Dressage Day at Paradise Farm

  First task for today was another flat lesson with Babette, expanding on yesterday's work, with similar exercises at the canter. The morning was quite brisk (37 degrees) but crystal blue sky and no wind. The lesson field was busy with Eric Horgan & his wife both teaching, and other riders waiting their turn. Irish went right to work and felt great! Babette and I feel as if we are picking up right where we left off last fall.

  Meanwhile, the girls packed the trailers, braided their steeds and double-checked their lists. The B-Eventing string for this weekend at Paradise Farm H.T. is Lucy & Bouncer, Meghan & Takita and Emily on Dougie. They are all competing at novice so their ride times are relatively close. I went along with my camera (duh!) to take more fun photos and stock.

  Meghan was the first to go and she had plenty of (ahem) ... 'help' as Mother Linda and several family members came down from the north to get her ready and cheer her on.

                               

       

  Meghan had a nice test despite a very uneven grass arena. Takita was a little tight in places, but Meghan rode her through these moments like a pro.

Next to get ready ... Lucy & Bouncer. Lucy entertained us (well, me actually) with a cold-weather strip-tease! (calm down George... its not what you think, kind of like a snake shedding its skin)

        

Then it was Bouncer's turn... lucky guy. It took 3 ladies to get him dressed! and our coach to style his tail.

        

Lucy and Bouncer looked good in the warm-up and also had a nice test, but instead of uneven grass... they had deep sand.

      

 

 Em and Doug did their test in another deep-sand ring, at the same time and adjacent to Lucy & Bouncer.  Despite the fact that poor Em took a spill earlier in the day, nay ... she was catapulted off of Tahd while hacking in the morning (landing hard in a ditch), and was feeling understandably sore, she also rode a good test!

       

  Of course, I can't go to any event with camera in-hand and not snap some of the dogs. Today was no exception...

     

  ... including two Merrill pups who always seem to be laughing behind Polly's back... how sad.
     

THE END!

Tomorrow is X-country...