Welcome to 2012

Hello, and welcome to 2012!! The year of greatness...or at least it's supposed to. My 2012 started out with quite the bang. A barn fire. Nothing says welcome to the new year more. Fortunately the fire was not in our barn, which is home to Tara Equestrian, it was the bank barn which is the owner, Paul, barn. There were no horses or people in the fire so everyone is fine!! However, Paul drives carriages and around 8 of his carriages, all his tack, historic pictures, and several other things were in fire. Aside from the obvious sadness it's awful because that barn was built back in 1870, so we lost a piece of history. We are so so so lucky that we had great fireman helping us out and they did an AMAZING job containing the fire so it wouldn't spread to other buildings and that no one or horses were injured.

photo from lisbon fire dept.

Anyways, with a new year comes new goals and resolutions.

-Move up to training succesfully
-Compete in a T3DE
-Have a top 3 finish at a HT
-Score in the low 30's
-Be the best working student possible!
-Become more confident in myself and riding capabilities
-Get better form over fences
-Get my heels DOWN and leg forward
-Get FIT. and that means running 2-3 times minimum per week, crunches, sit ups, wall sits (I'm going to make KOC proud), and strengthen my arms/shoulders
-Do fitness rides in galloping position the whole time
-Sit a dressage test
-HAVE FUN!
-Make 2012 the best year yet!!!


One of the best things about the off season is you don't have the pressure of having to get that last flat ride done or get your jumping perfect. So right now I'm still enjoying the "casuality" of riding. The other day I got a chance to do some parelli with Dorito...we started having some fun with jumping and ended up getting up to 3'9''. He jumped it from a calm trot. Please show me another 13.2 pony that can do that and could've gone higher!! :) Dorito is starting back up from his nice little vacation and easy rides and is slowly going back into harder work. I had the most amazing flat ride on him the other day and I'm looking forward to some grid work and rider focusing jumping excerises!!

And in some exciting news! It looks like I will be feautured in the Riders4Helmets upcoming convention in Florida! I am in the process of making a video about my concussions that I've sustained while riding (and hitting the ground).

Until the next post, I'll be working like crazy on getting Dorito to look at the sand!
McKenna