I Want Revenge and Joe Talamo Win the 2009 Gotham Stakes
Sarah Andrew: photo by Bud Morton
Saturday 3/7/2009
Cabin fever. Derby fever. Spring fever. Call it what you want. The gaggle of racing photographers had it in spades when they all flocked to Aqueduct for the first Saturday in March. The whole gang was present and accounted for and we shot the Aqueduct inner dirt with enthusiasm in our eyes and roses in our minds.
The Girls of Aqueduct: photo by Bud Morton
I Want Revenge and Jockeys star Joe Talamo won by over 8 lengths, thus capturing the imagination of many Bloggers and columnists. Captured a little gas money for me, too. I managed to hit the Gotham trifecta :^)
Did you watch the race? What did you think? Who is on the top of your Derby list?
“They say figures don’t lie, but let me tell you – a good horse has, many times, a good laugh at figures.” Said by Jimmy the Hat in 2009? Nope, said by Patrick “Pack” McKenna in 1919.
“It’s a filly in the Belmont!” Rags To Riches in 2007? No, Tanya in 1905.
Nothing has changed in the world of horse racing. Everything has changed in the world of horse racing. Colin’s Ghost, a racing history blog by TBA member Kevin Martin, is fresh and fascinating in its exploration of racing’s past and its incorporation of racing’s history into modern issues in the sport. Steve Crist called Colin’s Ghost “…the best of the current blogs…” and “…among the most interesting racing journalism being practiced anywhere.”
From breakdowns in the Derby to opening day at Saratoga 100 years ago to the story of the mighty Colin himself, Martin’s research is timely and required reading for any racing fan.
What does a well-rounded racing fan rock out to? Here are Kevin’s Top Ten Albums of All Time:
10. Sleater Kinney – “Hot Rock” – When I first heard their album “Dig Me Out”, I thought it was OK and listened it a few times before relegating to my forgotten pile of CDs. I revisited this band years later after hearing them on a college station while driving on 95 near Baltimore. The riff-driven guitar and vibratto vocal style is an acquired taste but one that has grown on me in a big way.
9. New Pornographers – “Mass Romantic” – Their is something about this band that is infectious. Combination of great melodies, strange but intriguing lyrics, and interesting arrangements makes them incredibly unique. All of their albums have their highlights but “Mass Romantic” is their best from top to bottom. This is my soundtrack for driving to Belmont Park — it makes driving on the Jersey Turnpike a little less depressing.
8. Clutch – “Clutch” – This band has been consistently good for as long as I have been a fan. Their first full length is one of those heavy, teeth shattering records that sounds best at full volume. I have always felt a southern vibe with Clutch’s music but not in a creepy Lynyrd Skynyrd way – its more of a sweaty, backwoods revival kind of way (I guess that’s kind of creepy too…anyway, they rock!).
7. The Sundays – “Reading, Writing & Arithmetic” – This is an album that I have had in one form or another since high school and still spin it frequently. Sweet and mellow…I am a sucker for a solid female voice. Great music to fall asleep to.
6. Jim Hendrix – “Radio One” – Released in the 80s but now out of print, most of this material was later re-packaged and released as the BBC sessions. All of Jimi’s stuff is great but their is something about this live performance that captures the creativity, spontaneity, and joviality of an artist who I truly believe was from another planet. The performance of “Hear My Train Comin'” is especially memorable as Jimi sings, shreds, and maintains a seemingly constant banter with the small studio audience — priceless!
5. Spoon – “Series of Sneaks” – This band’s recent releases have been “critically acclaimed” but I prefer the grittiness of the early records. This album, “Telephono”, and the “Mountain to Sound” EP are equally good. Their later releases have been progressively worse as the production values have gotten better. “Staring at the Board” is the coolest 55 second song ever.
4. P.J. Harvey – “Rid of Me” – Love all of her work but her second full-length album just screams. I prefer the punkier Harvey to the bluesy, laid back version. I still remember where I was when I first listened to the brilliant low-volume opening of this album. “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea” — the best of PJ’s later records (so far) — nearly knocked this one off the list. Kamikaze from “Stories” might be one of my favorite songs of all time.
3. Quicksand – “Manic Compression” – A sentimental choice from a killer New York band that only released two full length albums before breaking up. Me and my buddy Proto used to drink cheap beer (“Gibbons”, a local PA brew) and freak out on this album (I actually had the tape). Our other friends never quite bought into it but Proto and I still listen and talk about this one. Post-hardcore at its best. A band from the “Helmet-era” that could kick Helmet’s ass!
2. Superchunk – “Here’s Where the Strings Come In” – Tough call picking an album from one of my favorite bands. “On the Mouth” and “No Pocky for Kitty” were killer records but this one captured them at the peak of their development toward a more subdued, thoughtful band. I thought everything that followed this one was good but they never matched “Strings” and what came before it. This band’s live performances at the Trocadero in Philly in the 1990s are among my most cherished music memories.
1. U2 – “Joshua Tree” – In 1987, when everyone else was listening to Bon Jovi I was a U2 guy. When they released this one, my seventh grade class finally left the hair-band era behind and I suddenly became cool. Because of that, the “Joshua Tree” is still number one in my book. The last album that U2 took themselves seriously still stands as their best. If only my Mom would have let me go see them at JFK Stadium in Philly…still bitter about that!
Honorable Mentions:
Pavement – “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain”
Kate Bush – “Sensual World”
Arctic Monkeys – “Whatever People Say I Am”
Joseph Arthur – “Nuclear Daydream”
Galaxie 500 – “Today”
Ida – “Tales of the Brave”
James Brown – “The Payback”
The Hold Steady – “Stay Positive”
Archers of Loaf – “Icky Mettle”
JR Ride 11; Wizard Ride 54: Inspector Gadget
Thursday, 3/5/2009
I awoke to this text message from my friend Sarah: “UR going to need an Advil when I’m done with U.”
Great.
We started with JR. Sarah rode him for about 10 minutes as a warmup and worked on bending and softness through the ribcage. JR was willing and forward, but he has a habit of bracing himself with his neck whenever he does an upward or downward transition. I think that part of the habit stems from being ridden with a tiedown in the past. Riding him through it with light hands and lots of leg is what we normally do, so that he will learn to balance himself. But today, we used a gadget.
Forgive me, classical dressage masters, for I have sinned. A few years ago, I swore I’d ride in the mildest bit possible at all times and never use a gadget again. But today, we experimented with a well-known homemade training device. It’s an elastic side rein and a piece of baling twine. The side rein is buckled to the girth and snapped to the baling twine, which is attached to the bit. Sustainable Dressage has an excellent discussion of gadgets here. And here’s what should be done instead of gadgets.
I was totally leery about the side rein gadget, but I must admit that this one does not make me as mad as most gadgets. As you can see from the photo of us walking, JR can stretch his neck very low and in a natural and relaxed position. Secondly, he cannot brace against it like a horse can against a standing martingale or tiedown. It also does not interfere with a horse’s attempt to elevate his poll or round his topline. And best of all, it helped me to keep my hands really, really quiet. If I felt him bracing and tightening his neck, I could keep my hands steady and drive him forward and help him relax instead of fussing with him. I want him to relax his topline and elevate his poll, not tighten the underside of his neck. I hope not to have to use The Gadget very often at all or ever, but I have to say that it helped me to understand what I need to do to maintain JR’s rhythm and forwardness when he falls into his bad habits.
We worked on circles, figure 8s, serpentines, a little cantering, and a baby shoulder in- yahoo! Then, we trotted over three poles. I rode in a forward seat, asking for JR to travel as straight and forwardly as possible. He was stellar! Now I’ve really got the jumping bug :^D
We then moved on to Wizard. No gadgets needed, just a quiet seat and hands. He has improved so much physically and mentally. Today was the first day that he was balanced and relaxed enough to trot figure 8s and smaller circles around the arena. His transitions were the smoothest they’ve ever been and his gaits were the most consistent they’ve ever been. He was able to respond to my cues to bend him a little bit. By the time we were finished, I was beaming with pride.
Today was my best ride ever on both JR and Wizard- both horses were willing, forward, obedient. I progressed more with Wizard more today than we have since we started in late September. Is it the Ulcergard regimen we began two days ago? Is it the Panacur PowerPac? Is it the shoes? Is it the chiropractic treatments? Is it the five months of hard work and careful diagnosis? I’m not sure, but whatever it is, I’m thrilled. When I left the barn, I received this text message from Sarah: “U did great today!” I smiled, and took two Advil.
JR Session 10; Wizard Session 53: Tick, tick, tick…
Wednesday, 3/4/2009
I pulled a dog tick off of Wizard tonight. In early March, when we have a foot of snow on the ground. Very strange! Poor guy looked so relieved to have it removed.
Tonight, I set up a little chute and free-schooled Mary, JR, and Wizard over jumps. Free schooling is excellent for horse-human communication since you are forced to use your body language to control your horse from a distance. Your horse learns to listen to your “whoa” and “go” commands without any tack getting in the way. Free schooling over jumps incorporates negotiating an obstacle into the mix, plus your horse is building good muscles and it’s a great break from the regular day-to-day activities of riding and longeing.
Mary the Morgan has never free jumped before. She has experience navigating logs and trees on the trails and even hopped a jump by herself in the ring one day, but this was her first time officially jumping. We first started the exercise by walking her over ground poles, then a small cross rail. Then, we asked her to take the jump at a trot. Being a Morgan, she was very clever in her approach. She saw a slim gap between the jump and the wall and slithered through it! Horses like Wizard and JR would never have discovered that clever approach- it’s very different to work with Morgans! Once she took the jump, she handled the cross rail with maturity. She showed no fear at all, and simply stepped over it. We asked her to do the cross rail twice more. Then, we changed it to a very small vertical, maybe a foot off the ground. There was no deer-like leaping or any confusion- she hopped the jump like it was so not a big deal. Her fearless approaches and the way she handles obstacles so realistically makes me think she could do cross-country.
JR was up next. Tonight was his first time jumping. He was green but totally game. I could tell that he was a little confused about when to leave the ground, but when he landed, he took off proudly bucking and celebrating with a victory lap. He knocked a pole once but the next time over the jump, he curled his knees high and jumped really carefully. He’s such an athletic and coordinated horse that I think he’ll get the hang of jumping really quickly. He took six jumps total- three cross rails and three verticals. One of the things I really like about JR is that he’s a real working horse. He figured out how to trot the lap around the arena, take the fence, and trot back again. He looked like he was going to do a final lap on his own even after the jumping session was over.
This was Wizard’s third time over free jumps and he looked like a total pro. I was so pleased to see him starting to understand how to take off and how to land. His flagged tail and snorty trotting showed me that he was pleased with his new hobby. I’ve been free jumping Wizard about once a month and he has improved every time. If I squint my eyes, I can almost see myself on his back in these photos. I got the jumping fever looking at these photos. But it will be a lonnnnng time before he’s anywhere near jumping with a rider. But it’s fun to dream ;^)
Snow Day for Wizard & JR
Tuesday, 3/3/09 Happy Square Root Day!
As the East Coast contingent of the Rock and Racehorses Blog Posse can attest, we got a little snowfall on Sunday and Monday and a shot of cold air on Tuesday. I walked to work on Monday, which was exhilarating- it felt kinda cool wandering the unplowed streets and being the only person walking around town.
On Tuesday, I snuck out to the barn before work to get some photos of the horses playing in the snow. JR, Wizard, and company did not disappoint; they were a group of equine children on a snow day. They had already been outside for a few hours and judging by the laps of horse tracks and various “snow angels” around their paddock, they were having a grand time all day long. The two hooligans put on quite a show for me. They bit, they kicked, they galloped, they reared, they fought, they played.
I expected JR to be hardier and sillier in the snow since he has a longer winter coat and is, ah, “fluffier” than his Thoroughbred friend, but Wizard was the superstar. He was charmingly snorty as he raced around the arena, leaping snow drifts and chasing JR. Both Wizard and JR do a lot of snorting when they play- it’s that deep, percussive purr that horses do when they are in high spirits.
JR got in on the fun as well. I think fitness was a factor when the horses were playing. Wizard is fitter and was happy to run, but JR was more interested in sedentary activities, like eating snow, rolling, and relocating a plastic barrel to the other end of the arena. Tho two horses also picked up a traffic cone and played tug of war- there is nothing as enjoyable as watching horses play just for the joy of it. The two hooligans made my trip worthwhile and it was a real treat to see them enjoying their snowy day.
Feb 26- March 1, 2009 My first trip to the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo was a few years ago (2003?). My friend Stephanie, a veteran of larger events such as Equine Affaire, asked me to go with her. She taught me the ways of the expo- wolfing down hot dogs, chuckling at the round penners, shopping for all things sparkly, and seeking out the best clinicians. Many return trips and many shopping bags full of tack later, I still attend them when I can. I like to support equine community events whenever possible, and it’s great to see the latest and greatest changes in the horse world. In comparison to past years, the attendance and overall presentation of the event seemed to have dropped. There were still lots of auditors and elbow-to-elbow shoppers, but it seemed like only a handful of clinicians were drawing the biggest crowds. My favorite vendors were not there, and I miraculously left the Expo without purchasing a single, solitary item. For a tackaholic like me, this is no easy feat. I can find a Joules jacket in a haystack and I will sift my way through a mountain of Ariat paddock boots to find my size. Between hotel fare, admission, food, and parking, I still made my economic contribution to the PA equine industry, but no shopping this year. The clinics were fun to watch; due to time constraints, they are not typically as in-depth as a one-person equine clinic, but the large crowd and venue make them enjoyable to watch. Tommie Turvey, as always, is one of the hardest-working clinicians in the equine industry. You never know what he has in store and he seemed to be the biggest crowd-pleaser of the Expo. Although he is billed as an Equine Extremist, his horses looked sound, fit, and prepared for their jobs. One of the things I liked best about his performances and clinics was that he was fully aware that his animals are not machines. Sometimes the performance does not go like clockwork and he’s a good enough horseman to roll with the changes and ad-lib when things do not go as planned. He even discussed how important it is to keep the drives up in his horses and dogs- they do not always behave like perfect automatons because he wants them to be eager to do their work. My favorite clinician was dressage trainer/clinician/performer Matt McLaughlin. He had a perfect blend of showmanship, knowledge, and talent. He was honest and thoughtful in his discussions about dressage and natural horsemanship alike. I just about stood up and cheered when he talked about the lack of contact in the outside rein being one of the biggest downfalls in modern natural horsemanship practices. Inside leg to outside rein is essential for meaningful contact and in order to progress up the training scale. But Matt also had a bone to pick with the strictly classical dressage world. He talked about the passage and joked about how riled up the dressage folks get when he refers to it as a “trick”. Unlike the majority of purists, McLaughlin said that most horses possess some level of piaffe and passage, even if it’s basic, and he does not consider it a sin for a person to safely experiment with it. He also talked about the benefits of 3 and 4 track shoulder-ins and how a stationary turn on the forehand is not functional in a horse’s training progress, other than to teach a new behavior. As a performer, McLaughlin also addressed his training methods- he talked about how some movements are accentuated with his horses for better visibility in performances. He said to train a horse to 110% at home in order to get more an 80% effort off the farm. A horse has a hard side and a hollow side and it’s our job to work with both, mostly by softening the ribcage. He mentioned the ribcage several times, talking about how a rider achieves softness by establishing contact with the outside rein, then getting a bend in the ribcage, THEN worrying about softness in the neck, mouth and jaw. Also discussed were some of the dualities of riding: a horse must be collected in order to extend, and how good lateral work is the way to straightness and forwardness. Plus, Matt is a really nice rider- it’s always inspiring to see talented riders. 
The breed parades are always fun. 
My favorite horse in the breed demos is Gatsby, a grey Tennessee Walking Horse/Racking Horse gelding. He’s about 20 years old and he travels to clinics and shows all over the country. He and his owner do search and rescue work and he’s a wonderful ambassador for the breed. I’ve known a few dozen horses in my lifetime who really and truly seem to love performing and Gatsby is one of them. When he was showing off his amazing racking powers, his ears flicked forward and he racked even faster when the crowd cheered. What a cool horse :^) I wish I could have seen more of the gaited horse clinics- I don’t know much about the conformation and riding of gaited horses and I’ve learned a lot of good information in the past in Harrisburg. 
Friday night’s Theatre Equus was fun as always. There is something so thrilling about seeing people who are performing their hearts out for a packed arena of horse lovers. Matt McLaughlin, fantastic as always with his Andalusian stallions, Pecos and Corral. Corral is 24 years old and going strong (and apparently barefoot!). 
La Garrocha performance with Pecos, his younger stallion. 
Tommie Turvey and his equine superstar sidekick Pokerjoe performed their famous “Riding Instructor” skit. Pokerjoe, who has performed the skit hundreds of times, looked like he played with Tommie just a little bit. He’s a smart horse who really keeps Tommie on his toes. The skit is something to see in person, but here’s a Youtube clip to give you an idea: 
Not to be upstaged were Ace and Joker, who took Turvey over a jump of FIRE. 
Jennie Jackson and amber champagne Tennessee Walking Horse stallion Champagne Watchout were fine performers. She showcased the stallion’s talents beautifully both in a solo performance and a comical pas de deux with Craig Cameron and foundation AQHA stallion, Chief. Aside from being a solidly built and showy horse with a fantastic disposition, Champagne Watchout has the distinction of being the first flat-shod horse to compete in many years in the 1999 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration. Click here to read more about this interesting story. The read is interesting enough to ignore the goofy music ;^) Chief has an amazing story of his own! He was on his way to becoming a champion reining horse when he lost his vision. The day before the clinic was the first time Craig Cameron rode this horse, and the two of them looked like they knew each other for years. 
Trick riding and drill rides by the Canadian Cowgirls thrilled the crowd and we were treated to jousting and a six-horse team of Percherons. I attended the Expo again the following day. I left inspired and entertained :^) 
JR Ride 9; Wizard Ride 52: Cue Theme From Rocky…
Thursday, 2/26/09
Today’s soundtrack: “Gonna Fly Now”, aka “Theme From Rocky”.
Players: An equine photographer, her mother, and two Italian stallions.
OK, so I did not swallow any raw eggs, but I certainly got my exercise today. Today’s training sessions began with a walk in hand on the trails with JR and my mom. JR was so much more confident on the trail today than he was the last time out. He’s always well-behaved, but I could tell that he was more relaxed this time, like he understood what we were doing and he was totally cool with it. The trail is a 20 minute loop and I walk fast. Mom kept up with us and all three of us were all warmed up and ready for the ride.
JR felt fantastic today. We worked on the exercises we did with Sarah last night: figure 8, skinny figure 8, serpentine, and adjusting our trot speed. When we were doing a forward trot, JR slipped into a canter for a few strides. A lot of green horses have awkward canters, but JR’s is quite wonderful! It’s springy :^) By the end of the ride, JR was again reaching for the bit a few times. He was relaxed and his rhythm was more steady. I rode for about 15 or 20 minutes- I was really pleased with our progress.
After our ride, I grazed JR and took a few pictures of him- he’s learning how to stand and pose for photos.
I gave JR a good grooming and put him in his stall.
Next victim: Wizard!
I tacked up Wizard and we walked the same 20-minute loop again. Wizard has a huge, magnificent walk and it took way more energy to keep up with him than JR. He was also very good on the trail- he looked excited but never misbehaved. Mom gamely kept up with us. By the time we got back from the walk, my mom and I were both exhausted! Walking at top speed with a strong horse over soft terrain is a full-body workout, that’s for sure.
I longed Wizard for about 15 minutes, working on moving the circles up and down the arena in both directions. My mom agreed that he looks more comfortable with the shoes. I mounted up and rode for a few minutes, working on our walk. Wizard was a little more energetic than usual, just like he was last night. He listened to my cues, but seemed more on his toes. You can see it in the photo below. He whinneyed when another horse called in the barn. When I had him relaxed and listening, I hopped off and put him on the longe for 3 rotations, just to see what he looked like when he was wound-up. He looked like he felt- on his toes but still behaving.
After my ride, I went into the outdoor arena and stood with Wizard for about 15 minutes, watching my barn buddies ride their horses. I used it as a schooling exercise. Wizard practically fell asleep. Perhaps he was just concerned about being the only horse in the indoor ring while everybody else was playing outside? I rode indoors to keep him focused but maybe I’ll try outdoors next time if there are horses around.
Whew! It was a long day. I was sweaty, dirty, and tired at the end, but it was a lot of fun.
To my blog reader friends: I’ll be in Harrisburg, PA for the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo so there will not be any new posts for the next day or so, but I promise to give a full update when I return! Have a great weekend.
JR Ride 8; Wizard Ride 51: Heels Down!
Wednesday, 2/25/09
I lost Alibar in September 2008 but I still see reminders of him all the time. I bought a bag of hay cubes for Wizard and I just about started bawling when I started making them. We made hay cubes for Alibar for over a decade- it was a signature Alibar dish.
I started the night with JR. First, I turned him out in the indoor arena to let him blow off a little steam and stretch his legs. We worked on some clicker training at liberty. Although JR was a little slow out of the gate with clicker training, he has caught up really quickly. I rewarded him for circling around me and also for approaching me on command. I think that a moderate amount of liberty training really strengthens the bond between horse and rider. I’ve never used round pens- I find a big arena to be just fine for what I need.
I tacked up JR and Sarah rode him first. She rode for about 10 minutes. She worked on adjusting his stride- forward trot, working trot, sitting trot. She also cantered him. For a green horse who has been out of work for more than a year, he was quite balanced. JR has a really nice inner balance and rhythm and I think he has the ability to go really far as a riding horse. JR just barely broke a sweat by the time she was done.
Then it was my turn. JR and I had a workout! Sarah really put us through our paces. We trotted figure 8s, serpentines, and figure 8s down the long side (really skinny figure 8s). Sarah asked us for three trots: forward trot, posting trot, and sitting trot. JR has a remarkable forward trot! He never feels like he is going to break into a canter and he sort of floats along. His natural ability to adjust his gaits will be an asset if he ends up doing any dressage. We rode for about 20 or 25 minutes. By the time we were done, I was sweating! I’ve ridden all my life but since Alibar got sick and before that hurt his leg, I barely rode in 2008. In the beginning of the lesson, JR did a lot of adjusting his head, sometimes up, sometimes out, sometimes down. At the end of the lesson, I could feel JR stretching into the bit and accepting contact. His trot became more rhythmical and easy to ride. I cooled him out, groomed him, and moved onto the next victim :^)
I let Wizard spend about 10 minutes loose in the arena to stretch his legs and so I could see how he was feeling on the new shoes. He looks more comfortable. I tacked him up and Sarah rode him for about 10 minutes. A lot of the relaxation and schooling we did in January has regressed. He was back to being tense and anticipating the trot. Sarah was very patient with him and worked on asking for a quiet trot on a large circle. He did relax a bit after a few rounds. Then, I rode him for about 10 minutes. I think that it will not take as long to get him settled this time around as it did last month. Even though he had a layoff, I find that horses pick up training quickly once they have already learned it at some point. We did a few quiet walk/trot transitions and then walked some more, working on getting him to his “happy place”. Wizard simply needs more physical care and work than JR. I love working with them both and I am beginning to appreciate their differences.
It’s also really nice to be doing actual riding lessons. It feels good to have somebody tell me to put my heels down :^) Part of the comfort of a lesson is that I can allow somebody else to pilot the ride while I work on myself. I can focus more and we both improve. I’m really impressed with the progress we made. Can’t wait for the next lesson!
JR Ride 7; Wizard Ride 50: The Dirty Birdie and the Golden Boy
Monday, 2/23/09
Top Six Reasons I Like Working with Two Horses:
6) Making ride plans is fun.
5) One horse is bound to be considered “the good one” each day.
4) I get to sound all important and say, “I have to get on two tonight”.
3) Two eager faces greet me when I arrive at the barn.
2) By the time I ride the last horse, I’m feeling pretty mellow.
1) Double the work = double the exercise!.
Now I understand that real, serious riders get on way more than two horses a day, but please remember that I owned one horse for almost 20 years. Occasionally, I’d ride somebody else’s horse, but it was typically one horse per barn visit. Working with JR and Wizard is also fun because they are very physically and mentally different:
JR
Quarter Horse
Could lose a few pounds
7 years old
15 hands
Strong in my hands
Easy to groom
Reactive to unusual things
A little fidgety
Palomino
Stays relatively clean
Wizard
Thoroughbred
Could use a few pounds
13 years old
15.3+ hands
Sensitive in my hands
Sensitive to groom
Not as reactive to unusual things
Happy to stand all day long
Bay
Gets as dirty as possible during turnout
The luckiest part of the differences between JR and Wizard is that JR is a relatively neat horse. His stall is neat and he does not turn into a complete mudball every time he’s outside for more than ten minutes. On Monday night, I gave him a major grooming. By the time I was done, there was a layer of golden fluff on the barn floor. Some new lights were installed in the barn and for the first time, I could really get a good look at the pearly color that JR is when he’s very clean. When he sheds out and puts on a little more muscle, the Golden Boy going to look amazing.
Wizard is a dirty birdie. He is a slob in his stall and he is covered from head to toe in dirt every time I see him. If Wizard was a palomino instead of being bay, I’d never keep him looking tidy without blanketing and frequent baths. Of course, rolling is good for horses’ circulation, muscles, and coats. I remind myself of this every time I groom Wizard’s sensitive hide. All this dirt is a good thing, all this dirt is a good thing. Thankfully, the farm is relatively dry and the sand and dirt is “clean”; it falls off the horses pretty nicely. Though I’ve made serious progress with Wizard’s grooming routine, he’s still very upset when I curry him. I try my best not to dig too hard into his Thoroughbred skin, but I also must get him clean enough to comfortably put a saddle on him. My mind keeps returning to the prospect of Wizard having a problem with ulcers. Today, I bit the bullet and purchased a 14-day supply of Ulcergard. I’m also looking into any mineral deficiencies that may cause sensitive skin. Or he might just be the stereotypical sensitive Thoroughbred.
I rode JR first. It was a cold, windy night so we worked indoors. First, I hand-walked JR very briskly for about half a mile. I like hand walking as a warmup, and I think that teaching a horse to walk briskly instead of jigging is a very important thing. I also like the workout for both of us. Reminded me of Casino Drive in the mornings at Belmont last summer :^)
After walking, I longed JR for about 180 minutes. He is responding really well to driving aids and I can migrate around the arena while keeping him forward on a circle. And he’s a sharp little fellow; if I take my body posture out of the driving position, he’ll toss his head and spin 10 degrees and be going in the opposite direction before I can bat an eye. I keep the work to a walk and trot for the most part but I do let him canter once or twice around to teach the gait and see how he’s moving. He’s so athletic- if he gets off the bend of the circle, he swaps his leads and plays on the straightaway. Down the road, under-saddle lead changes will not be difficult for this guy. I longed JR in my quarter sheet and he did not seem to mind the flapping fleece, even at the trot.
I then mounted up and rode at the walk. I kept the ride at a walk because 1) my next lesson is Wednesday night 2) it was reallllly windy and the arena doors were rattling. There’s plenty for us to do at the walk, believe me! We walked the length of the entire arena and did work along the wall as well as in the middle. Our last exercise was to stand quietly at the far end of the ring for 30 seconds, facing away from the gate. JR was a little wiggly but once I got the behavior I wanted, I immediately dismounted. Good boy!
Wizard was next. We did the exact same routine: hand walking briskly, then longeing, then riding at the walk. Wizard’s walk is so nice. I look forward to the day when we can ride on trails because he’s going to be so comfy! Wizard is not as forward, silly, and bouncy as JR on the longe line, but he’s had probably 30 more sessions on the longe than his little yellow friend. It looks like Wizard’s new shoes are proving to be a good thing. He seems like he’s more comfortable at the trot. He longed really nicely, but I’ve almost grown to expect this out of him. I asked him for just a bit of canter on the longe, mostly to practice gait changes and begin the long road to getting him balanced. His canter was noticeably smoother with the new shoes. Hooray!
Under saddle, Wizard felt very nice, much more responsive than the last ride. We rode along the walls and in the center of the ring, walking a few patterns. The one bad thing I noticed was that Wizard did not stand like a stone when I got in the saddle. I’ll need to do a little work with him to make sure he keeps his good manners. He stood nicely at the end of the ride for 30 seconds at the far end of the ring. His head raised and his ears fluttered when the wind whipped but he stood his ground.
Product Rave: Thermatex Rugs! In the words of Ferris Bueller: “It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.” They are quite pricey, but keep an eye out for bargains, especially this time of year. I got mine on Tack of the Day. They run large, so order one size down for a form-fitting rug or order your horse’s usual blanket size for a roomy-fitting rug. The wool-acrylic blend keeps the material feeling luxurious and it’s supposedly washable. The 78″ size fit both stocky, short JR and lanky, leggy Wizard really well for a loose but good fit. It quickly wicked all moisture away from their coats and left the hair soft, not crusty. I bought the black rug and it looks very dapper on both horses. The rug conforms to the shape of the horse and is very well-made at the withers so there is no pulling or pinching whatsoever on either a round horse or a horse with high withers. And it does not weigh a ton- it’s a nice weight.
PS- I was contacted by a reader who is selling a Thermatex cooler (size 81″) for about half the retail price. Blue with red piping. Please let me know if you’re interested and I can pass the info along :^)
The Milwaukees, Small AM, Ben Trovato, and The Mellowtraumatics at Maxwell’s: 2/21/09 Hoboken, NJ
The Melody Bar. The Court Tavern. Plum Street Pub. My college years were filled with late nights and local rock. The Court Tavern was my favorite place in town, but I probably spent the most time watching bands at The Budapest Cocktail Lounge. At the end of school, my husband-to-be Jonathan Andrew played in a band called The Angry Monsters. The Monsters played with all the great bands in town and I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time immersed in New Brunswick rock.
Members of a few of these bands had a reunion show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, NJ on Saturday night.
First up was the female-fronted quartet The Mellowtraumatics, a late-90s band which boasted two future Jersey rock powerhouses. Front-chick and rock vixen Christina Alessi would go on to greater success with Hoboken-based combo Hey Tiger, who self-released the successful debut September and subsequently opened for Bon Jovi at Giants Stadium (which I photographed – woo hoo!). After the break-up of The Mellowtraumatics, guitarist and riffmaster Pete Marceau went on to join Hero Pattern and prove to be the missing piece this promising band needed in order to take the next step – a number of well-received indie releases and a handful of get-in-the-van tours across the country. The reunited-for-one-night-only band closed their set of funky and atmospheric tunes with their classic “Stalker”, much to the delight of the Mellowtraumaniacs in attendance.
The second act of the night were Manalapan natives Ben Trovato, who formed in high school in the late 1990s aand hadn’t performed together for nearly a decade. On Saturday night, they were back to their old tricks- frequent tempo chances, spastic riffing, and heart-on-their-sleeves high school poetry. The band is fronted by the multi-talented Val Emmich, who is once again releasing music independently after Slow Down Kid, his major-label debut on Sony Records in 2004. Emmich can also be seen on the small screen on shows such as Ugly Betty, 30 Rock, and Cashmere Mafia. Ben’s set was the truest time capsule of the night; hearing them brought me back to late nights at the Budapest Lounge, when they played with such New Brunswick luminaries as The Angry Monsters, The Rosemary Pure, and frequent guests from DC, Anne Summers.
Third out of the gate was the band who organized the event, Small AM. Formed in Sparta, NJ in the late 1990s under the name Wisemaster Joshu, the band evolved from a jangly, rootsy quintet into a double-guitar rock powerhouse, taking equal doses from international supergroup Radiohead and local legends Prosolar Mechanics. After several years gigging on the local scene, Small AM released their self-titled full-length debut in 2002 on local label Childlike Records. Reuniting for the first time in 5+ years were vocalist/guitarists Jim Fitzgerald and Damien Musto, bassist Jim Lovegrove, and drummer Ralph Capasso. Opening the set with standout “Heather”, the band tore through the majority of their self-titled album, including a bruising rendition of “Anyway”, a few unreleased numbers from a never-completed follow up, and an outstanding new song entitled “The Starting Line”. They ended with the perennial set-closer “Perfect Day”, repeating the signature closing riff until band and crowd alike were sated.
Closing the night was the reunited original lineup of Jersey mainstays The Milwaukees. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of their classic breakthrough record Missile Command, Milwaukee-in-Chief Dylan Clark was joined by the original rhythm section of bassist Dave “Posty” Post and drummer Scott Pohlman. The band tore through songs from their early period with the energy and passion for which they’ve been known throughout the local scene for the last decade plus.
By Sarah & Jonathan Andrew
Rock and Racehorses: The Blog 