SportHorse Sales

Well the rain came back with force this week. We have been plagued with grey clouds and serious showers all week. The only ray of hope is the prediction of partly sunny for the weekend.

I’ve been busy with the horses all week. Wednesday I had a great jump lesson with John. I even got the chance to have a lesson on a catch ride. It was a good experience to have two great lessons on two very different horses.

Thursday I had my first dressage lesson with Jessica. I have to say it was great and she put a dialog to all the problems I have been feeling and helped find solutions. She also gave me some great tips on my position and how to get a better trot from Safari. I have to admit that I am a bit sore today. I have another lesson with her next week before Safari and I head north for the Mothers Day event at NWEC.

I had a fabulous jump school on Clyde last night. I have been cantering more fences and starting to put together courses. I finished my ride with a fantastic little course. It’s amazing how well he goes when I ride a balanced and rhythmical canter. He was even getting his changes! I really enjoy Clyde. I’m looking forward to the Aspen Derby this weekend and the Pony Club One Day in May. I have the entry filled out for the One Day at Inavale. I have him entered in BN on Saturday and N on Sunday. After our school last night I feel good about riding him N, but I’ll wait to send the entry off until after the derby.

The boys and I head north early this Saturday for the Aspen Derby. Clyde will be first up and he’ll do the BN derby as well as a show jump school. Safari will be late in the day for his Prelim class. I’m hoping for blue skies, good footing and clear rounds!

Well, a lot is happening right now. The sun finally made its way back to the Pacific NW and has stuck around off and on for the last week. It's a very welcome sight.
I spent last weekend teaching Willowbrook Pony Club camp at NWEC. We had a blast, great kids, parents and ponies. The weather held off for us and I officially got my first sunburn of the year! Felt great.
Safari has new shoes and is feeling great. He made my arms sore from a gallop last week. The boy is ready to go. I'm really looking forward to the season. It's a bit of a late start for me since I didn't go to CA this year. Our entry is officially in for the OI at NWEC May 6-8th. That's only TWO weeks away! I just looked at the dressage test today. We will be starting lessons with Jessica Wisdom next week. Hope she can help us put some polish on our flat work so we start the season with a solid test. With riders on the East Coast and CA scoring in the high 20's I really need to step up my game. I also have a lesson with John next week. I'm really looking forward to that. He has been keeping the pressure on us and putting up the fences. I'm happy to say that Safari has been jumping great and I'm mentally handling the larger fences well.
Clyde just got a full set of shoes and he's entered in his first PC One Day HT May 15th. I'll take him out BN. I'm actually more nervous about the dressage than anything else. He's jumped most all of the BN and lots of N fences at NWEC. He was a star over the ditches and water. His dressage can be a little wiggly. He still struggles with the right bend and picking up the correct leads. But he keeps getting better and just needs more miles and muscle. I was very proud of him last week. A student rode him in a show jumping lesson and they did great!

It’s great having goals for the horses and it helps keep me happy and focused because work has been stressful and troubling the last two weeks.

I am missing the late winter/early spring events in CA this year. I have to say the warm weather and early start to the season would have been good, but the budget didn't allow this year. Feels strange not going down. 
I filled the pain of missing the CA events by going XC schooling this last weekend. The weather was less than ideal, with some serious wind and rain showers. But it wasn't all wet socks and cold hands. We actually got to jump some XC fences. I met a number of students up at NWEC and we had a good time enjoying the few fences that remained available for our use. The water jump was VERY full from all the rain and we were only able to trot thru. 
I brought both my boys. Safari didn't have much to entertain him, so my student, Devon, got the ride on him Saturday and Sunday. I have to say she did a great job on him and I really enjoyed watching him go. He has been feeling great and jumping really well this spring. I’m really looking forward to starting our season. It’s going to be a good one!
Clyde was an absolute star and handled himself better than expected. He is a very easy horse and I see a bright future ahead of him. He jumped all the BN fences, the ditches and splashed thru the knee-high water. He was a star, despite the awkward "puddle jump". He will do the BN at the Aspen Derby at the end of April and most likely the BN at the Baywood PC One Day in May.  I’m seriously excited about this horse.

Thanks to all my students who braved the elements and joined us in a fun and successful day of schooling. A special thanks to Dana and Devon for their amazing hospitality. I’ll be back up to NWEC April 10th for another round of XC schooling. Hopefully with better weather!