Keeneland races

Sister and I got up at 5:30 to get to watch Bear at 7Am. Then to the farm feeding, and home to pick up other sister and husband and then to Keeneland! We had a great day today getting our table at the Equestrian room for six, had lunch with another couple of friends, and my two dear sisters. NC sis made $40. on one race, ended up breaking even. I had a day of picking horses that finished one place down from where they should have. Lots of seconds for win tickets, and thirds for place tickets and fourth for show tickets. It sure was exciting, but no financial rewards for me! Here's a portion of a painting sold to a client in New Zealand.

Keeneland

Sister in from NC today for a wedding on Saturday, we are going to Keeneland with a group of friends tomorrow. Hope for a mild day seems justified,may get up in the mid 60's. I've got a small painting that reminds me of mornings when the horses worked out.

Grand Tetons, small painting!

Painting has been on the back burner this spring, got to get back into it soon! Showing a little landscape I worked on recently...5x7 miniature of a mountain in the Tetons range.
Julie Levandoski, Bear's trainer, reports this morning that Bear was fantastic today. She also saw the clinic this weekend, and was encouraged to go on with his training to a new level. (A whole 'nother level!) Ha! She really believes he will do Grand Prix. I can see it.

Riding Clinic

Today I was privileged to watch a portion of a dressage clinic by Eugene Abello, at Meadow Lake Equestrian Center in Garrard County. He is a gifted coach, (he says the horses are the real teachers). But I disagree, this is one of the most gifted teachers I have ever had the good fortune to see. I learned more in 50 minutes than I have learned in days of other clinics. Everything he taught to the rider, he would turn to us in the chairs and explain and expound on. It starts to make some sense to me, a total neophite in dressage. I think I'll go back tomorrow, it's a real opportunity to learn from such a gifted teacher. He kindly looked at a video of Bear and said he has a super suspension in his trot, and of the canter...AAAh the beautiful canter! The canter has to be developed...He says he really prefers the Thoroughbred canter to any warmblood. He also told me that it is about time to work him at the sitting trot. Man, it's a hard gait to ride on him, he just launches you out of the saddle.

Free Play

Taking photos of your horse is always fun, but we had a blast on Wednesday, turning Bear loose to play in the covered arena before his training session. He had too much fun energy, not getting turned out that morning before hand, so we gave him free time and we got to enjoy the antics.
Here's the most fun photo.

Under the Beeches

Ok, So I am having a hard time doing this every day, but I'm back. Bud went to the farm to feed to allow me to work on books, it was a gorgeous day, and he went fishing with a couple of buddies. Rain is predicted for tomorrow, so a day of trimming horses hooves holds a lot of muddy feet in store.
MeadowLake tack shop took a few small framed canvas giclee's to sell. Gotta be creative in sales in this environment! This is a painting I sold to Brown-Forman Corp. called Under the Beeches.

Equine Affaire 09

Just back from Equine Affaire in Columbus, I am full of knowledge I'll probably never use! A bunch of friends usually go up every year, this year we were down to just two of us .We missed the others but had a great time anyway. I saw three program/clinics by Steffen Peters, an awesome rider and trainer/teacher. He was kind enough to look at a video of my colt, and said he was very, very nice. He was also surprised that he is a thoroughbred, and said it is very rare to see this kind of movement in a thoroughbred. I'm feelin' good.