Catching my breath and watching Cinderella.

Mags and I are watching Cinderella.

She sang the alphabet, all by herself this morning. The whole thing, correctly. No joke.

The last two days were crazy.

I flatted my two mares with Susan G White on Tues.

They were both stars. Riding with Susan is very intense and she explains often what it looks like from a judges point of view.

Well, I guess I already knew that my mares looked tense, but we worked on it and she gave me some very useful tools.

It is all the same. The same things Vanessa says, Sharon, Stephen, Jimmy.

It just is worded different, and put together in different order and DAMN, it really is coming together.

What a year this has been. I am so thankful that my husband is so supportive, and that my home barn has the best owners in the world.

I must admit I am so happy that everything is growing, expanding and getting busy, but I could never do this with out Darenth, Dave, and of course my wonderful students.

I really appreciate the intense work that Susan provides, and the "do it, do it correctly, and do it now attitude". Tuesday we did the usual, but for some reason it was all different. I would move my hands forward, and my horses would stretch, and I would get it.

So then yesterday, I jumped the coolest grey horse on the planet, and my two mares with Sharon.

The same thing happened. I really get it.

It is hard not to get it on a horse like the grey horse (Fiesta) or Summer. They are just so damn nice and built so well, that when it feels right it feels unbelievable.

I am super fortunate to have the opportunity to ride these mares, and I will give them the time, attention and the best that I have, because that is what they deserve.

Fiesta is a dressage product of Vanessa (the owner rides with her) and her base is just so correct.

I am so looking forward to riding her in a flat lesson on Saturday with Vanessa.

Double awesome, Summer gets to go to Vanessa's on Friday!

If I take a step back I realize I have created a program for myself.

I have Vanessa Swartz, and Stephen Bradley as my trainers. People that I feel close with, that I will always ride with. I also will include Gretchen Butts in that mix. All though recently I have not ridden with Gretchen as much as I would like, she will always be a person I will go to.

These three are my home base.

Then I have Sharon White, Jimmy Wofford, and Susan G White.

These are my a$$ kickers. Now don't get me wrong, my lessons with home base instructors some times make me want to cry, throw up, or both at the same time, but I always feel comfortable.

It is all very interesting.

It means nothing and everything.

I want to get to a certain point before I would present my self and my horse to Jimmy.

I would need to get to a certain point (for me) before presenting my self and horse combo to Susan.

Sharon White would just kick my a$$ and get me to what ever point I needed to be, regardless of my thigh objections, panting like a fat kid running up a hill, or mental instability.

I am so fortunate to have these instructors in my life.

I am so happy to have ridden with Stephen for so long, and really look forward to my upcoming lessons with him.

I am so thankful to Kristen Parris for giving me Vanessa's number last winter.

I really credit Beast going Intermediate right now to Vanessa.

(Beast and I will get our shit together in the dressage ring and make her proud I swear)

In my jump lesson yesterday we did an exercise in which we had to have a connection.

I was able to do it for no reason other then Vanessa Swartz.

Beasty is a mare that used to toss her head so bad, I would have to duck. She has a phobia of movement, and sees dead people. She has a loin area like a board and a heart as big as her warm red mare chest.

I don't think another instructor could have gotten us to this point of success, and so much possibility to come.

I wish Stephen didn't have his farm so far away from me.....

But between that and noting Kelley Williams obvious success with Sharon White, I am so glad that I made the decision to ride with Sharon also.

You can tell she love, love, loves her job.

She can figure a horse out with one blink of an eye, settles for nothing less then perfection,and obviously is an incredible rider. These are all ingredients for an amazing instructor.

As for Jimmy Wofford. I consider him right up there with Gandhi, William Steinkraus, and any one else amazing.

I also think Susan is amazing. She reminds me of the quote "are you going to lay there and bleed or are you going to cowgirl up?"

This may sound really bizarre.

Especially because she is super kind, and very in touch with the arts, and nature.

Also because she is very proper.

But she is one tough lady.

I am very grateful to be able to ride with her and that she genuinely cares about me and my mares.

Susan (like the others listed) is the best of the best.

I am also so happy that I feel "able" to be able to ride with her now.

And I don't mean in a status sort of way, but I feel like before sometimes it would kinda go over my head.

And by before I don't mean that long ago.

I would recommend any one of these instructors, and put them in the category "amazing".

And then on to my upcoming horse star...............CALLIE

Callie continues to get stronger and more brilliant. She is turning into such a big girl, what the hell happened?

I feel like it was just yesterday she was practicing cantering on a circle and now I am thinking of her move up to Training?

I may just hold off for a bit. My girl try's so hard for me. I want her hind end tighter and her jump straighter.

I just love Callie to pieces.

Callie is such a beautifully odd mix.

Callie bites. For real bites (humans), like OMG broken skin bites.

Callie also lowers her head so Maggie can pet her and feed her hay.

Callie is scared of nothing.

Callie also gets bit, at least once a day, by Beast.

Callie is going to Rolex.

Callie is going to Rolex and finishing in the top ten, with me and a big smile.

I had a blast at "A Bit Better" the last few days.

Kim looks like a million dollars riding right now, and holy crap her horse can jump!!!!.

Katie Murphy and Grantley looked literally perfect, and Little Ossi looked the best I have ever seen her! That Cappy sure is jumping well.

Today Em is doing a SJ school to prep for Marlboro.

Ameriah will do some work with Bandit.

Alexis and Annie will both be jumping.

My girls are walking, and I have got to do some Yoga.

(Any time you cry because you can't find the bagels you just bought, it's a sign you need a time out)

Anyways, all is well. If you are reading this I hope you have a great day!

P.S.

Standing, staring and watching someone back up a trailer -Fail