Morag O'Hanlon - Life on an Eventing Farm.
My blog started in August, 2005 to chronicle my progress in training “A First Romance" (a.k.a. Solo) into a world class Eventing horse. Now eight-years-old, Solo is close to competing in the Intermediate 1 division. He's fabulous XC but does still tend to voice his opinion during dressage... never a dull moment.
Solo's ridden by my daughter, Selena, who competed at her first Olympics in 2008 with Colombo. Selena also rides several different horses out of our homebase, Hawkridge Farms, which is owned by the Davies.
This blog chronicles both our adventures as we continue to train Eventing horses. Occasionally, Selena will make an entry on her progress at competitions particularly on the lead up to major events. Please feel free to ask questions or send comments.
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Glen Oro Here We Come
May 28, 2009 | 1 CommentSolo is looking and feeling good. He is living out at night with his buddy ‘Dudley Do Right’ and comes in during the day to be worked. The bugs have been low and the weather has been mostly fine, all the horses are thriving but Solo seems to be thriving more than most! He is so glossy and round these days but still strong and Read more »
Still Opinionated
May 6, 2009 | No CommentsSolo has been steadily improving in all aspects of his work. It’s not that he has suddenly become an angel and never stands up and waves to the crowd, it’s more that he and Selena both know that it’s a waste of time now, more out of habit and for effect, rather than his really believing he might win. Selena IS going to have her Read more »
Solo Second in his First Prelim!
March 12, 2009 | 2 CommentsSolo did his first Prelim with Selena at the Rocking Horse Spring Horse Trials in Florida. Selena entered him straight into the Open Prelim (as opposed to Prelim Horse which is restricted to horses in their first season of Prelim) and he was a star right from the beginning. He worked in well for the dressage and then went into the ring and did Read more »
12th in First Prelim!
March 4, 2009 | 3 CommentsSolo was wonderful at his first Prelim and is going from strength to strength. Even with a rail he finished 12th, and his cross country was superb! It’s so nice to hear people say “What a beautiful horse” and ask us how he is bred and where he came from. Everywhere he goes he is attracting attention, even when he is merely being led Read more »
First Show of the Year
February 17, 2009 | No CommentsSolo did his first competition of the year today. He did the open training division of the Rocking Horse Advanced HT which ran today. He was still showing attitude through the week and Selena was discouraged that she was not getting all she felt the horse has to give. She had talked to Bruce yesterday about feeling somewhat dispirited still. I don’t think she was Read more »
Solo Does Boot Camp with Bruce - part four
February 10, 2009 | 7 CommentsThe next day turned out to be wet…very wet. The rain came down in torrents and working the horses was a misery. They all hacked out and that was the end of their day. At 2pm the following day, Solo and Selena were ready to go for round two at Bruce’s. Solo was a lot less grumpy, still not giving Read more »
Solo Does Boot Camp with Bruce - part three
February 10, 2009 | No CommentsNext day, 2pm exactly (Bruce is a stickler for time keeping) we were ready with a less than enthusiastic Solo who had an “oh no, not this again” look on his face. But today he was to be ridden by Selena. No jumping, since he had done that the day before, but all the same flatwork exercises that James had done on day one. Give Read more »
Solo Does Boot Camp with Bruce - part two
February 10, 2009 | No CommentsI forewarned Bruce and told him about the horse’s checkered performance. Of course he knew the horse I meant and had seen him be naughty in the jumping field one day with Selena, but Solo had always managed to be pretty angelic when Bruce was in his immediate vicinity. I told Bruce about the horse taking me sideways through the gate and between the uncontrolled Read more »
Solo Does Boot Camp with Bruce - part one
February 10, 2009 | No CommentsTaking Solo to Bruce Davidson and asking for his help has always been an option. Bruce Davidson has been a coach, mentor and role model for Selena since she started having lessons with him at age nine. Bruce is a tough, no nonsense trainer - it’s sink or swim, nobody is ever rough but the horse is expected to work hard. The horses are considered to have Read more »
The Basics of Lungeing
January 5, 2009 | 4 CommentsHappy New Year everyone! Solo has had an unexpected hiccup in his training since boxing day. We had a huge downpour of rain and ever since then we seem to have ice growing out the ground! As a result, Solo has only made it to the arena once since Christmas Day. This is an unheard of situation here and we are hoping to remedy it today with Read more »
All Is Well
December 8, 2008 | No CommentsAll is going well with Solo at the moment. His aggressive winter schooling schedule seems to be helping him grow up. He has a softer look in his eye at the moment and doesn’t seem to be arguing over things any more. The worst thing is still the spooking. It’s such a game with him, he does it every day and all the time but he is Read more »
No Mercy
October 31, 2008 | No CommentsWe have had Solo on his ‘no mercy’ work schedule for a couple of weeks now and I THINK I might see just the tiniest improvement. He is certainly a lot softer and calmer in his eye. We changed a lot of things so it’s hard to tell what is helping and what is not. He is now out with a friend that he Read more »
