Posts Tagged ‘horse world expo
Is it Spring Yet?
Is it just me or does this winter feel like it’s dragging on forever? The snowfall we’ve gotten in Pennsylvania seems to just have stuck around FOREVER, making it nearly impossible for me to do any sort of training with the boys in the arena at our farm. Needless to say I have been trailering Boomerang out every weekend to get in some much needed training before the Extreme Cowboy Race.
We’re narrowing down on crunch time and I’ve been taking him to every possible place I can think of to get him better accustomed to new arenas, new surroundings, and strange things. Last weekend we went to an indoor filled with jumps, and a fair amount of snow falling off the roof. It was a scary place – if you’re a horse. Boomer was a little nervous at first, and we dealt with some “young pony” bucking. But in the end I was able to refocus him, and he did some really nice flying lead changes and much improved sidepassing.
Boomer still has a lot to learn, and for a 6 year old Chincoteague Pony (who’s breed notoriously matures late) he still has a lot of growing up to do. But when I look back to 2 years ago when he came to live with me at 4 years of age – I know he’s come a long way. Coming from a Hunter background, living with me was a complete change for Boomer.
Suddenly he was being asked to run – and run fast, perform tricks, and encounter strange equipment on a daily basis. Trail riding was even a challenge for him, as he had difficulty learning how to balance down a hill with a rider on his back. But Boomer has taken everything I ask of him in stride.
This winter has been no exception. I plucked him from a month long break over Christmas, carted him all over the county, and proceeded to speed train him to do flying lead changes, sidepassing, leg yielding, gate opening, rollbacks, and more – all in a time frame that most would say is pretty impossible. But Boomerang did it, and has managed to master pretty much everything I’ve thrown at him so far. I hope that we can continue the momentum and show everyone at the Expo just how amazing these Chincoteague Ponies are. Most people watching will probably have no idea the amount of effort I’ve put into working with Boomerang.
It almost makes me wish I could play a little before video – like how they do on reality tv shows – a sort of “this is where we came from” tribute. Regardless, I know where we’ve come from and how much work it’s taken to get here. And when this competition is all over…..I can finally sleep at night! I’m so exhausted! 🙂
Extreme Cowboy Race Here we come!
If you follow our blog, then you probably already read my post on the Extreme Cowboy Race.
I had this crazy idea that it would be something fun for Boomerang and I to try. Nevermind the fact that I ride English, or that I had no idea how to do a roll back, or even rope a cow.
I clipped my pony and ventured off to start some western lessons in the dead of winter with him. All with the idea in the back of my mind that “maybe” we might be ready to give the Extreme Cowboy race a try.
In the past month Boomerang has learned soooo much! I knew he was smart, but I had no idea in a matter of weeks he’d be doing roll backs like a pro, swapping flying lead changes with ease, ground-tieing, sidepassing logs, dragging trash cans, and opening gates. So last week I looked back over everything he had learned, and I knew that he was ready.
We prepared our entry for the Extreme Cowboy Race, and made this video to send in.
And after a week of waiting, Boomerang was accepted to compete!
I’m really excited to go, but also really nervous to venture into the “unknown”. Whatever happens though, I’m sure Boomer and I will have a blast. And at least now I can cross “Push myself past my comfort zone and compete in something I’ve never done before” off my 2011 Goals list!
Let the Training Begin
Sometimes I feel like I’m in the movie Inception. I get “implanted” with these crazy ideas and it’s all I can think about.
Right now, it’s the Extreme Cowboy Race. A timed event that tests you and your horse’s ability to navigate obstacles (like bridges, dragging objects, and opening gated) and perform western moves (roll backs, sidepassing, lead changes). I spotted the event several months ago and it’s all I’ve been able to think about. It’s probably safe to say it’s been put on my Bucket List – as one of my must do things in my lifetime.
And wouldn’t you know, in a little less than two months there will be an Extreme Cowboy Race held at the Horse World Expo in Harrisburgh, PA, for the first time ever – that’s about an hour and half from me. Way too close for me not to be really really tempted to enter.
It is this sole reason that I took poor unsuspecting Boomerang from this:
To this:
It is also the reason I borrowed a Western Saddle.
And the reason I took Boomerang to his first Western lesson on Monday. I think I must be crazy.
See the idea of the Extreme Cowboy Race is so exciting to me! I want to try something I’ve never done before, I want to challenge my pony and myself, I want to see if we can do it. But then I remember I am an english rider, I grew up competing in Dressage, Boomerang is still very young and immature, and it makes me nervous just THINKING about how many people would be watching me at the Expo. Are we really ready?
If it wasn’t for the HEFTY entry fee, not to mention stabling, hotel fees, transportation, lesson fees, being away from work, and the short time I have to get ready – probably there would be NO question, and I’d throw my hands in the air and say what the heck do I have to loose? But the reality is that I don’t want to spend all my time, money, resources on something I think I’m only half ready for. I want to succeed. I want to enter the arena KNOWING that we’re ready for this. KNOWING that Boomer is ready for this.
And we might be. Maybe.
I’m going to continue working Boomerang. Taking him to lessons, practicing at home, perhaps swimming him in the indoor track pool for race horses – whatever it takes to push ourselves to maybe, just maybe, be ready.
And if all else fails. I discovered the American Trail Horse Competition. Boomer is going to kill me.
