Fisher Eventing: August 2011

I have been dealing with Mr. Wexford's soundness issues. Before we went down to Florida last winter, Wexford had some down time to reset and recharge his mind. When the time came to start preparing him for the shows, Wexford was happy and glad to be back in work. Wexford started out doing training for the first couple of shows, then I bumped him up to Prelim once again. He was definitely liking the prelim dressage tests, versus just going in circles in the training test. It challenged him and made him think more. The sand footing down in Florida is great for cross country! Always soft. On occasion it can get too deep, but when it rains, within an hour or two it has already soaked through! Completely different from Oklahoma. Wexford was doing well at Prelim. When we came back to Tulsa mid March, both horses had about a week off to regroup and hang out before the next event. Our first show back, was Holly Hill Farms H.T. in Benton, Louisiana. It was the second weekend in April. Galway did Intermediate and won his division and Wexford did Preliminary and finished 3rd in his division. On XC, Wexford had a second look and tried to put in another stride at part A of the sunken road, which made the distance way too short. He scrambled across it and I lost my reins for a moment. Fortunately, it was a two stride, so I had time to grab my reins. Two quick smacks with my whip and we finished the rest of the course with a double clear. When I got him back to the barn, I noticed he smacked his knee cap pretty hard and there wasn't any hair there. Thankfully, it was a national class, so I was able to give him some bute for the swelling. Sunday began with Show Jumping. He was stiff in warm up, but worked through it to jump a double clear round! Great job Wexford! When we got home on Sunday evening, he was stiff coming off the trailer. I called my vet that week, to inform him what happened. Since it wasn't getting any better, I wanted to know how to treat it. All along I thought it was his knee or shoulder that was bothering him. Multiple X-Rays later, we found he had over stressed his coffin bone. We let him have three months off with no jumping or hard dressage work. To keep up his fitness, I was able to hack and trot on a straight line. Before Young Riders, I received the ok to put him back in work. He traveled to YR's with Galway, so I could continue riding him. When we came back home from YR's he was doing better. After a couple days off from the trip, I rode him and he took a couple of bad steps. Oh Joy! After many reevaluations from my vet, we figured out a better way of managing his precious little legs! He has fluid build up above his coronary band. Yikes, that would hurt! My vet injected him this morning and will go on Adequan. Wexford will have the rest of this week off. Let's pray this helps him! :) I guess if it has to happen, this is the time for him to recover, so he can be ready for the winter show circuit.

Galway is getting geared up for our Area V Championships down in Weatherford, Texas in four weeks.
Good Luck to everyone in the fall show season and those who are competing at Feather Creek this weekend and AEC's next weekend!

I'll be going to Feather Creek on Saturday to volunteer and jump judge.
Have a fun, safe, and Happy Labor Day everyone! :) Go Eventing!

My parents, horses, and I have now been back from (NAJYRC) young riders for about two weeks. So I thought I would let you know how the ole boy did. We spent the week before at the YR camp down in Bartonville, Texas for training and doing our last gallop. "Boy was it hot!" (112 degrees on a daily basis.) I took my horses home with me to Tulsa, Oklahoma before we made the 16 hour drive to the horse park. The rest of the horses left Gold Chip Stables on Sunday evening and drove through the night. My dad, mom, Mary Frances, Galway, Wexford, my two dogs(Sophie & Switzer), and I left on Sunday morning so we could layover in the southern part of Illinois to break up the long haul. We arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky on Monday so the horses would have some time to recoup from the long trip. Some of the horses did not do well on the trailer with the heat, even though they were traveling at night. Fortunately, Galway and Wexford handled the trip very well :)

Our teams from Area V consisted of, the CCI*CH team, Alyssa Philips on Sundance Bay, Avery Klunick on In It To Win It, Victoria New on Bally Whatnot, Alexa Ehlers on In Any Event, and our Individual rider for the CCI*CH was Taylor Wood on On Eagle’s Wings. Our CCI**CH team included Jacob Fletcher on Falcon Splash, Rowdie Jo Adams on No Money Down, Emma Kate Fisher on Carlingford’s Forever, and we teamed up with Area IX’s rider Kendyl Tracy on Ever So Lucky.

With all the excitement of riding, getting the barn in order and rider meetings, everyone was ready to go look at the cross country courses! With us living in the south, our horses are used to lots of heat, but with the temperatures in Lexington, KY being right at 98 everyday with 85% humidity it was a bit of a struggle for most of the horses and some riders. We all had wonderful grooms, that were nice enough to leave their own families during summer and their horses, to come help their riders out for the week. Alyssa Philips took Ashley Falls for her groom, Alexa Ehlers took Lindsey Ann Westerfield, Victoria New took Julianne Foody, Avery Klunick took Brindley House, Taylor Wood took Lynn Kelly, Rowdie Adams took Spencer Pevahouse, Jacob Fletcher took Elizabeth Crowder, and I took Mary Frances Cargile. A very special thanks to all the grooms. You all worked so incredibly hard for us as individuals and as a team! The whole week would not have gone so smoothly if it wasn’t for you all. : )

Another very special Thank you, is to our Area V coordinator, Diane Pitts, for doing all she does for us. Mike Huber, our amazing coach, for getting us where we are today! Your continuing support, encouragement, knowledge, and willingness to help enabled us to succeed as a team. Our barn manager for the week was Karen Shull. Thanks for helping us organize everything.

The XC courses were finally available to walk. It was a beautiful course designed by David O’Connor.
The names were drawn and our 2* team was picked first. Mike chose Jacob and Splash to go first, Galway and I went out second, Rowdie and Boxer out third, and Kendyl and Meaghan out fourth.

Dressage was on Thursday for the 2* and Friday for the 1*.
Jacob was the first rider in the dressage ring on Thursday AM. Galway and I went at 8:30am so it was still somewhat cool. Galway warmed up wonderfully. I was very happy with him and he had a great test. He was consistent, relaxed, accurate, and listening to me.
I was a little frustrated with the score we were given, considering how well he went and our last event at Chattahoochee Hills CIC** he got a 49.2% We received a 60.7%. Looking at my test that evening I realized they gave me an error for not entering the ring on the allowed time. So, there’s two points! Jacob, Rowdie, and Kendyl put in great tests as well! Our 2* team was in the silver medal position after dressage! Go AREA V! The 1* did their test on Friday, all the ladies put in super tests. The 1* team was in the Gold medal position! Way to Rock it Area V! We had a last tune up jump school for Galway and the rest of the horses on Friday before XC on Saturday, since we had been doing dressage all week. Boy was Galway relieved to jump! The CCI* course time was 6:35 and the CCI** course time was 8:35. Both courses were nice and galloping with the rolling hills of KY and lots of technical questions. I wasn’t able to walk the 1* course but some of it was with the 2* and each level had it’s own difficulty!

On Saturday, we were expecting to get rain. Yay! The rain came as soon as the last rider in the 1* finished. Galway and I went XC at 8:15am, so it was overcast and cool. Galway was brilliant! Absolutely spot on and handled the length of the course great. I still had plenty of horse left at the end. So happy with our clear run. We were 5 seconds over optimum time, because I was careful across the three road paths (concrete driveway with gravel on top to go from one field to the other). Everyone put in fast clear rounds. Our team moved up to the Gold medal position! After having Galway on IV fluids and on his Game Ready, Dr. Newton, our team vet, wanted us to jog the horses up to make sure every horse was ok. Galway jogged up with no problems :) As an extra precautionary, he wanted everyone to give their horse a shot of Adequan to help them feel even better to show jump the next morning. I was extremely skeptical about giving Galway the shot, because, he has never had an injection of any kind for the six years I have owned him. I didn't know if he would have a reaction to it. After long discussion with the vet and Mike, my trainer, we decided it would be best for him in the long run. For the final jog on Sunday, he was feeling so good that when it was our turn to jog for the Ground Jury, he leaped in front of the judges and the Ground Jury said, "Oh! He's clearly feeling good!" :)

Stadium was that afternoon in the Rolex Grand Stadium. In warm up, Galway was jumping Awesome! Galway and I jumped one of our best rounds, with a double clear! Galway and I finished 9th individually. Jacob finished 2^nd with his great clear round, Kendyl finished 8^th and had a great ride with an unfortunate two rails in one of the triple combinations, Rowdie had a great ride with an unfortunate rail falling at the last jump and finishing 4^th. Our team finished with great smiles to claim our silver medals for Area V and IX!

It was incredible to ride in the Main Rolex Arena. Hopefully, one day we will come back and compete in the Rolex CCI****. Until that day, a lot more perseverance, hard work, faith, and an amazing bond with my partner Carlingford’s Forever we can achieve this goal. Galway had a blast galloping in both individual and team victory gallops. Lol.
Alyssa had one of her and Dancer’s best clear rounds to win the CCI*CH,
Avery finished 5^th and had a great round with an unfortunate rail, Alexa finished 10^th and had a great ride with an unfortunate rail, Tori was having a great ride also up until the last combination where she fell off. My heart felt for her. Tori had a good spirit about her and was a great cheer leader to everyone else. Taylor finished with three rails. She was so pleased to have finished her first YR’s.

The 1* team took home the Gold medals for Area V! Congratulations everyone, you all did out standing! The best part of young riders is the team atmosphere and being at the Junior Olympics. What an amazing gift from God that he has given us such amazing animals to work with, be around, love, and for me to call my boys my kids! We know how much it costs to send eight riders, eight horses, eight grooms, and support teams that we would not even get to experience young riders and to compete with all these amazing horses and riders, if it was not for our incredible sponsors!! Thank you all so much for sending us to NAJYRC. We can not even begin to express our gratitude. Thank you again! : )

When we arrived back home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Galway and Wexford were so happy to see their green pasture. It was an outstanding two weeks. Galway has had a very relaxing two weeks off and I am slowly bringing him back into work now. : )

I would like to thank God and my amazing Parents. They have been an incredible support crew for me and I couldn’t do it without their love and support! Thanks to my trainer, Mike Huber, for everything. Thanks to my absolutely BRILLIANT groom, Mary Frances. Galway always looked dashing every time he would step out of his stall. You are the Best! : )

Until next time! Go Eventing!

-Emma Kate Fisher :)