The First Show Season Draws to a Close...

...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.

she's pretty cute

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.

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!

I covered the horse/rider since I don't have permission to share. 
One is a junior rider and I just rather be careful.

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! ;-)

trail riding the night before hunting season started on October 27
the woods is not a friendly place until December! :-(

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

I am NOT a candy corn fan, but Ellie thought they were pretty good
8/10 kinda chewy