As much as I have been watching the calender, waiting for show season to start here in the south, I still cannot believe that it is August already. I have been so driven to get my business up and running that I tend to get frustrated with myself; thinking that progress is not happening quickly enough. But, as my friends and family are kind enough to point out, it has been less than four months since I officially left my office job to open MZ Eventing. In that time, my barn has grown from 2 horses to 8, numerous connections have been forged with people who have faith in my abilities and the farm is literally growing with the new pasture fence almost finished, more run in sheds, a new small barn and new jumps being built. Thankfully, I have a potential working student interviewing at the end of the month. Since my farm is a "working farm" that is maintained by myself and my family, there is always more to do than time to do it!
Self reflection is a great tool. However, I've found that if self reflection becomes overly analytical it can cause one to linger in self doubt and inhibit the growth of a persons full potential. One thing I have learned throughout all the years is that believing in one's self is often the singularly most important action that is the catalyst for success. Of course, just saying you can do something or even believing in it, doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you don't do the work. It's the day to day,early morning-late night, grunt work that builds the pathway to success. But the drive that propels the work is the belief/knowledge that you CAN do what you are setting out to achieve.
I love the movie, "The Pursuit of Happiness"; primarily the part when Will Smith's character,
Chris Gardner, tells his son "Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me.
All right? You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period. "
Self psychotherapy aside....everything is really moving along. This summer has been absolutely brutal weather wise but the horses seem to fairing ok. The case regarding the 5 rescue horses is slowly heading to an actual court date with a full jury. Anything can happen, especially when in regards to the law, but I'm hoping our case is about as solid as they come. The before and after photos of the horses themselves speak volumes. I have gotten so much joy out of watching theses horses come back to life. I cannot thank enough all the people that have helped me with them and are willing to give them loving homes.
Rocky (our baby deer) is growing like a weed and gets more michevous every day.He LOVES to eat paper so we are constantly chasing him down to retrieve magazines, bills (we have thought of letting him eat those!) and whatever else he can get hold of. Trash cans have to be put up over his head as does all toilet paper rolls. Just watching Rocky play brings a smile to my face and the entire family is enjoying having him in our life. He is almost 2 months old now! It is amazing to see an animal that would normally be so wild and skittish of people, be completely at ease with people, dogs, cats, and horses. He is incredibly affectionate and every night before I go home I have to go and have a "snuggle" with Rocky and tuck him in his bed :-).
I couldn't be more pleased with how the horses are all training.
Tia is really coming into her own. Her jumping form has drastically improved. She has become much more educated on combinations and problem solving; which is essential for her to progress to the upper levels. I continue to learn so much from working with her since she is such a unique mare. Near the end of our spring show season I was feeling that sense of true partnership...teamwork...that is so thrilling to experience with a horse. That's when you feel you can really go out and attack the course as a team...instead of trying to direct and explain while managing the courses.
Lexi has moved to another level in her training and is going to be very impressive this season. Her whole body is changing, becoming looser and stronger. She is a lovely mover to begin with but now with her ability to truly use herself, she is gorgeous to watch go. Her jumping just keeps getting better as she learns more of the details for her eventing career. Today, we began playing with her first introduction to angled combinations with skinnies and corners in mind. She was so honest and clever!
Blossom is another one of my bay girls, coming to me from Hadland Farm. Though only 6 yrs old and just beginning her career, she is going to be a red hot diva! She has so much athleticism, power and is built as tough as a tank. Best of all, she is incredibly intelligent and brave so she is always moving forward, inquisitive and curious. While not the most conventional horse, once she gets in her groove, she is going to be a fierce competitor.
Roman has had a bit of a lazy summer as I have been so busy he sometimes gets the short end of the stick when it comes to training. Which he doesn't seem to mind since I have to drag him out from under his shade and fans! Plus, he is such a pleasure to ride, when I get on him all I want to do is go out and play :-). I was so lucky to find him at Aiken Equine Rescue. He is figuring out where to put his feet now that I have introduced him to this thing called "jumping" :-) and is definitely getting a taste for it. He will start to show about the middle of fall and I can't wait to see what he thinks of the eventing scene.
Courtesy of Full Gallop Farm I currently have two of Lara's horses that are for sale.
Pepper is yet another bay tb mare (seeing a trend here?? I'm thinking of renaming the business "The Bad Girls Club" :-)). She is cute as a button, has loads of personality and can jump the moon! Unfortunately, not long after she arrived she somehow got a nasty gash in her upper foreleg so she is on vacay for several weeks while that heals. I have scoured the pasture and their is NOTHING that indicates what she gouged herself on, I wish she could just tell me. I'm actually wondering if she didn't do it on purpose so she could move into the deluxe 12X24ft stall with massive fans blowing on her during this hot as hell summer....LOL. Pep is tough as nails and is healing quickly, I removed her stitches last night so knock on wood she will be back in training soon.
George (I like to call him Georgie Porgie...yeah, it's sickeningly sweet I know!) is a 3 yr old tb that is learning the basics and will be competing this winter when he turns 4. He is already at 16.2 hands but is like a puppy dog to be around. He is one of the calmest, smartest horses I have met in a very long time. On top of his personality, physically he has all the potential to be an athlete. This is another one that will be one to watch for!
Rounding out the horses, Flash is still the boss at 26 yrs old. I always worry about the summer affecting him but he still looks great. I like to imagine him out in the field with all these young horses telling them stories from his eventing days. He probably knows more than I do!
Over at Hadland Farm, my second home.... the horses are all prepping for the Aiken Fall Hunter/Jumper Show. They are all looking fantastic. Riding these jumpers has been an great source of education for me. Dustin, Trina and I are similar in a lot of ways but have enough differences in our riding/training styles that it allows different perspectives to be seen when training. I don't think there is one hard and fast "right way" to train a horse. You have a general outline that you then tailor to each individual. So having the different perspectives gives us a pool of ideas to help the horses. Basically, it's TEAMWORK and its invaluable.
We've got Quintyhill Combined Test coming up this month as well as Full Gallop's event. Possibly 5 Points and Poplar Place in September but October is when it really get rocking and rolling. Stay tuned!!
Ciao!
Mollie
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Summer Adventures
Tia and Lexi both rocked the combined test at Quintynhille Farm this past weekend. Tia dipped her toe into Preliminary level and won her division. Lexi was 2nd at Novice and felt much stronger since her first show a month ago. Both these girls will go to Highfields at the end of the month for some jumper classes.
I am super excited to announce that MZE has teamed up with Lara Anderson and her crew at Full Gallop Farm! I will be training and showing several sale horses from FGF so look for them this summer and fall.
I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with Lara again and very grateful for her support. Needless to say, the MZE barn is filling up quick. We will soon have 6-8 competition horses based here plus a few pasture ornaments of mine. Thankfully, we will begin putting in the fencing for the new pasture this week and that will progress quickly.
I still have the 5 rescue horses since we now have to go through the process of having a jury trial that the owner requested. The horses themselves are doing great and have homes waiting on them but it is very frustrating that this case keeps getting dragged out. The ignorance and audicity of some people is just mind boggling.
Overall, life is a whirlwind right now but filled with fantastic opportunities and projects. It is has been scary starting my own business but I am starting to believe that things just might work out after all. I have been overwhelmed at the support I have received from the people around me, my family, friends, Hadland Farm, Full Gallop Farm and can't thank them enough. Without them, this new chapter in my life would not be able to be written.
I am super excited to announce that MZE has teamed up with Lara Anderson and her crew at Full Gallop Farm! I will be training and showing several sale horses from FGF so look for them this summer and fall.
I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with Lara again and very grateful for her support. Needless to say, the MZE barn is filling up quick. We will soon have 6-8 competition horses based here plus a few pasture ornaments of mine. Thankfully, we will begin putting in the fencing for the new pasture this week and that will progress quickly.
I still have the 5 rescue horses since we now have to go through the process of having a jury trial that the owner requested. The horses themselves are doing great and have homes waiting on them but it is very frustrating that this case keeps getting dragged out. The ignorance and audicity of some people is just mind boggling.
Overall, life is a whirlwind right now but filled with fantastic opportunities and projects. It is has been scary starting my own business but I am starting to believe that things just might work out after all. I have been overwhelmed at the support I have received from the people around me, my family, friends, Hadland Farm, Full Gallop Farm and can't thank them enough. Without them, this new chapter in my life would not be able to be written.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Busy Summer Here In SC
Again, I apologize for the delay in posts. I do not have a computer at home so getting to one that I can sit down too is not too often. I love my phone for short emails and texts but I don't have near enough patience to type a blog from it!
Okay, so where to even begin with what all has been going on this summer....well, first off it is hot as hades here in SC. I'm not complaining though! I will take the heat and bugs over being trapped in an air conditioned office when I worked away from the horses. I think I now just have a layer of sun screen and bug spray built into my skin. I bet I smell divine for my husband when I get home at the end of the day :-),LOL!
We've got some plans in motion for some new building additions here at Rocky Swamp. Just got in the lumber for the new pasture and will have a few more jumps built soon. Plus, my current little barn is getting a face lift with a new roof and insulation. Additionally, we are adding on to the existing barn with some more stalls. In our main field we have a very nice, fully lighted, enclosed run in shed with the dimensions to be a three stall barn as well. Not sure if I am going to mess with that in the near future or not. I am a big supporter of having horses turned out as much as possible but I do like to have enough stalls for when they do want to come in, storms, emergencies, etc. A huge thanks to my husband and father who are overseeing these projects and doing the actual building. I will help but I am not an expert in building like they are. I wouldn't trust myself to hammer together a barn for a My Little Pony!
The 2011 spring eventing show season wrapped up in May at Full Gallop Farm. Both Tia and Lexi were total divas! I've really enjoyed watching Tia come into her own this year and get very confident in her competing. I'm having daydreams of her at Preliminary level but am making myself be patient. My whole training philosophy, especially with her, is about basics and as she moves up the levels in eventing, I intend to do my best to give her every chance I can to succeed. Full Gallop was Lexi's first event ever and she rocked it at novice level. Lovely dressage but I had a moment of panic making the first turn off the center line because it dawned on me that she had never been in a dressage ring before. Therefore, with all of her H/J experience, she wouldn't think anything of trotting right over the plastic dressage ring rail like a caveletti! I definetly aimed for 6 inches inside the rail the entire test just to be safe! Both Tia and Lexi are going to the combined test at Quintyhille Farm in Aiken this weekend. They will do a PSJ show at the end of the month and some other CT's and such throughout July. Hopefully, we will start back the event season at River Glen in August.
I am over at Hadland Farm almost every day (Lexi is kept there) and have learned so much riding and jumping their many horses. Each one is unique which provides a wealth of information for me to learn from. Another blossoming super star we have from Hadland that will soon be eventing is named Blossom (pun intended :-)). She is a full sister to on of Trina's previous Grand Prix horses, Hellcat's Crackerjack. I LOVE this mare! She is unbelievably talented and special. She is five years old and we are spending the summer primarily working on flat work and building fitness. I would like to get her out to some casual unrecognized shows this summer for exposure. This mare will be one to watch this fall for sure!
There is more to write to catch up but I have got to go get another horse ridden before meeting Lara Anderson from Full Gallop for dinner tonight. Toodles for now! -Molls
Okay, so where to even begin with what all has been going on this summer....well, first off it is hot as hades here in SC. I'm not complaining though! I will take the heat and bugs over being trapped in an air conditioned office when I worked away from the horses. I think I now just have a layer of sun screen and bug spray built into my skin. I bet I smell divine for my husband when I get home at the end of the day :-),LOL!
We've got some plans in motion for some new building additions here at Rocky Swamp. Just got in the lumber for the new pasture and will have a few more jumps built soon. Plus, my current little barn is getting a face lift with a new roof and insulation. Additionally, we are adding on to the existing barn with some more stalls. In our main field we have a very nice, fully lighted, enclosed run in shed with the dimensions to be a three stall barn as well. Not sure if I am going to mess with that in the near future or not. I am a big supporter of having horses turned out as much as possible but I do like to have enough stalls for when they do want to come in, storms, emergencies, etc. A huge thanks to my husband and father who are overseeing these projects and doing the actual building. I will help but I am not an expert in building like they are. I wouldn't trust myself to hammer together a barn for a My Little Pony!
The 2011 spring eventing show season wrapped up in May at Full Gallop Farm. Both Tia and Lexi were total divas! I've really enjoyed watching Tia come into her own this year and get very confident in her competing. I'm having daydreams of her at Preliminary level but am making myself be patient. My whole training philosophy, especially with her, is about basics and as she moves up the levels in eventing, I intend to do my best to give her every chance I can to succeed. Full Gallop was Lexi's first event ever and she rocked it at novice level. Lovely dressage but I had a moment of panic making the first turn off the center line because it dawned on me that she had never been in a dressage ring before. Therefore, with all of her H/J experience, she wouldn't think anything of trotting right over the plastic dressage ring rail like a caveletti! I definetly aimed for 6 inches inside the rail the entire test just to be safe! Both Tia and Lexi are going to the combined test at Quintyhille Farm in Aiken this weekend. They will do a PSJ show at the end of the month and some other CT's and such throughout July. Hopefully, we will start back the event season at River Glen in August.
I am over at Hadland Farm almost every day (Lexi is kept there) and have learned so much riding and jumping their many horses. Each one is unique which provides a wealth of information for me to learn from. Another blossoming super star we have from Hadland that will soon be eventing is named Blossom (pun intended :-)). She is a full sister to on of Trina's previous Grand Prix horses, Hellcat's Crackerjack. I LOVE this mare! She is unbelievably talented and special. She is five years old and we are spending the summer primarily working on flat work and building fitness. I would like to get her out to some casual unrecognized shows this summer for exposure. This mare will be one to watch this fall for sure!
There is more to write to catch up but I have got to go get another horse ridden before meeting Lara Anderson from Full Gallop for dinner tonight. Toodles for now! -Molls
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
lewie back home!
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Venturing to the dark side of the H/J world
Good morning! I am definetly behind in updating what has been going on over the past two weeks, which has been some major changes, all GREAT! This morning I am headed in town to Aiken to the big time PSJ show that is happening this week. So the details of my officially leaving my office job will have to wait for a bit longer. Suffice it to say, I have been walking on cloud nine since I have traded my dress pants and heels for breeches and paddock boots along with changing from daily makeup for sunscreen :-).
By the grace of the horsey gods, several months ago I realized that I have neighbors that are also equestrians. Dustin Ball and Trina Green run Hadland Farm here in Neeses, SC about 4 miles from my driveway.They are two of the most entertaining, laid back people I have met in a very long time. Not to mention that they are fabulous horsemen and I have had a blast watching them fly over their huge show jumps. They have helped me with my show jumping and I am competing some of their horses to sell that show an inclination towards Eventing.
Today I am headed to Aiken to help them during the show this week, generally be the catch all person, warm up horses (that idea still weirds me out, can you imagine doing that in Eventing?,LOL!), fetch, switch horses, etc. I've never been to a true AA fancy H/J show so you can count on lots of photos and feedback. Hopefully, I can slip onto the show grounds without alarms going off with a loudspeaker proclaiming "Crazy Eventer on the premises, lock up your horses!". I've got on my Dubarry boots, bling belt and pink polo but I think the MZ Eventing hat may give me away, oh well ;-).
Ciao!
Molls
By the grace of the horsey gods, several months ago I realized that I have neighbors that are also equestrians. Dustin Ball and Trina Green run Hadland Farm here in Neeses, SC about 4 miles from my driveway.They are two of the most entertaining, laid back people I have met in a very long time. Not to mention that they are fabulous horsemen and I have had a blast watching them fly over their huge show jumps. They have helped me with my show jumping and I am competing some of their horses to sell that show an inclination towards Eventing.
Today I am headed to Aiken to help them during the show this week, generally be the catch all person, warm up horses (that idea still weirds me out, can you imagine doing that in Eventing?,LOL!), fetch, switch horses, etc. I've never been to a true AA fancy H/J show so you can count on lots of photos and feedback. Hopefully, I can slip onto the show grounds without alarms going off with a loudspeaker proclaiming "Crazy Eventer on the premises, lock up your horses!". I've got on my Dubarry boots, bling belt and pink polo but I think the MZ Eventing hat may give me away, oh well ;-).
Ciao!
Molls
Monday, April 18, 2011
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