boot camp and sunshine

Dressage boot camp with Debi is doing Keebler a world of good. I had a lesson on him yesterday and he was even quite good for me. He'll be staying here for a while to continue the excellent progress. I'm now excited about eventing him again, either this fall or in Florida in the winter. Finn will head home on Sunday. Looking forward to having him there and riding more regularly. Great week for it coming up, temperatures in the 80s, not only down here, but in Philadelphia as well. Reasonable temps forcast for the 1/2 marathon tomorrow, around 63 at start and 71 at finish. After the cold from Tarturus (reference to most recent great read, Dancing on the Head of Pin by Thomas E. Sniegoski), not planning more than just getting through it.

eventing everywhere

Hard to believe that the Fair Hill horse trials and CIC, the Florida Horse Park horse trials and CCI and River Glen all happened over the weekend. I volunteered at Fair Hill, a bit tamer than usual with only two rings due to big ring for advanced. Hilda and Extra finished in 4th place in Florida. Ralph Holstein won, Mary Bess Sigman was 2nd, pretty amazing given her not so long ago nasty fall, Peter Atkins is definitely back on the scene with 3rd and 5th places to him. Nice to see eventing supporting 3 major venues on the same weekend. Next comes Rolex. I'll be following both Susie and Missy as well as the general goings on. Meanwhile, I'll be visiting Keebler and running, so lots to come

new pony

I'm sure I'm insane, but I've just committed to aquire a 4 year old OTTB. He had a very good pre-purchase examination today and will head north to arrive here around April 27th. It will be fun to have a youngster to work with and he is my favorite dark bay. You'll be hearing more about him in many posts to come

underway

That would be the eventing season here in our area. I volunteered at Plantation over the weekend. Saturday, I scribed for Doug Payne. This was the correct job to have, as it was pouring rain most of the day, quite nice to watch horses from inside the truck! I'm rarely glad I'm not riding, but this was one of those days. Sunday, was cold and windy. I jump judged at the water all day, which went really well. A couple riders missed fences here and there (including Phillip Dutton), but most did well. Caitlin and her lovely new mare, Gabriella Rossilini won their novice division, see picture of her in lesson with Silva here on March 9th post, https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJO2WFjMfFhhAAEC1dmh4UTmY-dyDdennqmhTL5042DZnirZQxBAzN4EkpFtP2TJ1qjqHE2XByMauSTuQ5HPjT1-3D1LRvPqy6LDYqZT0YHGXRPG0qKycU2sk-Q0_x-pKxrkxzEJlXnp4/s1600-h/SilvaTeaching.jpg
Phillip Dutton rode Teddy (Funshine Bear) and was first in their preliminary division, making T very proud. I also got a chance to have a tour of Blue Hill Farm, www.bluehillfarmpa.com, where I will be moving when my new horse arrives. The current leading candidate for new horse is having a vet check on Friday. I just heard that my TD license application will be reviewed on Monday, so it is a busy horse week. And it is raining again today. I will be psyched to be somewhere with an indoor again, despite the longer drive and really missing everyone at Cairn O'Mount, which has been a second home these past 6 plus years.

I win

Not an event, or a race or anything, but the weather derby. Monsoons at Poplar, soggy set-in (see Robby Johnson's blog) at Morven and 70+ and sunny at Galway where I spent the weekend. Saturday, I scribed in SJ for Loris Henry, counting as my final apprenticeship for the TD license. Sunday, I jump judged for training and novice. Boy has it been a long time since I've done that. My training fence was a bank combo where there was a lot of trouble. The novice fence a simple palisade, only 2 total refusals. I managed to read 200 pages of my novel and rate a bunch of abstracts while fence judging. Looking forward to the start of event season here in less than two weeks, volunteering at Plantation (where I hope the weather is good).

Other horsey things

I spent Friday and Saturday mostly at Waredaca. I actually vetted a horse that I am not going to buy, deciding instead to increase from 1/4 to 1/2 ownership of the ever so handsome Hero, the Danzig line gelding that Steph Butts is riding. Probably a good choice. Went on Saturday and watched Katherine Rizzo ride in the Howard County Iron Bridge Hunt Races and that was a good time, quite tempting (especially as the fields were not too crowded). It is officially spring, but still not very warm. I am looking forward to California for the rest of the week including a return trip to Galway for the very final apprenticeship and some volunteering. Not running as much as I should be. More regular blogging to follow.

Almost spring

It shall officially be spring next week. I think I am even more impatient for it than usual, having not done most weekends of the winter in more southerly places. We did hit Aiken for the "Henry party" good fun as always and great to see the Aiken gang. The continuing education seminar at the Ark the last weekend of February probably said something about the power of naming, it was starting to feel like the 40 days and 40 nights flood. Our seminar leaders cleverly packed everything into a long day Saturday and I was able to get out on an early morning flight on Sunday, so was home and settled in when snow struck. Quite a noticeable snow storm for March. I'm just hoping the whole "in like a lion, out like a lamb" thing holds true this year. I had my first riding lesson back post wrist surgery, a dressage lesson on Del, who was, as always, a very good boy. I'm hoping to take him to the dressage show at Blue Goose next month. Stayed tuned. Still running, prepping for both the 1/2 marathon in Nashville and the full in San Diego. Have gotten several good contributions for Back on My Feet and hope to continue to raise money for them through the year. Grant craziness as work. Between concerns about internal funding and the theoretical availability of stimulus money, everyone is putting in lots of grants and I am not exempt. This week's goal is to get back to yoga.