Hey guys :) The tattoo of a Phoenix I had put onto my shoulder seems utterly fitting these days. When everything seems to be burning down, as always, new opportunities manage to rise out of the ashes. Or so I hope. What would the alternative be?

I suppose I should start at the beginning with this knee stuff. 

Some of you might remember I dislocated my knee in 2002, while working at a veterinary clinic. I tore my Medial Patellar-Femoral Ligament (the ligament that keeps your kneecap from being pulled out of alignment to the outside) and since that first trauma, it would go out (sublux) spontaneously from regular activity until I got it repaired in 2007. I waited so long because I was travelling and working with Leslie and didn't want to take time off from that, and riding, and training. In 2007 I was living in the US for a few years already and attending ASU and so could spare some months to recover. Dr Yaccobucci in AZ did an MPFL repair (used my own ligament, just tightened it and reattached it) and a Lateral Retinacular Release (severed the opposing ligament on the outside that was pulling the kneecap off center to the outside). He also cleaned up some torn cartilage. The recovery was unbelievably devastating. I had only 5 PT sessions and used them all for manual manipulation to break up surgical adhesions after being locked in an immobilizer for 4 weeks post op and the leg healing straight. 

Now, you guys know I have a very high pain tolerance. I mean, I broke my back in three places and kept riding for a week before I even went in for radiographs. I didn't even take tylenol. I have had 3 back surgeries, multiple procedures...

And this knee recovery is THE WORST EXPERIENCE I have ever had in my life. I start to get anxious just remembering it. I promised myself no matter what, I would NEVER do it again. 

Well, because The surgical site happened to be on the inside of the knee, exactly where our dressage saddles contact our kneecap, and my doctors never told me I had "Ligament Laxity" to a very high degree, I have ruined the repair over the past 8 years by continuing to ride. 

The saddles, constantly pushing against the knee, have overstretched the ligament, and now, as there is no ligament on the outside (it was severed during the first surgery) my kneecap has no lateral structures to keep it stable. It is now a "floating patella".

Since the surgery in 2007, and after I recovered (took 14 months to get back 100% ROM and strength) it was completely perfect. Never swelled, never hurt, never felt unstable. EVER! it was wonderful! I was so pleased. 

Last year, Around October, it subluxed and reduced on its own, was swollen and sore for 24 ours and then was fine. I didn't worry too much because I couldn't manually push my kneecap out of place like I could before the repair. Then, This summer, it went out again. I found this time, that the mobility of the kneecap was again to the point where I could dislocate my knee laterally (to the outside) 100%. My heart basically sank at that moment. I went to my GP and she got me a consult to my Ortho Dr, Scott Hughes, who I had already been seen for my right shoulder in the summer and was awaiting an MRI for pain and loss of motion (long history). 

After I got the appointment scheduled, D'Jango ran into me, my left leg (the bad one) and knocked the knee out. The kneecap dislocated medially (to the inside) and I ended up so painful I had to use crutches for 3 weeks. It felt like it was freezing with bending motion, worze with load bearing, especially going downstairs. It never felt that painful, EVER, before the first surgery. 

When I saw him, he and I decided I would pay for my own MRI ( I didn't want to wait) and we would tentatively schedule a MPFL Reconstruction because of my Ligament Laxity (obviously my lax ligaments were no good if they would stretch out again). and he could do the surgery. It was pretty devastating for me, I did not tell him my knee is what caused all my spine problems (my discs herniated 5 weeks post op in 2008) or that since I saw him for my shoulder I broke my back). I also didn't think to tell him the kneecap was dislocating medially. Why Would I? I didn't think it was a big deal. 

So, here's a tidbit of juiciness, Scott is a wonderful guy, very good bedside manner, excellent references. (And hello, handsome!) but his receptionist, OMG. Since day one, she's been rude to me. Short, cranky, disinterested. I asked my GP to send me to Robert McCormack, head of UBC Orthopedics, and a world renowned knee surgeon. I was recommended my several high performance athletes (friends) to see him as a second opinion as he is the Team Canada surgeon. Well, Receptionist gets wind of this and phones me to tell me if I go see anyone else, she "will cancel all my appointments with Dr. Hughes". WHOA. apparently I have no right to get a second opinion about my career ending, major surgery?! wtf. so I cancelled my second opinion because it took me months to get into Dr Hughes already. 

After my MRI, I saw Dr Hughes to go over it and book surgery.. (2 weeks ago) This time  I showed him how my knee could dislocate from my fingers pushing it both ways, laterally and medially. He was shocked..basically said the MPFL repair would not work. And why would it? I never thought of that, Of course tightening the ligament on the inside would just pull the kneecap off the rails (aka trochlear groove)to the inside. Damnit. I didn't tell him about his receptionist's threats or attitude. Or my spine or anything. We just started thinking about possible procedures that could be done. There isn't a set "flow sheet" to this type of problem. There aren't enough of us medial dislocators to have the protocol set in stone. I suggested a Trochleoplasty (deepening the Trochlear Groove) and he said that the outcomes from that procedure are absolutely awful, they all cause pain, arthritis, and patients are worse off than before the procedure, comfort wise. He left to look at my radiographs, and was back 5 minutes later, saying it may be a good idea. What?! Also said I might be looking at a "Tibial Tuberal Ostoeotomy with Distal Transfer" which is a fancy way of saying cutting the part of my Femur that has the patellar tendon attached and reattaching it at a lower spot on my leg so that my patella sits lower and will advance into the trochlear groove sooner during flexion. My patella sits very high, higher than it should, so that's partially why it subluxes so easily. 

So, because he isn't a Patellar Femoral specialist, and he said only 1% of patellar instability patients sublux medially, he needs to send me to another specialist. His friend, Laurie Hiemstra of Banff Sport Medicine. 

So, He sent the referral, I had to go get a new set of special view radiographs for her, and am now waiting for a consultation appointment. In Banff. 5 hours away. In the winter. 

Oh, here's a cute little video,

Update Long Overdue

Hey everyone - This is so long overdue - Bug was sold back in the end of September which is why I haven't been posting. It was a very difficult thing for me as I was promised she would not be for sale, ever. So, I apologize for not getting to you sooner but I was just wallowing there for a bit.

Also, Remember how I had a major knee repair (patellar realignment) doe in Christmas of 2007 when I lived in Phoenix? Turns out I shouldn't have kept riding, and because I didn't listen to the doctors, I ruined the repair. The way we use our leg on a horse, and where our leg contacts the saddle, is where the repair was done. And, by riding, I have overstretched the ligament that was secured on the inside in order to keep my patella from subluxating to the outside, to the point of my kneecap now "flapping in the breeze". There is nothing keeping it centered in it's groove and it constantly subluxates in and out, all day long.

To peel the onion even further, my recurring lumbar spine problems that have sidelined me multiple problems, required surgeries, injections, and left me with chronic pain, all happened due to my knee. The first disc herniations occurred 5 weeks post-op from my knee surgery, likely because I was non-weight bearing on my bad leg, and that put so much pressure on the right side of my body, that my discs herniated out of the left side of my spinal column. I can already feel my back getting much worse now, just in the past 2 months that my knee has started subluxating again and I have a distinct limp.

So, I guess what I am trying to say is, I just had 3 doctors tell me I need to not ride any more once they sort out what to do with my knee this time. (that's another post).

What is the point of all this struggling to keep the dream alive only to keep being shot down at every turn? Oy.

Thank you for your support.This blog is now my Knee Blog, as apparently I am a very rare (1%!) case and one for the research journals. Go me.

Love,Jamie

Oh, PD Don't watch this short vid if you're squeamish

Hey! Followers!

Feel free to introduce yourselves :) I appreciate the feedback and support,and it would be lovely to put a name to a face!

Hey! Did I mention how lucky I am?

So I have been diligently working Bugatti every day with the goal to have a supple, balanced, happy horse from beginning to end each ride. To her credit, she is an excellent student. Never says no, and never holds on to any tension in her body or her brain. I couldn't ask for a better temperament. Funny, I've ridden geldings and stallions almost all my life, and only had 4 mares in my training program, total. I have to admit, I find communicating with this horse, connecting with her, much more available than with any gelding or stallion I have ever had. I find myself asking her questions during training, ie"If I flex right, are you supple in your jaw?" or If I ask for a reinback from this medium canter, would it be available?" and it's like she knows what I am thinking. If the answer is ever "no", or "eh, probably not at the moment" I know that it's only because I have not paid enough attention in the past few seconds to the quality of the connection or the lightness of the reaction from my aids to ensure that anything is within one aid. It's never, with this filly, because she has blocked me out or she isn't trying her damndest to follow my lead.

2 days ago I had my working student, Chloe, up on her back so I could start to introduce Bug to half steps. She's almost 5 and it's a good time to introduce them a couple times a month, just lightly, just playfully, to get her educated in how to start to transfer weight to her hind legs and how to fold her joints and tilt her pelvis. Like any young horse, she wanted to swing her haunches in and get faster instead of sit and fold. but really all I am looking for in the first session is acceptance of the tap of the whip, for me to find out where the tap of the whip will yield the best reaction, and for her to pick up the leg of which I tap. That's it. no trot steps needed, no sitting required, and just an invitation to play the half step game.

She surprised me by reacting to the taps by creating a trot rhythm, and when corrected for being rooked (I had Chloe position her slightly shoulder-fore) did actually tilt her pelvis and sit for a step or two. Man, is she smart. She also learned sugar comes with in hand work. LOL.

so then she had yesterday off and today I rode her nice and forward for the warmup, really paying attention to her rhythm and acceptance of both reins and both legs.The majority of our training session today was me introducing her to transitions within gaits, while maintaining roundness, suppleness on both reins, and acceptance of the inside leg to outside rein connection. Going left she is very honest on my outside (right) rein connection, but going right she is still a touch crooked and tends to lean in. The suppleness of her ribs and base of the neck is imperative to her balance and connection, especially when teaching her half halts, like today. She learned to half halt from my outside rein and shift her balance back while maintaining lateral connection and suppleness, all in one day. Obviously the quality of those minute transitions (half halts) will get better with time and repetition, but for her to learn a half halt in one day is incredible.

What I want to avoid, here from the start, is her getting tight and bracing during transitions or changes in direction. I am trying to take the time to nurse it right now, so I don't have to fix it later.

I can feel there are many more gears within her gaits, and I want to make sure she's through, supple, and swinging happily through her body before I try to "improve" her paces. They'll be there, ready and available, if I take the time now.

She sometimes gives me moments of lightness, carriage and power that leave me in awe. I'm so very, very lucky to have this particular horse. She's going to be something.

The weekend went by so fast! Here in Salmon Arm the weather has been so odd. Last night I rode Bugatti at 6 pm, and in the middle of a wind/rain storm. Everyone else at the barn bailed, but in my opinion, you cant pick the weather at a horse show, so I might as well go about as if it was a normal day. Tacking up, my saddle pad blew off my saddle and literally hit Bug in the face, and all she did was take one step back and look at me like, "Hey, your saddle pad is taking off, you might want to go grab that."  With the heavy rain on the barn's tin roof, it was so noisy, as well with branches falling off trees and blowing around, but she couldn't care less.

So I took her to the indoor and warmed her up, rain coming in sideways through the arena and wind howling. So impressively, she just focused on me and went to work. Lots of free walk, some leg yield along the rein until she really accepted my inside leg on her girth and didn't try to run past my outside rein.

She is hollow to the right and stiff to the left (leans against my left leg) so my focus right now is bending her when on the left rein, and straightening her when on the right rein. She accepts the contact much better now that I switched bits from her runner double jointed plastic loosering (happy mouth) to a KK ultra double jointed loosering. She has some substance now to be able to find support on, and I feel like my half halts can go through her body.

We are working on not only rhythm and creating her equally supple on both sides, but also the transitions within gaits that she stays over her back and reaching for the contact instead of hollowing and coming above the bit. I don't want her to respond to every transition or half halt with tension in her topline. It's something that is hard to fix down the road.

So, getting there. She's a good dance partner :) That hind leg just never quits!

So I rode last night and tonight in the new indoor, late, around 8 pm. Of course by then no one was at the barn but me, and so it was a good time to just concentrate on Bug and building a routine. I am still in awe at how trainable this horse is. Even when I came off of her the first day in the field, I never got the feeling she was trying to be bad. She hadn't been ridden in weeks and the young horses in the next field were all riled up. I'd be shocked if she hadn't bucked. It was bad timing I had kicked her into a gallop and was up in 2 point at the time. When I got back on I wasn't afraid of her and she never has from that day on pinned her ears and gave me that same "I am going to buck so hold on tight" face.

She has no tension in her body or her mind. It's a feeling I have rarely felt. Only once actually, on my coach's old horse, Mark. He let you into his body and his mind from day one too. She feels like that. It's wonderful.She doesn't spook, but she is aware of things, casually. she breathes deeply, and doesn't hold tension anywhere. Her body s naturally straight, I don't need to spend a lot of time "fixing" one side or another, and she is super soft in my hands and in her back and in her ribs. It's lovely. From the first step, shes ready to swing and stretch. And man, is she sensitive to seat and weight aids.

We search our whole career for this type of horse. I've finally found one! :)

Autumn is here!

My favourite season is back...just in time to settle into a nice easy training transition with Miss Bugatti. She is so easygoing, she has already become the "pony" horse for several horses a few years older than her who are nervous nellies around the stable, and she is asked to buddy up with them to guide them past scary bouncing babies hooked up to their jolly jumpers and puddles on the ground, saddle pads where they don't normally lay on the hitching post, etc. She couldn't care less! It makes me so proud and very impressed with all the work the Bruners' have done with her throughout her young life so far.

I gave her yesterday off and longed her lightly today, wanted to give my back a bit of a break, which probably wasn't the best idea. Did I tell you I actually have 3 fractures, not 2? Yeah. It's painful but I find it actually helps the swelling and mobility to at least get in the saddle and do some walking and light posting trot. that's why there's such a thing as Therapeutic Riding I suppose.. (I have done nearly 1999 hours of volunteer work for the PRDA in Langley) Anyways, Bug is super relaxed and settled right in. She couldn't be easier!

Here's a conformation shot, she's not quite straight, I think her front legs are closer to the camera than her hing legs are, but it's close enough!

And her pedigree. Note the Donnerhall on the top and bottom :) that's where the good mind comes from I bet!

So, bad news. Apparently when I came off the other day I broke my spine in two places.  I was wondering why it hurt so much. Huh.

Rode Bugatti today, first time at her new home, she was fantastic!  A little fresh to begin with, but I was able to just steadily work her through it in circles and serpentines at trot and canter, man is she a sensible, brave filly. she felt like she could have blown up if I had let her or kicked her, and she was on the edge, but i just patiently sat on her and kept a steady rhythm and although she was stiff both ways and leaning on both legs, as expected after getting her teeth floated 48 hours before and an 11 hour drive yesterday, she worked so well and relaxed just fine. What a gem.

If I take some ibuprofen and some Nucynta about an hour before I ride, I am ok for about 2 hours and I can get everything done before the pain returns. As long as I keep active I am not too painful. Bone pain is so different from discogenic pain.

Here are some pics from today, and a couple videos. Keep in mind my back is broken in two places, and this is my third ride on this horse, and first in this stable. She had her teeth floated 2 days ago, and was on the trailer for 11 hours yesterday. (and she's 4). I suppose what I am trying to say is, Be nice please :) I really like this horse and I know she's not where I want her to be. I know she needs to be much longer and flatter in her neck, but not necessarily lower per se. she has very little wither, and is built downhill. She's actually never been higher in the wither than the croup for a single day in her life, as per her owners. So, I have to be very careful how I ride her, I need to get her over the back but I can't tip her over the withers and onto the shoulder or else she will be way over the forehand and it's a huge loss of balance. I will need some help with this one for sure.

Anyways, here you go! I love this filly.

As promised, here are some photos. I will do this better in the future, I promise. I am just not very organized at the moment.  Enjoy!

The riding photos are all the very first time I rode Bugatti, and she had not been ridden or longed for a week or so, we were in a 3 acre field next to a unch of young horses. Such a good girl!

When it just feels right..

you know.

   And, how often do you drive 10 hours to go try a horse, it tosses you into the dirt, and you STILL fall in love with it and bring it home? Not very often. Let me tell you the story. (It's not that long, I promise!)

   I drove up with D'Jango the day after Leslie's clinic ended (so, Tuesday) and arrived at Bugatti's owner's place around 9 pm. Of course, I got lost and ended up at an Esso station across town and had to call for a rescue mission. Their daughter who is also the trainer/co owner (she's a couple years younger than me) came to pony me home. Get to their farm, settle in, I can tell right away its just a really wonderful family and I like them right off the bat. it just feels right. They kick my butt in Dominoes and we all go to bed.

   The next morning we go out and feed the horses (which include a few absolutely stunning and equally heart-melting foals that are bred to the nines.) and load Bugatti up after I groom her and she soaks up all the attention. The best part about loading? she self-loads. SHE's 4. you drop the ramp, lower the butt guard, throw the rope over her neck and tell her to get im. she just walks on and stands there. Like, boring. Same as unloading. just drop the ramp, lower the butt guard and tap on her and tell her to get out. she backs herself off and stands there, looking for her next meal or a neck scratch. Ho Hum.

 I am out of a job.

That is, unless she can teach herself to piaffe and passage and do pirouettes and one tempis. HA! Well, even I need help to get there. so, there.

I look around for the arena, and, don't see one...soo.....I ask, is this where we are riding? Yep, it is, see that pasture over there? Ok, European style, I can do this,

Tack her up, LEad her over to a fence, and I am told, Don't pull her to the fence, just get on the fence, and she has to come to you. wherever you are to mount up, she gets her butt over and puts herself into position. don't let her be lazy! I can get used to this, I think to myself.

So she sidles up tho the fence where I am sittin', and I hop on, and she's a bit anxious, so I tell her, no, we wait until my stirrups are perfect (because that's my thing) and then we go. just enjoy the moment. So, off we go. she's hollow, rushing, antsy, and the ground is uneven. I am not getting her attention, her rhythm sucks and so on, so I just go into trot. same there, but at least I get her moving. She's way too fast, not really in front of my leg, but definitely past my seat and against my hand, with no suppleness and no rhythm or swing. So I just keep going, one way then the other, in as circly-type figures as I can, and I feel right away she's better going to the left, and more crooked to the right, as she wants to throw her haunches into the right and throw her shoulders out to the left but lean and careen around corners. so lifting and placing the inside right shoulder and getting the inside right hind to take steps towards the outside left front is the name of the game. without pulling onside the inside rein or letting her lay against my right leg. I go to canter left, and boom, out comes the launching, leaping, bucking, crowhopping explosion I knew might be in there somewhere. I kick to a gallop, get up into two point, and then whamo I am in the dirt. haha.

I get back on, she feels bucky still, and so I ask her regular rider to get on as if I get slammed in the spine, I won't be able to walk for a while. So she does, Bug does a bit more, then goes for a nice long gallop, and then it's all gone and is fine. I get back on and everything is cool again.

The next day I ride her and walk trot canter both ways, in an indoor a ways away, shes an angel. what a feeling, her contact, eerything is wonderful. feels like a 7 year old. wow! she's going to be a neat horse. Very exciting, this girl. Will post pics and video!

T'was The Night Before Christmas...

..in September.... And like a 3'rd grader before a trip to Legoland, I can't sleep. Which, is pretty bad because I have a 9 hour drive ahead of me to go meet my new dance partner tomorrow and I need to sleep. Like, badly. I just spent two days at Sun Meadows running a clinic with my coach Leslie Reid, which I didn't ride in because I don't have a horse yet, but nonetheless it was amazing, just being able to watch, so of course I am pumped, and exhausted from the running around. That was a very long sentence.

I am going up tp Entwistle Alberta to Misty Ridge Warmbloods to meet "Bugatti Fantasy" AKA "Bug", a long 4 yr old filly, silver bay, 16.2, 1rt level or so. If the meet n' greet goes well, she'll be shipped this weekend or next and stay with me permanently. She's not for sale, she's going to settle down and be a performance horse as long as it makes sense for the both of us!

So, so excited. everyone please cross your fingers and toes!

I'm bringing the Djangorilla with me as I just spent the weekend without him and he is lonesome without his mama. Plus he loves road trips because he knows he gets sour cream and onion chips.

I
I'll keep you guys posted!

Well, unfortunately, again I had to decide that this horse was not the best fit. She was 6 years older than I was told, not barely broke, needed to be sedated for her feet trim and had bad teeth. So, I had to pass. Coming soon, a wonderful mare from a sponsor in AB. Sorry for the hiatus!

So I haven't figured out the timing of the stable yet, as I keep showing up to ride when no one else is around. With a new, unfamiliar horse and a host of old injuries that isn't the smartest plan. But, two days ago I hit the jackpot and there were enough people there to spot me and assist me in mounting and keep an eye on the first few minutes. She was a gem! A bit dull to the leg and not clear on turning or moving forward but those will come easily as she's super smart. We trotted a bit and it feels great, she moves much bigger than she is. Yay! Onward and upward!

Training - Day 1 (7-15-15)

EEEK! I've moved Wasabi into the boarding stable where she'll be staying long term, and I'm stoked. (Or can't you tell?) but it hasn't been all rainbows and all-you-can-eat buffets. Who here likes surprises? Not me! Well, this mare came with a few that I wasn't so excited to find out about. As it turns out, she doesn't cross tie, or tie, or know about polo wraps, or spray bottles..or baths..

So we have had some learning experiences already. And a broken halter, broken lead rope, a stunning levade, some technically perfect half steps, and an incident with a polo wrap. All by accident.

But, she's a wonderful mover, has a very sweet temperament, and gets along very well with her neighbours. She settled right in immediately.

I haven't sat on her yet, there wasn't a soul at the stable yesterday and so I figured it wouldn't be the safest thing to get on her for the first time all alone. But I put the tack on and longed her, then let her loose in the round pen for some video. Here she is!

So I am SO Excited!
After I was very disappointed about the grey horse not working out, I made a point to network with my friends and acquaintances at a recent CDI I was grooming for my coach at, that I was on the prowl for possible lease horse that I could show. A horse that needed a person.

Wel, lo and behold, not 10 minutes away, there is a pure dutch WB mare who is perfect for me. She is by Riverman out of a Flemmingh mare who was imported by the owner and born and raised on her farm. Started, trained for a year or two, and then the owner started a business and had no time for her so just let her sit for 3 years. She's digfing out her papers, but the mare is anywhere between 8-10 years old. Not a wind puff, scar, scratch etc on her. She was longed in super hard ground, barefoot, when I went to look at her, and is completely sound.

She is very close coupled, beautiful strong uphill topline, but let's go and swings instantly on the love, so doesn't hold tension at all. Super! Plus she has a Harry Potter Lightning Bolt blazes that's a bonus ;)

Her name is Wasabi. I am doing a lease to own, boarding her wherever I choose, owner is paying vet and farrier, and is giving me free rein over everything else. She has known my coach since she was an a pre-teen, riding western. That's the best reference either of us could possibly give eachother, we both said. So much of a better situation than the last one. I am learning how to navigate this industry more so now than ever before. I always had horses to ride when I was a full time coach, but they were training horses. Now, when I want my own, or to offer free training in exchange for just being able to ride a nice horse, I am having a hard time. Odd. But the interior of bc is like that.

and will breed her for my "heart horse"
You guys know I've been trying to breed my own foal for the past ten years. Once I get to know her and get her to PSG just to make sure ahe has the ability, and I get my name some recognition, I'll ask Willy Arta about who he thinks would be a good cross for her. She has a very distinct body shape. Almost a square. Anyone have a Riverman here who cares to share any advice? I've never ridden one. My dream hirse now would be like, a Hohenstein . Give her some length and some more elasticity. I'll add video as soon as I get some.

So right now she is barefoot, and on hay and grass. Look at the integrity of her topline! Yes, she has a hay belly, but heck, she hasn't worked in 3 years!

I probably won't put shoes on unless she atarts chipping or gets sore. She's going to need grain. Not sure where to start as I never owned a horse in Canada, just in the usa.

. Of course, It's disappointing, but I am biel

So I went and  rode Kerm a few more times, and as beautiful a creature as he is, and as much as I want it to work out, I had  to walk away. Sometimes riding and  training styles are just not compatible, no matter the effort, talent, or perseverance of the parties involved . At the end  of the day, if I can walk away from something saying :" I LEARNED from this" and of course, everyone is happy and the experience left no hard feelings then that is the most important thing to me. And  that's what happened. Of course I am  disappointed, but I am a firm believer that If you do things the right way, with a smiling face, and are helpful and cheerful, The right opportunity will find you. It's always happened to me in the past, and I never usually have to wait that long. 

But, just for fun, here are some photos :)

   

    

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I have also just started training a really lovely friesian x holsteiner mare who has had some training in the past, but very inconsistent and probably less than 60 rides total if you gather all the sporadic fits and spats together. . She is 7 or 8 years old,  HOLY dOOdLE IS SHE AWESOME! (sorry guys/gals My laptop is on it's way out and the "d" key broke about a year or so ago so I have to always find a "d"  somewhere on line, copy it, and then press "ctrl 'v'" to paste it every time I need it. If I need an upper case "d" I either don't do one or I go try to find one somewhere to copy and off I go, lol. It's a decent system, as in, It has a 50% success rate. Half the time I get so frustrated I end up calling the person I am trying to email or message  which is SO. MUCH. EASIE

R.  (And I lived through the most impressive technological revolution this world will ever see!

Back to this mare. Cute as a pig in sh....wamp water. Her ability to reach with her shoulders and remain in balance is incredible. Even on the longe, she is so balanced, like when you hold a dressage whip on the palm of your hand trying to find it's balance point, her unless she is running over tempo because she's still getting used to a rider on her back, is so clear and easy, she always puts herself in that correct balance. It;s very rare to see a green broke horse, or any horse, have such a naturally balanced movement and be able to maintain it within transitions. She seeks the contact so I just let her be as round or as high or as low as she wants for how, as long as she is not in my face, or too low or too round. She gives me a lot of very nice contact. She is really cool. If I had the money, I would buy her in a heartbeat. But I am having fun so I hope she stays for a while, LOL.

 did I mention she was awesome? cuz she is. Seriously freakin' awesome.

Seriously.

So I was all ready and paid to take Lerm to the Touch of Class show at Thunderbird this past weekend, but of course, someone threw a  wrench and I had to scratch because I separated my shoulder. On the bright side, I got to groom for a wonderful group of people, and I had a nice time anyways. Turns out, the last time I separated my right shoulder which was in 2009, coming off Pia Fortmuller's young horse (who is now at GP, yay!) it should have been surgically repaired, because it healed separated, and scar tissue has been holding it stable, but it's been chronically separated for the past 6 years. So, I have a choice to make, can I get the surgery now and take the 6 months to recover or manage the pain with injections until after the next Pan Am Games (our goal) .

It's always something, right?

So I have organized a really nice clinic with my coach, Leslie Reid, to come up to teach at the very beautiful Sun Meadows Equestrian Centre at the end of August. I can't wait! Her eye is so amazing, and her teaching is second to none. It's going to be wonderful - I arranged for a mobile tack store to be there on site, as well as we are having a used tack swap, a BBQ dinner, and then a potluck lunch.

Instead of me taking up two lesson spots, I will do one lesson on the first day, and then just a quick 15-minute in hand demo with me in the saddle and Leslie on the ground.

So, this is my very first ride, in a half a foot of water, in the pouring rain. (I didn't realize my right rein was all jammed up as I normally don't hold my reins like I do here, but the owner asked me to so I obliged, which is why the contact was so unsteady - I couldn't figure it out for a while.)

So this horse is very large, very long both in front and behind the saddle, and is a wiggly worm. It is going to take a long time for me to get to know him and to connect all his body parts into one cohesive unit, but boy, is this a nice horse. and what a mind!

Thanks guys, comment away!
Jamie

New Adventures of Old-er Jamie

Well, you can beat e'm down, but you can't keep down for ever! Is that a saying? I feel like that's a saying. Some of you are shaking your heads. Ok, well, maybe it isn't. "Anything's a possibility." as my best friend's almost-husband always says. It's my new favourite and least favourite saying. It inspires hope, but at the same time, a bit of despair. Chew on it for a few minutes. I'll come back to you.

Anyways, You're probably wondering where I went since my last post. There were a lot of changes in my life since then, some good, some not so wonderful. All of them have led me to where I am now, and I am happy so that is all that counts right? RIGHT?? The wonderful mare I had in training for sale, which I wish I could have purchased for my own, sold a couple months ago and is now being owned and loved by an AA who will give her a nice quiet home. I wish them all the best! It's the greatest feeling, as a trainer, knowing that you took a horse who was so offended by the bridle, and the aids, that no one wanted to ride them, let alone an AA go anywhere near writing a cheque for them, to having someone be able to hop on, and do 2nd level movements in a nice soft connection with bend and contact and be able to test out the gears.


So anyways, without further ado, I present my newest ride, a coming 6 year old, 17.1 hh branded Andalusian gelding by Competitor (Kianto). His name is Corazone de Leone. He is owned by Tisha Rowe of Barnhartvale, Kamloops, B.C who has done all of his training, and continues to do so until I find a rental suite closer to her facility. I have so far only ridden him twice, and he has just a lovely temperament. Tisha has done an incredible job with him so far. He is a very large, long horse with a massive neck, and as I am smaller, It will take some time for us to get coordinated with each other and synch our timing and strength to the fine-tuned level it needs to be. I am bringing him to school to Thunderbird Equestrian Center for Touch of Class Dressage Show next weekend and have started to arrange plans for July and August to take him down to Leslie's for one weekend each month for a few days of lessons with fellow dressage rider and friend Brittany Moore. Short term goal? Become a partnership. Long term goal? Debut at 3rd this fall, then PSG next spring.  For now, here are a few shots of where we started at! Enjoy :)

So, after 18 years of riding, 3 open back surgeries, 36 epidural spinal blocks, 9 MRIs, 2 bilateral full-level lumbar rhizotomies (32 injections each) and 1 passion for horses, the only phrase that comes to mind? "Anything's a possibility!"