Timeline: Diary of the Overanxious Horse Owner - Current through 2020
1993-2001 Rode Arabian horses at a small farm in rural southwestern Minnesota and showed 4-H and local yearly show. Rode mostly English, some jumping. Roots of training in Silvermine School’s Horsemastership and my instructor, Lany, was personally taught by Margaret Cabell Self = Old School. Tossed on western saddles at shows for pleasure, Horsemanship (which was called Western Equitation) and Barrels/Poles. Horses: Dino ("Dean-O"), Banee, Lark, Gigi, Sonny.
2006 Spring – Rode Arabian horses at a farm outside of Minneapolis. Took one mare, Grace to a show in English Pleasure. Biggest show I’d ever been to. One of only two arabs in the ring – we looked psycho compared to the paints and QH’s and did not place.
2006 Summer – Worked as farm hand on the same small farm (now owned by Lany's daughter) in rural southwestern Minnesota I once had taken my first lesson. Started Welsh ponies and started showing a Pinto pony, Debonaire, in walk/trot, halter and showmanship classes at 2 shows: a Hunter/Jumper show in South Dakota and open classes at a Welsh show in central Minnesota.
2006 Summer – Realize I am less confident on a horse as I once was. Fear factor arrives un-welcomed.
2007 Fall – Move to Ohio. Begin thinking about getting back into horses. Equine professor/vet/friend gets me into supervising College’s “Western Equestrian Club”. Began taking lessons at AQHA barn in Western Pleasure. Start thinking these calm QH’s are better for my nerves.
2008 Spring –Begin serious horse shopping. Looking for Paint or Quarter Horse, larger than 15hh gelding, 4-12 years of age, started to some show experience. Potential in WP and HUS. Must be sane and sound. Preferably sorrel/chestnut.
2008 September 8 – Purchased 2000 APHA Bay Roan Overo Gelding Glaciers Majestic JR – Fell in love with his pictures. Tried him out twice, once with trainer, before purchase.
2008 September – April- First months were rough. Worked with a trainer in lessons and training rides doing mostly WP. Transition did not go well for Junior. Seemingly zero connection between him and me. In early spring Junior finally goes into “regular” 5-day/week turnout which helps some.
2009 May – First Show very stressful – lots of anxiety. Move to show grounds Friday night. Saturday is 4-H clinic so Junior is stalled all night (after lunging) and all day Saturday until after 9pm when he is lunged and ridden. Sunday showed off and on all day. Stress began to wear on us both and by the end of the day he was unruly and I was over the edge.
2009 Summer – Things continue to look up. Connection beginning. 2nd Show a train wreck. Ended the show crying in my car on the phone to Mom wondering why I wanted to show horses at all. Shows feel very lonely being the only adult showing in my group. I’m in classes when the others are not and they’re all busy in classes when I need help/ company to prep. Definitely need a Show Mom. Junior begins being used in the lesson program.
2009 Fall – Go to a 1 day show with TJ as Show Mom. Very good day. 1 day shows seem to be better on us than multi-day shows. Having a Show Mom is a HUGE reliever of stress and makes the day much more fun.
2009-2010 Fall/Winter – Junior is fat at an 8.5 BCS. Begin Showmanship lessons. TJ uses Junior as her Equine Nutrition Project for class at University. Total ration change in January.
2010 Spring – 2 shows. 2nd show win High-Point 19+. Win 2 showmanships, place well in all classes – small adult turnout. Junior is removed from lessons due to bad behavior during tacking/grooming including biting and kicking.
2010 July – Move to new barn. Junior shows immediate improvement and is extremely happy and cheerful. 7-Day turnout makes a very calm and content horse. New atmosphere makes both of us happy.
2010 October – First dressage lesson with Monet. Mind = Blown.
2010 – Start trail riding on farm trails. Junior not confident – Me not confident. Big spook at deer requires me to bail (hanging onto side of saddle with no possibility of recovering back up into saddle) and have first “fall” off of Junior.
2010 October - Obstacle training. Begin working on cowboy challenge/trail style obstacles. Junior is a champ. Round pen training – introduced to round pen work to establish herd connection/ alpha status.
2010 Fall – Go to Cowboy Challenge and get either perfect scores or zeros on all obstacles. LOVE the day. More trail riding on property. Confidence and partnership much improved.
2010 Winter – First lesson beginning jumping with Monet. Monet says Junior is my soul mate. She might be right. I determine I need more balance in 2-point before more jumping.
2011 Winter – too much weight/muscle loss. Begin working with fervor on strengthening using hind end with Monet’s guidance. Equine Chiro/Massage Therapist works on Junior: out at poll, ribs, withers, shoulders, pelvis.
2011 Early Spring – Begin increasing strength and stamina in hind and back. Only trot work using lots of body movement to get him to move more freely. Weather is VERY wet and outdoor turnout is almost nil. Indoor turnout is good but everyone is starting to feel cabin fever.
2011 Spring – Weather improves somewhat. Junior showing improvement in hind/back strength and is cantering more evenly than I’ve ever known him to do.
2011 Summer - After injury in May, fitness wanes for horse and rider.
2011 Fall- 2012 Winter - Move to new facility. Injury becomes serious and riding is discontinued until further notice. Even grooming and lunging is too painful through December/January. February sees a slight improvement.
2012 Spring - Horse weight improving, now feeding 3/4 scoop Kalm N EZ. Injury in recovery but still present. Riding resumes. Both horse and rider are woefully out of shape and it is slow going. Tentative plans are made for a versatility clinic in late April and showing English only (no western) at a small open show in early May.
2012 Summer/Fall - Had one very successful show in early May. My back injury is getting better but not 100% yet. Junior is coming back into shape nicely. Began a half-lease (3 days/week) by a very sweet couple. The situation is working quite well. I had my first real fall from Junior, was sore, but not injured.
2013 Winter - Feeding 3lbs Kalm N EZ and 6 flakes hay per day. Using a Nibble Net. Weight is good. Added ActiFlex 4000 in Mid December. Working on building muscle and balance. Started Equitation lessons.
2013 Spring/Summer/Fall - Good show season! Seems we've totally mastered gates. Have lost the correct pivot foot in HMS, but it's practically perfect from the ground... mystery for winter work!
2013 November 6 - Junior has surgery for a double-impaction colic. Six days spent at the Ohio State Vet Hospital. Junior comes home and we begin the long road to recovery.
December 13th 2013 - Glaciers Majestic JR, my Junebug, is laid to rest after another severe colic episode.
2014 September - Taking weekly hunt seat lessons with lesson horses. Half-leasing a QH gelding called Kevin, working on Western Pleasure and Horsemanship.
2014/15 Winter - Helping rehab Lillypony after a popped splint. Half-leasing Kevin, playing with Western Pleasure, Horsemanship and Ranch Versatility stuff.
2015 Spring - Showing Kevin at Ranch Horse shows, coaching his owner. Trail rides. Working on Reining maneuvers, trail obstacles, and overall horsemanship.
2015 Summer - Showing Kevin, won Champion Green Ranch Rider, 3rd in Boxing, 3rd in Ranch Riding at year-end awards.
2015 August - Purchased Huckleberry, begin reconditioning.
2015 Fall/Winter - Conditioning, Facial laceration, leg laceration, scratches, proud flesh.
2016 Spring - Huck has Back/Pelvis issues, Injected Sacroilliac Joints in May after 1st Ranch circuit show.
2016 Summer - 2 very good shows with Huck, 1st in W/J Ranch Riding, 1st/2nd in Green Reining. Top 3 in Ranch Conformation for year-end awards.
2017 - Mixed Show season. Ended with showing Ranch Riding at Congress in October and selling Huck.
2018 - A horseless year. Got Kevin back in shape and showed to a year-end Open Champion at our Ranch shows. Began reining lessons in November.
2011 Summer - After injury in May, fitness wanes for horse and rider.
2011 Fall- 2012 Winter - Move to new facility. Injury becomes serious and riding is discontinued until further notice. Even grooming and lunging is too painful through December/January. February sees a slight improvement.
2012 Spring - Horse weight improving, now feeding 3/4 scoop Kalm N EZ. Injury in recovery but still present. Riding resumes. Both horse and rider are woefully out of shape and it is slow going. Tentative plans are made for a versatility clinic in late April and showing English only (no western) at a small open show in early May.
2012 Summer/Fall - Had one very successful show in early May. My back injury is getting better but not 100% yet. Junior is coming back into shape nicely. Began a half-lease (3 days/week) by a very sweet couple. The situation is working quite well. I had my first real fall from Junior, was sore, but not injured.
2013 Winter - Feeding 3lbs Kalm N EZ and 6 flakes hay per day. Using a Nibble Net. Weight is good. Added ActiFlex 4000 in Mid December. Working on building muscle and balance. Started Equitation lessons.
2013 Spring/Summer/Fall - Good show season! Seems we've totally mastered gates. Have lost the correct pivot foot in HMS, but it's practically perfect from the ground... mystery for winter work!
2013 November 6 - Junior has surgery for a double-impaction colic. Six days spent at the Ohio State Vet Hospital. Junior comes home and we begin the long road to recovery.
December 13th 2013 - Glaciers Majestic JR, my Junebug, is laid to rest after another severe colic episode.
2014 September - Taking weekly hunt seat lessons with lesson horses. Half-leasing a QH gelding called Kevin, working on Western Pleasure and Horsemanship.
2014/15 Winter - Helping rehab Lillypony after a popped splint. Half-leasing Kevin, playing with Western Pleasure, Horsemanship and Ranch Versatility stuff.
2015 Spring - Showing Kevin at Ranch Horse shows, coaching his owner. Trail rides. Working on Reining maneuvers, trail obstacles, and overall horsemanship.
2015 Summer - Showing Kevin, won Champion Green Ranch Rider, 3rd in Boxing, 3rd in Ranch Riding at year-end awards.
2015 August - Purchased Huckleberry, begin reconditioning.
2015 Fall/Winter - Conditioning, Facial laceration, leg laceration, scratches, proud flesh.
2016 Spring - Huck has Back/Pelvis issues, Injected Sacroilliac Joints in May after 1st Ranch circuit show.
2016 Summer - 2 very good shows with Huck, 1st in W/J Ranch Riding, 1st/2nd in Green Reining. Top 3 in Ranch Conformation for year-end awards.
2017 - Mixed Show season. Ended with showing Ranch Riding at Congress in October and selling Huck.
2018 - A horseless year. Got Kevin back in shape and showed to a year-end Open Champion at our Ranch shows. Began reining lessons in November.
2019 - Become owner of Kevin. Show some Ranch and Western Dressage.
2020 - Dumpster fire of a year. Showed Ranch and Western Dressage, including the Online WDAA World Show.
