The beginning of a new year

Hi everyone 😃. Sorry it’s been a while since I last posted. My life has been crazy with going through the L program to packing and leaving for Florida. I am happy to say Bella and I are in Florida and are doing well! We are IDA this year so we have been trying to figure out where things go and Bella’s turn out. Happy to say we have that all figured out now. Bella has quit a bit to adjust to as here you only get 45 minutes of turn out a day. Which Bella at home goes out all night. So getting her use to staying in a stall for hours has not been easy but she is doing well. Luckily I was able to workout some extra turn out time for Bella in the afternoon when it’s hot and no one wants to turn their horses out. So Bella gets about 2 hours of turn out then I hand graze/hand walk as mush as I can and ride her about 45 to a hour. When we first got down here to Florida I rode her twice a day which really helped her but once I start my jobs I will have less and less time to get two rides in. So I have decide to let that one ride go. My hope this winter is to show as much as I can afford. That’s what Bella and I need the most is more show experience. Which this year seems to have a good amount of shows! I’m super excited for what this year might hold for Bella and I. Maybe this time next year I could be a L judge!!! Thats if they except me and I pass the second group of sessions. I have one more session to go to for the first part of the program. much I have learned so from this program. Even if I never become a judge I know I will be a better rider, trainer and competitor. I will never be able to watch someone ride again how I use too. Your eye gets so much better trained to see just the ever so slight thing. Know I can score pretty good but getting the right comment and knowing what to comment on is another story. I have to really work on that. I love going through the L program!!! Well I believe that’s about it that’s happened so far. Oh I thought for the people up north might like to know it’s kind of cool here in Wellington today. It’s in the upper 60s low 70s. I oh most needed a jacket this morning. Hahahaha sorry to rub that in but I just had to. While you guys are freezing I’m working outside getting a tan while I’m at it. Hahahaha Bella is so happy it’s warm too. We can ride and enjoy are ride without getting cold walking haha. Stay warm everyone and I’m going to go head and apologize for any miss spellings. Typed this on my phone will be is out for her second turn out. Have a good day post again soon. Grace

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AMAZING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone. I have some great news to share with you all. As some of you know I have been looking for a job down in Wellington for the winter season for months. Well I have not found one that was going to work. So I came to the conclusion that I would have to stay home for the winter and learn how to deal with the cold. Well about a week ago a friend of mine Leslie Staschak and her husband Mike (I call them Aunt Candy and Uncle Mike) contacted me asking what were my winter plans. I explained the situation about my lack of finding a job  and not having the money to go on my own. Well not long after emailing Aunt Candy she called me and said that her and her husband wanted to help found Bella and I to go to Wellington for the winter. I was over the moon excited!!!!!!!!!! They have been so kind to help pay for Bella’s living expense’s and to help pay for my housing! I am still hoping to work a bit down in Wellington to help pay for shows, gas and other things along those lines. I’m truly grateful for Aunt Candy and Uncle Mike for this wonderful opportunity to be in Wellington a third season. My hopes for this up coming season is that Bella and I can grow more in competing. Having shows under are belts is something we really need to keep growing and improve are training. We plan on showing in the FEI!!!! Super exciting!!! I want to improve my PSG test a little bit more before showing I-1 plus with having a few months from are last show in September till the winter season we may need a few shows to get us normal and not scaring people. 😀  Even if all I do is show PSG it will be a huge help to just be able to show. Here in Tennessee there are not that many show’s local which does make it hard to get your horse used to showing. As long as Bella stay’s calm and sound I will be a very happy mom.  So as I get ready to travel to the wonderful sunny sate here soon I am still in need of a place to live. Bella will be living at Ida farm in Wellington so I would like to live close ish to her. She may have to share her stall with me if I don’t find a place ;D. Bella got her first body clip of the year today. I can’t say she enjoyed it at all but I am much happier not having to deal with all that fuzz coat of hers. So all you WITTIE’s out there that will be in Wellington I feel a family reunion coming on!! Thank you again to Aunt CAndy and Uncle Mike for this amazing opportunity!!!! I hope to make you both proud!!!!

Grace Gregory

SIlver medal post and the days after.

On September 6 2014  I received my silver medal.  Bella and I worked so hard and trained so hard for that moment and it was perfect.  I was over the moon with how Bella performed and gave it all she had and more. We got a 65.5%!!!!!! It was a perfect dance that I will never forget. Now that we have done with that goal we have been schooling the I-1 and hope to compete on the I-1 next year!!!! This post is long over doe and I’m sorry. I had a shoulder injury that just showed it self two weeks ago and have been out for a bit. I was just able to start riding again this past week which I beg the doctor to let me ride :D. I can’t put saddles on horse’s without a stool or lift anything real heavy. My mom has been a hug help with getting saddles on and off horse’s as finding a stool and using it is not always easy to do. HAHA. So that has made work and just every day things a little hard, but I’m doing better and each day I have a little pain go away. Even with this shoulder thing I was able to do something amazing this weekend. Saddle up! had their SUPER Show which they asked me to judge the dressage part of the show 😀 😀 :D. It was so much fun to see the kids I know and see how much they have improved and to the kids I did not know smile and have a great time. Seeing those kids was so much fun. They all had bright and big smiles on their face’s. They all had the cuties salutes ever. It was so hard to judge because they all were so cute and you just wanted them all to take home the blue ribbon, but for them it’s not always the blue ribbon they wont some wont pick ribbons or red ribbons they don’t care what place stands for they just love the color. I remember when I was little and show in that same show. I was so completive and want that blue ribbon and I’m still that way, but I’m learning it’s not always the blue ribbon or the hug score that makes you great it’s they way you act when you get the pink ribbon or that really low score that counts. See I learned something from those kid’s yesterday it’s not the place you get or the color ribbon you get that makes you happy, or a great rider it’s how you act. This weekend was also sad too. This summer in July a young man that rode at Saddle up! named Sam past away suddenly. I worked with him for a few years every Thursday night. He would tell you about how he was a triplet and how much he loved Alan Jackson. He would cheer his fellow riders on when they were scared or not sure they could do something he was right there cheering. He was the joy of working Thursdays because if it did not rain, snow or freeze on Wednesday night (the other night I always worked at Saddle up!) it would for sure do it on Thursday night. Somedays I be soaked to the bone, hungry and tired and I see I was in 4 lessons that night. I look to see if I was with Sam and when I was he would make me smile and forget how wet, cold, tired or hungry I was and he cheer me up so I could finish the rest of the night happy and joyful. So this weekend they talked a little about Sam and dedicated the wind chimes in his name. Sam went to young and he will be truly missed. He touched a lot of lives in his short life and no one will forget him.

Grace

End Of Wellington/The Summer Show Season

Hi everyone,

I have decided that this blog is not just for when I go to Fl but for my riding and growing as a rider. So from this point on I will be posting all year long, maybe every other week. So let me catch you up to what I have done from the time I left Fl until now. So sit down have a cup of ice tea (if you are in a hot area) and grab a bowl of popcorn or something. This post will be a bit long :D. Well let me begin with at the end of the program,  Bella got very sick and she had to stay in Wellington a whole week more then planned due to being too weak and ill to travel. That made the end of the program a lot harder for me as I was unable to take any more lessons or show my mom what we had learned. I also had a sick horse on my hands and there was only so much I could do to make her feel better. I know now how my parents felt when I was sick as a kid. She did get better and we got her home!!! Even though she was home it took her a full 3 weeks to get her strength back then it took another 5 weeks till she was back in full shape and training. So by June I had my red head back. So what do we do the first weekend in June? That’s right we showed 4 level test 3. HAHAHA but we did it and got a 60% :D. after that I was done showing 4 level. I have since shown PSG 4 times. The first time was in July. I received a 56.8% which I was happy with as we had four bucks we added in the test. HAHAHAHAHAHA Bella had to add her on style to the FEI level :D. So after that I went up to Ky and stayed at the Kessler’s farm and had two lessons with Lendon Gray. I learned a lot from those lessons. Like I needed to make sure every right to left lead change was CLEAN!!!! I also needed to work on my canter pirouettes and make myself turn her. Well that’s what I did for a whole month or more.  I really focused on those two movments, which payed off. As I did my second show doing the PSG test just two weeks ago at the Ole South. Friday without knowing I had two judges which kind of saved my butt. As one gave me a 60% but the other gave me a 54% which came to a 57.3%. I was ok with the score and had a plan to make it even better for the next day. Well as people who own mare’s know the horse you had yesterday could be a 180 to the horse you have today. That’s what happened on Saturday. She was fairly good in the warm up, but the minute I had to back her up into the ring she was a different horse. Bella lost all control of her self and could not trust me. Which resulted in 5 stops, 4 spins, 3 take off’s and 1 rear. That gave us a lovely 54%. I walked out of that test upset at myself and wondering if I could even ride any more. As down as I was I realized that these test will happen and that I have to let go of it. I can’t changed what happened as it was in the past. There was no good beating myself up and doubting my abilities as a rider. So a took a moment to catch my breath, regroup and see what I could do to make my test better for the next day. That moment I believe was a great learning experience. Not everyday will be the best and bad test will happen. You can’t change a horses mind sometimes let alone a red head mare who believe the boogie man was going to get her. As that day ended I was ready for the last day to come so I could just get it done. Well sunday morning came and I came out with a big smile on my face knowing that today could not be any worse then yesterday. I oh most eat my words. Bella was a crazy horse in the warm up. We backed into 4 riders, reared I don’t know how many times and scared everyone person in that warm up. HAHAHA. I was not feeling that hopeful for the test as I finished my warm up. So thing happened though when I entered the show ring. Bella and I clicked, she trusted me and was relaxing. When I came to the walk part of my test tears start to form in my eye’s. Because at that moment I knew that, that test would be the best test yet at the PSG. Which it was!!!!!!! As I left the ring the judge stopped me and said “that was a big improvement from the past two day’s” and she was right. It was a big improvement and the best way to end the show with. That test gave me my first score from the PSG test towards my silver medal, receiving a 60.9%. I was so happy that the show ended on a high note. Now we are getting ready to show again this coming weekend to hopefully receive my other score at the PSG. Bella has been doing amazing. Her canter work is 20 times better now then it was two weeks ago. I am confident I will get my score this weekend and if I don’t then I will shake it off and go to the next show. This year has shown me that I can be a dressage rider. I always dreamed to be a top dressage rider, but now I know one day sooner then later I will be. I will let you all know how the show goes this weekend in my next post. Hopefully it will be a very happy post about getting my last score. 😀 Thanks for taking the time to read this and I will post soon.

Grace & Bella  

Day’s 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72 & 73

Ok so I’m sorry I haven’t blogged in awhile. Life down here as been fun but very busy. Bella and I showed This past Wednesday and Thursday at 4-2 both day’s. The first day we got a 62% with a 7 on gaits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was on cloud nine. The next day was a bit more rough but still pulled a 61% with a 7 on aids!!!! I was a bit worried going into the show. Bella was a bit sore in the hind legs and was not her self when I rode her Tuesday. I was a bit scared and a bit sad because we had AMAZING ride on Sunday that was perfect. Not a wrong step and she did everything to her best!!! It felt AMAZING just like a perfect dance between Bella and I. I also had another great lesson yesterday were we did a line of 4s, a line of 3s, and one 2!!!!!!!! We also did one full canter Pirouette both ways!!!!!!!! I’m on cloud nine right now with how Bella is going. It’s sad to think I only have four days left of the program. It’s hard to think I have to leave this dressage world but ready to be home and moving forward with my dressage. Well got to get a quiz done and off to bed. Have a wonderful night and see you all soon. Grace 

Day’s 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, & 63

Well last time I posted I was getting ready to show my first show of the year. For the most part it was good. I was a little worried after schooling at the show grounds Friday because she was a little jump so to  speak but she was pretty good. So saturday I showed 4-1 and got a 63!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was so good. Only one rear so I say that’s a good day 😀 On Sunday I showed 4-2 for the first time. We had so not so great moment’s in the test but I was proud of my red head for sticking it out and being the best girl and pulling a 60!!!!!!!!! So in the end the weekend was great!! All of us in the WIT program did really well this past weekend!!! Now we only have 14 day’s till the program ends. It’s kind of crazy how fast time has gone by. There has been lots of ups and downs but through it all I still learned a lot. So happy God let me come down here again. Also want to thank Treadstep Ireland for the AMAZING polo shirt (that I love) and saddle pad.  Well I have to get some sleep so I will blog more later. Grace

Day’s 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, & 57

Well I’m sorry I haven’t kept you up to date lately. Well some good news I got my shadbelly all done and it looks really good I love it!!!!!! Another news I’m showing this weekend (the 8 and 9) doing fourth level test 1 and 2!!! I’m super excited and little nervous. It’s the first show of the year for Bella and I. I feel like we are ready. Yesterday was the best ride this whole year!!!! Bella was so good and tried so hard to make everything perfect!!! I was so happy with her. On top of having amazing horse this week I have been pretty busy. Took photos for some people that will be sending them to a magazine!! Yes that means I will have photos of mine in some magazine!! I’m a bit excited. Also we have had some great lectures. We had a breading lecture from Maryanna, lecture on sell horse by Lauren Sammis, and many more. On top all the horse stuff I also went ice skating one night, out to dinner for Emma’s (one of the girls in the program) birthday and had a great dinner and lots of fun with everyone. It’s crazy that today we only have 21 day’s left in the program. WOW it feels like yesterday everyone was moving in and unpacking and learning the names and horses names began, Now we are trying to make sure we have everyone numbers and knowing what there spring/summer plans are. So need less to say trying to learn everything I can before I leave. I will let you know how that show goes. I can already say this we will win at lest one first place. Because saturday I am the only one in my test, but the next day Me and Ally (one of the other girls in the program and a great friend) is in my class so one of us will win and other will come in second. HAHAHAHA Feels odd to have someone in my class. That never happens HAHAHA. Well better get to bed have to get a health cert tomorrow and then schooling at the show grounds at 11 and then lectures at 3. So a bit of a busy day tomorrow. I also need to get all my show stuff out and ready for the show and make sure everything is all timed out and that I fined someone to take me to the show. Which I’m not sure if I have or haven’t found someone. I guess I will find out tomorrow. HAHAHAHA It’s a bit crazy as normal. Love you all and good night.

Grace  

Day’s 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, & 50

Well Let me start with Bella went lame 😦 I may have already said that but just in cause I tell you again. Last Wednesday I had the best lesson ever and right at the end Bella went lame :(. But after several day’s of staying in all day and night paulettesing and hand walks I was able to tack walk her on Saturday!!!! During this time of resting for Bella we had two of the WIT girls Alex and Katrina competed in the Youth Dressage Festival. They both did very well. It was great getting to see them compete and cheering them on. But that was not the only show going on. The Nations cup and a big CDI happened at the same time at the same place. As well as a smaller show in White Fences that Caroline and Matt rode in. So lot’s going on. I was trying to run around and watch each and every show I could. Sadly I missed the white fence show but Matt and Caroline did well. Sunday was a big day for me. One I got to walk trot and canter Bella and see i she was sound. She was!!!! Also I had to give a lecture to all the WIT’s. I was little nerves but I think it was good and I think they liked it. I did it on therapeutic riding and talked about Saddle Up!!! It made me miss my Saddle Up family so much. You know this three months have not gone the way I planed but planing on showing as much as I can in March!!!!! I love my red head and even with her being off a lot this past weeks I’m so happy I got to spend a lot of time with her. With that said I’m seeing what to show. My lesson went pretty well there were sure some good parts but there ere also so not so good (the changes) hahahaha I don’t know what it is but I just can’t do a change any more. HAHAHAHA this is going to be fun :D. I also forgot that My shadbelly is oh most done and it looks great. I can’t wait till I’m good enough to wear it!!!!!! Well I know this is a short post but about to fall asleep and Full house is about over which means bed time 😀 good night everyone and God bless.

Grace

Day’s 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, & 43!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I want to first start off with saying I;m so so sorry I haven’t not kept my blog up to date lately. Life has been pretty crazy here in Wellington land. I have been in the hospital twice now 😀 which I believe I typed about the first one but the second happened Thursday of last week. I was having some pretty strong chest pain so I went to the hospital and was there for about 6 and 1/2 hours :p bleh. Had all the heart stuff check and turned out I was fine and not throwing a blood clot or anything like that. But they could not tell me why I had chest pain which would have been nice to have found out why but I’m just happy I’m ok. The plus I got to watch the Olympics for the first time HAHAHAHA. Bella And I have had some good lessons and then some not so great lessons. I had a lesson with Rachel Chowanec and it was great. She really helped me control Bella’s shoulders and helped me just do one change and own that change. It was a great lesson though poor Rachel thought I was crying because I had little watery eye’s. Ugh this piles I’m not make me so crazy one minute I’m super happy and full of joy and the next minute I’m really sad and crying or mad and wanting to kill everyone even thought I really don’t want to kill anyone HAHAHA. I’m one about 4 or 5 meds for my leg and such and then I take three piles normal so I’m taking so many piles all the time. HAHAHAHAH So Bella and I have been trying to do fours and tried one or two lines of threes . They were ok and then it went all down hill. I feel like I need to own my changes better first before I go back to threes and fours. Hoping to show fourth level in March!!!! super excited to show. So we have a some pretty good lectures as well the last few days but sadly I have missed more then half of them 😦 So sadly I can’t tell what they were about or anything because I missed them myself. Though I can tell you what this week looks like. The Nation cup is this week which is super exciting. I’m pumped to watch all the test and the musical freestyles!!!!!! We missed this show last year because it was in April but I watched it on my computer so I;m super excited to see it live!!!!! So we have all that fun on top of are normal stuff. We have a few lectures this week along with a Jan Brink clinic tomorrow!!! That should be a good clinic to watch. Oh my roommate arrived a few day’s ago. It’s odd sharing my room now but it’s nice having someone to late or when we both wake up (because we are the only two in the house that wake up at 5:45 and leave by 6:15ish. The other two people are still asleep.) . Oh we have also reached are half way point in the program. CRAZY!!!!!!!! That means we only have 6 weeks left. this first 6 weeks for me have been a bit crazy and stressful. Hoping this next 6 weeks are learning and com hahaha. I’m also hoping we don’t have anymore rain. We have had so much rain this year it’s crazy. Well today was are day off so Ali Perkins took care of Bella this morning so I could get some rest. Then about 9ish Paul came and did Bella’s feet!! After he left I was doing my weekly chore and Jackie Brooks barn manger came up to me and said you coming to work at 3:30 today right? I was a bit shocked had no clue I was working today but said sure and worked 3:30 to 5:30. Did not do a whole lot just cleaning stalls and sweeping. But I haven’t had to clean a lot of stalls at once in a while so I was a bit rusty and a bit slower then normal. I bet she thought I was lazy or something. But I cleaned the stall’s really good and tried to make everything look nice. Not a fan of working on my day off. It throughs everything out of order in your mind and such. But it was not that bad. Then got to have dinner with Ally ( was in the program last year and is one of the girls that got back in this year . She also is like my best friend) and Britney (who was one of the girl last year thats working for someone down here this year who also is like my best friend I love both of them)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so great talking and just being together. Best night!!! I also had a great night last night. Had dinner with Mary Austin and two of her friends that I had meet last year. It was a nice change being with people that have nothing to do with the program. I got to hear so great story’s about the jumping world and some funny story’s about their life HAHAHA. Plus I miss Mary Austin so much. She is the dearest person ever. Well I believe that’s about it. Getting a bit tired and meds kicking in so I may start sounding weird if I keep typing HAHAHAHA… I promise that I will never get this far behind in my blogging. Love you all so much and thank you all for your prayers for Bella and I. Hopefully no more enjoyers will happen to Bella or I. Bella does not want to see the vet any more even thought Dr. Kim is the sweets person ever and I don’t want to go back to the Wellington Hospital. I think I have seen enough of that place. HAHAHAHA Have a good day and I hear TN is getting some warm weather!!!! That’s great for you guys. We have been pretty warm here except this week we have gone as low as 45 but we should be back to like 87 by Wednesday so no need to panic here HAHAHAHAHA.

Type soon Grace!!!!!

Day 33!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I slept till 5:35 this morning!!!!!!!! It was so nice to sleep in and not rush to get everything done with the dogs and out on time. Today I had a early lesson because I can’t do fitness with my leg all gross and lumpy. Lesson was pretty good. Had a bit of a time with our changes but there coming along. After are lesson we had a 7 hour lecture with the Mastersons method. Bella got a full body massage from them for free!!!!!!!! Which I think she really liked! They showed us little things we can do to massages are horses  with. It was very interesting and fun. Thank heavens we had a hour lunch break so I could run to the house and let the dog’s out and make sure them and the house was still there. hahahaha I always have the fear that while I’m gone from the house I’m housesitting that someone will come in and take everything and the dog’s will run away.. Thankfully that’s never happened but I always have that fear. So really the whole day was with the Mastersons method people and them taking all day to show us what to do to make are horses happy. I sure plan on trying to keep doing this little massages as often as I can. Well off to get some shut eye.

Type tomorrow!!! Grace