First Time Schooling Brit

Allow me to start by talking about the most boring of all topics using the classic "I have no other way to continue/start a conversation with this person so I will start blabbing incessantly about the weather."  Except this time, I'm doing it for a reason.  The beginning of this week started off with a few days of rain.  Not just a drizzle or a light rain, but an on and off downpour that had us all fleeing to the indoor arena to work our horses that were simply delighted with the weather change, if the muddy, slightly more spirited ponies and horses were anything to go by. Then the rain ends, and within twenty four hours, we are up to the high 90's and creep into the 100's by the following day.  Now we all have our own sauna right out our front door!

Well amongst this monstrous excuse for weather, we decide to plan a cross country schooling for this weekend.  Granted, it was planned before we knew about what the weather was going to be like, and Woodside was in the sweaty 90's rather than the sweltering 100's.  We had five crazy volunteers, myself included, who were willing to go to Woodside and school cross country in the middle of the day and drag our poor pregnant trainer along with us.  But what a day it was!  Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures or videos of the schooling, poor Vicky and our trainer, Lauren, had to drag around bottles and bottles of water for us so asking one of them to carry around and snap shots or video was a bit extreme.  That said, we are so grateful for them and everything that they do for us and the barn, Lauren and Vicky we love you!

Overall the schooling was fantastic.  Taylor and I schooled all of the training stuff, which is awesome considering that Taylor has only had her mare for about a dozen rides or so, and this was my first schooling on Brit (who has only ever done one training before!).  We had a few moments where we weren't quite getting it together all the way, but overall I was so happy with her.  On cross country she jumps better than she does in stadium!  Adi, the twelve year old super rider, got to school almost all the training and novice with her big boy, Danny.  I love that pair, they make a great team.  Camille rode a sale horse for Lauren to school beginner novice and novice and did a nice job showcasing Slick for the people who were looking at him yesterday.  Unfortunately things didn't go quite as planned for Dana and Zalsa, who were off to a great start schooling prelim until a silly incident at the training water left Zalsa and Dana unhurt, but with a broken martingale, without a shoe and missing a rider!  Don't worry girl, you'll have plenty of opportunities to make up for it, it happens to everyone!

Ah, tan lines from gloves. Wonderful!

Above you can see the lovely tan lines that I got from my gloves, and although it isn't pictured, I can assure you that I have a nice farmer's tan as well.  It wouldn't have been as bad, but I sort of forgot to wear sunscreen... oops.  This is the first time I've forgotten all year, be nice!  Riding to and from the horse park was pretty entertaining too.  Dana, Vicky, and Adi make a fun travel group.  Adi and I especially had fun retrieving an ice pack for Dana out of the back.

Retrieving ice packs, we are now experts

Originally, it was just supposed to be Adi grabbing the ice pack, but since we weren't allowed to get ice all over the back and the lid wouldn't open all the way before hitting the ceiling, things became a little... complicated.  So I unbuckled my seatbelt and offered my assistance which mostly involved holding the lid and laughing at Adi because the ice pack had ice stuck to it, which Adi responded to by frantically asking for the towel, which she had foolishly cast aside.  In the middle of the bustle, which took us nearly five minutes to do, I had the good sense to ask for a picture.  Not the most flattering thing, but at least I have a picture to go with the story, eh?

So the series of events that happened yesterday led to a most amusing impromptu slumber party last night, which I will take the liberty of writing about tomorrow.  I also have some pictures, and I'm pretty sure Dana's adorable dog, Kumo, is in all of them!  To sum things up, yesterday was one good, hot, sweaty day.  With this forecast, we're going to have a couple more of those.  To the pool!  Away!