Champ

[Suzanne]

hes going to look all pro!!! dont forget to play dress up and take lots of pictures!!!

[sarahparmiter]

yess! new tack..! champ is gonna look SO pro. ;p cant wait for the saddle to get in. it's gonna be SO exciting to ride in it.. SO PUMPED.. 5 more days!

miss ya lots kelly! champ misses you too!
<3

[dduff]

Wohoo!! Can't wait to see all your new stuff!!!

[Maria]

haha hey kelly, rode your boy last night, he was super listening to my leg and seat beautifully,
But, weird thing was, Scott came out to fix Brandys shoe, and Champ was all "GRRRRRR *buck*"
so im thinking champs got comething againt scott!!! hahha, well he was a babe, i'll talk to you later!!

[sarahparmiter]

i rode champ on monday. he was a charm! he just needed to be a bit more forward according to angela. lol. we were trying to make him into a show horse he was REALLY forward! lol. he was perfect! he's gotten SO much better. you can see him improving so fast! and we did 4 20 meter circles in a row at the canter, no spurs or crop either! he was amazing! i love him kelly! lol. i'm glad i leased him! i forgot how muched i missed him. its so good to be back on him! lol
anyways.. yeahh.. i little update on his profile thingy.
i miss you kelly! 2 more days! woot! !!

[Champ]

I'm home! Visited Champ today and spent some time grooming him, and tried on his new halters (too small) and his new blanket (just right.) Tomorrow I will fit his new saddle and go for my first ride since September 8th! WOW!

[sarahparmiter]

WELCOME HOME KELLY! we missed you SO much!!
i'll probably come up today and see you!

[Champ]

Hey guys!

Rode Champ today and was loving it. we went in the little arena so we wouldn't be in Marias way and just did some trot, 20 m circles, and then I asked for him to canter in both directions. He did it on both sides, and I could sense that he was getting pissed so I quit before the fight began. We were working about 35 minutes. then we rode out onto the road for a little cool down (which never worked- he skitzed out because of the clothes on the neighbors line and I fought him the whole way home.)

Yesterday I bought him a Lickit for Christmas, and some nice horse treats from Stephanies tack store (which I love!) Then we went to try on his new Blackburn Adjustable Close Contact- and it didn't fit!! I was so mad, the bloody thig is adjustable!! I mean, come on, I chose that one because it can be three different sizes.

This morning I got up, went and put my western saddle on consignment and ordered the HDR Pro Show Jumping Package, and got quite a nice discount for the tax free weekend. So very soon we will be all hot in our new HDR tack! thanks Sarah P for trying yours on him, I can't believe they only saddle that fits him is over $1000.

[jessicab]

Ive found (after trying COUNTLESS saddles) that the cheaper models aren't made to fit a wide variety of horses.
The only saddle that has fit Fury thusfar cost me $1200.. and that was used! They are like, $2000+ new.

Glad that you found a saddle that fits him, and glad you are enjoying him!

I wanna see pictures! ! !

[happilyeverafter]

Have to agree- the expensive ones are the ones that fit the horses!


He's going to look SMOKIN' in his new hunter tack tho- so handsome!

[Jessica]

Can't wait to see him in his new tack Kelly! Sorry I never made it out today:(

[Sarah]

Aw Kelly that sucks about the Blackburn - you guys will look great with the HDR though!!!

[Champ]

The last 2 days I've ridden Champ for 45 minutes. He gets pissy after that, so I try to go as long as I can, but quit before he starts to get pissy. I'm going to gradually increase the times to 50 then 55 minutes, until we get to an hour.

Today he was great- we fought it out in the corner for about 5 minutes, and then suddenly he was an angel. We trotted a lot of 20 m circles and then did some figure 8s- I'm still getting back into shape, so I need to work a lot, and posting is the best way possible! Then I dropped stirrups and continued working at the trot. We finished with canter twice around the ring in each direction, he broke on some of the corners but they were sharp and the path was narrow, so I forgave him. I'm riding again tomorrow!

[sarahparmiter]

lol.. he's been like that for like a month now. the first 5 minutes, he's a jerk, and then he's absolutley amazing! all we need to do now, is get him to be an angel for the full hour, without beng a pain.

[Champ]

I've been riding Champ every day that the arena is ok, and totally lovin' it! I rode today, with my english spurs on and used them on him a few times. I like to use them because he will go just from knowing I have them on. We trotted a lot of nice, forward 20 m circles, and he's been doing his walk-trot transitions perfectly so I started him with halt-trot-halt transitions. He moves into a trot immediately but he's not as forward going in as I would like so we'll be working on that.

His right lead canter is very good. He's forward, has lots of rythym, and stays on the rail with only a little leg pressure from me. But his left lead canter is a bit of a fight- he speeds up to a very fast trot, pins his ears and stretches his neck out. This pulls me forward in the saddle while I fight with him, and then I lose my seat. I did get him moving into an angry canter, and even with spurs on I can't keep him out on the rail. So the next month is going to be working on walk-trot transitions and cantering on the rail when I ask.

Champ will be shown this year by me in green hunter, and maybe hack. But Sarah Parmiter will be taking him Junior regular hack, and Emily Foley will be taking him walk/trot! I'm glad to find some people who like my horse enough to want to show him. And some cute little girl bought hiim a winter blanket today! How cute!