FMNM Blog Hop: The Fear

Don't laugh at my 2 minute drawing. It works!

My lovely bloggers. I want to know something. I don't know why, but I do. I want to know:

What has been the most fearful moment you have ever experienced with a horse?

It could be while riding, on the ground, with your horse, with somebody else's horse, etc.

Love for No Fear Baby.

I just want to know, because, why not? If you are still struggling with whatever happened and don't want to think about it, that is perfectly fine. If you don't really have a story but your friend does, share that one. Or just see what others have been through. I'll go first.

Rothstein at Golden Gate. Kind of looks like Bobby!

I can't think of too many times that I have been really scared shit-less on a horse. But I do know which moment takes the cake. It was my first year galloping racehorses on the track. I rode a scrawny guy that we were slowly trying to get back into health and shape. Our trainer, E, thought I could hold him because he was not the fittest creature, but damnit, that bastard liked to run. I would mostly back track (jog on the outside rail backwards) him because every time we turned around to gallop, he would take off. And I would just sit there and hold on until he got tired (which was pretty quick) and then pull him up.

Had to take Rothy in a citation bit. It's the bit choice for super strong horses or runoffs...

I liked this little Rothstein horse. He wasn't super attractive, just a plain little bay. He was sweet as pie to tack up or groom or bathe, and never did anything super silly under saddle. He just wanted to run. Well, today was the day. I was going to hold him for a gallop. I was prepared. My fitness was increasing. I wanted to give it a try. The trainer told me "Don't let him run off with you". Gulp. Ok.

Oh look. Going fast. Big surprise.

We back tracked about halfway through the turn and then I gathered my reins and myself and turned him around. I had a fairly good hold of him and we went on our way. He was pulling pretty hard but I still had him. All I remember is going into a turn and all of the sudden I was put into the rail. Do you know what a racehorse does when they get the cue to go to the rail? They work (GO FAST). And Rothy was like YESSSSSS and off he went.

Rothstein looking like a bad ass last year.

I felt the energy zap out of my body in 0.2 seconds. I tried to pull him up but I had absolutely nothing. There were two tards goofing around on babies on the inside rail as I came down the stretch. All I could do was yell "INSIDE! INSIIIIIIDE!!!!" Fortunately, they got out of the way in time because I would have plowed right through them. I think I yelled INSIDE one more time, even though I had already passed them. As I came down the back stretch, the outrider asked if I needed help and I promptly said "yes please". We made another lap around the track. I couldn't believe how tired my body was. My horse was super tired too. Fortunately, the trainer wasn't mad. Well, at least not at me. But everybody was pissed at the guy who dropped me into the rail.

I could have died asshole, thanks.

Not getting runoff with Baby. 

So, there you have it. I got runoff with on a racehorse, which usually isn't a problem, until my body feels like it is going to just collapse and there are tards dinking around on the rail. Good news is, now I am not that scared while hauling ass when I am not supposed to be.

Mowing down geese is fun!

Smiles!

When Beastmode Means Riding Two Days In a Row

Pony love.

Before I head off to my CT scan today, I will let you know that I RODE. Twice. IN A ROW. Now, for me, this is big news. I don't recall that last time I rode two days in a row. I think maybe October. And I didn't pass out, nor did I need to climb/fall off my horse because I felt like I might pass out. I got my heart rate up, and got some nice exercise in. Just so you know, another obstacle of Lyme is exercise intolerance.

Streeetch down dragon.

What does this mean? It means that I am unable to physically do things like I should, and after I try, I experience negative side effects. Things like pain, extreme fatigue, nausea, dizziness, etc. It also doesn't help that I have exercise induced asthma. But it could be worse, and so I will deal with it and do my best to not end up in the hospital.

My fav trot picture from the ride.

Enough of that. We are tired of hearing "woe is me". Let's see some pony pictures!

I had an itch. And I really don't like seeing those ribs.

Day one: Bacon had morphed back into a dragon. A racehorse dragon. That didn't know what being relaxed and slow meant. I knew this was coming, as I have increased her grain and supplement rations and she hadn't been turned out that day. I proceeded anyways. Cause I'm a honey badger.

Good job horse!

She was snorty and looky and pulling. Not my regular Bacon. But that's ok, I was riding. We did get some good work in. I tried to remember what Linds was having me work on last year. Posting slower and larger to kind of try to get her to relax and slow those legs down and hopefully increase the stride and power. When she wanted to pull too hard, I tried to remember to not fight back and give her some more rein. She attempted to chill the best she could, and I appreciated that. We also threw in some cross rails and a jump or two over the barrel. She seemed to like that.

Jumping off one foot again. Darnit.

Day two was a different horse. Calm, quiet, sleeping as I tacked her up. I was feeling sad and she must have known maybe. I wanted to keep it short and sweet if she was good. And she really was. We had some nice transitions, did a little lateral work and I rewarded her with lots of breaks and then some jumping.

Pastels for spring!

Nothing like riding around in the yard.

Ho boy she was happy to be jumping! The problem we were having last year was falling forward and flat towards the jumps. Her head would be down and we would almost always take a long spot. Soooo, this year, the goal is head up at the jumps, butt engaged and getting deeper into the jumps. As my husband would yell at us as we would be coming up to the jump: BALLS DEEP! Thanks hubs, Whatever keeps you clicking that camera.

Sexy horse.

Look at that mane!

Oooo a PS Bridle....

Compared to the day before and last year, she already had improved. Weight was shifted more towards the hind end and she was just so damn excited to be jumping. It made me happy. That's not to say we didn't have any ugly jumps, because we still did, but we had more that were better. And I'll take it!

Feet planted. 

Balls deep.

Husband framed us pretty awesomely in this photo!

Moo the hay dane.

We also played a game of chase the dogs in the pasture. Bacon really enjoyed it.

Meaty did not.

ZOMG IT'S COMING!!!!!

Wildebeest #1.

Wildebeest #2.

And a foggy Pandora nose!

TT: Buckpasser-Bacon.

Oh look, it is another addition of throwback Thursday lineage style! And this time we are going waaaay back to Bacon's great great grandsire, Buckpasser.

It is not uncommon for all of you with OTTB's to have this guy pop up somewhere. He was a racing machine and also great in the breeding shed as well. If you are curious, keep on reading!

Born in 1963 and bred by Ogden Phipps, the young bay colt came from royalty. Sired by Tom Fool (Horse of the Year over Native Dancer) and out of a distance mare (Busanda), he was bred to make history. He inherited his sire's speed, but also had the heart and guts of his mother and was able to win in longer races such as the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Travers Stakes.

Love his face in this picture

The colt was tall and lanky (sound like someone we know?) and battled with quarter cracks and knee issues. He stood at 16.3HH (also sounding familiar) and always seemed balanced. He was one of Richard Stone Reeves (famous equine artist) most favorite horses to paint. Loved his conformation and his demeanor. It was said that a child could handle him in the stable. But on the track, he was a monster to hold steady.

Saratoga Stakes win.

His first race, he ran fourth. He was known to sometimes come a little too close with his battles at the front, and was a freight train come from behind runner. Quarter cracks kept him out of the triple crown races. He was also the winner of a Horse of the Year title at three. He had 31 starts, and finished first 25 times, second 4 times and third once, leaving him out of the money only one time. He earned $1,462,014.

As far as his progeny go, he sired five champions. They could compete on either dirt or turf and usually got better as the distances got longer. But mostly, he was a great sire of fillies, who then turned around and become wonderful broodmares. They have produced some of the greatest horses to ever hit the track. Two were broodmare of the year. He later died of a ruptured aorta on March 6, 1978 at the young age of 15.

Cute older man version!

Not the best picture of Bacon. I will have to retake one!

On The Steel Horse I Ride!

Happy boy.

Ok, I didn't ride. But my husband did. He got a new motorcycle and was SO DAMN EXCITED. It was kind of adorable. I had just pulled up on Saturday from work, and there he was, with the world's biggest grin.

CAN IT COME IN THE HOUSE?!

At that point, it was way cleaner than the dogs, so I said yes. So, it watched the supercross races with us in the living room that night. And the next day, I let him take it out to break it in and play with his friends. I use to love going to the motocross races and watching him race. That is where I met him. The first race I watched him in, he fell down in the corner where I was standing, and then got back up and ended finishing first.

The boys and the bike.

He was kind of a little creeper. Always strutting around without a shirt on if I was there. He would just stand there and smile at me. But you all know what happened and here I am, married to the weirdo. I loved watching him ride and race, and I loved to photograph that. So it was kind of heart warming and terrifying to come out and photograph the breaking in of the new bike. He is still fast as hell, and with this new bike, even faster. So, for your enjoyment (since I volunteered my day of riding) here are some photos of him and his friends!

Going slow at first to break the motor in. I like this speed.

Blake probably complaining about how slow he has to go.

Boys and mud. I don't understand.

Chris goes weeeeeeee! All the matching gear is an A+ effort.

Oh look, more mud!

Wait a minute. That is not quite right. (Thankfully, he was ok!)

Blake being a brat and roosting his friend.

Vlad's matching game is on point. The goggles are like the perfect matching fly bonnet.

Too fast too fast too fast too fast.

Look at him just have a hell of a time.

The herd goes galloping through the track.

I bought that gear for him. Yeah, I know. I'm good.

See, I told you he survived. He even got back out there and scared me some more!

The goggles man, the goggles. They don't match.

Dirty boys. The one on the right is terrified of horses and it is very entertaining.