Gads! Where did the week go?!

 FuzzButt attacked my toes early this morning as strong encouragement to GET UP .... 1) FEED her, 2) let her out and 3) POST something on the blog.   Here's a digest of the past week.... 

  

 Babette headed north to Gathering Farm Monday afternoon to teach for a few days. This gave me an opportunity to have a lesson with Eric Horgan who shares the facilities here with Babette while conducting his 6-week winter program. 

I try to ride with Eric during the summer whenever my schedule allows, but its been a while and I really enjoyed being under his microscope once again. It always amazes me how he can give the most subtle instructions "relax your stomach" ...   

and you feel an immediate change in the horse's way of going. Needless to say, I am still not in great shape and ended up quite sore from the little we did! 

This turned out to be a good thing.  Instead of sitting my sore butt on Irish the following day, I sat my sore butt in this chair in front of the computer. Once again my work load caught up to me, especially after deciding to be a vendor during the 3 days of Jumping Branch horse trials NEXT weekend. We all know what that means!... design new cards/posters and get them to the printer ASAP!

Back to Babette ... before her flight on Monday, she re-introduced Oliver to jumps since he had not seen them for a few weeks while recovering from a leg wound. He was quite entertaining to watch. Normally an exuberant red-head, he plopped over the small x-rails with an attitude of "why bother? these are beneath my upper-level abilities".  Only after Babette pointed him at a higher vertical (which he knocked down the first time) did he tuck his knees and make an effort. 

    

   Oliver is definitely eager to get back to work.  He tagged along with Dex, Bouncer, Tahd & Matty to a 2-phase held yesterday at Apple Tree Farm South. Babette wanted to get Oliver out and about but not compete quite yet. He had other ideas and objected very loudly when put back in the trailer to wait for Dex & Bouncer to do their things.  

I photographed the activities throughout the day (rider proofs will be posted here in a few days) and almost felt like I was back north seeing so many familiar faces;  Carol Kozlowski, Suzie Gornall, Molly Springer, Lynn Coates Holmes, Corrine Ashton, and many of Alison Easton-Lawler's gang from Apple Tree Farm.  The B-Eventing team had a good day of schooling dressage and show jumping.  Anyone who wanted to could ride a second round for practice.

          

   Dex gave Babette an interesting ride on the first go. He had a hard time wrapping his brain around the task at hand and even put in one of his "I'm outta here... see ya' later" bucks. But Babette persevered and once he focused... he flew!  

               

 

Today we plan an afternoon XC school at Paradise farm, hopefully before the rains come. I just pray I can sit in the saddle comfortably!!