In Hand Work

Introduced Sig to working in hand today.  I wanted to start working on turn on the forehand and begin confirming the leg yield, both of which are good to do in hand.

Overall he was really super.  Did a quick refresh of the turn on the forehand cue on the ground, really focusing on his inside hind leg stepping under.  After that, I began teaching him how to walk with me at his side in the in hand configuration.  Initially he was very unsure about me walking behind his shoulder, but he only needed a little encouragement and praise and he got the idea very quickly.  It was good to see how nice his walk can be when he starts coming through and lifting his back.  He was soft in the bridle and was definitely picking up on the concepts quickly. 

We then did an easy flat school.  I cantered a littler earlier in the ride and it definitely resulted in a softer, more willing horse in the trot afterward.  Overall it was a super pleasant day and full of nice little moments for this guy.  So smart!

I just found this video about three minutes ago, but this is an excellent demonstration of good, basic in hand work:

First Dressage and Jumping Lessons

Last Sunday I rode with FEI level trainer, Sharon Vander Ziel.  Sharon comes to the farm periodically to offer dressage lessons, which is super handy.  We had a private lesson, and primarily worked on preventing him from popping out through the left shoulder and staying soft in upward/downward transitions.  Sig was fantastic, earned lots of nice compliments from Sharon for being so correct and through at times, and we came away with lots of homework.  He and I are going to work more on leg yields and turn on the forehand to start isolating his hind end and asking for the hind legs to step over/under on cue.  His tendency, like most young horses, is to blow through the outside shoulder in the leg yield.  He is very smart and picked up on the concepts in the lesson very quickly.  He really felt very fancy and I had a fun ride.  I was absolutely thrilled with him!

Dressage is hard but apples are yummy

A few days later I had my first jump lesson on Sig (ever).  While I popped him over a few fences back during my short visit in May, I really haven't jumped seriously since before Soon died.  I had jumped Sig in December 2017 when I tried him, and once more in Maryland (probably in February 2018), but that's it.  So we're just starting from square one together.  That said, I felt better and more secure in the tack, and while my base is still loose, I feel like it's coming back.

For not having jumped in a month or so since I've been back, and not having done a ton of cantering, Sig was pretty fantastic.  He was strong and being in a group of four+ horses in the ring was very exciting, but he did settle and got focused.  We had to use the wall to stop only because he'd dive through that left shoulder.  Both Ashley and I agreed that halting in the corners to get him to expect that and set himself back, which worked. 

Next time I jump I plan to use the two-ring gag on him just to have a little extra control, and I expect with more jump lessons, more exposure to riding in/around groups, and just overall a better understanding of each other, Sig won't need that and can go back to his usual loose ring oval mouth.  I rode him in that usual set up around one of Ashley's jump lessons on Thursday (busy ring with five horses in it), and he was quiet and very good.  So I think the gag will just be an occasional reminder.

Overall I'm happy where we're at and while we have a lot of work to do, I'm exciting to see where we go from here.

First adventure at the Kentucky Horse Park!

The Liftoff clan was off horse showing at the "B" rated Robert Murphy Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park the last few days.  They had an extra stall available yesterday so I hauled Sig over to spend the day at the show.  Always a good opportunity to increase mileage and exposure!

"Dis is bullshit."

He's been to the horse park a couple times now, but this was my first time actually getting to ride there, and I was so excited.  He stepped right on the trailed, hauled over well, and settled pretty much immediately.  We went for a quick hand walk and spent 20 minutes just grazing by the side of the warm ups and taking in some of the atmosphere.  He was quiet the entire time. 

I got on and headed to the warm up to do a quick flat school.  Sig walked up fine and seemed pretty chill just walking around, but was a little tense when we started trotting.  Ashley had told me he needed to get more accustomed to horses in his space, and as warm up rings can do, there were a lot of horses coming at him or from behind that got under his skin in the beginning.  He tried to throw a few bucks, but that and the tension only lasted a few minutes before he settled and actually had a really nice flat school in the walk, trot, and canter.  It was 90 degrees so his excess energy was zapped pretty quick, but he got lovely and soft, forward, and was working well over his back. 

Overall I am so happy with where he's at and how he feels.  I really think he'll be able to play in the hunter, jumper, and dressage ring.  He's very soft in the bridle and gives me a very nice feeling in the saddle.  Today I half expected a giraffe and a fight, but he was really round, came forward off my leg well, and settled very nicely into the work.  Whenever he got distracted we did some leg yields and he went right back to work.  I was so happy with him and how he worked in the warm up ring!

Afterward we went hacking around the immediate area of the horse park and enjoyed the scenery.  Again, he was perfectly quiet and willing, was walking around on the buckle and seemed content to just mosey around.  There were people, announcers, golf carts, water trucks, tractors, and none of it bothered him in the least.  We visited the jumper ring and hung out there briefly, then made out way out toward the cross country course, where I was totally blown away by the property and took about 50 photos. 

After all that, he got a nice, cool bath and I let him hang out in the stall for a bit.  He's grown up a lot since I've been gone, and Ashley has done such a nice job making him a civilized individual.  He is so much better and more comfortable in stalls now.  He settles right into his hay, and I even caught him taking some naps in the corner under the fan.  Droopy lip and everything.  Made me feel good to see him so overall relaxed about the entire experience!

"You give me cookies yes?"

Chilling by the rings.  Eating his grass.

HIS FACE!!  XD

After another handwalk and getting to enjoy his dinner at the horse park (and more nap time in the stall afterward), we loaded up and drove the 25 minutes back home.  I love that everything is so close here!  So convenient, and it's a relatively easy drive with (mostly) civilized drivers that know about horse trailers.  Sig was happy to get back to his field and enjoy the rest of his night.

This morning I rolled up to just go for a hack, and I was very pleasantly surprised when Sig saw me coming down the driveway and whinnied.  Oh yeah...that made me smile and my heart turn to mush.  I figured after yesterday he wanted nothing to do with me, LOL.  And let's be real, it's probably because I always bring a carrot with me to catch horses.  But regardless of the motive, he gave me a very enthusiastic good morning and walked on over from the other side of the field.  We had an easy hack today, just walked around the farm for about 20 minutes and called it a day.  Lots of snuggles and carrots.  This was a great weekend.

He does the same goofy pose with his hind legs as Soon did, LOL

"Easy like Sunday morning..."

Sunday Funday and a Clean Start

Spent a quiet, productive Sunday at the barn.  All day.  Got a lot of stuff done too:

- Hacked Sig
- Cleaned out/reorganized my grooming tote
- Inventoried/reorganized my entire tack trunk
- Inventoried additional tack trunks/medicine cabinets in my trailer
- Reordered all medical supplies (threw out old medications, needed to restock other supplies like gauze pads, etc)
- Cleaned ALL THE TACK

"All the tack" officially consists of the following:

1. Four bridles
2. Two saddles
3. Three breastplates
4. Two martingales
5. Five halters
6. Five girths (...when did I get five girths??)
7. Washed two laundry loads of saddle pads (that's just the every day rotation, there are two more additional loads waiting in the horse trailer to be done)

...I just have the one horse.

This is the one horse, and he is afraid of the round bales across the street

 It really was a nice, quiet day.  There was minimal traffic, only a handful of people there, so I wasn't in a busy environment all day.  I didn't start out thinking I was going to do all that, I knew it needed to be done, but it felt good to get it all accomplished before dinner.  It's good because after dinner was my meeting with Tack Hoarders Anonymous so....

All of this is mine, and this is only some of the tack I own.

Some of that tack dates back to Triple.  And most of it hasn't been cleaned since Soon died, so in a way, it was like giving myself a fresh start here in Kentucky.  It felt good.

Sunday morning barn vibes

This happened and I couldn't help but do a comparison pic.  These two were/are too funny!

First week back, still no house

Well...the military lost my household goods scheduling request so suffice it to say, I did not get my stuff this week like I had hoped.  It should be here by 17 July, so at least it will get here.  In the meantime I'm still in the hotel, soon to be sleeping in my house on an air bed...joy.

Good news is, Sig is a superstar.  We've had several rides, all of them good and even the one not-so-good wasn't so bad.   Today we cantered for the first time since I came back, and he gave me some nice moments to the right, showing me that softness and balance is there.  He scooted and tried to buck to the left (we were outside in the jump field and he had his objections to being out there), but that was only momentary and he did soften a few steps to the left as well.  We'll spend a lot more time in the walk and trot before I worry about his shape in the canter. 

Overall I think he's feeling good, he's moving well in the trot and though yesterday he was a little tense and inconsistent, today he actually stepped out very nicely in the trot and was working over his back pretty well outside.  He's got a pretty decent trot in there!  Not only was I happy with his trot today - his balance, his softness, how he was getting over his back and loose through his body - I was also very happy with how he settled into the work.  He didn't want to be outside.  All his buddies were in the indoor, it was hot, buggy, and it was next to the road and he doesn't love the traffic.  He politely protested the first part of the ride. Despite that, after about 10 minutes of walking exercises, he relaxed nicely and once he got into the trot, really started to let go and focus on the work. 

He felt really super and it was one of those rides that really put a smile on my face, because I think he's going to be a really cool ride in the future.

Most handsome grass vacuum

Home in Kentucky!

I arrived in Kentucky super late on Friday night (literally Saturday morning) and have spent the last two days trying to sleep normally and enjoy myself at the barn.  I am SO HAPPY to be here!!

I had stopped in last month while I was at a training course in Alabama...I took three days of leave and drove up to Lexington to see Sig, try saddles, and just enjoy KY for a short bit before heading back to Okinawa for the final few weeks of my tour.  I was so happy to be driving my big diesel truck on the one-lane country backroads, I couldn't contain my excitement and I couldn't even turn the truck into my friend on time.  I had to turn around and drive another hour.

How do you not keep driving around in country this beautiful?

My kind of traffic jam!

I. Love. This. Truck.

Now that I'm back for real, that happiness and sheer excitement for this area is almost overwhelming.  I am so thankful to have Sig settled at a beautiful farm with all the amenities, surrounded by people who know and love him.  I have had two excellent rides on him already since I got back.  I've kept things extremely simple, partly because I am SO FREAKING UNFIT, and also because I'm working on getting Sig working more over his back and being more forward from behind, and softer in the bridle.  It's a good time for us both to work on our fitness together.

So happy to be home with this dude!!!

Quick flashback to my short vist in May:  I rode twice, once to try some new Voltaire saddles, and again in my friend's Voltaire, which Sig has been going in all year.  Probably because I was out of the saddle so long and lacking the touch, Sig and I actually fought pretty hard on the flat.  He felt dead mouthed, heavy, stiff necked, and overall just did not resemble the horse I had a year ago.  He has been going so well for Ashley this last year.  I was feeling a little defeated and confused, but I tried to chalk it up to me being out of the saddle for so long and tried not to worry about it (but I still worried about it).

Now that I'm home, my goal is to start installing the dressage buttons on him.  He jumps around a course like a champ, with a great metronome canter and an athletic, easy jump.  But I also want my horses (whether hunter or jumper types) to be solid dressage horses.  So this is the start.  Yesterday we mostly just walked, worked on lateral and longitudinal flexion, stretching, softening into the outside rein off the inside leg pressure, leg yields, etc. I did some quick trot loops in each direction, but only long enough to see that he was willing to stay down and forward in the trot, being soft in the bridle and not fighting me at all.  Sig was very soft in the bridle, forward in the walk, was starting to lift his back and swing, and overall felt like that horse I had bought (but obviously way more educated and stronger thanks to my trainer friend's wonderful help).  He was lovely and I was so happy with how he felt compared to the month prior.

Looking good, can't wait to develop his topline this year

Today, we rode outside in the jump field (he was definitely feeling fresh today so that was WHEEE TIME to start off!) and worked more on the walk.  I love the walk - I can spend weeks and weeks just walking if necessary.  You can install so many buttons and do so much good work in the walk (and get pretty damn fit) before you ever have to screw with the trot or canter.  I'm of the philosophy that if a horse isn't balanced in one gait, you don't work in the next gait up.  So for the time behing while I'm working on my fitness, we'll spend a LOT of time in the walk to install some of these concepts, and strengthen his back, hind end, and start building that topline.

We trotted more today too, and while there was some inverted moments dealing with other horse traffic in the jump field and the busy road next door (confirmed by trainer he is not a huge fan of cars), he actually had a lot of nice moments in the trot and certainly felt more steady in the contact and willing to come over his back and onto the bit (and for the most part, stay there).  It was like riding a completely different horse than our rides back in May.  I hope to spend a lot of time in that jump field, as there is a gentle incline (no real hills around the farm so no straight hill work days for us) and it will be good for training/conditioning.  It's also straight up gorgeous.

 Overall I'm just totally chuffed.  I know with time and consistency, he will come along with the dressage stuff and the jumping is going to be even more fun as a result.  We'll spent a lot of time walking the next several weeks, with some trotting and the odd canter/jump school, but right now my focus is taking it slow, re-establishing our relationship (can you say rope halter time?), laying the foundation of the topline, and getting myself fitter.  I'm hoping by August we'll be ready for more "fun" stuff, but lucky for me (not so much Sig) I love the slow work.

Wondering how he is the ONLY HORSE in the barn with an owner that also owns a dressage whip

We've had a bit of a saddle saga as well.  My beloved CWD does not fit him (as I saw in May), so I had been on the lookout for a Voltaire saddle instead.   I sat in two new ones back in May, but honestly didn't love either one (half deep and deep seat saddles).  I thought it was only because I was out of the saddle for so long.  But honestly, I just don't like new saddles.  I felt a mile away from the horse with a lot of leather between us.  That said, I ended up putting a deposit down on a new one only to cancel as I found a used Voltaire online with all the right specs.  I bought it while I was back in Okinawa and had it shipped to the farm.

Sig brewed and abscess at the same time the saddle arrived, so was unable to be ridden in it.  However, it fit him well and I decided to keep the saddle.  Unfortunately, once Sig was sound after the abscess, there was concern from my trainer whether the saddle truly fit him when in work and whether the tree could potentially be broken.  It was certified sound by the seller (reputable vendor of used, high-end saddles who had it examined by a saddler prior to selling), but the Voltaire rep said it might be broken based on stress test.  Sig was apparently backsore after using the saddle.

 When I finally arrived in KY, I tested it myself and didn't get much flex on the tree, not anymore than the slight give you get off most trees.  I rode Sig in it, and he was stretching nicely in it and willing to use his back.  He was not backsore after the first or second ride in the saddle.  Both days, as stated above, were very soft, productive rides.  He also has a scrape on his back from probably roughhousing with his turnout mate, and was off for awhile due to the abscess (and probably favoring a side, potentially making his back sore).  All those things plus being off work for several days could add up to the back soreness.  It's hard to tell as the observations I have made on the saddle and his reaction to it are contradicting what my trainer and the local Voltaire rep are saying.  I am looking to have the saddle examined this week by an independent saddler to confirm one way or another.  If it's sound, I'm keeping the saddle as it fits us both well, is very broken in and extremely comfortable, and gives Sig what he needs without breaking my bank account.  Fingers crossed...

Also, I cannot wait for all my household goods to show up later this week!  All my riding clothes, helmets, boots, accessories are all in storage and I had to make a fast trip to the local tack shop to get myself outfitted in the meantime. 

Went to the tack shop, bought stuff, felt right at home again.

When away from your children for a long period of time, BUY THEIR LOVE

I can't wait for what's next!

First Horse Show!

Well...technically it's Sig's third horse show, but his first with us.

Ashley took Sig down the road to Lakeside.  He stayed overnight, did schooling the first day and a couple of hunter classes the next.  Overall report card was excellent, she said he took everything in and handled it all well.  He had some issues getting the bigger steps so they ended up adding in some of the later classes, but Sig went around perfectly happily and didn't look around very much.  Just a good little dude!  It's a great start and so fun for me to see this young guy handling an overnight show this well and being so chill.  I'm pretty chuffed with him!

Lucky 13

I just watched Netflix's "Love, Death, and Robots," and an episode in that series called "Lucky 13."

MIND. BLOWN.  Because there are parallels to a great girl wearing 13 in my life and it just feels beyond coincidence at this point.

First of all I will say it's a kickass show, I was skeptical at first but quickly realized it's an incredible ride, fresh and original, and full of twists.  If you love a little sci-fi/action/nudity (who doesn't)/short stories, do check it out and enjoy.  But on to the point of this post...and yes, there's a tie to that Netflix episode. 

Tomorrow is April 1st.  The rest of the world knows it as April Fools Day, I only know it as the birthday of my Wondermare, my first horse, my teacher, my best friend, the one that has led a line of distinguished, life-changing horses behind her.  She taught me the meaning of hard work, perseverance, heart, generosity, and giving back.  She was the one that tore my heart open not once, but three times.  She was my Phoenix that rose from the ashes.

Her name was Triple Thirteen.

She went by Triple, Triple Dipple Doo, Doo, Wondermare.  Triple was a Louisiana-bred Thoroughbred, born on April 1st, 1987.  She is my April Fools baby, it's right there on her papers.  Her race record was nothing remarkable - 13 starts (are you seeing a trend here), 4 seconds, 2 thirds.  I am honestly surprised she hit the board, because after she left the track she cemented it in her constitution that she would never gallop again.  If you needed to go faster than a polite canter, you could get off and run it yourself.

She came into my life in 1997.  She was my first horse and funny enough, she was the one I wasn't even looking for.  I tagged along on a barn mate's horse shopping trip and she was the first horse we looked at.  She walked into that freezing cold indoor with a square cooler covering her, like a prized fighter walking into a championship fight.  She came home a couple weeks later and took on the role of professor for this 12-year old starry-eyed kid.  Funny story:  our first horse show never actually happened.  She refused to load onto the trailer that morning, so we eventually had to stay home.  Her punishment was trucking me around at home instead, the braids still in her mane.  We may not have gotten off to such a great start, but we had a pretty damned good run after that.

All dressed up and nowhere to go!

Over the next five years she took me from the 2-foot divisions through 3'6" (and higher, she won not one, but two puissance competitions up to 4'9"!).  We competed in the hunters and equitation divisions all over the state and some regional competitions.  She and I earned year-end titles and ribboned at different state medal finals.  She patiently taught me finesse and I loved her for her generous nature.  She was a part-time school horse, and occasionally filled in as a catch ride for adult medal riders needing to qualify; the only advice I ever gave them was "Point her in the general direction of the fence.  Even if you don't, she'll find it and jump it anyway.  Literally just sit there and don't get in her way."  She knew the job better than any of us did, and she was always happy to help.

She also carried me through a Medal round in sideways flying snow during a freak October blizzard.

Her generosity and heart wasn't just shown in the ring.  She came back from the brink of death.  In 1999, she had her first of two colic surgeries.  After that surgery she contracted an infection that killed the other three or four horses that had also contracted it.  She lost over 300 pounds, had a body condition scale of probably 1.5 (2 if you're being generous).  Amazingly enough, in the second week of fighting for her life she turned the corner.  She might have looked like a walking skeleton compared to the sleek show figure she normally wore, but she walked out of that hospital.  Sole survivor.

She was the state Junior Hunter champion the following season.

Triple had a second colic surgery in 2001.  She and Soon have many things in common, but one of the more heartbreaking things is that I cradled both of their heads in my arms as we laid crumpled on the ground, thinking I was about to lose them forever.  At the time, I didn't know horses could have more than one colic surgery.  So imagine my relief when the surgeon said she was going to surgery, and afterward when everything went perfectly (including her recovery).  The Wondermare, back from the brink of death a second time.  And like the Phoenix rising out of the ashes she transformed and started a new role in life.

Following that surgery, we eventually (after trying things out for the better part of a year) decided to step Triple down.  She was getting older, I was trying to enter the more competitive equitation ranks and it wasn't fair trying to drag her along with me.  She hated being idle as I moved onto another horse.  I maintained ownership, but with the help of my wonderful trainer, Triple found a loving home with an eventing trainer, Kathy, in the state in a long-term free lease.  Triple became a schoolmaster for Kathy's daughter, and eventually a full time school horse for beginner riders.  She was always in good weight, cheerful, and Kathy came to knew her little annoying bouts of gas colic like the back of her hand (every time the barometer dropped, or so it seemed).  I visited her at least yearly, between college schedule and then moving to Virginia for work.  The last time I saw her ridden, five years later, she was toting the tiniest little girl around the ring at the most careful, polite trot I have ever seen.  She loved her job.

Visiting with The Doo in 2005

Triple passed away on August 6th, 2007.  Kathy called me in Virginia (which never happened, so I knew something bad was happening), explained she was colickign badly, and asked permission to put her down.  My parents were ready to hook up the trailer and go take her to the clinic (we were all pretty familiar with colic surgery at that point, it was instinctual), but I had to plead for them to stay home.  I spoke to the attending vet, uttered the phrase "nephrosplenic entrapment," and there was a long pause on the phone.  "...How did you know that?" he asked.  I explained she had suffered it twice before, both episodes surgical, and it was then that we all knew.  Triple was 20 years old, and having been through what she had, there was no way any of us were going to put her through surgery a third time.  I gave my permission and her suffering was ended.

 I never got to say goodbye.  I was supposed to come north to visit her the following week.  Kathy and I had spoken about Triple's retirement, and I had made plans to bring her home with me and retire her in Virginia.  I was just too late. 

Our last visit together, Christmas 2006

As a more mature adult, I sometimes look back and wish I had the presence of mind to stick with Triple after that second surgery, keep her with me, and do whatever she was capable of.  I loved her with my whole heart, I felt that heart get ripped out of my chest with every major colic episode.  I shed many desperate tears for Triple, and still cry about her from time to time.  But I wanted more in my riding career than she could physically provide, and we both started new chapters in our lives.  Yes, sometimes I regret that deeply, wishing I had that one extra day with her, not to compete, not to even jump, but to just go into the back hay field up on the hill.  We would go up there in the fall after the medal finals and canter back/forth in the wide open field, enjoy the gentle cool air, and stop to look over the valley draped in all the brilliant colors of the New England fall.  Looking back on that moment now, I could stay there forever.

I was thinking today about a unique difference between Triple and Soon.  Soon was all mine; I picked him out at the track, I trained him, I rode him, I was there with him when he died.  While Triple was mine in ownership, she also belonged to others.  She taught so many people about riding, both while I had her, and afterward with Kathy.  In the rollercoaster of our relationship, I realized things happened exactly as they were meant to.  I was meant to move on to riding other horses, and she was supposed to go give other riders confidence.  She had to go help everyone else.  She was never meant to be mine alone.


So....what about this Netflix show?

Here on the eve of Wondermare's 32nd birthday, I was watching this series of short animated stories and this one episode comes on titled "Lucky 13."  Now...obviously I'm a huge fan of the number 13 after Triple and absolutely consider it my lucky number.  I wear #31 in hockey because it's 13 reversed (13 is not a "traditional" goalie number so I got creative).  So just by the title alone I'm thinking "Oh hell yeah."  Then I watched the episode and cried by the end.

It's set in the distant future and is about a young female Marine pilot who is given an old ship with an unfortunate history and an unlucky serial number...13.  I laughed with I saw the extended serial number was 13-08313...I think I remembered the whole serial, but point is it ended in "313," which is my code for Triple (Triple Thirteen = 313).  Old 13 had been through battles and shot down and recovered/returned to service twice.  The pilot came to love that old ship, they get each other through many combat missions, and at the end (BY THE WAY, SPOILER ALERT) the pilot scuttles the ship after being overrun by the enemy.  But the explosion didn't destroy the ship when she thought it would; it was delayed for a reason unknown to the pilot, and amazingly enough it went off just when all the enemy soldiers surrounded the ship itself.  The ship exploded and the enemy were all killed, saving the surviving Marines now on the ground.  It was the ship's final act to save her crew.

I guess I felt compelled to write all this because of what I saw in the show, because of the coincidences of the timing, the prevalence of the number 13, the relationship between the young pilot and the twice-resurrected war horse of a ship...yeah, that episode had me in tears at the end for all the good reasons. Smiling, too.


Happy birthday, Doo.  As always, I'll see you in my dreams. 

💕313💕

 

Fitness goals and finding my way back

So I'm sitting here with my feet up for the first time in a few days because I'm making myself take a rest day....and yesterday was leg day so I can't walk anyway.

LEG YAY

I had a goal when I came here to Okinawa that I wanted to get back into shape.  Not only get back into shape, but drop some pounds, eat right, work out a lot, and leave in the best shape of my adult life.

When I got here I was about 15-20lbs over where I'd like to be, horribly out of shape, and just feeling rotten about myself.  It was the result of over a year of pitying myself, being stuck in a deep emotional dark hole, the loss of Soon, the ongoing family drama....all which drained me of any energy I needed to actually get myself active again and working out.  I barely rode, I didn't play hockey.  I didn't even have the energy to cook for myself.  That whole year I ate like trash.

Back in December I finally got serious about getting my fitness back on track.  I started working with one of my colleagues, who helped get me on a sustainable program in the gym and introduced me to Keto diet.  I had a physical fitness test last week and I knew back in Nov/Dec that I needed to get my shit together immediately.  So my gym buddy helped set up a program for me and having a workout partner was what I needed to hold me accountable and motivate me.  Eventually I was doing two-a-days, running a couple miles in the morning and doing a gym workout (chest/back/shoulders/arms/legs) in the afternoon.

Despite being such a total lard earlier this year, I knocked out a 94.2 on my PT test (I usually score 95's so that was about on point) and despite being  a couple seconds slower on the run portion, I was very happy with that.  More importantly, that crap is out of the way and now I can start pushing myself harder in the gym without worrying about hurting myself before the annual PT test.  I'm excited to go harder and farther and faster, and to see even more results in the next three months.  Keto's been working for me as well, it was great to kick the sugar habit (I still have my cheat days and love chocolate) and I feel better when I'm on it.  I feel a lot better about myself and I am eager to see how much more progress I can achieve in the future.

I'm back to my barefoot running routine (yes, I'm one of those crazy people that runs around with absolutely no shoes on...trust me it's the only way I can run for miles without crippling myself), running between 3-5 miles at a time, and spending the afternoons in the gym working targeted areas.  My clothes are finally fitting better, and I have hope my breeches and boots will fit when I return and it's time to get back in the saddle. 

I also took up golf (got myself my own set of Cleveland clubs!!) and am sticking with the violin as well.  These two things give me something else to do and focus on, and are substituting as best they can for the horses.  I still need the horses though, and these last three months might crawl by.  I'm hoping though by staying busy, focusing on the fitness stuff and the other activities here that make me happy, that I'll get through it and before long I'll be on that long plane ride to Kentucky.

March 2019 Sig Update! Oh...and I'M MOVING TO KENTUCKY!!!

It's been more than six months since my last proper Sig update, so here it is!

Child is doing awesome.  He's been living outside all winter and doing well.  The last several videos I've received from Ashley have really, really gotten me excited about how Sig is coming along, and excited for the future with him.  He'll be five years old in a couple of weeks and I think his four year old year with Ashley was a very productive one.  He's learned so much and moves like a totally different horse.  He's much steadier in the contact, seems much more balanced and stronger, and he's still got that great natural rhythm over fences.

It's important to remember that he's still only four years old (well....soon to be five!) and right now it's just the basics.  When I bought him he was so backed off the contact he didn't know how to truly go forward.  Too much focus on "headset" and not enough focus on just forward from behind and straight. The few months we had together in Maryland were mostly hacking on a long rein and moving forward into the contact, and some light ring work focusing on the same.  Ashley and her team took the next step in his foundation work and I'm now seeing some really lovely results.

Here's a video from yesterday with Kalena, the assistant trainer, aboard.  I like this as I'm seeing more and more freedom through his shoulder and it seems like he's really starting to work from behind more.  While he still needs to learn to properly stretch and take the contact down (no slack in the rein), which he's not doing yet in this video, he's learned the concept of moving freely forward, which makes me very happy to see!

From here with more time and training I think he's going to be really lovely.  It makes me feel good seeing his progress.  Looking at him a year and a half ago as a three year old and knowing there was something in there, but not really sure what, and now seeing it start to come out is validation.  It's just hard when all you're doing is hacking for months on end to know for sure whether the potential athlete you think you saw is really in there.  I've always known he had the best personality, a great work ethic, was really smart and sweet, but athletically I was still unsure.  I just knew he needed time to grow and get strong, to relearn everything about moving and contact, and I needed time to chill after losing Soon.  But his development over the last nine months is showing me there's a really, really cool horse waiting for me back in Kentucky and I cannot wait to get home!

Oh, and on that note...

I'M MOVING TO LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY!

I got assigned to the ROTC detachment at the University of Kentucky!  For anyone who's actually been reading this blog for awhile (probably fat chance since there's like...seven of you), you might recall this post in which I outline my life plan.  That was almost two years ago.  And after a lot of work, a lot of convincing, and 365 days abroad in exchange for the chance to do it....it came true!!

Go after your dreams friends, and apologize for nothing.

I spent nearly two years putting this plan together, it required lots of different people and agencies to all concur, and I am so totally grateful for the opportunity.  I am inspired to work with and educate young cadets about becoming Air Force officers, and I think it is a role I will embrace and really enjoy.  So professionally I think it is a great move, a bit of a detour from my previous professional track, but still useful and a good opportunity.  Personally, of course, this is wonderful.  It puts me in Kentucky for about three years, and during that time I can decide if I want to remain in Lexington (and separate from the Air Force) or stay active duty and go on to a full 20-year USAF career.  We'll see.  Right now I'd say I'm about 50/50.

I'm not just excited about the horses and riding/training/showing opportunities, I have many reasons to look forward to living in the Lexington area.  I'm eager to continue my violin training with UK professors/students and joining a local amateur orchestra.  I'm looking forward to exploring a Masters degree through UK in their Arts Administration field, should I decide to take that path.  I'm excited about playing hockey and becoming part of the Lexington hockey community.  I'm excited about buying my first house! 

I'm just excited about Lexington.  As of today, I have only three more months left before I land at Lexington's airport and begin my Kentucky story.  I'll enjoy the remaining time here in Okinawa, but I cannot wait to get to the Bluegrass and be with Kentucky's greatest son.

Sig and I in Kentucky, December 2017