TGIF….

After another hot and humid day, the horses are sure glad it’s Friday and there’s only one more day to go in Blainville. We can’t believe that we are almost at the end of our journey -it has gone so quickly.

The CDI Barn

Lance proved that he is capable of digging in even when it’s hot and he’s tired. He agreed with us that ones were not required for Intermediare I this morning and also decided that he didn’t want to be left out of the awards ceremony again today. He made a couple of green I1 horse bobbles but ended up 8th with a 64.2%. Not bad for his third I1 test!!  We are looking forward to our freestyle under the lights tomorrow night.

Lance and Lindsey - Extended Trot

William officially decided that he is ready to go home. He tried really hard to be a good boy but the heat and lack of turnout made him a little fiesty for the day. He ended up with a 71.6 and 4th place. Great comments from the judges who think he has lots of potential as a FEI horse….we think so too!!

William and Lindsey before the bell to enter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow is the last day of the show, our only ride is Lance’s freestyle in the evening. We have to pick Ivars up at the airport in the afternoon and will get everything packed up to head out early on Sunday morning.

Mom (Barb) took some great pictures today, she’s definitely getting the hang of Vickie’s fancy camera. Hope you enjoy them!

Lindsey

Vickie

Lance warming up for I1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Linds for her blogging tonight dispite having major brain fatique!  She has had a great 2 weeks, three horses, back to back shows.  Tomorrow will be bitter sweet, the end of a wonderful 6 weeks of showing and working in Toronto but we are all looking forward to being home… uping the training on the boys and Fred and getting back to all our horses at home!  Vickie

The day of very tired boys and Freddie finds her flying change groove.

Lance was the first to go yesterday, PSG.  A hot muggy morning but no rain.  His warmup was very good for a tired big boy.  He was a little pingy off the leg as a result of being tired but was working well and ready to do his job.

Lance and Linds warming up for the PSG

Once again, because of the luck of the draw they were first to head down centreline for the large PSG class.  What would be the odds we would be first again!!!  Should have bought a lottery ticket yesterday!!  We all were ready at the bell so in we went.

Lance and Linds entering at A for the PSG

Okay, sitting at 7, 7, 6s and then comes the 2 lines of changes…Lance made the executive decision to change the test from 3 tempis and 4 tempis, to 2 tempis and ones!!!  Ugh…good test on a young PSG horse, sometimes errors happen and it’s just not your day.  After the tack check, at the end of the test, we returned to the warm-up ring and asked him for both lines again and they were spot on, 3s when asked, 4s were 100%.  Off to the showers and a good lunch for Lance!  61%, 13 place.

Lance doing Ones in his PSG test, clever boy!

Next test was Baby William and the 5 yr old Prelim.  This was another very tired boy.  I think more than tired, he is really missing his turnout time.  He loves to go for a big buck around his paddock and then settle down to an hour or so of grazing.  William is grumpy (as grumpy as William can get!!).  He warmed up like a tired, hot horse and really was not as concentrated as he normally is in his work.  His test was good but had lost the sparkle from last week, for sure. 72%, 6th place.

William, trucking about the ring, FEI 5 yr old Prelim

Fred’s test was in the heat of the day and she really decided she understands the work.  What a good girl.  The left to right change really has bamboozled her for the last 1/2 year and today she figured it out.  She could move her body confidently into, through and out of that change in the warmup ring and in the test.  The work at home is going to be very exciting this summer!!!

Fred warming up for her Fourth Level test.

Today is another hot day, Lance in the am, William in the afternoon, Fred has a day off.

Vickie

Smoking Hot In Quebec

Hot weather and hot horses today.  I arrived yesterday and was here today to watch Freddie and Lindsey get first place in 4the level.   They received a big red ribbon and lovely pearl necklace for a prize.

Fred, Linds and Vickie, warmup #2, ready for the test!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freddie, finished a great Fourth Level test.

Today we learned or are relearing a few a few lessons about showing.  Prior to Freddie’s test things were going smoothly.  Freddie was warming up very well…then we discovered there had been a change in the day schedule!  We were ready and warmed up about one hour early for their ride time….oops. So back to the barn for a break and then gear up again for the test.  Freddie coped very well with the two warm ups and one test. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lindsey and Vickie braiding and getin' ready for the jog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lance and Linds schooling in the heat of the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby William, ready for tomorrow's test.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William and Barb having a chat about the upcoming jog.

We then waited anxiously for the late afternoon jog for Lance and Willie.  So in the heat of the day ….Willie and Lance were schooled in the ring at about 30 plus degrees.  I was commissioned to take photos….hope you enjoy the creative ones.  I tried to learn to keep the horse in the frame and shoot from the side.   All the horses are looking great and have progressed even to my amateur eye. 

 

 

 

Vickie and William, waiting, waiting, waiting for our turn for the jog,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freddie is still very annoying in the stall and has learned to rattle her medal gate with her medal shoes when she thinks it is time for food or attention.  Willie the talk of the ground as he is such a little star and so well behaved. Lance is looking impressive and lovable as usual.   The coach and rider are doing well and even eating regularly.  We are hold up in the motorhome with the airconditioning on high and surrounded by an excellent supply of wine and chocolate…what else would anyone want? 

And we passed the jog for the second CDI!

 

These guys have taken the bull by the horn and achieved their goals.  I am grateful to be here to watch their dream unfold!  We are here in Blainville, Quebec celebrating Quebec’s birthday but also celebrating the hard work of the Flying Colours Team.  My only complaint is the bed is so high  I have to take a running leap to get in….not a pretty picture.

From Barb (Mom and photographer!)

Yeah!!! Barb’s (mom’s) here!!!

Freddie had a great test, unfortunately it wasn’t quite a Fourth Level 2 test.  She decided she likes tempis and added several 3s on centreline to end before her final salute!  Nice Fred, just not this test!  The trot work was 7s, the canter was great except for all the added bits.  She really is coming into her own.  Her next couple of tests are the easier ones so it’ll be a good couple of days!

We rode everyone today and then tried to navigate our way to the airport to pick up Barb.  We’re getting quite comfortable whizzing around Montreal.  Thanks goodness for Gertie (the GPS lady)!  Yeah…we have an extra set of hands to help with chores (don’t let Barb know it’s work detail for the next week ;)).  We’ve already informed her that purchasing a table for the final night of the Freestyles is not on the program ’cause she’ll be way tooo busy to sit down!

Tomorrow is the jog, Fred has a test in the morning and then we’re ready for the next CDI!

Barb, getting used to the pace...air cond full blast, a cold beverage on hand.

Lance, 5th place, Inter One Freestyle!

We are happy girls…Costco run this afternoon for jelly beans (carrots too!!), really good air conditioning in the coach, hot showers and good beer!

Lance and William's ribbons...their first CDI...Advanced Level and FEI 5 yr old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lance was one tired boy this morning.  It was still raining, though not very hard.  We had a very short warm up…explained the moves of the freestyle to him, got him over his back and then let him know he’d have to dig in for the next 10 minutes and headed down centreline.  Lindsey hit all her markers and the music fit beautifully.  This freestyle is a very easy one, simple lines, easy to navigate…very good for a baby Inter One horse, tired and trying his best.  66%, 5th place.  Fred and William had relax days today.  A couple of long walks and lots of hay and carrots.

Lance and the awards for the Inter One Freestyle, 5th place

 

 

Tomorrow is schooling day for Fred and William, Lance will have two days off and hang out with me while I’m coaching.

We’re both enjoying the evening watching the US Open…go Mike Weir.

V

Canadian anthem for William! First place, first CDI!

William, first place, first CDI, FEI 5yr old Finale

I must confess, I got a little choked up standing for the Canadian anthem for William’s first placing yesterday.  I think I could get used to feeling this way!  William and Lindsey had another great test, FEI 5yr old Final, 76.4%.  William was very tired and quite muscle sore from the deep footing from Friday.  He warmed up great after a fair amount of stretchy work first.  He is such a little trooper, dug deep and tried his best to please Linds in the ring.  He couldn’t hold the counter canter to right all the way around the 1/2 circle but recovered quickly after the flying change (he LOVES flying changes!).  He also is not quite understanding how to work through his body in the walk work in the ring.  He gets it very well in the warm up but can’t quite put it together yet in the test…next week he’ll have it!  He’s done the same thing with canter and trot and once he understands he never misses a beat in the test.  I’m sooo proud of them!

"Hey, will you guys stand still...let's get this ribbon nonsense over with and get back to the barn!!!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jenny Loriston Clarke, William and Lindsey, First place award and prizes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lance warmed up very well.  He was tired but confident in all the work.  As Linds entered the ring, the skies opened up.  We all got soaked in the next 10 minutes!  The trot tour was really quite lovely, mostly 7s but the halt/reinback surprised him (note to self, school it just before entering the ring next week) and then he made a mistake in the last change in the threes.  Lance is a worrier and it really threw him, upset his rhythm and then the first pirouette.  He got it together into the second pirouette and finished happy and settled.  As this is only his second time in the Inter One ring, he’ll get better at recovering as he gets more experience.  At 62.7%, he finished 10th just out of the ribbons. 

We decided, after watching Fred walk out of her stall, she was tooooo tired to push through the heavy footing for another test this show.  Our goal for her this trip is to get her confident in the Fourth level ring and get set up for PSG for the fall.  She had a great test on Friday and we felt we had hit one of our markers for this show with that test.  Today will be a schooling day for her.  We’ll take our time and explain more of the details now that she has the big picture!

Lance’s freestyle today…still raining out.

V

Great marks and ribbons at the CDI

We had a great day yesterday.  Our goal at the start of 2009 is to be here at the CDI and peak the horses for this show(s).  We’re on plan.  We’ll need to manage them very well over the next week as the sloppy footing, as good as it was for being wet, took a lot out of them yesterday and they are tired.  Warmup will require some creative thinking and planning today and tomorrow.  We’ll get a couple of days off before the next CDI and it’ll be so very nice not to have to pack up and move!

Now to the results…

William, 2nd place, 76.2%, FEI 5yr old Prelim, CDI Blainville

William and Lindsey did a great job in the FEI 5yr old test!

76.2%, 2nd place, nice test, nice mark, nice ribbon.

I’m very proud of them both!  Lindsey took such good care of him in the ring and hence he really has grown up beautifully this spring.  The 5 yr old test is easy and fun for him.  He thinks he is special and he really is!!!

Such a great feeling as a breeder to watch your young stallion develop and grow.  William is going to be another top FEI horse for Flying Colours for the future.  A great young stallion.

 

 

William and Lindsey accepting 2nd place from Axel Steiner, 76.2%,FEI 5 yr old, Prelim

Note the mud and jackets…cold and wet day especially for the morning rides!

William afternoon nap time...this is what happens when you're 5 and you've had a big day.

Ahhh…he was snoring.

Lindsey and Lance, by draw, were the first ride in the PSG class.  His first CDI, big ride for both of them.  Wet and cold, sloppy footing…warm up was tricky.  The footing was wet but not slippy, it was heavy, so Lance could feel the extra effort needed for each stride.  We took our time, reviewed the trickier spots of the test for him and Linds rode very accurately stride for stride.  Lindsey was spot on in the test and Lance did his best for a trip down centreline in the mud.  A great test…66.05%, PSG, CDI Blainville, 5thplace.  Lindsey is now long listed for Canada with this result.  Boy are we proud of her!  Goal set and achieved for Friday.

Lance, Linds andI with 5th place ribbon, CDI Blainville, PSG

Big smiles for a great ride!

Lance andLindsey on their once around, 5th place, PSG, CDI Blainville

A familiar face in Montreal, our FEI steward from Alberta, Linda Miller, (and Lance trying to chew his ribbon)

Freddie had another great test (she’s becoming one of the boys!!!).  She’s not so much in heat now and is definitely more herself.  The footing in the National show ring was very, very sloppy and slippy in spots.  Fred totally kept her cool and stayed focused and worked with Lindsey the whole test.  What a good girl!

61.9%, second place.  She’s on the plan!!!! Yeah!

Vickie

And so it rained and rained…

As we sit here trying to figure out how to get Lindsey’s short show jacket dry for William’s morning ride, we watch the rain continue to make puddles in front of the coach.

Yesterday we got both of the boys worked before the skies opened up.  The footing is great where ever we ride, wonderful!  Fred’s ride was at 4pm so we headed out in the sogginess to the warmup ring for her Fourth Level test.  The footing was still fabulous, yeah.  To be able to train with such confidence, knowing the footing will not hold us back for this day and the rest of the show is, as they say, “priceless”!  Fred had the best test ever.  She stayed focused and with Lindsey the whole time.  In the rain, with her in heat, by herself…what a good girl!  62%, Third place.

4:30 was the start of the jog.  Both of the boys thought this was rather stupid.  “What are we doing out here in the rain with bridles on???!!!”  “Why can’t we just graze???”  Stomp, stomp.  They both passed the jog and settled back in the stable, all with extra warm blankets on for the night.

Today is William, Lance and Fred.  Here we go!

V

Okay….one photo from today…ugh…we need Peter!!!

William is trying out his ear thingy...he hates his ears being touched but it works well for the bugs!

We really are not very good with the camera.  We did bring it along today but it was either back at the tack box, in the truck, or on my shoulder but I was too busy coaching to remember!  Tomorrow we’ll try better to organize the camera/photos issue! 

It’s going to be a tight squeeze tomorrow, Fred’s Fourth Level test is at 4:01 and Lindsey need to jog the boys at 4:30…we’ll be running!

V

We’re Here!!

We arrived safe and sound in Blainville early afternoon yesterday. I drove the 4-Horse for the first time yesterday – nothing like throwing me in the deep end and seeing if I can swim. The traffic is definitely pretty heavy around Montreal. Only one little missed turned and we found our way easily to the equestrian park.

Once we arrived we unpacked the trailer and settled the horses in. We tried hand walking but the gnats are terrible!! Lots of bug spray necessary. This morning we rode all three horses – who were amazing. Blainville is extremely horse friendly so all the horses were good and happy in their new surroundings. Freddie shows and the boys have the jog tomorrow afternoon (Freddie at 4:01 and jog at 4:30 pm ….We are going to be running!!). All the horses show on Friday.

Vickie and I are trying to make a pack to take more pictures to post on the blog BUT….both of us are terrible at remembering the camera. We always seem to be forgetting it in the coach or in the tackrooom. We’ll keep working on it and hope to have some pictures posted soon. We decided that we need Ivars or Peter here to help us with that end!  

The weather is beautiful here so we are off to find some ice cream….yummy!!

Lindsey