Training Sessions!

Okay so first let me update you all on Chloe. The day she was scheduled to go to the vet her legs broke out with fungus. THANK GOD! It explains the legs going up and down and it also explains the stopping, poor thing was in pain :( So I have been treating them and riding her with out boots and it is definitely getting better!
This past week has been a little crazy for me so I apologize for the delayed posts! The Pro Derby Cross took place this past week and Allison and Grace (Her groom and my roomie) made the drive to Florida with three horses and took part in the very successful derby cross. The pictures looked fantastic and made me wish I was there! They will stay there through the 14th for Red Hills Horse Trials. This means it has been a busy couple days for me and will continue to be but I am enjoying every minute of riding all these horses!
This past Friday and Saturday I had training sessions with Captain Mark Phillips over at Plantation which Is a lovely facility. I was nervous, last time I rode with him Chloe was not wanting any part of it and well it just did not go very well. So naturally I was nervous. The first day I rode dressage because that is our weakest phase and any extra help is appreciated. It was a fantastic lesson and Mark was pleased with what he saw and I was so proud of Chloe. I really pushed on her and she let me. He worked a lot on my canter transitions which is definitely something I need to work on. I also had tried putting an ear bonnet on her to see if that would help her spookiness. I think it did! CMP was holding a water bottle during our lesson and when he squeezed it she did not spook! I know it sounds silly but normally that would have her flying across the ring. I was so pleased with the whole day and felt like I could sleep easier that night! I asked if I could jump the following day, and he said that would be fine. That alone let me know he was pleased enough with my dressage to not want to do two days. The following day my lesson was at eight and it was raining, yuck! He watched me jump around a bit and was very complimentary of both my horse and my riding. I felt my eye was a little rusty but Chloe was jumping super and he was very encouraged with what he saw. We discussed my plans for the year and I left feeling on top of the world! It just made me feel like all my hard work is paying off and it made all of this feel a little more worth it. I also feel so lucky to have found a working student program where the trainer is really invested in my horse and myself. My dressage lesson shows that Allison is really putting a lot into helping us and I cant thank her enough for it.
I don't compete until the end of the month over at Southern Pines in North Carolina. My mom comes to visit in a few short days and I am SO EXCITED! I will be turning 21 on the 15th and i'm excited she will be here to celebrate with me :) I think we are going to try to cross country school some and I will let you all know how it goes!
Lastly I would like to thank RevitaVet for there sponsorship I just got word that They would like to sponsor me. They have such a fantastic product and I use it every day as a preventative maintenance on my horse and Allison uses it on all her horses as well. I really notice a difference I feel it essential especially for upper level horses in keeping them happy and feeling good. http://www.revitavet.com/index.html Check out there website for more information!


The pictures are courtesy of Kate Samuels and the videos which I will post later today are courtesy of Kaitlyn McMorris. I have to thank Kaitlyn for being such a fantastic friend and coming to the training sessions and videoing for me. :)


xoxo Kelly and Chloe