Bringing the Blog to Date

And now a quick recap of the activities since Full Gallop to bring us up to date (finally)!

I've been show jumping Beacon with Doug and it's been going really well, each session he gets more and more relaxed and is jumping better and better. We took him on a XC school the other day, the first time he's actually been out XC since August, and he was fantastic! I was expecting to only school the basic things his first time out, but he just kept stepping up to the plate and taking everything in stride. We schooled a bunch of Intermediate questions and strung some single fences together to make some mini related questions and he was a rockstar! Doug had some really helpful insights to riding the bigger mounds and banks so that we get to the base with enough power, and we also discussed/practiced riding more technical and exact lines through combinations. What a super outing! Go Beacon!

I also shipped over for a dressage lesson with Mara Depuy which was really great. I've never ridden with her before but I really enjoyed our session, she had some great insights and great exercises to really get Beacon loosened up and pushing into self carriage. One exercise in particular was really helpful to get him to loosen up through his topline and swing through his back. She had me ride in shoulder fore and leg yield around a 10 meter circle in the corner and then leg yield into shoulder in and ride down the long side, and then finish with another 10 meter circle positioned in shoulder fore but ridden through the leg yield. This loosened him up amazingly and I've since used it at home and was able to duplicate the results! We also played with his medium trot and he really is starting to push into another stage in his lengthenings, Go Beacon again! I finally have my horse back!!! And so he is entered at Prelim at Morven on the way home, I'm so excited!

Also this week the Valinor crew arrived, it was great to see Kelly, Kate, Betsy, and Alison! The first day of rides were just easy loosening trot sets on the track and road with everyone stretching their legs in the sunshine. The next day we took a field trip to The Hitchcock Woods and had a blast! Kelly was astride Ari, Alison galloped Grace, Kate directed Devin, Betsy danced with Diem, and I sashayed with Stew (note the alliteration, much thanks to Betsy, Alison, and Barb for helping me with that). But on a more serious note, it was fantastic that all the horses were well behaved in the large group. The Woods are just lovely this time of year and it's an amazing place for horses and people, you never know what you will see! On this occasion we ran into a horse and carriage (fairly common) that was followed by a bagpiper on foot (a first for me!) Needless to say, that caused some excitement, but all the horses settled back down and we were able to hack along and jump a good number of fences, even some fairly large brush ones! Great job to Betsy, Kelly, and Kate who all had never jumped their mounts before but figured everything out and jumped the 3"6" brush like champs!

We also met some friends for the Aiken Trials and joined them at their premiere rail spot right by the start to tailgate. It's always exciting to watch the babies run in their first race, some have trouble with the gate, some look like pros, you just never know! The main excitement for the day was when my fiend Jessie was running (and in the lead) the last race when her stirrup broke and she came off. Luckily she wasn't hurt (although rather ticked off- the grooms had put the wrong (someone else's)saddle on the horse) but her horse just kept running! He ran around the track again and then ended up off the track and galloped back to the barns. He was fast! I bet he just might win some good money this year- that guy likes to run!

Kate and Kelly sadly had to head home, but Betsy and Alison stayed for the remainder of the week and we filled it with lessons and a couple more outings. Betsy rode a variety of horses but the most exciting for her I'm sure, was getting the OK to start first walking and then trotting Keno under saddle. The last couple of days you could see her in the mornings trotting happily around the track, Go Keno!

Alison participated in her first Jumper Derby which is a mix of show jumps and XC and is judged on time. Grace took a couple jumps to get in the groove but then they settled into a very nice rhythm and finished fourth! We also went on a XC school at Full Gallop which, although we were racing a rather vicious storm, was a really successful outing. Marissa schooled a bunch of the Training and even one Prelim combination. Stew and I, Betsy and Diem, and Alison and Grace all warmed up over some basic things and then ended up also schooling a bunch of training questions. Everyone did the rolltop in the water, the double bank up, ditches, and a trakehner. Really a great school for all!

Betsy and Alison headed out Friday, the day before Steeplechase which was unfortunate- better planning next year ladies! But it was great to have the whole Valinor crew down for a bit, next year I want to see more familiar faces down here on vacation! Steeplechase was a blast, I wore a very fancy hat (borrowed), and then we competed at Apple Tree's last Combined Test of the season on Sunday, which was a successful outing. Now it's Monday morning and we're all up to date! This week will be busy, Wed there is a jumper show which some will go to, I have to fit in one last XC school, and we need to pack and prep for Morven! Carino has to get moved to his new barn, and I also have a couple of lessons with Doug and one with Mara scheduled for this week- busy busy!

Happy Riding!