Counting down to the final event of the year ...

literally! It's coming up on Thanksgiving, soon it will be January. Completed our 2nd hunter pace last Sunday, and will be competing in my first schooling 3 phase one day trial next weekend, woo hoo! Go figure, we do a schooling one day 3 phase AFTER we do a recognized full on Horse Trial, haha. The hunter pace was SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!! Wow, LOVED it. The weather was PERFECT, the horses were well behaved, the company was welcome and fun, and the terrain was just so beautiful. I used the Beval, and it was super nice to have some EASY brakes, for sure. Muffin was just as perfect as he could be. Walked on the buckle, cantered up to EVERY jump and hopped right over, no stutter, no look, no hesitation whatsoever. Jumped everything; highest was probably about 2'6 or so, haybales stacked on top of one another, I think. There was a hedge jump, stacks of logs, haybales, a coop, a stack of railroad ties, a hanging log, barrels, funky white gate, and funky gray gate. Becca and I flat out raced up a hill; Captain matched Tiki stride for stride. We both whooped and hollered out loud. SO FUN! Then, the pony and I raced ... and she beat us! Marisa took it quite seriously, lol. I think he's a late closer;) I LOVED it, and hope to go back to that farm and do a few more once we get through the winter.

TOTALLY looking forward to the schooling trial next weekend. Luckily, it's BN test B again, so no need to re-learn A. I'll be doing BN. Since we've never schooled, I'm glad to read that most of the jumps are NOT maxed out. Hopefully we'll end our season strongly; I'm SO not worried about getting eliminated this time. I KNOW that if I feel him suck back or try and say "No", I will absolutely pull out the crop and give him a little encouragement ... the FIRST time. The boys will have an IEA show on Sunday after the trial, so hopefully they're not too tired.

Sadly, my camera seems to be broken:( Took it along to get some awesome pics from the HP, but it seems the lens doesn't want to open up. Therefore, no pics:( Oh well. Hopefully I'll remember it forever!!!!!!