Blog Joomla! - the dynamic portal engine and content management system http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog.html Thu, 23 May 2013 22:10:17 +0000 Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management en-gb Returned from England with Glen http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog/26-returned-from-england-with-glen.html http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog/26-returned-from-england-with-glen.html Clark and GlenHaving just returned from my stay with Glen in England I am feverishly trying my best to play catch up.

The horses here at home are going super and I am excited to get started on our fall season. Universe, or Buzz, is looking and feeling great. He had a little rest through June and has had some time this summer to work on his flatwork. He is such an outstanding jumper I would like to see him match his efforts in the dressage ring too so it's fun to feel him really progressing.

I have been given the opportunity to ride Garrison Flash for Mr. and Mrs. Nichols this fall season. He is an incredibly athletic 8 year old that was produced by Kylie Lymann. She handed over the reins to me when she set her sights on a stay in Ireland in pursuit of broadening her riding horizons and a boyfriend that I hear is a super great guy.

Jinx, as we call him in the stables, is aiming for a fall two star. Constantine is the grey stallion that can jump the moon but needs a little help in his rideability so he like Buzz has had a summer of lots of flat work.

Glen is back on American soil and will be released from quarantine tomorrow morning. I would be lying to say that I was not disappointed to miss this year's selection to the Olympic Games but I am pleased to have been a part of the selection process. While there, I made it a point to take full advantage of all of the instruction available over the six weeks stay and as a result, Glen is happy and healthy and going better than ever. We have our sights set on the Nations Cup at Boekelo in Holland in mid October and I am looking forward to showcasing all that we have learned.

]]> cris@pro-epic.com (Criseyda Koonce) Blog Mon, 27 Aug 2012 14:54:45 +0000 2012- Just Around the Corner http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog/22-2012-just-around-the-corner.html http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog/22-2012-just-around-the-corner.html GkenBlenheimweb It has been a really busy few weeks around here. I have been to Texas and back to see some family, which I don’t get to do much of during the season and taught a great group of people at Christie Tull’s Greenwood Farm while I was there. Glen and I have been named to this spring’s High Performance B list which is a huge honor and allows us access to additional funding and support from the USEF and the USOC. We just returned from the convention yesterday and while it is always fun to see friends and catch up by night, there was a lot of business to take care of by day. On Friday morning at 7 all high performance riders reported to the mandatory fitness testing for the USOC. This was my first time to be evaluated and I have to admit it’s pretty rigorous. The squats, plank test and the run each require strength but there I was surrounded by my peers who were pushing themselves to the limit and it quickly became obvious that the evaluation was mostly about stamina and who could gut it out the longest. Needless to say we’re a pretty competitive crew and while I do carry the lowest percentage of body fat, I’ve got a ways to go to catch some of the others in the squats and plank test. After the fitness evaluations we had one on one meetings with the strength trainer, nutritionist and the sports psychologist all of which were informative and mapped out short term and long term plans for us to follow. I had a chance to talk one on one with Mark Phillips about his expectations for me next year and while it is a pretty tall order, I have come away from Nashville feeling energized with a plan in mind and a real sense of support from USEF’s High Performance. Now it’s time to put my head down and get to work. Glen and the other horses have started their light conditioning canters in preparation for their first recognized event in February. It’s going to be here before we know it.       

]]> clarkmontgomery@mac.com (Clark Montgomery) Blog Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:42:28 +0000 Ripped to Rest to Rolex Part 1 http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog/19-ripped-to-rest-to-rolex-part-1.html http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog/19-ripped-to-rest-to-rolex-part-1.html loughanxcwebWe typically get such an early start that morning television news shows are rarely something that I get to watch during the competition season. Recently with most of the horses in the stables on rest, I was around the house and caught an interesting story line on Good Morning America called Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit. It's about a guy that is a professional personal trainer who has apparently always had the body of Adonis and has decided to embark on a blog fueled personal journey. It started with a six month corn dog and junk food bender which quickly packed on 70 some off pounds and now he's chronicling his slide back down the scale and back to personal fitness. Since my brain is wired for all things to lead back to horses, it got me thinking about the physical journey that they take throughout the competition season. It specifically got me thinking about my Loughan Glen horse. Since early September when he was in the best fitness shape of his 8 years of life for Blenheim Palace CCI*** he has had virtually 8 full weeks of rest and relaxation- and my how he has blossomed. I am sure because he is an Irish Sport Horse with Hanoverian bloodlines he is somewhat genetically predisposed to being portly. I thought it would be interesting and fun to chronicle his road back to peak fitness and ultimately Rolex next year. The journey begins this week with walking under saddle and light flat work. Stay tuned for upadtes on Glen's progression back to buff...

]]> clarkmontgomery@mac.com (Clark Montgomery) Blog Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:54:22 +0000 Show Jumping with Loughan Glen at Bromont http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog/14-show-jumping-with-loughan-glen-at-bromont.html http://www.montgomeryequestrian.com/blog/14-show-jumping-with-loughan-glen-at-bromont.html Clark competing in show jumping at Bromont in Canada, riding Loughan Glen. First place finish.

]]> cris@pro-epic.com (Jess Montgomery) Blog Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:24:00 +0000