Back at it!

Hello -  to all you that have been posting.  It's been fun to read about what everyone has been up to.  We are officially back in training and competitions.  I trailered Traveler (my stud) and his son, Timbuktu (4 years old) to train in a clinic at Tulip Springs.  Traveler had a blast - he was so happy to be out of the indoor arena and jumping cross-country.  I was very lucky and the weather was great - we sailed over jumps and had a blast.  Out first competition is over the Mother's Day weeken and it was good to get out and practice.

Next it was time to see what Timbuktu was made of - he was pretty fun to jump too.  My goal is to get him to be a kid's jumping horse - as he is a little smaller than Traveler and his other brothers.  So far we are off to a good start.  He jumps like his dad and is bold over fences.  (Well, over most fences.  If they don't look too scary.  HA HA HA)  I was very proud of him - he was pretty calm and took most of it all in stride.  Once he got used to the water jump - he didn't have any idea what that was about - he went in and out no problem.  His first unrecognized Combined Training event is the weekend after Traveler's. 

Two days after Tulip Springs I repacked the trailer and headed over to the first Endurance race of the season.  This time I brought Traveler's 5 year old son, Khatmoondhu - he competed in the limited distance competition - 25 miles.  This was also the first time we went to a ride without a "buddy".  I decided it was time for him to grow up a little bit and he able to think and hold his own without a constant companion.  He did much better than I initially expected - and boy did we have a bunch of "de-sensitizing" happen out on the trail.  At the start of the race he had to swim across a rushing irrigation canal - and HA HA - we had never done water before.  Not like that.  I just put him right behind the horse infront and we paddled our way out and across the stream.  Then there were trains - like right next to us, lots of scary rocks, and lots of very scary black angus cows.  We did it, we made it and surprise, surprise we placed in the Top Ten and received overall "A" scores on the vet checks.  Wanted to stay and see how we did for Best Condition, but I had to turn around and head home to pick up the kids from the babysitter. 

Good start for us for the season.  Just had another riding lesson today and we are working hard on our dressage to get ready for our first event.