Horse Show Preparation!!!

Hey Yall,

Today Chipper and I went out to the barn for the day and had a delicious lunch with the gang! I finished clipping Amador's ears beforehand with Jamie's help. He was a little goofy about it but compared to normal he was sooo calm! He looks so pretty and so fancy all clipped and groomed. This weekend we are going to Mullet Hall or the Lowcountry Horse Show Association (mouth full lol) and show in all the 2'6 stuff! After lunch, I rode with Allie, Elizabeth, and Jamie. Amador was so good and we jumped about 3ft and it was great! Charles really thinks we are going to do well this weekend and so do I. I am very excited and I hope everyone will come out and support us!

-Paula

Video!!!

Hey Yall,

Check out Facebook to see my college scholarship video that Amelia and I edited up and put music too! Lemme know what you think. I think we did a pretty good job. lol Also I think Amador and I look awesome turn out and behavior wise! He is so much slower to the fences and more organized than we used to be! Tomorrow I was going to head to the barn in the morning before work in the morning, but since it is going to ridiculously wet, I think I might give Ami and I both the day off to relax. That's about it for now cross your fingers for my scholarship stuff!

Love,
Paula

College Scholarship Applications!

Hey Yall,

So as many of you know I am planning on attending St. Andrews in fall 2010 and am so excited to go ride for their team. Well, the cool part is that you can actually get a scholarship just for that! The hard part is the application and extra things, is a lot to put together. I have to have a video of myself riding Amador, a list of all past instructors, a list of basically all the ribbons I ever won, a letter form myself, and a letter from Charles. If anyone else would like to write me a reference, please let me know! I will take as many as I can get, but it has to be turned in by the beginning of next week. Also I have had a ton of technical difficulties as far as my video goes, so if anyone is camera and film editing savvy and has some extra time it would be greatly appreciated.

As far as things with Amador go, he is doing super and I am going to try super hard to get some pictures up here. He is looking beautiful all clipped and fancy looking. haha We are gearing up for the first Pinto show. Our competency test might I say for the higher divisions. We are super excited and can't wait to show em what were made of! That's it for now. Please let me know if you think you can help in any way, shape, or form. Even an "I'm thinking of you" comment would be lovely.

-Paula

Busy Little Bee

Hey Yall,

So things have been extremely crazy lately. I have school, then nearly everyday after school I go strait to work. The days I don't work though I pick up my friend Chipper and we go out to the barn. I love Chipper and we have so much fun together and he looks so cute on his new pony! Amador is doing super well! I clipped him all by myself and Charles was actually shocked that it looked okay! He looks beautiful. We are going to show at the Pinto show on the 20th and I am very excited! We are also working on our scholarship application for an equestrian scholarship at St. Andrews. That's about it for now more new later!

-Paula

ACCEPTED!

Hey Yall,
So I was accepted into my first choice college! That is St. Andrews Presbyterian College, where I went to ride a few months ago. I am very excited especially because I fell in love with the barn when I was there. I first learned about the college when I was 13 and have wanted to go there ever since. I want to major in equine business management and therepuetic riding. Amador has been doing super well at Seabrook and we are going to work on my video for the riding team on Saturday!
- Paula

Happy for a Stall

Hey Yall,

So after about an hour of technical difficulties, my mom and I were on the road with Amador in tow. As if we were not late enough, there was a HUGE traffic jam on the highway! Once we finally got to Seabrook I unloaded Amador and took him to his new stall. The first thing he did was lay down in his fresh shavings and take a deep sigh. It was so cute and unfortunately my camera is on the fritz. I brushed off the shavings and put his blanket, then kissed him goodnight.

So, this morning I was awakened by the storm outside and like always the first things that popped into my head were 1)Are my windows up? and 2)I hope Amador is okay out there. It was such a relief to know that he was safe and warm in his stall. I was planning on going to visit him today after school, however because there were tornado warnings, my mom felt that it would be best if I wasn't on the road. My plan for tomorrow is to go fill out some forms for work and later to go and see him. I would like to ride, but I have a feeling the ring will be to wet.

-Paula

New Home!

Hey Yall,
So it has been a very long time since my last post. I am very sorry. With everything I have had going on things have been very busy. I am very excited to say, however that tomorrow my mom and I will be moving Amador to Seabrook. This will make things so much easier for me to ride with Charles. My goals for right now are really more so to get my riding back than to show. Although I love to show, I want to be the best rider I can be before I go off to college. I am very excited to be out there and taking my riding to the next level. I will post soon letting you know how things are going and I will try to have pictures.
-Paula

Back and Better Than Ever!

So I had surgery Friday and everything went very well! I am finally able to type again and I went all day today without any form of pain killers, even advil! haha I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning and my fingers are crossed that he will give me some form of brace so I can ride again. I miss riding so much and with this rainy weather it has been so hard to even go to the barn even to work with Tania and Stephanie. All this stinks, but hopefully this surgery will have fixed my wrist and all this pain will be gone for good! I will let everyone know how the doctors appointment goes tomorrow!

Paula

Long Time No Post

Hey Yall,
I am so sorry I have been so slack about posting! Things have been very busy. First off the show was a success I pinned third and sixth over fences in the 2'6 and fourth on the flat. Our 2'3 was pretty rocky but I was very proud of myself and Amador because last show we went to we did not place at all. I am excited to continue making progress and getting better. This will however have to wait because I am having to have surgery on Friday for my wrist.

As many of you know I fell off last year about this time and broke my arm in three places. Well, it turns out it did not heal correctly and it has to be surgiclly corrected. The doctor said I should have a short cast within two weeks and after that I will be able to ride. Until then, my mom is going to take Amador to Seabrook once or twice for Charles to get on him and my good friend Haley may get on him some. Hopefully time permitting my good friend Chipper will be coming out to school Tiffany. I am so excited to see a good young rider on her and truly see her full potential.

I had A lesson this past Wednesday and it went super well. Haley and her friend came up with me making the car ride especially enjoyable. Charles had me working on my postition and my posting lower and softer. Amador has so much suspension in his trot that he
throws you out of the saddle. Then we worked over a triple bounce. I was so suprised at how well we did over this. The exercise helped to slow Amador down and it helped me to work on my position.

I also gave Tania a lesson yesterday and despite alot of protest she jumped! She and her horse Lauretta jumped 2ft! This is a huge deal because Lauretta does not have much jumping experience since she used to be shown western pleasure and Tania hasn't jumped in like six years. They looked so good! I am hoping that soon they will be able to show in the 2ft green hunters.

Well now you're all up to date! I will be sure to post this week. I have some video and pics to that I need to post.

-Paula

Horse Show!!!

Hey yall,

So my lesson with Charles the other night went super well! Charles said we looked really good! Today mom is taking Amador and Tiffany down to Mullet Hall early so Charles has a chance to get on Amador before I get there. After school I'm taking my sister downtown and meeting Tania and Stephanie to head up there. Tonight I need to school Amador and Tiffany, go over everything with Stephanie and finish pulling Amador's mane. I gotta go will let you know how everything goes!

-Paula

Horse Show Week!

Hey Yall,

So this week is going to be super crazy! I have a doctors appointment all afternoon today where they will give me a shot of dye in my wrist and then take a video scan of me making different motions to see which way the dye goes. It should be pretty cool to watch but I wish they could do it without the shot. haha This procedure will tell the doctor which surgery I am going to need to fix my wrist. Wednesday we have a half day so I am going to haul butt after school and take Amador to Seabrook for a pre-show lesson. We didn't get to see Charles last week so it should be interesting. Then on Thursday Stephanie and I have to get Tiffany and Amador all clipped and scrubbed for the show. My mom is taking The two of them to Mullet Hall early on Friday so I can leave after school and go strait to Mullet Hall. Tania is going to meet me there with Stephanie so we can go over what she will have to do again for the umpteenth time. I am really proud of her she can walk, halt, reverse, steer, and even back with the best of them! It is her first show and a really proud moment for me as her teacher. I have helped teach students before but Stephanie really has been my student. I love her so much and she looks so cute in her show clothes. She is going to show in walk only and maybe the walk trail class. Amador and I are showing in the 2'6 and 2'9 still unless Charles says differently Wednesday. I am super excited!!!
-Paula

To Be or Not To Be...

Hey Yall

So I know it's been a while. My lesson last week with Charles was okay. Lest's just say I wasn't thrilled afterwards. We had impecable flying changes and seamless transitions. Over fences however, we had some issues. For the first time in a long time we were givin something of substance to jump. It was hard, scary, and a bit overwhelming. We have come leaps and bounds from where we used to be, but we still have a long way to go. Amador moves with such impulsion that sometimes it feels as though he is going way faster that he actually is. He may be small but he has a stride that's a mile long.

Today I might have a lesson Amador threw his front left shoe last night so if Ken gets there today at a reasonable time then we will load up and head to Seabrook.

One week till the Pinto show!

-Paula

Lesson Day!

Hey Yall,

So today I have a lesson after school at Seabrook! I'm excited I havn't had a lesson it two weeks. I took a break because of school starting and what not. Things have been going really well. Amador and I have been having great rides! Having my lesson is a big deal because it means once im out of school I have to run and get fuel, go hook up the trailer, grab Amador, get him loaded, and drive to Seabrook. This is just a trial run I can't get home late all the time so we will see how it goes, none the less I am super excited. I have been working really hard on strengthening my legs with 15 min of 2point every ride, standing strait up in my stirrups and schooling the pony 3x a week without stirrups! Well that's all for now I will letcha know how tonight goes.

-Paula

Minor Setbacks

Hey Yall,

So things have been quite relaxed lately. I am not having a lesson this week since it is the first week of school so I have been working Amador regularly and working on myself on the pony. Yesterday my mom and I got to ride together. She hacked Amador and worked on her position and I did a whole ride practically without stirrups on Tiffany. She is so great for that kind of thing.

This was all great, but as many of you know I broke my wrist a while back and it has been giving me some problems. Today I had to get a second steroid shot in it and am typing with just one hand. lol It hurts pretty bad and I probably won't be able to ride for a couple of days. I am not going to let this stop us! '

-Paula

Presenting...!

Presenting the new super improved Amador and Paula duo! Yesterday I had a super amazing lesson with Charles! Amador and I worked super hard and as a result we were stellar! We jumped for a solid half hour within which we made it to the base of every fence except two! Even Charles was impressed. He even said he thought we were ready to show again. So... we are headed to Mullet Hall in September for the Pinto show. I am super excited to get back into the groove of showing and watchout yall because we are ready to compete!
-Paula

My Little Pony!

Hey Yall,

So everything has been going super well with Amador. We had two great lessons this past week and Charles is even talking about us showing again! Amador and I are really getting to the base of each fence much more consistently now although we are haveing trouble with our once perfect flying changes. But we are going to work on it.

The big recent news is that I got a pony! Her name is Tiffany and her show name is Goodnight Moon. She is a small welsh pony and is normally black although the sun has done a number on her coat. She is quite chuncky and on an intense diet. Shes super sweet and super good for my little god sister and friend Grace to ride. Many of you may know her she was in Sally Martin's lesson program and did a stint on the show circuits in a variety of pony classes. Then she was at Tuxbury where there were some issues with her undersaddle. However, she has proven herself to be a quiet and easy ride. We are smitten with the new addition to our family. I will try to put pics on soon.

-Paula

I'm Going To Miss You Sonny <3

My prayers are with my friend Susan as she grieves the loss of her horse Sonny. Sonny was a truly talented and brave horse. Many of you might remember Susan's name. She was helping me with Amador while I was between trainers. In exchange I rode her horse Sonny. He was a big 16 something hand chestnut thoroubred. He was sweet and gentle and funny. Sonny was blind in one eye so he was a chalange but he handled it so well. Sonny coliced very badly last night and had to be put down. I'm so sorry for your loss Susan, I couldn't imagine how I would feel if this happened to Amador, Sonny you will not be forgotten.

Also I am supposed to have a lesson tomorrow but after I got off Amador tonight I saw that his shoe was very loose. I left him in for the night and will check on him in the morning. I hope that the shoe will hold through the afternoon.

All Better!

Hey Yall,
So two days ago the vet gave me a thumbs up for Amador's eye. He said that it was looking way better and that as soon as the dialation was back to normal that I could ride him again! I am so excited to ride again it seems like I haven't ridden in like a year. haha I have been working around J&B to keep busy and just doting on my baby. I am having two lessons this week with Charles since next week I am off to Florida for an entire week for the Ultimate Life Summit (that thing I got a scholorship for). That's another week without riding but this will be alomost unbearable because I won't see Amador either! Well thats all for now. I will let you know how my lessons go, Hailey is supposed to come with me to one of them, so I might even have pics!
-Paula

OWIE!

Hey yall,
So Tuesday I drove all the way to Seabrook for my lesson only to pull Amador off the trailer to find that he was unable to open his eye. So we loaded back up and called the vet. Sally Banner (our favorite vet) came and she told me that he had an ulcer in his eye. So we are our of commission for the next week until his eye is all better.
-Paula

Lesson Day

Today Amador and I loaded up and went over to Seabrook for our weekly lesson with Charles. It was a good lesson and I learned a lot. We worked on my position on the flat as well as over fences. We also continued to work on riding to the base of every fence. Amador was a little fast but we improved steadily with each round. I got to ride with my friends which was really cool.
-Paula