On Friday, May 3, Jennifer Baumert is going to spend most of her day at Karver's Creek getting her eyes on most of the horses here...plus some friends.  The schedule follows....
8:30  Jeanne/Welle
9:15  Robin/Sasha
10:00  Eliza/Acadiana
10:45  Jeanne/Sanibelle
11:30 short break
11:45  Emme/Jake
12:30  Jeanne/ Wonder
1:15  lunch
1:45  Jeanne/Nick

Williamston Spring Dressage was a great success even though storms and strong winds threatened our efforts.  The show management, Rosinburg Events, did an excellent job.  Susan has only one more score needed for her bronze medal.  And Sanibelle had a good 3rd level debut and won Sunday's class.  Although her changes are not confirmed, the rest of her test was an honest and beautiful 3rd level effort.  The Streufex bedding worked perfectly and we got through the whole weekend with no outbreak of hives!  She will not be attending Pinehurst in May in order to get more time to gain confidence in her changes, but plans to show again will not be far.  Wonder will have her 2nd level debut at Pinehurst and we should have enough AA riders this time to awaken The Sandbox Club for the Pro-Am Challenge.

After the last Sarah clinic, all the girls got their spring shots.  Since Welle's fur was unusually long and thick through the winter and I noticed some very slight stiffness in her legs, I had Doc Wallace test her for Cushings during that visit.  Her results came back as a "moderate/high" positive.  I am now in the throws of learning how to manage a 14 y.o. competitive, high level, Cushings positive horse.  Hmmm...  Just another little mountain to climb on the way to Grand Prix, right?

The pre-cert workshop hosted by Averett Equestrian dept. was very interesting.  I only attended part of the 5 day workshop as I am already a T-2.  Welle was my "familiar/ double bridle/ demo" horse.  She did a great job despite smoldering in their indoor arena.  This spring has been alternating between heavy downpour rains and cool days of high wind.  So, in the indoor with no wind, Welle lathered up in heavy sweat and was "less than perky".  I was hoping that her fur would shed out nicely because she is on the medication now.  However, she shed some of it, but not all.  Yesterday I finally took the clippers to her whole body.  She doesn't look as bad as I thought she would look shaved.  Actually, she looks pretty nice and still dark.  Wonder also came to the workshop with me on a different day as my "snaffle demo" horse.  Wonder also did an excellent job.  She was perfect.  I am very proud of both of them.  For the teaching part, I learned that I coddled my students a bit.  Funny, because in real life they tease me that I am a Nazi.  Hopefully, I am neither.  It was all quite a learning experience and will make me better.  In the final testing, I will only ride one familiar horse and the rest of the horses in my test will be unfamiliar.
Sanibelle was not chosen for the workshop due to the fact that this winter she developed a severe allergy to shavings.  She got hives.  It took several bouts of hives over the course of a month to narrow down the allergen to shavings.  Not a specific bag, or a specific load, but to all wood shavings in general.  She is now bedded in Struefex bedding which is bagged pellets made from wheat straw.  Everywhere she goes, we have to protect her from this allergy.  Its complicated.  We are planning to bring her to the first show of our season:  Williamston Spring Dressage, where she will debut at third level.  We got a waiver from the facility to use "outside" bedding since the state facilities require use of their shavings only.  Paxton is also going and Susan will debut at third level also. 
During this  busy spring preparatory time, Nick (my guest horse from Virginia) also threw in a challenge of his own.  On the day before the workshop began, he displayed colic symptoms.  Doc was not able to stop his apparent pain symptoms and we had to haul Nick to NC State Vet hospital.  Nick was examined thoroughly and determined that his guts seemed to be in good shape.  He stayed a couple nights for observation as the colic behavior seemed to re-appear a little bit over the next day or so.  Finally home, he is doing very well again.  The vets really have no idea as to the cause.  My best guess is the richness of my spring grass caused gas colic.  With altered management tactics, I hope we can keep him colic free.  Time will tell.  Under saddle, he is doing very well.  Prior to the event, we had started the conversation about his flying changes.  He is not a natural at them even though he has a beautiful canter.  In general, his behavior has been perfect and he is an absolute gentleman.  In a barn down the road, a client's horse developed a fever from EHV-4.  The mare is healthy again and no other horses became ill.  But the barn is in quarentine for a couple weeks.  So, for now all is well, and we peacefully work toward our training goals with hopes that the "equine drama" of spring will subside into a steady, healthy rhythm of summer.

Cheers!  The date for the next Sarah Geikie clinic is July 30,31.  (Tues/Wed) at Karver's Creek Farm.

Welle will be attending the Pre-cert with me for T-4 April 3,4 and 8.  The mega workshop is at Averett Equestrian Center and auditors are welcome.  The daytime/ weekend  hours will be early level professionals and evening times are for upper level pros... I think.  The official schedule isn't out yet.

There is a Gerhard Politz clinic at Braeburn Farm on April 27,28.  I don't know yet if I can ride in it, but I will at least audit some.

After a winter heavily weighted by wetness and wind, we finally got a wonderful weekend with sun and warmth for the Sarah clinic...

Pearl's last daughter, Windspray Oceana has found love in her permanent new home in Georgia at Fat Cat Farm.  New owner, Karen Webb, has been kind to keep me posted on the status of her life so far.  Congratulations to the family and we are wishing them the best forever.  Her sister, Wonder, remains in her permanent home here at Karver's Creek Farm and is soon to embark on another show season... at second level.  It was been so much fun to see all of Pearl's children so wonderfully trained and performing out there in the real world.  And mama Pearl still looks fabulous under the loving care of Jenny Gore.  I am grateful to own "only" two horses again.  Yet, all my stalls are full with wonderful, most fun, guest horses in training and I'm still busy as heck and hoping for a break in the wet and windy weather pattern.

Saturday
9:00  Jeanne/ Welle
9:45  Susan/ Paxton
10:30  Courtney/ Falena
*break*
11:30  Jeanne/ Wonder
12:15  Susan/ Bella
*Lunch*
1:45  Robin/ Sasha
2:30  Jeanne/ Sanibelle
3:15  Robin/ Whoopie
*break and drive to Dana's*
4:30  Angie/ Thaddeus

6:30  Rider's Dinner at Jeanne's farm house.

Sunday
8:45  Dana/Watson
9:30  Angie/Thaddeus
*break and drive to Karver's*
10:30  Jeanne/ Sanibelle
11:15  Courtney/ Falena
12:00  Susan/ Paxton
*Lunch*
1:30  Terri/ Strega
2:15  Jeanne/ Welle
3:00  Susan/ Bella
3:45  Robin/ Sasha
4:30  Jeanne/ Wonder

Rebecca drives Sarah to airport at 6pm for 7:25 flight.

Auditors take full responsibility for their own safety and comfort at all times and must not disrupt any other auditors or participants.

Great time!  Super inspiration.  I learned a lot in just a few days and now I have to figure out how to go back and stay for a spell!

Cheers!  The week-long front of crazy precipitation is finally over.  But the arena is a swamp of ice patches, snow patches and mini-puddles.  So... boy am I looking forward to my upcoming trip to The Global Dressage Forum in West Palm Beach.  The Wellington/ West Palm area is more of a phenomenon than a location.  This is my first time travelling to that phenomenon and I cannot wait!  The list of famed competitors swarming around that area is far too long to list.  There are quite a few that I hope to meet... and their horses.... and their stables.  One of the most eye catching is Paragon.  Heather Blitz rode him at Dressage at Devon in 2011 when I first saw him.  I was still healing from "the accident" and Susan, Dana and I hopped in the car for a road trip to the historical venue.  It was worth it.  They had educational lectures that helped us evolve into the discovery of Susan's horse's insulin resistance that has probably saved her life.  In addition to the exposure to education, top notch riding and mind blowing shopping, I got my first live glimpse of Paragon working.  During the evening prior to the competition, the Dixon Oval was a swarm of dancing, bobbing, prancing horses.  But there was one tall, red fellow that really drew my eye.  Paragon.  Well named!!!!  In the time since then, he has proceeded to climb to the top of the US attention ladder.  Although now well into International competition, he is still not yet to the top of his game.  While in Florida, I hope to meet Heather and get another glimpse of him.  I would love to see the guy just standing in his stall.  What does he look like when he is slouching?  Do athletes like that slouch?  But celeb stalking is not my highest priority of course.  I will get the important things done while there.  But I HOPE to make the Paragon encounter magically happen in between the important stuff.
Our favorite clinician, Sarah Geikie has been invited to sit with the judges at The Masters at the JB Equestrian center in West Palm Beach the weekend prior to Global.  Oh to be a fly on her shoulder!  I look forward to hearing all about her experience and behind the scenes opinions.  Sarah is also on the US attention ladder climbing toward being one of our top US judges, it appears.  Sarah will also be attending the Global Dressage Forum.
Ines' horse, Sorette, is recovering nicely from the suspensory tear.  She has been cleared for under saddle walking only.  That is a lot better than hand walking.  In the meantime, her guest horse from High Valley Hanoverians, Winslette, is being a perfect gentlelady.  I would love to find a way to make her a "keeper".
After my return from Global, Courtney's horse Falena will be joining the "sisterhood" at Karver's Creek for a little while.  She is a 5 year old warmblood, dark bay mare.  She loves to jump but is coming here to enhance her dressage basics.  I look forward to working with her.  Toward the end of the month, Phyllea's Nick is joining us.  He is a very handsome gelding of mix breed with unleashed talent and some attitude to match.  I think he will be in heaven surrounded by springtime mare-babes.

The NC HOY Gala for 2012 was once again a very elegant and fun evening.  Once a year we clean up, dress up and gather with other equine addicts for a fancy dinner, rounds of applause and late evening dancing.  Winning  HOY is tough in NC because we have some ambitious competitors and lots and lots.. and lots of shows in which to earn points.  But we always have a great time in the effort because:  NC shows have some of the most pleasant and organized management in the country...  we have an excellent climate for a long season and...   we have amazing facilities and because shows are FUN with The Sandbox Club!!!  Wonder placed third, Sanibelle fourth, Watson fourth, Ebella fourth and Sorette also... fourth.  Thank you NCDCTA!  Photos below: