summer is upon us

It has been so long since the last post that Blogger had the nerve to ask me for my password instead of logging me in automatically like it always does...I feel betrayed. But it's an indication of how nuts this summer has been (is...shall continue to be...). I was under the mistaken impression that my life would magically become easier once I graduated, and boy, was I wrong. Turns out being forced to sit down for six hours a day is not that bad!

Life news: not so much. Barn #1 at 4:30 AM, then usually Barn #2 around 9, and then either (sometimes and) back to Barn #1 again or to Barn #3. Occasionally Barn #4. Not usually the same day as #3. But you get the picture. I think I might have it easier just working full time at Subway or something, because the keeping track is the hardest part. My little black calendar is full of scribbles, which is great, except I never look at it. Or know where it is. But anyway. Nub, one of the horses I exercise for his owner, taped in at 75 pounds skinner on Monday than a few weeks ago, which is a big deal because he doesn't even have to think about food to put on weight. He does about three days a week with me and I'm pleased to say that he has started to learn that cantering is fun! On the downside, we have to stop every ten minutes to get his respiration out of the distress zone. But he's coming along and he's also learned that bucking and bolting require too much effort for too little result...aka, he hasn't been able to get me off. Yet.

I also started some of my other rides over fences this week, which was really exciting because those two horses were really willing and surprisingly athletic about it, considering neither of them had seen a standard before in their lives. Tucker has especially come a long way and is slowly developing an understanding of stretching over his back instead of curling into a frame and not being forward enough, and the gymnastic of the little crossrail grid I put him in helped him out with his canter work a lot. Mal, a little QH superstar, also felt a lot more comfortable cantering in three beats (instead of, like, one) off a baby fence. These western ponies are having to stretch a lot for me mentally and I am determined I will make Tuck into a show hunter yet!

In Neil news, I scored a stall at the first barn I work at mornings...palatial stall and indoor pretty much to myself! The footing is amazing and I can really feel a difference in his canter transitions- did I mention he got his ass over his abscess last week, finally? He also got his teeth done and wolf tooth yanked out...which was cool because the vet let me keep it. It's floating around in my car with a lot of other crap. I think. Coincidentally he has improved in his not-leaning-on-the-right-rein...or I have...not sure on that either but we'll take it. He did his first gridwork today in a while and talk about a superstar! He is learning to like bounces. Which is good, because he's going to be doing a lot of them. There's a bunch of hay stacked next to his stall, which he can reach through the side bars. So tonight he's happy in his Back on Track sheet snacking hay through the wall. Hopefully he will get turned out with Nub next week. He is kind of an asshole in the paddock so maybe he will chase Nub around and get some more pounds off him! One can dream.

Finally, logged into my Midd accounts online (new email: mdimarco@middlebury.edu, although the old one is also equally operational) and found out they reviewed my financial aid and gave me...more free money! And also some loans. But I think the way it works out with my other scholarships, some of the unsubsidized ones will be covered for me...or maybe not...I should get an economics degree just for figuring out all that crap. I'm headed to VT this weekend to chekc out barns for Neil- one is actually run by a college friend of my Mom's and the other is home base for my new Pony Club, Charlotte Pony Club. They have a schooling trial a few days after I'll arrive...thinking of signing up for fun! And, unrelated, but props to my mom, who made it up and down Mt. Katahdin today! Well, actually, she's not home yet. But I think she survived...we'll see!

Cheers!

Marina

Farrier Day

Today was farrier day, meaning the hundred-some mile haul to Peppergrass Farm for Neil to get his feet done. It was the first time I had done the drive by myself, and I really, really hate hauling by myself, so it was a relief to get there early (though it's impossible to get their earlier than Debbie herself...but anyway). Neil got a trim and had his front shoes replaced and then went to do work in the outdoor where he was suddenly...yes, you guessed it- lame. Luckily Deb was still there so we pulled the shoe off, checked everything out and put it back on for something of an improvement. I had let him go longer between visits than I normally do but my suspicion is that he stepped on a rock and is being a wimp about it. Anyhow tomorrow was a scheduled day off anyway, so he gets the benefit of the doubt til Thursday and he should be fine by then (insert rant about how every horse I get is a WIMP here).

I hate to admit it, but I had an awful time staying awake on the drive home. This lead to self-medicating with Dysarts coffee and a big Mountain Dew... and a really bad crash and burn nap at like 5:30. My inability to stay awake may have something to do with all the 4:00 mornings...but that's just a guess. It has already been a really busy week: two lessons with Holly Rutland Sunday and Monday to kick it off! The Sunday lesson was Neil's first trip to Pat McIntosh's (what's a weekend without a field trip for the baby horse) where he enjoyed her lovely outdoor ring and a sleepover with Beacon and Candy. The Monday lesson was much more, er, focused. The second derivative version of the Sun/Mon clinic was this:

1. Riding the hind legs is very, very important (who'd have thought, right?).

2. Clarity of communication is very, very important (who'd have thought, right?).

3. Applying both of above factors leads to very nice things from baby horses.

Lookin more like Rolling Stone every day

Anyhow, between that the the four other horses I had Monday, work, and graduating, it has been kind of nuts. Graduation went really, really well however, other than discovering afterward that Uncle Rich had a note saying "I'm Marina's Uncle" pinned on his back the whole time. They sat in the front row, so only two thousand or so people got a chance to see it...I love my family.

From True Prospect:

For those of you who have been living under a rock these last couple of days, Boyd Martin and his students lost six horses from their program in a tragic fire at the True Prospect Barn. Other horses are being treated and recovering at the New Bolton Center. Boyd and his students are always a class act and are terrific horsemen to boot, and everyone's hearts go out to them. From Boyd's website:

"We have put up a page on our website that has all the info regarding the tax deductible fund.
If you are one of our sponsors, or just a concerned friend or fan, can you please put this link on your website or distribute it to those who may help?

The direct link is:
http://www.boydandsilvamartin.com/Pages/boyd/ReliefFund.html

Thanks again for all the requests on this.....LT"

Vicarious gets all of one hit per day but if you wouldn't mind passing this along, checking your fire extinguishers, and giving your horse an extra carrot today...You can also support Boyd by buying Denny Emerson's book How Good Riders Get Good or by purchasing an Ecogold saddle pad- they're donating 50% of profits to the TPF Recovery Fund.