Then she found a pen

Mary Mack

Another quiet moment

No, it's not poop. Maggie covered both feet, legs and face in nutella. This picture doesn't do it justice.

Mary Mack

Yep

Maggie rode for so long she fell asleep. She slept while riding for about 30 minutes. Elizabeth is a trooper.

Mary Mack

P.S.

Wack and Pass

Riding with Colleen Rutledge in lessons with Jimmy-Pass .....she keeps it real.

I also hear she is amazing to take lessons from.

Parking the 4 horse in the night rain-wack

Big Sharon (Dawson) rescuing the baby swallow from the four horse and moving his nest 1 meter away (I sent her research on how to do it....I had meant to help)-Super Pass

The mama finding the baby-Pass

The fact that I am typing in my pj's when I should be dressed going to pick up Hunter-wack

Kim Keatings riding skills-SUPER PASS

The Rizzo family-Pass

This video of the freak hail storm from Monday-Pass

(Watch the whole thing, the funniest part is at the middle/end)

Growing Pains

What a busy few days!

I should have posted before now. This is going to be a long one!

Tuesday was wonderful.

I had my lesson with Jimmy and of course as I have lately as the lesson ends, promptly cried. At least I didn't do it when Jimmy and I were talking at the end. Poor Sharon White though, she said to me

"Well that was really good!"

and the tears came.

I swear I am not crazy.

I am overwhelmed.

I feel so much progress, so much potential, so much impatience.

I want to have it all now.

I want to tantrum and throw myself on the ground at Jimmy Woffords feet and demand that he tell me I am good.

OK, I suppose that does not do much to support my earlier "I swear I am not crazy" comment.

Jimmy is amazing. He can see what you are doing when you are riding, but he also knows what your brain is doing.

I find myself now coming to my fences with Beast and it's like time slows down.

Then a conversation something like this happens ....in my head..........

"Shoulders-shoulders, ok now lower leg...send , bring her back, send, hind end ride the hind end, UH OH UH OH SOFTEN YOUR REINS, you idiot...oh that was a good half halt BOUNCE CANTER, YOU NEED TO GET IN......oop ooop soften, fold release."

This is all happens in a two stride time frame probably a little less then 2 seconds.

This is what Beast thinks....

"This damn hackamore is stabbing me in my left eye again. Hmm a jump" 17 strides passes........"I hate spurs, hmm a bigger jump."

Jimmy saw me thinking and told me definite progress, not to doubt my eye, but keep chipping away at all of it. Not to think so much, feel it and act appropriately. "Don't show up with a plan" Hmmmmm this sounds familiar. I always say to one of my students not to have an "agenda".

I empathize.

So anyways, I have a lot of new tools from my instructors, proper half halts, trusting my eye but not finding distances off it (sometimes it's a LIAR, but more often we find our self pulling to accommodate our eye), finding distances off my leg, getting a chestnut mares motor going, I could go on and on.

I get a little overwhelmed at times at how much I am learning and when to apply the proper tools. My flat work is getting better and better and this also is changing the amount of gears (drastically increasing) for my jumping.

I do think Beasty may think the hackamore is too much now. We will be trying a bit again for show jumping.

So when I call a friend after my lessons crying and they say "Oh no what happened?"

And I say

"Oh nothing it was good! but....."

I know they understand.

Horse people, good Folk.

Nutty as bat $h@t, but good folk.

Then little Ossi and I tore it up!

Holy crap I love Callie! We did easy Training level and novice height with some difficult exercises and they were perfect ponies.

Callie did however pull the reins out of my hands when I was trying to pull up to a trot and bolt AT a skinny.

I have skinny obsessions so I make my skinnies SKINNY!

Just a single barrel or narrower.

Cappy(Sharon's horse) is jumping really well.

I am pretty sure Sharon went home crying wondering what horse person to call.

(Thats new code for "an AWESOME ride")

Hannah Jo, Hunter, Alison, and Ameriah were AMAZING in their lesson.

Hunter , Hannah, and Ameriah did some pretty tough exercises. Alison's horse Buck was a teeny bit sore and had to show the next day. Alison graciously gave him a quiet stretchy ride. Alison has a natural quietness about her that can not be taught.

For a long time we tried to jazz Ali up, make her shake a tail feather. When I backed down and allowed her natural riding to shine, shine she does.

Manny (that's Darenth's barn name for Vanya...."Manzotti Law" is his show name) is such a superstar!

I love him and so does everyone else!!!

He did flat work and a hack Monday and Tuesday then that brings us to yesterdays show at Waredaca!

Katie C came and took pictures so hopefully I will share those soon. It was fun to have Katie there, she is especially happy lately. Perhaps the horse shopping does a body good?

Here is a wrap up of last night.....

Beasty- Drama mama on the trailer. Very good in her dressage test! She got a bunch of 7's and 6's! We did Intermediate test A in a small ring and the little mare tried for me. I really liked my judge she was very helpful and honest. Basically when a judge see's Beast enter our base is a 6, although the canter is a weak 6 at best. Then I can claw my way up to a 7 by doing a accurate movement at the proper spots. Orrrrrrr I can blow it easily and lower it.

Such logic.

Then there is Callie-Perfect the whole time. She only got a 10 minute warm up, put in a mediocre test and got mostly 8's and 7's. Her canter work is getting stronger and stronger. The judge said Callie's base is approaching an 8 so not to screw it up by wonky circles.

Manny-Perfect in every way. I forgot how awesome geldings are. Little Ossi has quite a bond going with him. Manny jumped like a million bucks and slept in between rounds.

Hannah and Buckshot-AWESOME little weirdos. Hannah is so much fun to bring places. To sum up her personality.....We had to pull over on the way there because the truck warned me that the trailer plug was "disconnected". As I was angrily getting out of the truck Hannah asked

"What if your last name was Mr. Nottleshoe?" (or some name like that)

She also made poop art. * I am not condoning spreading poop at peoples farms, especially Waredaca which I love! I sadly underestimated the amount of poop in the tub and it was to funny to watch to stop it.

Hannah and Buck rocked that 3 foot course

Annie and Rae -the award for most improved (though they were pretty good to start)!!!! Rae would benefit from hacking with Knick and Manny on our lovely hills at Darenth. Annie has gotten Rae so much stronger, and as she continues to gain strength, she tries harder and succeeds! Leaps and Bounds!

Alison and Knick- All 8's these two. It was great to see this pair. It really showcased how far Alison has come. Peggy Parisso complimented her on her hands and how she doesn't pull!!!! She did however maintain a beautiful connection. It also showed off how well Knick is doing!!!!!Way to go Kari for the 14 hours a week of hill walking and some great dressage training!

Knick is not the easiest ride, he is a super busy body. Alison kept his focus and shocked him when she went BACK in the ring. Knick has not done any dressage shows!

Today Mags and I have a busy day of teaching and dressage lessons. Poor Callie and especially Beast. They will need 2 days off this weekend for sure.

Thankfully Vanessa will be at my barn today with Courtney, so that saves me a trailering trip!

Time to go!

This is so not funny

This is what I was talking about....when little ones are quiet, this is an example of what they are doing

Mary Mack

I'm home!

What a great vacation!
I am a total fan of Virginia Beach.

Maggie had an awesome birthday weekend. She ate lots of Mac and cheese,pizza, and chips. The three food groups.

The beach (lakes and pools are a close second and third) is a place where I can really relax.
Especially with Dave there. I could literally lay in the water and just stare for hours. Some day we WILL own a little vacation spot. Either that or just retire to the water.
Maggie definitely seems to have my genes. She ran and ran and ran. Splashing, kicking, laughing, it was perfect. I have the best husband, who just goes with the flow. Sometimes I imagine him as a cartoon, just standing quietly while Maggie and I run circles around him kicking up little clouds of dust and mayhem.
Yesterday, our 4 hour drive home turned into 7 due to traffic. We went straight to Darenth to meet Nancy and the beautiful Vanya. I am lucky enough to have Vanya (the horse) as one of my own for a month while Nancy travels.

Today Mags and I slept in until 7:45. Whoooooooooooo hoooooooo!!!
Now she is checking out some much missed "Sprout tv" while I write to you!
This afternoon will be busy.
Mags will go hang out with bestie Elizabeth over at Kristie's fun house.
I will be flatting Callie, and Vanya.

Kaliente, Beasty bear, and Summer will do light dressage and a hack.
Janet will be riding this afternoon in a lesson, and I will be setting up a fabulous jump course for my self and all my students!

Beast goes to Sharon Whites tomorrow for a lesson with Jimmy.
Then in the afternoon Callie will jump, and little Ossi with Cappy.
Some of my awesome girls will do a lesson in the early pm over the course I will be setting.

Then Wed is the schooling show at Waredaca!
Beast and Callie will be doing the fix a test, and Vanya will be jumping.
Allison will be doing some dressage tests, and Annie will be jumping.
I can't wait to find Katie C the perfect horse so she can join us again!!! Sooooon :)

PASS/WACK.........

The "ball" of pony tail holders from old navy as a driving distraction for a 2 year old-pass

The pushy dudes that try to sell you time shares at the beach-Wack

little Ossi's house watching skills-pass

little Ossi's understanding of throw pillows-Wack (see pictures)

Hearing "Maewry....get it" everytime Maggie dropped her old navy ball-Undecided

Falling asleep cuddling with Maggie on Saturday night- Pass

Jocelyn remembering Maggie's birthday all the way from California (My best friend who I miss)-Pass