South Farm

[horsecents]

Times are up. http://www.southfarm.net/July%202008%20T3D%20and%20HT%20Ride%20Times.htm

Hope to see you there on Saturday.

[NMK]

Yipes...I think I'm the first one on course and in the dressage ring for the 3-day. At least it's a civilized hour!!

[Auburn]

NMK,

I wish for you to have a wonderful 3-day experience! I can't wait to hear about your rides. Have fun! :D

I may be coming up for the BN Championships at South Farm in August. Maybe I can catch up with you then?

[horsecents]

Congratulations to NMK for finishing 3rd in the Training 3 Day and winning the "Best Conditioned Horse" Award.

What a great experience for all and something I would put on my "Things to Do List". I had fun on Friday helping out with the mounted steeplechase clinic. NMK and Hubble looked like they go out steeplechasing all the time. Definitely gave riders the feel of "riding at speed" especially if they have plans to move up to Prelim.

[NMK]

What an awesome experience. I never had so much fun!! If you ever get the chance to do a training 3-day, go!! Sarah did such a great job putting this together for us. I love, love, love the long format and the confidence it gives both horses and riders. The horse I trailered up there was different than the horse I trailered back for sure!

I even wrote to the USEA to tell them how important this educational experience was to me at this level. In fact, if it were up to me I would make it a prerequesite to going Prelim. It is a ton of work to put on but it meant so much to those of us who took part in it.

Nancy (still on cloud nine)

[DLee]

Nancy, that is so awesome, CONGRATULATIONS!! I want to see pics please!!:yes:

[CBudFrggy]

Wow Nancy! That is just great! What was it like? More details please?

[Firefox]

I agree nancy, I think that the T3d should be on anyones list of things to do if they havent gone prelim yet and before they try the move up. It is a wonderful experience!!! Thanks to all of you that take the time to put one on!!!

[NMK]

Well, we all got in Wednesday by dark and the seminars started the next morning at 8:30, which included great lectures by Ralph Holstein Sr. and his son, both of which have done the full format for years. It was very entertaining--one thing about eventers, we love a good story or two. Ralph Sr. gave some great and really hilarious pointers to the parents of some riders, he's really funny. Ralph Jr. showed us what to have in the box, complete with stories about what he has used in the past. Then we did a seminar using two horses for the first vet inspection/jog.

The first jog and in-barn inspection was Thursday PM, and the weather cleared just in time. Everyone looked spiffy and passed. Then on Friday we did T test 2 in the large arena (that free walk goes on forever). And then we did a mounted steeplechase school. The footing was perfect and we had two ICP (thank you Jackie and Sue) instructors on the ground helping us out. I think Hubble missed his calling as timber horse! Then we had more seminars on the endurance phase, complete with walking A, C, and D.

Saturday was endurance day, and it was beautiful, perfect weather. I was first out on the course and felt I had the timing down due to the perfect walk by Stephanie Schmidt from the day before, came in only a few seconds near where I wanted to be. Steeplechase was fun, but Hubble figured out he'd been there, done that, so he took a hold of me and went about 550 instead of 520. I was about 13 seconds fast. I was about 30 seconds fast on C which is good, and he was absolutely super in the vet box. In fact we did not need to wash him down much. So on to D...He took off like some Rolex animal, I swear. He got the double bank to a skinny, which was the first big question. The rest of the course just rocked. The best part was that optimum time was 4:27 and we hit it exactly.

He only spent a few minutes in the recovery area, his respiration was down to 44 in only a few minutes and temperature was the same, so he dragged poor Horsecents back to the barn and recovered just fine.

So here are a few summary notes:

1. Be prepared...read, study and spend time in the tack. I used the Event Groom's Handbook and started conditioning way back in March. And be fit yourself...it is four very long 12 hour days and you need to be sharp to take in all the information and not get tired.

2. Practice...know pacing. It is everything in the long format.

3. Have plan A and plan B with you...for nutrition (you and your horse) for clothing/tack and for conditioning in case something should happen as you prepare.

4. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Everyone there is there to help you and your horse, it's a great forum for questions.

5. Be sure you've done a few training events successfully. It will really help you and your horse if you are on the cusp of moving up, or considering it.

6. Help each other out once you are there, we all have different experiences and sharing them is really helpful. So is sharing equipment, you never know when your watch will decide to take a day off ,or if someone has an ice boot--until you need it.

7. Thank everyone for helping. It takes an enormous amount of time and personnel to make this happen, including your support group and those there at the event. Horsecents, I thank you for helping me warm up for dressage, and for getting Hubble safely through the boxes without any stress. It's important to have the right people doing the right thing at the right time.

So my fantastic little horse will rule the barn for the entire month before he has a job again. He went up there as a little training horse and came back as a potential Prelim horse. Heck he even let me put his ribbon on his bridle for the first time (but he ate the bottom part of it). It's a great experience, one that I think should be mandatory to move up.

Nancy

[Auburn]

Yay! Nancy and Hubble!! I am so proud of you. You Rock!

I felt as if I was there, because you did such a great job of sharing your experience. Hopefully, the USEA will listen.

Kudos to Sarah, Jackie, Sue and all of the folks at SF for helping everyone experience a true 3-day. :D

[CookiePony]

Yay NMK! Thanks for the detailed report and the tips. You should copy it and post it to the T3DE group-- they will love it!

[Hey Mickey]

Oh, the T3D sounds amazing!!!
I was wondering how it went! It was orginally one of my goals for the year, but I just couldn't get out to condition early in the spring... because of the weather.... I was so disapointed...

Maybe next year.

Glad it went well!!!

[Fence2Fence]

Congrats! It's so exciting reading about the T3DE. I'm looking forward to going!

[NMK]

cookie pony...can you cut and paste for me? I am a bit challenged when it comes to the computer.

Thanks
Nancy

[LAZ]

Congrats NMK & Hubble! Sounds like you guys had a ton of fun!

[Debbie]

Woohoo NMK & Hubble!

[Carol Ames]

Sounds wonderful, :yes:congratulations!:lol: Yes, they are very different horses after one aren't they?:yes:

[Ritazza]

Congrats!! I had two friends doing the T3DE too and got to help out in the vetbox, great fun. Maybe a few years down the road my little mare will be able to do it too - she won the BNH division this weekend and had a dress score of 22.6 and a final of 26.6.... look for us in a few years!

[glfprncs]

Two questions.

Anybody know who the photographers were at South Farm this past weekend?

Any scores posted anywhere?

[Auburn]

Brant Gamma usually does South Farm. You might check her web site.

[Ritazza]

Brant Gamma did do South Farm, and we're just waiting here with baited breath hoping tha they'll eventually be put on the website. They're not up yet :(

[horsecents]

They were taking a lot of photos. Divasgroom was photographing the Steeplechase seminar and Brant was doing nice pose shots of the 3 day horses after their dressage.

[Divasgroom]

Hey to all South Farm riders. Brant is working feverishly to get all photos edited for posting. She even called in some help so she can keep her broken arm elevated. I previewed what was shot of the T3D and the P and T XC and you guys are spectacular. South Farm is a great venue for good forward riding and y'all showed that. We will get them up ASAP!

[Ritazza]

That's right! I forgot about that broken arm! Well no rush in that case! :lol:

[Divasgroom]

That's right! I forgot about that broken arm! Well no rush in that case! :lol:

It takes alot more than a busted elbow to slow Brant down, but she is very methodical in making certain your photos look great.

[Ritazza]

Well you let us know when they're up on the website. My pics from last year were awesome and I can't wait to see the ones from this year!

[Divasgroom]

Hey to everyone! Photos are posted at www.brantgamma.com >equestrian<
Enjoy!