moving up

i am so excited. you know that feeling you get in your tummy when something awesome is right around the corner, and you just feel like a boss? i have that. and now i'll tell you why, it's because my lesson at Mill Creek is in 24 hours; and it will be my first with them since i think November! 
i adore that stable. they have like 6 arenas, perhaps more..and it's especially geared toward eventers. lot of hunter/jumper and showjumping there. but Mette Rosencranz trains there, an international dressage superstar from Sweden, who is also looking at the next Olympic games. i believe she's in FL for the show season there at this time, but she did tell me she'd be happy to offer guidance to me at any time she was in the area. that'd be huge! she's incredibly accomplished! 
so my lesson tomorrow is very much looked forward to; i'm whooped today after last night's lesson, but that's only because i'd been away for a week. i gotta get back my consistency! it's looking like my 2013 schedule will be something like this:
Monday: volunteer (ride/train/groom/lunge etc) Ride On
Tuesday: cardio/abs/legs, and my play (for the next few months)
Wednesday: volunteer and lesson at Ride On with Megan McQuenny
Thursday: cardio/abs/legs, rest
Friday: lesson at Mill Creek
Saturday: lesson and volunteer at Ride On
Sunday: lesson at Mill Creek (if i can!) 
this is just my training schedule; i'll still be auditioning and working between. it's so good being busy! tiring, but Athletes are made not by sitting idle! 

Kerrits

spurs, as it turns out, are small miracles. i took a trip to L.A. Saddlery to check out their selection. it's so dangerous for me to go in there..i could easily spend $5,000 without even blinking. The girl that works there knows me well, and knows my situation, so she was the perfect aid in my quest for a pair of spurs. there were many types/sizes/shapes; but the obstacle here was that i can't control my left ankle, so we needed something very "soft" so if my leg bumped the horse accidentally or repeatedly it wouldn't irritate them. but i needed something with a bit of length since i can't turn my toes out, so that simply moving my left leg back the horse would feel it and respond! i made it very clear that i do not agree with the spiked spurs, or sharp blade-like ones. so i ended up with a pair of blunt, medium spurs, and let me tell you; those babies take my performance up a notch! no more blowing off my leg. LUSCO, that means you!!

my swanky spurs!

obviously, i rode the charming Lusco tonight. Megan taught this one, and it's the first time i've seen her in many weeks. between wind, funeral, and work, my wednesday lessons have been slightly less than consistent. Megan wanted to know right away when i had last ridden; luckily it was just the saturday before last, so not like i've had months away. we warmed up by doing lots of bending, the usual stuff to establish a nice contact and suppleness. Lusco had quite a lot more gumption than he generally does (he's the sort to "run out of gas," once he feels like the lesson has gone long enough). tonight, he was very forward, and moved impressively in response to my left AND right legs. success! he gives me a fight going to the left; makes it nearly impossible for me to put him on the bit in that direction because it's not only my weak side, but his stiff side. megan really took it out of me tonight, and wouldn't let me rest til Lusco gave to my left leg, and outside rein..which meant we trotted for 20min+ and did several canter circles before we had a break. now that would be no problem, but add the fact that my entire arm is seizing up from exhaustion from working the bit forward and back. my wrist got charlie horses!! needless to say i am whooped now! i must have looked a sight, i know my face was screwed up in concentration and my tongue was out half the lesson. real attractive. but in the end we got it. a little. and happy days, Lusco didn't even think about quitting! those spurs were just the right thing. Megan said the first 2013 show is in 2 months, and likely i will be riding mr Lusco. if all goes well, i will debut this year at training level. but there's still quite a lot of work to do. i guess it's a good thing i got back on the roster at Mill Creek!! woohoo, i called them today and explained my absence and they put me in for friday. can't wait! #backinthesaddle

when you're going through hell, keep going!

hey everyone, 

i apologize for my absence. i spent the last week in upstate New York with my family preparing and holding the funeral for my beloved Granny Kitty, who passed away on January 20th. i would like today's post to honor her life, as she was one of the most amazing ladies i've ever known. 

My granny believed in me and all her family, and was always encouraging and sharing in our dreams. i felt i could tell her anything without worry of judgment or disdain. she lifted you up when you were down, cracked jokes, made outrageous things up, and would have given you the clothes off her back. unfailingly generous, my granny never hesitated to offer what was hers. i found i could talk to her for hours; she was a fountain of knowledge and interesting things. it's largely because of my granny that i am on the path i'm on today (acting, at least). and i couldn't be more grateful that at the time she passed, she knew i was just beginning to have success in the entertainment industry. i will continue now to work harder than ever and achieve all my goals; and i promise i will honor Granny Kitty when i win my first Oscar! 

i wish that she would be able to see me compete in Rio; because she was never doubtful that i would make it to the paralympics. i know that she will be watching and rejoicing with me, though, and with all the rest of the family through our successes. i am so very grateful for having had 25 years (too short) with granny, and i know i will be seeing her again. 

granny was a flower fanatic!

having said that, tomorrow i will be back in the saddle once more, and i've got to grab some spurs beforehand! hopefully i'll be able to get back in the groove and make some great progress. much love! 

Reality

i have quite a hard time not becoming frustrated by obstacles i encounter during lessons.
today, the obstacle was a behind the leg, above the bit, downright LAZY pony. lack of impulse in a horse is probably my least favorite thing to deal with. My trainers won't let me use a crop, and because of the weakness in my left leg it's immensely difficult to ask for more forwardness. my left leg probably has roughly half the strength of my right. i do what i can to build strength in the gym, but the paralysis is just enough to keep it from building much muscle! 
today i rode Lusco, a gentle little Andalusian. he's adorable, gray (by gray i mean white) with big warmblood ears that are too big for his head and sweet big doe eyes. he's only about 14.3hh, apparently he was "too small" for an Andalusion, which is how he came to Ride On. he's an absolute gem manners-wise, and quite well trained, but that boy is LAZY! it's one thing if it's a night lesson and all the horses are feeling their oats, but during the day in 80degree weather, poor little Lusco just runs out of gas. he was practically trotting in place today. when we got to cantering, Bri told me to gallop for all she cared so long as i got him forward. well, i tried. as it were, he's a very comfy ride; like a little easy chair, but let me assure you, there was no galloping! 
during the warmup, Bri made us try lengthening strides. the thing here is to ask your horse to stretch his strides longer without changing the tempo of the gait. well, Lusco decided he'd rather not do that either; but he did start to lengthen once some poles were incorporated. all in all, today was tough; but Bri asked me to get some spurs so that's bound to help with the slowpokes. couple this with the fact that the past few lessons have been canceled due to wind, and i am flat beat. i came home and literally fell asleep for the next 4hours! i gotta get my fitness back up.

in honor of my Granny Kitty 

in closing, i'd like to ask everyone to please keep my beloved grandmother, Granny Kitty, in your thoughts and prayers. she is in hospital fighting pneumonia right now, and much of my family are there with her on the east coast. i'm out here in CA and miss her dearly, and wish i could be with them!! please send her good thoughts. i appreciate it! 

laughs

as we all know, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. thus, it can be determined that all work and no play makes elle a dull GIRL. we wouldn't want this, so i decided to add a little (lot) of laughter to today's post. 
a few years ago i discovered the brilliance of the BBC channel's talking animals; a.k.a, "walk on the wild side." i've most likely seen every episode, and laugh til my tummy hurts every time. i thought i'd spread the smiles here. 
This is undoubtedly my favorite clip; especially the owls. bring your tissues to mop up the laughy tears! enjoy. 

i'm off to an audition; i'll check in with horsey type things later! xx

riding lessons

Since my wednesday lesson was canceled last night (blast the wind!) i thought i'd take this opportunity to discuss the enigma that is the Sitting Trot. 

contemplate, if you will, sitting on a trampoline and being told not to allow your bum to leave the surface whilst your friend incessantly jumped right next to you. what would you do? laugh of course. you'd tell them it was impossible. 
this is, essentially, the trick one must master in order to "sit the trot." now, some horses have a more horizontal movement at the trot, and it feels rather like sitting on a gently bouncing sofa. most in the upper levels however, resemble a bounce house with the amount of suspension and vertical movement they have. Ruby is one of those horses. she is by NO means an upper level horse, but this mare is the bounciest thing i've ever attempted to sit! in canter transitions, i dread the moment i'm requested to sit and ask for the upward transition; not only because of her horrendous trot, but because she's quite lazy, and tends to rush around like a mad thing at a super-sonic trot rather than transit into the canter. (why she believes this will save her energy, i do not know; it certainly doesn't save her back!) so then i end up with my backside a solid six inches off her back, arms and knees flapping (exaggeration-i hope!) while ruby rushes around like a chicken with her head chopped off, and we both become flustered and disorganized. Then i am forced to haul her back to a near walk, and begin again. 
disregarding Ruby, the sitting trot tends to be a  hurdle for many riders. indeed, i've been riding nearly 21 years, and i've not perfected it. i'm told its kind of like rubbing your belly and patting your head. kind of a mind-trip that you must grasp logically before you can apply it. Megan always says, move your hips forward and back, not up and down. (well that's nice, the trot IS an up/down motion; did you forget?!) my mother says alternately lift and lower each hip with the horse's hips.

independently swinging hips

 (but her hips are behind me, i can't see what they're doing!) all in all, it's a sensation that must be learned with years (more than 20, obviously) of practice. Practice at your own risk, i say, and possibly invest in some padded underwear! bruises not included. 

gentle giants

I can't decide if its harder to halter a horse using one hand, or pick its feet. 
God, you have no idea! yesterday i headed out to the barn to start volunteer tasks. upon arrival, Bri told me first to go get Fanci and bring her in from her turnout time in the little arena. i ignored the little voice in my head that said "but you only have one hand, it's a HALTER, how the heck is THAT going to work?!" and went out to catch Fanci. now, this little bay mare could possibly be the tiniest pony ever; ancient and sweet. she watched me approach with the halter, and stood very still while i struggled to keep the noseband open at the sa,e time as pulling both sides up her face...if you've ever haltered a horse with BOTH hands, you know that its definitely a 2 handed deal. i had got the nose piece around her muzzle but then there was the question of swinging the unbuckled part around behind her ears and essentially buckilng the latch on the left side of her face. WTF?! Fanci complied by keeping her head in precisely the right position and, using my [considerable] height over her as leverage, i bolstered the left part against my chest and somehow managed to catch both buckle halves in my right hand, and got it latched. 

clearly using both hands

using the left to hold

i can never fully comprehend the big heartedness of horses.after grooming Fanci, there were 6 or so more i needed to do. next i went to Blaze, the oldest guy in the stable. a 12hh (give or take) Arab gelding who's partially blind in one eye. he also showed vast patience with the halter, and i got him groomed and put him back. Next came Mirage, also old, but notoriously more of a spunky guy, and slightly bigger than the first ponies. now Mirage kind of melted my heart, as when i moved to put the halter on i was getting rather frustrated because i kept dropping it. the problem was his head was much higher than the last 2, and the angle i had to reach up to him at granted me no leverage. Mirage literally bowed his head into the nose piece and SHIMMIED his lip to scooch it up his face. i almost cried. then he bobbed his head and helped me get it into position, and i proceeded to catch the ear band in my teeth (gross i know) and pulled it together and buckled it. 
now lets discuss the art of hoof picking. under normal circumstances, one will pick up the hoof with one hand, cup it in that hand and pick the dirt out with the other. it can be somewhat nerve racking as you are in rather a compromised position underneath a horse. now take away one hand, and just take a minute to think about that. i found on the right side of a horse, i could sort of grab the hoof and prop it on my knees, and as long as the horse was a kind sole, i'd just get it done as best i could. the problem came with the back feet. Mirage is somewhat arthritic in his hocks, so it's difficult for him to pick up his hind in the best cases. needless to say he kept stomping back down and i had a tough time with it, but finally got his feet done. i repeated the whole process from halter to hooves with Pippin next, but the real test came with mr. Cruz.
Cruz is rather a giant. well over 16 hands, probably close to 16.3, an ex showjumper, a big bodied warmblood. he was a true gentleman as i tried to get the halter on his massive head; however he wears a cribbing collar which meant there was almost no extra room to do up the halter over it. yea, that one took awhile. the sweetheart kept his head low and steady the entire time though! i took him into the big x-ties, and contemplated the matter of his plate sized feet. all went well, except that by that point my shot knees were desperately throbbing. i used the weight of Cruz's huge feet to counter my balance as i crouched. the back was rather more problematic. he hiked his leg way high up, and as i wedged it against my knees, he proceeded to LEAN on me. now its one thing if it's a 13hh pony using your quad as a footrest, they're so tiny you hardly notice. but we're talking 1300lbs of horseflesh in Cruz, so when he bore his weight down on my knee i had nowhere to end up but on my butt in the dirt! he was certainly surprised as he saw me down on the ground, but i picked myself up, tried again and eventually got the job done. 

make no mistake, horses truly understand more than most people give them credit for. never underestimate the generosity of our 4 legged friends!

happy

I. Am. So. Sore. 
everywhere!! gosh i missed that. the tightness and pulling sensation up your quads, back of the calfs, walking bowlegged, lower back, bicep; all of it! it's a tangible reminder that you just had about the best workout EVER. also, being out of the saddle for roughly three weeks greatly amplifies the amount of soreness. i feel it through my shoulder, hips and bum too! best feeling on earth to me. i know, weird!

above the bit

the lesson on Saturday morning was a tough one. as i got out the grooming kit and started to curry, i could tell straight away that Ruby was cranky. typical mare. we had been getting along so well before i left! i went lightly though; spoke to her, and she didn't try to kick me. Bri informed me that Ruby hadn't been ridden in a "working" fashion in the time that i was away. needless to say i didn't expect much! Ruby is a toughie at the best of times! we warmed up, and every time i tried to get her on the bit, the charming girl would slow to a near walk rather than get in a frame. she was so stiff, especially to the left. anyway, she was very fussy with her head as usual, slobbering like a warmblood! and refusing point blank to accept contact. bri made me really get after her every time she blew me off; which mostly just made ME work up a sweat while Ruby just plodded around. the wench! (Ruby, not bri). finally we started schooling over cavalettis. there were five, and the first and last were raised. in theory, this will make the horse take a bigger more energized step, engage the hocks and have more impulsion. on ruby i was positive she was going to fall on her face. approaching it the first time i was apprehensive, because she was ignoring contact and her brain was elsewhere. 

behind the bit

needless to say, she kicked every single pole! we improved though; finally completing the drill without touching a single one, and without her jerking the reins out of my hand. 
when we moved to canter work, i truly had my task cut out for me. we started to the left, since my outside aid that way (right leg)is stronger. let me just say, ruby has the BOUNCIEST trot on this earth. impossible to sit. she also ignores driving aids, so she tends to get disorganized real fast in canter departs from the trot. once i finally got the transition though, i was finally able to really get a her into a true frame. she lowered her head, her back came up and i had a real horse under me. Bri said it was a perfectly acceptable training level frame. :) the right lead was a better transition (megan explained my natural tendency since my left leg is weaker, is to drive with my left seat bone more, which is easier for a horse to respond to) but she also likes to pretend she's a freight train to the right, so even though she was round, she wore me out! we were both huffing and puffing by the end of the lesson. i can't wait til the next one!

just right!

SUCCESS!!

my car has officially been busted out!!!! i've got my whip back! YESSS. you know what this means, yes? i can RIDE RIDE RIDE again!!!!
my awesome trainers, Megan and Bri, have been so understanding throughout this whole mess; and say they've missed me at the stable. i am desperate to swing my leg up over a horse again, be it Ruby, Lusco, even Pippin! I will climb the 2-step mounting block, place my left toe in the iron and haul myself over. ever notice how hard it is to mount in dressage saddles? the stirrups are practically dragging the ground! i always feel like i look silly cuz my legs are so short and i have to work so hard to get up. but it's the price we pay! plus my show breeches (Pikeur, the best!) do wonders at making my legs look miles long. i can't wait to show; i'll be moving up to first level shortly (i think!) obviously i'm still far away from being talented enough to compete in the paralympics; but we're crossing one level at a time. 
also, i must get back in contact with Mill Creek. when i spoke with Hope Hand, she was very clear in telling me it's completely in my best interest to continue to train with them, as it gives me access to Mette Rosencrantz; a fellow olympic hopeful and all around superstar equestrian. Hope wishes for Mette to aid me in finding a schoolmaster. (a schoolmaster is a seasoned horse who may be slightly older, but been-there, done-that and able to teach young riders the ropes). 
i also have an audition tomorrow, but there was no way i was going to miss ANOTHER lesson, so i will either be doing the audish later, or getting up at 6am to ride in the morning! 

ahhhhh the life of an equestrian/actress! wouldn't have it any other way; and nothing but horses could have me willingly out of bed at that time! ok people, wish me luck! i'll post about my first ride of the year tomorrow! xoxo

I woke up today stoked that i'd be having my first lesson in 3 weeks, only to come down immediately after remembering i do not, as of yet, have a car. how frustrating!! i desperately need to get back in the saddle. i am praying a friend takes pity on me and will drive me the 40+/- miles to the stable. we shall see. 
if i do go, i'm in for a whole lot of soreness tomorrow. you know that feeling when you haven't ridden in weeks and you jump on all gungho like you haven't been away at all, and the next day you can hardly walk? it'll be like that. bow-legged, stiff back and arms, tight abs, etc. i live for that burn though!

and, if i don't end up able to go tonight, i'll go to play rehearsal..opening night was supposed to happen this week, but due to Xmas hols our director pushed it back. thank god! i love rehearsal; and i'm NEARLY all memorized (i'm a PRINCESS!) but i missed 2 weeks over Christmas so the extra practice time is very welcome! however, if i had my way, i'd go to the stable!! 

Riding in cars

Or Lack thereof...more accurately, riding in OTHERS' cars. The fact that mine is currently residing in the impound in sunny Santa Monica is a considerable nuisance. It means that i am virtually stuck in the apartment, and at the mercy of my friends. the worst part is how mad it made my mother, and rightfully so! it's nothing but blatant lack of brainpower that put me in this situation, and there was no way to fix it unless my mom bailed me out. again. i will be "working" for her to pay it all back over the next year. God help me that i'll strike it big this year and a mere couple thousand will be nothing but pocket change!
on the upside, yesterday i spoke with Hope Hand, Executive director of the US ParaEquestrian Association! I explained who i was, and what my goals were. she was very welcoming and excited, and she also knows one of my trainers (Megan) very well. Hope said i'd have to do a qualifying show in NorCal this season, which would put me in line to compete at the WEG (World Equestrian Games) next year. They are being held in Normandie, Fr. darn, i can't believe i'll be forced to travel the world with an incredible horse!! (sarcasm, folks-get used to it!) said incredible horse is as yet, still a dream...but Hope gave me guidance on how to acquire one. I'm champing at the bit!

world Eq games, showjumping portion

It was a very good and informative conversation, not to mention encouraging. Ms. Hand seemed very positive about my next moves, and i was also informed that if i am indeed classified as Grade IV, which is my intent (IV being the "least impaired athletes, and thus the toughest competition) i will be required to compete at Prix St. Georges through Grand Prix level. this is obviously, exactly what i wish to do. God forbid i'd ever want to make life easier on myself. i have a sick obsession with challenges..the harder something is, the more convinced i am to settle for nothing less! My dad actually pokes fun at my hard-headedness, saying that once my mind is set on something i desire, NOTHING will deter me from obtaining it. le DUH!

She's back!

I arrived at my apartment last night (this morning) at 2am..talk about an exhausting day! I was quite cautious as i approached my door, fully expecting one hellacious demonized feline to hiss, spit and otherwise vocalize her disgust in my absence..i'd been told both by roommate, and my friend who looked in on her for the past two weeks that she'd turned into a satanic menace. Tigerlily is, on a good day, what you may call strange. she is quite certain she's a ninja, and gets "the zoomies" every morning and night at her set time. My friend Joey (who may have exaggerated, as she is already afraid of cats) described a howling banshee of a cat, lurking in corners and hurling herself at the intruder with teeth and claws bared. I was pretty anxious about her, as she's never been a hisser, or caused physical harm (that i know of) on other occasions that i've gone out of town. I was fairly certain it was Joey's irrational fear of 4 legged fur-people that made her describe my little sidekick as this crazy thing..though i almost wasn't surprised. However, my roommate backed up what joey had said, and told me tigerlily hissed and threatened HER as well. now i was seriously worried. TL knows my roomie, and had never been aggresive like that toward them. needless to say, i was sure that i'd scarred her for life, and she'd be this awful monster who hated me as soon as i came home. 
turns out, i opened the door and the furry fiend launched at me, but with happiness and love! poor little bugger was just about crawling out of her stripes with neglect. she was all cuddles and kisses, no spitting she-devil here. i basically melted. she apparently was just "holding down the fort" for me, and telling anyone who WASN'T myself that they better scram! rude, absolutely, but i couldn't help feeling just a little bit proud that she certainly is, a mama's girl through and through. 
on a slightly less happy note, my car now belongs to the state, until i can scrounge up a few thousand dollars (i.e never??) as it had been confiscated whilst i was on the east coast :( this is a point of deepest annoyance, mostly as it cost me my riding lesson today. LAME. who knows what i'm going to do on that front, seeing as riding is the number one reason i wished to be back in L.A. so bad in the first place!

no longer a tiny kitten, but still so cute and playful!

lastly, can someone kindly tell the weather to WARM UP?! i moved to SoCal for a reason..to be AWAY from the intense cold of northern maine. i'm still officially an icecube! i fully INSIST that it get back to 75 or higher, the normal LA winter. WHAT'S GOIN ON HERE?! hellooooo, it's called global WARMING, not global FREEZING?! jeez. 

california love

Well kids, today I'm shipping out to LALA land again! It's a bittersweet day; I am always so excited to get back to the gold coast, but I miss my family! i've only just packed this very morning-i'm the world's best procrastinator-and mom will be driving me to Portland in about an hour to see me off. then i'll hunker down for an 8hour plane ride (could be slightly exaggerating) and a godawful long layover SOMEWHERE, before finally touching down at midnight in Los Angeles. yes, don't i sound so excited?! blahhhhh long plane days are so pointless. i cant think of another way to describe them! i mean c'mon, it's 2013 why is teleportation not an option yet? clearly we've all got more important things to do than sit on a plane for half a day...c'est la vie! point is, i've got mixed feelings about leaving. but that's adulthood for you; one can't simply slack off and waste away at home..gotta get "back to it!" and i have dearly missed the ponies. 
on that note, i contacted Kevin McGinn today regarding further training and/or show info. He's a very talented show jumper, with many years of teaching. i took several lessons with him a couple years ago, and he has wonderful school horses and is a no-nonsense type trainer. obviously knows his stuff; and has years and years of show experience. all-round great contact to have in the horseworld. I can't wait to see what he says! plus, he's moved to the LA Equestrian Center in Burbank, which is a good 40 min closer than my other 2 barns...it'll make the drive much more bearable. 
this year is going to require major step-by-step planning..not one of my fortes; but i truly do need a guide on what to do to get to the place i need to be in order to join the US team within 3.5 years. One of those steps is going to be trying to get in touch with USPEA team coach, Missy Ransehousen. But, more on that later. when i come up with a solid gameplan, you guys will be the first (well no, more like 4th) to know! for now, peace out New England, it's been real..time to head out west! xox

New Year, New Ambitions

The time i've spent away from L.A. has been refreshing. It's nice to get away and ultimately remind yourself of the reasons you've moved there. I love my family so much; but the town i grew up in (although beautiful) is too small and too slow for me.
I am so excited for the 2013 show season. This year will be a big indicator of whether i'll be able to get to the paralympic games in 3 more years. I spoke with one of my trainers a few weeks ago, and told her i want to compete through at least 2nd Level this season. She agreed that was both a good goal, and reachable. The mare i am to show on will probably not be much good for anything higher than 2nd level, but i'll cross that bridge when we get there. So, I thought for the sake of the New Year and being inspirational, i would list some new year's goals. i'd love encouragement and/or feedback from my readers on what you'd like to see from me this year! let me know if you share some of these goals with me. 

• compete through 2nd level 
• get signed by a reputable agent (commercial/theatrical/model
• be cast in a major feature film or TV show
• ORGANIZE MY HOUSE/LIFE/ROOM etc
• lose the 10lbs that have creeped up on me from the summer
• get over ex-bf
• get at least one substantial sponsor
• get back in physical therapy
• invisalign to help my tooth aches!
• get back in school

I think these are worthy and mostly attainable goals. what do you guys think? Obviously there are so many others i could list but i don't want to drag on. most of them would be horse related (improve/master my sitting trot, figure out how to get a quality freewalk with a bar rein). But I know one thing for sure, i am prepared to work my tail off in acieving these things! I'm so stoked for this year. 2012 could not end fast enough!!! One more day before i return to LALA land, so I'm going to go have some quality mom/daughter time. check back with you guys tomorrow! x