Gracie's evaluation...

Today I had the pleasure of meeting a one time World Show Hack Champion Brenda Bureau. She came out to look at Grace and give her opinion on her potential in the Show Hack Ring.

She had lots of great advice.

She thought Grace had the body type and mind to do extremely well in the show ring. She watched Kim ride her under saddle and suggested that we lunge her for 15 to 30 minutes before she's ridden using draw reigns and get her to move forward using her hind end better. This will help her relax more under saddle and teach her how use her hind with ground work. This will also help with our bonding...

I'm really looking forward to learning how to use these new tools. I'm always excited to learn something new when it comes to horses and working them. I''m new to the English discipline so this will be fun.

After Gracies ride we let her loose in the arena so Brenda would be able to see her natural movement. She has a natural extended trot a that is to die for and has such natural movement. We just need to capture that movement and teach her how do do them on cue. If she does the SKY'S the LIMIT!!!

Grace and her imitation of Silver

So Thursday night Kim was going to ride Grace she was tacked up and ready to go. The weather was COLD 36 degree about. Kim hopped on and did a lap around the arena and right away I could tell it was going to be interesting.

Grace was extra spooky. Spooking at the gates and at the tractor at the cows at all the things she's seen a million times. Kim asked her for a trot and came around the corner and my girl bucked...I have never in her riding career seen Grace buck with a rider. She would not relax about the 6th time around the arena she spooked again Kim pushed her forward and UP she went. Doing her very best unwanted impression of Silver....

We checked her for saddle pain or back pain. But I think her teeth were still tender from her visit from the dentist.

Kim rode her Friday morning and she was fine.

I have never seen my Sweet, Sweet Mare behave this way. Totally out of character for her.

Grace-y Goes to the Dentist.

If Gracie could talk this is what she would have sounded like after Dr. Ron was done with her.

Poor baby tells me when she needs to have her teeth looked at. She puts up a minor fight with the bridling. It comes from nowhere. One day she bridles fine the next she is all high headed and will back up eventually giving in...she's fine once the bridle is in. She's pretty good at expressing herself.

She had 6 ulcers on each side of her poor mouth. She's been needing a float about every 6 to 8 mths. I hope this goes down to at least once a year soon.

She's very expressive about other things as well, she hates back straps on her blanket and isn't fond of getting her hooves picked out, but she loves her grain, and kickin' up her heals on a sunny days.

Anyhoo, she had yesterday off and will be back to work tomorrow.

My God has it really been since Sept..

Has it been since Sept that I have posted on this blog..I was bugging JP about her blog and realized I really have no room to be giving her a hard time. So much has happened since Sept.

Gracie is getting ready for her first Breed show. It's the AIM sport horse show. She'll be riding in 3 classes. 2 Hunter under saddle classes and 1 show hack.

She had her first ride tonight in a double bridle (Full Bridle) and she looked amazing. She still takes my breathe away. I should have taken pics but I was so fascinated with her that I completely forgot.

She has transitioned out of a snaffle and is riding in a shank for western. She actually looks really cute. At least cute enough for open shows...I have a goal to win at least one ribbon this year in a Walk/Trot/Canter class...

In June there are a couple of open shows that we are hoping to compete for High Point. Things are really coming together. Super busy show schedule this year.

The Picture above is from our first show this year my friend Kim rides her English (and will be riding at AIM) She had a second and a third placing at this show.

I hope all is well out in blogger land....I promise myself I will keep up more as I really want a diary of Gracie's progress. Boy has she come a long way!