Overnight Miracle, and Course Design By Amanda Boyd

Y'ALL. Look at that HAIR!

Dino grew hair in over his bald spots literally overnight. It's a miracle! His chest is still pretty black and naked, but his shoulders, ohmigosh, they have HAIR! He doesn't look moth-eaten anymore!

Yesterday was course-building day, utilizing this diagram from my lovely and talented BFF, Amanda Boyd:

If you're stumped on course design, just text your bestie while she's bored in class, and she'll whip one up for you, no problem.

In the flesh

I ended up putting that bottom diagonal fence at the top of the ring instead, because it just worked better with where everything else was placed in my arena. I made the oxer at the end of the two-stride some sort of modified baby Swedish thing because I was a little unsure of my measuring skills/how it would ride, and I didn't want to set us up for a crash at a 2'6 oxer. I set it about 4ft in from a true 12ft stride two, because I didn't want to encourage Dino to get long, flat, and rushy through the combination. Thankfully the brick wall didn't need to be moved because that thing is a total PITA to move by oneself even when it's not rotting and falling apart, which it is. Rumor has it we are getting new jumps soon, but I won't hold my breath on that one.

Dino was tired yesterday, probably because he had to stay in a couple extra hours in the morning to get his feet done, and then most likely was angry when he finally got turned out and I imagine he chased everyone for a while to get out his frustrations. He also declined to pee before our ride (he pees before EVERY ride) so the whole time he was kind of behind my leg and "I have to peeeeeeee." Well, too bad mister. You missed your chance. Gotta hold it.

I didn't ask him to do any real flatwork because he was feeling kind of 'eh', and his go button was working reasonably well. So we mostly just jumped.

He. Was. PERFECT.

So relaxed, so confident, and jumped everything without question the first time I pointed him at it. I got kind of crazy-psycho-aggressive and drove him at the brick wall, our boogeyman, and he was all "Woman, chill out. I got this." The first time through the two-stride I was also being weird about it and Dino just took us through; and then I rode through again like a normal person and the distances were right there. High five for measuring skills. We jumped around a little mini-course of about 5-ish fences, I don't even really remember what we did, and Dino was perfect. Again. I was totally winded by the end of it (need to work on cardio!) but he was amazing.

I am feeling REALLY good about this horse show next weekend, and I got the go-ahead to school in the show ring this Sunday. No ring fee, either! Today will be a lunging day in side reins or the chambon, tomorrow he'll have off, and then our field trip on Sunday.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Pssst... Check out Hillary's Contest!