I have a busy fall season ahead, but a lot of it involves my new internship at The Chronicle of the Horse. I’ll be traveling a few weekends when I had planned on attending events. For now, I’ve got Seneca Valley coming up on Labor Day weekend.

I took Oh So cross country schooling on Sunday at a local schooling facility called Locochee Farm. We did all the basics; ditch, skinny, trekhener, log into water, bending line. He was great for all of it, and I was riding him for the first time cross country with a slow twist full cheek. It seems to be just right (for now). As he progresses in his education, I’m sure there will be more bit changes.

We finished with a bank up out of water, one-stride to a log. We’ve never done something in close proximity to a bank, and he was good at figuring it out. Then we tried going the other way, down over the log, one stride, off the bank into water. I was a little apprehensive, since he’s still learning to jump off banks into water, but he got the footwork right, I stayed back, and he didn’t launch! All in all, a good preparation for Seneca.

This weekend, we’re going up to a local dressage schooling show to get back into the showing vibe before Seneca next weekend. We’re doing both training level event tests. Of course, I drew the first ride at 8am, but at least we’ll be done by 9am!

I’m still figuring out my work schedule, so I’ve been riding in the evenings. Sam doesn’t mind working when it’s almost dark, but Oh So is acting like his whole world has been turned upside down. I guess technically it is a big change, since I usually ride in the morning. But he’s going to get used to it soon. He’s actually been spooky and jumpy, which he hardly ever is.