The VERY Sad One with the Loss of the Super Pony

Yesterday marks the very untimely passing of perhaps one of the greatest equine athletes this world has known in years. Theodore O’Connor, known to his family, friends and fans as “Teddy” was humanely euthanized on March 28, 2008.

According to statements from Karen and David O’Connor, Teddy was being ridden when he spooked, threw his rider and then bolted towards the barn. As he approached, he fell and slid into one of the barn doors lacerating all of the tendons in one of his back legs. Three on-scene vets unanimously agreed that there was simply nothing that could be done to save Teddy.

If I am still tearing up at the thought of Teddy’s passing, I cannot begin to imagine the heartache and loss that the O’Connors and Teddy’s owners must be feeling. As one said, he was the “People’s Pony.” Everyone in America was cheering this bravest of brave ponies on as he had just been named to the 2008 Olympic short list.

Teddy was truly and inspiration to many and to his sport. This is a tremendous loss for the equine community that will be felt for years.

My prayers and condolences go out to all those who were an integral part of Teddy’s life.

The One with the Missing Pony Pokey

Once upon a time, there was a small, but spunky, little pony named, ironically, Pokey. Pokey was a fuzzy little pinto pony with the creamiest, bushiest mane and tail. Pokey was living a happy pony life at his current farm in the heart of Summerville, SC. There were many, many horses and children to fill his days with lessons, trail rides and grooming sessions.

Unfortunately one day his owner and barn manager got into an irreconcilable argument, and Pokey was moved to a new farm on a road off Highway 61 in Summerville (a very busy road!). This farm was not as much to his liking as it was not as well maintained, some boards were falling apart, and there were no children to spoil him with treats. (Pokey did not realize that his owner was making other plans to move him yet again to her own property – as she was in the process of fencing in her land.)

So Pokey devised a great plan. He would manage to escape and travel the long distance back to his other pony friends and the children who loved him so much. On a cool Wednesday evening Pokey decided it was time to go through with his great escape plans. Finding a board already in the process of collapsing, he threw his entire little pony body weight against it and managed to free himself and the other horses in his field. Freedom never smelled so good – like fresh clover on a sunny day.

So Pokey began his great adventure. His freedom aroused much jealousy from nieghboring horses. Many came running up to the ends of their fields to prance around and whinny to convey their excitement for him. Something like this never happened before. Pokey felt like a movie star.

So onward Pokey trekked and trekked and trekked and trekked. He felt there was almost nothing he couldn’t do.

Meanwhile, the new barn manager convinced he would return to where he was being fed, did not worry. In fact she didn’t even alert his owner of his absence until noon the next day.

Frantic upon hearing of the missing status of her pony, Pokey’s owner began calling everyone she knew that could help. Before long many, many people had hopped on ponies, ATV’s, and helicopters to search through the woods and swamps along Highway 61 for Pokey.

The search continued for two straight days and nights with no avail. Fliers were posted, police were notified, and yet there was still no sign of the pony Pokey. Sorrow and despair began to fill everyone as they came to the notion that perhaps Pokey would never be found. Maybe he was stuck in the swamp; maybe someone had picked him up and decided to keep him. There was just simply no sign of him.

By Saturday evening Pokey’s distressed owner was ready to call off the search. And then…there was a glimmer of hope.

Walking into a gas station to buy a bottle of water, one of the pony searchers was listening to a man at the counter ask about the pony on the posted flyer. He was telling the story of how his elderly father had called him about a pony that had just shown up in his front yard that morning to socialize with his ponies.

Could it be? It was over 15 miles away from the farm that Pokey had left, but how many missing ponies could there be?

Phone numbers were swapped, and a horse trailer was expedited for Pokey's potential retrieval. Excitement began to mount as Pokey’s owner gleefully made the haul to the elderly man’s home. Sure enough, that spunky pony had made it. Over fifteen miles he had traveled, and he was absolutely no worse for the wear. Relieved, she threw her arms around the pony, choking back tears of relief.

Pokey is now temporarily stabled at Traveler’s Crossing where we have determined he shall have a GPS monitor inserted into his halter should he try any of his antics again. However, reacquainted with another family pony and treats, Pokey seems content to stay.

I guess Pokey wasn’t so Pokey after all.

The One With the Pregnancy Tests

So it's official! We have TWO pregnant Trakehner Mares at the barn. WOooHOoo!!! Spirits and hormones are high these days around the barn. I've never been around for mares to foal, so this is definitely exciting!

More info on pedigree to come...

The One With The Light Bulb

One of my greatest delights as a horse owner, trainer and rider is watching my horse finally understand what I am asking him to do and doing it. Such excitement falls over him as he does it, then stops to turn and look at me and say, “Did you see that? Wasn’t that great? Aren’t I the best? And don’t I deserve like five treats for that?” It’s as if a light bulb can literally be seen blinking on until it comes around to its full bright potential.

Recently when I was working with Sudi on ground work, I saw this light bulb come on. But let me give you some history as I’ve been very negligent in my blog posting of recent.

After going over some results and judge’s comments from earlier shows this season and doing some research, I began to realize that Sudi was not working his “topline” muscles correctly towards the idea of beginning collection. He simply doesn’t know how to most effectively use the muscles in his back and neck.

To put it in basic terms, when I looked at his form from the poll (the point between the horse’s ears) to his croup (the highest point on his rump), he was in the shape of an upside down rainbow. This is incorrect; he should be in the shape of a normal rainbow to properly learn impulsion from his back end.

To help his development and to teach him how to begin to carry himself correctly, I invested in some side reins. Side reins are basically adjustable leather pieces that connect to the horse’s bit and then drops down to connect to the girth so as to gradually teach the horse to lower his head as he moves. They are meant to primarily be used lunging at the trot as they could potentially damage the walk by making it too short, and they should never be used more than in 10-15 minute intervals – especially if the horse is green and in no way in shape. (As a side note: side reins can be very harmful to the horse if used incorrectly, but I have had much supervision from various members of our barn, and I have also looked into a lot of articles written on side rein work. So no worries – Sudi Man is doing just fine)

After discovering that the side reins I previously used on my Thoroughbred mare Charity (who passed away three Thanksgivings ago) were much too long to be of any useful effect, I came to only one conclusion: I needed to make a trip to the tack store! (Poor me, I know :-P)

Once there, I sadly had to talk myself out of all the new spring line merchandise and head straight for the side reins. Through my research and understanding that both of my boys are still young and impressionable, I knew I wanted leather ones that had some elastic-give on them. Leather is preferable over nylon because it is more prone to break should an accident occur. And the elastic is a little calming as it has some give in case the horse freaks out about being constrained. To my delight, I found exactly what I was looking for and was able to make the purchase at what I considered a fairly reasonable price.

So, back I trudged to the barn to nab my horse and guinea pig him. To my delight Sudi had absolutely no resistance to his beginning work with the side reins. They were actually acting as indirect reins, and he began chewing his bit lowering his head. Everytime he stretched his neck low, I would be sure to praise him. Unfortunately, “Good Boy” is also horse code for “It’s ok to stop now.” We’re gradually getting over this, but I’m convinced he just uses it as an excuse to stop and beg for treats. :-)

For the first few training sessions I left the side reins as long as possible just so that he could get used to them. Three or four sessions later, and I am now able to shorten them and in particular, shorten the inside one to teach him to bend to the inside of the circle. Sudi has been picking all of this up, and I could not be more pleased. I am even delighted to report that when I rode him this past weekend, he was beginning to transfer his lunge work to his riding work. We are by no means finished with the side reins, but I am terribly pleased with our progress.

So, after about 10 minutes of side rein work, I take them off and allow him to stretch and work his way over some small cavaletti sized jumps. To my utter amazement he has now figured out what jumps are, heads for them himself, picks up a canter, jumps correctly and after landing turns in to me with that “light bulb on” expression.

The first time I saw him do it, I was dumbfounded. I really thought someone had been working my horse in my absence. There was no more stopping,snorting and pawing of the jumps (nor munching on the potted, fake flowers!) And believe me, I have repeated this practice on several occasions to see if it was just a fluke. I’m guessing it’s not though, because all of a sudden he is moving forward and seems to actually like jumping!

I’m not sure what clicked on in his head, but I was in utter delight as I saw how proud of himself he was. And I know he knew it too – He made sure I understood that he deserved some treats when I brought him back in the barn. He was whinnying at everyone that walked by his stall.

I guess that just goes to show how much heart some horses have. Remembering these days gives me the hope to make it through the rougher ones when I sometimes feel I am moving backwards and forward is only a glimmer of a thought. For now the lightbulb is still on, and I plan to use as much of the light it provides as possible. However, it’s still good to remember that fuel for the light very well comes from rewards and days off that include one on one time grooming and grazing him.

The One With My Letter to the USEF/USEA Safety Committee

In light of the most recent tradgedies and fatalities at the 2008 Kentucky Rolex Event, I was spurred to finally express my thoughts in writing to the USEF/USEA Safetey committee. Even more poignent, this letter was sent just days before the magnificent filly Eight Belles gave her life while running the Kentucky Derby. I can only hope that we ALL as equestrians take a look at our sports and a moment to examine and hold ourselves responsible for the actions we choose to take with our equine partners.


Hello,

At 24 years of age, I am completely new to joining the eventing community (I basically grew up riding hunters and some dressage). However, as a younger girl, I had big dreams of growing up to be a “Karen O’Connor.” My career path has definitely not gone in that direction, but my underlying dream is still quite alive, albeit only recreationally.

I currently own two young Arabians who I know have the athletic capabilities to take me as far as I ever thought I wanted to go in eventing (most likely novice or thereabouts). But now I wonder if I’ll ever want to leave the “safety” of Beginner Novice or schooling horse trials that are not completely maxed out at height and width. There’s nothing like several fatalities on both the part of horse and rider to make one realize their mortality. I simply can’t help but wonder, “What/Who am I really risking to play in this sport I love so much?" and "What is it exactly that we are riding for?”

I keep coming across the same theme: horses and riders pushed to upper levels before they are really prepared. While the news is full of stories like Darren’s, this also became apparent to me in a recent FEH/YEH competition I attended at Sporting Days Farm in Aiken, SC.

While I really like the premise of the FEH/YEH competitions, I began to question, “Are we pushing the horses we hope to one day be phenomenal eventers too hard, too fast?” With all the literature out on developmental structure and time lines of a horse’s development, what is the point of so quickly cramming my horse into a dressage test and hunter/xc course (both of which require some degree of collection and extensions of stride) at the very young age of 4 (even allowably 3 if the horse hasn’t even turned 4 yet that year!). And beyond the physical part, what are we doing to these horses mentally? If our point is to find the “greats to be,” are we maybe sacrificing some of their potential greatness by pushing them too early? After all, what really is pushing us to ride them like this so early?

Ours is a sport different than others in the fact that we are the ones responsible for another party: the safety of the horses we choose to be riding. This safety comes on the course as well as time spent training before we are even on them. Lets just take some time to ask ourselves, “Am I really putting the good of the horse above my own personal desires?”

I know you all have been berated with negative comments, so I don’t want this letter to be a complete “downer.” I want you to know that I really, really do appreciate all that you guys are doing to make this beloved sport safer. I just thought I would share some thoughts that I’ve been having over the past few months. Thank you so much for your time. I am really looking forward to a safer, but still thrilling future of eventing. I have no doubt that this can be attained.

Best Regards,

Jessica