The world is small

I think we all know this. And with the internet and associated Skype, Facebook, etc. It seems ever smaller - in a good way. I have had several small world events in my life and thought I would share a couple. The most recent came in Aiken, where one of the tack vendors at Sporting Days had a lovely border terrier named Wesley. She used to breed them, has recently relocated from Nebraska to Aiken and (the small world bit) knows my University of Pennsylvania officemate, Helen McDermott, also a border terrier breeder.

After I bought Tag, I "friended" Sterling Graburn on facebook. I was posting a little note on his wall and noticed a post from my friend Jenna, so I texted to find out how she knows Sterling. Turns out they went to high school together.

And the one that started my collection happened in 1991. The internet was moderately new, but I had been using email for a few years. I was emailing my friend Bill Minarik who was in geology grad school at RPI. I asked the computer room (remember we are essentially pre pc here so using terminals in a common room) at large, is Rensselar rpi.edu? One of my classmates, hailing from ouside Montreal said, "yes. Who do you know there". When I told her she asked me to ask him if he knew her cousin, Nathalie, who was doing a masters's degree in geology there and if so, could he tell her cousin that Josee needed her mailing address. I added the note to my message and when Bill wrote back a couple of days later, his message ended "Nathalie's address is the same as mine. She is the new woman in my life I was telling you about". Bill and Nathalie have since married.

What reminds you that the world is small?

So much for Plan A

This happens a lot in the horse life and not so infrequently in the rest of life. We make plans, the universe laughs, sometimes moderately, sometime rolling on the ground. This spring is feeling a bit like the latter. The original plan, head to Aiken, get my brave and easy guy out xc schooling, do a couple of little events with probably decent dressage scores for a change, head to California for a long weekend, run the first half marathon of the season.

Yeah, well. Brave and easy guy has developed an odd bolting behavior. We're thinking it is not just naughtiness as it happens unpredictably and he seems almost as upset by it as we are. The vet will be coming out to look at him next week to see if we might be able to diagnose something tangible. And after 30 years of running completely injury free, I believe I have a stress fracture (tibia). Won't have a definitive diagnosis for me until I see the sports medicine guy next week, but after 30 years of running and sharing running stories, I'd be a bit surprised if I am wrong. Wish figuring out the horse was as easy.

Plan B, work with the trainer and the vet, put competition plans on hold. Put running plans on hold and work on the swimming and lifting (well, I've been wanting to get back to more serious lifting so here is the opportunity) and see how the spring develops. I think I'll put some more energy into planning my book. It seems less subject to the whims of the laughing universe.

Eventing Nation

Eventing Nation is a recent addiction and not quite as consuming a one as the COTH forums, so I didn't know my little story had been posted (http://useventing.com/blog/?p=14556) until Cyndi Kurth let me know about it. They even referenced this blog.

The weekend did not go as planned as Tag began a bolting behavior on Friday. Mmmm...not good. We started him on Omeprazole and then Sally wondered if he might be getting his tongue over the bit or caught in some other way that scared him, so Sunday, I lunged him and tightened his flash two more holes during the process (it had been fairly loose). This made a huge difference. No fidgeting with his head and excellent behavior through the ride. Lunging, tightening and a jumping lesson on Monday morning provided the same excellent results. We will continue the Omeprazole as it may be the reason he is playing with his tongue/mouth more is related to tummy issues and it probably can't hurt (other than my wallet). Horse training has a definite component of detective work or foreign language psychology or something in it. It would be nice if they could just talk!

Looking forward to progress as we have our last two weeks in Aiken.

As time goes by

It seems that it takes me longer to start eventing my greenies and that I start at lower levels and progress less quickly. It's not like I started as a crazy kid. We're referring to the last 14 years here. Perhaps it is a misperception on my part. So Tempo, puchased August 1997. First event, unrecogognized bn May 1998, first training level October 1998, so 9 months to first event and 5 months first event to first training level. Sold December 1999. Gizmo, purchased April 1999, first event novice at khp July 1999, first training october 1999. 3 months to first event and 3 more months to first traing level. First prelim 10 months later. Tobe, bought November 2004. First event unrecognized bn July 2005, first training March 2006. 8months to first event, another 8 to first training level. Keebler, bought November 2006, first event unrecognized bn July 2007, same 8 months, then first training November 2007, 4 months later. Finn, bought April 2009. First event entry level February 2010. 10 months and he made it clear he wasn't moving up. Tag purchased April 2011, first event at entry scheduled March 2011. 11 months and we'll see how he does. Looking at the pattern, I think it is based on the horses and the availability of xc schooling. Hopefully Tag will figure it out quickly. I'm ready for the fun of moving my own youngster up through the levels again