OCTOBER

October 30, 2006

Oh, finally, I have some time to catch up.  Lord knows what has happened all this time.  Since I'm too old to remember too far back, I'll just touch on the most recent things. 

On Saturday, I headed out to Lori's to meet someone new who will be riding Justin during the week.  Her name is Elizabeth and I'm really excited because she's a super rider and has an excellent background.  What's funny is, I didn't even see Elizabeth ride Justin (Lori did) but all I needed to see was the picture she sent me of she and her A/O Jumper.  After all of our introductions and letting Elizabeth see Justin go at his worse, we turned the boys out to play and I headed back home to shower and get to WIHS to meet Dani.

What a gorgeous weekend!  I had planned on taking Metro to the Verizon Center, but as usual, timing didn't work so I just drove.  Ended up at the show at around 1:00.  We got to watch a few classes before we went on a little shopping spree and then headed to dinner.  Ran into a few old friends during our strolls and learned I also missed a few others (Dave for instance and Tami).  The Grand Prix was an excellent class.  What a challenging course and I was on the edge of my seat each round.  We had a great time.  Dani brought clients of hers and I have to say, her clients are SO lucky to have her.  She is such a student of the sport and took extensive notes and catches everything.  We had a great time doing our ringside commentating to each other.

The next day, I got up early and headed to Sabrina's.  Got to ride one of the new horses sent to her for training.  She was very fun to ride.  I always have a great time riding at Sabrina's.  The mare was a blast and I'm hoping I get to ride her again this Wednesday when I head back out there. 

I can't help but be very critical of my riding.  Because there was a time when I was a very good rider and was always right on the money -- to the fence, in the corners, in the air, on the landing, you name it.  Now, after years of no practice, it is taking me longer to get back into the swing and to do everything by second nature.  A few things are starting to happen, which I consider to be improvement:  I don't obsess as much going to the jump.  Now, I just blindly go without a care in the world (that means, I'm still not seeing a distance but it manages to work out anyway and I don't fear for my life because I'm riding blindly).  I also noticed I am able to hold my body more in the air -- meaning that my back is getting stronger.  I try very hard to avoid that 'lay on the neck' thing you see so many hunter riders do.  Just a little too dramatic for my blood.  I prefer more of an 'equitational' look.  No, that is not a word, but if you are reading this, I'll bet you know what I mean.  I'm also starting to get a little more organized in the corners.  Now, mind you, I'm only saying 'starting' and 'a little bit!'  It ain't easy when you've had a twenty-plus hiatus.

I stuck around after my ride and helped clean a few stalls (really wish I could have done more) and then had to motor on home to meet carpenters.  After that, Bob and I took a nap which was just FAB!  Augh!  I do love my naps.  So, all in all, it was quite the perfect day.

Upped Justin's LubriSyn and it clearly has helped.  Am getting his hocks injected soon and am looking forward to seeing if that will improve his movement as well.  His teeth get done this Friday. 

Elizabeth rode Justin on Sunday and made me feel good when she said how much she enjoyed riding him and how nicely he went (he gave me all the bucks the day before, but he hadn't been ridden in two weeks!).  Justin has come a long way and since I have kept an account right here and I remember all too clearly what it was like to ride him the first time, I know who is responsible for his way of going, his nice mouth and acceptance of bit and his heeding of the leg aids -- ME!

Augh! I love that horse to death.  And I didn't get enough kisses from him this weekend or enough time with him. :(  It's always a struggle to fit all my short and long term goals in.  But I am all ready to ride him on Saturday (unless the dentist finds something weird) and I'm hoping Elizabeth will be able to ride Topper (Lori needs him done) and we'll ride together.  Otherwise, I'll do them both.

Heard from Leah -- did another referral for her for vet school.  I hope it helps.  As usual, I gave it that 'Jana-flair.'  But good Lord!  If she gets in, I might have just helped her head to Ireland, I think it is...  Blacksburg was far enough!  Heard from Alyssa.  She's coming home on Nov 20.  We are hoping to get to ride together.  She's doing great in school and seems to be quite the popular girl.  I've already gotten pix of one of the guys she hangs out with and gave her the thumbs up.  I will of course have to hunt him down and kill him if he breaks her heart. 

OK, time for bed!

October 17, 2006

Didn't get to ride as much as I would have liked this weekend.  Justin was acting a little stiff on Saturday so I took it easy on him.  Sunday, went out to Sabrina's and rode Missy who is pretty cool.  Jumps like none other.  She tends to be a little distracted the whole time you ride her and as mares tend to be, a little opinionated.  I did like how I was able to hold my body in the air, even though she really powers off the ground.  So, I guess there was a plus out of the ride.  Sabrina called me the next day and said all my 'torturing' paid off because she said she was a very good girl when she rode her yesterday. 

This coming weekend is a no-horse weekend. :(  Well, I will be at Gold Cup on Sat, but that is just going to kill me because being at the races will just make me miss riding.  The day after is my girlfriend Lisa's baby shower, so, I must wait until the following weekend.

Got my clippers back.  Ended up throwing out the little blades.  They just do not sharpen.  Will be interested to see how the clippers run and if the big blades sharpened up.

Blankets are back.  Justin gets his teeth done 11/3 and hocks injected 11/10.  Looking forward to seeing if the injections help him at all.

October 9, 2006

I am too lazy to make a special page for August and September tonight, so, they are still sitting below. 

For some strange reason, I decided to leaf through these old journals I used to keep.  You know how when you were a kid in school and at some point, your English teacher made you keep a journal?  Well, I did and through the years, here and there, I'd keep up with entries.  So, I have my most random thoughts and incredibly boring teenage years on paper all the way through two marriages, divorces and my mother's death and my dating Bob.  For anyone who wishes to be younger again, let me tell you, being older is so much better.  Augh!  To read all the drama and complications and crap that happens to you when you are younger is just exhausting.  In seconds of reading a matter of words from way back then, I was sucked right back into remembering those times and I am so, so glad I am four days away from being 42.  Life is so freaking fabulous now and I feel sorry for anyone who hasn't gotten here yet.  Zero drama and every day a breeze.  At least for me it is.

Last weekend was great.  Did a bunch of riding, which is always good.  Went to Sabrina's and rode Boomerang.  I had a blast.  I always have the best time riding at Sabrina's.  She gives great lessons and is always a motivator.  Rode Justin pretty hard after that.  Meaning that I've gotten a little more demanding of him on the flat.  He is just so much more rideable when he's been pushed to do some more complex things on the flat. 

I wrote Justin's breeder and told him the story of how I came across Justin and what he is up to these days.  I got the nicest response back.  It was very neat to hear stories about his dam and see pictures of his 1/2 sister and 1/2 brother.  Justin had some very successful relatives. 

This past weekend, I went back to Sabrina's to ride Boomerang.  I can't say I was as good a rider as I was last weekend but got the job done, nonetheless.  I can remember riding so well and so accurately in college so it is very annoying to me to not be as sharp and organized when riding as an adult.  After that, I went to ride Justin and Lori and I rode together in the ring.  I popped around on Topper after that. 

Pippen was really sick recently and I'm not convinced he's completely past it.  He wouldn't eat ANYTHING and was passing blood so we ended up having to hospitalize him and have him put on IVs.  He was in for three days.  He would not eat any of the food they wanted him to eat once he got home and only wanted his own food so I had to give that to him in little bits.  I gave him his pills and I keep finding them here and there on the floor.  I am so convinced when I shove them down his throat that they went down but I swear, I think he's figured out a way to trick me.  Because when I get home, I'll find them on the floor and I know they weren't there when I left in the a.m.. 

Dani went to the George Morris clinic with two of her clients and I so wished I could have gone.  It was great to hear her recap of the events.  Just wished I could have been there.  I am just craving improving my riding these days and it just isn't happening fast enough.  I'm trying to be realistic by telling myself that a) I work for a living and b) there aren't enough hours in a day.

Most of our new doors came in.  A few were damaged and had to be reordered.  Our new dinette furniture came.  Everything looks great.  I take the old stuff to Kimberley tomorrow.  She sold it on Craigslist which makes me laugh. 

The clipper repair people were supposed to call me first and let me know how much it was going to cost to repair my clippers but lo and behold, I look in my bank account today and I see that $98 has been taken out by them so there you have it.  Thankfully, that was for the repair of two clippers and sharpening of several sets of blades.  Everything better work like a dream.  I haven't had the best luck with clipper repair places.  Justin is already hairy so I am looking forward to clipping that coat off very soon.

Bob is on travel but thankfully, I got a call from him tonight and it sounds like he's coming back early.  Yay!  None of us are happy when Bob is gone.

This weekend is my birthday and Bob has drill.  I will treat myself to RIDE RIDE RIDING.  The following weekend is Gold Cup and Lisa's shower.  She'll be here for all of that.  Looking forward to seeing her and it will probably blow my mind to see her pregnant in her 8th month.  We're talking my best friend whom I've known since she was 12.  This is complete the full complement of life experiences we have shared together:  high school, college, boys, marriage, divorce (then multiply that a few times for both of us), parents with cancer and other terrible ailments, a parent dying, pet death, death of an unborn child and now full term pregnancy.  On the baby side of things, I'm glad it's her and not me!  At this stage of my life, babies are for other people.  I am sooooooooo not interested in parenting.  Until they figure out a way for me to bear a baby horse and raise it to ride it, I'm not interested.  ;)  Anyway, I'm excited for her and excited to meet my little God son.  I told Lisa I was going to squeeze him until he cried. 

I think I'll head down to the freezer and dip into the ice cream inventory which Bob was nice enough to make happen.  I never buy the sweets.  He always does.  So, off I go!