Hickory Knoll CDE, VSE entries needed!

[RhineStone]

I just found out that there are only 2 VSEs signed up for Hickory Knoll CDE, July 17-18 just outside of Madison, WI. If you have ever considered trying a CDE, this is a great one to start with. The grounds are classy and well kept, the organization is good, the hazards are safe, and the people are nice. The marathon course is not overly difficult, as there are no hills for VSEs, and Section A is very easy up and down a flat country road. If your horse is in remotely good shape (not a butterball), they can handle it.

If you can read a stopwatch and know your ABCs and 123s, you can handle it, too!

Drivers in Wisconsin are MORE than willing to help newcomers!

VSEs can share stalls to save on costs.

Come on out and play in Wisconsin! http://www.hickorykn...t/HK%20CDE.html

Myrna

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

oh I would LOVE to...I went and watched last year (I live right down the road from Hickory Knoll....about 5 minutes)...but my guy wouldn't be ready for something like that! So...I'll just be going to watch yet again!

Angie

 

[RhineStone]

Angie, please introduce yourself if you have a chance! I will have my 37" black gelding there. We can talk after Training level, as my husband will have our big pinto there, too.

Myrna

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

I'll look you up! Not sure when I'm going...unfortunately this year I have a family gathering the same weekend (an all weekend thing), so I will be sneaking away saturday, or leaving early Sunday, or both, to come to it. We all have our priorities! But I will be there at some point!

 

[RebelsHope]

I plan on going, but unfortunately my cart is still out of commission.

 

[TMR]

So how did Hickory Knoll go?

Donna

 

[RhineStone]

Ok, I think I am ready to come to terms with the result of HK.

For the good news, Chad and Spider were 4th in a field of 8 in Training Horse, but to qualify that, Mary Ruth Marks won with a green horse, and Klaus Biesenthal was 3rd! They are both extremely tough, world-level drivers, so we figure that Chad actually got 2nd once you take out the "fancy" drivers!

My go was full of ups and downs. With having two horses at the show, both were full of "buddy sourness". What a pain!!! However, Chad really likes the CDEs more than the pleasure shows, and although I have groomed and gatored a number of times now, I hadn't drove one yet, and HK is only an hour away and didn't interfere in the other pleasure shows we have scheduled. So...we took two horses and I tried it.

Alax was strong but controllable. He was fairly straight in the cone-marked warm up arena. We drove around the dressage arena a number of times because I was the first go (we asked for me to be first so that I could get back and gator for Chad. They let you do that at this show). Alax was straight around the 3-board dressage arena. However, once we got in the arena, he decided there was NOTHING good to look at IN the arena, so he did most of the test looking OUT the fence! So much for bending!!! Every time I tried to straighten him, he would just come off the rail. And since he was already on the verge of overflexing (I have photos), using the outside rein MORE wasn't working either.

The accuracy was pretty good, but the bending was AWFUL!!! So I came away from the dressage ring thoroughly disgusted and ready to go home. Donna Crossman (Team Possum member) and I talked after and I expressed my frustration. She said that she felt pretty good about her and Lilly's test, but "It's not over 'till the fat lady sings". Sure enough, when the scores came back, I had a sucky score of 65, but my score sucked the least of the other two VSEs. The judge did make a comment of "nice mini" on my test. So here I was in 1st. I knocked one ball after Alax's rein got caught under the shaft after set 14 and we couldn't get lined up well and bobbled 15, but it wasn't enough to move me out of 1st.

So, then I have to contend with the marathon the next day. Section A was fine. Totally easy. Al came in 60/60 for P&R. He was totally ready to go for Section E. The 1st hazard was before the 1K marker, and we reached 1K at 4:25, and Al wasn't pushing it at all. He was stretched out until the 1st hazard, and then settled into an easy Working Trot. The rest of the hazards went fine, including the water hazard, and Al plowed right in!!!

However, when we approached the last hazard, I passed the 500m marker which was for when we came back out. At that point, I remember thinking,"What was that minute number that Chad said he walked Al last year? Should I walk Al in this hazard and blow time?" Regardless, I turned the wrong direction from what I had planned once I got in the hazard, got lost, and before I knew it, I had gone backwards through B. I was totally sick to my stomach! It had happened SO fast. I had just lost my train of thought. Chad had said that CDEs were so much of a mind game, so I guess I should have drank the neck off a Mike's Lemonade even at 8:30 in the morning before my go!

So, now I know that I have incurred 20 extra points already, I STILL can't remember how long Chad said it took to walk the last 500m, so I kept him trotting. At about 250m, I realized that I had to walk. We have NEVER walked so SLOW in our lives! He was barely moving! So, anyway, we came in about 1:45 UNDER time, and Al barely broke a sweat. I am ALL FOR raising the speeds to 10 kph! It is absolutely NO FUN driving a horse that you have to hold back the whole time! His P&Rs were again 60/60.

I pretty much spent the rest of the day beating myself up for screwing up! I went though a whole boatload of emotions like, "I don't ever want to do this again," "I hate this game," "What did you have to go and do that for?" "Chad hasn't messed up yet, why did I have to?" "I am a complete failure as a driver." Etc. And the worst part was that I didn't have any "grieve" time until we got home that night because I pretty much had to go right back out and gator for Chad when all I wanted to do was bury myself in the trailer and cry for a while.

So, yes, I won Dressage, but screwed up the marathon enough to drop to 3rd (last). I think I have come to terms with it now finally. I guess I should be happy I didn't get Eliminated.

That was one of my REALLY big fears. Oh, but I did get a 10 for Presentation!

On to the next show...I suppose I'll let the cat out of the bag...Alax and I are showing at Walnut Hill!

Ed Young invited us to go after we won Villa Louis last year. We have to go in the Small Pony division because they didn't add the VSE division (Ed said they were considering that), but instead added a VSE Multiples division and I just don't want to work that hard at that show. So, we will represent the VSEs as best we can, but I expect that the rich ladies with their fancy ponies and really expensive harnesses are going to be the hardest competition we will ever encounter. But hey, we are going in Progressive Cones, and we went clear in Progressive at Columbus this year and the cone settings are the same.....so we'll see. It may be just a really expensive vacation for us.

Myrna

 

[Kendra]

I pretty much spent the rest of the day beating myself up for screwing up! I went though a whole boatload of emotions like, "I don't ever want to do this again," "I hate this game," "What did you have to go and do that for?" "Chad hasn't messed up yet, why did I have to?" "I am a complete failure as a driver." Etc. And the worst part was that I didn't have any "grieve" time until we got home that night because I pretty much had to go right back out and gator for Chad when all I wanted to do was bury myself in the trailer and cry for a while.

My usual refrain is "I'm too stupid for this!" I don't really mind if my horse misbehaves but when I screw up - and I do a lot! - it really upsets me. I feel like I've let my horse down, as though he cares about placings, he just has a blast with the driving! This past weekend I was at a Pleasure Show and did an extra figure eight in my scurry, and if I hadn't we would've been high point .... anyway, the point is, I totally undestand where you are coming from and I'm sending cyber hugs and sympathy!!

 

[RhineStone]

My usual refrain is "I'm too stupid for this!" I don't really mind if my horse misbehaves but when I screw up - and I do a lot! - it really upsets me. I feel like I've let my horse down, as though he cares about placings, he just has a blast with the driving! This past weekend I was at a Pleasure Show and did an extra figure eight in my scurry, and if I hadn't we would've been high point .... anyway, the point is, I totally undestand where you are coming from and I'm sending cyber hugs and sympathy!!

Thank you, Kendra. It makes me "tear up" a little.

That is more than I got from my husband!

Yes, other than Alax being strong in the Dressage test, he did everything fine for Cones and the Marathon. Actually, I felt like he was "coaching" ME through the marathon...like "Ok, Mom, this is where you go next. He seemed to be following the mowed paths and the signs very well.

I want to add that it really wasn't about the placing, as initially I figured I was going to be 2nd to Donna C. anyway, since she has done CDEs way more than I ever have. (Although I totally get what you feel about losing the high point. Been there, done that!

) What really irritated me is just what you said, that I screwed up. Not that I haven't made any mistakes before, but it was so preventable, and I SO wanted to go clean. I found that I was quite embarrassed, too. I've done quite well recently in the Pleasure shows, and was "worried" that people would think, "Sure, she can drive in a Pleasure show, but can't do CDEs..." That is one thing that frustrates me with how CDEs are scored. Nobody would know that I was in 1st before I made that really expensive (point wise) mistake.

Myrna

 

[TMR]

Sounds like you did well in dressage considering Al wasn't cooperating. You must have really done well with the rest of the test. That is the one thing I love about dressage. Even if you blow one element, you can still do well by doing good on the others. So you didn't get the bends, but you probably nailed the transitions, halt and back.

Bigs Hugs to you, I sure can understand your frustration, I was that way after my last lesson before Skunk river. I came home thinking I am an idiot for even trying this and am going to embarrass the heck out of myself and almost backed out. But...I am so glad I didn't give up. I learned so much at Skunk River and realized that everyone has had those moments. We all have those stupid moments that we kick ourselves for, where we feel totally incompetent and letting down our horse. It was your first full marathon, dont beat yourself up over it and tell Chad your going to beat him next time. Besides, you have to keep going to CDE's so I can compete with you next year. Will you be going to the carriage show in Webster City at the end of August?

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Oh, girls. My sweet, wonderful, talented, self-abusive girls!! You realize you would never, ever say those sorts of things to a student or another driver, right? So why do you let that voice in your head say those things to you?? Treat yourself with at least as much courtesy as you'd give a stranger. You deserve it!

No matter how experienced a driver you are, you're attempting something very very complicated for the first time and you're surprised and horrified that you made ONE mistake?? Dude, I make one like that almost every time out! I've only E'd once but you have no idea how close I come on a regular basis. Usually I avoid it by a hair, get lucky or Kody saves my @$$. Chad will have his day (we all do) and then you can be the one chuckling and savoring your ribbon. Don't give up!

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

So you didn't get the bends, but you probably nailed the transitions, halt and back.

Well, we did Ok there. Al was fussy for the first halt, but settled in eventually. My 65 score was actually the 4th or 5th lowest for the entire Training level division! Chad actually got an 80! He had a 42 at Skunk! His 80 was again the 4th lowest score of Training Horse, so we think the judge was typically harder than other judges.

Besides, you have to keep going to CDE's so I can compete with you next year.

If we end up with a situation where we won't have two "buddy" horses, I will probably try it again, but it just isn't worth dealing with them being "crabby" especially the first day. And Chad really likes the CDEs, so I can't "take that away" from him. If he is showing, I won't, especially if I have to gator for him. I didn't walk his hazards with him so that I didn't mess up my course in my head, and it was difficult not knowing where he was going to go. Thankfully, Chad told both Spider and I, "We are going to Get..."

 

The other thing I considered was taking a "less finished" horse, one that isn't as hard to drive and maybe slower.

Will you be going to the carriage show in Webster City at the end of August?

I doubt it. We normally went to Harvest Moon, but with going to New York for Walnut Hill this year and the trip to Skunk already, we will have maxed out the mileage budget. The BITS show was my first choice for the two Iowa shows because they have a Junior division, but Kyle informed us that he feels our show horses are too strong for him to drive. He likes to drive his 31" Dolly, but she really isn't competitive in the carriage arena, especially when she needs to pull an adult, too. Kyle drives her by himself at home.

Myrna

 

[RhineStone]

No matter how experienced a driver you are, you're attempting something very very complicated for the first time and you're surprised and horrified that you made ONE mistake??

Chad will have his day (we all do) and then you can be the one chuckling and savoring your ribbon. Don't give up!

That is one crock about driving a VSE. Granted, we can take a gator if we wanted, but finding a little enough one is a challenge, and they have to be 14. I REALLY wanted to take Kyle. He is like his dad and can memorize a course looking at it once or twice, and he would have been able to say, "Mom, you are going the wrong way," but he is only 8. He can groom for the tandem at a pleasure show, including obstacle courses, but can't go along for VSE Training level. I get that we wouldn't want to send him on the back side of Spider's marathon vehicle, but no gator is going to "balance" a VSE cart sitting next to the driver. I think that some people are "getting" the difficulty of driving a VSE without a gator, as I had a number of people tell me that they couldn't drive the CDE without one!

I did find a lady who is 108 lbs. that I might be able to take with next time, and Chad said the two of us wouldn't weigh as much as him, and he drives Al. But I think Kyle would be better at it!

If it wasn't for me, Chad would have already had his day screwing up!

He went through the wrong "hole" at Skunk and missed B altogether (red on left), and I told him he missed B so he went back around and picked it up before going to C! And my dressage score was better than his at HK. I just figured that I could drive my own horse better than him, which he has done the last two years. My dressage score was higher than his scores with Alax and I had penalties in the marathon and he went clean both times. But to qualify that, like I said, I think the judge was tougher than others.

One thing I did learn from the HK experience was that if you get lost in the hazard, GET OUT OF IT! Go around it until you can see where you need to go. When I turned left instead of right, I had it in my head that B was between two round bales. When I got around to them, it wasn't a gate at all and I just got flustered and continued around the "circle". I should have gone through that spot and then drove around to see where B was. At least I learned something!

Al actually turns better to the left, so I had done all the other hazards to the left. The last one just didn't lend itself to that, but I had spent so much time on the left rein, that I think the "automatic brain" just kicked in. B was actually almost directly "behind" A, so it was quite "hidden".

I will try to get photos up soon. My photo program that I use to reduce the photos isn't "happy" right now, so I may have to reload it.

Myrna

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I'm not surprised you got a 10 for Presentation!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I think that some people are "getting" the difficulty of driving a VSE without a gator, as I had a number of people tell me that they couldn't drive the CDE without one!

Well of course it's difficult going without a gator! There's no need for people to discover that fact, they already knew it. That's one of the few things VSE drivers get respect for in some areas.

I personally am dreading having to take a gator when I get the boys going together as I'm fiercely independent and can't STAND having someone else there messing with my train of thought. I can only remember it all by concentrating totally and a gator is going to distract me and make me want to be social. Boo! I'm happy with just me and my horse.

Most mini folks I know around here are PROUD that they can do it without a gator, not wishing they could have one.

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

Most mini folks I know around here are PROUD that they can do it without a gator, not wishing they could have one.

I can see that if it means dragging along a warm body for the sake of a warm body, but that is one thing I really enjoy about gatoring with Chad and Spider. We don't have "social" time persay, but it is something that we can do together as a team. I understand the horse, as we have had him since he was 4 (he's 20 now. Nothing like starting CDEs at 20!

), and Chad and I have been married for 12 years, and "together" for 18. We "get" each other.

I'm not fond of especially down hills with the marathon vehicle (I think it is the higher center of gravity vs. the mini carts), but trotting the hazards isn't so bad. Chad says that I'll have to get up the guts to gator for Prelim and cantering, because he thinks I can do it. The first time I went out on the back of a marathon vehicle, I pretty much just stood there, not realizing that I had to lean!

I think I am much better now!

Chad is going to Backstep for Cindy O'Reilly's Four-In Hand at Iron Horse next weekend. That might lead to him doing that for her at WEG, too!

I, however, am not hanging off the backend of a perfectly good vehicle, esp. at WEG speed!

Myrna

 

[LazyRanch]

No matter how experienced a driver you are, you're attempting something very very complicated for the first time and you're surprised and horrified that you made ONE mistake?? Dude, I make one like that almost every time out! I've only E'd once but you have no idea how close I come on a regular basis. Usually I avoid it by a hair, get lucky or Kody saves my @$$. Chad will have his day (we all do) and then you can be the one chuckling and savoring your ribbon. Don't give up!

Leia

Right on Leia! Myrna can take her day and feel really great about it - and it will help her on the next CDE.

I have to admit, though, over varying points of this last year, Myrna has given me some excellent advice, and answered a ton of questions. This post was likely one of the most valuable I have read from her - being able to give a good analyzation of a first CDE.

For someone in her first year driving, I find it refreshing that one so far ahead of me can take a good look and give a fair account, then go on to do better. Because Myrna WILL to better with each outing!

We have basically left the dressage at least 10 points ahead, maybe had a ball down and have started to come under time on the cones, and managed all the hazards.

Our last ADT this year was our least stellar. PJ was hot and frumpy (I have since quarter clipped him(!) and he's back to his old self). The last dressage was lackluster, I got lost on cones TWICE, but the hazards were ok. Our best competition and I have been neck and neck all year, so we were totally traumatized by her having to suddenly leave before hazards - no fun to lose - or win - like that! The TD allowed her to go first in hazards, so she could leave, without eliminating or withdrawing. I thought we finished the day last after dressage - worse than last after cones (19.5 time faults) and as reserve for year end. As it turned out, the other gal E'd out on the dressage, and again on the 1st hazard. Made for a very roller coaster day!

The worst part of the day? I got lost TWICE TWICE!!! on the cones course! I think even PJ was embarrassed!

But at the end of the day - and I was still chumping myself out - my lovely little wonderman pulled his head out of his bucket, gave me a little snuffie on the cheek, drooled in my hair and told me he loved me.

That's WAY better than any placing

 

[LazyRanch]

Well of course it's difficult going without a gator! There's no need for people to discover that fact, they already knew it. That's one of the few things VSE drivers get respect for in some areas.

I personally am dreading having to take a gator when I get the boys going together as I'm fiercely independent and can't STAND having someone else there messing with my train of thought. I can only remember it all by concentrating totally and a gator is going to distract me and make me want to be social. Boo! I'm happy with just me and my horse.

Most mini folks I know around here are PROUD that they can do it without a gator, not wishing they could have one.

Leia

I hadn't even thought about this! Since I only rode combined training and 3-day, I haven't ever had the "luxury" of a gator. But I agree, I don't think I'd like one. I don't even like driving the trails with someone else in the EE cart. (Love my 'Bike). I guess this would be the biggest reason I wouldn't drive pairs - too much chattering from the back seat.

Gosh, that's a little embarrassing.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

For someone in her first year driving, I find it refreshing that one so far ahead of me can take a good look and give a fair account, then go on to do better.

It is very important to take an honest look at how you've done and how you can improve. As anyone who's read my event reports knows, I dissect every detail of the go almost to the point of obsession!

What bothers me is only when someone equates a mistake to "I can't do this, I'm stupid, I should never have tried this," etc. We would never say that to our horses, our students or our children and I don't think it's healthy to talk to ourselves that way either. Now to be clear I absolutely respect the candor that Myrna and Kendra both showed in sharing those thoughts with us, but I wouldn't be a supportive friend if I didn't say "Hey, whoa, wait a minute. Want to cut yourself a break??"

But at the end of the day - and I was still chumping myself out - my lovely little wonderman pulled his head out of his bucket, gave me a little snuffie on the cheek, drooled in my hair and told me he loved me.
That's WAY better than any placing

So true.

That is one thing that frustrates me with how CDEs are scored. Nobody would know that I was in 1st before I made that really expensive (point wise) mistake.

Thankfully, everyone who competes in CDE knows to dig deep enough to see the scores for each phase. We understand! First place is often as much a matter of luck or other people screwing up as it is skill. That's why we all get back out there and try again.

Leia

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I hadn't even thought about this! Since I only rode combined training and 3-day, I haven't ever had the "luxury" of a gator. But I agree, I don't think I'd like one. I don't even like driving the trails with someone else in the EE cart. (Love my 'Bike). I guess this would be the biggest reason I wouldn't drive pairs - too much chattering from the back seat.Gosh, that's a little embarrassing.

Hey, on the plus side all you have to do is find a like-minded VSE driver and have THEM play ballast! I've done it for my friend Breanna Sheahan and since we both know how the other feels and made a point of communicating expectations clearly at the beginning I got in, shut up and held on unless she initiated the conversation or asked me to do something. It worked great!

Leia