Apping it up: Playing catch up via a photo dump

Goodness. Where did we last leave off?? I think storm Stella was hitting, yikes. Let's start with there lol. We got 30 inches of snow, apparently the horses did survive and App did well despite the snow. Yes, thirty inches. So since I have a ton of pics, here is catch up in the form of media.

30 inches off of the back deck

Breaking out of the big toys

When your "wall" of snow is 5ft to stop the very significant drifting

Trying to peer over the snow, 18" tall at the patio door

Horses saying Hi during Stella

Snowed in at the barn

Driveway to the barn

Horses as I left for FL, not sure they missed me

From 30 inches of snow to 80 degrees, we went on vacation to Hutchinson Island, FL. Guys, this is an awesome place to go. It is mostly residential so there are not may tourists, there aren't a ton of super skinny 20 yr olds or lots of loud, overpriced bars, it is a quiet little place with a lot of older people and a lot of not crowded beach during spring break. Loved it!

Rainbow spotted!

Kayaking in Indian River Lagoon

On Tuesday night we headed up to Ocala (apx 4 hr drive) to visit some people I know from MI, sightsee and see the HITS show.

Cool looking statue

Peacock! It was just walking around town!
It is between the wall and the blue pole, can you see it?

HITS warmup

Finally figured out the sheepskin pads were used as essential blinkers

This guy, though, had actual blinkers on. Weird for a jumper show, no??
I didn't see him do more than walk/trot with them but didn't stay around.

Watching the show on a Wednesday was actually cool, there was virtually no one around, there was no fee to get in and we had full access to anything we wanted to walk to. We watched the entire $5000 Johnson Transportation 1.4 Meter class. We sat literally next to the video booth and had prime viewing for the whole thing. It impressed SO, he hadn't seen horses jump that high (really?? Huh.).

Class 416: $5000 1.4 meter course

We went back to Hutchinson Island to recoup

So much of this. Love!!

On Thursday we went to Wellington to visit the Winter Equestrian Festival

We realized we can't afford to live here

Statues created by the grade schools

We watched some of the 3'6" class on our way to the International Arena and watched both the FEI 5* $35,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round XI and most of the $6000 1.4m Speed Challenge.

Very cute hunter in the 3'6" class

International ring

Speed Challenge!

The benefit of going on a Thursday was, again, no crowds! It was alternating between really sunny and sporadic showers, we were able to hang out under a huge green VIP awning and have great seats at no cost. Yay! The speed round was super cool to watch, the international riders certainly find ways to cut the course time significantly!

Statue at WEF

I also realized I am nowhere cool enough to wear things that were for sale in the vendor area. Breeches on sale for $200? Exclusive designer brands? I am so uncool, I couldn't even bring myself to spend the $35 on the cheapest tshirt I could find with WEF on it. Blah!

View from our hotel room balcony

It was an awesome vacation, I had so much fun and had SO much relaxing done. At home, I am always pushing to DO stuff, it is different when there is literally nothing you HAVE to do and you can just relax. I was able to be on the beach every day and put my toes in the ocean 6 of the 7 days. I ended up with some sunburn, and also some really bad sunburn, but it is already fading. Note to self, apply a FL amount of sunscreen, not a PA or MI amount of sunscreen. A FL amount is about 3x as much!!!! Monday night I barely slept because I hurt so badly

We got back and I have ridden every day since. I lunged Mia on Sunday, since she hasn't done much but stand in snow since the 14th, and she was a wild child. Lots of leaping, bucking, running, she ran nonstop for almost 10 mins before she finally walked on her own. Fun times! After that, though, she was great. I hopped on and she was completely agreeable and even remembered her buttons. Progess indeed!

Attempts to use remote shutter and tripod, camera didn't want to focus

You can see she is coming along though, kinda, if you squint

Last night we did actual work and rode Novice test A and B. We haven't done much real dressage in almost a month thanks to her lameness and my vacation and yet she was totally content to give a good effort. Our canter/trot transition is our weakest, she wants to splat on her forehand and counterflex something horrible, but the rest was a good mid 30's score IMO. Fantastic for the lack of work we have done!

This weekend is the farrier AND spring shots. I have a tentative show on Easter Sunday, let's see if I can get us in shape enough to go to it!