Horse Sense: Setting Riding Goals!

I am writing this entry on June 3rd, 2007. I purchased Violet last June, so we are coming up on our year anniversary. She was a sweet and quiet filly when I bought her at 3. She's now turned 4 and puts her heart into her work. When I show up, she's kind, focused, and manageable. When I lunge her, she is light on the lunge and floating around. She's smart and watchful. We are working on getting comfortable. I prefer a higher headset than hunters are supposed to carry, so she and I are working on getting a frame and collection and finding a soft spot for her bit. Just lately, I've been able to ride without the jitters and I can feel my shoulders relax and my breathing is easy and my head is up, and I'm starting to hold more firmly with my entire legs rather than gripping with my knees! We are coming along together!! I am glad to have her.

Anyway, here's what I read in this March 2007 Practical Horseman. The magazine article said that you should set riding goals to improve. I'm taking twice-weekly riding lessons and riding 3-4 times a week. The article said that you should be SMART! Set a specific goal that is measurable and achievable. Make sure that goal is realistic and timed! So, I talked with Stephanie, and we are setting a goal of having me canter by August 1st and start over low cross-bars by September 1st. I think this is realistic. My legs are going from "dead" to more active each ride! I am working on having an independent seat and moving her into the bridle rather than snatching at her face when I'm nervous. It helps that I enjoy riding and that Violet is eager to learn how to be an excellent hunter, english pleasure, and lower-level dressage horse. She is ready to please and start her life's work!!

This picture is a painting by Francis Mabel Hollams

Sir Gallahad and my girls!!

My girls are related to the handsome, sweet Sir Gallahad. A.B. Hancock fell in love with him and worked very hard to purchase him. Finally, his English owner stated an astronomical sum, so Hancock got three of his other friends, William Woodward, R.A. Fairbairn, and Marshall Field, to form a syndicate, probably the first stallion syndicate in America! And so the handsome stallion came to live at Claiborne Farm! It was a good idea because as the Blood Horse publication, Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments says of him, he "displayed the breed's most desirable traits: size and scope; a muscular, well-built body; intelligent eyes; a kind expression; and a quiet manner. He liked nothing better than to have his tongue pulled and to receive an affectionate pat." He was so loveable and sweet that Hancock said, "Gallahad has given me more pleasure than any horse I ever was connected with." His dad was Teddyand his mom was Plucky Liege. She was almost kidnapped by the Germans during WWII, but they passed her up because she looked downtrodden and starved...poor thing!! Anyway, in Sir Gallahad's very first foal crop, he produced the Triple Crown winning Gallant Fox. The gentlemen in the syndicate felt so lucky that they ordered another stud from England, Blenheim (also a relation of my girls), and right away in his first foal crop, he had theTriple Crown winning Whirlaway! Can you believe how lucky those guys were!!! Anyway, Sir Gallahad topped the leading sire list 4 times in his life, and was a North American broodmare sire leader 12 times, including 10 times consecutively!! You can read more about Sir Gallahad at the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Gallahad_III

or

http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/SirGallahad.html

Jockeys Weigh In!!

Here's a photo of jockeys getting weighed before their races at Keeneland Race Track. This 1948 circa photo was at Barbara Livingston's Gallery in the Thoroughbred Gallery. I really encourage you equine historians to check the thoroughbred gallery. It has so many fabulous photos of famous people, famous horses, candid shots of famous horses in their favorite pastures, etc. You can really get lost in time!

Gainsborough and Violet!

Gainsborough was bred and owned by Lady James Douglas. His track record was 9:5-1-1 and he lived a nice long life of 30 years. He is the sire of Hyperion and Mah Mahal, the dam of Mahmoud. All off these horses are part of Violet's family tree! Gainsborough's dad was Bayardo who was distinguished by being the dad of TWO English Triple Crown winners, Gainsborough and Gay Crusader -- both again, part of Violet's family! When he won the 2000 Guineas (the first jewel in the Triple Crown), it was the first time in history that a woman bred a U.K. classic race winner and the first time in history that a horse wore a woman's colors!! His jockey, Joseph Childs, donated his winnings to his regiment as part of the war effort. He retired to a brilliant stellar stud career! You can read more about this elegant champion and the lady who loved him at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gainsborough_(horse)

or

http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument?id=868

Bucephalus!

Here is a statue of Alexander taming the stallion Bucephalus. The statue is outside the City Chambers at Edinburgh, Scotland. Bucephalus was a Thessalonian stallion. A Delphic Oracle said that he who would tame the horse with the Ox Head mark would rule the world. When Alexander was a boy, Bucephalus was unrideable, and Alexander begged his father for a chance to tame him. His father reluctantly agreed. Alexander turned poor Bucephalus' head away from the sun, so that he would not see his shadow and rode him for a long time into the sun. By the time they turned around, B trusted Alexander. His father was so amazed that he said, "O my son, look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of thyself, for Macedonia is too little for thee." His dad was proud of his intelligent equestrian son. Bucephalus lived a very long life, a fierce warrior steed who protected Alexander and helped him win the world. He was killed in battle, during his very late 20s, and Alexander buried him in honor and founded a city as his namesake. Art work about this famed stallion of antiquity can be found all over the world!!! You can read more about him at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucephalus
or
http://faq.macedonia.org/history/buke.html
or
http://www.equinenet.org/heroes/bucephal.html
or
http://www.bucephalus.net/
or
http://www.pothos.org/alexander.asp?paraID=121&keyword_id=6&title=Bucephalus

Lord Lyon and my Girls!!

Both my girls are related to Lord Lyon, the third British Triple Crown winner in history, in 1866. He started 21 times and won 18 of them. He was a good stallion, and his influence is felt through his kid Minting. He also was the leading earner among the famous Stockwell's progeny. My girls are related to him through his dad, Stockwell, and through Touchstone. In the racing painting, Harry Hall is the artist depicting Lord Lyon's win in the St. Leger! Actually, it represents Sir Sutton's Lord Lyon winning against Lord Ailesbury's Savernake! Here are two cool things about his name. There is a pub named after him in the heart of racing country in England!! And the Lord Lyon Court is the Scottish administrative unit that controls all badges and heraldry!! You can read more about him and his bar and his royal badges at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_of_the_Lord_Lyon

or

http://www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/lyoncourt.html

or

http://www.lordlyon.com/

or

http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Stockwell.html

Plucky Liege and My Girls!

My girls are related to Plucky Liege, one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century and a true Blue Hen!! She is the mother of Bull Dog and Sir Gallahad, leading sires in the United States, and Bois Roussel and Admiral Drake, sires of classic winners in Ireland, England, and France. She is the daughter of Spearmint who won the Epsom Derby and Grand Prix de Paris. She was named after Liege, France, a city whose townsfolk put up a big defense in World War I. She had 12 foals, 11 were winners, 6 won stakes, and 2 were classics winners. She was the oldest 20th century mare to produce an Epsom Derby winner, a foal she produced in her 23rd year of life! Nearly every major racer in the world has at least one line of her! Both my girls have Sir Gallahad and Violet has Bull Dog and Admiral Drake on top of that!! In this photo, you see her handsome son, Bull Dog!! You can read more about this important mare at the following link:

http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/PluckyLiege.html

Sometimes true beauty is UGLY!

Here's a photo of Seabiscuit with his rider "Red" or George Woolf in the saddle. I love this photo. You can really see that Seabiscuit is over the knee in front. He's a crooked boy. He had conformation flaws. But still he is a perfect little creation. A small intact miracle. He had his moment in history and gave his heart to his work. And his small imperfections only add to the allure, the mystery of his coolness. Tsin-Tsin to Seabiscuit -- a horse who makes us proud to be American!!

Horse Sense: Violet and I take Lessons!

Today as I write this note it is Wednesday, May 20th. I am writing this blog after a lovely afternoon. Violet and I had a riding lesson with Stephanie, our trainer. It was a nice breezy afternoon, punctuated by a slight rain! I practiced relaxing at the trot, using my legs and seat on serpentines, small circles, figure 8s, and ground poles. I practiced stopping with a deep seat. And Violet practiced being sweet and light and pliable. She loves the ground poles and patterns. And she loves being praised. Her ears prick up and she listens when I call her a good girl! Here we are right before our lesson! What a cute team!! Today is also the day immediately after I got the official word that Hailee is in foal. So, you can see the satisfaction on my face! I've just got done telling Violet that she's going to be an aunt and godmother!

Keeneland Race Track and Sales!!

Last October, 2006, I went to Kentucky to visit Barbie, Tom, the new little KT, and, of course, my beautiful Hailee. The weather was gorgeaus that weekend, so we went to Keeneland Race Track for an afternoon. Keeneland is one of the most lovely places in the United States. The grounds are beautiful. The horses are elegant. You have to love a place whose motto is "We're all about Thoroughbreds!" They had just transitioned to the new poly-track to prevent injuries. It was an afternoon of wonderful racing, a cute little baby, and a dinner afterwards at The Chase Restaurant in Lexington. A really big wonderful day. You can read more about the very important Keeneland at the following links! Notice that it is so important that it's on the National Registry of Historical Landmarks!!!
http://ww2.keeneland.com/default.aspx
or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keenelandor

or

http://www.cr.nps.gov/NR/travel/lexington/kee.htm

A Horse Tribute to My Dad -- Joe Sanchez!

My dad was born in Wakefield, Michigan and attended Michigan Tech University and Wayne State University. He cherishes Wakefield and the larger Gogebic County. Gogebic County depended on mining and logging, during "the day", so I wanted to show that horses were important to that life too. I lifted this photo from the Bessemer Historical Society webpage. It shows hard-working logging horses. Horses also worked in mining and for the fire department. There's a story at the Bessemer Historical Society weblink which displays the labor of horses in the Great Ironwood Fire. You can go to the Bessemer Historical Society at the following link:

http://bessemerhistoricalsociety.com/

Jane's Changing of the Guard

My cousin, Jane Marie, travelled throughout Europe this spring. She set aside several days in London! Smart girl! She took a few photos of horses for me and here's a photo of a beautiful white horse who is participating in a Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Horses are important, as you know, and here's one who is participating in the history of the empire on which the sun never sets!!! You'll recall from my earlier blogs that I too have been to Buckingham Palace and viewed lovely horses in Hyde Park and at the Royal Mews!!

Jane's Royal Horses!

My cousin Jane loved going to the Tower of London. She was thrilled to be where Henry VIII kept his prisoners and where Princess Elizabeth was interrogated about her fealty. And she, of course, loved seeing the Royal jewels! But while she was travelling through this little slice of bloody history, she caught a snapshot of statues commemorating the important regal horses of our English kings!! Here they are, beautiful, serene and powerful at the Tower of London!!

Azeri and My Girls!

In 2002, Azeri earned the Eclipse Horse of the Year Award, the first filly since Lady's Secret. She also earned the Champion older female in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Her trainer, Laura de Seroux, was the first woman to train a Horse of the Year winner. The award ceremony that year included Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, and Chris Cooper, as they were promoting Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit. So, describing Azeri's grace on the track, Laura de Seroux accepted the award, saying "This is Azeri's Oscar." She said that her filly had all 3 elements of a champion -- class, brilliance and consistency. Laura de Seroux said, "Horse of the Year should be there all year. You did not elect her by default, but by the purest criteria." She was a heavy winner of the Eclipse of the Year Award, earning 189 of 228 votes, and all 227 votes for those who voted for Older female. That year, she had won 10 out of 11 starts and earned $2,227,740. For her entire racing career, she started 24: 17-4-0 for total earnings of $4,079,820. She's owned by the son of her breeder. Her breeder passed before ever seeing her run, so she is especially beloved by the son now. She retired and is boarded at Hill 'N Dale Farms where she was barren to Storm Cat in 2006, but delivered her first colt foal to A.P. Indy on February 14, 2007 -- Valentine's Day!!!! She's to be bred to Storm Cat again this year! Of course, my proud girls are related to her. They share many relatives including the following: Case Ace, Nasrullah, Teddy, Man o' War, Whisk Broom, Count Fleet, Bull Dog, Blue Larkspur, Bull Lea, War Relic, Hyperion, War Admiral, Traffic Court, and Bubbling Over! You can read more about this important filly at the following links:

http://www.drf.com/eclipse/2002/winners/winners.html

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azeri_(horse)