two days - two states - two events

I spent Saturday at Encore (on the way between my dad's and the DTW airport). Great to see everyone there. Becka was doing her first event back and looked great. Jeff Kibbie's Loki is looking very grown up. Lucky (the CANTER horse) isn't looking quite so grown up, but does look talented, handsome and totally fat and happy. Lots of Cobbleston folks there, we scheduled the end of summer Margarita Party - always good to get that important stuff done. I heard there were storms after I left, but great weather while I was there. Gwen (the 21 year old chestnut wonder mare) had her retirement ceremony. Her theme song is "Brick House" There was a COTH thread about theme songs for your horse. I'll take suggestions for one for Keebler.

Sunday, I was at Bucks County Horse Park where the gang from COM was eventing. Tatiana Herrero Berstein and Maria Herrero are in town for the summer with Copernicus and Tatiana rode. She saw me and said, "I thought you were at Encore" Well, the day before I was, now I'm not, aren't planes a grand invention? I did a bit of volunteering and a bit of spectating. Another very nice day. Hannah did a lovely job with her new horse Jewels, Susie rode Dash and Perkins. Lesley and Tia finished 3rd. Lexi had a fantastic dressage test on Gizmo for which she was really under-rewarded in the score department. We're giving her an honorary 36 for that test. Betsy rode Preston. The ground was hard, so everyone either took it easy or skipped xc, more excellent horsemanship in action. Looking forward to seeing the scores.

Next weekend, TDing at the Waredaca unrecognized.

Back in the saddle

So, I've now been back riding a full week. I've done two dressage lessons and a jumping lesson on Keebler and ridden every day. On Sunday, I rode Keebler and Del. All the body bits are holding up to it and nothing hurts. Keebler obviously benefitted from his time in boot camp. His trot is quite good and the canter improving. I've been using draw reins, to reinforce his good behavior and they seem to be working. His jumping lesson was great. His timing was a lot better than mine. We did the vertical from a trot exercise to a reasonable height and finished up with a one stride exercise. Keebler still has most of his hair, with the help of a serious fly sheet and a stall in the lower barn, which is less open to the bugs. We're planning the remainder of our season - his contribution is, "is there food there?", but my plans include novice at the unrecognized at Fair Hill July 5th, training at the Plantation unrecognized July 26th, then training at the Fair Hill recognized in August. In between, more volunteering, apprenticing and hopefully, the Cairn O'Mount tack sale, though I did sell some stuff to one of the newer COM riders who just got a new horse. Buck's County Horse Park this weekend (volunteering). More to follow

Back in the saddle

Well, I'm actually riding again. Later today, I will be riding Keebler for the first time since April 24th. On Friday, I borrowed a school horse and puttered around. It was very cute. One of the kids on her pony kept asking me if I had my confidence back yet. That felt good, so after volunteering at Plantation over the weekend (more on that later), I had a lesson on Del (a quiet young TB), doing some flat work and some jumping. That felt good also. Skipped riding yesterday (at 98 degrees, I couldn't face putting on breeches and a helmet) and lunged Keebler, who was very good. Lesson planned for today. Update to follow.

Plantation was fun. On Saturday, I scribed for Muffin Pantaze and saw several nice tests as well as some that were less so (preliminary level). The words of the day were "straightness" and "suppleness" good to see the basics being stressed in the judging. Then, I got another round in control with Dick, which was interesting as always. Sunday, I judged dressage - Novice, BN, and Elementary. I think the elementary test was hard. They had to halt at the beginning and they were actually supposed to make transitions *at* letters, not just between them. Both days had a big COM representation and some tack problems. Saturday, Rob had a stirrup band break and Sunday, Susie had a rein break - on D.G., up by the foundation, pretty exciting I'm sure. There were also good ribbons. Lesley and Tia won on Saturday, T and Teddy had a 5th at prelim, with a good dressage test. On Sunday, Amanda (Susie's daughter) did her first event, and finished 3rd on Issy. Sara Estabrook won that division on Dave. Betsy and Preston were 3rd in their division and Betsy is totally in love with Preston. Despite the heat, it was a lovely weekend. I'm really glad to be riding again. More updates to follow.

Waredaca weekend

It was great being at an event without a brace on my arm and feeling fully mobile. Not having known in advance that I would be fully mobile, I spent the day Saturday scribing for stadium. This was much more fun than you might imagine with the chatter between judge, announcer and two pony club dads as timers - only once did they miss a time due to chatting, and the judge got that one. The BN rider who just stopped in the middle of the course directly in front of her next fence (not a refusal, she was lost) and then peered around for quite some time trying to find next fence (right in front of her). She did finish without jump penalties, but oh so many time faults. Why did so many intermediate horses stop at the first fence? It was a stone wall with black rails, didn't look scary to me, but who knows? Training horses mostly stopped at the liverpool, no option this time, so think blue tarp practice at home. Many horses at all levels left out a stride to the last fence and knocked the top wavy plank out of its flat cups. Volunteer coordinators took excellent care of us (junk food was way too available). Saturday night, yummy mexican food with Jeff Kibbie. Then Sunday, the morning in scoring with Steve Symansky who is ridiculously energetic. More fun and chatter behind the scenes. Riding, running and swimming all planned for this week.

Rehab is the name of the game

And not the Betty Ford sort. My dad was discharged to home today, but will have a fair bit of rehab in front of him to get back to full function. My road is the much easier one. I got the brace off my hand today and now can get back to full exercise and activity to get myself back in shape. The wrist is surprising stiff and a bit sore, but as I have heard from everyone about both the wrist and the back injury, "let the pain be your guide." Is that like Phillip Dutton saying, "let the fence be the bit" or am I mixing my metaphors. The back will go out on its first test-elliptical this evening, seemed a better starting point that actually running, as much as I want to. First ride will be Sunday, on a horse that will *not* take advantage of any perceived weakness, which I'm sure I'll have plenty of.

Last weekend was TD apprenticing at Full Gallop with Cindy DePorter. Cindy is great, a great TD, mentor, horsewoman and, of course, pot-bellied pig owner! We had a lot of fun including a nice dinner at Casa Bella with Todd Richardson, course builder extraordinaire and now course designer for the BN, Novice and Training courses at Full Gallop. Kudos to Todd and to Tremaine, who designed the preliminary course, for their well-designed, nicely flowing and inviting courses. I walked all four courses (measuring as I went) and liked them all. Chimene Evans, who owns Tempo, rode her horse Kurious in his first preliminary and finished 3rd. They looked great where I saw them on XC. There were more troubles on the Novice and BN than on the preliminary and training, including a surprising number of missed fence TEs at Novice and a couple of SJ eliminations. I learned a lot and am looking forward to the rest of my busy apprenticing and unrecognized TDing schedule this summer and fall. I will also be doing some volunteering, and plan to compete once I finish the rehab part of the program (like the recovery part, I'm sure red wine will play an important role, though I've heard rumours of Margaritas at Waredaca this weekend).

big sigh

Dad (know colloquially as Be) pulled through the surgery (and the dangerously low bp aftermath). I'm feeling almost normal (at least at a walk). Missing the event world, but will be apprenticing at Full Gallop in Aiken this coming weekend. Lots of events this weekend. Keebler is back to his summer hair removal antics. Need some better hair product for him. Rogaine for horses anyone?

the best laid plans....

What is it they say? No volunteering at Fair Hill this week as I'll be heading to the Zoo (that's Kalamazoo for those of you from less interestingly named places). My dad had an emergent triple bypass surgery yesterday. It was pretty scary for a while, but he seems more stable now. I'll be there tomorrow through Monday and then next week Sunday and Monday also. I continue to feel better, though still don't feel that I can push beyond walking. Walking feels pretty normal and other than brace on my hand, most external signs of injury probably gone. Great dinner at Sola in Bryn Mawr last night with Henry, his brother and his uncle, who came in from Florida to visit Elmer. Definitely add it to your preferred BYOB lists. It even gets the Henry stamp of approval. Keebler got to jump yesterday, so I'm sure he's feeling better about life. Thanks to all of your for your support and kind thoughts as the universe chooses this month to pile on.