'm lucky it was only on a few selected areas of my body.  I had another mild case last week that I think was related to my cat hiding in the weeds pretending to be a "wild jungle cat".  That was the final straw for me.  It was time to bring out the heavy artillery:  WEED SPRAY!! 

I think that about covers everything.  Now that my big national blogging dreams have been squashed, I will be sure to come back to reality and just keep doing my little blog here.  Until then, please send Smokey some good "pasture" vibes to keep him out of trouble!!  Either that or I'm starting a bubble wrap fund.  

The Slightest Glimmer of Hope

Hello world!!  Hopefully you are surviving this heat wave we are having here in Kentucky.  It was a steamy 103 degrees today, and it will just get hotter this weekend.  So...since you are sitting at home with nothing to do, I'm finally going to give you an update of my personal progress with Smokey.

Since I have been back to riding, I have felt a complete disconnect with the little grey pony, and everything seemed to be working against us.  First it was my lack of strength after my injury.  Then, he developed this HUGE bug bit/thing that we have not determined on his left stifle.  After that, he had a visit with his favorite massage therapist, Michele.  Even then, Smokey still felt completely wrong. 

Enter my barn friend, Erica.  Erica is a great person to bounce ideas off of, and has a ton of experience as she has spent quality time with eventer Corrine Ashton (competed her chestnut TB Dobbin through the 4* level).  I figured that a completely impartial person might have some insight to something I have been missing.  And, she did!  Erica felt that he was very stiff and lacked the strength to hold himself in a fram.  So, we refocused our training on working to strengthen Smokey's frame with the help of draw reins.  Draw reins are a tool that I like to use to encourage a horse into the desired frame.  Of course, in the wrong hands, they can cause a horse to over-flex and be behind the bit.  But, with Erica's assistance, we can acheive the desired frame by keeping him slightly in front of the vertical and moving forward. 

The first few rides with the draw reins were very positive, although all we did was walk and trot work.  We added some work on the lunge line to change things up at bit.  And then the bottom dropped out, and we had a disasterous ride.  Smokey refused to move on the bit, was tense and over-sensitive to my leg.  Heck, the draw reins weren't even helping as he was so offended by every aid I had on him, I stopped using them.  Disasterous.  Horrendous.  Thoughts of doubt were entering my mind-was I really ever going to be able to ride this horse?  Am I skilled enough to help him work through this?  Heck, am I too old to be doing this and should just sell him?

And then, all of the sudden, everything changed.  Our next ride was so wonderful, a glimmer of hope in the darkness.  Smokey worked wonderfully at the trot and we attempted to canter both leads.  Although his first left lead canter departure had some "unnecessary energy", he settled right in after I asked him to (and picked it up on the first try!...I say this because Lacy says that "the lead is not an issue anymore" but I still get excited when he does it correctly).  A couple days later, I left the draw reins in the barn and rode again and he was brilliant!!  No "excessively exuberant" lead departures, lovely trot work, and even attempted to stretch forward and downward during his canter work...although I don't completely trust him yet that he is going to work and not launch me off!  What a good boy!!  Finally!!! 

I feels so good to ride Smokey when he is working together with me.  He is so much fun to ride when we communicate, and I cannot wait to ride him again to see if we can keep this up!  But, don't let him fool you, he is still goofy. 

Smokey being naughty!!  Can you see what he's trying to do??

My good friend, Krista, has been helping us since the very first day I brought him to Bittersweet Acres.  She said something to me the other day, and I keep that in the front of my mind all the time.  She said "Smokey has such potential and you can see it when he is being really good for those 2 strides".  He is a really nice horse, a lovely mover, with a ton of potential.  But it means nothing if I choose to quit on him.  So, I choose to work through the hard times...even if it is for just 2 strides of excellence! 

Dads are the Best!

First of all, I want to wish all the fathers a Happy Father's Day!!  Of course, you may say that your Dad is the best Dad in the entire world, but I truly believe that my Dad tops them all.  Here is proof:  during our trip to Hawaii last year, my Dad joined me on a horseback riding excursion.  This was a 2 or 3 hour ride, and despite the fact that Dad's horse, Big Mac, really wanted to just head back to the stable the entire time, and the fact that Dad hadn't been on a horse in a very long time, it was worth it to see the island on horseback.  And mom was armed with the Advil for Dad when we got back to the hotel. 

Here is a clip of one of our favorite comedians, Bill Cosby, doing the best Dad song ever!! 

My Dad also instilled in me a love for all things Monty Python.  How do I know this?  Because my Mom rolls her eyes every time she catches us watching any of his movies.  Although, secretly I think she enjoys it just as much as we do because you will catch her giggling every now and then.  There are so many favorite scenes, but this is probably one of my favorites.

Happy Fathers Day!!  Love ya, Dad!

PS-More updates on Smokey this week!  Lots to catch you up on, but until then, give you Dads a big hug!

My Greatest Olympic Memory #2

Before we get to this week's video, let me redefine the word "Greatest" as I use it to describe the following videos.

Greatest can be defined as "remarkable or outstanding in magnitude, degree, or extent."  OR "of outstanding significance or importance."  This one is certainly remarkable in one way or another!!  Enjoy!!

Now this wasn't the first time that all eyes were on Tanya.  Nope, she had to make sure her ticket to Lillehammer was punched, and I don't mean that she decided to train harder.  How do you do that, you ask?  Well...ask Nancy Kerrigan....



Well, guess what Tanya??  They still let her skate in the Olympics!!  And, your little boyfriend, Jeff Gillooly, squealed like a pig!  Due to some threatened legal action by Tanya's lawyers, she was allowed to embarrass herself skate in the Olympics, the scene of the "shoe lace" drama, and ended up placing 8th.  Karma is a bitch, right Tanya?

My Favorite Olympic Memory-Part 1

Since the Summer Olympics are being held in London this year, I thought I would do a few blogs about my favorite Olympic memories. Here's a shocker: most of them are not horse-related!! Most of them are inspiring, some of them are funny, and some of them are just plain unforgettable! So, without further adu, let's check out my first video:

It's funny to think about where you were in the summer of 1996. There was no such thing as youtube or facebook, so this must have been someone's VCR recording of the TV footage. Where was I? Well, I was still an undergrad at U of Illinois....getting ready to start my junior year....probably still working at Party's Galore, blowing up balloons or helping people choose napkins to go with their cake plates or something else life changing like that. But could you just imagine what it would feel like to have all that pressure on your shoulders...an Olympic Gymnastics Team Gold Medal....and the only event that is left in the vault, your best event? And you are just 19 years old?? AND after a disastrous first vault that surly shook her confidence and was later found to cause a third-degree lateral sprain and tendon damage, you had to pull off another top vault? ON ONE FOOT? There is no other word for it other than AMAZING!! If you don't feel THAT in your soul, you might want to check your pulse.

In a related story, Kerri's fame opened many doors for her in other ways, including this little video:
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/kerri-and-kippy-strug/274196/


A quick update on being back in the saddle: I'm trying to get back in shape, both overall and riding-wise, so lots of trotting, changes of direction, over poles, etc. Boring, but necessary until my strength returns in my legs. I've also joined a local rec center and have been doing Pilates to help with my core strength and balance. I might try some Zumba as well so I can pick up some new dance moves!! Oh, and Smokey showed me his left lead yesterday while we did a little canter work. Good pony!!

Let me know your favorite Olympic memory! I would love to share more this summer leading up to London!

She's baaack!

Let's get right to the main part of this blog post-I have officially been released by my doctor to ride!!!  Actually, I have been released to do everything again, but most importantly RIDE!!!  So, what did I do today?  I RODE!!  How did it go, you ask?  Let me tell you.  The thing that I thought would be the most difficult (my arm) was fine....the thing that I forgot about (my legs) were not.  It only takes 3 weeks to "de-condition" your muscles, so technically I have "de-conditioned" 4 times over.  Not that I was in peak riding shape when I originally broke my arm being it was February...but I digress.  Everything below my knees felt like a foreign object, flapping like they were not attached to the rest of my body, and quickly turning into jello.  Fabulous.  My poor horse tolerated it pretty well considering he was basically doing most of the work with no support or guidance from his rider.  Lots of work to do to get back my strength, but it felt great to actually be back in the saddle!

Now, we need to backtrack a week.  Last Saturday we took Smokey and his good buddy Dorado to Masterson for some cross country playtime.  Both were really good and had a great time!  Adam and I were in charge of capturing all of the moments on film, so here are a couple of cool shots.

Super Dorado, he's so cool!

Good Smokey!  He said "I kinda like the cross country thing"

Smokey says "Hm...I'm not sure how to get down from this thing so here we goooo!"



Lastly, I had the opportunity to do an article for Horse Illustrated (http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-magazines/horse-illustrated/horse-table-of-contents/horse-illustrated-2012-june.aspx) in a section called "Horse Tales".  My good friend, Holly, is the Senior Associate Editor of the magazine, and the article took portions of this blog and put it into a little story.  Check it out!  I have had friends from all over the place contacting me because they saw the article, so that was pretty special. 

So, to sum everything up....I'm back to riding, my legs are going to be really sore all week, and I see a lot of trotting in our near future.  Boy, have I missed this!!

PS-I want to thank everyone at Bittersweet Acres for being super suportive of me, Krista for keeping me laughing when I wanted to cry, and of course, Miss Lacy, who is just awesome.  Love you all bunches!!

My Derby Wrap-Up

I'm sitting here watching the pre-Derby action and it occurred to me that I should blog while the action is taking place.  I have been watching all the coverage on TV all day, and I always wish I was able to watch from Churchill Downs Millionaires Row some day...what are the odds of that happening?!  Hey, a girl can dream, right?

So here are my random pros and cons as we wait for the race to begin:

Pro:  Bob Baffert.  After his heart attack in Dubai this year, he has a new lease on life, and although in the past I haven't cared much for his "better than you" attitude, I honestly got a little teary when he talked about his son Bode.  Go Bodemeister.

Con:  Hansen's trainer, Dr. Hansen.  I don't think anyone should follow his lead and bet on horses to pay for med school.  And don't act like a little child when your trainer makes the smart decision and dyes your horse's tail back to its original color in order to keep your horse in the race!  Drama queen.

Pro:  Union Rags.  Yes, I picked another horse, but Union Rags is adorable.  Love Michael Matz too (mostly because of his eventing background).  Although

Pro:  Laffit Pincay III.  Isn't he a cutie?  Yeah...I like that.

Pro:  John Calipari calling Riders' Up!!  Awesome!

Con:  Donna Brothers' horse.  I don't like him this year.  Usually she is on something cute, but the grey she was on wasn't appealing to me at all.

Con:  The silks on Litte Mike's jockey, Joe Bravo.  You look like Tony the Tiger on Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.  Fashion Fail. 

Their GRRREEAAT!

Pro:  Gary Stevens.  He's so hot.  That is all.

Con Again:  Dr. Hansen....you and your harem of women are weird and disgusting.  What are you, a pimp with your Ho's?

My Derby Pick-Undefeated Gemologist!

The track is fast and the field of 20 are ready!! 

And, the winner of the 138th Kentucky Derby is......


I'll Have Another with Mario Gutierrez.  From the 19th Post Position! 

Go Doug O'Neill.  It was hilarious watching how excited he was about his horse.  I love a long shot!

And speaking of having another (and I don't mean cookies), I'm off to have a few with some friends!  Great Race!!

Now, where were we?

Hello everyone!  It has been a few weeks since I have blogged, but only because I have been super busy with work.  I have a lot of exciting things to tell you about, and I'm going to try and keep it short and in some sort of orderly fashion...so let's see what happens.

Quiz Answer
In my last blog, I gave you a hint on something very exciting that was supposed to happen with Smokey and a certain professional 3-Day Event rider.  But due to the need for Mother Nature to blow up a big snow storm on the East Coast and Smokey's back problems (more about that later), it didn't get to happen.  Those of you who guessed Allison Springer were correct!!  I know, I know...that would have been super cool.  It just wouldn't have been fair for Smokey to get evaluated for his potential without being 100%. 

Cool Stuff I Get To Do And Call It Work!
As you may or may not know, I have been working as the Performance Horse Nutritionist at Buckeye Nutrition (Mars horsecare us, inc.) for about a year and a half.  I love my job and I love helping people feed their horses better.  Last year in September, I had the opportunity to sit down with Allison Springer about working with Buckeye Nutrition and she is now sponsored by the company. 

Allison & Destination Known, AEC's 2011

Of course, we knew that the Rolex KY 3-Day Event held each year here in Lexington would be a big event for Allison.  It is the only 4 Star International Event that takes place in the US, and this year, it happens to be an Olympic qualifier.  Allison was coming off of a win in the Advanced Division at Red Hills with her Irish Draught Horse, Arthur, and Rolex was going to be key to her chances at making the team.  My "team" (Amber and Sara) joined me for the entire Rolex weekend to serve as the official Buckeye cheerleaders for Allison & Arthur.  And what a weekend it was!  Those of you eventing fans probably saw the results, but Allison & Arthur ended up 2nd overall (only to William Fox Pitt of England), received the Pinnacle Cup from the USET Foundation for highest placed American Rider, and most important to us, Best Conditioned Horse!!!  Now, there are many factors that go into the conditioning of a horse, and one of the factors is GREAT NUTRITION...shameless plug for our products will now commence.  Check him out!!

Alright...so, besides being super excited for Allison, and crying about 3 times that weekend because I was so happy for her, we did get to do some pretty special things, like meeting Arthur!! 

The Superstar!!  Arthur, Grace (Arthur's groom) and me!

I was giving Arthur a little pep talk about cross country...I'm sure it made all the difference!

It was a wonderful weekend for everyone, and I have my fingers' crossed that she is chosen to represent the USA for the Eventing Team this summer.  This is a really special pair-Allison bought Arthur when he was 5 years old and brought him up through the levels, so they are truly a team. 

To top off that wonderful weekend, I then HAD to travel to Middleburg, Virginia to check up on some pretty special horses this past week-the Mars horses.  Talk about an awesome place!  It's like the summer home for all eventers in this cute little quaint town (Upperville and The Plains as well).  The coolest thing Amber and I got to do was to check up on retired Upper Level guys, and I think we counted 5 Olympic medals between the 4 horses in one field!  Am I the luckiest girl or what??

Last, but not least, the official Smokey update
So, when I last blogged, Smokey was getting ready for a massage with Michele for his sore back.  After that, he didn't show any improvement in his comfort level, so I had Dr. Cook from Woodford Equine take a look at him.  He was basically in agreement that his muscles over his topline and hindquarters were really tight, and prescribed a bit of stall rest and muscle relaxers.  I bought him a Jolly Ball in case he got bored, but had no idea if he would play with it or not.  Well....this picture says it all!

Hehe, I threw my Jolly Ball out of the window!!

I guess that is how he feels about stall rest!  Don't worry, there wasn't any glass on the window originally.  He is much better after those few days of R&R, and should be back to work next week.  However, now Texas has caught the "sore back" issue, at least I think that is what is ailing her at the moment.  It must be contagious!  Her and her mom, Krista, had a very successful show last weekend at Lakeside Arena, and I cannot tell you how proud I am of those 2.  They have come so far since first showing and it is just fun watching them work together. 

Texas and the Texan!

Right now, there isn't anything on the schedule in terms of shows, and I'm okay with that for now.  I'm anxious to get back to riding and hopefully will be able to do so by the end of May.  Yes, this is later than I originally planned (and I did argue with my doctor about this), but after seeing the x-ray for myself, I agreed that it still needed time to heal.  So, 3 more weeks of "stall rest" for me. 

Next big thing for Smokey-some cross country schooling!!

The Kentucky Derby
Happy Derby Day tomorrow!!  Who is your Derby pick?  I love LOVE Tiznow, and I have to go with his son, Gemologist. 

Quick Update & Quiz!!

I hope everyone is having a lovely week!  Here's a few things to catch you up on and keep you on your toes:

• I want to welcome a new member of the Janicki Family!!  My brother, Craig, and his wife, Erin, went all the way to Washington to pick out little Kody, a 8 week old Karelian Bear Dog.  His big sister, Wrigley, cannot wait to meet him and teach him all about life on a farm. 

• Smokey had a meeting with his friend, Michele Haman (http://www.equi-libriumtherapy.com/) today.  We all know that if your horse is lame, you call the vet to have an evaluation done to find the source of the problem.  However, when you feel your horse is hurting but not obviously lame, it's a tough call as to what course of action will work for your horse (and your pocketbook).  I have used Michele before and really like how she works with the horse, from the evaluation to the therapy to the follow up, and I knew that the first step in figuring out Smokey's issues was to start with her.  He was definitely sore for mid-back over his croup, and very sore over his poll.  Additionally, he had a few ribs and vertebrae out of line.  But, Michele performed her magic and he is now a new horse!!  Michele thinks that everything is where it should be now and he feels much better, so I am going to have Lacy ride him tomorrow see how it goes! 

Now, I know you all have been waiting for my big announcement that I teased you with in my last post.  So, I am going to give you a picture as a hint.  This is just part of the annoucement, so more details will come!  Good luck...and may the odds be ever in your favor!

The Long and Winding Road

Hello everyone!!  This week has been unusually busy for me.  I don't know why this is so shocking to me, because April seems to sneak up on you and then over-whelm you with insanity.  Working in the feed business, April means Keeneland racing, 2YO Sales, events at the Horse Park, Masterson,...oh and don't forget ROLEX!  But, let's focus on one thing at a time for today.

This past week was a blur, more or less, and with several things burdening my mind, I felt that I was just overwhelmed with non-work issues.  I did, however, get to visit my Alma Mater, the great University of Illinois, as I have been asked to sit on a board of other alumni to advise on Student Affairs.  So, Friday morning, I drove 4 hours to be on campus by noon.  I had a great time, and it was so good to be reconnected with my school.  There are a lot of changes going on to U of I, and I feel extremely lucky to be able to be a part of a school I loved so much. 

At meeting's end, roughly 6pm CST, I drove 4 hours back home in order to be ready for Smokey's show at the Horse Park.  He was entered in the first innagural Thoroughbred Horse Show Association show at the KY Horse Park, an event I was very adament about supporting being the owner of an OTTB and because several very good friends were organizing this event.  I would like to thank all of the organizers and volunteers for putting together this event and future events, and it's a great idea to showcase these athletes.  I'm looking forward to the future of this association.

Lacy thought Smokey was ready for Beginner Novice so he was entered in that Combined Test, along with his friend Dorado and Erica.  So, after about 4 hours of sleep, I was off again to pack up the trailer and head out. 

The days before the show, Smokey hadn't been his normal self.  He seemed tense and out of sorts, but nothing obvious was bothering him, so off we went to show.  His dressage test was tense, but he picked up both leads when asked and was very good despite his lack of giving to the bit.  I entered him into an In-Hand Dressage Suitability conformation class just for fun, and he ended up 2nd overall out of about 8-10 horses! 

Smokey's friend, Dorado, was a super star this weekend!!  He ended up 5th in a big Beginner Novice division of several nice horses.  He was such a good boy, and Erica rode confidently all day. 

And, Dorado found his long lost twin brother, Dundee, who happens to be owned by my friend, Jill Stowe.  I call them the Disconnected Stripes, hehehe!

The rest of the show was kind of a bust.  I won't go into details, but something is bothering my little grey pony and my mission this week is to figure out what it is.  He's scheduled for a massage on Thursday, so hopefully we can figure out what is bothering him.  Until then, he has a few days to recoup after this weekend's activities.

So, what did I learn this weekend?  Well, several things:

• I do not work well on 4 hours of sleep.  I must remind myself that I am not young anymore. 
• If you are waking up early, and especially if you haven't had a full 7 hours of sleep, remember to eat breakfast.  And lunch.  And donuts do not count as a meal.
• Smokey has so much to learn.  He is at the very beginning of his career, and he's only 5.  He is learning new things with every new experience, and all of that will make him a better horse in the long run. 
• Long shows days are new to Smokey.  He is not used to being ready to show in top form from 8:30am until 6pm.  In fact, neither am I and I wasn't even riding!  His days are filled with grazing, napping and grazing some more.  This is a total change to his schedule, and sometimes he might just not be interested in what we had "scheduled" for him. 
• Supporting the THSA and my friends is important.  I am just as glad to be a great cheerleader as I am to be a competitor.  Without the pom poms.

Overall, it was a bittersweet weekend.  Just when I thought the weekend was a total bust, I was informed of this:
http://eventingnation.com/home/the-thoroughbred-horse-show-association-kentucky-horse-park-show-2.html

Yep, that grey horse in one of the photographs is my one and only Smokey.  This made my entire weekend worthwhile, as I am an avid reader of Eventing Nation on a daily basis.  Go Smokey. 
(figures that the one time I do get a photo in EN that it is of my hindquarters!!).

More to come on Smokey's prognosis soon.  Hopefully he will be back to his old self soon!

A New Chapter Begins!

I truly feel like a new chapter in my life has begun.  We have much to cover since my last blog, so let's get right to it!!

The Arm!
I got my cast off last Monday, YAY!!  That's the good news...the bad news?  I still have a few weeks in a brace, and won't start physical therapy for about 4 weeks.  So, I'm shooting for the first week of May to be back in the saddle.  I'm just greatful to be out of the cast and moving in the right direction.  And I can feel that I don't have the strength back in my arm, so I just need time. 

The Horse Show
Smokey and Lacy were entered in this past weekend's Paul Frazier Memorial Combined Test.  His 1st time at the Horse Park, and 1st jumping show.  Erica and Dorado joined us so we had lots of support.  In addition, Krista and Lynn (and Chase!) met us out at the show and helped out with course walks and tacking and just being good company. 

Honestly, I was more nervous as a spectator than I would have been riding.  I guess it was the fact that I wanted him to do well in that environment and give Lacy a great ride.  The school areas can be quite intimidating with several riders/trainers/friends/family/dogs present, and this is the biggest show of Smokey's short career as a show horse.  But, the good thing is that he takes everything in stride, always has, and although he was a bit tense, he showed a pretty workmanlike attitude all day. 

Considering the circumstances, I thought his dressage test was fairly good, but alas the judge did not agree.  Upon further investigation, it seemed that most of the dressage scores were on the high side overall.  The thing I like and appreciate about dressage is that you get a "report card" from the judge to show where you performed well and what you need to work on to increase your score.  Homework! 

On to the jumping phase....finally, as all eventing riders basically tolerate dressage to get on to this phase.  This was Smokey's first time seeing jumps with actual decorations around them...although we tried to imitate this at home with adding orange cones in various locations on and around the jumps...so it was inevitable that he would need a bit of encouragement from Lacy to jump them.  However, he has been so confident lately that Lacy though it wouldn't be a big deal.  And he did not disappoint!!  Not only did he bravely take on each obstacle, he cleared them with room to spare.

The Possibilities
Now, these fences were max 2'3", but the way he is jumping them makes them look tiny!!  Let us now pause to define the word "scope".  Scope is the horse's ability to jump over fences in proper form (bascule) with the body, front and hind legs.  The front legs should be parallel to the horse's body to the knees, and the feet cleanly tucked underneath.  Yeah, I don't think that is going to be a problem for him.  In time, he will learn to "rate" a fence, and will have the ability to judge the height and width of a jump with experience.  But, this picture just makes me wonder...how far can this horse really go?  It's obvious to myself and Lacy that he is absolutely in his element over fences.  Smokey thinks it's basically the coolest thing in the world and loves to show off to everyone his neat new tricks.  His confidence has shot through the roof lately, although he still has a long way to go.  But, the possibilites are endless, and the best way to figure out if he IS capable of bigger things is to get an "expert" to advise us on his abilities.  Someone who is in the eventing world, competing and training horses of his/her own at the highest level of the sport.  That's all I'm going to say for now, but you will want to stay tuned, trust me!

The Future
So, what's next for Smokey and Lacy, until I am back in the saddle?  He is entered in Thoroughbred Horse Show Association's inagural show at the Horse Park on April 14th.  He will be moving up to Beginner Novice after careful consideration of abilities lately. 

Right now, this horse just continues to amaze me.  Before my fall, I had a carefully laid out plan in my head for his progress that included being able to jump by the end of this year.  However, he has by far exceeded my expectations.  We are beyond my plan, and it feels great not to have any set plan for him because his talent will steer us in the direction he can go.  For the first time since I have owned Smokey, I'm letting go of my "plan" and letting him guide the way. 

Everything happens for a reason, right?  I knew that when I broke my arm that the "reason" would present itself...and it has been worth the wait!

My other favorite hobby

Happy Friday everyone!!  Today, I want to tell you about my other favorite hobby that I dabble in every now and then.  I absolutely love photography.  It's something that I have always loved and really enjoy doing.  So, I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures from over the years.  I have been lucky enough to own a really good camera, so I don't take all of the credit as my job is made easier by a fine product.  However, I do not ever alter my photographs with any sort of software to make it look better.  Yes, I may crop them to focus on the subject, but other than that, the pictures are pure.  So, enjoy, have a wonderful weekend, and GO CATS!!!

These are from today of Smokey and Lacy.  Hey, since I can't do anything productive, I might as well fool around and take pictures.

This makes me smile.  Smokey says "Lacy, this is too easy". 

 Pretty dapples

Yes, I know, he is muddy....

Okay, now for some of my other favorites.  

Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch, Rolex 2011

At Donamire Farm.

My dog, Wrigley.

Last winter in Lexington (2011)

Rolex a few years ago.

2011 AEC's Intermediate, I think.

2011 AEC's Beginner Novice.

My friend Karol and her OTTB, Rex.

And, my current favorite subject, the Smokey!