It’s hard for me to believe that I am writing this, with the first week nearly concluded. I wish time could slow down just a bit so I can savor every waking minute of this fascinating, educational, transformative, and incredible journey.
In A Love Letter From Your Twelve Year Old Self; On Self-Reflection and Making Your Dreams a Reality I spoke about making your 12-year old self proud. I think that self would be in utter disbelief if she knew she’d be training her own off track thoroughbred in Aiken, SC with the perfect upper level trainer to guide her through her entrance into eventing AND the mental aspect of navigating the nerves.
I’ve made long trips before to Otter Creek….but that’s 3.5 hours (Tiger’s Tales: A Camping We Will Go). I’ve gone solo before when I took Nahe to a 2-day Tik clinic about 1.5 hours south of us (Our Whirlwind June). We’ve gone long distance to pick up Stanley 6 hours away (each way) in Maryland (Introducing Stanley). We’ve gone LONG distance but I wasn’t the primary driver to Kentucky (Ammies at AECs…Part 1).
FRIDAY
I got out of work four hours early on Friday in order to hook up my trailer in the light of day and haul it out from the parking spot. It was rain/snowing when I arrived and the snowpack we had over the winter so far made it tricky to get in and out. I first had to jack the trailer up extraordinarily high just to fit the lip of the tailgate under…then as I got into position the back of the truck dipped down (since the gooseneck protected that section from snowfall the heigh difference was extreme). It felt like forever getting everything lined up just right but I did get it done. I had to put my truck in four wheel and it still fishtailed trying to haul out of the space. I reversed a hair and tried again and finally the trailer was rolling. I very carefully drove through a few inches of fresh heavy snow and placed it on a level spot accessible for hooking up in the morning and for loading Stanley.
All the final bags were packed and loaded last minute.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Making a two day trip to South Carolina was the first big challenge. I booked a layover stay at Penmerryl Farm in Greenville, Virginia. The first leg was about 10 hours after all the refueling and pitstops. On Day 1 we really enjoyed our stops at Wawa stations. Stanley unloaded and had a good roll in the round-pen sand. He was a spacious and well bedded stall for overnight while Suzanne and I enjoyed our onsite lodging. In the morning I took Stanley for a half hour walk to loosen up before we loaded back up and departed for our second leg of the trip. In another 8 hours (after fueling and pitstops) we arrived in Aiken, South Carolina! Day 2 we stopped at a few Love’s stations.
Stanley was relieved to be out of the trailer. He was given a nice large paddock and a spacious run-in shed with fantastic soft sand and a buddy in the adjoining paddock.
During our journey south Stanley struggled to eat his meals. The stress was a lot for him but he drank and nibbled his hay and alfalfa. By Monday night Stanley was eating his meals with gusto.
On the ride down we were able to watch most of Stanley’s traveling with our trailer camera….actually a backup camera but it works so nicely. I will write a review on it in the months to come.
Monday
On Monday I wanted to stay off Stanley’s back as he settled in, so we hand walked him down to the shared arenas. The community boasts a dressage court with mirrors, a stadium ring, a working equitation area, and a cross country course….accessible through miles of bridle paths throughout the community. We took the bridle path that led us to the XC course…I walked him over some poles that were laid out on the ground. We visited the working equitation areas where I had him circle barrels. I did the figure 8 around the barrels like Tik Maynard often does in his clinics. I sent Stanley to investigate objects that I had placed a treat on. I backed him in a figure 8 around the barrels. We crossed a bridge. A teeter bridge. I then offered him a bit of lunging and sent him over a log jump. Then a cabin. He even a beginner novice looking rolltop. Stanley was thrilled to be moving his legs and stretching his back out. He added exuberance and a few head shakes to work out some of the stiffness. His neck and body were quite stiff after all that time in the trailer.
Monday night we had dinner with Andrea’s group of students at the Feed Sack. It was a lovely place with horse decor all over the walls. In the middle of everything stood a piano and live music playing. The food was great, and they offered a three course meal for $35. I ordered the sirloin and for the first time I got it cooked the way I ordered it (rare). Most restaurants still overcook my steaks. It made for excellent leftovers, too!
Tuesday
Tuesday morning I had the pleasure of getting to see one of my longest time friends. Ashley is a farrier who recently made the move to Aiken. I’ve known her for decades since we were playing on the teeter totter before school and exploring an abandoned horse barn near our house. I asked her to give Stanley some shiny new shoes for our stay. You might remember when I interviewed and rode along with her years ago (Interview With a Farrier, A Farrier’s Assistant).
In the afternoon we had a very productive dressage lesson with Andrea. He began distracted and tense. With her coaching we worked on bending his body and helping him limber up considerably. She really had me work to get him in front of my leg and responsive so I don’t need to chase him forward. She also called me out on the many ways he tricks me into giving him too much and to start holding him accountable for himself. Shorten my reins, ask him to shorten his neck and ride through the hind end to the front instead of me straightening my arms. I joke that my arms are short like T-rex arms so I have very little margin for error there. I move two inches and they appear straight. Stanley rose to the occasion and definitely proved to me that I am too easy on him when left to my own devices.
After the lesson we went to the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Museum at the Hopelands Gardens. The volunteer inside was lovely and excited to share the history of the property with us. We explored inside on our own. They featured hall of fame horses. Award winning jockeys and trainers. There was a kids section. It was a lovely little museum and we were glad to go. Outside we walked the fabulous garden where we could enjoy the water fountains and some flowers already in bloom. I spotted a fat Koi in the pond. We took our time to take in the sights and outdoor air as we sat in the swings…sat on the benches overlooking the pond. We walked the labyrinth…a pattern of colored bricks winding eventually to the center.
Hopelands Gardens (City of Aiken)
Following our afternoon adventure we joined Crystal and attended a social at downtown’s Park Avenue. It was so cool to walk into a bar and see show jumping on the television screen instead of baseball, basketball, hockey, football and NASCAR (nothing against them but it’s RARE to see equestrian sports on air). After a cocktail we went to get pizza at the Mellow Mushroom next door.
Wednesday
I am super incredibly lucky to have a best friend who took the time to drive down with me. Suzanne was my thunder buddy as I made the drive down here. Driving this far with a loaded horse trailer is daunting at the very least but it really wasn’t all that bad especially having someone riding shotgun. She made me lunch salads and took photos and video of our sessions with Stanley. Sadly, she she had to return home to run her farm. Wednesday morning we got up early and drove her to the airport.
From here on out I’m on my own. But not really. I surprisingly know quite a lot of people down here and through my friends here I’m meeting even more!
Wednesday afternoon we were scheduled to ride with Andrea’s group on the cross country course at Dara Knot Farm. We were scheduled for 4pm since the venue ran a show earlier in the day. On my own I hooked up the trailer and loaded Stanley. I have only ever schooled cross country at one location (not counting my field rides at home) and that was last summer at Hitching Post’s adult camp (Horse Camp: Unlike Trix, It’s Not Just For Kids).
Driving to Dara Knot my heart was in my throat. My eyes were ready to start watering at any given moment. My hands were sweaty and slightly shaky. I was so nervous. I tried to practice the positive self talk that Andrea teaches in her clinics. I reassured my lizard brain without trying to trick it. I said out loud to myself what my fears were and confirmed that I do not need to do anything if I felt uncomfortable doing it.
When I arrived I unloaded Stanley and he didn’t help. He was calm for the first 5 minutes but as time went by and he was tacked up he began to swivel his hips all over the place…beginning to ramp up. Typically he does this at the trailer it’s always gotten progressively worse and no amount of letting him self soothe has helped; just getting him going seems to help. When he gets worked up like that it’s hard for me to be calm, too.
Suzanne had an amazing hound dog for 15 years named Jade. Last year we said goodbye to her as old age took her away. Jade loved chasing tennis balls. She’d run and play all day long if you’d throw it. She would even place the ball at your feet…nose it to you…or put the ball somewhere you can’t ignore like the wheelbarrow or your shoes. Out of nowhere a white dog visited my trailer while I was trying to calm nerves. The dog had the run of the whole facility but cam to me. It carried an old tennis ball and placed it on the doorway to my changing room. I reached for it and the dog looked eagerly…ready for me to throw it. It returned and dropped the ball in front of me, then nosed it forward to my feet. This dog is Jade visiting me, to remind me to take a breathe and enjoy myself. To help me calm down, smile, and live in the moment.
It worked.
With Stanley ramping up (he wasn’t bad yet but I didn’t want to wait until it got bad) I had to pause my games with this sweet dog and put his bridle on. We made our way over to the group; Andrea, Kate, Liv, and Juliana were just about ready with their horses. We mounted and the five of us rode out to the cross country course together.
In preparation for the trip I impulsively purchased a Black Friday deal on an Insta360 Go camera. I had it charged and decided today was the day to try it out. I got some great POV footage but user error led to me draining the battery before we got to the banks and water complex. I’ll get it right next time!
I was super lucky to have made new friends in Andrea’s group. One group member was joining us on the ground and she took video of everyone and shared it was me later that day. I cannot be more thankful to have this footage. Proof that I did the things and we did them well….and didn’t actually cry! I was incredibly pleased with Stanley’s demeanor and his manners. He didn’t mind riding with a group and behaved well even when we left the group to take a jump. He struggled to focus at times but if I stayed clear and committed he came right back to me. He was too fidgety to stand still so we walked a lot, but he did it calmly.
We schooled in the field to warm up. We hopped a log. We went both up AND down a bank. Coming up to the water he had moments of hesitation but he never backed up. Once he was in we were able to smoothly go in and out of the complex at a walk and trot. He began to enjoy it.
One thing I especially loved was Andrea’s focus on the small things that can really make or break it out on cross country. The things that can save you from a fall or an injury. Things that are essential but not always formally taught or taught with such clarity (in my past experience from years ago). The very first thing we did out in the field was discuss going downhill and our body position. She watched us all descend a hill to make sure we looked solid and secure. After warming up a bit over a flatter surface we all took turns halting from a canter towards home. Making sure the halt is installed and the horse is listening. Having the focus on these key elements of our ride makes a huge difference in my own confidence; I feel more secure and comfortable knowing my body is doing what it’s supposed to be doing and my horse is listening.
After the water complex we went to find a faux ditch. My form over this still needs improvement but Stanley could have cared less.
The lesson was a massive success and lasted over 90 minutes. The sun was beginning to set so I cooled him out, untacked, and wasted to time trying to load him back into the trailer to get home. At home I took more time to curry him off and apply liniment. He took a well deserved roll and chilled out for an hour before dinnertime.
Thursday
The plan for Thursday morning was to ride before the rain came. When I fed breakfast the rain appeared to already have arrived. Sprinkles were falling so I hurried to close the windows and get what I needed done outside. The weather and radar called for thunderstorms.
A friend from NY came for a visit after riding his horse down the road; we chatted for a little while and caught up.
By 3pm the true RAIN still hadn’t come. No more thunderstorms in the forecast. Crystal and I tacked up and took our boys on an easy going trail ride on the bridlepaths around the community. Stanley is a hustler when he walks but eventually chilled out, and eagerly found snacks along the trail.
That evening we had dinner with my new friends (Andrea’s students) at Whiskey Alley. They had a nice covered outdoor patio.
Friday
Friday morning began rainy. It was a warm rain, so Stanley was naked and DIRTY! I bet he felt good though. He has been so happy to see me anytime I visit he’s starting to nicker whenever I enter his paddock. If he’s at the other end of the field he’ll trot or canter to me.
I fed Stanley and left the house to attend the Showcase of Eventing being held at Bruce’s Field. The rain stopped as soon as I pulled into the parking lot, but I was very glad to have my Dryshod boots on hand! The showcase is a smaller format event where some of the top riders in the world show off and compete for $100,000. I will detail this event in post of its own.
After the stadium jumping wrapped up I ran back home to pick up Crystal and we went out to dinner with another one of her friends. This time we visited the Neon Fig. It was a lovely restaurant with good food and a very nice ambience. The staff was very attentive.
Stay tuned as I try to keep you updated as quickly as I can. I am just wrapping this article up within the hour it gets published. Next Saturday I will fill you in on the showcase and the following weekend I’ll recap the second half of my travels here in Aiken.
Have you been to Aiken? What’s your favorite thing to do here? Drop your memories in the comments!
The Green Horseman 
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