Oh So Extreme

Soon after I realized Sam’s competitive days were numbered, I enlisted the help of my trainer, Lisa Reid, to help me find a project. I had never trained a horse from scratch before, so it was going to be an experience. She has been finding horses for people for many years, so I trusted her to find one for me that had the talent to go prelim, at least. I certainly didn’t know what to look for! She found Oh So through Dustin and Michelle Craig at Westwind Farm. He was found at the track as a seven-year old. He had raced all of his life and had perfectly clean legs, which is rare. According to Michelle, he was basically wasting away in his stall because his owner could barely afford to feed him or even have him hand walked.

Through their patient training, Oh So came along well under saddle. I’ll never forget when I met them both at a local cross country schooling course with Lisa. Dustin rode Oh So out into the field and just started popping him over jumps. Oh So just did everything, he didn’t even act green! That’s when Lisa and I knew he was the right choice.

I brought Oh So home in September 2007. Through patient training with Lisa and my dressage instructor, Nicky Vogel, Oh So has become a great partner. Lisa’s approach is to train a horse so that they think there is nothing they can’t do. At this point, Oh So will jump anything I point him at. He lives for jumping.

Dressage is another story! He is his own worst enemy on the flat. He gets tense very easily, sometimes it’s because he’s trying so hard, other times it’s because he just wants to be naughty. My biggest challenge with him has been trying to figure out which one of those attitudes he has on a day-to-day basis. He has a very complex personality. He’s like me in so many ways. We’re perfectionists. We over-analyze things. But when we both get out of our own heads, things come together nicely.

His track name was Private Pleasure, but I thought that sounded dirty, so I named him Oh So Extreme because he does everything to the extreme. I think he’s just so happy to be alive everyday. He just lives life to the fullest. He loves to gallop and roll in the field.

Our competition record
Oh So’s pedigree

Personal Profile

Description: 18-year-old dark bay/black Thoroughbred gelding (Private Terms–Plum Thicket, Wild Again)
Favorite Treat: Anything, but peppermints in particular.
Personality: He likes to be the center of attention. He’s very focused on his job. My trainer calls him a “man on a mission” because he looks for the next fence when we’re jumping. He also loves to go on the trailer and discover new places.

Things He Hates: He absolutely despises blankets. If he hears or sees me coming with one, he’ll pin his ears. When I try to put it on as gently as I can, he’ll bite and kick, no matter what I do. It’s the only time he ever puts his ears back. He also hates having the saddle put on.
Tack: Black Country Vinici Tex Eventer jumping saddle, Trilogy Verago dressage saddle. Nunn Finer five-point breastplate, Bobby’s English Tack bridles, snaffle for dressage, Dr. Bristol for jumping. Premier Air Cooled cross-country boots, Nunn Finer No-Turn bell-boots, Nunn Finer martingale.

Notable Results:

1st MD Horse Trials 2008 (Beginner Novice)
2nd Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Horse Trials 2009 (Beginner Novice)
2nd VA Horse Trials 2009 (Novice)
6th VA Horse Trials 2009 (His first Training)
2nd Rubicon Horse Trials June 2010 (Training)
1st MCTA Horse Trials May 2011 (Training)
3rd Rubicon Horse Trials June 2011 (Training)
2nd Seneca Valley Horse Trials June 2011 (Training)
2nd Seneca Valley Horse Trials September 2011 (Training)
3rd VA Horse Trials October 2011 (His first prelim)
1st CDCTA Amateur Training Champion
2nd Area II Amateur Training Reserve Champion
2nd USEA Training Amateur Reserve Champion
5th USEA Training Adult Rider
1st VA Horse Trials May 2012 (Preliminary)
2nd Morven Park Horse Trials Fall 2012 (Preliminary)
1st CDCTA Preliminary Amateur Champion 2012
2nd Area II Preliminary Amateur Reserve Champion 2012