After Margaret and I had such a fun time at the fall hunter pace, we opted to go again this spring! This time, while I rode Rejoice again, Margaret rode her horse Jester and had a friend ride Ladyhawke. All Kennebec Morgans!! Jester and Rejoice have the same dam and Jester and Lady share the same sire. Unfortunately instead of a lovely late spring day, we had one of the first intensely hot and humid days of the year. It was definitely a bummer, but the ride was mostly in the shade of the woods and we had a great time! most of the fences were 3' coops but we found a small log and this hay to jump haha Until we didn't. 😑 We brought along a third friend who rode Margaret's older mare, Ladyhawke. She's a good rider but hasn't known Ladyhawke for very long and didn't realize how much of a cranky boss mare she could be at times. She kicked Jester right in the front leg just about halfway through the ride, and while the cut itself ended up not being a big deal in the...
...and I am SUPER crabby that it is over! Haha. Our last show of the year this past weekend was not meant to be, as it decided to sn*w here in Maine all day Saturday. This was annoying for October, but I still got everything cleaned and loaded, and I hooked up my trailer to the truck on Saturday afternoon. I figured the 4" of sn*w would be gone from my driveway by the morning, as it was supposed to rain overnight. Sunday's weather was calling for the temps in the 40s and the rain to stop before my first ride just after noon, so I wasn't too worried.
But of course, as it was, my driveway was still full of snow and slush when I went out to feed on Sunday. I did not have to leave until 10am, so I thought maybe it would warm up enough to be safe. I live at the end of a very steep 1000+' dirt driveway, and I have had issues with the truck alone never mind hauling a 24' trailer. My husband had a scary incident on the first part of the hill this past late winter with his flatbed trailer, so I am super cautious about trying to navigate it with my horse. Had it been a life or death emergency, I probably would have just S L O W L Y white knuckled it, but for a dressage show at our lesson barn where we would be riding Training 1 twice, I just waved the white flag and texted Beth that we were scratching.
So I am kind of in a funk right now. Deer hunting season started this past Saturday as well, running through early December, so hacking and enjoying our back fields is now out of the question. My husband also likes to deer hunt (which is fine), but he also likes to do so six days a week (which isn't as fine since I would like to try to ride at least twice during the week - a three year old child cannot watch himself while mom is riding and dad is off hunting! ;-)
And it has been raining now for going on four days, so it can stop any time. Blah.
We had an awesome season, so I should NOT be feeling this way LOL! I am still going to attempt to lesson on weekends, as long as my driveway is bare. And once it is not safe to trailer up and down the driveway, I am planning to lesson on one of the Grand Prix schoolmasters, so that is something to look forward to over the winter as well.
Ellie and I could both benefit from some down time, and intellectually I know that. But I am such a nicer and happier person when I am riding and enjoying my horse, at least a few times a week. My goal is to ride three times a week, with one lesson, one hack, and one dressage school until the weather turns frigid. And then I will just try to get over for lessons on a schoolmaster and ride Ellie in the snow here at home when the footing allows. But I am kinda sad that showing is over. I wanted one (well, two) more cracks at Training 1 before next year. Maybe we can try for a winter jumper show or two in the next two months, because the mileage would be great, though the temps would not haha.
Ah well. Get over yourself, I keep saying to myself in my head LOL. But winter is definitely NOT my favorite season. I should have made a life in a warm place.
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| she's pretty cute |
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| I am glad I did, since these pics are what I saw on the farm's Facebook page later that night. Uhhhh I am pretty hardcore, but I would not have wanted to do a dressage test for the last time this year in this footing LOL! |
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| I covered the horse/rider since I don't have permission to share. One is a junior rider and I just rather be careful. |
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| trail riding the night before hunting season started on October 27 the woods is not a friendly place until December! :-( |
We had an awesome season, so I should NOT be feeling this way LOL! I am still going to attempt to lesson on weekends, as long as my driveway is bare. And once it is not safe to trailer up and down the driveway, I am planning to lesson on one of the Grand Prix schoolmasters, so that is something to look forward to over the winter as well.
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| This was the ONE dry night this past week (besides Halloween, when I did not have time to ride in order to accommodate the children's need for candy haha). I hacked in the little field next to the ring, which is safe due to the proximity to the house/barn, and we did a bunch of trot sets in the golden light. |
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| she's pretty hairy right now lol - could even have used a clip on her bridle path, which I would've done had we showed last weekend haha |
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| I am NOT a candy corn fan, but Ellie thought they were pretty good 8/10 kinda chewy |
eww i don't like candy corn either. Sorry your last show was a bust due to Maine wanting to snow early :) SHOULD NOT be allowed in OCTOBER HA!
ReplyDeleteGlad you have plans for the winter though!! Stay warm!!
SN*W IS ILLEGAL IN OCTOBER!! LOL I don't know what Maine was thinking. Aw well, you right that having plans for the winter makes it more bearable.
DeleteHow cool you have the opportunity to get to ride a schoolmaster in the down time though!
ReplyDeleteI KNOW! I am so excited. She is the coolest mare ever and I have known and admired her for a long time. Beth's daughter trained and rode her Training through GP.
DeleteSmart call to scratch. I’m a chicken about hauling in slush and snow. I’m so sick of the rain- like you I’m a better, happier person riding.
ReplyDeleteI am probably a chicken from years of being a schoolteacher and having snow days haha. And yes, riding is definitely my sanity!
DeleteSorry the season needed with a snowy scratch but you guys really did great things this year and should feel proud of that :)
ReplyDeleteOhh definitely! I am pretty happy overall for sure. It just was a bummer to not be able to "finish" it up like I thought we would. I just need to quit being a baby haha.
DeleteIt's such a tough time of year right?? I hate when things come to an end, especially when they are going well, lol!
ReplyDeleteEllie looks fantastic and it's great you got some nice rides in!
This is definitely a tough time of year for someone like me who does not enjoy winter haha. Thank you though, she has come along well and having to scratch our last outing does not diminish what a good girl she is!
Deleteoh man it is WAY too early for that kind of snow!! :( seriously tho you guys had a great season, seems like Ellie really came into herself by the end! i'll be excited to see how she continues to develop over the off season! exciting too about lessons on the school master
ReplyDeleteYeah, it set some kind of record, I guess. Early sn*w sucks! :-( But we did have a great season and so much to look forward to!
DeleteI don't blame you at all for being crabby! Y'all had an amazing year and to have that last show stolen from you by the weather... UGH! You're completely justified in your feelings, I think! Sounds like you've got a lot of fun options through the winter. Fingers crossed the roads stay clear enough for you to go!
ReplyDeleteHahaha thank you for indulging my crabbiness! ;-) It was a bummer, but I have been diligently filling up my winter with fun things, including two clinics this month alone! So all is not lost!
DeleteI've ridden and showed in the rain before, can't imagine showing in the snow, I'd also do a hard pass. I'm sad that the show season is over too (hell mine was done in August). Looking forward to next year!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I am pretty hardcore, but doing a dressage test in a snowy outdoor arena does not sound fun haha. I also am such a wimp in the cold. The end of show season always make me sad, but it was even sadder to have SN*W be the cause of its abrupt end haha.
DeleteSame here! I hate it!!
ReplyDeleteSn*w just stinks LOL! I should have moved to a warm climate haha.
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