Big Shot on little Shoty

  Ha ha ha,  hee hee, I can hear the snickering now. Half suppressed laughter coming from the hidden smirks."What in the world is she riding?" and "Wow, she must be desperate"  from the minds of many.  Go ahead and laugh, I would laugh too if I were you. It's ridiculous! Who on earth, would ever event a haflinger pony? And why?
   Introducing "Chatzka" sounds like "shots-kah". She's a ten year old, quick-witted  tiny little 13.1 hh  haffie, that never, ever gets off of the farm. Hardly unintelligent like someone I know called her... "Shoty" is the perfect "twinkie" hostess with the most est, for sure. She's an extremely lucky little half a horse for so many, many reasons, with the best one being her owners.

    Here's "live in the moment" owner gal, one of the happiest ladies I know: Andrea Carlson. She and her family are the caring cautious owners of Chatzka. This equestrian rides for pleasure and for therapy. Carlson is a young physically handicapped twenty-four year old rider that knows and loves her horse very much. She is also well aware of  her own disabilities and riding limitations. That being said, both Andrea and her mom, Sue Carlson  really want to see how well their smart, power packed little pony can hold up under competition. Andreas' mother said, her mare really doesn't need to prove anything to anybody, she's just a girl ,that wants to have some fun. Poor little repressed pony is the prime age to actually do something with. There is a new found sporty fitness, well trained manners, topped off with bored bottled up barn sourness just waiting to implode and  possibly bring home brightly colored ribbons. We are going to EVENT her! It's true. Everyone knows. there is a  ton of pride that goes along with being the owner and allowing another rider to take their horse out and experience adventures. "Let's get her out more" we all agreed. Allow her to go places and feel the kind of travels this rider knows she will never be able to do. Fingers, legs and eyes-crossed that all goes well and my rider can educate this pony along with give these owners the thrill of a lifetime! Hopefully we will "go eventing" soon.

He almost dropped his pants, she dropped her whip in Ocala, Florida

    Mr. Bruce Davidson took action! Off came his leathered bungee belt. Stealthfully calm, the man roped and bonded this unrestrained  horse, real nifty to watch.  Check out this ladies smile when she realizes who actually caught her instantly polite pony!  POWERFUL!                
 

                                          
WAKE UP call!
 It is NOW time to get SERIOUS about EVENTING!~ "Leg UP" those HORSES as they say. Which means, get some MUSCLE going. DO IT NOW!  Typically, the Northern "Ultimate Horse Sporters" which means ALL BALLS OUT EVENTERS north of Florida migrate south, mostly to Ocala. So, No surprise......t h e y y y y'Re here. HERE WE GO again! Weather was wonderful, warming to the 70*'s for The Ocala Horse Properties Winter 1 Horse Trials  which happened in Florida over the weekend.
     Day one found us clear and warm focused. Nothing much mattered, zip-O-not-ah!  Not even, that her taped sprained ankled ached, woman cramps cramped or we didn't eat breakfast. Problems were simply not allowed to auger in and cause trouble, not this show ....It was: suck it up time... DRESSAGE DUTY CALL! Ta~dah! They start out in the brave rider "open class" at the very top of the bottom half of the list.
     Time went by, but  not without their cross~country run. This pair was just coming off of a "Retired On Course" from her most recent last show, so OF COURSE the horse was going to dare and face off. Right out of the starting box her horse blasted spunky stuff. There was bucking with cheekiness, hopping chutzpah then came the cream streaming in a line. My rider ignored ALL OF her squeal and proceeded onward thrashing with speed. Sticky over the the first. I could see them gain momentum as they poured through to the back field. Standing on my tippy toes I could see the ruffled dirt which usually blows up from some kind of a commotion. Evidently, she went for a wake-up WACK but dropped the crop instead. OH NO!! My rider bellowed "DROPPED MY WHIP!" hustled she dismounted, then POP back in the saddle. She came around for a second attempt, more BRAKES! Another stop. Complete nonsense now, is what went through her head. My jockey circled back the other way, this time,  nicely they sailed over... and over went their problems. No more attitude or distrust, only fun, their run in the sun.  Through the water and every jump was like a smooth swirling milkshake melting, dripping to perfection... perfect to the bitter end.
     Together we felt happy. Then the owner seeing the live scores, txted to ask what a TE means? Huh, was that for me? YES! You have got to be kidding me, we questioned the rules. Off to the office we went. My eventer told a brief description of what had happened. The official lady with the killer smile retracted those letters "no problem, we will change that" BUT added sixty points instead. We'll take it, since all she really really wanted then, was to jump in the stadium round.
     CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS:  Nora Battig held it togeher with Borneo Royale. Buck Davidson put his foot down with Case Closed II. Lexi Scovil was heard with Laugh Out Loud. Andrea Leatherman gained blue with Mystic My. Michael Pollard never waivered from first showing Schoensgreen Hanni. Wonderful "Webster" made Susan Gray's Day. Corinthian Spirit lifted Alexander O'Neal. Karen O'Connor beamed with Amber Eyes. Nicole Doolittle climbed to the top with Utopia III. The "Power of Intention" gave Kennedy Z. Cross the win. Lauren Kieffer kicked it with Phoebe. Leslie Law went all the way with Tout de Suite. Right on for Heather Jans and Rickoshea. And last but not least was Amanda Wilson, who won with a Two Carrot Diamond. :)