We’ve had some ugly hot days here in Virginia the last couple of weeks, followed by some pleasant ones, and now more heat is on the way. I’ve been getting up early to ride one horse before working at the library, then riding one when I get home if it’s not too bad.

Oh So has been going well. I’ve done a couple of jump lessons since Lexington and have one more on Friday before Rubicon on Sunday. There’s just so much for me to think about as the jumps we school get higher. I need to be in the right position with my shoulders/upper body so I’m not so vertical and have to make a move when he takes off, but I also can’t be so far forward that I get into my knees. It’s tough!

I also need to keep telling myself to ride forward and keep a good canter. I think that’s going to continue to be the biggest challenge as we inch towards prelim. I feel like we could go do a prelim cross-country course and dressage test tomorrow, but the show jumping is just not there yet.

During my jump lesson last Friday we went to Morningside. It was a beautiful day, but when we got there, the grounds crew was dragging the ring and no jumps were set up. As they set jumps, I took Oh So for a gallop on the track. Between the tractor, a big group of people setting jumps and a sprinkler on the polo field that was shooting water 50 feet in the air, it was a lot for him to handle! He never really spooks, but he was very scared going around the side of the track that the sprinkler was on. But we made it through and had a nice 520mpm gallop in both directions.  I was able to soften the contact and he stayed in a nice rhythm for most of the way around.

I worked at Waredaca on Sunday. The weather was decent and the prelim and novice went. I looked at the training course and thought it was more challenging than the prelim course. The prelim course looked almost training height the whole way around, and didn’t really have a lot of accuracy questions save for a random spooky skinny at 7, right in the middle of the field. That caused some runouts and funky jumps. Overall though, I kind of wished I was riding that course! They’ve added nice bluestone arenas for dressage which seem like they need to settle a bit, but I might consider riding in their August event if it’s not too hot. I told myself I’d never go back there after riding dressage in 8 inches of mud in 2009, but they’ve made improvements for sure.

So for this week, I’ve got lessons on Thursday and Friday. I’m also volunteering at a CDCTA dressage show in Thursday evening. I’m scribing, which I’ve never done before, so it should be interesting. I’m also checking it out as a possibility for Sam next month. He’s feeling better and getting his fitness back.