tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74123936249345702472024-03-12T21:23:20.789-07:00My Red MareThe schooling of horse and rider.
Or.
My trial by fire, err, Red MareSarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-66009435149579582532019-09-09T13:58:00.006-07:002019-09-09T13:58:56.006-07:00Lucky/Unlucky and Bad Things vs. Good Things<a href="http://confessionsofanaaer.blogspot.com/">Confessions of an AA Event Rider and Convicted Over Thinker</a> had a very interesting post on <a href="http://confessionsofanaaer.blogspot.com/2019/09/to-be-or-not-to-be.html">this topic</a>.<br />
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She confessed to feeling humiliated, unlucky, and always having bad things happen to her. That's a HUGE confession and yet, she's only speaking how we all feel with horses sometimes/usually/all-the-time/pick your frequency.<br />
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I wrote on her page and thought I'd include some excerpts here. If you think I'm erring in any way, please feel free to say so in the comments!<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br />"It's not about you. It's about the horse. It's taken me (and I still need work on it) a thousand years to realize that ultimately, it's the horse and it's how you respond. You're working with an animal - an animal that while smart and beautiful, requires learning a whole new language in order to communicate. And learning that language defies rational thinking.</span><div>
<br /><span style="color: blue;">I completely get the feelings humiliation, shame, and ego-deflation. But they have no place in your work with your horse. "I can't" - is absolutely correct, of course you can't! You can't MAKE a horse do anything if you want to go the path of horsemanship. No one would ever think, "oh, she's less a rider because she can't make her horse cross a creek." What we'd think is, "ohhh man, been there! That horse really has issues with water, poor lady is doing the best she can besides carrying that pony across. It's time for some learnin' that creeks don't eat horses!"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">1 - We all make mistakes, that we learn from them is paramount to our growth. Will you ever forget to release her from the trailer before unloading? Nope! Will you devote some time to water crossings? Yep!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">2 - Why should we allow ourselves to be humiliated and shamed by our horses? Or by ourselves when it comes to our horses? We're doing the best we can and so long as you are not abusing your horse, overfacing them, or giving them no release, you are simply trying to work with your horse. They are animals who will never ever speak English. Maybe you need more time with a trainer to help you better communicate with your horse, maybe your horse just needs more exposure.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">It's all learning. That's it. You don't get to graduate horse school, you just keep learning.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">You might want to dig deep and ask yourself WHY you felt humiliated. And don't go with the first reaction you have - dig deep (although sometimes the first reaction may the right one if we let it speak loud enough).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">Of course bad things happen to you, of course you are unlucky with horses. <u>Bad things happen to everyone and we are all unlucky with horses. It's inevitable.</u> My horse once jumped a muddy creek and smashed my knee in a tree, another time she refused a fence and I came off and broke all my toes in my left foot, another time a horse kicked her and tore the skin off her leg, another time she got cellulitis and a year later she's got it again. One time she nearly took her eye out and had to have stitches along her eye nearly all the way around. Another time she refused a ditch and I came off and torqued my hamstring. Earlier this spring she spooked at a deer, sent me flying, and went galloping back home, 2 miles away. Another time at a mini-trials she spooked at the second to last show jumping fence and I came off. And don't EVEN get me started on our dressage rounds."</span><br /><br />Now here's my favorite part, the part I'm most proud for writing. <br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">"Bad things happen to us and we are unlucky with horses because this is real life. So you can't even use that train of thought because no one is "lucky" with horses, no one has "good things" all the time. Things happen if you open yourself up to being an equestrian."</span><br /></div>
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That's the end of my comment. Below are additional thoughts. </div>
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I KNOW I wallow in self-pity, I crave perfection. I HATE that we're "<i>That Pair</i>" (less frequently outside of dressage rings now that DragonMare <strike>is in her late prime and can't be bothered with the extra effort to commit to spooking unless truly imminent death is on the line/a deer lurketh</strike> has grown up). I want to be so flashy and so cool and an Upper Level Rider. I want my horse to be admired and me with her. I want us to be everything awesome and perfect.</div>
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But that life is a mirage - it's only found in the images and videos SELECTIVELY shared which we star-gazers and admirers then create a story around. Stories that have no basis in truth or reality.</div>
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"Oooooo, look at that BNR (big name rider) and their 4* horse, they are so fancy, I want to be them. They are awesome and ride all the time and live on beautiful farms and visit the world riding."</div>
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Awesome = clearly nothing bad ever happens to them and they never feel humiliated or ashamed or ready to send their horse off to the nearest kids' camp. </div>
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What we see are only glimpses into their lives. We don't know what happens behind closed doors (or closed Facebook pages/blog posts/media sites). How many times have they retired on course? How many times has their horse pulled up lame? How many times have they been yelled at by owners, faced financial hardships, gone to bed at 1am w/ a colicky horse and gotten up at 4 to ride 8 horses, or dreaded crossing the pond for the 3rd time this year. They are running businesses, they are real people, riding real horses, and living real life. </div>
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It's okay to admire them and aspire to reach those levels - that's perfectly appropriate. What's not okay is to think they are living some dream where everything is perfect all the time. Or that their hardships are easier to handle than ours. Or that somehow they are better than us amateurs. Better riders? Sure, I'll entertain that. Better trainers? ENH. Juries out on that one, I highly doubt they are better than most of the bloggers I follow. Certainly not better than my trainer. Better at being people, better at living? No. Just different. </div>
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So when we feel humiliation, shame, failure, and hear the demons whispering in our heads, we need to step out of that frame. Get off the horse (even if it's on a muddy creek bank) or set the reins down for a second, step away from the computer, put the phone down, walk away from the railbirds talking trash about the riders in the ring, step away from the stall door, and <strike>go kick a cat</strike> stretch your arms to the sky. Laugh at the absurdity of what we are trying to do. Raise your eyes up and scream, "THIS IS FUCKING SHIT!" And then take at least 10 deep breaths - 10 seconds in, 10 seconds out. Then you can cry, you can kick your tires, do some jumping jacks, drink some water, and refuse to beat yourself up. You are worth it. You do not deserve to have your closest ally, YOU, be your cruelest voice. Pet your horse. Settle down. Talk to a friend who knows you - be vulnerable and tell them what you are believing about yourself. </div>
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And then get thee to a therapist. Dig deep, don't just settle at Cognitive & Behavior Therapy (which is valuable stuff) but dig down (with a professional to guide you) and uncover why you are so mean to yourself. Whose voice are you actually channeling? Would you let someone speak to your dearest friend/your child like you speak to yourself? How can your inner child thrive by hearing/internalizing what you think about yourself? How does it make you grow and mature?</div>
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And if you think I'm just preaching, realize I'm preaching to myself. I'm headed to the barn to confer with my vet on next steps for cellulitis treatment. We've missed our last mini-trials of the season, haven't jumped in a month, and she recently spooked at some tree branches. Also,DragonMare is not my biggest fan and I know she only nickers at me or comes up to me for treats. So that's a bit deflating. #keepingitreal</div>
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<br />Also, be sure to look up Brene Brown's works - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007P7HRS4/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1">Daring Greatly</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BS03LL6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1">The Gifts of Imperfections</a>, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P5557G2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1">Rising Strong</a>. </div>
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SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-13072034478727215642019-01-07T10:03:00.002-08:002019-01-07T10:03:40.686-08:00CaspianI found "<a href="http://beckybeanwrites.com/">Becky Bean Writes</a>" through <a href="https://mugwumpchronicles.blogspot.com/">Mugwump </a> and if you haven't read either, you need to get on it asap. Like pronto. Mugwump is an gifted storyteller and trainer/equestrian. Becky is a gifted writer and equestrian in her own right.<br />
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I digress.<br />
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Becky had to put down her gorgeous grey gelding, Caspian, earlier this month and writes about it here, "<a href="http://beckybeanwrites.com/2019/01/caspian-good-boy-strawberry-bean.html">http://beckybeanwrites.com/2019/01/caspian-good-boy-strawberry-bean.html</a> Bring the kleenexes as it's one of the most profound and honest stories regarding euthanizing your best friend.<br />
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At the very least, I encourage you to give her your condolences, we will all face this day and a beautiful gift that comes from blogging is the ability to share experiences with people who know what it feels like. As animal owners, her experience is one we already face, maybe are facing currently, and will undoubtedly face sooner than should be.SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-4262649842218756042018-12-04T14:12:00.000-08:002018-12-04T14:12:12.735-08:00Ft. Worth Photo DumpOnce upon a time (or this past weekend) two girls (me and a friend) went to a far off land where boys wear cowboy boots to weddings, every Uber driver is a retiree, and the TexMex food is made of dreams. Also, the boys are quiiiiite handsome. Yowzers.<br />
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I call this place Fort Worth, TX.<br />
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VOILA<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AelFoaLYzaU/XAb1_kHosZI/AAAAAAAAmx0/EUcNiPT0Wfk3YG-Ba-7LleD7uMWHTR8HQCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AelFoaLYzaU/XAb1_kHosZI/AAAAAAAAmx0/EUcNiPT0Wfk3YG-Ba-7LleD7uMWHTR8HQCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_1101.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MMMMMMMM MIGAS!!!!!!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oooooooo Fountains and French Country/Texas Ranch Fancy Style. I'll have me some of that!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AMDoVCeGtVs/XAb1_inABXI/AAAAAAAAmx0/JlgKN1rXSX8UjX-L2Ao38L2AglDvgp0AgCKgBGAs/s1600/56532887614__EE173142-0AFF-4A40-B5EC-DFA033F3436F.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AMDoVCeGtVs/XAb1_inABXI/AAAAAAAAmx0/JlgKN1rXSX8UjX-L2Ao38L2AglDvgp0AgCKgBGAs/s640/56532887614__EE173142-0AFF-4A40-B5EC-DFA033F3436F.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We asked for some tequila drink and this is in fact, a gallon jar.<br />jk. 2 quarts. BUT HOLY HELL RAZOOS!! Everything is big in TX.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4swX1WF9iJQ/XAb4aioGozI/AAAAAAAAmys/UbjVY430CI0F-hLHCU52nbRjJ12Ea3CNgCLcBGAs/s1600/InkedIMG_1116_LI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4swX1WF9iJQ/XAb4aioGozI/AAAAAAAAmys/UbjVY430CI0F-hLHCU52nbRjJ12Ea3CNgCLcBGAs/s640/InkedIMG_1116_LI.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I clean up good. K does not like her pic out in public so she gets a big ol' blue painted face. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-10sTgjXzGrw/XAb4ap2m3hI/AAAAAAAAmyw/yNpyc6Ju2BIYz8GZhpsg7IgJWylmiWiIQCLcBGAs/s1600/InkedIMG_1113_LI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-10sTgjXzGrw/XAb4ap2m3hI/AAAAAAAAmyw/yNpyc6Ju2BIYz8GZhpsg7IgJWylmiWiIQCLcBGAs/s640/InkedIMG_1113_LI.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STILL CLEANING UP GOOD!<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out these lovely ladies. When in TX, go big or go home.<br />That said, I cannot WAIT to wear these again. SO hot!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best Old Fashioned there ever lived.<br />ACRE Distillery </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KmbxQXGMaeA/XAb1_skWxsI/AAAAAAAAmx0/m5l6MxsnaO8KNcGSYsF6sh1BB5SquTycQCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_1132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KmbxQXGMaeA/XAb1_skWxsI/AAAAAAAAmx0/m5l6MxsnaO8KNcGSYsF6sh1BB5SquTycQCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_1132.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Distillery tasting! Vodka, whisky, bourbon, gin, vodka, bourbon, gin. I bought the one with the purple label - Miss Addie's - it's a vodka infused with black tea, blackberry, and sage. #sodangerous</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcWyi0m9V_M/XAb1_tEFGGI/AAAAAAAAmx0/uQn4-MPikfU4C8a8HiL5Shfu_E_nq7s2ACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcWyi0m9V_M/XAb1_tEFGGI/AAAAAAAAmx0/uQn4-MPikfU4C8a8HiL5Shfu_E_nq7s2ACKgBGAs/s640/IMG_1133.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of glasses but only a few sips each. The last one was a cinnamon vodka that would pair well with apple cider. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out that breakfast! STUFF MADE OF HEAVEN!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oatmeal with a side of "do you want toast with that butter"? YUM YUM YUM</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the airport. Just a captured a small portion of a long piece. SO COOL!</td></tr>
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Made friends, hopefully no enemies, and had an all around nice time. You're not too bad Texas- in the winter, with no humidity and a nice breeze, after a couple drinks, and when there's an absence of UT fans. 😀😀😀😀😀<br />
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The end!<br />
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-81993759232188903372018-11-27T10:44:00.000-08:002018-11-27T10:44:45.902-08:00Concussion: The Surprisingly Uneventful Tale of My NovemberI'm not one to participate in sports where I may get injured and be unable to ride.<br />
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Exhibit A: My dad has been hounding me for years to go down-hill skiing where he and his fiancee are instructors and I have been resolute in declining those invitations. SO many things could go wrong. Dad says he could teach me how to ski better. I say it's either cross country skiing or no skiing. #stillbitteraboutyouleavingmom #yesIambeingemotionallyimmature. AND ALSO, it's strapping on two sticks and flinging yourself over a snow-covered ridge to what's supposed to be a fun 3 minutes dodging trees, hellions-on-snowboards, fellow skiers, and babies skiing with unfathomable ease, just to end up gliding to a stop in front of all those people who watched you hurtle down the hill, and stand there now streaming in sweat. .AND that's after waiting/shuffling in line at the ski lift and then enduring a cold, windy, barely-strapped-in-if-at-all ride up the hill. #notmycupoftea<br />
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That said, I happily hop on a 1000lb animal to go hurtling across miles of hills, stone fences, trees, ditches, ramps, banks, tables, through water, etc.<br />
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Now, I choose to run* and strength train as my non-horse fitness program. Could I get injured running? Yes and I have, but I do like to run and strength train, so I'm okay with that risk. I like how I feel after running and training.<br />
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I do admit to liking a bit of footie (soccer). Ex and I picked it up a couple years or so into our marriage and, having never played before, we spent about 4-5 years on the same intramural coed team and I, frankly, had a ball. I get to run around, use my muscles, develop some foot-eye coordination, and since I wasn't good, didn't have the pressure to score goals. I just sat back on defense and helped out where I could. NEVER had an injury while being, so I've been told, a solid member of the team, so it wasn't like I was just sitting out there making daisy-chains.<br />
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I stopped playing during the last half of my master's program and then again when Ex and I decided to divorce.<br />
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Right before I left for India, a co-worker invited me to play on his intramural team. Teams always need girls and I have been itching to play again. My first game was the Sunday after my return and I had a blast. Turns out I can still stop the ball, pass adequately (most of the time), and generally do a good job on defense. Woot for teaching old dogs new tricks!<br />
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Jokes on me though. During my third game (so third Sunday playing), I was battling it out with this big dude and next thing I know, I was flung down and wacked my head brutally on the turf-covered concrete floor. Stars shot through my brain and my head screamed in pain. Compared to this, any time I've fallen off a horse is like laying my head down on a pillow. My first thought after getting up was, "where the f*** is my helmet? How the hell did I hit my head without my helmet on?" Once I remembered I was not previously astride my RedMare, I got pissed because what a waste of a concussion - if I'm going to get hurt, it sure as hell better be a horse injury.<br />
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As for the next part, do not do this: I was confused, tired, nauseous, disoriented, and with a pounding head so naturally <i>I drove.myself.home. </i>I was too proud to admit I was hurting and my team too new to know how stubborn I can be. Also on the "<i>do not do"</i> list? GOING TO BED WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE TO WAKE YOU UP.<br />
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Thankfully I did wake up, just to a head that felt the size of a hot-air balloon stuffed inside a china shop with the bull raging through, i.e. intense pain and swelling. My brother drove me to the doctor who confirmed I had a moderate concussion. I spent the next week in bed sleeping. I'm just now back to full-time work (so it's been three weeks since the soccer-wreck) and still dealing with headaches that flare up out of no-where (ok, fine, it's stress. it's always stress) and mild "out-of-it-ness."<br />
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I'm not allowed to exercise, ride, or play soccer until mid-December and frankly, I'm perfectly okay with that. Nothing has been as scary as losing the ability to think. I'm fine waiting - each day feels better and I'm in no rush to risk anything. Thankfully it's cold and dark outside and my horse doesn't care if she has to eat all day #hashayishappy #sheisgettingfatandsassy #jkshehasalwaysbeensassy<br />
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Also. It gives<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_Hathaway"> Detective Inspector James Hathaway of the Oxford Police Force</a>, and I some much needed together time together.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for james hathaway oxford police" src="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/inspectormorse/images/8/87/Tumblr_nv18acz08U1t2hpuno1_500.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160128163939" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let us all swoon together now, shall we?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Moral of the story: Don't get a concussion. It sucks.<br />
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*My ex once referred to my running as "jogging" and I nearly divorced him on the spot. Years later, I can admit that maaaybe sometimes it's jogging but NOT REALLY ANDREW (#nothisrealname) BECAUSE I'M RUNNING YOU SELF-RIGHTEOUS ARMCHAIR CRITIC<br />
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-16368796264684100192018-10-31T12:36:00.000-07:002018-10-31T12:36:04.782-07:00Fall Catch-Up and photo-dump!<br />
<ul>
<li>Dassah and I completed our first Novice Recognized HT at JumpStart! </li>
<li>Dassah got cellulitis in right hind</li>
<li>Dassah got scratches in right hind</li>
<li>I went to India for a week to celebrate a friend's wedding</li>
<li>Dassah still has residual swelling but scratches are going away</li>
<li>Nobody's getting turnout right now because the fields are too wet</li>
<li>Why does it have to get cold and dark now?</li>
</ul>
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Here are pics of us on xc and in sj - we are like, TOTAL badasses now. </div>
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(someone had to move to a twisted snaffle bc she's too big for her britches)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Derp much? </td></tr>
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<div>
Then three days after getting home, Dassah got hit with a massive case of cellulitis. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unhappy bebe</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fancy Pants Francis enjoying our new home</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ncqSxqgA3uY/W9n5iBhnl0I/AAAAAAAAmLM/JSwjL4tTkKY3Gi6xQjB06XlHNuz4MYXHwCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ncqSxqgA3uY/W9n5iBhnl0I/AAAAAAAAmLM/JSwjL4tTkKY3Gi6xQjB06XlHNuz4MYXHwCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0242.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ollie's favorite perch outside</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BDIOht81zqw/W9n5iDXep7I/AAAAAAAAmLM/n01Ow5EIVSEdviQxoM7H0uxOWi8AbDfjACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BDIOht81zqw/W9n5iDXep7I/AAAAAAAAmLM/n01Ow5EIVSEdviQxoM7H0uxOWi8AbDfjACKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0268.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My scrumptious little nuggin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-azsxYpRT308/W9n5iKKOgwI/AAAAAAAAmLM/rc5wQeNf15QrMSKcHhJL4qERQ1kKEMycwCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-azsxYpRT308/W9n5iKKOgwI/AAAAAAAAmLM/rc5wQeNf15QrMSKcHhJL4qERQ1kKEMycwCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0272.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monkee helped get me some saddle time. He did not approve.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponies outside Mysore, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rb7Mqp1joaw/W9n5iCrv-NI/AAAAAAAAmLM/omWUQMoCIqko1q9i1ZoJ94KEkPx51UwlgCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rb7Mqp1joaw/W9n5iCrv-NI/AAAAAAAAmLM/omWUQMoCIqko1q9i1ZoJ94KEkPx51UwlgCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0338.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mysore Summer Palace Wall Painting</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Mysore Palace Courtyard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Mysore Palace Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wQZZ83Kl3YI/W9n5iAHgntI/AAAAAAAAmLM/u01rMRjzlRUtbDJ-NyhZnT9zruVumRftgCKgBGAs/s1600/3119784b-05d5-48d1-abc1-910467f5818d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wQZZ83Kl3YI/W9n5iAHgntI/AAAAAAAAmLM/u01rMRjzlRUtbDJ-NyhZnT9zruVumRftgCKgBGAs/s640/3119784b-05d5-48d1-abc1-910467f5818d.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new folk-throwback-alt band with an ancient Mahogany tree at Mysore</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYSlaSsoPIo/W9n5iPsVMzI/AAAAAAAAmLM/RTW4eQq8oCcqgXLQt8Nmr579o6xEAROYACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YYSlaSsoPIo/W9n5iPsVMzI/AAAAAAAAmLM/RTW4eQq8oCcqgXLQt8Nmr579o6xEAROYACKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0506.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bangalore from hotel rooftop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V1yRrqu2cCE/W9n5iBrVRaI/AAAAAAAAmLM/tLx6rgaT4asARk9itsT2YMV2P-pTTszkQCKgBGAs/s1600/340b35ab-6283-46fd-ba3c-22730c70ca68.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V1yRrqu2cCE/W9n5iBrVRaI/AAAAAAAAmLM/tLx6rgaT4asARk9itsT2YMV2P-pTTszkQCKgBGAs/s640/340b35ab-6283-46fd-ba3c-22730c70ca68.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut water is AMAZING. I don't like coconut milk but this stuff, straight OG life water</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VstMkA1_tis/W9n5iHg202I/AAAAAAAAmLM/DP3gyeNekR8_R0T-c7e3BsJalZoen4EawCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VstMkA1_tis/W9n5iHg202I/AAAAAAAAmLM/DP3gyeNekR8_R0T-c7e3BsJalZoen4EawCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0599.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took this pic with my nose. The wrap part of a mani-pedi.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r3-Gzb8xnKs/W9n5iGJAGcI/AAAAAAAAmLM/DOITVHvvbvEJma5ZihbYjFEbEK42eUAfACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r3-Gzb8xnKs/W9n5iGJAGcI/AAAAAAAAmLM/DOITVHvvbvEJma5ZihbYjFEbEK42eUAfACKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0604.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a cow. In a road</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few cows. On the median.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Certain parts of any city are rough. Other parts are beautiful, like this one in Bangalore en route to our yoga lesson</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uX0gaUNtUog/W9n5iIEIeMI/AAAAAAAAmLM/qTYBqWB6aX8v8-aotpp4Z8sob7d4Jp9OwCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uX0gaUNtUog/W9n5iIEIeMI/AAAAAAAAmLM/qTYBqWB6aX8v8-aotpp4Z8sob7d4Jp9OwCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0655.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When we party, we saree. Celebrating a beautiful (in all aspects) couple with 1,199 others. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3bFueEwnLvg/W9n5iMV-wKI/AAAAAAAAmLM/M_MKf7JXKa8E-CuRK8gMQ1UGYUCVOtTqQCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3bFueEwnLvg/W9n5iMV-wKI/AAAAAAAAmLM/M_MKf7JXKa8E-CuRK8gMQ1UGYUCVOtTqQCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0673.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1/8th of the wedding reception</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-82HJ23aJOeo/W9n5iL3GeVI/AAAAAAAAmLM/ojYPoYEwZaMVSvnCnCkCHHQdigh3lbx_QCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-82HJ23aJOeo/W9n5iL3GeVI/AAAAAAAAmLM/ojYPoYEwZaMVSvnCnCkCHHQdigh3lbx_QCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0663.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not going to lie. This was magical.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bjSh8ZBaP0M/W9n5iEZQGKI/AAAAAAAAmLM/CiPVeWezrNcGq_hRY99MUCzl-xXA2hSgwCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bjSh8ZBaP0M/W9n5iEZQGKI/AAAAAAAAmLM/CiPVeWezrNcGq_hRY99MUCzl-xXA2hSgwCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0669.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And only us westerners were taking pics of the place. Everyone else understood it as normal. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SnuSqCN39qI/W9n5iPQzu0I/AAAAAAAAmLM/lzfEyN6qqrMt04o0CtCQsheLOyZkTyQkwCKgBGAs/s1600/4df057b4-4177-4d4d-a4b5-f689cb80ee4d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SnuSqCN39qI/W9n5iPQzu0I/AAAAAAAAmLM/lzfEyN6qqrMt04o0CtCQsheLOyZkTyQkwCKgBGAs/s640/4df057b4-4177-4d4d-a4b5-f689cb80ee4d.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The married couple's dinner table</td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AEFuMDmHcZg/W9n5iEkVNAI/AAAAAAAAmLM/_L0Q0ruA2QsdFNsMePtpwshY_SMRc7oJACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AEFuMDmHcZg/W9n5iEkVNAI/AAAAAAAAmLM/_L0Q0ruA2QsdFNsMePtpwshY_SMRc7oJACKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0758.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of a map painting on a wall. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall mural - cows and dogs EVERYWHERE</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As spotted in the Bangalore airport</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ollie's favorite snoozing spot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VXTFULtG5wc/W9n5iOJWRSI/AAAAAAAAmLM/DMtD2xHxN-c95NQ5HV7U__Hqit5s38kZQCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VXTFULtG5wc/W9n5iOJWRSI/AAAAAAAAmLM/DMtD2xHxN-c95NQ5HV7U__Hqit5s38kZQCKgBGAs/s640/IMG_0865.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somepuppy was happy to have me home!</td></tr>
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SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-6040934469299447762018-08-06T10:38:00.001-07:002018-08-06T10:38:30.336-07:00And yesterday makes 4Just in case you were thinking I had an amazing horse and was an amazing rider, let me throw this at you!<br />
<br />
I have fallen off my horse and a pony a total 4 times in the last 11 days.<br />
<br />
Imma break this down.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>11 days ago I was schooling in the outdoor dressage arena. Dassah spooked during our long-and-low warmup and I came off at M. </li>
<ul>
<li>Thanks to my diligent efforts to stay on, the saddle slipped and she made a fast exit at A to go running around a front pasture with the saddle underneath her. </li>
<li>This is not the first time that has happened. </li>
<li>Last time that happened, it was at a show two years ago. So you know, at least it wasn't at a show? </li>
<li>Also. Yes. Am tightening up my girth more now. </li>
</ul>
<li>8 days ago during our last mini-trials bestie AC and I visited a friend of hers. Who happens to have a daughter who shows in mounted games on a couple of ponies. 2 glasses of wine and I jumped at the invitation to ride one. So off I go on an 11 hand Welsh pony. </li>
<ul>
<li>I fell off after handing off a baton. </li>
<li>You read that right. </li>
<li>Also, saddle didn't move. </li>
<li>But apparently one doesn't just go straight from riding a beefy Appendix to riding a 2x4 with legs and expect the center of gravity and balance to be the same. </li>
<li>I should have landed on my feet but my balance was a bit affected by the 2nd glass of wine. </li>
<li>14/10 would totes do mounted games on that very same pony. </li>
</ul>
<li>4 days ago I set up one of Wofford's gymnastic exercises to make 2'11 boring. </li>
<ul>
<li>I forgot you don't raise the 2nd element first but the 3rd. </li>
<li>I eyeballed and found out afterwards I had raised the 2nd element to 3'3"</li>
<li>Dassah braverly mastered the first two elements and then said, "OH SH#T" and ducked out left because we were NOT ready for the oxer. </li>
<li>On 2nd attempt I valiantly tried to keep her straight but she again said, "HARD PASS" and I came off. Missed the oxer and landed on grass. So win?</li>
<li>We went back through the grid at the original heights with no problem. So then (again, failing to raise the poles as per Wofford) I raised the 2nd vertical to 2'11" and lowered the oxer by one hole. We nailed it just fine. </li>
<li>ALSO - I had a friendly vertical set at Training and she was delighted to jump it. </li>
<ul>
<li>Height not a problem, just operator error. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>Yesterday at an xc schooling off-site, I let RedMare/Dassah/HUSSY/DEVILHEIFER/etc grab the bit and lock her neck on presentation to a looky cabin. She went right, I went left and nailed the landing. Trainer M politely noted that maybe next time, don't let her drive. </li>
<ul>
<li>2nd presentation went fine.</li>
<li>She jumped anything and everything else I presented to her (albeit, with some tough love -"Ditch of Death*"). Granted, I took over driving responsibilities... </li>
</ul>
</ul>
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So. Anyone else beat my record of falls within 11 days?</div>
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*The Ditch of Death however, was an other story. Someone (cough DevilHeifer cough) needed a come-to-Jesus moment over the ditches. Funny enough - she couldn't care less about the ditches at home. This ditch though - this one had a troll we couldn't see. So it took Trainer M, bestie AC, and myself to calmly but emphatically teach DevilHeifer that ditches are NBD - Mini-Trial this Saturday has a ditch so will report back!SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-53949328216249139222018-07-31T13:18:00.002-07:002018-07-31T13:36:27.213-07:00South Farm Horse TrialsThis here is another photo dump. From a recognized HT a month ago - South Farm. We finished on our dressage score (see <a href="http://myredmare.blogspot.com/2018/07/when-you-get-41-on-your-dressage-test.html">previous entry on how getting a 41 feels like winning</a>!)<br />
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BUT I will post my fav pics at the top, so you don't have to skim all the way through. I'm so nice like that.<br />
<br />
Might I just repeat that 2 years ago, BN was a far-off dream, a dream in which I could trust RedMare and there was NO WAY that could ever happen. Girlfriend liked to stop, spin, and bolt at anything.<br />
<br />
Now? Heck, now I'm looking at signing up at Novice at an upcoming Mini-Trials and then, GASP, at a recognized HT.<br />
<br />
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?<br />
<br />
WHO IS THIS HORSE? Look at that first pic, doesn't she look happy?!!!<br />
<br />
I have harassed my bestie AC (ad nauseam) if she's been riding her while I've not been looking. Nope. I'm the only one.<br />
<br />
I mean. SERIOUSLY?!!! WHO IS THIS HORSE?!<br />
<br />
10 years ago I pulled her off my mom's farm. She was 5 and halter-broke. (6 years ago I had decided as a college-student that nothing would make my heart happier than to breed my mare to the OTTB stud down the road (I was an idiot)). She went to an NH trainer, who got her started in the right direction, but when we were done with him, we had no idea where to go.<br />
<br />
8 years ago I worked with a dressage trainer but became discouraged at the lack of progress. I was scared to canter!<br />
<br />
6 years ago we did our first hunter pace. We had fun but it was still moderately terrifying.<br />
<br />
5 years ago I still spent most of my time begging not to be tossed on the ground. Still scared to canter.<br />
<br />
4 years ago I rode her around my current barn's hay field and nearly died of happiness because I didn't fall off.<br />
<br />
3 years ago I "found" a trainer through now-bestie AC. "Found" because she was practically tossed in my lap (by AC). We learned we didn't need to zoom. (a trait Dassah still likes to recall when she's unhappy).<br />
<br />
2 years ago we went to lots of hunter paces and a BN mini-trial. Dassah showed potential. We spent the winter doing grid-work. Lots of gridwork. We had no idea how important that would be.<br />
<br />
1 year ago we did more BN mini-trials, our first recognized, and I think we both started to think, "Hey, is this boring now?" - answer? Yes. Thank you grid-work!<br />
<br />
This year? This year I'm looking at Training fences and thinking, "ooooo, girl. we're gonna do those someday."<br />
<br />
Honestly, just right now, at this moment, it's all a dream come true.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All time favorite of this show. She looks like she's in beast mode and I'm finally not looking down!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DEM KNEEES!!!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down :( but she looks good. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I might be looking up?!! Again, RedMare is a rockstar. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jaNBd-_FmMA/W2C9_MBfvDI/AAAAAAAAkYw/K2sRUfuzuPcpN75VNAysm0BmKDok8yFqwCKgBGAs/s640/SF8L1118.jpg" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RedMare says - snoooore. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nOFFmiWAA4s/W2C_1rOucHI/AAAAAAAAkZM/fSYdvByHeiopWpYfsreLI5t1aos5LZ2QgCKgBGAs/s1600/SF8G1761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nOFFmiWAA4s/W2C_1rOucHI/AAAAAAAAkZM/fSYdvByHeiopWpYfsreLI5t1aos5LZ2QgCKgBGAs/s640/SF8G1761.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last fence. We are both drenched in sweat. AND SHE WAS STILL PULLING.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaxYnyNqxnk/W2DHVZ6rgoI/AAAAAAAAkZ8/cBKU79J0bTwiW-agOZIXM41-1PM3i3mwACKgBGAs/s1600/SF8B6012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaxYnyNqxnk/W2DHVZ6rgoI/AAAAAAAAkZ8/cBKU79J0bTwiW-agOZIXM41-1PM3i3mwACKgBGAs/s640/SF8B6012.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HEAD OF THE LAKE HERE WE COME!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5LK6gDPbHI/W2C-10OhM8I/AAAAAAAAkY8/vSuWUuzU99ot3NKHcpjDHPThqyckb5FwQCKgBGAs/s1600/SF8G1765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5LK6gDPbHI/W2C-10OhM8I/AAAAAAAAkY8/vSuWUuzU99ot3NKHcpjDHPThqyckb5FwQCKgBGAs/s640/SF8G1765.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And through the finish flags. </td></tr>
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AND NOW, our dopey pics. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k5N81ah3hZY/W2C_BbueE4I/AAAAAAAAkZA/L6GWf4Pcb4wJ_leSmEq2jH4lVPsyuOrnACKgBGAs/s1600/SF8G1764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k5N81ah3hZY/W2C_BbueE4I/AAAAAAAAkZA/L6GWf4Pcb4wJ_leSmEq2jH4lVPsyuOrnACKgBGAs/s640/SF8G1764.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me: soooo close to the end<br />
Dassah's STILL not slowing down. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hVKm-V-mhK4/W2C_BZbfQvI/AAAAAAAAkZA/ZeLwJyVMdgwmJfuCjjgYnLy2QwMjI0ZDACKgBGAs/s1600/SF8G1763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hVKm-V-mhK4/W2C_BZbfQvI/AAAAAAAAkZA/ZeLwJyVMdgwmJfuCjjgYnLy2QwMjI0ZDACKgBGAs/s640/SF8G1763.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me: I'm dyyyyyyyyying.<br />
Dassah: I'm only slowing down because <i><u>I </u></i>want to.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-03BHnpH2JBE/W2C_BV4TG9I/AAAAAAAAkZA/Hpz8LMFl8M0oU-T-Kx20c3mmBvbs-ToIACKgBGAs/s1600/SF8B2161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-03BHnpH2JBE/W2C_BV4TG9I/AAAAAAAAkZA/Hpz8LMFl8M0oU-T-Kx20c3mmBvbs-ToIACKgBGAs/s640/SF8B2161.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biffed it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wI6G2tFOZM8/W2C_BVjsPaI/AAAAAAAAkZA/1WaEI98pn6kMNd2OlqnOVCTk9LJ_nG6aACKgBGAs/s1600/SF8B2157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wI6G2tFOZM8/W2C_BVjsPaI/AAAAAAAAkZA/1WaEI98pn6kMNd2OlqnOVCTk9LJ_nG6aACKgBGAs/s640/SF8B2157.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what getting left behind looks like....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RwOo0PhiO6M/W2C_BcQGxHI/AAAAAAAAkZA/KlXA_0vQTesy_JZR9sxg50nm9kImkJbuwCKgBGAs/s1600/SF8B2155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RwOo0PhiO6M/W2C_BcQGxHI/AAAAAAAAkZA/KlXA_0vQTesy_JZR9sxg50nm9kImkJbuwCKgBGAs/s640/SF8B2155.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And it wouldn't be a complete wrap if I didn't post the pre-first-fence pic. This is how we do it. </td></tr>
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-14216005663863283322018-07-16T13:18:00.003-07:002018-07-16T13:19:00.000-07:00PHOTO DUMP!!!Dear Reader, Aren't you excited?<br />
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YOU ARE?!!! I thought so.<br />
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Here's a photo-dump from the mini-trials in the middle-ish of June. You know, the one where RedMare gave a dressage test her two middle fingers and asked me, not politely, to shove it?<br />
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Yeah. No dressage pics because, hahahahahahahahahahhaha. No.<br />
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Never again do I want to look at that.<br />
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Instead, on to the fun stuff!<br />
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I present you, stadium jumping with a couple xc.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qBI1gUkv6oU/W0z7sf0O07I/AAAAAAAAkH0/KuCg8mo4rc0m6liI-ITrdiYY0J9A683bwCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7170-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qBI1gUkv6oU/W0z7sf0O07I/AAAAAAAAkH0/KuCg8mo4rc0m6liI-ITrdiYY0J9A683bwCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7170-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MY NEW FAVORITE PICTURE EVAH.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HkDPCfwzPm0/W0z7sa2eZuI/AAAAAAAAkH0/EfGFlBqMChkDFoXZBIbpp2bJ80ex-LNOgCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7173-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HkDPCfwzPm0/W0z7sa2eZuI/AAAAAAAAkH0/EfGFlBqMChkDFoXZBIbpp2bJ80ex-LNOgCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7173-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d2YTrFAiqhQ/W0z7sYMec9I/AAAAAAAAkH0/i7rW3TIuvi8qhNqew6wHqoqVtsmKg1c_gCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7174-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d2YTrFAiqhQ/W0z7sYMec9I/AAAAAAAAkH0/i7rW3TIuvi8qhNqew6wHqoqVtsmKg1c_gCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7174-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic Me: "hey, slow down?" Dassah: "You dumb cow, slowing is for losers, piss off!"</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IEwQ-6PwlXw/W0z7sbAKIfI/AAAAAAAAkH0/4bf948qubzQxnF_qPDUvtLp_jtzAakTxgCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7176-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IEwQ-6PwlXw/W0z7sbAKIfI/AAAAAAAAkH0/4bf948qubzQxnF_qPDUvtLp_jtzAakTxgCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7176-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dassah: Look how scopey I can be! Me: Lower leg, y u no w/me?</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4buGQ6k7hRE/W0z7sZUvaqI/AAAAAAAAkH0/eXKOcK6S-VMQpiH8fHc6SQYNifMQXlN5gCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7178-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4buGQ6k7hRE/W0z7sZUvaqI/AAAAAAAAkH0/eXKOcK6S-VMQpiH8fHc6SQYNifMQXlN5gCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7178-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-005.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UpVYtn0QZJ8/W0z7seXqZdI/AAAAAAAAkH0/7gZZkmUJV0gVGcRGlJvvzVfdrgEnFxcmACKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7180-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UpVYtn0QZJ8/W0z7seXqZdI/AAAAAAAAkH0/7gZZkmUJV0gVGcRGlJvvzVfdrgEnFxcmACKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7180-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-006.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lady in background: DAAAAMN. They's killing it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-arYQ6DhvM4w/W0z7sawyPkI/AAAAAAAAkH0/d69lG2DdEFgVBilw_V3abTn7hQ2CQc4xgCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7183-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-arYQ6DhvM4w/W0z7sawyPkI/AAAAAAAAkH0/d69lG2DdEFgVBilw_V3abTn7hQ2CQc4xgCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7183-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me: I should breathe. Also, my pony wants to do hunters......</td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6neDC-U2bI/W0z7sUDE2GI/AAAAAAAAkH0/jtpSs27zfEcO64JpkxC7tPK_TGoleAMUgCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7184-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6neDC-U2bI/W0z7sUDE2GI/AAAAAAAAkH0/jtpSs27zfEcO64JpkxC7tPK_TGoleAMUgCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7184-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-008.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jKm2LcZTo48/W0z7sXLxJfI/AAAAAAAAkH0/Nb0QnK5RneQXKfEH2xx0WolRceahDO3sQCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7185-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jKm2LcZTo48/W0z7sXLxJfI/AAAAAAAAkH0/Nb0QnK5RneQXKfEH2xx0WolRceahDO3sQCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7185-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-009.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obviously hollow here but for some reason, I adore this picture. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1mTP83wCqBY/W0z7sXGAokI/AAAAAAAAkH0/SKHD_t0wGZsIUEYT4l6pjLMBBXHea1YlwCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7187-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1mTP83wCqBY/W0z7sXGAokI/AAAAAAAAkH0/SKHD_t0wGZsIUEYT4l6pjLMBBXHea1YlwCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7187-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-010.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me: Hey, this is a two-stride.... Dassah: BOUNCE!<br />(no, we did not bounce, but we sure showed that two-stride who was boss)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8RxUT1yvPnY/W0z7sZ4iMmI/AAAAAAAAkH0/P1h9gII8aWgfLXBQ6Tx2bAtX3f4R2qibACKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7346-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8RxUT1yvPnY/W0z7sZ4iMmI/AAAAAAAAkH0/P1h9gII8aWgfLXBQ6Tx2bAtX3f4R2qibACKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7346-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-011.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dassah: I JUMP ALL THE JUMPS!<br />Me: Please do!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iQaa8rJhSNM/W0z7sUcGGoI/AAAAAAAAkH0/oRjb7cu3prc-JhRma_nNY0EOnWl9S8xbQCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7347-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iQaa8rJhSNM/W0z7sUcGGoI/AAAAAAAAkH0/oRjb7cu3prc-JhRma_nNY0EOnWl9S8xbQCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7347-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V7ZHsO9GI-Y/W0z7sf490TI/AAAAAAAAkH0/E8tKHs5dvj4VpQMYl6-xEgseTxDLw8hogCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7349-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V7ZHsO9GI-Y/W0z7sf490TI/AAAAAAAAkH0/E8tKHs5dvj4VpQMYl6-xEgseTxDLw8hogCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7349-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me: You slow down now? Dassah: "lalalalalalalalala"</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SS8SEJQea0s/W0z7sUqA4WI/AAAAAAAAkH0/nqyB59jmTygsQA69NvLZA18PmOhZfB8tACKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7351-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SS8SEJQea0s/W0z7sUqA4WI/AAAAAAAAkH0/nqyB59jmTygsQA69NvLZA18PmOhZfB8tACKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7351-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-015.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLfyCId23Fg/W0z7sYZgD8I/AAAAAAAAkH0/Go1w1TaMCqcMOfpyzoVNSMNjFsaQLEFmQCKgBGAs/s1600/DSC_7353-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLfyCId23Fg/W0z7sYZgD8I/AAAAAAAAkH0/Go1w1TaMCqcMOfpyzoVNSMNjFsaQLEFmQCKgBGAs/s640/DSC_7353-5-ZF-2882-75140-1-001-014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end! (for the pics. this shot was taken going up a big hill to fences... 8-13)</td></tr>
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-47102822244730222042018-07-02T10:31:00.004-07:002018-07-02T10:31:50.935-07:00When you get a 41 on your dressage test and yet you feel like you won an Olympic Gold! This happens to be the greatest test of all time, at least for the Little Red Corvette (as my trainer calls her) and me.<br />
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We went to the South Farm Horse Trials (second recognized event for us!) and had the most tremendous, amazing, blessedly composed, totally awesome, SUPER DUPER FANTASTIC dressage test. For reference, this is BN Test A.<br />
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Prepare to be bored out of your minds.<br />
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And that is exactly why it is the most amazing test ever. Snore, boring!<br />
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We were (unrequestedly) stalled around the corner and not next to her BFF 4-LIFE Joey - she did end up with another boyfriend (he came in 2nd in Prelim, so... you go girl!) but they were not tied to the hip like with Joey.<br />
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Temperature wise, it was 95F with 98% humidity but had a nice breeze on the hills, so it wasn't melt-your-face-horrible at the arenas and during xc.<br />
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I hacked her around about 2 hours before her test (w/t) and then pulled her out of her stall about 30min before her test to warm up.<br />
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So - stabling + temperature + two warm-ups = happy dappy Dassah.<br />
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Needless to say, she got stuffed full of carrots after that test.<br />
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We pulled a rail in stadium the next day (sigh) but whatever, no time faults and went double clear on xc. (The footing was pretty bad in areas so they ran both on Sunday to give the footing more time to dry out).<br />
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Dressage Test - BN-A - Score of 41<br />
Show Jumping- 4 jumping faults, 0 time.<br />
XC - double clear<br />
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Logging the xc fences just so I can remember them.<br />
<br />
Fence 1 - Log<br />
Fence 2 - Hogsback<br />
Fence 3 - rolltop<br />
Fence 4 - cabin<br />
Fence 5 - pheasant feeder<br />
Fence 6 - hogsback<br />
Fence 7 - table<br />
Fence 8 - little up-bank with quick turn to fence 9<br />
Fence 9 - rolltop<br />
Fence 10 - table<br />
Fence 11 - ramp<br />
Fence 12 - table<br />
Fence 13 - bench<br />
Fence 14 - into water<br />
Fence 14b - rolltop 3 strides out<br />
Fence 15 - stone wall with flowers on top<br />
Fence 16 - another stone wall with flowers on top<br />
Fence 17 - open-slatted-bench.<br />
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Everything ran super- she looked a bit at the cabin but we had schooled that in warm-up so once she locked on she was great and the pheasant feeder was a little sketchy due to the footing but everything else was taken like she had wings.<br />
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She hates cold baths but after xc she stood like a rock in the wash-rack and looked like she was diggin' it big time. .<br />
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That evening, as soon as we got home from Dante's Inferno, I stopped at the grocery and bought ice cream, tortilla chips, and wine for dinner. #DinnerofChampions<br />
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So, a 41 in dressage might make most people faint in shock but I couldn't care less about the score. It was a beautiful (for us) dressage test and makes me the proudest of people. My girl is growing up!<br />
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-34150587588925794282018-06-25T13:34:00.000-07:002018-06-25T13:34:01.591-07:001st Mini-Trials of the Season!Well, well, well.<br />
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We did it. The Red Mare and I completed our first mini of the season and came home with a <i>number </i>not a <i>letter </i>(however, RedMare did have several letters for me, which, coincidentally enough, include A F B M C H E K X and "F*#& YOU").<br />
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Exhibit: Dressage Test<br />
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Shall I recap?<br />
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Sure. See Dassah trailers with Joey (whom she only sees during the winter very infrequently and then maybe once a month during the summer when we ride along with BFF AC and her gelding Joey) and when we first started trailering to shows, she figured the sanest and safest animal around was the boy she rode in with and by golly, no one was going to separate them.<br />
<br />Except me. I separate them when I take her to her dressage test. And let me tell you, that dressage test has NO business being on her agenda. Dressage is to Dassah what retail fashion is to Miranda (Devil Wears Prada). And in that vein, I am to Dassah in a dressage test what Andrea (lowly assistant) is to Miranda before she figures out fashion. A big ol' sack of no-good-idiot-on-two-legs-mess.<br />
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So for the two years now that we've been going around Ohio to events, Joey has been her beloved-of-all-time hero-savior-on-four-legs. Whom she sees about one weekend a month. To tear her away from Joey is to unforgivable - so for one weekend a month, I'm a monster. Then as soon as we get home and off the trailer, I'm back in her good graces. THAT SAID, she loves her some stadium and xc and those are finnnnnnne to be forced from Joey's side to do.<br />
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So, as you saw in the video, Dassah has <i>very little </i>use for me and my dressage notions.<br />
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<i>(we head out of arena after courtesy circle)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Dassah: What a moronic waste of my time. This is POINTLESS.</i><br />
<i>Me: If we do this, we can go jump. </i><br />
<i>Dassah: Interesting tidbit of info....very interesting indeed. </i><br />
<i>Me: Ok, trot down centerline.</i><br />
<i>Dassah: Well, if we must do this (grabs bit).....OUT OF MY WAY FOOL! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Me: Excuse me, I'm up here and as your rider.....</i><br />
<i>Dassah: I have GOT THIS. </i><br />
<i>Me: How about a nice 20 meter circle</i><br />
<i>Dassah: How about a 20 meter of</i><i> ZOOOOOOOOOOOM!</i><br />
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<i>Me: Um. I hate to bother you but could we, I dunno, relax a bit? </i><br />
<i>Dassah: Relaxing is for LOSERS. Imma make this fastest test ever. </i><br />
<i>Me: What? NO! NOT FASTEST</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Dassah: NEROOOOM, NERROOOM, NERRRROOOOOOOOOOOM</i><br />
<i>Me: You are NOT a race car!</i><br />
<i>Dassah: SHUT UP. I need to focus. </i><br />
<i>Me: But we need to turn</i><br />
<i>Dassah: Nah, exit is that-a-way, I can almoossst reach it. </i><br />
<i>Me: We need to turn. Not done yet. </i><br />
<i>Dassah: FINE, hold on, I guess I'll bank this. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Me: I'm afraid to ask but I need a second canter transition. </i><br />
<i>Dassah: No worries, I have GOT THIS. </i><br />
<i>Me: You said that earlier and we zoomed. </i><br />
<i>Dassah: Duh. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Me: (suffers whiplash when we finally transition to walk)</i><br />
<i>Dassah: I was SO zoomy! Did you see how zoomy? </i><br />
<i>Me: (lightheaded from zoomies)</i><br />
<i>Dassah: (during free walk) I was so zoomy and so fast and look at me NAIL this free-walk. </i>(we did score a 7.5 on it, but I think that's because the judge was impressed Dassah even had a walk).<br />
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<i>Me: I'm just going to gather up the reins a bit...</i><br />
<i>Dassah: YES. MOR ZOOMIES!!!! </i><br />
<i>Me: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! Please NO MORE ZOOMIES!</i><br />
<i>Dassah: (whispers) zoom zoom zoom zoom zoom zoom. corner turn. zoom zoom zoom zoom zoom. and halt. </i><br />
<i>Me: (Wipes bugs off teeth and out of eyes). Um. Thanks? </i><br />
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And that's how you do dressage in Hadassah-Land.SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-58628562991315397842017-11-07T11:18:00.000-08:002017-11-07T14:08:30.600-08:00ChinaEdited to add: Comments on orphanage situation<br />
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So you may have seen from my Facebook page that I recently went to China. It's been 10 years in the making but I finally decided to go with a group called <a href="https://gobeloveinternational.org/">Go.Be.Love International</a>, formerly known as Visiting Orphans.<br />
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It was a 10 day trip originally scheduled to be in an orphanage but the government has closed the doors of all orphanages to foreign visitors. So plans changed. Instead we visited three cities and three separate organizations dedicated to helping special needs children. I'm not involved in special needs advocacy so this was all new to me.<br />
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FWIW, as a result of this trip I'm totally on board with advocating for parents and care-takers of special needs children.<br />
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Here's a quick recap:<br />
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Beijing --> Fuxin --> Shenyang --> Beijing. We went from Beijing to Fuxin via a 5hr bullet train ride and 3 hour bus ride. Then to Shenyang via 3 hour bus ride and then back to Beijing on the bullet train. What? You are not familiar with a map of China? Essentially, at our northernmost point we were a 5+ hour <b>drive</b><i> </i>from North Korea.<br />
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<i>I kept singing "Bullet the Blue Sky" - it's pretty apt</i></div>
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Our group was rather large (14) and with dividing us up into about three smaller groups, we were able "help" out in different capacities throughout the trip. Some groups interacted directly with the children, others cleaned (my group), or met with parents (my group). When my group met with the parents we hosted a panel-style session where parents could ask questions. We had a pediatrician, a therapist, two nurses, and me. My qualifications? Great question. I'm divorced (a situation many will find themselves in if they parent a special needs child), I have family with special needs, and I've been in therapy for a bazillion years. That's enough, right?<br />
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The takeaway from those parent sessions? They are so in need of support and education regarding special needs. They asked us how we in the US cure our children of autism.<br />
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Yeah, let that one sit with you awhile.<br />
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Try sitting there across from parents and informing them that there is no cure. That this is endless and thankless work and their lives are forever, unalterably, changed. You feel <i>real good </i>about yourself.<br />
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We did explain that we love our children, that our children have value regardless of their special needs, that their children have value, that we all have innate value. Yeah, mostly blank and hopeless stares back.<br />
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So here's a brief summary of my take-away from China.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f497d;">China was incredible – very hard and extremely taxing but I’m glad I had the opportunity to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">Parents of special needs children here, while they need all the support and much more than they get, are unfathomably better off than a parent that tries to raise a special needs child there. Imagine deciding to keep a child, <i>your</i> child, and then losing your job, your spouse, your parents, your friends, your home, and any plans for your future, whether realistic or dreamt. Imagine being ridiculed unceasingly by family, friends, and strangers for keeping your child – imagine your child being ridiculed by the same people, right in front of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">I wouldn’t have believe it but we witnessed it first-hand and heard accounts by parents who kept their children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">There are good people who are trying to build support networks and are working their knuckles down to provide safe spaces for not just for these parents and their children but for orphaned children as well. It’s a beautiful sight but devastatingly rare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">It’s not a place to go to feel good about yourself or to imagine that any help you can bring is enough. Sure, everyone involved in helping special needs children over there is grateful, so grateful for the smallest gesture of support, but it’s evident immediately that more should be done.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1f497d;">Note: I need to add in here that foster-families and families who choose to keep their special needs children are providing a hope and future for these children. Children who might NEVER see anything beyond the four sides of their crib until they age out <i>and it doesn't get better</i>. Yes, until they reach 16, many special needs children are restrained to their cribs and subsist on <i>milliliters </i>of (hopefully) milk <i>per meal</i>. </span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1f497d;">Let me break that down even more. In some areas, if you are suspected of having a disability (and diagnosis is spotty at best) you will be treated equal to or WORSE than livestock. Cattle, pigs, and chickens will likely have it better for they will at least be fed. <i>I do not mean to make benign horrible livestock conditions - the cruel living quarters, force-feeding practices, and slaughter processes are unforgivable but imagine where that industry has a one-up on an orphanage. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1f497d;">Now, not all orphanages are run like this, some do provide healthy environments for their wards but that is NOT the case for all - <i>and this isn't exclusive to China... I'm looking at you Russia. </i>With the lack of accountability (policy and compliance review (hey, my job!!)), people can and will engage in bribery to land jobs for which they are grievously unqualified and incapable of discharging their duties correctly. </span>Explain that one to me....<br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">One thing impressed upon us before and during the trip is to NOT judge. I did get all hot-headed and self-righteous for those three paragraphs above but anger at the plight is different (to me) than judging why families give up their children or anger at the nannies for the orphanage practices. While there it's about loving on the nannies and the children. It's about <b>change</b> and you can't change people by judging them - you <i>can </i>change people by <i style="font-weight: bold;">loving </i>them. I don't know how I would have kept it together had we visited one of the orphanages such as I mentioned above. I pray I would have loved and I know it would have tested me to the limits. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">Not quite a feel-good recap but it’s honest. </span></div>
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We did visit the Great Wall (contrary to the 17yo on the trip, it is 5,500 miles long, not 36) and FUN FACT: at this particular section you take a chair-lift up to the top and a toboggan down. Also visited Temple of Heaven and the Nanluoguxiang hutong (old alley with tons of shops). We ate (ok, I ate) my way through China thanks to our wonderful guide Hi Tao. He orchestrated every meal and I had pig kidney (did NOT know it was that but hey, what you don't know...), whole-fried fish, whole fried shrimp, squid, beef dish after pork dish after chicken dish ad infinitum, amazing green beans (like, whoa-baby good), eggplant, candied veggies, Peking Duck, hot pot, dim sum, veggies galore, all served family-style on a lazy-Susan for every lunch and dinner.<br />
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Pictures in no particular order!<br />
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I do not have pictures of the children or care-takers or the facilities we visited. I have no reason to be concerned but I don't like publishing (and we were asked not to publish pictures of the children) pictures of those who might be at risk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXWUdZOsE_0/WgIEG038HyI/AAAAAAAAf2I/VMKr2CqQG0sM8o2tHJJBPU2RnKVlZzdqQCKgBGAs/s1600/rg_TImLRlvC4dut8ez6gU6flAK5VomAUdf7iFdEy_uQ%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXWUdZOsE_0/WgIEG038HyI/AAAAAAAAf2I/VMKr2CqQG0sM8o2tHJJBPU2RnKVlZzdqQCKgBGAs/s640/rg_TImLRlvC4dut8ez6gU6flAK5VomAUdf7iFdEy_uQ%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group! We had just finished visiting the Pearl Market</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V6GhhK2BFJg/WgIEG2-Oc2I/AAAAAAAAf2I/xU_fgLwunZsr11UOkNyp8Kq3x7GZSEw9QCKgBGAs/s1600/oNczd1J5btag-eeoVNyFbF4p76_C1cvRHdbeBKB8wGI%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V6GhhK2BFJg/WgIEG2-Oc2I/AAAAAAAAf2I/xU_fgLwunZsr11UOkNyp8Kq3x7GZSEw9QCKgBGAs/s640/oNczd1J5btag-eeoVNyFbF4p76_C1cvRHdbeBKB8wGI%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bartering</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9qIrV7KAAak/WgIEG0bvn6I/AAAAAAAAf2I/65skGuzmxwMGMa1_7lPHYloGyfNSbe5mgCKgBGAs/s1600/yzsztJJ0dav4okhPCrS3Lcr9j3b_IJMkac4DBC5TNWQ%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9qIrV7KAAak/WgIEG0bvn6I/AAAAAAAAf2I/65skGuzmxwMGMa1_7lPHYloGyfNSbe5mgCKgBGAs/s640/yzsztJJ0dav4okhPCrS3Lcr9j3b_IJMkac4DBC5TNWQ%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you've landed in Dallas and you're ready to die from exhaustion but you still have 8 hours to go!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J7qXwdDAZfM/WgIEGxjA4sI/AAAAAAAAf2I/m04z86kDoKMs1JmWR11LEDKnKRgc-gm8ACKgBGAs/s1600/qTGdMJ5r2QbEIZuEAW_42DRCEExJ_K1DJov1S--vh7o%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J7qXwdDAZfM/WgIEGxjA4sI/AAAAAAAAf2I/m04z86kDoKMs1JmWR11LEDKnKRgc-gm8ACKgBGAs/s640/qTGdMJ5r2QbEIZuEAW_42DRCEExJ_K1DJov1S--vh7o%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zK3HzbMT3z0/WgIEG-JgWxI/AAAAAAAAf2I/oE35XtBa45AyZOM-4RDQ-31KX4CaDQgUACKgBGAs/s1600/f0vrbRM74cM6nxq_PmHkeTPLwnQhaT1016ngripmYMs%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zK3HzbMT3z0/WgIEG-JgWxI/AAAAAAAAf2I/oE35XtBa45AyZOM-4RDQ-31KX4CaDQgUACKgBGAs/s640/f0vrbRM74cM6nxq_PmHkeTPLwnQhaT1016ngripmYMs%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group on the bullet train. Woot!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3OIM_2NMA3g/WgIEG-a6YUI/AAAAAAAAf2I/XNPeJpikDe4lkUlTPe0nKuqdC6tC597XgCKgBGAs/s1600/Qkj9m5oNZ0OA5ygyJftEQTV_JKi7P0lGO93k0Wt7Jwg%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3OIM_2NMA3g/WgIEG-a6YUI/AAAAAAAAf2I/XNPeJpikDe4lkUlTPe0nKuqdC6tC597XgCKgBGAs/s640/Qkj9m5oNZ0OA5ygyJftEQTV_JKi7P0lGO93k0Wt7Jwg%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our attempts at paper cutting. #noskillz</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M1hzAc0um_s/WgIEG9ufTzI/AAAAAAAAf2I/ZyzVOB0UocYdbRrnV9CldigC0pTBN_ShACKgBGAs/s1600/z2MRU2RPqHeTFydhe2kWNUJYQdbowcp99G3mEOETjW4%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M1hzAc0um_s/WgIEG9ufTzI/AAAAAAAAf2I/ZyzVOB0UocYdbRrnV9CldigC0pTBN_ShACKgBGAs/s640/z2MRU2RPqHeTFydhe2kWNUJYQdbowcp99G3mEOETjW4%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Square in Shenyang</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-COkITUV5J_s/WgIEG--smoI/AAAAAAAAf2I/vcvcjd-BzvAZR5gfvsFWFOjlGYV-a7juACKgBGAs/s1600/Dc1UTEfYyA6KOLF1e-0zNuhbTGDT-Y3jqi2yjrL7OOk%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-COkITUV5J_s/WgIEG--smoI/AAAAAAAAf2I/vcvcjd-BzvAZR5gfvsFWFOjlGYV-a7juACKgBGAs/s640/Dc1UTEfYyA6KOLF1e-0zNuhbTGDT-Y3jqi2yjrL7OOk%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beijing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A6ttyLRix3Y/WgIEGxlJqRI/AAAAAAAAf2I/dFJIgN4rLt0hYyhPkDs1dPUrkDb5vsx5wCKgBGAs/s1600/dLYPNZL5vt352-agPki_69JBTwCdPa2LSgu5BqJkSHg%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A6ttyLRix3Y/WgIEGxlJqRI/AAAAAAAAf2I/dFJIgN4rLt0hYyhPkDs1dPUrkDb5vsx5wCKgBGAs/s640/dLYPNZL5vt352-agPki_69JBTwCdPa2LSgu5BqJkSHg%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bullet Train</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-StKADIulNzk/WgIEG37QRBI/AAAAAAAAf2I/Uxupca7v1bs6m23qrO9zlIDjfdWCpgExQCKgBGAs/s1600/20171022_125947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-StKADIulNzk/WgIEG37QRBI/AAAAAAAAf2I/Uxupca7v1bs6m23qrO9zlIDjfdWCpgExQCKgBGAs/s640/20171022_125947.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toboggan down from the Great Wall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5NiuNPpyljI/WgIEG8syzCI/AAAAAAAAf2I/H4CUphGy_uAaWrU1MgQncC5i0ZBVhFQ-wCKgBGAs/s1600/20171022_125838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5NiuNPpyljI/WgIEG8syzCI/AAAAAAAAf2I/H4CUphGy_uAaWrU1MgQncC5i0ZBVhFQ-wCKgBGAs/s640/20171022_125838.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More toboggan!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ceIeoOiOGs8/WgIB0Mu6DnI/AAAAAAAAf18/uQsxaPYyydk9sEQ29cpF8GXLzqAyUZ8PACKgBGAs/s1600/0DWdNZU1UpQ4sYaaN5zC9-Xe8oymLq-Ou07LlFIqGE4%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ceIeoOiOGs8/WgIB0Mu6DnI/AAAAAAAAf18/uQsxaPYyydk9sEQ29cpF8GXLzqAyUZ8PACKgBGAs/s640/0DWdNZU1UpQ4sYaaN5zC9-Xe8oymLq-Ou07LlFIqGE4%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of my group at the Great Wall</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUF0bTMa9hE/WgIB0DVXoYI/AAAAAAAAf18/h0i7RLw3LVkBBaaEvOjfyB7MVcUZEMTPwCKgBGAs/s1600/GdxhfANowx6CMoFlZKFmvTxfS07bfJt0LinFfevBH5I%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUF0bTMa9hE/WgIB0DVXoYI/AAAAAAAAf18/h0i7RLw3LVkBBaaEvOjfyB7MVcUZEMTPwCKgBGAs/s640/GdxhfANowx6CMoFlZKFmvTxfS07bfJt0LinFfevBH5I%253D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at Great Wall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v83_dHppaDU/WgIB0M1WU1I/AAAAAAAAf18/ebim5Li_1eYBy2Kn91ISoxvGqj3-m1tVwCKgBGAs/s1600/i1f5RkSjFwHa3XHR6qviu5myabJ2A4KJ9di0VXg3w5A%253D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v83_dHppaDU/WgIB0M1WU1I/AAAAAAAAf18/ebim5Li_1eYBy2Kn91ISoxvGqj3-m1tVwCKgBGAs/s640/i1f5RkSjFwHa3XHR6qviu5myabJ2A4KJ9di0VXg3w5A%253D.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heck yes I found a cat! With a foster-mother whom I'm trying to convince to adopt the cat..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-48isIcI4sCs/WgIB0Nf2YaI/AAAAAAAAf18/v1NxgYd0H10vCMOEutlto05O0_mltBkqACKgBGAs/s1600/20171023_105106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-48isIcI4sCs/WgIB0Nf2YaI/AAAAAAAAf18/v1NxgYd0H10vCMOEutlto05O0_mltBkqACKgBGAs/s640/20171023_105106.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Heaven</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CmaC_nMm5BE/WgIB0IdkLjI/AAAAAAAAf18/y1o_kAuPH68BIvuarMIxn_p7OxT6patmwCKgBGAs/s1600/20171023_093951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CmaC_nMm5BE/WgIB0IdkLjI/AAAAAAAAf18/y1o_kAuPH68BIvuarMIxn_p7OxT6patmwCKgBGAs/s640/20171023_093951.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parking outside Temple of Heaven</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h4XhaHCKFZI/WgIB0CdRXZI/AAAAAAAAf18/TRXGuTAZ8EcXGlAbqwmRTatBUQ317QVHwCKgBGAs/s1600/20171023_092055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h4XhaHCKFZI/WgIB0CdRXZI/AAAAAAAAf18/TRXGuTAZ8EcXGlAbqwmRTatBUQ317QVHwCKgBGAs/s640/20171023_092055.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool building in Beijing</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jhn-E_F1274/WgIB0AIgJ-I/AAAAAAAAf18/zdNqDMvErG8g0VtMZi6jZM7v8cuaW2o1QCKgBGAs/s1600/20171023_093559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jhn-E_F1274/WgIB0AIgJ-I/AAAAAAAAf18/zdNqDMvErG8g0VtMZi6jZM7v8cuaW2o1QCKgBGAs/s640/20171023_093559.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical balcony.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D91DszkSZ3k/WgIB0Ahb89I/AAAAAAAAf18/QABXoPsbXfYRD_232zuIRrYTRvxQ4yqogCKgBGAs/s1600/20171022_121825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D91DszkSZ3k/WgIB0Ahb89I/AAAAAAAAf18/QABXoPsbXfYRD_232zuIRrYTRvxQ4yqogCKgBGAs/s640/20171022_121825.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My gaze is looking straight across to the next hill. Yes, those steps are straight down (and back up).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1pkrUVgVBOY/WgIB0F-KuPI/AAAAAAAAf18/8NernuRi02AiidnN1blo3tzSStfvcqh2gCKgBGAs/s1600/20171022_121643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1pkrUVgVBOY/WgIB0F-KuPI/AAAAAAAAf18/8NernuRi02AiidnN1blo3tzSStfvcqh2gCKgBGAs/s640/20171022_121643.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountains!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BVkNh3i8niw/WgIB0BclCcI/AAAAAAAAf18/skr-hvSS2msR5uqewqyJ0ATjv2Tkw53oQCKgBGAs/s1600/20171022_121625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BVkNh3i8niw/WgIB0BclCcI/AAAAAAAAf18/skr-hvSS2msR5uqewqyJ0ATjv2Tkw53oQCKgBGAs/s640/20171022_121625.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More mountains</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-adEgRLDXLBg/WgIB0L_cn3I/AAAAAAAAf18/WQC5Zv8Yw-Y0gTRSBLLNGv2xNl9ZgYNeQCKgBGAs/s1600/20171022_113939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-adEgRLDXLBg/WgIB0L_cn3I/AAAAAAAAf18/WQC5Zv8Yw-Y0gTRSBLLNGv2xNl9ZgYNeQCKgBGAs/s640/20171022_113939.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside of a Great Wall tower</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Z39SQhXmog/WgIB0MHl0tI/AAAAAAAAf18/3jptQdA0GfoJcCAm6cDFsXtoqCGi7j3mwCKgBGAs/s1600/20171021_180456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Z39SQhXmog/WgIB0MHl0tI/AAAAAAAAf18/3jptQdA0GfoJcCAm6cDFsXtoqCGi7j3mwCKgBGAs/s640/20171021_180456.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical dinner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKaBh1A93p4/WgIB0FjhWpI/AAAAAAAAf18/lc9fkPPubsY4odbDTPswiaQvaIIE0u2UwCKgBGAs/s1600/20171020_092914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKaBh1A93p4/WgIB0FjhWpI/AAAAAAAAf18/lc9fkPPubsY4odbDTPswiaQvaIIE0u2UwCKgBGAs/s640/20171020_092914.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, it really is that smoggy some days</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HtLfoRkvOOA/WgIB0EvyMeI/AAAAAAAAf18/JhVJuARp_dgAWGOPICRS7NeAzbmlLRD5gCKgBGAs/s1600/20171019_125802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HtLfoRkvOOA/WgIB0EvyMeI/AAAAAAAAf18/JhVJuARp_dgAWGOPICRS7NeAzbmlLRD5gCKgBGAs/s640/20171019_125802.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the fish-head!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioBRu7CTR1M/WgIB0KnDQkI/AAAAAAAAf18/-2MyxF3mBV8Xjzb6v0cw0cDGAk2Lia9bACKgBGAs/s1600/20171018_192139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioBRu7CTR1M/WgIB0KnDQkI/AAAAAAAAf18/-2MyxF3mBV8Xjzb6v0cw0cDGAk2Lia9bACKgBGAs/s640/20171018_192139.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Pot!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KBCs-21XfdY/WgIB0LTuXGI/AAAAAAAAf18/gqgjUrVGbqQ3a7QkJysku3njrFUJeH8kACKgBGAs/s1600/20171017_222907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KBCs-21XfdY/WgIB0LTuXGI/AAAAAAAAf18/gqgjUrVGbqQ3a7QkJysku3njrFUJeH8kACKgBGAs/s640/20171017_222907.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of our group prepping for the next session</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KJupEr0iW7E/WgIB0JXeP8I/AAAAAAAAf18/_SvjynfagPoxPEgAmNPLX5VOl8roz1eqACKgBGAs/s1600/20171016_202557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KJupEr0iW7E/WgIB0JXeP8I/AAAAAAAAf18/_SvjynfagPoxPEgAmNPLX5VOl8roz1eqACKgBGAs/s640/20171016_202557.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one of a million apartment complexes. This was taken from the train and these are NOT tiny buildings. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dOuTBJjfRG4/WgIB0LShK5I/AAAAAAAAf18/TUgHJaEIWjc9s7bt-sjOdyabRrN8Xeo7gCKgBGAs/s1600/20171015_040532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dOuTBJjfRG4/WgIB0LShK5I/AAAAAAAAf18/TUgHJaEIWjc9s7bt-sjOdyabRrN8Xeo7gCKgBGAs/s640/20171015_040532.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More apartments</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BuMkaXlZknk/WgIB0EVm7rI/AAAAAAAAf18/ZutbzpwEV-IujJPSkEY-ifp5k9tfZYKIQCKgBGAs/s1600/20171015_040525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BuMkaXlZknk/WgIB0EVm7rI/AAAAAAAAf18/ZutbzpwEV-IujJPSkEY-ifp5k9tfZYKIQCKgBGAs/s640/20171015_040525.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even more</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MORE complexes (or "communities" as they call them)</td></tr>
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I don't know if I'll go back. I need some more time to process.<br />
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-13636677906139206702017-10-10T11:24:00.002-07:002017-10-10T11:24:31.427-07:00The only time it's okay to be blue...Final mini-trials of the season and while we had our MOST HORRIBLE dressage tests of all dressage tests this year (including a rider error because omg, horse could NOT horse and rider was like, <i>"um, scuuse me but wtf is this?" </i>and rider forgot to finish her 20m circle....womp womp<u>)</u> we went double clear on xc and stadium and moved from last (of 3) to first! Woot woot!<br />
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I'll do a recap soon of our recognized BN horse trials from a couple weekends ago.<br />
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Just know: Best dressage test ever, worst dressage score ever, clean sj, not-so-hot xc but still ended on a number!<br />
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-5278917048700932017-10-03T11:02:00.001-07:002017-10-03T11:02:05.887-07:00Send Carly all the hugs and prayers and love. screw you cancer.<br />
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<a href="http://poorwomanshowing.blogspot.com/2017/10/and-that-was-that.html">Bobby, you are one of the best. </a>SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-71640805420905086282017-09-01T11:28:00.001-07:002017-09-01T11:28:15.002-07:00Super excitedly totally chill. Stone Gate Farm Fall Recognized Trials, BN, here I come!<br />
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Dassah's eye is s-l-o-w-l-y healing. <i>No gross pic because I apparently cannot take one picture in the the past two weeks of my horse. </i>You are welcome. Just pretend it's getting better.<br />
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Here's kitty pic instead.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awwww, he's so cute. He was protesting the light I had on while I was <strike>texting</strike> reading. </td></tr>
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What better way to celebrate than to sign up for your first recognized trials ever?! As riders/eventers, I think we can all agree that makes perfect sense.<br />
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In a completely serendipitous moment prior to signing up, I snagged a pair of Tredstep Michaelangelo field boots on eBay for a song and *cue angels singing* they fit me like they were custom made. I have had my search going for two years, if not more, and FINALLY I hit the jackpot. When you've got skinny ankles and skinny calves (although my thighs more than make up for that) and giant ogre feet (how a 5'3" girl gets size 9 feet, I will never know), finding boots is a nightmare. Oof. Anyway, trust me they are beautiful. And I may have toyed with the notion of entering Stone Gate after trying them on for the first time. Shallow? Perhaps. Emboldened? Totally.<br />
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OF COURSE I immediately bought a pair of white breeches and a new show shirt. My navy show jacket still fits. I think. It'll be fine. It still buttons.<br />
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Confession: I have two bridles and only one of them do I use. And I use it for everything. It'll clean up fine, the judge won't care. For dressage I'll borrow an old one I cleaned up for AC. Why I don't have a dedicated bridle for dressage in my own tack inventory is beyond me. I just don't care I guess.<br />
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Everything else should be good. Just need to brush up on my braiding skillz.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another kitty pic because honestly, he's so cute. </td></tr>
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We've been hitting the dressage hard, I would love to get into the 30s with her - it's the whole separation anxiety from being torn away from her lover that makes dressage a nightmare. FOR THE LOVE OF 20M CIRCLES EVERYWHERE, JUST PLEASE BEND AND LISTEN TO MY LEG.<br />
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The maps were released and with the ditch in the middle of our course, we've been schooling the ditch at home ad nauseam. This past week we hit a milestone - no leaping over it! Sweet baby Jesus. She took it just like another stride, no theatrics. Because we haven't been schooling ditches for four years........<br />
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Ok. That's all to report for now.<br />
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oh. Did I mention I ALSO have a wedding that Saturday? No? I've requested an early time slot for dressage and sj so I can race two hours away (thanks to my lovely sister who is driving us) to go to a wedding and then come back the next morning. Fingers crossed it works out.<br />
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Can you tell I'm excited about this?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because dogs are hilarious</td></tr>
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-37899548060694135382017-08-18T09:59:00.000-07:002017-08-18T09:59:07.376-07:00When your horse who has never had stitches, gets them. Gruesome pics below but not before I tell the story.<br />
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Last Wednesday evening I hauled my butt out to the barn to work on setting up stadium for the upcoming mini-trials. We host a mini-trial nearly every month from May to October and this year I've taken on the stadium course responsibility. So basically I just re-create the SJ course from the mini-trials <i>I </i>attend (up north) for the ones we host. It's working out well this year. Below is the upcoming course (already emailed to competitors)<br />
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Maiden = Starter. Don't know why it's called Maiden but we'll go with it.<br />
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SO. There I am, moving poles and standards and whatnot when AC calls over to me; our friend K is coming over with the Gator to pick me up; Dassah's has an eye injury.<br />
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Now I board with fantastic women but some of them are a bit more hyper-vigilant than I am. If I see a scrape, I slap some goop on it and go on my way. If it's a puncture wound, I'll message my vet with a pic - the last time Dassah had a puncture wound, I sloshed some betadine on it and followed up with some neosporine. That's it. Wounds heal themselves so long as they are clean (unless you are a <a href="http://poorwomanshowing.blogspot.com/2017/08/cornell-visit-only-one-like-him.html">Bobby</a>, then all bets are off)<br />
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So when I heard she had an injury, I internally laughed it off but decided to play the concerned owner part.<br />
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BAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA.<br />
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Ok, I know I said I'd save the gruesome pics for later but I can't wait. If you want to stop here, know that after three rounds of sedative (Dorm, more dorm, and Xyl-whatever) A TWITCH, she's stitched up and the swelling has gone down.<br />
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Ready?<br />
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PUKE. Right?<br />
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I called and texted my vet and sent her a picture. Dassah is THE WORST with needles so Dr. P had me scrounge up some Dorm to get her at least semi calm for the xlya-whatever. After a full tube and 40 minutes, she was still awake enough to throw her head around for the xlya-whatever injection. <i>Thanks for the blood splatter, mare. </i>So two of those done (vet was not taking any chances), she was still tossing her head (but totally wobbly) when Dr. P started cleaning up the wound. So then we added the twitch.<br />
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I had 3 other people with me for 2 hours and I couldn't have done it without them. It took one to prop her up, one to hold her, one to twitch her (me), and another to provide relief.<br />
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Here's Dr. P stitching her up and my barn owner propping her up!<br />
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Thankfully we went from the first pic to this in an hour:<br />
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Baby girl was snoring by the end but still managed to wobble back to her stall.<br />
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I took a turn propping her up when everyone stepped away to stretch their legs.<br />
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Of course the fly mask we put on was ripped off and ground into her shavings the next morning - it may have been a bit too big but at 10:30pm, it's what we could scrounge up. (mine was found the next day).<br />
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Also, how hilarious is this parking spot? Friend K couldn't find reverse (it's a tough one to get) so did the best she could. Bless her for bringing my car over.<br />
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The next morning I went out and found her eye looking much better.<br />
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She's on eye goop, Banamine, and SMZ's for a couple more days and had to stay in last night when everyone went out (she was NOT happy but we kept a new horse nearby for company, not that she cared).<br />
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She'll go out tomorrow night if her eye continues to look better. Friend G stopped by this morning (she works near the barn) and said it looked better and she took the eye-goop fine. Apparently soaking the SMZs in water before adding to the grain works because she's been eating it all up (woohoo!!).<br />
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As for what caused it, who knows. We searched her stall and found a couple potential suspects but nothing certain. She's been in that stall nearly 2 years but who knows, a nail could have popped out, she could have caught it on her feed tub, the halter hanger hanging over her stall door, or maybe it was done in an act of self-flagellation for how horrible she was in our dressage session earlier this week.<br />
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Fingers crossed she's done beating herself up for the near future.SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-35629079756447951822017-08-09T13:41:00.002-07:002017-08-09T13:41:21.628-07:00Who's got 4 hooves and hates dressage? RedMare, that's who. So RedMare and I have been blasting through this summer and if ever there was an eventing stereotype, it's us. We loves us xc, we respect stadium, and we hates the dressage.<br />
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So far we've competed in 4 BN schooling/mini-trials. I should rephrase that. We've competed in AND COMPLETED 4 BN schooling/mini-trials.<br />
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Read that - <b>4 BN schooling/mini-trials. </b>RedMare is a beast on xc and hates touching rails. Like I mentioned, she also hates dressage. So.... win some, lose some?<br />
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Of those, 3 times we finished on our dressage score and the other time we had a rail added. In NONE of them were we last! Not that it's bad being last, it's just that all last year we were last and now we're moving up! We've taken home two ribbons (6th and 7th I think) and I am MAD PROUD of them.<br />
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Twice now we've schooled Novice XC - I think we're actually getting a little bored at BN which is NOT what I would ever have imagined at the start of the year, or even two months ago. Now that we've done more, even though our dressage is nothing to be proud of (see video), I want to do the more complex stuff, so here's hoping I can do a Novice mini-trials before the year ends. She's more than capable of it, that's for sure.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a huge argument before this fence. I said slow down, she said "BLOW ME" and like a noob I grabbed her face right up through take-off. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See Sarah, stay out of my f-ing face pleaseandthankyou</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DEM KNEES!!!!!</td></tr>
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Water is not an issue, at all. RedMare charges right in and canters right out. Hallelujah.<br />
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Not all is rosy - I came off on the xc phase in an HT. She spooked at spectators BUT it was between fences so I was able to get right back on and finish. Thank God for knowing the rules.<br />
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Here's a number for you: 39,827,640 - this is the number of times she trumpeted for her lover boy (a big handsome TB) Joey over the past 4 trials. We travel with Joey and AC to these events and they are like moonstruck lovers. She sticks to him like glue. It's annoying AF.<br />
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So here's a video demonstrating how much she hates dressage. This was not her worst test - it's fairly average. Anytime you see her NOT bobbing her head she's bearing down on the bit and trying to rip the reins out of my hands. Naturally the dressage school we had two days before this was beeeeeyuteful. She was up, she was polite, she did not care to repeat this last Saturday.<br />
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There you have it. A quick recap.<br />
<br />
But that's the pretty stuff.<br />
<br />
The not so pretty stuff?<br />
<br />
The stuff in between consists of a hurt heart, ugly crying over losing a life, the death of dreams and hopes, eating sorrow away with gummy bears and frozen yogurt and waking up wondering why my pants fit tighter. There's been lots of self-loathing interspersed with valiant attempts at courage and agency.<br />
<br />
Lots of guilt for leaving the dog at home when I go to the barn. Thankfully he's a bum anyway and lazes around with no problem. But I still feel so guilty for leaving him at home alone.<br />
<br />
Lots of hating my tiny apartment and pissed off at not being able to find a home where I want for how much I'm willing to spend.<br />
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Lots of shame for watching my bank account drain away in retail therapy and entry fees.<br />
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Surprisingly, I have zero shame over eating cereal, popcorn, or tortilla chips for dinner.<br />
<br />
I've gone on a handful of dates. None of them had any potential but they have all been very nice guys and I've appreciated the experience.<br />
<br />
So maybe a better way of looking at the summer is to view it through my "Both And" lens.<br />
<br />
It's been both hard and rewarding.<br />
I've felt both loss and freedom.<br />
Both shame and confidence<br />
Both anger and joy<br />
Both grief and hope<br />
Both anxiety and peace.<br />
Both alone and safe<br />
Both exhilarating and scary<br />
Both And.SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-34368378459967478312017-04-17T08:54:00.003-07:002017-04-17T08:54:58.611-07:00XC Schooling at Twin TowersVERY LITTLE MEDIA. <div>
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So sad. </div>
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But I have witnesses! </div>
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Log? yawn. </div>
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Double log? double yawn</div>
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Cantering into the water and jumping up the bank out? Ooo, fun. Check</div>
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Cantering to the water and jumping down the bank in? Check</div>
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Giant stone wall? Check</div>
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Giant dry bank? DragonMare practically dragged me to the edge</div>
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Giant hanging log with lots of air and stones underneath? Check</div>
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Ditches? Check</div>
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Canter the ditches? Check</div>
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Crazy looky vertical with wide ground line? Ok, so we had a refusal but it was more of her going, "Uh Sarah, where do I put my legs?" and then it was all "no prob Sarah, we got this" after that. </div>
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Ramp-ish widely-spaced log fence? Childsplay</div>
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Log drop fence? Check</div>
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Log drop fence to wide hogsback? checkity check check check</div>
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DragonMare was even referenced as a "brave event horse" in the making. She launched over the log drop fence, realized the error of her ways, didn't care, and with me scrambling on top, took me straight the to the wide hogsback. After that she decided she didn't need to launch and was a bit more careful about the approach. </div>
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To say I am smitten with this mare is an understatement. We spent the past two years going back to the basics (Jimmy Wofford's Gymnastics Bible) as well as focusing on dressage. All that "boring" hard work paid off in leaps and bounds Saturday. Mare was on and focused - and after every question, she came right back and rode around on the buckle. Now it totally helps that her BF Joey was there (she is in MAD love with him) and I'll take that help! Crush aside, she did all of these without his lead. She took me to every fence and when we had a refusal (2), it was merely a lack of leg on my part and Dassah having learned that if she is hesitant she can stop and it's ok because we'll approach it again. So, we're working on that because apparently jump judges have a thing about giving penalties for previewing a fence before jumping it. :D </div>
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Anyway, basics people, basics. Basics and besties who go through the basics with you and keep encouraging you to stick with it. Well, basics, besties, and Denny Emerson's Facebook page. :D </div>
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SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-89736555561697776852017-03-28T12:30:00.001-07:002017-03-28T12:30:55.187-07:00New Spring Normal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ah spring. That time of year when the birds start chirping again, the sun shines a bit more brightly, and it rains so much you spend your time at the barn chipping off caked on mud and hacking around the indoor because there's no dry land in sight. On the plus side, we're doing lots of 20m circles and Wofford's gridwork and the rainy weather makes for lots of snuggle time with the animals. </div>
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-6947549187924091772017-03-24T12:20:00.000-07:002017-11-07T11:19:31.072-08:00A not-so-fantabulous updateWell, if you are one of my three dedicated readers (thank you readers!) you might be wondering what happened to me since I haven't posted since the summer of LAST year.<br />
<br />
Here's a <strike>quick </strike>run-down.<br />
<ul>
<li>At the end of last February my husband and I separated. He moved out and I stayed in the house with Frank and Ollie.</li>
<li>I rode Dassah in lots of lessons, hunter paces, and a couple shows.</li>
<li>We (husband and I) spent a lot of time together over the spring and summer. </li>
<ul>
<li>Boated a lot</li>
<li>Talked a lot</li>
</ul>
<li>Rode a lot</li>
<li>Ran a lot</li>
<li>Hung out with friends</li>
<li>Drank wine a lot</li>
<li>Then we decided it wasn't working. (the marriage, not the wine)</li>
<li>Rode more</li>
<li>Talked to friends more</li>
<li>Ran more</li>
<li>Made more frequent visits to therapist's </li>
<li>Drank more</li>
<li>In September we decided to divorce</li>
<li>Bought the bigger box of wine because little ol' brick was not cutting it. </li>
<li>Rode some</li>
<li>Ran more</li>
<li>Then rode lots more</li>
<li>Started attending a divorce support group</li>
<li>In November we listed the house - in 4 days it sold, at asking price. </li>
<li>Packed fast</li>
<li>Started attending church again</li>
<li>Raged over election</li>
<li>Drank</li>
<li>Procrastinated with friends</li>
<li>Packed more</li>
<li>Still going to church</li>
<li>Didn't sleep enough</li>
<li>Dear sainted friends packed for me</li>
<li>Threw lots of tantrums</li>
<li>Watched all the non-romantic Netflix available</li>
<li>"Celebrated" Thanksgiving by running a 4-miler w/ cousins. Actually was nice. </li>
<li>Packed </li>
<li>In December we (dog, cat, and myself) moved into an apartment. No more fenced yard or garage. But great neighbors! (one of my best friends)</li>
<li>Friends helped me move, they are insanely awesome. I cried because they are so awesome. </li>
<li>My brother put up my tree bc he's awesome</li>
<li>"Celebrated" Christmas by buying myself copious amounts of whatever the hell I wanted. Because #housesale</li>
<li>Cried at Christmas Eve service at church</li>
<li>Rode</li>
<li>More friends time</li>
<li>Still drinking the red wine. Therapist says its ok for now. </li>
<li>"Celebrated" New Years by buying myself more cute things and horse things. Because #housesale #retailtherapy</li>
<li>Cried at New Year's service at church because #new beginnings</li>
<li>Friends take care of me by inviting me to things. I accept most of the time</li>
<li>Still riding</li>
<li>Still not sleeping enough</li>
<li>Best riding buddy/best friend comes back from vacation. More riding. More jumping!</li>
<li>Primary care physician looks startled and concerned when I tell her my new drinks-per-week level. Got lesson on how not to drink too much (this, to a 33 year old girl going through a divorce whose previous level was 2 and new level was now 7 drinks a week. Mmmkay, Therapist says ok still. I say it's ok still. Suck it Dr. Eunie)</li>
</ul>
<div>
As of February, when I wrote this draft, I was here:</div>
<ul>
<li>Divorce paperwork has begun and I've resorted to alternating thoughts of rage, despair, hope, and despair. Which, isn't a resort actually because I've been feeling them for years. </li>
<li>Ride more</li>
<li>Rage at inauguration of our new president. </li>
<li>Pray at church for said president and that wine supply does not run out in next 4 years. </li>
<li>Lesson more</li>
<li>Swear to get more sleep</li>
<li>Recall the moratorium on romantic Netflix. Get PBS app and watch Grantchester, Poldark, and Victoria. Get Hulu app and watch New Girl, Mindy Project, and Elementary. Start Outlander season 2 on Starz. </li>
<li>Ride</li>
<li>Church</li>
<li>Lay on floor</li>
<li>Buy cute stuff for apartment</li>
<li>Have awesome grid sessions with BRB/BBE (best riding buddy, best buddy ever)</li>
<li>Feel peaceful</li>
<li>Feel despair</li>
<li>Feel pissed at all these emotions</li>
<li>Sleep more</li>
<li>Ride more</li>
<li>Lesson more</li>
<li>Pour more wine</li>
<li>Stare wistfully at James Norton (on Grantchester) and day dream of moving to England/Scotland to spend my days wandering around old fields on my horse with my dog tagging along. And romantically meeting a vicar and becoming best friends and lovers. </li>
<li>Get hair done and love it. Think better of myself</li>
<li>Knock myself down (metaphorically)</li>
<li>Pick myself back up again (metaphorically)</li>
<li>Church</li>
<li>Run </li>
<li>Realize divorce will probably be finalized around 34th birthday</li>
<li>Rage at it all. All of it. Everything. </li>
<li>Take comfort with friends who care so much. They really are the best. </li>
<li>Ride</li>
<li>Realize I'm going to have to learn how to flirt</li>
<li>PANIC</li>
<li>Realize lots of other things are going to be firsts</li>
<li>PANIC</li>
<li>More church. Contemplating bringing the wine with me to church in tea mug.</li>
<li>Rage more at God</li>
<li>Silently rage at the apartment wall because I can hear my neighbors watching Parks & Recreation. I have nothing against Parks & Rec I just don't like sharing a wall. </li>
</ul>
<div>
As of 3/24/17:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>We are officially divorced. </li>
<li>I'm still alive</li>
<ul>
<li>most of the time</li>
</ul>
<li>I'm riding and taking lessons</li>
<li>I'm still despairing</li>
<li>I'm not riding every day but that's ok. </li>
<li>RedMare is still alive and really, she's adorable. She's come so far this past year, I wish I had documented it better. </li>
<li>RedMare is still coating her coat in thick and sticky mud. And she still has her winter coat. So that's fun. </li>
<li>My friends are still taking care of me so well. I just got back from a vacay in Florida where I tanned, paddleboarded through Mangrove trees, and go-carted (on a legit track).</li>
<li>I'm much more hopeful and less panicked than I was. "Much more" being relative. </li>
<li>I've got a clinic (fingers crossed, I'm on the waitlist) with Jimmy Wofford coming up in June.</li>
<li>Plans to ride at recognized show at least by the end of the year. fingers crossed.</li>
<li>Getting ready to buy a dressage saddle but #saddlefittingwoes #saddlefittingistheworst #howmanytracingsdoesonehorseneed?</li>
<li>I'm divorced</li>
<li>I'm 34, divorced, and have only ever been in one serious relationship and that just ended. </li>
<li>I'm 34, just got a promotion at work, and have many many years ahead of me</li>
<li>I'm doing this. I'm doing life. I'm getting out of bed and sometimes going through just enough motions to get me back to bed that night. But I'm doing this. More days than not, I'm actually even feeling free. Sometimes I even day dream. But not that often, let's not get carried away .</li>
</ul>
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So there you have it. It's been stressful and overwhelming and yet I've never felt so loved before. By friends, by family, and by God. I've never felt so accepted for who I am. </div>
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<br /></div>
SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-32021685270385746342016-08-03T10:19:00.000-07:002016-08-03T10:29:20.216-07:00Just summering aroundThis summer has been chock-full of the following:<br />
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<b>Trail rides</b><br />
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<i>Tried to capture the doe sitting in the beans with just her head and ears showing. This is not the first time we've come across her doing that. </i><br />
<i>Also, I spent this ride bellowing my lungs out in a play-by-play showtune-style song so all the deer would get the f*** out and not spook RedMare. </i><br />
<i>It worked. </i></div>
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<i>Shadow rider!</i></div>
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<b>Lessons</b><br />
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<b>Boating</b><br />
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<b>Travel</b><br />
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<i>Sporting Kansas City Stadium</i></div>
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<i>Most delicious brunch in KC. </i></div>
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<b>And snuggles, wine, and lazy evenings. </b><br />
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-9303136010370495192016-06-01T11:30:00.003-07:002016-06-01T11:30:43.556-07:00My Horse is a RockstarShe's a People Pleasing Rockstar, that's for sure. I didn't realize (for various reasons, including that I skimmed through these blog posts) that you could take <a href="http://www.horsepersonality.com/quiz.html">a quiz</a> to determine your horse's personality type, as written about by Dessa Hockley in her book, "<a href="http://www.horsepersonality.com/horse-person-descript.html#">Is Your Horse a Rock Star? Understanding Your Horse's Personality."</a> <a href="http://iamthesprinklerbandit.blogspot.com/2016/06/my-horse-is-maybe-rockstar-diva.html">Sprinklerbandit</a> and <a href="http://www.bakersfielddressage.com/home/is-your-horse-a-rock-star-again">Bakersfield Dressage</a> have written about this, along with a couple other bloggers I thought.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I took the quiz for Dramarama/Little Miss Drama/For Your Entertainment/Lil' Miss Firecracker/Explosivity/I.Can't.EVEN/Hadassah (seriously, I need a show name for her) and.....<br />
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Your horse is a ... <b>SEAF - The People Pleaser</b></div>
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<tr><td width="173"><img src="http://www.horsepersonality.com/images/people-pleaser.jpg" style="height: 259px; width: 173px;" /></td><td width="517"><br />Soft, sensitive, and very sweet describes this horse that will try and try to please you. They like to be told exactly what you want and then have you help them perform it. This is not your go-it-alone type of horse. They need you for support and can get very rattled if expectations are too high. This horse is in your life for the relationship.</td></tr>
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SEAF = Submissive, Energetic, Afraid, Friendly. Reading the subsequent chapter and personality types, I'm pretty surprised with how accurately my training thoughts and her training tips align. Now, That's not to say this won't apply to many other personality types but it's fun to read along and nod at almost every sentence. It also reaffirms our training over the past year - we've broken down all the aspects of jumping and built up her confidence with grids. Also, repetition is key with her - she needs to know what the job is and if she's doing it right. Once she understands what to do, she tends to enjoy it or at least relaxes a bit. </div>
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<div>
Here are some of the major take-aways from the free chapter you get after taking the quiz:</div>
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They try so hard but worry so much</div>
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<b>SEAF’s need constant input and assurance that they
are doing everything right</b></div>
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They are emotional, expressive
and fairly feminine, similar to the SECF’s (Goddess)</div>
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A somewhat conflicting characteristic that shows up
occasionally (in small herd situations) <b>is the desire to be
bossy and controlling even though they are Submissive </b>(CHA-CHING)</div>
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They need you to have a quiet, consistent program and be
understanding and fair with them. <b>Keep your expectations
low</b>. They are insecure, so they need a confident, relaxed
rider on whom they can rely. If their rider gets nervous, tight
or tense, they will respond likewise by getting nervous, tight
and tense</div>
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If left without input, before long, their busy
mind will send them rushing off in some direction that will
take their rider totally by surprise</div>
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Because they are trying so
hard, riders think that they have got it and proceed on to
more advanced work before they are ready and eventually
the horse derails. <b>They are dealing with fear and energy,
so it is your job to slow it all down until they understand.</b></div>
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Some riders will think that they can lunge or exercise
this horse to get him to quiet down. <b>As the speed increases,
the internal chatter increases until nothing is making any
sense and you both feel frustrated and upset. <i>That is why
the canter can take a long time to develop in this personality</i>. </b> (YES!!!!!)</div>
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But we must understand that no amount of love is
going to make them feel safe. <b>We need to take their hand
and guide them through life. This is why the confident
rider who can tell the People Pleaser where to place every
foot has success with this type</b>. And when the rider does it
in a quiet way that is constantly reassuring this horse that
he is doing everything right, the SEAF will blossom and
shine</div>
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SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-8406374042678545902016-05-24T09:01:00.003-07:002016-05-24T09:01:52.175-07:00When your horse is THAT horse and you're THAT rider at the show. And now I present the finale.<br />
<br />
After tacking up, AC headed off to stadium. I had untacked but before she left, AC recommended we school in the empty dressage arena (there were two but one was no longer in use). I tacked back up (this time with protector vest since we were xc schooling after AC's stadium round) and went to mount up.<br />
<br />
Did I mention I just bought an <a href="https://ecogold.ca/shop/memory-foam-triple-protection-half-pad-780/">Ecogold Triple Protection Pad</a>? Well, funny thing - it adds a bit of bulk initially but you can still tighten the girth appropriately. Only, in order to have an appropriately tight girth, you have to actually tighten it. I did not. I tightened initially but didn't do that second check. You know, the one where you get the girth tight enough?<br />
<br />
Here's what happens when you don't tighten the girth enough.<br />
<br />
You go to mount up but the saddle slips as you sling your leg over. Your horse will buck because she's a redheaded devil-monster dragon-mare with need for delicacy and will politely tell you to f*** off because <i>HOW DARE YOU LET THE SADDLE SLIP, YOU DIRTY PEASANT! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
You'll then land on the asphalt (but thankfully wearing your vest) and watch as your horse sets their own Preakness record running around the show grounds with the saddle under their belly. You will plead with the show gods to not let her ruin anyone's warm up and then helpless gaze on as she mysteriously avoids main warm up areas. "Praise Jesus" you will think. Right before she jumps into the one dressage ring still running classes. And someone is in there. On their horse. Riding their test.<br />
<br />
And your horse is in there too.<br />
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<br />
<br />
(I'm going to let that soak in a bit).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yep, my horse just crashed another rider's test. That's MY horse out there, well, <i>in </i>there. That's MY fiery redheaded dragon-mare. And I'm THAT rider, running over to the arena as quickly as you can when you have a michelin vest wrapped around you and tall boots on.<br />
<br />
Blessed AC had gotten off Java and trotted her over to Dassah who was SO VERY glad to see her frienemy. The mother of the rider in the ring (you know, the one whose test was so ungraciously interrupted) kindly had the saddle off before I even got there and didn't say one mean thing to me. She asked if I was okay and helped me arrange the tack in my hands. Bless her heart. I mean it.<br />
<br />
I begged forgiveness from the rider and she responded with, "Well, it was a hot mess anyway!" So.... I guess I'm thankful for her bad ride in some twisted way.<br />
<br />
I apologized profusely to her again and again and then to her mom and then to the ring steward and the judge.<br />
<br />
Dassah danced beside me as we walked back to the trailer. I'm not going to say she was proud of herself but she was a little obnoxiously okay with the whole thing. I will say I am proud of myself because I did not lose my temper or beat my horse.<br />
<br />
Instead we tacked back up and found a much taller structure to mount from. Then we went into the empty dressage ring and walked around. I practiced my test and let her breathing recover.<br />
<br />
The rest is pretty uneventful, respectively.<br />
<br />
AC's stadium round was beautiful. We went xc schooling and jumped ditches, logs, coops, and did our first down-bank! I think the bank was a beg.nov or nov. level - Dassah needed a lead from Java once at the beginning but after that, we ran it several times without issue. We did one of those hill jumps where you trot up a bank, jump a log, and trot down the bank. It.was.SO AWESOME!<br />
<br />
You might think we may have done too much one day. It is true we accomplished a lot. But excepting for 3 minutes in warm up, 2 minutes of dressage and 2 minutes in our stadium round, we really didn't do anything but attempt to walk. I had so much horse left after xc, it was ridiculous.<br />
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<br />
You might read this story in horror that anyone would lay claim to owning such a beast. You might wonder why I would keep such a drama queen when there are thousands of well-behaved geldings out there.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing. I really do like this horse. We've gone through hell and high water. She.does.not.quit. It's taken 7 years to get to where we are (which, I know isn't much to speak of) but I started out as kid whose only equestrian tutoring was in 4-H and even then, I didn't have my first real lesson until 6 years ago. I was horse crazy as a kid, we had so many, but we only went trail-riding on our property.<br />
<br />
I have dedicated these past 7 years to learning everything I can, absorbing everything I can, and attempting to develop a horse who really shouldn't exist. And aside from a grand total of 10 months, we've been doing this all by ourselves. I've overcome broken bones, fears, defeat, self-loathing, tears, and regret. I'm not saying that to be successful you have to go through what I did. And we are NOT successful but I am saying that our journey is completely acceptable. That in case this is your experience too, it's okay to have this experience. It's also completely ok if you don't want this experience at all. We are each our own person and our own experience.<br />
<br />
I'm riding the horse I have. Even in her worst moments, she's all mine.<br />
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-44203210640942585912016-05-24T08:17:00.006-07:002016-05-24T08:17:53.526-07:00When your horse is THAT horse at the showSo we finished dressage and headed off to stadium.<br />
<br />
Oh wait, that would be toooo smooth.<br />
<br />
<i>(also, so sorry no media. Like no media period. It wasn't the most media-friendly of days)</i><br />
<br />
No, we did not go off directly to stadium. Instead we spent 40 minutes working on getting a flat-footed walk. I don't know about you but I do prefer my horse to walk when asked. You know, a nice four beat rhythm. We went behind all the trailers to a grassy area with enough space to walk back and forth without much turning. Only all we did was go in circles.<br />
<br />
My theory on this (and I am an amateur, so take it with a grain of salt) is that I don't want to haul on my horse's face - it just breeds bracing, resistance, a dead mouth, and a complete tuning out of aids. And tight circles are more difficult for her so if she trots and I circle her, the idea is she'll get the message that it's easier to walk than it is to jig. So I asked for a walk and when she jigged or trotted, we turned in a tight circle until she was walking again. Rinse, repeat. ad naseaum. <br />
<br />
Seriously, 40 minutes spent going in teeny tiny circles. I don't know about her but I did get dizzy a couple of times. I could have taken the advice of the dressage judge and lunged her but then I'm just getting her fit, not doing anything to address her tuning me out, and stressing her legs (which, I realize sounds contradictory but we did get to walk in straight lines, eventually).<br />
<br />
It took awhile but he started listening to me - at about minute 39. I didn't haul on her mouth, I didn't hold her back, I just let her out on a loose rein and when she jigged, we circled. Not sure if it's clear enough but we circled a lot.<br />
<br />
She was finally pretty relaxed and listening. I stayed on and we headed over to the stadium arena. It took about another 30 minutes before we got to ride but she did great. Called a few times and didn't want to stand still but listened and tuned her radio frequency to my general direction.<br />
<br />
We jumped a couple times (vertical and oxer) with no issue and then waited for our turn.<br />
<br />
Stadium went swimmingly. Again the Starter division was timed (wtf?) and it was interesting to see the number of riders that dropped rails. I seriously don't understand why a lower level division should be timed, it's just not appropriate. These kids and horses to not need to be pushed by a time limit - why put that sort of pressure on them and encourage poor performance?<br />
<br />
Anyway, continuing our theme of time faults, we garnered 33 this time! No jump faults (woohoo!) and mare was a rock star the entire time. I thought some of the fences would spook her but she did great.<br />
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The course itself looked a bit like this:<br />
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You think I'm kidding....<br />
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Ok, FINE. in reality, it was a bit more like this.<br />
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Now, again, this was a Starter division. One outside line - period. It was like walking through a maze! Holy clusterup Batman. I did walk it three times and yes, three times is the key.<br />
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She wasn't quite listening to me the entire time but I kept her between my legs and made sure we had a controlled approach. She came back to me after every jump and that is what I was hoping to get out of this. This exposure is just what we need - so I am thankful for these small shows.<br />
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We headed out of the arena and back to the trailer only to have AC wave us away from afar. She was just getting ready to start her dressage test and naturally we didn't want to risk Java losing her mind; she had been really good this whole time. We wandered back to the stadium arena and hung out until her test finished. (spoiler, she did great!)<br />
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Stay tuned for the finale, coming up next.SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-54471898796891312692016-05-23T09:10:00.003-07:002016-05-23T09:10:40.484-07:00When I'm THAT person at the show. So if you follow me on Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/sarah.w.kinninger/posts/10107528560231865?pnref=story">this post</a>) this post will be old news. If you don't follow me on Facebook (and most of you don't) then you are in for a TREAT!<br />
<br />
On Saturday a local farm hosted a CT along with free xc schooling at the Dayton area <a href="http://gcparkstrails.com/parks-TwinTowers.html">Twin Towers Horse Park</a>. AC and I decided to go so we loaded up the mares and headed over.<br />
<br />
Hadassah and Java are not friends but they sure do love each other when we trailer off property. I mean, screaming for each other, totally ignoring all aids, and generally making asses of themselves. Actually, that's all Dassah, Java will whinny every now and then but she wears big girl pants the rest of the time. So I'm the one with the annoying redheaded devil-mare throwing the epic temper-tantrum the.whole.everloving.day.long.<br />
<br />
(aside, I just spent forever trying to find gifs that accurately portray the day. Only those gifs don't exist because our day was just that epic.)<br />
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I spent an hour warming up and it made no difference. She was completely zoned out and unwilling to engage. All she wanted to do was scream, spin, and tell me to eff off. At least she acknowledged my existence!<br />
<br />
Finally it was dressage ride time - we did Beg. Nov A - and in we went.<br />
<br />
Holy.mother.of.Moses.<br />
<br />
It was like an alien took over her brain, hollered, "Yippee Ki-yay" and threw in a grenade.<br />
<br />
It was a hot mess.<br />
<br />
We even got a 4 on one directive.<br />
<br />
A screaming, wiggly, resistant, braced, counter-bent, counter cantering hot mess.<br />
<br />
Wait, I think our free-walk was pretty good. We might have gotten a six on it.<br />
<br />
Oh, and sorry, this is going to take a while. I can't just sum it up, there's SO much to recap!<br />
<br />
So anyway, we halt, salute, and the judge starts talking me. Which never happens, but whatever, so I walk up.<br />
<br />
To make a long story short, she said, and I am not kidding/embellishing the following:<br />
<br />
"You rode that well, you were very composed the entire time." (wow, that was nice, thank you!)<br />
"They make legal drugs" (um, unexpected, and say that again?)<br />
"Let's hope she can jump" (well, yes, but rude)<br />
"How old is she? Oh, yes, definitely the legal drugs" (again, wtf?)<br />
"You should just go lunge her until your stadium time" (jaw hit the floor. um, say what?)<br />
<br />
Seriously, she obviously knew I was riding her well, and I think she thought she was being helpful but she could have just said the first line and be done with it. I didn't take too much offense until I got back to the trailer and could process what she said. Even now I'm not offended, just disturbed that that's the advice given.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I stay on and go attempt to walk her some more. Only now she really wasn't walking at all so we did circles until she would walk. Then she would jig and we would circle. and she would jig in the circle. and we would keep circling. rinse and repeat. Finally she gave me a flat-footed walk and we went over to start our stadium round.<br />
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So yes, we were that horse and rider at the show. Only it was to get better! Stay tuned!<br />
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<br />SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7412393624934570247.post-6644543475153452782016-05-09T10:49:00.001-07:002016-05-09T10:49:27.048-07:00Cutest little mare evahSomeone went xc schooling and was not the least bit tired when we got done.<br />
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This girl. right here.<br />
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So then we pulled a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10153170321010947&id=109161715946">Denny </a>and went on a short trail ride (at the walk).<br />
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(and yes, that's a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/StraightShotMetal">Straight Shot Metal Smashing</a> bridle charm. Put it on a year+ ago and haven't taken it off. I LOVE it. It's an owl. You should have one too.)SarahWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16182449850066338574noreply@blogger.com3