Summer

It’s amazing that it’s already the middle of August, where did the time go? We’ve been super lucky with the weather this summer, with some heat but also a lot of rain, so the footing for the most part has been great. Storm has now successfully done three Intermediates. The first one, at Maryland, he won, though he was not super in all three phases. He was fine in dressage, just a little stiff. In the show jumping, Storm thought the jumps were bigger but jumped quite well, and he handled all the cross-country exercises in spite of the pouring rain. We were helped a bit because we got pulled up by mistake on cross-country and I ended having less time than others because there wasn’t a watch on me.
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I decided to run back-to-back Maryland weekends to see if Storm was still confident and he was. His dressage was good, we had a rail in show jumping, and on cross-country he was a little lazy but still direct about his job.

This last weekend he ran at Fair Hill and was great! Our morning started off a little hard because he lost a hind shoe and the farrier wasn't there, in fact, he didn't get there until 9:25 and my time was 9:03! The organizers put me at the end of the division, and I had ten minutes warm-up before going in. Unfortunately, I forgot to take off Storm's hind bell boots so I got an error. We had a beautiful show jumping except that I let him swap to the right lead at the last combination, which disrupted his rhythm and he added one, so I had a rail down. Poor Storm! His cross-country was great—getting much more consistent in his rhythm and pace. Sometimes I do get too much in my hand and he throws his head, but all-in-all I'm super happy with him. Hopefully we’ll do the 3-star at Great Meadow. After that, I’ll make plan for the rest of the fall. It’s pretty exciting to have horse at the Intermediate level again. He makes me feel proud of him all the time, especially since I’ve had him since he was three.

Cash, my other, newer, Thoroughbred, has now done a couple Novices with me and Sara. You can’t beat his brain, so it’s been fun for both Sara and I to share in responsibilities and the ride, and to bring up such a beautiful horse. I took him over to David O’Connors to do some flatwork and handled eight horses in one ring jumping and flatting without batting an eye—doesn’t get better than that! I’d like to give a huge shout out to Natalie Wales, who I bought him from. He’s just going to spend the fall getting stronger and more educated as he’s quite weak at six and raced just last December. He just needs time to develop. 

​Kaylin’s horses have been going well in the jumpers and are starting two weeks of HITS. 

Tom and I were lucky enough to go with his sister and brother-in-law to Canada for four days of incredible fishing. It’s so amazing when you can wake up, get in a boat, be on a on lake, see no other people and enjoy nature and everything it has to offer. It’s always nice to do something out of the ordinary. Our flights were a little chaotic because of cancellations, but when you’re served lemons, you just have to make lemonade!

​I’m super excited for the fall season, and just enjoying my horses, the clinics I’ve been teaching, and life!