He's back!

When I get an email that I read and need to respond to but don't have time right then, I mark the little 'star' next to it.  Right now, I'm starring at 100 little stars, that apparently I need to do something about, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

That's kind of how I feel about this blog.  I have about 4 different posts that I REALLY need to do, but haven't seemed to find a few extra minutes to get them in.  But I figured there was one really, really important one to do, and so here it is....

Prophet is back, baby!

I've actually started this entry 3 times now.  First it was after a little dressage show in July where P went out and showed the dressage ponies how it's done, winning the First Level Test 3.  Then it was after the rated dressage show (where we showed in the non-rated class), where P went in the ring with NO warm-up (what-so-ever) and pulled off a decent enough test, right before the rain gods blessed us with a downpour.  But even though I was super happy with him at those two events, plus at the super-fun jump lessons we've had with MJS, I just couldn't bear to right "He's back" until we had an honest-to-goodness event under our belts.

Well now we do. River Glen has always been a favorite location of mine.  I did my B-prep there about a million years ago, and have had a few runs around the mountain (or sometimes not quite getting to the mountain).

We (my student, Jen, working student/groom, Maggie, and I) had planned to stop for a quick XC school on the long drive up there, but after a small light malfunction (which meant taking my ancient little truck with two horses, three people, and all our stuff through the mountains), we headed straight there.  This meant P was going to have to run the XC without stepping foot on a course (or into water, or over a ditch) since April. Great.

Luckily I had no need to worry.

P's dressage left a little to be desired (um, meaning I need to ride FORWARD), and I was happy to just have a rail and a few time (for a minor 'regrouping' session) after the carnage that was the Show Jumping.  The XC course on Sunday had it's own set of problems.  I thought it looked like a BLAST of a course, with not a lot of size, but plenty to look at.  P felt a little bit taken-aback, but rocked in none-the-less, finishing over the time (a planned, slow canter around), but clear over the fences.

We brought home the green ribbon, which a very young student asked if it was 3rd place.  When I replied "No, it's sixth" she said "Wow, you must have done really bad."  hahahahaha.... nothing like a 6 year old to bring you down to reality.

Attached are a few pics that Bryan (owner of HoofWraps) took before XC (all photos credited to Rusted Digital Photography).  I will try and get more photos/videos loaded sometime soon!

His goal was to make it look like the sun was rising!

It was a huge team effort just get get P to put one of his ears up.

Galloping up the hill to the Trekhener

P, me, my dad, Maggie, and my mom before the fun phase!