I am a HORRIBLE blogger!!

But I have wicked awesome horses!

Revi spent some time recovering from a bruised heel, and skipped the VAHT... she seems to be back on track now. We did a combined test at TTC last weekend, and that went well. Revi warmed up decently and turned in an obedient-but-not-amazing dressage test.... we were going without a flash and with the noseband loose as an experiment, and she DID seem to appreciate it. There was only one other horse in the class.... a big flashy warmblood with the requisite score! Oh well!

So we hopped over a couple of fences in the warmup. Revi felt good so we hung out, watched thh big flashy warmblood stop at the last fence in the triple--garnering 4 jump penalties and 23 time--went in, jumped around decently with one rail and minimal 'discussion' about speed and way of going from Ms. Opinionated, and won the class. Gotta say it was a big course and laid out kind of strangely, and I was grateful for Revi's "I don't care how big it is or what it looks like, I'm JUMPING!" attitude. I'll work on the dressage!

Speaking of which they had Micklem bridles on sale in the tack store on-site for $93, and there was a 30% discount for competitors. In light of my noseband-loosening experiment I had actually been thinking about trying one on Revi, so I picked one up. So far she is going well in it, but it is a trifle big so I've ordered the next size down. Madison tried the one I have on her horse Lee, who went great in it so she's bought it from me. Everyone wins!

Young stallion Seattle Jones is a ROCK STAR! He did the BN combined test, winning the dressage by 7 points and staying on his dressage score with a lovely relaxed jumping round. He did squeal at some horses in a field near the warmup while I was opening a gate from horseback (to get to the lower part of the xc when we were schooling afterwards), but oh well. He didn't move, just squealed and stomped one foot! He schooled xc great, jumped a pretty big and deep ditch, up and down banks, and cruised through the water. He even jumped in and out of the water over a bank with no problem, on the first try. We are so excited about him!

This weekend we had an equine massage therapist come to the barn. No, my horses aren't spoiled! As I suspected it was confirmed that Revi's issues are pretty much all tension and discomfort in her jaw and poll, a little bit in her neck. So the Micklem bridle will hopefully help with that. Jones really enjoyed his massage therapy session and in typical Jones fashion was very 'engaged' with the therapist throughout the process, just like he is in training sessions. "What are we doing and how can I help make it better?" is his attitude. His primary trouble area was tension/restriction in his left front, due to his grazing posture.

Madison did her first BN combined test at TTC, and finished in 2nd on her dressage score with Devil's Advocate (Lee), so she is real excited to go their first BN HT at Foxtrack next weekend! We have had several new students join the barn in the last month, including a new boarder who is very keen to start seriously eventing. So we are getting pretty busy, which is great! Lots of projects going on at the barn, things getting done..... which is why I haven't been posting much I guess! But I will try really hard to post again soon....!