Ammy Hour: Meet Jen!!

So cool!

I make no secret of the fact that I absolutely love the hard working, hard playing folks that make up the backbone of American equestrians: the adult amateur.

Jen, of Cob Jockey fame, is another one of my favorite adult ammy bloggers. She and Connor have trained hard and weathered plenty of challenges together. Here's a look at how another adult amateur makes horses work with a 9-5 job and real life commitments.

1. You’re at dinner with work colleagues. How do you introduce yourself? 
Hi, I'm Jen.  I'm an IT sysadmin for a large county government, and I seriously love my job.  No, actually I majored in Equine Studies.  Yes, I do have a horse.  No, I don't run barrels.  I compete in the sport based off of the old test the military used to determine horses' suitability for the cavalry.  It's an Olympic sport and you'd probably like it if you saw it, it's pretty exciting.

2. But what you really meant to say was this: 

Hi, I know what you're thinking, and I'm the systems administrator, not the secretary or the waitress.  Really.

3. Tell us about your horse(s): 

Connor is a 2006 Section D Welsh Cob gelding who is just barely 14hh.  His parents are *Tuscani Dundee and *Bwlchllan Bessie (and he looks JUST like his mom!).  Connor likes playing in his water trough, escaping from his pasture, stretching like a cat before being fed every morning, and being my talented, fun, safe eventing buddy.  He's forward, smart, sensitive and reactive, but not stupid, and has feet so hard the farrier swears they cause him to buy a new set of tools after every trim.  Connor is also really athletic, but doesn't need to be ridden daily, making him very adult ammie friendly!

4. How did you meet him? 

During a class in college in which we break a young horse to ride for an outside "client" (no compensation), my client sent me a Welsh Cob.  I had never heard of Welsh Cobs before, but fell in love with the breed, and looked the pony's breeder up on Facebook, sending a message to introduce myself.  We became friends, and I spent the next couple of years helping her show, ride, video and even foal her Welsh Cobs.  When she sent me a video of a 5 year old gelding who was coming back to be sold after learning how to ride and drive at a CDE driving barn in Pennsylvania, I was immediately awe-struck by him.  Fast forward almost a year later, I show him in-hand and under-saddle for her at a couple of Welsh shows, feel myself "click" with the fun and forward pony, and she makes me an offer I can't refuse. 

5. What have you done together? 

So far, Connor and I have shown rated and unrated starter-level eventing, and through Training level Dressage.  We've gone cross-country schooling, trail riding in state parks, and survived a lot of baby XC questions for the first time together.  He's so game and ready for anything, but safe at the same time, which is one of the things I love about the Welsh Cob breed in general.  When I say "Let's have an adventure!" he says "Okay!"  I think it says a lot that I've worked with Connor and many other Welsh Cobs for years now, and I've still never had an "unplanned dismount" on one.  (No, I will not knock on wood!)

6. Where are you going together? 

In 2014, we are moving up to Beginner Novice eventing and First Level Dressage.  I am also aiming for the National Dressage Pony Cup with him in September.  Long term, he will probably top out at about 3'3-3'6 and Training level eventing, but with Dressage, we're going to go as far as we can. He's showing talent for it, and I am the odd eventer that really enjoys Dressage.

7. How do you finance the addiction?

I went to college for Equine Studies, but while there I learned that what I really wanted to do was Information Technology, and that's how I finance the addiction.  I finished my Equine Studies degree even though I knew I wouldn't pursue it as a career while getting an unofficial second degree working in my college's IT department.  In addition to my IT job, I also do all of the feeding, turnout and stalls at my barn one day a week, and will continue to do so until my husband's student loans are paid off.

8. How often do you ride? 

Connor's barn is 45 minutes away, and with my 8-5 job plus our 24/7 on-call rotation, I can usually manage 4 rides a week, one of those being a lesson.  My department supports 911 and the police/sheriff, (plus 36 other departments), so on-call sometimes makes the barn interesting.  One time I reset a deputy's email password by using my phone to remotely access my office computer 40 miles away while sitting on Connor in the middle of a ride.  I also sometimes stay home from the barn if the weather will be bad or a server is running poorly and I think there's a chance I'll get paged.

Together <3

9. What’s the single biggest thing that helps you achieve your goals?

My current trainer took me from just surviving each ride to being able to feel and control Connor's individual body parts, and got me over my fear of jumping.  Her ability to analyze the situation and break it down in easy-to-understand terms, as well as her tendency to push you without over-facing you when she knows you're ready (even if you don't know you are!) is the only reason I've gotten so far with a green horse.

10. If there was one thing you could say to people getting ready to join the ranks of riding (or re-riding) adults, what would it be? 

Keep one word in the back of your mind: balance.  We all have goals, but we also need the money from our jobs to finance those goals, and the support of our loved ones to achieve them.  Train hard and be a badass, but never let your health, job, marriage or financial security suffer for it.  

11. What are your horse keeping arrangements?

Connor is on full-board at a fantastic facility with great care.  He's turned out in a field year-round from around 8am-dark, except in spring and summer when he's often on 24/7 turnout.  Having great people caring for him gives me a lot of peace of mind, since I often can't make it to the barn due to winter road conditions or work emergencies.

12. What is/are your long term equine goals? 

I discussed my long-term performance goals above, but my general goals are to keep Connor happy and healthy, to never stop learning and to continue to promote the Welsh Cob breed.  I think a lot of people, especially female adult re-riders, are looking for the sanity, soundness, athleticism, intelligence and safeness of the Welsh Cob breed, as well as their smaller size (they are generally 14hh-15.2hh) but they've never encountered them before.

So fancy

13. Bottom Line: 

The bottom line?  You hear all the time that adult ammies have it rough, but being an adult amateur is awesome!  We get to participate in the hobby we love, but not get burned out on it by turning it into our livelihood.  Sure, there's never enough money in our wallets or time in our days, but we get to unwind with our horses at the end of the day rather than wondering if we have enough energy left to ride our own.  (Of course, if you find yourself wishing you were doing 17 stalls and riding a string of horses every day, you may want to consider a career change!)  I hope you, like me, can enjoy and appreciate the benefits of being an adult amateur instead of focusing on the negatives, and thank the equine professionals in your life for being there for you.

 Many thanks to Jen for taking the time to participate! You can keep up with her at Cob Jockey.

Do you know someone who should be featured here? Are you a candidate? Contact me through email or the comments section and let's chat! 

Ammy Hour: Meet Kate!!

Here we go again! I want to continue to spotlight adult amateurs who love horses and how they make it work. We all know the challenges of horse involvement--time, money, stress, life, etc. Here's a look at how Kate from the Adventures of Lucy tackles full time work and one very special mare. 

1) You’re at dinner with work colleagues. How do you introduce yourself?
I've been working at my current job for about six months but I made quick work of the social scene and feel pretty comfortable around my work colleagues, so I'd just say, hey guys! I am kind of an introvert but work very hard to hide it. If I am at work and meet someone I don't know, I walk right up to them and shake their hand even though I really don't want to!

2) But what you really meant to say was this: 

"Where's the menu?" (what can I say, I love food)

3) Tell us about your horse: 

Lucy is my 6yo OTTB mare. I got her as a 3yo almost fresh off the track. She had no idea what leg meant and didn't know how to steer, if that's any indication of what I had to work with :D She is either a total sweetheart or a complete nut job...good thing she's really pretty and very talented. She is the definition of a pro ride and I am absolutely NOT a pro, so we do the best we can! Some days it isn't pretty but we do have moments of glory.

4) How did you meet him/her?

She belonged to a 15 year old girl who had no idea what she was doing with her. In fact, she was downright petrified of her, which is kind of ironic because at the time, she hadn't put a foot wrong! She was just huge and gawky, and had zero training since retiring from racing. Anyway, this girl had gotten her off the track and then didn't really do much with her. Lucy dropped a huge amount of weight and condition and by the time I met her in October of 2009, she looked like she needed a major upgrade, and fast. The whole reason I met her, though, was that I was trying to start a little photography business so I had advertised free sessions for people who would be willing to let me use the images to promote my business. Lucy's owner responded, and I went out to photograph her other horse. After I was finished, she mentioned she had this thoroughbred that she had just gotten and asked me if I wanted to meet her. At that point she had been off the track just a couple months and looked a little thin, but nothing alarming. She was very cute but at the time, she wasn't for sale so that was really the end of it! In November I started looking for my own horse after leasing horses my whole life, and the girl contacted me to tell me she wanted to sell Lucy. I was originally shopping for a horse between the ages of 5 and 10 that had a good foundation (and I love chestnut geldings so that was what I had in mind!). The owner was persistant, though, and I ended up trying her one night in the dark in an outdoor with no fence around it in the middle of the woods in a rural town with more cows than humans. The horse had no clue what I was asking, but she was so sweet and so honest, and wasn't bothered about all the other horses getting fed while she was out working in the ring. I fell in love with her (and also felt compelled to buy her because by then, she looked like CRAP and the situation she was in was not a good one). She passed a vet check that cost me more than her purchase price that weekend, and came home the next day!

5) What have you done together?

Well, the first year or so was challenging because she had ulcers and I kept procrastinating getting them diagnosed because I wasn't sure if it was really ulcers or not. I finally got her scoped and then she went through a month of treatment. I wish I had done that right off the bat because maybe that first year wouldn't have been so, um, painful! I got tossed many many times. Then we dealt with saddle fit issues, then crazy heat cycles, but after a whole lot of chiro and saddle fitter visits, and some mare supplements, we finally got on the right track.

By year two, I had learned how to sit the buck/scoot/spin/leap and we were making some progress. We went to some hunter paces, started trail riding (and she loved it!), and even did a little hunter show in the summer. Winter came, and "Winter Lucy", as I like to call her alter ego, returned with much fanfare. She was kind of a huge psycho. We both made it through, though!

This year was the best by far. I have always wanted try eventing and this year we finally got out there and did it! We had so much fun and Lucy was GREAT. She hates dressage, so that is what we really need to work on, but she is a super jumper and very brave XC. We kept it very simple, showing in the "Elementary" division at unrated events, but my main goal was for her not to be overfaced, and to have fun! She is still extremely challenging on some days, but I treat each day like a brand new book, and never hold yesterday against her, no matter how bad she was.

6) Where are you going together? 

Umm, some days, I feel like we're heading right for the edge of a very tall cliff. But other days, I see glimmers of hope and think that we could go quite far. I don't think she would have any problems doing the upper levels with the right rider, but I am not that brave! If we got around BN safely I would be thrilled. I think Novice would be the furthest I would go.

7) How do you finance the addiction? 

I have a wonderful full-time job that I get paid well for, but I work extremely hard. I also run a design business on the side, making customized ornaments, painting saddle pads, doing logo and web design, etc. I work constantly! I also rough-board to keep costs down. My day starts at about 6am and ends at about 9. Here's my typical day: I get up, get ready for work, go to the barn in heels and a skirt, exchange my heels for my muck boots, clean my stall, put my heels back on, go to work for 8 hours, go back to the barn, change into riding clothes, ride, cool the horse out and put her away, feed the rest of the horses (it's a co-op; my job is afternoon chores and feeding), go home, walk the dog, make dinner, take care of any design work that needs to be done, snuggle the hubby, collapse.

8)  How often do you ride? 

I try to ride at least 5 days a week. If I don't, I usually have a crazy horse to deal with. But there are weeks where I just don't have the energy to ride every night, so she either gets the day off or I will give her a good grooming, or lunge in side reins. Some days we go for a walk in the woods, me leading her instead of riding. For two and a half years, I had the most wonderful woman half leasing Lucy but she recently bought her own horse so it's all on me now!

9) What’s the single biggest thing that helps you achieve your goals? 

Well, my husband is extremely supportive of my insanity and I also really never give up on anything. There were days that I fell off twice in one ride because she was just being so outrageous, but I always, ALWAYS get back on unless there are extenuating circumstances. What can I say, I am as stubborn as my horse is.

10) If there was one thing you could say to people getting ready to join the ranks of riding (or re-riding) adults, what would it be? 

Horses are truly a passion! If they're in your blood, you can't avoid it :D Being an equestrian is part of who I am. Even if I sell Lucy eventually, I will still always be a horsewoman and I am sure I will always be involved in horses in some way. It's such a fun sport with many many different ways to get involved. There is something for everyone.

11) Bottom line:

Horses keep you humble and if you don't have a sense of humour, things are going to be tough! But overall: 1. I'm bonkers. 2. so is my horse. 3. we're kind of perfect for each other!!

Kate and Lucy are a fun pair to keep up with, and if you hadn't noticed, Kate has an appreciation for fine photography, so definitely check them out if you're not friends already.

I'm definitely inspired by the people I'm interacting with putting this series together. There are so many cool ways to connect with horses and the effort to stay engaged when the parental paycheck is gone is fun to explore. Want to be a part of the series? Know someone who should be? Contact me either by email (on the contact us page) or through the comments.

Don't forget!! We're closing in on the last days to enter the 'Tis the Season photo contest. Entries close at midnight on 12/31. There's a cool prize and you'll get featured here, so send your entry in today! 

A Half-Assed Attempt at an Interview

Ha! Enjoy my pun as I interview Lee, owner of Pixel the mule and currently featured on the Ansur website in their quest for a new saddle. (The clinic was great and I have a write up coming. I haven't forgotten my Woff fans who want scans, but I only have so many blogging days and lots of awesome topics. Hang in there!)

So, meet Pixel.
Although Pixel has an adorable face, her typing skills aren't super great, so I interviewed her owner, Lee, instead.
Here is a picture of Pixel and a woman I presume is Lee. I'm not sure because I kyped the picture off the ansur website and I've never met Lee in person. Following is our interview.

SB: What is your background with horses/mules?

L & P:I have ridden all my life, literally. My background is Western, working ranch horses and associated events like barrels, etc. I consider myself a darn good hand with young horses, breaking and training. About 15 years ago I found myself able to have horses again after a work/school hiatus, and I wanted to try something different, especially since I didn't have cows to chase around anymore...

My first love was jumping, but eventually I got hooked on dressage. It is the hardest I have worked on horseback in my life!

SB: How did you and Pixel end up together?

L & P: I have always been intrigued by mules but never have even been around them. I got this idea in my head that I wanted a "dressage mule", so I started shopping aided and encouraged by my enabling mother....

You can imagine that not many warmblood mare owners breed to a donkey...so I searched far and wide. Finally I found a WB mule baby in Texas. We met halfway and switched $ and mule in a Wal-Mart parking lot! And the rest is history, as they say.


SB: Why a mule?
L & P: See above. Why not?

SB: What are your goals together?

L & P: I would LOVE to take Pixel to some rated dressage shows one day and really piss off some dressage queens...

But the main thing, I would like to have the experience of training a different kind of equine; I feel that my training methods will work with Pixel despite all the mule folks warnings that they are sooo different. And so far so good! Her response to our methods has been better than I even expected.

SB: Why did you decide to go treeless?

L & P: It was a no-brainer for me; I am an Ansur saddle user from way back, I have had Classic, Konklusion, and Carlton, and now the Excel. Mules are notoriously difficult to fit with saddles, they have a lack of shoulder definition that allows the saddle to slide forward toward the neck (not good); some mules have no withers and a long flat back. I am lucky (I think) and Pixel has a good wither. I have a crupper which I will accustom her to just in case, but so far I haven't had any problems with saddle stability. I thought an Ansur was a logical choice, and I was sure it would work. Hence I bought the Excel. Of course, I use it on all the youngsters and some of the trained horses as well!

SB: Of all the treeless options, why did you settle on Ansur?

L & P: Frankly, it is the one I am familiar with. I have never had a reason to shop elsewhere, though I have seen other options and monitored discussions. Not even an Ansur works for every horse! I keep an open mind. In fact, I use a treed saddle on my big WB dressage horse, after years of Ansur saddles, because I as a rider need more support with him, he is a very difficult horse to ride.

SB: Is there anything you would change about your much-anticipated excel?

L & P: Not so far. I know that when I first sat in it, it felt wide. But that is after my highly structured Custom Advantage. And after a few minutes it feels just fine. I have had it only a short time, and the weather has been ridiculous for riding, esp a teenage mule...

SB: If you and Pixel could have one crazy adventure together anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, what would you do?
L & P: Wow. That is a tough one. Partly because I don't know what she is going to be when she grows up, so how she will do on trails, out with other equines, at shows, away from home, is all a mystery for the future...I can best answer that in a couple of years. I think that we are already on a crazy adventure together! and part of the fun is not knowing where it will take us.

So there you have it! I'm definitely not a mule person, but I do think Pixel is cute and I love irritating the warmblood-only crowd... besides, Pixel has just as much warmblood in her as Izzy does. Think of that.