Well seeing as I haven't been so good at keeping this up to date, there is a whole bunch to review. It's about 1:30 in the morning of my first day off in almost two weeks- that's how busy we've been around the barn lately. Oops' much anticipated arrival (on my behalf) finally happened the first weekend of this month. I have to give credit to my dad for starting to get him back into shape because he got here and jumped right into conditioning and was so happy to be working again. It really has made all the difference having him here, it's what gets me up in the morning knowing I'll be able to be around him and ride him every day. And he's coming back this season so much better than I expected, although of course it helps that I have some of the best horse people around telling me what to do! Sharon helped us jumping a few times before she left for Florida for a month and believes we should be able to head to our first Prelim at the end of April!! So scary and incredible at the same time. We picked out a few shows to start off my season this year before I head back to NH. Hillary and Tim have been helping us jumping since Sharon left and Oops just keeps improving- it's incredible to see the difference in his jumping just from how I've improved from being here. If we keep this up, I know we'll be ready for the Prelim, although I'm also a wee bit nervous. He's so tiny! I want to start cross country schooling to get rid of all my nerves for the ditches and coffins but with this last little bit of snow we've gotten, and then the sudden thawing, the ground is just not up for it yet. Luckily we've got about 10 weeks to calm me down! The more and more time I spend here though the more I find new and improved tack and gear that I need for Oops. I've discovered the benefits of the infamous KK bits (there goes another $120) among other things I've combined into a shopping list for my day off tomorrow.
Al has been doing so well lately too. We've been struggling a little bit lately with the canter work (our trot work has gotten tremendously better) but I guess that will all come with time. He has such a bouncy, lofty trot that's pretty tough to sit to, but I've been trying so hard because I feel like if I can sit his trot, I can sit any trot; and today we finally got it right! He felt so great. I wish every ride always felt that good, but then they wouldn't be that special.
I'm almost done with all my college applications, thank god. It's really the last thing I feel like doing when I get home from work but it obviously has to be done. Lots of my days off have been (partially) devoted to doing those essays, emailing my sister back and forth, correcting and editing her essays while she does the same for me. I finally took a break from all that and went to DC for the first time since I've gotten down here in October! It was great, the family and I went to the Smithsonian and up to the top of the Washington Monument, which I didn't even know you could do. I got to wear normal people clothes and sit down to eat lunch, which is a change of pace if I've ever seen one.
We had quite the warm spell last week where it reached 72 one day. It was so nice, everyone was riding in tshirts and we had all the windows and doors open. It made me want summer so badly! I do love the winter and snow, but while I'm here riding and working outside all day every day, I'd appreciate winter to be over asap.
There are probably a number of other things I've left out, but it's almost 2 am and I have to get up in 6 hours to call the vet so he can go out to give Oops some of his vaccines! Oh how horses never rest...
