I was thinking the other day that I really am crazy. I work as much as a resident just out of medical school...while they do not make much money, I can promise they make more than me! Should have gone to medical school, if I had not had the other horses through college I might have, I need to be busy all the time apparently.
The horses are all having an interesting time since I last updated you! Tess is a little superstar every day, her flatwork is constantly improving, and if all goes according to plan this fall, I'm confident in her ability to hang out with the big kids. She is such a classy little horse, just don't make her mad because that little bit of bad woods North Carolina redneck will come out with a vengance. She is quite hysterical; she a side stall with 3 windows, she is always watching out of one of them to make sure everyone is doing their job. She would totally be the kid who told on everyone for copying crossword puzzles in elementary school, doing your own work is essential kids! Tess can actually canter a 10 meter circle happily now, and she has officially started doing proper walk/canter, canter/walks; she is so far from happy about this I cannot even describe it to you, but I'm quite thrilled! Her jumping is super. Working for Sharon is great on so many levels, one of them being your jump lessons with her other students. One of my last jump lessons was with a lovely lady who is just moving up to advanced.....needless to say the fences got JACKED UP, I looked like a total spaz trying to jump them, but Tess maintained her total "whatever stupid, this is still for kids who can't jump attitude" even though the jumps were a good 4 feet or higher. Holy moly, the horse can jump!
Clif is also mister fancy. His flatwork is continuously improving and he is always getting stronger, which is such a great great feeling. I guess for some people it's like writing a dissertation, but for me that feeling of completeness is having your horse feel effortless underneath you. He has also been jumping great too, we had a jump lesson with Jimmy Wofford this week, I think he quite likes Clif because all comments were directed at how not to screw up my horse! And seriosly...how could not like clif!? Poor Clif and I also had our first run-in with colic...EK! Poor Clif appears to have had a bit of a virus, and being so sensitive it just threw everything out of wack, his fever spiked at 104 and him hyperventilating...yes apparently horses can do that. He was on the mend quite quickly though, thank god. It is now about 3 days later and he is back to to his usual self and I will start riding him agian tomorrow, just starting back slowly to make sure Mr. Sensitive is going to be able to tough it out!
My exciting news is that I kind of have fall plans! Tess will be heading out to her first event back since her CCI* at preliminary, and then making the big move up to intermediate. This is definiately something I had not really seen coming, but Sharon seems to have faith in us...hopefully she will let me barrow that about the 1st of September! Tess will also hopefully get to do a nice little CIC** this fall to go ahead an have that qualification out of the way for the spring! Clif will also head straight back out at intermediate, he is totally capable and this stopping/running out stuff is just plain rediculous on both our parts, it stops now! He will run a few intermediates and hopefully a CIC** at Plantation or maybe just the CCI** at Fairhill, we will see how it all works out!
Hope everyone is enjoying the winding down of summer!
Hillary
