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Loch Moy, October 2010Fall 2010


posted by Huxley: Saturday, November 13th at 9:15pm

Unfortunately I've been neglecting to update this page and others. However, so much has happened since my last post to this page! Which means that this is going to be a long post! Octavian has come back wonderfully and is feeling like himself, but just a tad bit better! We started back out with the schooling horse trial at Plain Dealing Farm. Vesuvian ran his first beginner novice ever and Octavian did an easy training to help him start getting back into the swing of things. Vesuvian had a wonderful day with a solid dressage, stadium, and cross country round. We did have a slight hiccup at the water, but for his first time running around cross country I was thrilled! Of course Octavian had a good day. However, we had a slight miscommunication at the trakehner on course, which most definitely stemmed from nerves on my part (first time jumping a trakehner since our fall in April). After that, we did a schooling combined test hosted by the Blue Ridge Eventing Association . Vesuvian did his first novice, putting in a solid dressage test (35) and stadium round. Octavian and I did our first intermediate combined test, with a prelim warm up beforehand. Our prelim test was excellent (34) and I was pretty excited for our intermediate test. We have many improvements to make, but things are looking bright for the future! We scored a 40. We pulled a rail in our prelim show jumping course, but went double clear around the intermediate! Next up for the boys was the schooling HT through VHT . Vesuvian ran around his second beginner novice and had a good weekend. Equinox, a horse owned by Julie Georges who was with me in training for three months went and had a fabulous cross country school on Saturday. It was his first time out and he nearly jumped around the beginner novice course! Octavian almost made me cry! As ridiculous as it sounds, I was so happy to "have my horse back" that I almost couldn't stand it! Our dressage test was solid, scoring a 33. We had a clear SJ round and a double clear cross country round putting us in 2nd.

Loch Moy, October 2010 Octavian and I then headed to Five Points HT, where we had a "wake up" weekend. Our dressage test was decent, but unfortunately due to bad riding on my part, we incurred 80 penalties on Saturday. I put us in a bad position headed to a tough corner to ramp combination (the course was for the Area II championships, it had some tough lines), where I also crossed my tracks in addition to riding badly both times through. We had one other bobble. However, it was our first time back to the "real thing" and when I crossed that finish line I knew that good things were on the way...although it seemed ridiculous for us to incur 80 penalties, it was more a matter of "rust" than anything else. We had a lovely show jumping round and finished the event sound and happy. Three weeks later we headed to The Maryland Horse Trials. It was a one day event, so things went very quickly. We had a very strong dressage test (a little out of control I mean) and scored a 40. We had a rail in stadium, but Octavian definitely felt strong. We started out a bit "looky" on cross country, but after we found our rthym, we started to have a great ride. I made another "rider error" at an easy log at 17a. It was going down a hill and quite frankly I took it for granted and threw Octavian away at the base resulting in a silly stop. Other than that, we had an amazing round. We just returned from the Virginia Horse Trials. I don't think we could have ended the season any better (well, actually, that's not true, we headed into stadium in 1st with a rail in hand at this event, however...). Dressage was a little too wild for my liking. Octavian was very "up" and I couldn't even put my leg on. We somehow scored a 43.5, which tied us for 2nd. Cross country was amazing and we only finished with 8 time penalties putting us in 5th after cross country. Although I didn't know it, it seemed that the rails were coming down on Sunday in show jumping, and I was the last to go in the JYOP division. Little did I know that if I jumped clear we would win, I even could've pulled one and been tied for 1st. Although we pulled two rails, Octavian felt absolutely amazing around the course and I was absolutely elated at the end! He was jumping and listening extremely well. We dropped back to 4th, but what a way to end this year! Octavian really is my best friend and I'm leaving the next step up to him, however, with the way he's been feeling, I think that things are looking positve for 2011 and thank goodness I went with my gut and listened to my horse this year. This time I was lucky, it was in my favor, but even when it's not, I will always be a better listener from here on out!

I'm currently putting together a schedule for 2011...more to come!

Morven Spring HTSummer 2010


posted by Huxley: Thursday, June 8th at 9:35am

After a long hard winter, summer has finally arrived! Spring was a bumpy ride, but there is lots to look forward to this summer and fall. Vesuvian just made his first debut at Millington CT, hosted through Virginia Horse Trials and Brian and Penny Ross. It was a good outting, with a few green horse moments! Emmy is currently recovering from an injury, but will hopefully be back to work in the next month or so. Octavian is enjoying his new career path as a potential show jumper. We're all working very hard! Perhaps the most exciting news is that of current construction of a few cross country fences and a bank complex. Pictures coming soon! For more detailed news, please check the blog. Happy summer! :)

Emmy free lungingWinter 2009/2010


posted by Huxley: Thursday, January 7th at 9:00am

After a brief vacation this fall, everyone is back to work. Unfortunately, the weather here in Virginia has been difficult to deal with, we got a huge snow storm a week before Christmas, and we still have snow on the ground, with a forecast of more to come. However, everyone is doing well. Emmy is now under saddle and is a joy to work with. Vesuvian is coming along well and Octavian seems happy to be back from vacation. I'm currently in the process of updating and rearranging a few things on the site, so please be patient if anything is funky. Check the blog for more recent news!

Huxley and Octavian getting ready for the jog"Octavian is accepted."


posted by Christy: Wednesday July 23 at 5:20pm

Octavian and Huxley trotted through the rain and mud and... were accepted. They were selected to be part of the team and so will go on to represent Area II on Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Though the rain and chill were relentless, all the Area II horses and riders made it through the inspection. They all looked fabulous.

Huxley actually had her ears pierced last week during camp because the team had decided they all wanted to wear pearls during dressage. Just before the jog, I went over to the barn and we got the hoops out of her ears and slipped the pearls in. Then out into the rain they headed. Eventers are nuts. They buy new clothes to wear straight out into the mud. Speaking of which about two weeks ago she brought a new fly sheet home for Octavian and wanted me to look at it. I whipped it out and tossed it over my head to see if it was comfortable and breathable. Huxley glared at me and told me she wasn't quite ready to mess it up. Like I was going to get it filthy. Five minutes later she was out in the barn trying it on Octavian, who actively seeks to coat himself in mud.

I'll post more on Friday after Dressage. For now, I won't bother telling you any more about the weather. It's better if you see for yourself!
Waiting to jogIt was a dark and stormy night...

NAJYRC - "Getting Lucky in Kentucky"


posted by Christy: Wednesday, July 22nd

Team decorating the golf cartWow. It's amazing. I thought this week would never get here! So much effort by so many people and from so many directions went into getting Huxley and Octavian to this point. It has been a long road to finally arrive here... and it is also a beginning in its own. Huxley, Octavian, and the rest of the Area II folks at Kentucky Horse Park Monday afternoon after having spent the whole previous week with the rest of the Area II young riders, horses, and coaches. When we got to the barn there was a long line of trailers and, though it had been a long trip, Octavian still had to wait a bit before we could unload him. As is his style, he knocked on the door a few times to let us know this aimless standing was uncalled for. The bustle and business was unlike any event we had been to, as there were trucks, trailers, trunks, people, dogs, saddles, bridles, boots, hay. Everywhere! Despite the raucus, Octavian was none the worse for the wear.

During training camp last week all the riders came up with nicknames for each other. Huxley's is Chariot. They also coined their slogan for this week... "Getting lucky in Kentucky", which has shown up on t-shirts along with their nicknames on the back!

Yesterday Huxley had a lesson with David O'Brien and they got to go in the grandstand. I talked to David and he said Octavian came into the arena, looked around, and puffed up really big and proud. Huxley has been super happy with Octavian and says she has come away from all of her lessons with David having learned so much each time.

I just dropped Huxley off at the barn and she will have another lesson at 11:45 which I plan to watch. I had planned to take pictures, but it is raining a bit - we'll see how it goes and I will try to post pictures tomorrow later.

The ever anxiety provoking jog will be between 3 and 5 this afternoon and all the area II riders went shopping together last week and bought matching dresses. Huxley also had her ears pierced so she can wear pearls for the jog and her dressage test.

Interestingly, as much time as we are spending here, everything is still encompassed by a lot of rushing around! Kentucky Horse Park is huge and beautiful and there is a lot of running time.

Update: June 26, 2009

After months of work and weeks of waiting... just got the news! Huxley and Octavian were selected to be part of the Area II Young Riders and they're going to Kentucky to compete in the NAJYRC CCI* July 22-26. Congratulations to Huxley and Octavian for their achievement and thank you to the many generous donors who pulled together to help her raise money for the team! There is much excitement around the barn.

Octavian enjoyed a celebratory apple and many carrots when he was officially informed. Huxley started searching for a shadbelly, top hat, and dress boots. They are a beautiful pair!

Updates: May 2009

Updates: March 2009

 

Congratulations to Julie Georges on her purchase of Equinox!

Vesuvian is Coming!


Huxley found Vesuvian online and looked at him on March 7, 2009. He will be arriving on the farm on Sunday, March 15th. He is a 6 year old off the track thoroughbred with a lovely canter. We'll keep you posted on how he's coming along!

To find out the inside details on what's going on, visit Huxley's blog.

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Copyright © 2009 - 2011.
Photos courtesy of GRC Photos, Brant Gamma, Robert Horne, and Christy Sullenberger.