4th of July

It was a wonderful, quiet weekend.  Saturday night Donna invited me to a friend's family picnic.  We had amazing food and sat around the fire pit.  At 9:30, we could look out over the corn fields and see a firework display in each direction.  The Stopples were great hosts and I so appreciate their generosity.  Oh, they had 5 bags of pine cones we all tossed into the fire pit.  It's amazing how entertained adults are by blazing pine cones.  Later on, we had sparklers and fireworks to play with.

Burn, baby, burn! 

Sunday morning was a second chance to jump Tyler around.  The heat and humidity forced us to back the lesson down a smidge.  The midwest has not experienced any heat like the east coast had this week, but it was warm here.  Tyler and I are handling it well.  I'm going through G2 like a crazy woman and it's working.  Anyway, Tyler was ok on Sunday but he didn't quite feel like himself.  He's been adjusting to the hock injections and it's a baby step process.

After our lesson, I headed about 8 miles north to a co-worker's home.  Diane invited me to spend the afternoon with her and her husband.  We spent a bit of time with her 5 horses.  Diane owns a QH, paint, two fjords, and Buster the mini!

Buster in the Garden - courtesy of Diane Wattson

Diane is a little concerned he'll be on my trailer back to PA.  She should be!

 We BBQ'd chicken, roasted corn, and of course had potato salad for the all-American 4th of July dinner.  It was so nice to just sit back and relax for an afternoon.  Diane is a avid dressage rider who is at training and first level with the fjords, Davin and Arin.  

I went swimming with Donna and Pat in the pond on Monday.  I jumped off the bridge, about 8', into the pond on the first try! Haha, I told myself, "C'mon, you're an eventer, get going!"  We floated around for awhile.  I forgot how much floating and swimming relaxes me.  I slept like the dead that night!

The bridge.

Tyler and I did a lot of flat work Tuesday and Thursday.  Wednesday I lunged him and was pleased to see him step into his canter departs.  He needs to be stronger and we're working our way towards that.

I decided to enter BN at Silverwood HT in Wisconsin on August 7-8.  It will be a two day event with dressage and cross country on Saturday and show jumping on Sunday.  It will be our most formal recognized event to date.  We hope to school there this week or next if schedules permit.  Depending on the schooling, I may move him to Novice.

It was a short week at work with the holiday.   Only a few of the guys traveled in.  I was glad Rob and I weren't betting on the Phils-Braves series.  It's going to be crazy busy this week.  Everyone is in town plus an additional seventy client resources.