Drowning

Yup, still raining.

But, if anybody questions my dedication, I'll just tell them about yesterday...

....ponying Bubba off of a golf cart in the rain.

I'm mentally stable I swear.

Weather Report

I don't know about ya'll but in Florida, May is summertime. The sun is out and it's at least 90 degrees every day.

Except this week.

It didn't get up past 65 yesterday. That's WINTER! (pause for laughter from any Northern readers. Hello my name is Jessica and I'm a Florida sissy.)

So it's been cold, rainy and just generally nasty all week and it's supposed to continue.

Somebody find me the Weather Fairy and make it stop! I want summer back!

And just for Mom: big boobs.

I love you Mama! ;)

Bad Day...

Blah.

I know horses have bad days and good days just like people but DANG bad days suck!!

Bubba did not want to work today. I think he might be a little bit tender-footed after his trim on Friday. My farrier is slowly putting some heel back on him so he's usually a little tender after a trim, just not usually this long.

Also, I think we've got a bear in the east woods. There were some wicked claw marks on a couple of the trees and spooky Bubba certainly smelled something. It's a tribute to his athleticism that he can walk in a straight line and look off in the woods at the same time.

Goofy animal.

I'm going to take him out tomorrow after I get home from work and just relax, walk and trot around, depending on how he's walking on his feet.

There is an NBHA this weekend in Marianna but I'm not sure if I'll be going or not. Brion wants to go back to Plant City and pick up some roofing materials for his SuperShed and to do that he needs the truck. It's also cheaper not to go but I would really like to get a run in before State in 4 weeks.

I might make some phone calls and see if I can get in an arena for the night and just make a run. I'm curious what would happen if I got aggressive going to the first barrel. I wonder if our rate will hold together.

I doubt it but it's worth a shot.

By the way, I'm 671 in Kissimmee! I can't wait to see my friends from back home. I miss them!

Viva la Blountstown!

I finally feel like writing. My job is so Feast or Famine that when I do have to write for it, I get burnt out and refuse to write anything else (not that this is highly structured, well-organized, brain-testing literature or anything).

Anyway.

I did end up going to Blountstown this weekend. It was too far for just me and my broke self to go so I hitched a ride with a friend of a friend and we had a lot of fun. It was a little weird getting in the truck with someone I'd only met once before but I'm a control freak like that. I think we might have a repeat performance next week going to Marianna.

My run was... interesting.

The way FL01 works is they take all the entries then post the draw before they drag to start the Open. If I was organized, I would already have my horse saddled by then. Saturday I was not organized. I usually like to get on Bubba about 30-50 horses before mine. That gives us time to walk around, see the sights, get all the boogers out before we run, lope some circles and sit by the in gate to chill-lax.

I didn't have that this time. I was 19 and by the time I got back to the trailer and saddled they were on 6 or 7.

So I was rushed warming up. I handled it better this time than I have before. I usually get kind of rattled when I have to rush, obsessively listening to the numbers being called and calculating how many I have to go. Thank God FL01 runs a little slower than FL06.

Running to the first barrel, I intended to take a light hold. Bubba was "dressed" in his Pretzel so I thought that would be possible. Bubba being Bubba decided he didn't like that and tried really really hard to run through it. He lugged like a champ. I doubt we were actually going that fast (no video. Dang it.) but from the pressure on my hands, we would have been going a lot faster if I left it up to him.

I wigged out at the first barrel. We overran it a little (felt like a mile and a half but people watching told me it was more like half a stride. I can live with that.) and I fell into the old habit and pulled back. He protested (as he should) and I finally moved my hand forward and he took off for the second....

...and turned right on top of it. His monkey of a rider didn't grab her outside rein until it was too late and he was already turning. (That smacking sound you hear? That's my hand meeting my forehead.)

Our third was pretty but you know what I'm happiest about? Coming off the third, he surged forward like he usually does to run home but I didn't encourage him. I had both reins and just sat there and he actually loped out! Without surging! Without running through the bit! It's a MIRACLE! I never ever thought I would see the day where we would come out of the arena and I wouldn't feel like I was in a car where the brake lines had been cut.

So, like usual, it was a mixed bag of results. I wish we hadn't hit the second because I would have loved to see where we were time wise but, at this point, I'll take what I can get.

On Sunday, we finally were able to till up my little barrel patch so it's back to work for us this evening when I get home. I think we'll probably do some Ed drills around the second and try to free him up a little. I think I've drilled it into his head a little too much to rate, rate, rate. We only need that much rate on the first.

Maybe at Marianna I'll actually run to the first barrel. Wonder if I'll be able to get in a pen before then and give it a shot without having to shell out an entry fee.

Hmm.... I might have to make some phone calls....

Know what else I learned at Blountstown? Somebody besides me actually reads this hot mess of rambling! Hi Missy!!

Countdown to State Finals: 29 days!