Here's Faxx, just three weeks under saddle,
cantering all over creation and one happy guy.
Rick Urban is starting him and doing a superb job.


August 9, 2008
Yesterday I went to Boerne to visit Faxx and watch Rick work with him. A friend of mine is looking at property in Seguin, just an hour away so we 'multi-tasked" and did both. I have only talked to Rick once since Faxx left - I've had my hands full with other things. I didn't even really ask him what he'd been doing with him. I left him instructions to just treat him like a horse that had never been backed. I trust Rick and his judgment.

Boy was I in for a surprise! Faxx has only been there for 15 "working" days and Rick is already walk/trot/cantering him - not only in the round pen, but all over creation!  Faxx was relaxed and happy - and was completely at home at Rick and Judy's. I just knew he would be. Their place is set up for the horse's happiness in mind, and they are both superb horsepeople, and just good people, period. Rick really likes Faxx, and it's evident that Rick gives Faxx a lot of confidence. Faxx hasn't given him any trouble, and Rick gave him high praise for his work ethic and 'trainability." Woo hoo!  

I took some very bad pics and video - the glare was so bad I could not even see what I was filming in the little screen on either the camera or my video camera. But I'll attach what I've got. In the small video clip I keep moving the camera down because it was spooking Faxx as he came around my side of the round pen each time.

Rick riding Faxx at canter in round pen HERE
Rick riding Faxx at walk around property HERE

July 20, 2008
Well, Faxx is in Boerne by now. I hauled him to Magnolia to a horse show so Rick Urban and Judy Campbell could take him home with them to Boerne. I was so proud of how calm Faxx was. When I got there, I parked at the edge of the big field where everyone warms up and tied Faxx to the trailer with a hay net. Now, Faxx ties just fine at home, but he's never stood tied to a trailer. And here he was in a place he'd never been with all these horses working in the field - but he was just super. Just stood calmly munching his hay and enjoying the view! When I tracked down Rick and Judy, I moved Faxx to an empty stall next to one of their clients' horses, a lovely big pinto warmblood. Faxx felt right at home, since he lives with two pintos.;) The two geldings proceeded to play and play through the slats of the stalls, and when it came time to go, the pinto got on the trailer first, and Faxx was eager to get in right behind his new-found friend!  Rick really liked Faxx, and i think his calm, unflappable nature will be a really good match with Faxx. So Faxx will be in Boerne until the end of Sept. or possibly the end of October. As soon as Rick thinks Faxx won't kill me, I'll start going up on a regular basis to ride him. I know Faxx will progress very quickly with Rick.

July 12, 2008
We are back from the Region 9 Sporthorse Championships in Waco.  I trailered Faxx to my friend Margaret's barn on the north side of Houston, and transferred Faxx and all his 'stuff' to her trailer and then we headed out. I forgot how HOT it is at this show. Theoretically, the competition arena is air conditioned, but I don't think they turned it on this year until the morning of the competition and it was hot EVERYWHERE. I was really glad I was not competing in the under saddle stuff this year. Margaret showed her lovely purebred gelding, Apollo, in the morning and got Top 5 in the Open class! Apollo is the same age as Faxx, and equally laid back. We are lucky to have such easygoing three year olds! Oddly enough, Faxx was more antsy in the show ring than anywhere else. I managed to not go off course during the walk this show but felt he only showed 'so so' during our first go-round. They were very quick in scoring and posting the results this year. I was still walking Faxx around between our two classes and just checked to see if anything was posted and they already had our score - a 79.3. I believe I said "Holy Crap" right out loud. It was the highest score and there were only three more horses to be scored, so I knew at this point we at least had a Top 5. That took some of the pressure off for the next class anyway! I felt he was fussier in the trot in the second class, but I felt I got him set up better - and we scored a 79.5! He won both the Open and the Amateur to Handle HA Sporthorse Geldings.  His scores also ended up being the highest scores of the entire in-hand division of over 100 entries for the second year in a row. He also was Supreme Half ARabian Champion and he got a lovely bridle.  I was very proud of him - he has grown up a LOT in a year. He stood tied outside the stall while I braided him (it takes me an hour!) and he fell asleep as forklifts, go carts, Gators and a veritable parade of people and machinery went by him. He never batted an eye at anything the whole time we were there, plus he settled in fine and ate/drank/ and did not get stressed about anything.  Showing him in -hand the past two years is going to make it so much easier when it's time to show him under saddle!  And speaking of that, next Sunday he goes to Rick Urban in Boerne to start under saddle. I will miss my big bruiser - he'll be there two months and maybe three. Just depends on how he does. I think he is ready. It is going to be very difficult to not make a complete PITA out of myself, constantly pestering Rick and Judy about his progress - but I will try to contain myself! ;) Whenever Rick feels he's ready for me to climb aboard, I'll make regular pilgrimages there to ride him. Hopefully next week I'll have pics from the show, but they'll pretty much look like last year's, except now he's 16H! Add still growing, since he's butt high AGAIN.



View small video clips of Faxx. These aren't the greatest - since I could not hold the camera AND the lunge line, Faxx got a bit 'wound up' when Mike's horse, Thor (aka "Butthead") kept charging at Faxx from outside the round pen. But you get the idea. ;)

Click HERE for Faxx Video One
Click HERE for Faxx Video Two


May 18, 2008
Faxx has earned another championship! He was Champion Half Arabian Sporthorse Gelding In-Hand at the Spindletop Arabian Horse Show yesterday.  I showed him in the Open and Amateur to Handle classes and he got a 76 in our first class (Open)  and an 83 in the second one (Amateur). Faxx showed about the same in both classes - I went 'off course' in the first class - forgetting that the walk is done on the small triangle, not the large one. The judge told me I went off course, but I had no idea how, or even if, it would affect our score. Well, it did affect our score, significantly. She gave Faxx a 5 on his walk in the first class, and a 9 on his walk in the second. A four point difference that put Faxx in second place by two points in the Open class. (In dressage shows, you only get penalized 2 points going off course.) He won the Amateur class (beating the horse that beat him in the Open class) by 5 points. Lesson learned. You can be sure I will never make _that_ mistake again!  His score of 83 tied for the highest score of the show, earned by a Half Arabian mare. The mare won the tie-breaker and was Champion HA and Faxx was Reserve Champion Half Arabian. He was very laid back despite the fact I was running late, and this show was more organized than most and our class was much earlier than usual.  I barely had time to unload my stuff, give Faxx a quick going over (I had braided him at home that morning) and literally jog over to the show arena! My friend Margaret's nice purebred gelding, Apollo, won both his classes and was Champion Purebred Gelding, so a great day for us both. Next up - the Sporthorse Regional Championships in Waco in July. In the meantime I will be doing sprints on the treadmill at the gym so I can run better with him, and I will definitely practice my in-hand showing skills!

April 25

Faxx is home from “kindergarten.”  He spent a month at a local trainer learning to be backed and walk and do some trot. His ‘schooling’ was cut short by the fact the guy decided to go to Spain for a riding gig. Faxx is very happy to be home – and I am more firmly convinced than ever that even a good boarding stable is a bad thing for most horses. This place was immaculate, the stalls were clean, water buckets were clean and always full. But the facility was not very Faxx friendly. Turnout was only 6 hours a day in small paddocks, and when he was in his stall, he couldn’t see anything – no windows to the outside, not much activity and he could not see the arena and other horses being ridden. It did not make for a happy Faxx. He was more ‘wired’ there than anywhere else I’ve taken him. It took him two weeks just to ‘settle down’ enough for the guy to even think about getting on him. So, he only got about ten days of actually having someone on his back while he was there.

In July, after Arab/HA Sporthorse Regionals, Faxx will go to Rick Urban and Judy Campbell in Boerne.  

 Rick rode a horse for me a long time ago when they were still located in Magnolia, near Houston. He did a super job and I am sure he will be a very good match for Faxx. Rick does eventing and also shows client horses in dressage, and he is a very quiet, fearless rider. Anyone who does prelim eventing is fearless in my eyes! Even better, their facility is very open – the stalls have views all around, and Faxx can see the arena from his stall. Plus, he can be turned out just about as much as I want. Rick also rides them out in a big field, which I really like – since I myself ride out in the field more than I do in my arena.

So, I worked Faxx in hand for the first time since he got back – we did some long lining in the arena. My goal is to get him steering much better before he goes to Boerne. And what a sweet, forgiving guy. I am always amazed about HOW MUCH outside rein you have to have to keep them straight – at one point Faxx ended up turned around, with the long lines wrapped around his butt and he just stood there looking at me like, “What now, mom?”  He is no longer going behind the vertical at the slightest touch of pressure on his mouth and is accepting the bit much better. I really just cannot wait to ride him – and if I had more experienced help on the ground (besides my husband ;)) I would probably hop up on him for a tour around the round pen!

 

March 30, 2008

Faxx had to delay the start of "school" because on the Friday before he was supposed to go on Sunday, he came in for dinner with a huge front leg. It was so swollen and sore, he would not even put his foot flat. I seriously thought he had a bowed tendon - that's how swollen it was. I could not get an appointment with the 'sports medicine' vet until the following Wednesday, so I did my standard "stall rest/icing/hosing/sweating/wrapping/hand walking" protocol. By Wednesday the swelling was almost gone and he was sound at the walk - I was not even going to bother with trotting him out until we got to the vet. It was obvious he didn't have a bowed tendon, but I was afraid he could still have some tendon damage - a strain or even a tear.  I was really relieved when he trotted out sound at the vet, and the ultrasounds showed no problem at all. The vet cleared him to go for training as early as the next day, but I wanted him to have a few days of turnout before he went to 'school' so he did not go until  March 23.

It is a huge change for him, being at a boarding stable where he gets 6 hours of turnout as opposed to home where he is out 24/7 unless it's bad weather. There's also a lot of horses and a lot of activity he's not used to. It really took him a full week to settle in.

I talked to the trainer today and was surprised to find he got on Faxx today. Now, Faxx is a good boy, but he has a tendancy to 'scare himself.'  His first reaction to something is usually a 'big' reaction, but then he's usually fine. I told James that when I left him. Sure enough, James got on Faxx just fine (I'd gotten off and on him about 10 times before he left, so he was fine with that.) But when he asked him to walk forward, Faxx bolted  - but then stopped on his own accord, with legs planted wide - just like he does when he does a 'spook in place.'  James said he then walked him around uneventfully, got off him, got back on him and Faxx walked off just fine the second time. That was almost exactly what he did the first time I lunged him with the saddle. It was bronc city the first time - but 'ho hum' pretty much from then on.

So, I look forward to the next report to see what happens. I am sure Faxx will turn out to be a solid citizen like the rest of his 'relatives' (Faeryn and Fling). It may just take him a little longer. He is not being naughty - he is just a bit more immature than they were at the same age. I also told James that if he thinks Faxx just isn't mature enough, I'll just bring him home and we'll try again in a few months but he said he didn't think that was the problem - he is just more 'reactive' than his sisters.

March 9, 2008
Faxx is going to school!  I was going to wait until summer to start him, but he's matured mentally SO much the past two months. Plus, the guy I found to start him is going to be unavailable May-August and I really don't want to wait till fall to start him.

So, next Sunday I will drop him off at the trainer. This guy has been riding a friend of mine's horse and I went over and watched him ride and was pleased with that I saw. He is very laid back, has a super seat and quiet hands and nothing they do fazes him. He's also less than a mile away, which will allow me to bring Faxx home on the weekend so he can romp with his buddies in the 24/7 turnout he is used to. I think that arrangement will help him a lot, mentally, too. I've always thought it was setting up a young horse for 'failure' to lock them in a stall hours and hours and then expect them to have the attention span to learn something when they finally get out. So, Faxx will stay for 60 days and hopefully he will earn his 'diploma' in walk/trot/canter and steering. ;) I stressed to this guy I do not want him rushed, to take his time and not to try and put him in any sort of frame - I just want him happily and quietly going forward and steering. Nothing more.  It is going to be very hard for me not to be a PITA owner, calling every day to see how he is doing but I will try my best to resist the temptation. ;)

February 17, 2008
Faxx is now 16H at the butt and 15.3 at the withers - with a regulation measuring stick. He will be three in early April. I keep telling him to quit growing! And he's shedding already!

He is definitely starting to mature mentally. He participated in a longlining clinic in late January and was a very good boy despite the fact it was a totally new concept for him. I ordered some good leather longlining reins and they came yesterday, so today he got worked in hand for the first time in awhile. First I got on and off him several times while Mike held him. Ida Anderson, who was the clinician for the longlining sessions, suggested I get him totally bored silly by the mounting process before he goes off to be started. I had gotten off and on him once several months ago. So today I got on and off two or three times with absolutely no reaction from Faxx.

Then I tacked him up in the longlining gear and went into the big arena to longline. Previously I've only longlined him in the round pen.

He was a very good boy and very forgiving of my lack of skill at longlining! It is very difficult to steer in straight lines. You need much more outside rein than you can ever imagine! And of course, steering is a totally new concept for Faxx. I can see where this will really make it easier on him when he gets started under saddle. This way, the steering with the bit will be a familiar concept to him, and the only thing new that he will have to think about will be the rider on his back in motion. It is really good to break the learning process into as many tiny little 'bites' as possible for the horse. Especially one that is sensitive or maybe a tad bit immature. Faxx is both - but honestly, he has made HUGE strides in the last few months.

Yesterday I just worked him free in the round pen for a little 'join up' work and the neighbor behind us was doing something that made a loud noise just as Faxx was passing that side of the pen. He jumped a few feet off the rail, went right back to the rail and just kept trotting - no taking off or wild antics. And when he got to that 'scary' spot along the rail again - he just kept on trotting calmly and didn't react at all. I was very happy to see that. I think he is going to be quite sensible under saddle.

January 12, 2008
Well, Faxx started the year off right with two wins and a Championship at the Houston All Arabian Show in Katy, Tx. I showed him in both classes and he was SUCH a good boy!  He earned a wonderfully gawdy silk flower garland for being Half Arabian Champion Gelding. I think Faxx thinks he won the Kentucky Derby! He might have been the high score Half Arabian - they were VERY slow to post the scores and I didn't stick around to see. He is now half way to his Legion of Honor award and he won't be three until April! We're definitely planning to go to Sporthorse Regionals again this year, and our friend Margaret, and her purebred gelding, Apollo, will be going too, since HE won the purebred gelding Championship! I wish we'd gotten pictures of them together!

2007 Show Highlights:

United States Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year Awards, Region 9

• Third place, Half Arabian Sporthorse

Region 9 Arabian/Half Arabian Sporthorse Championships

• Champion, Half Arabian Geldings In Hand, Amateur to Handle 
• Champion, Half Arabian Gelding In Hand, Open, 
• Supreme Champion Half Arabian
• High score of in-hand division
  

January Jubilee Arabian Show
Katy, TX
1st place H/A Gelding Sporthorse in Hand Open
1st place H/A Gelding Sporthorse in Hand Amateur to Handle
Champion H/A Gelding Sporthorse in Hand
High Score Half Arabian

Spindletop Arabian Spring Show
May, 2007
1st place, H/A Gelding Sporthorse in Hand, Amateur to Handle
2nd place, H/A Gelding Sporthorse in Hand, Open
Reserve Champion, H/A Gelding Sporthorse in Hand

December 20, 2007

It's official. Faxx placed third in the USEF Horse of the Year Awards for Region 9 in H/A Sporthorse. That is truly impressive, since he only went to three shows, and can only compete in the in-hand classes since he is not under saddle yet. It wa a very competitive division and he was only four points from catching the Reserve Champion. The two horses who beat him both compete in Show Hack, Sporthorse Under Saddle AND the in-hand classes.  He will start under saddle this next spring and the goal is to show in dressage at Regionals in '09.

July 24

Faxx went to the Region 9 Arabian/Half Arabian Sporthorse Championships July 12-15. He showed in two Half Arabian Sporthorse in Hand Classes. I showed him under the hunter judge in the Amateur to Handle class, which was first, and then my trainer, Brooke, showed him under the dressage judge in the Open class.

This was Faxx’s first overnight show and not the best situation since he would have to go up on Wednesday, a four-hour trailer ride, show on Thursday and then stand in a stall until Lisa finished her classes, which were on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. But he was a good boy other than some initial airs above the ground when Brooke lunged him the first time on the showgrounds.  

I showed first under the hunter judge, who had been giving wildly erratic and very, very low scores at first, but apparently got 'talked to' at the break. She was penalizing horses for minor cuts/abrasions -- the kind of things horses get unless they're stalled 24/7 and bubble-wrapped! I was a bit worried because Faxx lives outside most of the time and he and my husband's gelding play the 'bite face' game daily and he usually has a few battle scars to show for it!

However, by the time we showed for her, she made no mention of his several pretty obvious 'war wounds.'  I could tell by the comments she was making to the scribe that she liked him when I set him up. The only negative comments she made were due to his age and expected, like his lack of muscling over his topline. He was the tiniest bit rangy-looking - keeping him at the right weight has been a real challenge.

He walked well and kept his composure during the trot triangle. ;)  He ended up with an 86 and won his class, and that was the highest score of the entire in-hand portion of the show - 111 entries!

Faxx's open class wasn't held until 8:30 p.m. - the first judge had been delayed at an airport due to bad weather and the whole show eventually ended up about five hours behind schedule. Brooke showed him under dressage judge Bill Solyntjes and Faxx had pretty much had "enough" by this time, but hadn't had enough to be bored. We were hoping he could just hold it together for the four minutes it would take to show him! LOL!  I was watching from the in-gate so did not have a good perspective, but my heart stopped when he jigged one step during the walk.  His walk is his strongest point and I did not want him to screw it up!  Fortunately he settled down and marched right along. I held my breath as he went into the trot. He was a tiny bit rambunctious on the last leg of the triangle, but was good along the long side opposite the judge where it counts the most.

He ended up winning that class, too, with a 73.5 from Bill. I was happy he won both classes because I knew if he had won the first, but not the second, people would think his earlier win was only due to some odd judging by the first judge.

So he brought home two bronze trophies, two huge champion neck sashes and two large "Top 5" ribbons. He is also qualified for Sporthorse Nationals, but we are not going. It's way too far - either Idaho or Virginia, I forget which this year - doesn't really matter - either venue is much too far to haul a two year old.

We got home around 10 p.m. Sunday night. Faxx and Lisa were SO happy to be home and Faeryn and Fling were SO happy to see their mommy!  Faxx was just happy to ssee the ten acre pasture instead of the inside of a 10x10 stall!

The photographer got some great shots of Faxx and as soon as I get them I will post them here.

July 2, 2007
Faxx is learning to be a big horse! He's now lunging with bit, bridle and sidereins and is accepting the bit nicely. He is really a nice mover and a sweet and easygoing fellow. Now, he just needs to STOP growing! LOL!  Maybe I can talk Brooke into just backing him in the fall when he's two and a half, then next summer when he will be three, we'll lightly start working him.  We got the class list for Regionals and Faxx's in hand class is one of the largest of the whole show.  We have shown  against about one third of the horses in his class, but the rest are unknowns. I think he is looking more mature and has a better topline now than the last time I showed him. He was looking a little rangy so I increased his groceries a little and the lunging with sidereins has helped his topline a little. Now I guess I should practice working him in hand a little, ya think? ;) I really do hate showing in hand! I think it's the running part of it!

May 26, 2007
Faxx went to his second rated Arabian show today. He's matured and filled out a bit since the last time we showed him in January, I think. He is an old hand at showing now. it was No Big Deal to him at all. It probably helped that this was the same facility we went to in January. He is still very wiggly when standing for the judge though. Neither Brooke nor I could get him set up very well and even when we did get  him set up fairly well, he moved. So we really need to work with him.  Despite  that, he earned a perfect 10 on movement for both walk and trot - with me and with Brooke. Our next show will be regionals in Waco in July. 

February 19, 2007
Faxx has  mastered everything one would expect of a horse his age - and more. He will be two in April and he loads and rides quietly in a trailer, is good when taken to new places, stands quietly to be saddled and he lunges quietly with a saddle, and knows walk-trot-canter voice commands on the  lungeline. This week I put the bridle on him for the first time and by the third time I'd put it on him, he was wearing it quietly without any fuss. Next up I'll start ground driving him - probably this summer. Mentally, he is much less mature than Faeryn, but that's typical for the colts.

January 13, 2007
Faxx went to the January Jubilee Arabian Show today to compete in Half Arabian Sporthorse. Brooke showed him in the open Half Arabian Sporthorse Geldings class and I showed him in the  Half Arabian Sporthorse Geldings Amateur to Handle class.