Derby take 2

I am late to blog this week, but had quite a good weekend. It started with uncertainty about the trip as there was another storm forecast. My flight was cancelled and I was rescheduled twice, but did make it down in the end. Once there, it was a laid back and enjoyable weekend. Hilda was up in Georgia for Pine Top, where she and Extravagance had a good run preparatory for Red Hills. Susie and Isabella ended up with a ribbon and I heard reports that Isabella jumped like a million bucks. Thoughts and jingles to those recovering from falls at Pine Top. There were several over the weekend. Meanwhile, in Florida, it was Derby Time again. I rode both Slim Jim and Godsend novice over Morgan Rowsell’s fun derby course. The weather was a bit not fun, cold and rainy, but both horses jumped brilliantly and politely around the course. I was a bit slow on each as it was my first time ever riding Godsend cross-country and I also elected to trot into the water as it was a drop and too cold to want to risk a “splash landing” Genny Christianson rode the Carpenter horses, Cracker and Tribute at the beginner novice level and was 2nd with Tribute. Dominique accompanied us to help and it was great having another pair of competent hands along, as we loaded and unloaded and transferred tack, all while trying to stay vaguely dry (no success there). We finished up and headed out just after 2 in the afternoon, with me thinking I could probably make it to 4:30 yoga, but no such luck as the Ashmore truck decided it was having a little issue. It coasted to a dead stop on the ramp between State Road 19 and State Road 441 in Eustis. I managed to get it off to the side and the Eustis police showed up in short order, so all was safe. Calls went in to AAA and we tried to reach service at the Ford dealership just down the road, but ended up rescued by a good Samaritan passer-by who happened to be a service advisor at an alternate Ford dealership, who was able to show us how to get the truck restarted by bypassing the starter system. Off we set again and all was good until the corner of Keene road, where we had the same occurrence, but this time only a matter of minutes to get it restarted. Got back to Ashmore not much worse for the wear although everything was soaked. By this point, the sun came out and it was quite a pleasant afternoon to play with Finn and then head for dinner. Sunday, I had the fun of giving Dominique and Jackie a lesson. We did a bit of flat work and a bit of jumping. There was a fair bit of two-point work and I think both felt a bit tortured, but they did a great job with Sioux and Slim Jim (really buy this horse, he is the best). I then headed for the airport for a drama free flight home. Only 2 weeks left.