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
So, Dreamy seems to be all recuperated from her COPD flare-up. Poor girl. She pretty much got a full week off from work. I figured why rush things? I started her back lightly this past Sunday, and we just went on a short trail ride. I figured I would be less apt to overdo it on the trail than the "ring." (Use of the word ring is to be taken lightly...I STILL HAVE NO RING!!!! Grrrr...) For some reason, the "ring" makes my inner Puritan work ethic come out and I want to DO DRESSAGE! Work, work, work! :)
So I rode her two other nights this week as well. She was fine. I did WTC and lots of transitions. I probably gave her extended walk breaks, but again, why rush it? I rather NOT overwork her lungs and just see what she can handle. I plan to ride each day over the long weekend and then give her a few days off....Tuesday and Wednesday. Easy work at the end of the week because we have a busy weekend for Sept. 6-7. Saturday we are marshaling races at the Cornish Trotting Park (just 3 miles from my house!) for the third year in a row. I LOVE doing this. It is such a fun event. No under saddle race for us this year though.....which is a bummer since I LOVE to under saddle race. Think cross country exhilaration without jumps. But I think that pacing a mile right now might severely hinder our training...specifically the canter. She rarely paces now and I rather keep it that way. Maybe by next fall she could do the race again, but right now the lack of pace is still too new. I do think she may be able to learn cues for all three gaits (trot, pace, canter) eventually and understand that she only is allowed to do what I tell her, not what SHE thinks she ought to do. But that time is not right now.....and certainly not next weekend!
Then Sunday we have an SMDA show. It is the final SMDA show of the year, as the one in October is a ride-re-ride. I am not 100% sure if I will do the ride-re-ride, but we shall see. The first time you ride the test the score will count for year ends, which is different than last year. I would like to ride with Keith Angstadt though. We shall see what Dreamy thinks by the end of the season. She'll let me know how she feels.
So....not only is the Dream Girl back to work but so am I. :) I am back to teaching high school English and loving it. I have been home for 4 years with my son (since he was born in 2004) and though I had hoped to be home one more year until he goes to Kindergarten, this opportunity was too good to pass up. I am THE grade 12 English teacher here in my district's high school. It is a tiny school (400 kids in the HS) and I only teach 85 kids! Quite the difference from the last school I taught at before my son was born that had 1500+ kids and I taught 147 9th and 10th graders! I LOVE my job and I forgot how much I love teaching. So while this blog is really about Dreamy, I am sure I might mention my new job.
The best part? I taught for 2 days and have a long four day weekend! YAY FOR VACATIONS! :)
So I rode her two other nights this week as well. She was fine. I did WTC and lots of transitions. I probably gave her extended walk breaks, but again, why rush it? I rather NOT overwork her lungs and just see what she can handle. I plan to ride each day over the long weekend and then give her a few days off....Tuesday and Wednesday. Easy work at the end of the week because we have a busy weekend for Sept. 6-7. Saturday we are marshaling races at the Cornish Trotting Park (just 3 miles from my house!) for the third year in a row. I LOVE doing this. It is such a fun event. No under saddle race for us this year though.....which is a bummer since I LOVE to under saddle race. Think cross country exhilaration without jumps. But I think that pacing a mile right now might severely hinder our training...specifically the canter. She rarely paces now and I rather keep it that way. Maybe by next fall she could do the race again, but right now the lack of pace is still too new. I do think she may be able to learn cues for all three gaits (trot, pace, canter) eventually and understand that she only is allowed to do what I tell her, not what SHE thinks she ought to do. But that time is not right now.....and certainly not next weekend!
Then Sunday we have an SMDA show. It is the final SMDA show of the year, as the one in October is a ride-re-ride. I am not 100% sure if I will do the ride-re-ride, but we shall see. The first time you ride the test the score will count for year ends, which is different than last year. I would like to ride with Keith Angstadt though. We shall see what Dreamy thinks by the end of the season. She'll let me know how she feels.
So....not only is the Dream Girl back to work but so am I. :) I am back to teaching high school English and loving it. I have been home for 4 years with my son (since he was born in 2004) and though I had hoped to be home one more year until he goes to Kindergarten, this opportunity was too good to pass up. I am THE grade 12 English teacher here in my district's high school. It is a tiny school (400 kids in the HS) and I only teach 85 kids! Quite the difference from the last school I taught at before my son was born that had 1500+ kids and I taught 147 9th and 10th graders! I LOVE my job and I forgot how much I love teaching. So while this blog is really about Dreamy, I am sure I might mention my new job.
The best part? I taught for 2 days and have a long four day weekend! YAY FOR VACATIONS! :)
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