The only way

to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. -Alan Watts

Jimmy is no longer going to be eventing with me. My dreams of racing a chestnut Arabian over hill and dale have crashed at this point - but oh well! Exciting prospects have opened up. I now plan on taking a friend's horse to Fresno instead. I will have approximately 15 rides on him before the event. I will post photos when he arrives. I'm just holding my breath until he actually shows up on the property.

Nervewracking?  A little.

This weekend I took a student and Mr Danny (and Mr. Jimmy) down to Twin Rivers Horse Park to do some cross country schooling. There was a bit of a miscommunication and the cross country course was closed for the combined test. That was really disappointing.

The whole thing went really well considering how absolutely difficult Danny can be sometimes. He kept whinnying and looking around and just not making gait transitions. When his rider asked him to canter in the dressage ring he thought, "sure, I'll jump that cute and tiny little white fence!" and obediently exited the arena. Crap. She got him over the jumps in the jumping ring though and I couldn't have been more proud.

Someday I'll have much better schooled horses for my students to show and to learn how to show on - while I think you learn a lot on difficult horses, I know it's hard to keep your confidence up when things are just that hard, you know?

Camou decided that it's summertime and he doesn't need his winter coat anymore.

I'm involved in horse shopping for a client! I freaking love this part of my job.

California is beautiful

and there aren't any views like THIS in Michigan right now.

Alilbit Spotty - super fun little mare

The only problem was the scary goose at this place. It kept hissing at me. 

I went for a super laid back trail ride with Jimmers this weekend with a few students and I really enjoyed that.

Next week I'm doing some substitute teaching for a trainer at Webb - I like her and her program and I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to help her out while she shows at Thermal.

Tango's been good - no more freaking out at the canter. Our simple changes are improving... my main difficulty remains getting that canter-walk transition down. He can do it, and he understands the aids most of the time. He likes to really fold under and settle into the walk but then IMMEDIATELY START TO JIG. The whole flat footed relaxed walk thing is escaping us. I need to haul him to Anne's for more lessons!

I'm going to buy a trailer. I don't know what sort of trailer yet, but I'm going to buy one. I've emailed a lot of people and I've started mobilizing my forces. It's sort of a necessary expense but one that I'd sort of ignored because I had this perception that I wasn't going anywhere or showing all that much... but then I realize this: August 2014 I brought two horses home, September 2014 I hauled four horses to a show, October 2014 I hauled to the SRHA Play Day, November 2014 I hauled to Graham Hill for schooling, December 2014 I hauled 5 horses to SDEC for a show and hauled out to go trail riding, and January 2015 I've already hauled down to Twin Rivers & I'm looking at hauling a few more times this month alone. Then we've got Fresno & Woodside in May and all the related hauling for training...

Don't use a trailer that much. Pfsh. Get over that imaginary situation, Ms. Kate. I want the freedom to haul once a week to lessons and to go trail riding not-in-the-mountains and to get to shows whenever I want.

And I believe that gets you up to date with my riding world.