June/July 2013 BACK TO WORK cont’d from page 57 treatment once.
Prior to leaving for Idaho, I went to a du-
and how no stone was left unturned in
al-judged Region 4 and 5 show to tune up
Khajun’s conditioning and joint comfort
and confirm my horse had enough stamina
program. I believed that after all these
Throughout Khajun’s regimen, I felt
to compete in multiple classes and cuts. I
years, I was bringing the best version of
like I owed him a couple of concessions.
was excited because one of the dressage
Khajun to Nationals: a horse with the con-
First, since his ‘retirement,’ he had become
judges was also a Nationals judge. There
fidence that comes with age, possessing
an outside horse. He liked it this way, and
I competed in Sport Horse In-Hand, Under
the correct training, and enough fitness to
I allowed him to continue to live outside
Saddle, Dressage Training and First Lev-
get through the week.
in his field throughout the show season.
els, and Hunt Seat Equitation Not to Jump
An Unlikely Champion
Khajun certainly delivered: Reserve
The only time he got stalled
National Champion in Dressage
was when we went to shows
Training Level AAOTR (20 en-
during those six months. In
tries); Top Ten (3rd overall out
hindsight, this was beneficial.
of 22) Dressage Training Level
He didn’t ever get stocked up
ATR; Top Ten (3rd overall out of
in the legs and he maintained
10) Hunt Seat Equitation Not to
good respiratory health that
Jump ATR; Top Ten (17 entries)
he often didn’t have in earlier
Dressage First Level AAOTR; and
years where barn dust aggra-
Top Ten Dressage First Level ATR
vated his breathing giving him
(15 entries).
bouts with heaves. Secondly,
The cross-training condition-
when I initially turned him out
ing program that I used turned
to pasture, I cut off his long
my diamond-in-the-rough into a
tail to his fetlocks and told
shining super star while keeping
him he’d never have to have
him sound and taking the mo-
his tail wrapped again. I kept
notony out of his work by add-
that promise. His beautiful
ing variety. Although it wasn’t
flaxen tail was just as lovely,
my plan to take my old gelding
and looked more legitimately
to the 2012 Arabian Sport Horse
like a sport horse’s tail prob-
Nationals, in the end, it felt like
ably ought to look, which is
it was meant to be. There will be
an important consideration
another opportunity for Annie
since us sport horse exhibi-
and me in 2014, and believe me,
tors show to open judges.
I‘ll be ready.
Come
show
season,
Khajun exceeded my expectations. He had transformed from an old, fat, hairy stiff retiree, to a
and took home 12 firsts, 3 seconds and
sleek, conditioned, muscled and bouncy
a third. Additionally, Khajun and I earned
show horse whose enduring willingness
a 71.61% and a whopping 74.8% in our
so typical of an Arabian inspired me. At the
dressage tests - with the nationals judge!
Region 5 Championships he was Champion
Needless to say, I was believing our cross-
Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle ATR (16
training and hard work were paying off!
entries), Reserve Champion A/HA/AA Dres-
In September, I drove nine and a half
sage First Level ATR (11 entries), Reserve
hours to Nampa, Idaho. My husband and
Champion in Hunt Seat Equitation ATR (7
daughter came along for the ride in our
entries), and earned Top 5’s in A/HA/AA
¾ ton truck and two-horse trailer. As I
Dressage Training Level ATR (3rd overall
parked it alongside the mile-long row of
with 15 entries), and Arabian Sport Horse
semi-trucks and mega trailers, I could have
Under Saddle Open (4th overall out of 17).
easily been beaten mentally before even
If there were any doubts before about his
stepping hoof in the ring. But I thought of
competitiveness, they were gone now!
the last six months, how hard we worked
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