Man, been so freaking busy; ride ride ride; work work work...endless...could be worse, I suppose. A dear friend lays in isolation with her spleen removed, collapsed lungs and broken ribs due to a horse accident. Dear husband reminds me that it could be me...Thanks...all the confidence.
Crush collicked; he almost didnt make it (small intestinal) but I have an incredible vet. Gave him a couple weeks off and we are back at it...Missed a couple of shows but he is so worth it...
Judged at Ocala; love seeing other people's art work as it inspires me to try harder...Same with training and riding; working Crush as hard as I have been inspired me to ride better with Cleo; we'll see how that rolls at Tampa in 3 weeks at the Paint/Pinto show...Gotta get more pictures of me and Crush riding the fields...I have complete confidence in him now.

What a weekend...makes me feel like there is life after breed shows...talked to my friend Holly S whose dad and father-in-law are both APHA judges and things are not looking too good for the association...seems like a myriad of judges are either dumping their cards, or ranting that they are gonna judge the way they are gonna judge and FEK the rulebook...Nice.
Anyhow I went to Silver Sands and showed all weekend...what a treat; was first in ALL my classes on Saturday (english day) and took first in showmanship and trail on Sunday (western day) also taking thirds in horsemanship and western pleasure. Nabbed me high point for both days, earning two silver mirrored boxes, and two huge grand champion ribbons. Me and Cleo rocked!!
Note the whopping plate of sushi my darling husband bought for me to have when I got home! I scarfed that puppy down (wasabi and ginger make my world go 'round!!)

Been riding all week until today...started back up at the gym (I can't NOT go to the gym, the old bod needs it) and Saturday I am supposed to go to Clarcona with Crush but we'll see...Not showing just hanging with Priscilla, Poof and picking up Molly to bring her back here...But Caitlin will already be up there so its not a huge biggie if it rains and I decide not to go. Crush has been before and if the weather is garbage, I would rather stay home and keep getting caught up on the work bench. NEXT weekend is 3 days at Silver Sands...Good times...
Sold the 2 horse trailer...now on the look-out for a new one.
Elmo goes homes, and Molly comes in...While I am at Silver Sands Caitlin and Amanda fly out to Colorado to check out Amanda's possible new horse...

Here's a pic of me and Cleo...

Worked all day in the saddle...rode Cleo and she was perfect, then rode Crush (for the first time in about two weeks) and he was awesome! I think his time off is good for him as he gets a chance to roll it around in his little hamster brain:



...But anyhow he was incredible...I think I need to move into ball spurs with him; when he got bored/tired/distracted, he refused to lope...Elmo and Kailey were out on the trail course with Jessica/Foxy and Carra/Toby and he wanted to go play with everyone else and he refused to lope when I asked...
Tomorrow Caitlin goes off to Brevard to help Amanda and Meagan show...the 2 horse goes to it's new home too. Now I need a new one...Jimmy asks, "WHY do you need three horse trailers?" Because is not a good answer anymore...I just want three. So now I am down to two but in the market for another (younger) all aluminum bumper pull.

Rained all day...rode yesterday in my english breeches, boots and OMG if that didnt help me get the feel of this new saddle...today I am sore and would have liked to do it again but frickin' rain...
Will be holding horses all day tomorrow for the blacksmith, so MAYBEEEEEEE I can ride after he leaves but he doesnt arrive till after 1:00...Guess I will ride early and freeze my ass off...

Okay so I think it is time I spend the next year, all of 2009, going after my judges' cards...What an embarrassment this show was...total strangers kept coming up to me and telling me I was robbed/raped/screwed/WTF happened... Yeah, there we were, me and Cleo, knocking it out to our finest ability, and I was getting beat by loons sticking their reins straight up in the air, over their fricking heads, to do a pivot...Lindsey was there, she does fantastic...if it wasnt for her, Brittany and her mom Loretta I would have cried all the way home...I stayed over night tho; I didnt show today (english day, same judge) and I just worked the show and had a fine time...
I had fun in the long run, all by myself; me and Sugar and Cleo...My little dog is the cutest critter alive and Cleo was truly awesome...she did fantastic in western pleasure, and we DID NOT PLACE anywhere...wasnt all that big of a class...Maybe 15 horses...I know I didnt suck, possibly the best ride she has ever given me. Here's the run down....3rd in showmaship behind two crooked pivots (she did fabulous) 4th in disciplined rail (which he judged all wrong...what a jerk) 5th in horsemanship behind the worst rides and a 6th in trail which I did not expect...trail was judged by someone else and Cleo had a brain fart at the lope-overs...
I will ride her tomorrow and Crush too...he has had too long off. Next weekend is a double-judged Paint show in Apopka...

New Smyrna tomorrow; sounds like a huge show as all stalls are reserved...taking Sugar and Cleo...Sugar can sleep in and on top of me if she wants and I only hafta show 4 classes for a high point, but I am also gonna do disciplined rail...good practice for western riding next weekend at Clarcona...first Paint show of the season. Be nice to get some ammy points and see some paycheck from APHA...Last year didnt do crap and the check will be puny.
Cleo has been awesome; after this run of shows I HAFTA get back and to work on Crush; he is just begging for attention. Looks like it will be off and on for him and open shows this year...will take him to Dirty Jeans at the end of Janaury but I am not showing there...just ride him around the arenas and let him work out around other horses.