Ready for Some Awesome!?

I have had the two most awesome evenings (with one bummer of a lesson in between).

It must be contest time and nothings like winning to a horse trainer (kidding...sort of).  So go check out Slow and Steady's contest and blog.  It is fun to read and now you can follow the adventures of a tiny pony too!
http://slowandsteadysmilerwinstherace.blogspot.com/

Yesterday evening the sprinklerbandit and I hauled our OTTB's over to our eventing trainer's for grid night.  What is grid night you may ask?  It is a chance to go school over fences with some light supervision (to not get dangerous), potluck, and socialize, FUN!  It started as grid work and over the last year has progressed from grids to full courses and everything in between.  Diva was so great.  She had a few minor thoroughbred mare moments but it consisted of a prance or push here and there.  We just went for a walk around, no jumps yet.

First time with other horses (post track) and there were at least 8 at one time!

So So So happy!

Diva is making a serious case for not being sold...looking more and more like a three horse winter.

Leggy girl...not me of course

so chill

Then tonight another friend came out and we got on Diva and Bridger (I rode him since it was his first time at the new place) and even with an encroaching storm they were great.  There was a little skittering here and there and then it was all business.  Proud mama here.

I also had some great rides on client horses this morning, babies finally taking the bit and stretching down and forward.

Sunrise on Horseback

"the wind between a horse's ears"

Now the downer from the day.  I mean serious downer, maybe even a few escaped tears.  I had a jump lesson on Gunner.  He was beyond bad and this is with a fresh shot of joint stuff.  He was just shutting down as we would make the turn towards the fence.  I could ride perfect and he didn't care.  It was really the last straw I think.  It has been three years of frustration, we did progress here and there and even jumped around 3'3" courses at home but recently he just won't do it.  It is 85% mental with him and I can't take it anymore.  At the end of the lesson I talked to the trainer, "Am I really this terrible a rider?" *sniffle sniffle*  what does she say? "Don't even waste your energy worrying about this, you are fine.  How many times have we talked about this horse?  Maybe he will get hit by a truck tomorrow."  At which I giggled, yes an exaggeration but sniffling me wasn't attractive and it did the trick.  We have talked about him many times, he is good just often enough that you think you should keep trying...but for right now, no more.  We are sticking to flat work/dressage for a while.

Oh Gunner why can't we have more of this?

and less of this?