I think I've lost my mind...really...(8/10...and 8/9)

I'm on call today at work...for a Sunday, that means I (1) get to the hospital by 9am (2) am soley responsible for 45 psych patients (3) get to do all the psych admissions and consults all over the hospital (4) get to stay here overnight and work as normal tomorrow until federal law says I have to go home by 2pm. But...I rode this morning. One horse, for exactly 32 minutes, but the barn is 45 min each way from home/work, add in catching/grooming/tacking/cooling out/putting away time, and you can get a ballpark idea of what time I got up this AM. Was it worth it? You bet it was :)

Huey is progressing well in his walking rehab...despite a setback last week when we tried him out with a new pasture buddy, which lasted all of 10min before the new buddy was rearing up and sinking his teeth into Huey's neck and withers :( That bought Huey several days off since his poor withers puffed up like a balloon, and there was no way I could put a saddle on that! Huey will trot for the first time this friday...so I am VERY excited. He seems to be getting a little bit bored with the walk work...as am I. I know it's good for both of us...and his walk and suppleness have really improved...but I think we're both looking forward to the far distant day when we get cleared to go for a nice gallop :)

I took Surfie to a jumper show yesterday, as we've been having some stadium "issues." Apparently I've decided that throwing myself up on Surf's ears will make him stop putting in a dinky little stride before the jump...when I know I know I know I need to SIT UP (insert very loud voice of Trainer here) and SUPPORT HIM WITH MY LEG (again, insert loud trainer voice). So while everyone at home was off at the Fair Hill HT, we packed up and went to a local schooling show. We did the 3' jumpers (we'd signed up for the 3'3"-3'6" but were the only ones in the class, so we dropped down so they wouldn't have to set another course for us) and put in 3 solid rounds. We weren't going for speed (eventhough the 3 classes were Speed, Power and Speed, and Table 2 sect b), as I wanted to jump the courses as if I was jumping at an event...so nicely forward but not always taking the tightest turns. We had 1 "Flyby" where I went past our jump having gotten my courses confused...but the other 2 rounds were clear and without our usual sticky spots, so I was happy. I just need to remember to:

1) SIT UP
2)PUT MY LEG ON
3)not have my hands in my lap...carry my hands or plant them in his withers/neck
4)not be afraid of the Swedish Oxer...think of it as a x-rail in the air :)

We ended up with a 4th in the Table 2 sec b, a 4th in the Speed, and a 3rd in the Power and Speed...not too shabby for intentionally trying to go at a slower pace.

We've got a little break from shows, as I've got to work the next few weekends (and I'm going on VACATION!!!!), but we're doing a great schooling HT at the VA Horse Center labor day weekend and I'll start lessons with Jimmy Wofford again in September -- what a treat!