Woody and Selena after a dressage practice at home
So here we are, going flat out for the summer and loving every minute of it. This past week has been outrageous, with all the horses working 6-7 days a week. Last Saturday Kate Sykes and Watson’s Whistler went to a dressage schooling show at Steven’s Creek. Kate was second level champion at her first outing of the year. Woody went along and practiced his Bromont test which went well. Steven’s Creek presented Woody with a beautiful ‘neck’ ribbon to say “Good Luck Selena and Woody” and everyone came to watch his test. All in all, Woody loved every minute of it. He felt he was the star of the moment and there is nothing he likes better.
As soon as the trailer got back, it was emptied and re-packed and five horses in two trailers set out for Grandview Horse Trials. Everything was laid out on the grass ready to pack and the team rocked into action to clean it and get it ready to leave ASAP. The trailer was literally here for thirty minutes and then it was once again on the road. Sunday at Grandview is always a fun time and this was no exception Selena was riding Zephyr who was stellar in the dressage and went into the lead. Unfortunately he was not so stellar in the show jumping where he got way over enthused and had two rails. A great cross country left him in ninth place. Tori Morgan riding her own Bentley placed fifth in the Prelim. Anne Marie Duarte and Riley were in 3rd place after show jumping in the Training Division but an unfortunate pilot error on XC caused them to drop. However, we were still thrilled. This was Anne Marie’s first outing on him….not too shabby. Alex Morgan and her own Bazinga were on fire cross country, sadly they were also on fire for the dressage. It was their first event of the year and Bazinga was very very happy to be showing off. Katiana Fleck and Gunnar finished on their dressage score, way to go Gunnar!
Yesterday, Monday, Selena and Woody took off for Dreamcrest where she did a few bigger XC jumps. Thank you Ian and Kelly for allowing us to school and always being so accommodating. This morning, VERY early, Selena left in the truck to pick up a trailer. We are between trailers. Our new trailer which we are buying from the Leslie-Lesley Laws is in Ocala and we have no time to get down there for a couple of weeks. Meantime we have been ridiculously fortunate in having very good friends. David and Adrienne Schmitke offered us their three horse trailer to get us through Steven’s Creek and Grandview and Arthur Tateishi offered us his four horse trailer which Selena is going to pick up as I type. I cannot tell you how grateful we are to these very generous people, our run up to and at Bromont would be have been a nightmare without them.
Of course having whined for months about how cold it was, I am now whining that we need rain. I like the heat and the sun but perhaps it could rain gently every third night from about midnight to four am. That would probably be about right for turnout and grass and hay and all that good stuff. As soon as we have an early Spring stretch without rain, I start to worry about hay and grain prices going up AND the horses legs. Selena has had to minimize her last two gallops because the ground is so hard.
Benny and Rummy continue to flourish and are starting to muscle up and look good. I will do another photo shoot soon and let you see. They are on Purina feed and Omega Alpha supplements and they have changed an enormous amount in both shape and temperament as they settle in to their new job. Rummy has become a lot less pushy with his head. He used to knock me about with it, now he is more like Benny and holds it quiet to be patted and loved. Benny has always been one of those horses that would come in the house with you given any opportunity. Last night they took to galloping around on the rock hard ground when Selena and Woody arrived home in the trailer. We had to go out and bring them in, bath them, leave them to dry and then turn them out again….sigh… However, while I was swearing and cursing at them for being so silly, I couldn’t help noticing what nice gallops they both have. No problem with ground cover. They might not have been fast enough for racing but they look very fast for eventers.
