This blog will chronicle the life and training of Heavymetal Thunder (aka Saxon), a 2009 chestnut Standardbred gelding who didn't have the makings of a racehorse and so will be retrained as a show and pleasure horse. Stay tuned, as we're sure to have lots of great adventures together!

Friday, November 16, 2012

No Autographs, Please

I've been a bad blogger.  I know it's been months since my last post, and there are details and stories swimming around in my head that I've been meaning to put to paper (or keyboard) before they fade from my mind.  Life never seems to slow down enough to allow me to serve my blog justice, so the headlines will have to suffice for now. 

So much has happened with me and my horses since my last post. 

Legs was treated and recovered from her mid-summer mystery lameness (fetlock cartilage trauma).


I got to do a photo shoot for Horse Illustrated and brag about my wonderful Standardbreds!  (It's very gratifying when your horses prove you right - your old veteran goes though all her paces like clockwork, and your 3 year-old doesn't bat an eyelash at the cars whizzing by on the road!)


Legs got her image on a T shirt along with some of my great Standardbred friends - she's the western horse (it's available via the US Trotting web store).


 Though I am a little worse for the wear from it, Saxon concluded a healthy, happy, and very successful rookie year. 

He won his first championship (3 of them, as a matter of fact).

He made his western pleasure debut (he loved it) and we continued to show western several more times, placing well in every class he went in.


He went to his first hunter show (rocking the walk-trot poles division).  (No pic from the show, but I like this shot as a stand in)


He did his first 2 day out of state show and even survived the humiliation of wearing green spandex in front of strangers. 


He donned a shower curtain and a cardboard hat and added "costume class" to his repertoire of horse show skills. 


He learned collection, lateral work and how to put them to good use. 

 

He discovered that he has the trust, cleverness, patience, and coordination (most of the time!) for negotiating trail obstacles.

He overcame his fear of Friesians and of a certain spooky white fishbowl arena.  He did his first real canter class (Hunter Under Saddle WTC) and nailed both leads.  He helped me add to my own personal "character" haplessly inflicting a couple injuries that I'm not likely to soon forget.  We made many new friends and met a fan of our blog (We have fans - who knew!?). 

We went from a green, unsure horse and rider to a true cohesive team.


And he's growing up into quite the handsome and well-mannered young man in the process. 
October 2012:  


December 2011:


And a certain redheaded Standardbred and his owner were featured on the Facebook cover page for a major national horse publication! 


You know, same old same old...

I wonder what he's going to accomplish at age 4?