Rolex Dressage 2011 (Quick Pics)

 Diana Burnette and Manny lookin' gorgeous

 Michael Pollard and a gorgeous Icarus

 Michael and Icarus flyin along!

Allison Springer and Arthur

Last Post Before Rolex!

Tomorrow after school I'll head out to the barn, then leave for Kentucky!  Can't wait!  I really have to get my ! usage under control.  Anyhow, Cadence and I had another jumping lesson today on which we worked on the harder less fun more frustrating side of her jumping right now: cantering fences sans placing poles.  Two cross-rails on a circle.  Easy, right?  Not for my little 5 y/o ball of fire.  First she decides that she'd take what she learned yesterday and jump the one x like it had a big scary barrel under it.  Then she decided to continue along on that train of though, and just not go over it.  Grrrr!  I picked up a whip after her third run out, and didn't let it happen again.  however, I really had to ride every. single. damn. fence.  That's something that I don't like doing, and am not very good at.  However, I suppose now's the time to start.  Anyhow, my coach'll ride her twice whilst I'm down in Kentucky (partially so she can ride in the Childeric :P) and sort out her canter o/f.  Oh, I forgot to add that when we did jump 'em, she plowed over the fences.  No respect, running right through me, and barely lifting her feet even @ 2'6.  That's why we never should have showed her that there were bigger more exciting fences out there... what's done is done I suppose.

I didn't have any nice pics of Cadence being ridden... and I still don't.  These are just screen shots from our youtube vid.  However, at least it's a picture.  Or 4.  The standards look really small in the pics... however, today I walked past them today and realized they were up to my shoulders.  I was impressed, because at 5'9 my shoulders are sorta high up!

Badminton XC Results

I've been lucky to get live radio from Badminton on a friend's iPod :)  For my Canadians, Selena O'Hanlon and Stephanie Rhodes-Bosh will go in about an hour.  Hawley Bennet-Awad just finished, with 1 refusal at a skinny.  They didn't say which.  She (Hawley) did overtake someone on course.  Not sure how that happens, but apparently it can.  I just finished listening to her interview at the end of the course, and am writing this because the announcers left to have ice cream :P
Update: Selena O'Hanlon and Colombo are clear through the Shotgun hollow!  Go Selena!  I also found out where Hawley messed up.  She had a refusal at the caner reaserch hillside. Selena O'Hanlon clear through vickerage hillside... took a long way.  Pick it up Selena, you've gotta do well for me ;) 

Selena has just had two refusals.  Oh well.  Her refusal was at the first picture, and Hawleys was at the second.  However, Selena's going home strong despite the extra 60 penalties (since both were at the same fence)

Update 2:
Wow, note to self: if you want someone to win, don't cheer for them.  Out of my riders, Steph didn't finish and Selena did, but with two refusals.  The horse I was rooting for, Gin and Juice, had one refusal.  Pippa never made it to XC, and Karen & Mandiba didn't finish.

   Selena and Colombo

Hawley Bennett - Awad

Stehpanie and Port Authority

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter a day early!  Aren't those eggs pretty?  I want ones like that. 
Recap of things since I last posted:
Tuesday- Dressage school.  Cadence was a little rushy all in all, but especially on her left lead canter.  Rode through Entry test 1.  It was beautiful!  We rode in the draws
Wednesday-Dressage school.  Better throughout the majority of the ride, but the dressage tests were worse than Tuesdays.  Jigged after free walk, rushed transitions, etc.  Rode without the draws
Thursday- Lunged and spent forever de-mudding her
Friday- Flat lesson.  Cadence was great, but tired!  Wierd, I know!  Especially since we just had a w/t lesson to prep for her first show.  We're planning on doing the walk trot tests, and maybe one training test depending on how Cadence feels that day.

Saturday- Jump lesson!  Cadence was great!  Definitely had a ton of energy today!  lots and lots of exclamation points!  Anyhow, I made a quick video, so I'll let it speak for itself.

We're on Youtube!

Cadence now has her own YouTube channel, since I got sick of attempting to upload videos directly to the blog.  It takes forever!
On another note, Badminton still doesn't have their ride times up yet.  Rolex does, but Badminton doesn't and it starts in two days!  I'm also not 100% sure about live streaming the event either, but luckily for me I'm off good Friday till Easter Monday.  The only bad thing is that at 10am in the uk, it'll be 5am in Canada.  Here's hoping that none of my riders'll be going in the am!  Speaking of riders, all my faves will be at Badminton!  Selena O'Hanlon and Colombo will be there, along with Stephanie Rhodes-Bosche and Port Authority.  Unfortunately, my favourite pony (Henry Jota Hampton) will be missing.  I fall in love with Henny because of his big ears.  Sort of pathetic, I know but he's still my favourite!  Plus, I always love rooting for the underdog :)  Anywho, Badminton this year is going to be phenomenal.  The field is fantastic, and the course looks great!  I can't wait to see how the Canadians fare across the pond :)  We wish our whole team luck from the great white north... even if they have been down south all winter -_-