New Year

Ah well I haven't even posted a 2012 blog yet! Happy 2012! Already so much has happened and I can't believe we are almost heading into March and yes of course I am still stuck in MN. Although the winter hasn't been too bad, we still don't have any shows like they do in the south!

Although I wish I could be showing right now, we have had a fun time up here in MN. I have been hosting monthly group jumping clinics with ground demos like braiding, wrapping, conditioning, etc and hope to continue those throughout the year - of course depending on how many open weekends we may have!

I finally put together our tentative show schedule for the summer and I am SO looking forward to it! OF course it depends on how the spring is and if we can get out schooling. Right now we have plans to school before our trip to ROLEX, but of course we will not know if that will be happening until the day of!

Speaking of ROLEX - I am so excited to be attending this year! The last time I was at ROLEX was 2004 and worked on the Safety Committee with Katy Bloomquist. It was great to get to see behind the scenes and everything. I am so excited to go this year with my clients and new barn owner, Tracy Adams.

Well this blog is all over the place - lets get down to it! Here is the calendar so far for the year!

APRIL:
April 14-15 – Ralph Hill @ NBEC
April 21 – OCF XC Schooling (Lucy & Hannah)
April 26-30 - ROLEX

MAY:
May 4-6 – Catalpa Horse Trials
Liz on Lucy – Novice
May 12 – XC Schooling
May 17-20 – OCF Spring
Liz on Lucy – Novice
Liz on Hannah – Intermediate

JUNE:
June 2 – St. Croix Dressage Show
June 3 – Carriage House Combined Test
Liz on Lucy – Novice/Training
Liz on Hannah – Advanced
June 8-10 – Dressage at Alpine
June 16-17 – Ralph Hill Clinic @ Wildwood
June 20-24 – Alpine Farms H/J
Liz on Lucy
Liz on Hannah

JULY:
July 7-8 – Dressage at Alpine
July 13-15 – Roebke’s Run HT
Liz on Lucy – Training?
July 20-22 – Pony Cup (kids)

AUGUST:
Aug 2-4 – C3, B, A Ratings (Morgan-C3, Maria-A)
Aug 4-5 – Ralph Hill Clinic @ Jane’s
Aug 9-11 – OCF Summer HT
Liz on Lucy – Training?
Liz on Hannah – Intermediate
Aug 18-19 – OCF Dressage
Aug 21-27 – Richland Park HT (MI)
Liz on Lucy – Training?
Liz on Hannah – Advanced?

SEPTEMBER:
Aug 31 – Sept 2 – Steepleview HT
Liz on Lucy - Training
Sept 8-9 – Ralph Hill Clinic @ Schweiss
Sept 20-23 – OCF Fall HT
Liz on Lucy
Liz on Hannah - Intermediate

OCTOBER:
Oct 5-7 – Roebke’s Run HT EMILY
Liz on Lucy

Of course note the ? marks following the levels in the fall - it all depends on how the season is progressing and how the girls are doing! That would be the goal assuming all goes as planned, but as we all know with horses, that is a rare occurrence!

So in preparation for what is going to be an amazing year, I myself have hit the gym in order to get myself in the best physical shape that I can to be able to perform my best. Just like we do for our horses, we must do for ourselves. I started my personal training sessions at SNAP Fitness this week with my trainer Sam, she is great! We are making a whole new nutrition plan as well so that I can start fueling myself properly to become the better athlete that I want to be. I will be meeting with Sam 3x/week and she will give me a plan for the days I am not with her. Whooop! Fitness and better health here we come!

The girls are doing great! Coming back into full work now. Schooling movements on the flat, jump schooling and getting some indoor trot sets in! I can't believe it is almost time to start gallops! I hope the snow melts quickly & March is a friendly month for us! Lucy's jumping is getting much better. She is much straighter and thinking quicker on her feet. Thanks to my crash test dummy, Maria, who has been jumping her weekly! The bounce and gridwork seems to be helping her a lot! Hannah is jumping of course too, she is always so much fun to jump. Although she has quite a unique way of going, I like that way and am accustomed to it. I love my Hannah B. Of course 'I Love Lucy' too! They are both going to the Leatherdale Equine Center at the end of the month to do some demo rides. Hannah will be demoing a Preliminary dressage test with Kate Phillips and Lucy will be demoing a show jumping course, how to ride a course, with Jane Braddock. Looking forward to getting out of the "house" for the first time this year! The vet is coming soon to draw coggins tests on all of the horses so we will be all set for the year! This is the first year in awhile that my good friend Jen Johnson won't be doing our coggins! She is living in Washington now with her family and animals! We miss you Jen!

On another note, we finally have snow here! We got hit hard Tuesday night and a little more last night. Although the snow we got was heavy and wet - it did make everything look more beautiful! Of course until it melts and we have mud lakes in our pastures! It has been a good winter this year! I guess that is all for now - stay warm, drive safe and get those ponies back in shape!