Off to the Races

This past week has bee very eventful what with starting a new job, going to Kentucky for the weekend, and learning a lot about my pony.  Where to start?  (P.s. Lots of photos to come soon!).

Lets start with the horse. Ever since I bought Maverick a little over 2 years ago now, I have been exploring his potential. I have finally arrived on the decision to try our hand at hunters. I had stayed away from it before as I simply do not know that much about the ins and outs of the discipline, but I am excited to explore this new venue. Maverick pretty much told me himself that he wanted to be a hunter when one day I forgot to put on my field boots and road him around a course in my bogs. Though I looked like big foot in a pair of astronaut boots he surprisingly jumped very well. He was soft and didn't rush as normal for the last 3 strides and really for the first time I truly enjoyed jumping him as it wasn't a ton of work and concentration for me. Usually I get him going with a nice stride and then he scrabbles and does his own thing the last stretch. I started changing my game plan by doing a lot of placement poles and also jumping him more frequently but for less time. This has enabled him to start understanding to wait for the jump to come to him and I have finally been able to start counting his strides to the fences as he is staying consistent which is so refreshing. Along with this, I have also found that at the end of our workout, when I really let him stretch down he becomes very soft, supple, and much easier to maneuver. Working off of this I have started to canter him for much longer than normal and keep asking for a slower canter with his head lower with the help of a standing martingale. Consequently, in the last few weeks I feel like we have come leaps and bounds. It is funny how you can go a long time and then it seems like all in one week everything comes together and just works. 

Here is a video of us trying out our first bounce ( sorry it was a little long for him... as I quickly realized and changed into a double stride). 

Here is a video of us jumping at home last week at night. He was just fab and I am so happy with him!

I just started working this last week at the SF SPCA so if you need a new puppy or kitten please check them out. I will also be posting and cuties that need homes on here as they are just adorable.

This weekend was an absolute blast. I flew to Kentucky for the the first time for the CANTER National meeting and finally was able to put a lot of beautiful faces to names. The meetings went great and in the afternoons we went to Churchill downs and got to watch the Breeders Cup. Let me tell you, this was a once in a lifetime experience. It is so fascinating to see these amazing horses thunder past you as the stands rattle with cheers and a wave of screams hit you like a sonic boom. I must admit I am also very pleased with my new purple Breeders Cup saddle pad purchase. Can't wait to sport it at the barn!

On Sunday we were able to go to Lanes End for their open house. I was able to meet some of racing's greatest like Curlin, AP Indy, Quality Road,  Rock Hard Ten, Shakespeare, and Candy Ride. They all looked fantastic and were immaculately groomed. Their coats felt like velvet and gleamed in the fall sunshine. As if the day could get any better, we then drove up to the Kentucky Horse Park to watch the Maclay competition at the Alltech National Horse Show which was just awe inspiring. The young riders positions made me envious and their gorgeous mounts would make any horse crazy girl swoon. 

On my flight back home all I can think about is how exciting the future will be and I look forward to the next adventures my life will take my little horse and me on. I have always thought and believed that you afford yourself your own opportunities in life and with a little luck and a positive attitude you can achieve even your most extravagant goal. You never know what tomorrow will hold and when that trumpet sounds you better be ready to run at life full speed ahead.

A Forever Horse

Captain Jade

Maverick and I training at The Equine Center

Welcome to my new blog, I hope you enjoyed all of my stories about Henry and will have fun following my on going adventures with Maverick.

I wanted to start with a little about Maverick and my journey together so far. I bought Mav from a lady in San Jose at the Almaden Equestrian Center one Sept. 8th 2009. He was born in Canada and was raced at Hastings racetrack for much of his life under the name of Captain Jade. In 2007 he was bought and moved to Golden Gate Fields where he raced for one more year. He was never the best racehorse but was a closer which means he would stay at the back of the pack for most of the race and then suddenly sprint to the front right before the finish. He did not earn much in his career but it seems to me that when they found the right jokey he would really work hard for them.

After his race days were over Ginny bought and moved him to the AEC and sadly, soon after was not able to keep all of her ex-racers and train them, so she sold them on. When I heard about Maverick, I was told he was a mean, dangerous, and angry horse that would rear and had been known to flip over. When I first heard this I backed off and looked for other options. The last thing I needed was a nut case TB to destroy my confidence again ( I will have to explain my big accident that occurred 8 years ago in another bog).

At the time I was very interested in another horse which ended up not passing the vet check and I happened upon Maverick ( AKA: Mocha at the time) again. I went to the barn and just fell in love with him instantly. He was kind and quirky and had that spark that I was looking for. He adored jumping and would just go around and around the round pen over a little jump until you made him stop. At the time he was super speedy and motorcycled around the arena, but all I saw was potential. 

Maverick the day I bought him 9/8/09

Maverick the day I bought him 9/8/09

After his vet check I bought him on the spot and have loved him ever since. I could tell instantly that he was a one person kind of horse. He decides if he likes you and if he doesn't he won't do anything for you. He lacks confidence and needs you to say " You've Got It !" when you approach a jump to assure him its okay. I often find myself saying this aloud if we are coming up to a scary fence, for both of us.

He is not a cuddly horse and would prefer to nudge you than to stand around having you hug his head all day. But, he shows he loves you in many other ways. There is a level of respect and compassion that you catch when you look in his eyes that affirms that we complete each other. He is the kind of horse that doesn't care to stand around and be petted and groomed but when you are gone he looks and whinnies for you to come back. He will follow me anywhere like a puppy dog and would never leave me in the arena if I fall off. He tries things on like pawing, and will tease you by hanging his hoof in the air as if to see if I am noticing him and will do anything about it. Most of all he helped me get through a very rough time in my life when just getting out of bed everyday was a challenge. On February 27th 2009 my dad was struck by a minivan in an intersection while out riding his bike in Los Gatos, CA. He was an avid cyclist who had just picked up the sport within that last year as a way to get in shape and stay healthy. I remember coming home from college at the end of each quarter and being so proud of how fit he was getting. He found he had a passion for the sport and very sadly died at the age of 54 on Feb 28th doing a sport he loved.

Having something to look forward to everyday, to set goals for the future, and to not know where it may lead allowed me to over come this tragic event. I actually bought Maverick with my share of my dad's life insurance money, which probably made him roll over in his grave. Loosing someone so important in your life no matter when it is, turns your world upside down and leaves a hole in your heart. Maverick was my light at the end of the tunnel for me and without even knowing it, during a very dark time, made me smile everyday.

Some people think I'm crazy for keeping this broken down ex-racer who gets injections, supplements, and endless money to maintain his soundness, but I wouldn't part with him for the world. 

After our 3rd Horse Show

So, that is our story, and how our partnership came to be and will continue for as long as it can.

I hope you enjoy reading our blog and I will try to post at least once a week, probably on Thursdays.

Here is a little video I made of our time together so far:

Welcome to San Francisco

Hello

If you have happened upon this blog it is probably because you were directed here from the Amazing Henry's blog. Thank you so much for coming and I hope you enjoy my posts about my own OTTB Maverick and our adventures together. We just moved to San Francisco and had a crazy cross country adventure this summer to tell you all about in my first blog.

Stay tuned.