Lows & Highs of a First Season at Advanced

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

Lows & Highs of a First Season at Advanced by Missy Miller

The last two shows since my previous blog were the definition of low to high. Grace and I traveled to Tallahassee, Florida with the amazing help of my dad and his driving so I didn’t have to miss any classes the week before finals and I was still able to be at Red Hills on time to show. The dressage went well but Grace was sticking her tongue out most the time, which definitely offended one judge more than the other. Oh well, it was my first attempt at a 3* and I kept telling myself like any first time experience, push through it, get it done and then improve upon it every time thereafter. For those of you who don’t know, the last time I competed at the fabulous Red Hills Horse trials my partner at the time, Leprechauns Rowdy Boy, tragically passed away half way through the course at the first water. So already adding more onto the stress of my first CIC3* I had many emotions tied into this weekend whether or not I wanted to admit it. Grace has been amazing all season and there was nothing more I felt me or my trainer, Leslie, could have done to further prepare us for this. As we started out on course it was amazing and rode very well. But as it can happen at this level my horse and I stopped syncing after the first water and didn’t make it much farther. As upset as I was, while walking her back to the barn I realized how lucky I was to even be doing that. At least now I know that she is healthy and able to come out another day and try again. It’s our first season at advanced, mistakes are bound to happen and not everything goes accordingly which is why everyone makes back up plans. It was nice to have gotten through the same water jump that changed my life three years earlier. As always, Red Hills was run beautifully and is still one of my favorite events to be a part of because the whole city really gets involved and supports it. Not many events can achieve that for an entire four day weekend and I look forward to this event every year.

After our first 3* attempt we decided to enter the Poplar Place Horse Trials to make sure none of the misunderstandings at Red Hills between Gracie and I were long lasting and have a positive run before attempting the CIC3* at the Fork Horse trials. I entered the weekend hoping Gracie wasn’t holding any grudges against me for not giving her my full commitment at our last show and planned on focusing on a steady, confidence-boosting weekend. I was really happy with how she handled herself (even keeping her tongue out of sight) in the dressage and despite me having a blonde moment, we scored one of our best dressage scores at this level! Cross-country was very intimidating when we walked it, I was especially worried about two narrow cannon jumps set on a hard angle at two strides. Grace came out of the box ready to attack the course and having me holding her back as I didn’t want her to run herself too hard and by the 4th jump I felt her settle into a rhythm and she handled the course like a pro, no grudges held. Again, I realize that Grace is nothing short of a tenacious little mare in ANY situation, be it out on course, not wanting to stand in ice, or being convinced that all vets are out to get her. Nonetheless, I feel very fortunate to have her even when she is trying to give me a close up of her hind shoes. Part of me thinks she does the opposite of whatever I think/say about her just to prove me wrong and make me look bad, thus making her look good. Which again she proved to do in stadium, jumping around like a pro until what Leslie so kindly referred to as my “village idiot move” at the last jump. Can I still claim that it was a young rider mistake or does that give a bad name to other young riders that can hold it together for an entire show jumping course of 12 jumps? Well, I’m aged out anyways, it was just one of my duller moments. Good girl Grace. Now we will head to the Fork next weekend for another one of my favorite events of the year to again attempt the CIC3*. I’m almost scared to admit it, more or less put it in writing but yet again I am feeling cautiously optimistic after how well Poplar went. But I’m also reminding myself that anything can happen and trying not to put too much pressure on myself, Grace, or the weekend itself.

Tragic events like what happened this weekend to Michael Pollard’s and Jane Rusconi’s lovely mare, Dekorum and Arden Wildasin’s, Mandar really make you realize that no matter what, if your horse is back in their stall at the end of the day we are lucky to be surrounded by these animals. I wish there was something more I could say to all of them but I can’t think of anything besides sending my condolences to all involved. My thoughts are with you at this awful time.
For everyone else, go hug your horses.

Moving up to Advanced from a Young Rider's Perspective

TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2011

Moving up to Advanced from a Young Rider's Perspective by Missy Miller

The 2010 season ended for me and my horses on a bittersweet note. My quirky little trakehner mare, TSF Amazing Grace, earned individual silver and team gold at NAYRC, and successfully moved up to Advanced and I was in the top 20 on both my horses in the open intermediate at the AEC’s. After what I was convinced was an unrealistically wonderful year my other mare, Pembridge Swingtime, suffered a minor injury, preventing us from our goals of a fall CCI2*. She had been doing very well with my trainer, Leslie Law, while I was focusing on Grace and our NAYRC goals. Luckily, thanks to amazing vets and help Swinger is already on the mend as Gracie and I are pursuing our first season at advanced together.

For anyone that has ever met my mare Gracie, it can be agreed that she fully believes the TSF in front of her name should be replaced with HRH. I always say semi-jokingly that her ‘spunk’ is what makes her such a great event horse and even though we all curse the quickness of her hind legs on the ground I bless them while jumping. She has gone above and beyond anyones expectations the past few years, just ask Leslie about the first time he laid eyes on her. I don’t believe his first thoughts were “Here’s an advanced horse in the making.” As she was trotting around, head high, back hollow, snorting like a fire breathing dragon, with me desperately trying anything to put her in some form of a frame. Looking at how far she has come it makes her patience testing tendencies on the ground a little more bearable, for me at least. I won’t try to speak for vets, farriers and others on her black list.

2011 will not only be our first advanced season (hopefully) but also I am officially a full time student. For the past two years I have been taking classes in Ocala at Central Florida, making it easy to manage horses and school together. As of January I transferred to Savannah College of Art and Design to pursue a degree in fashion marketing and art history. So I am also bidding adieu to sleep and what little spare time the horse world allows to begin with. Lucky for me though, SCAD does not have classes on Fridays as those are set aside for studio days to work on projects, or in my case horse show days. If anyone knows of a company that puts school books on audio you would be my personal hero. This season my trailer at competitions will be doubling as a traveling art studio and havocked study space. Maybe the USET could use the help of a fashion major in help with selecting jog outfits at team competitions? Sans cowboy hats? ;)

Currently Leslie and I have planned my season on a “if all goes well” mantra up to the Red Hills CIC3*. Seeing as Gracie has already succeeded far more than initially expected the rest is just icing on the cake. After our first few shows this year Gracie continues to improve with each outing. We are already very friendly with the kind people at the AG station between Georgia and Florida. Next for us will be Red Hills, seeing as Pine top went better than expected. I was ecstatic with how she handled the one day and am feeling cautiously optimistic at the moment. Of course that will turn into violent butterflies as the event gets closer and the reality of it starts to set in. And of course to add onto the nerves my finals for classes are conveniently the week after Red Hills. Goodbye sanity.

Now what?

Posted

Mon, 2010-08-09 13:35

Authored By: 

• Missy Miller

Well, I am finally back in Florida and things are seeming to calm down for the moment after NAYRC. It was hard to come down off of the high that I felt and check myself back into reality.

(Left: Missy Miller and TSF Amazing Grace were members of the Gold Medal winning team and the individual silver medalists. StockImageServices.com Photo.)

First thing on Sunday it was an early morning in the barns doing final icings of legs, and trotting up for the vet as the sun was rising. After getting the thumbs up from our team vet and the ground jury it was time to sit around and wait for stadium. By the time everyone passed jogs it felt like we had been up a whole day already! The one star was scheduled to jump first and all the show jumping for eventing was to be held in the grand stand. Already nerves were raised as most of us have only seen our equestrian idols show jump in that arena with the atmosphere and having the Rolex scoreboard in the back ground. I tried to watch some of the 1* stadium but the more I saw how influential the rails were becoming for them I decided it was best for me to go back to the barn before I had a full butterfly garden formed in my stomach.

Back at the barn I sat around, annoyed Gracie by brushing her obsessively and went over my tack until I could have drawn an overly detailed portrait of it from memory. Finally after what seemed like years it was time for me to slowly start to tack Gracie up and have her led up as I walked Stadium. Well as it goes when ever you are nervous about something, it was running a little behind and I had more time to wait to walk stadium when I got up there which really translates into more time to get nervous. I walked stadium with my teammates and Kyle. It seemed like a great flowing course with a couple big oxers but nothing impossible. I kept having to remind myself though that everything can change in an atmosphere like the grand stand and I couldn't let myself get too complacent.

In warm up Gracie felt great. I tried to distract myself so I wouldn't hear how the people before me were doing. I prefer not to hear if rails are coming down a lot as I just want a clear head going in. Walking down the runway into the grand stand it really hit me. I was here, in good contention going into stadium, about to jump around, on my special mare in a place I had always dreamed about riding. Wow. As the rider before me was finishing up Gracie started to dance around and get nervous so the only way I was able to get her through the big white gates was canter her in and hope both of us would then concentrate on the task at hand. All i was thinking about was keeping her in front of my leg enough and between my hands. As we cleared the last jump I had to double check the score board as I couldn't believe what she had just done for me.

As everyone began to cheer and I felt Gracie jump to the side, spooked as she finally noticed everything around her I kept waiting to be awoken from a dream. Could this really have just happened? Being swarmed by my teammates as I walked out all I could muster was "She's Amazing!" When I looked up in the stands and saw my mom and dad all I could do was smile and shrug my shoulders, after all their support it had finally paid off and proven to be more than worth it. The following hour or so was such a blur of activity I can't even describe how unreal it all seems. I was so proud of my team for accomplishing what they did and for Gracie for overcoming all she had and proving to me that she is an amazingly special mare, that makes up for all of her attitude on the ground.

(Right: Missy and Gracie were one of only two double clear show jumping rounds. StockImageServices.com Photo.)

Being on a team at NAYRC is hard to explain as it is so much more than just the week at camp and the week at competition. As cliché as it may sound you really do become like family and it is something that doesn't end with the closing ceremonies. Once you are on a team with so many great people you are always a part of each others team. After succeeding together at such a major competition you realize how much other peoples support can help and encourage you and others, and you also realize that it takes nothing short of an army to succeed. I can't speak for my team but standing on the podium at Young Riders has been a dream of mine ever since I knew what it was. To have it all play out for my final year on such a special horse and surrounded by amazing people meant so much. I can't imagine that feeling ever being topped right now. It's amazing how such an experience can bring strangers so close. Just standing there with all the other riders, fighting back tears of joy together and not being able to hide our smiles.

After such an amazing time it is time for me to get back to chasing the next dream and look forward to the next event. Gracie will have a vacation before AEC's and I will temporarily turn my focus to school. But I cannot thank everyone enough for all the support it took to make my last year as a young rider such a successful one and reinstate the fact that I don't want to grow up!

Sincerely,

Gracie and Missy

Breathe... For now.

Posted

Sun, 2010-08-01 14:49

Authored By: 

• Missy Miller

I am writing this as for the moment I am able to relax, and enjoy the reality of an amazing cross country round earlier today. This can only last for around five minutes before the preparations and prayers for final jogs begin.

Dressage day for the 2* was on Thursday and although Gracie wasn’t as amazing as she had been in our lessons leading up to, we were able to put in a solid test that helped contribute to my team.

(Left: Missy and Gracie tackled the two-star cross-country course with grace to move up to sixth place. StockImageServices Photo)

As luck would have it, my teammate, Emily Renfroe, who was set to go first in the order was having an amazing warm up and looked beautiful going around the ring when she went from canter to trot and Walker hit herself, ultimately going down the centerline still limping from her “stubbed toe” and the judges made the decision to ring her out. Not a fun way to start the least fun day of the weekend. Emily is an amazing character though as she was immediately able to put the past behind her. My other two teammates were able to put in two beautiful tests which had us all in the top 10 after dressage and silver medal position as a team. Watching my teammates I think I finally have an idea of how my mom feels watching me go.

(Right: Gracie getting iced after cross-country. Missy Miller Photo.)

Cross country day Gracie and I were the first to go for the team and I was nervous a I wanted to have a good ride and be able to help my teammates feel confident going out on the course. Gracie put in one of our best rounds yet and came in only one second over time. The course was rewarding and very forward. I never felt a time when when grace stopped pushing and I was really happy with how well Gracie came back. My teammate Dani Dichting had a great go as well but added some time penalties as well. Unfortunately our last to go, Devon, was having a great go until the water in the last part of the course, which was a bounce in, 4 strides to a skinny turtle in the water. She had an unfortunate run out there but finished for our team and we only dropped to 3rd in the team standings. Kyle seemed happy and now it is time to prepare for Sunday jogs and show jumping in the grandstand!

-Gracie and Missy

Let the games begin!

Posted

Thu, 2010-07-29 13:40

Authored By: 

• Missy Miller

The 24 hours since my last blog have been turbulent to say the least.

To start on the positive note I had an amazing lesson with Kyle yesterday on the flat and was floating on cloud 9 while walking back to the barn. Conveniently, immediately after I walked past our vet and waved some of the show jumpers grooms were yelling "Hey Lady, Hey Lady!" and pointing at Gracie’s hind end. My first thought of course was "well, they don't want to go near that" but then I saw what they were pointing at as one of her hind shoes was hanging on by just one nail. Luckily our amazing team vet, Dr. Chris Newton was able to come remove the rest of the shoe safely and send me back to the barn, back on earth to soak her hind foot. How fun does that sound with Gracie? Despite a few initial kicks at us to let me and Alex Green know she didn't enjoy this Grace finally let us put her foot in. When she trotted up sound later Chris and I decided to have it glued on the next morning after a night of having it wrapped. Thank you Grace for waiting for the perfect moment, the day before jogs, to throw the first shoe you've ever thrown since I've owned you. And a hind one at that! But again, she is one tough little mare and didn't seem the least bit bothered by it.

(Above Left: TSF Amazing Grace all tucked in for the night in her stall at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Good Luck Monkey is courtesy of Law Eventing! Below Right: Two-star teammate, Devon Brown at the Opening Ceremonies. Missy Miller Photos)

After dinner with the team last night a few of us were making a late night Wal*Mart run and picking up some last minute accessories to add to our jog outfits. Upon selecting the items and everything else we needed as I walked out to my truck I made the shocking discovery that my keys were NO WHERE. I ran back inside and asked everyone who looked like they would be able to understand me in my high pitched and panicked state of mind. After perusing the store hunting for my elusive keys and not even catching a trail the intercom came on announcing the closing of the store. I had officially closed down a Wal*Mart and it was starting to look like I would also be sleeping in my truck. Welcome to Kentucky. Thankfully my teammate, Dani Dichting, was able to come pick me up and I was invited to spend the night with the rest of my team and hope my keys would be magically found by the next morning. Well they weren't... This left me in a hard situation with my clothes on one end of the world and everything else on the other end. My sweet groom, Alex, leant me her truck when I needed to get dressed for jogs. Looking back, it was a very risky move on her part looking at my recent history with keys. And of course my reputation preceeded me and a locksmith was called from tripleA to make her a new set. Strike two. But alas, the key god's shined through and a call was received saying mine had been found!

Besides all of the lost keys and lost shoes, I am happy to announce that all of Area 3 passed jogs today and looked smashing while doing so! Bring on the weekend! After jogs and another fabulous lesson from Kyle I am really looking forward to tomorrow and also can't wait to see my teammates go in the ring as well!

(Left: The result of two lost sets of keys in Missy’s truck. Below Right: Emily Renfroe at Opening Ceremonies. Missy Miller Photos)

Opening ceremonies were earlier tonight and I think all the organizers did a great job on honoring every discipline and area/zone/region accordingly Walking into the grand stand arena at the horse park with all your teammates, seeing the Rolex signs everywhere and hearing your family and friends clapping for you is almost impossible to describe. Definitely makes you stand up a little taller. After a short but very moving opening speech the feel of excitement among all the competitors was impossible to deny as you saw all the team members from every discipline looking sideways at each other and grinning, although the grins were wavering between worrisome looks as a threatening thunderstorm loomed on the horizon. I doubt that will be enough to damper the spirits of everyone here as the week moves forward.

Road to NAJYRC Part 2

Posted

Wed, 2010-07-28 13:51






































































    Authored By: 

• Missy Miller

Being in Kentucky means several things, The delicious Ale-8-1, gorgeous blue grass scenery mixed in with the luxurious racehorse farms scattered everywhere, and of course the Kentucky Horse Park which also means Young Riders has finally arrived!

I apologize for not writing at all during training camp, but with all of that team bonding and putting out finishing touches into our rides, when time to relax rolled around it was usually with eyes shut and brains turned off. The Area 3 young riders were lucky enough to spend our final week preparing for NAJYRC at Carl Bouckarts amazing Chattahoochee Hills. The preparations being made for this years American Eventing Championships are amazing and I am looking forward to seeing it all in September.

Despite weather that would normally only be tolerable at the beach with fruity, frozen drink in hand, my team and I were putting on our riding gear every day and working hard to show our coach, Kyle Carter, what quality horses and riders look like. Kyle has been the Area 3 coach every year I have been lucky enough to make the team so as you can imagine if you've ever met Kyle, he is just as upset as I am about this being my final year as a young rider.

The two-star team has been looking stronger every day and that's all I'll say in utter fear of jinxing us all! My team consists of Devon Brown on Dynamic Image, Dani Dichting on Tops and Emily Renfroe on Walk the Line. During our camp team bonding seemed to be am ever present theme which consisted of eating, napping, eating, singing, eating, dancing and a little baking of a giant cup cake(Pictured right). Our brilliant ideas of paintball, sky-diving, 4wheeling and jet skiing were immediately excused by our safety conscious chef d'equipe, Leigh Littrell. At least until after competition. The deal is I guess, we take care of our horses and she makes sure we are well enough to do that properly? ;)

We all arrived in Kentucky safe and sound yesterday and somehow all of us made it safely with out any major complications. Now that Kyle is also back from his "after camp vacation" to South America the mood is full if anxiety and excitement about the week to come. The 1* and 2* horses all look fabulous thanks to our superstar grooms. To be completely honest I'm shocked no one has felt their life threatened by sweet little Gracie yet, but not to worry she has "introduced" herself to the treating vets here at NAJYRC and our team vet.

It's quite hard getting used to a whole crew of people ready and willing to help you out and cheer you on but it definitely gives you that team feeling that people of our age can rarely experience at such a level! I can't explain how excited I am to be on such a great team of riders, grooms and everyone else that it takes to get here. Looking forward to the week and being able to share it with everyone! Until next time, GO AREA III!

Sincerely,

Missy & Gracie

Road to NAJYRC

Posted

Mon, 2010-07-12 14:36

My name is Missy Miller and I am 21 years old, and yes, I am completely distraught over my young rider years coming to a close. This will be my fourth time competing at NAJYRC. I participated in the 1* team competition with my late partner, Leprechauns Rowdy Boy, in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The star of my show is of course, my horse, TSF Amazing Grace. The type of Trakehner mare that gives them their reputation, completely opinionated and a stubbornness that can only be rivaled by her rider.

I thank the powers that be every day that she isn't chestnut, although at times she may as well be. We can make quite the team in the worst and best possible way depending on the moment. Anyone that saw us two years ago probably would not have bet a quarter on us to make it to the two star level, especially qualifying for NAJYRC, and smartly so. Seeing as her preferred "outline" was to be looking her rider in the eye, hollow back, while snorting at all things real and imaginary. Charming...

(Above Left: Missy and Gracie competing at The Fork Horse Trials in April. Leslie Mintz Photo.)

After an unsuccessful attempt at breeding my fire breathing dragon she was given a summer out to pasture before I brought her back out at novice that fall. From there we did a season of training in Florida and continued to work our way back up the levels.

It would be nice to be able to say that it has all been smooth sailing since then but with Gracie it is rarely that way. To be fair, everything was going great after our first three successful intermediates together. But then the day after Thanksgiving she gave me an early Christmas present when she decided she no longer wanted her left front leg and attempted to chop it off at the knee. Luckily she somehow managed to avoid any real, long term injuries and just required some time for her battle wound to heal before she was back in action. I will never accuse her of not being tough!

(Above Right: Gracie’s attempt at chopping her leg off last November. Photo courtesy of Missy Miller.)

When I started Gracie back in work after her summer in the field I had no clue exactly how far she would go or how much she would put up with. Gracie has shown me that she most definitely enjoys being in work over not having a job. There has never been a jump I've galloped up to on her that I haven't felt 100% confident about. Even though water jumps are not her favorite (I.E Amazing save on Amazing Grace) she still tries for me and that is all I can ask for. I can still hardly believe how far she has come in her strength and overall trust of people. Ask any vet that has ever tried to even pull coggins on her, Gracie's hit list is ever growing. I feel so fortunate to have been able to work through all of Gracie's special issues and have the partnership formed with her that I do. It is all thanks to amazing coaches and kind vets that possess the patience of saints and of course quite a bit of luck.

(Below Left: Missy’s amazing save aboard Gracie at the water complex at the Fork Horse Trials. Leslie Mintz Photo.)

Currently we are back in Ocala, Florida after qualifying for the Area 3 two-star team at the Bromont CCI2*. We are lucky enough to be staying at Sharon Will's lovely farm, "Relatively Stable" Gracie finally got to jump for the first time since Bromont the other day and I am very happy that I opted to jump in our cross country bit opposed to the regular snaffle. She is still feeling very fit from Bromont which makes me feel good and we are looking forward to a dressage school tomorrow and another gallop later in the week. I will be holding my breath every second of the way, but my excitement will be hard to contain. I, just like everyone else lucky enough to be heading to Kentucky in a couple weeks am looking forward to the opportunity to gallop across the same field that will be hosting the World Equestrian Games later this year! I promise to include more in my next blog but at the moment it is a lot of hacking, suppling and twenty meter circles.

Sincerely,

Missy and Gracie