Check this out - video!

It took a while to get everything set up, but I finally got it together with the help of SO. I have some helmet cam! Wonder what it is like to jump over something pretty damn big and it doesn't feel like....anything? Well now you can. Introducing the Mia4000.

This is a super cool video bc it was the only video SO took of the entire schooling ride and it was the most perfect jump. You can see it from both the saddle and from the ground. But look at the helmet video. It doesn't even look like she JUMPS. There is no big effort, no big elevation in my height, it is just be bopping around until I am on the other side. She can jump y'all. She can really jump.

I have even more, I have 1.5 HOURS of helmet cam video to edit down. Let's see if I can do it before this post goes up ;)

Training Level Horse Trail debut - Check!

After getting up at the ungodly early time of 230a, I left the barn with MR at 445a. I had forgotten they made one of those, a 230a to wake up to. I mean, I've seen a 230a to go to sleep to, but to wake up to? Totally not appropriate.

Note all pics are taken during the XC schooling, not during the show

The drive down was uneventful, which was nice. It was already 70 with high humidity, but at least the sun wasn't beating down! It got up to 90 degrees by the time BN was starting.

The dressage test was decent! There were comments like "tightness in the back" and "Needs rounder connection", but I expected them.

All the knees

The pluses? Mia was pretty good! I am really happy with her work except the stretching trot and freewalk, in which she did not stretch down for either. Usually she drops down quickly bc it is her reward, weird that she didn't for either part.

All the trots

The negatives? Uh....her rider was horrible. Again. I don't know what it is about her rider, but she really needs to step it up or give it up. I went off course in the dressage course. *sigh* Yes, again. At least in dressage this time so it was only 2 points and not 4. #progress

Max Splashes

I didn't ask for much in the canter lengthenings. The trot lengthening was nailed for going faster more than lengthened. I could have pushed for more points, but the actual forgetting of my course apparently threw me enough that I didn't push.

XC schooling

I really need to get over this "forgetting my course" phase. This is not cool.

Jump 1

The stadium was the 2nd ride and it went double clear. She was sticky to the first couple of fences, which as weird. I thought I had her set up properly, but she wasn't crisp and actually hit a pole on the first jump.

Jump 2

We were super lucky in that the pole stayed up, and she made sure to not touch any poles after that. The rest of the course rode so cleanly and fast, I looked and counted when I passed the start/finish because I wondered if I missed a jump.

Jump 5

I was even tempted to ask the judge if I was clean, but figured they would have blown their whistle if there was a problem. Much better than the show for the Combined Test a few months ago!

Jump 6

Last was cross country. I was beyond happy that we had been schooling the weekend prior, the first 12 jumps on course were ones we had practiced over! We walked straight from stadium to the other side of the property for cross country. I was disappointed that there were no warmup fences for XC. Not a single XC fence to get the juices flowing, nor a stadium fence.

Jump 7

Next time I will def ask if I could school jump 1 of the BN fence. We jumped stadium, gave them a 15-20 min hack and immediately go jump T fences? Give me something to get things going again people!

Jump 8

Mia was actually sticky to the fences again?! Normally she locks onto XC fences and drags me to them, and while she wasn't really TRYING to run out, she was adding strides or drifting for about half of the fences. Fences 1/2 she was sticky at. Fence 4 she couldn't figure out how to canter in a straight line, but locked on about 4 strides away. Fence 5 she drifted enough I was actually afraid we would have a run out, but she jumped the bench very honestly, as well as the 2 stride bench of 6 after it.

Jump 9

We trotted down a very rocky path, since she didn't have shoes, before going over 7 and up the bank of 8 and the table of 9. Looking back, we should have galloped to 10, but I thought we had plenty of time. 10 was great, as was 11 into the water.

Jump 10

A sharp 180 degree turn and we went down the steps of 12 and over the trakehner of 13. 14 was a rolltop at the bottom of a hill and Mia dropped to a trot, she wasn't super happy to go down the hill but jumped beautifully once we she got to the rolltop. We galloped back up the hill before coming back to a canter and over the Training level half coffin. Which Mia did BEAUTIFULLY!!!!

I will forever be grateful that my barn has this unfinished ditch that we practiced over for every ride until she stopped caring about ditches. #Win At this point, I realized we were going to have time faults and let her fly. Mia flat out galloped that last 2 fences and took them beautifully. We still ended up with 5 points of time faults. Womp womp.

Put it in the bank! Mia loves banks!

I bet myself up pretty good on the walk back, but got Mia iced and cooled down in no time. If I could figure out how to properly keep my head in the game at a show, I knew we could do better. And time faults? Since when do we have time faults!?

When they posted the preliminary results, my jaw dropped. We went from last place of 5th to 2nd place. OMG. We made up HUGE points during the jumping and XC phase, and not a single horse had gone double clear in XC! Someone did challenge their XC score so I ended up 3rd of 5, but still. OMG! We did it. We actually did it. We successfully finished our debut in Training Level, and did so in a manner I was proud of.

Could things be better? Sure. I don't know why Mia wasn't locking onto all of the jumps, but she sure did at the end of XC. She literally drug me to the last 3 fences and I was just a passenger.

She got a good solid 3 days off to relax and hang out before having a quick hack. We were then part of the "OMG We are dying" heat and humidity over the weekend, so she got 2 more days off. And then last night was the farrier. The farrier was there late enough that I didn't ride, but let Mia run around and she looked fabulous. I won't be able to go out tonight #lifeproblems but I will be riding tomorrow.

Snacks are a requirement. At all times. Snacks.

Time to get going again. I am toying with the idea of another HT next month, and if not in Sept. I want to get this figured out so we can stop having these stupid mistakes!

3rd place baby! 

And stay tuned, I have even more goodies for you.

We did a thing, and we did it.

My word how time flies. I had big plans to do massive blogging and they all fell flat. So a recap, yet again. Even numbered this time!

1. I went to England! It was for work, so half of the time was not mine, but I had tacked a few days onto the end of the trip and I am really glad I did. Going to see the Tamworth castle built in the 1200's, having a proper afternoon tea (which includes food!), taking a canal tour in the city that has more canals than Venice, visiting a "50 years of Black Sabbath" exhibit, and taking the train were the highlights. Going through Customs/Immigration to go into the UK was a weird experience. I legit didn't realize we were doing it until they stamped my passport. It took less than 30 seconds. I can honestly say the experience to get back into the US was NOT the same. #BarneyFifesEverywhere

2. I had two days to get back in shape after I landed because I had a lesson on the 6th. That was fun, trying to fight the jet lag. #Tiredfordays The lesson went pretty well. I was told I was 100% wrong, twice. (turns out, she was right too) That apparently *I* am the reason Mia falls in and drops her shoulders at times, not her. I am also not currently allowed to use my inside rein if my right hand is holding it. Yeah, big rider fail, I am pulling it WAY to much. She also said I am riding better, but I am still riding to a pattern and it is obvious when I am riding my test. And I also have legs of iron.  When I take my legs "off", apparently I am still using my legs which is the opposite problem of most people. *sigh* The homework until she comes back is to work on a better, consistent connection which will come if I stop pulling with my right hand and stop driving so much with my legs. Hmm.

3. The very next day we hauled out and went XC schooling. I had high goals of doing the Training level HT, but to do that I needed to go over some actual Training level fences and questions. There are only 2 Training level size logs in the "course" my barn has, and that won't do when I need more variety, so a good 2+ hour drive to go schooling it is!
Schooling went excellent despite the temperature. We had the opportunity to go over a lot of jumps that were not set up the last time we were there. Each time I got a little intimidated by something, I stopped looking at it and that seemed to be the solution. I can't worry about their size when I don't see them! And it works because Mia hops over them like they are literally a little BN fence.

4. After the great schooling, I pulled the trigger. We entered our first ever Training level Horse Trial! There was a period of time in which I wouldn't have anyone with me, as SO was out of town and no one else was available, however MR from the barn stepped up when she heard I was going alone and got up at god-awful in the AM to go with us. The week leading up to the show was an intense, ride every day, whirlwind as we struggled to get back to the place we were before our 1.5 week sabbatical while I was in England.



So here is your obligatory cliff hanger! How was the show? Did we finish on a number or a letter? Did the rider go off course again? Stay tuned to find out!

The show that wasn't

I was super excited to go cross country schooling to put Mia over some larger fences and to make the final decision on whether I could put her in her first ever Training level horse trial, or if I should bump down to Novice for the first HT of the season. Decisions, decisions. On one hand, I KNOW we could do it. Mia's dressage is really good (when her rider does the crap that needs done) right now. Our jumping is very good too, I have successfully fixed my brain (I think anyway) and I don't have anxiety when looking at a 3'3" jump. Our fitness is just about where it needs to be, and we were ready to go. The concern? Why did I want this litmus test? Because we haven't done a horse trial in a long while. Last year's show season was basically non-existent due to the weather and schedule, I never went XC schooling at all last year. Would it really be FAIR to put Mia out so...unprepared?

On Saturday we started with the farrier. App was not helpful, as discussed in the last post. Thanks to him, I was about 25 mins later getting out than I wanted but it worked out well enough. I was SO lucky to have the daughter of one of the boarders be willing to come and be a ground person. SO was out of town and I could find no one else who wanted to haul down. The fact she was willing to just come and walk around? I was so extremely grateful.

We made it in about 2 hours and the ground was oh so wet. Not as wet as when I was there a few weeks ago for the CT show, but pretty damn close. In addition to being extremely wet, there were no large jumps set up at all. The cross country fences were still stacked in storage and the only jumps set out were some starter/BN jumps. I was annoyed because I had emailed the facility before I came to ensure they were open, advising I wanted to school Training fences to prep for the show. When they responded, they didn't say a word about there not being any Training fences up for me to practice over. Grrr.

We jumped everything set out. We also found the 3 biggest, permanent fences in the entire park and jumped them too. She is such a good mare. The biggest, which I suspect may be a Prelim fence, she was hesitant going up to it, but after jumping, she was every eager and forward. She just needed that confidence builder, apparently, and I threw it at her towards the beginning of our ride lol. She was such a good mare, she only biffed a fence once because she wasn't listening. She tapped the log and it rolled off of its stand. It was also water logged and had NO chance of going back up, even with the 2 of us trying to lift it. Oops...

I came away from the schooling confident we could probably do Training level, but now I had a bigger concern. The footing was horrible, really horrible. I wasn't able to gallop a single time because the entire grounds were swampy/in standing water. I really don't want to chance going at speed towards Training level fences if I don't have to. And then it rained for 2 days straight, plus off an on again during the week up to the show. The last time I rode in super crappy weather at a show, spring 2014, while it rained the ENTIRE DAY, the footing was actually fairly solid. And we won first place! There was no solid footing here, everything was squishy and waterlogged.

In the end, I couldn't do it. I really, REALLY wanted last weekend to be our first ever Training Horse Trial. There was only one other horse entered in Training and while they went double clear, they had a 38 in dressage. I think I could have beaten the score. I could have won our first ever Training Hose Trail. But the more I debated it, I realized if I am struggling this much, it is obvious I KNOW the footing is dangerous and it isn't worth it. So I didn't enter.

I need to try to find another show, I am traveling in June which eliminates the next Horse Trial. There is a jumper show in mid-June I may try because it is close. I am super disappointed that I didn't go, but I know it was the right choice. And that's all that really matters, right?

XC schooling!

By wonders of all things, the venue actually opened the cross country course for schooling after the show. It was perfect timing, because we hadn't gone xc schooling since last year and it is far, so I don't get down here often to do it. It was super wet, and getting wetter as it was raining, but I am so glad we did it.

Our new XC bit, just a little more whoa

Confidence builder

I started out with some really small stuffs, I really wanted to make sure I rebuilt some of my lost confidence but I was worried for nothing. Mia was totally ready to go and apparently solid objects don't bother me. Or my brain had finally reset itself after surviving the stadium round? Either way, things were good.

Warmup!

Trakehner? No problem.

The highlights? Mia was weirdly spooky at the woods until she got a couple of spanks from the crop. Then she got down to business and didn't flinch at a single thing. Up a bank out of water? Easy. Down banks? Good. Down banks into water? Fabulous. Little logs? Big logs? Easy peasy.

Blind landing!

Fun in the water

I am really glad we swapped our bit over to the 4-in-1 because Mia was often questioning my decisions for half halts. And collection. And slowing down. I understand, this IS in fact the first time we are out running for the entire season, but training is training and she can't let herself get so excited that she forgets she HAS training. She still has a job and she still has to apply that knowledge!

All the pretty things! Collection up the hill

Big logs are no big deal

The only thing she had issues with were the "roller coaster" jumps, but we went over them until she got it. They are a set up for a sunken road. There is a jump on top of a hill, you go down the hill, back up a small hill and over another jump. The one set is pretty easy, but the other two are significantly more difficult as they both have a blind landing. Mia didn't care about the blind landing, however she needed a reminder that the downhill ride does not mean faster.

Learning to not run downhill!

Tires are easy

The happiest moment? This picture. The last xc schooling we had in MI had this as a question and Mia was not okay with it. I knew it was just a matter of time, and apparently she has surpassed the confidence needed to question this type of jump. A log on top of a drop. I didn't even show it to her, we trotted up to it and she popped down the jump as if it was NBD. Training and confidence FTW!

Log on a drop? Easy!

We finished up over this huge log, it is UP a hill, and I think it would qualify as a Prelim question because of the hill, but Mia locked onto it after the tire jump and had no cares so we went for it. After an awkward jump, bc newbs, she got it on the 2nd try and we called it a day. We were soaked, she was getting tired, and I had my confidence back. It made me feel much better about the day and our abilities.

So much photo filter required to be able to see through the dark, misty rain

Big ol log on a hill, attempt 1. 2nd attempt wasn't captured

I am hopeful I can go schooling again before the next show, I would LIKE to go to a Training HT but most likely I will do a Novice HT first to confirm our training. I would hate to push either of us too fast, especially since we have done almost no Training level cross country jumps to practice. We will see though, the year is young and I have lots of plans!

Novice Debut photo dump

Apologies that it took so long to get this post up, hopefully it was worth the wait.  I had big plans....alas they all went to hell so this is the consolation prize.

Mare had the hops on this day, wood allergy in full force!

Warm up!

Mia LOVES water

We had no issues jumping up this bank, or over the feeder
that can be seen behind the grass on the extreme right afterwards

My fav pic of the day.  Position love!

Barrel attack!

What Mia looks like when she Superwoman's it

Through the woods is no big deal for Mia

All the jumps

Unsure if this is Training or Prelim, Mia
didn't care either way and jumped it with ease

Easy peasy

Ditches are SO easy now!  She also jumped the
Training ditch seen in the background SO well

Very happy mare

 I am not entering the show in the 19th because while I would really like to, unfortunately I just don't think she will be ready and I don't think it would be fair to her.  I am going to bring her back to full work this week and she how she does with some fitness by the end of the week.  We have the new farrier coming for the 2nd visit on Friday and I am excited to see the changes that come about as she is able to implement the changes she started with the first visit.  Fingers crossed!

Mia's Novice Horse Trial debut

We have been doing a lot of CT's lately, no fault of our own.  We have entered a Horse Trial (maybe 2?) this year only to have it knocked down to a CT due to weather or other factors.  It is now mid July and we are literally having our very first Horse Trial.  Geez!

2 weekends ago we went XC schooling for the very first time this year.  It went very well!  We met Stacey and Mochi and had ourselves a wonderful time.  Mia went over her first training level jumps with ease.  EASE.  And 2 jumps I am curious if they were prelim because they were HUGE.  I know training is big, but these were big.  I have a pic!  And it was easy for her. She is such a beast.
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And that, my friends, is all I got typed up before things went to hell.  I have tons of pics, but those will have to be a media dump so we can get caught up with life.  So the quick recap:

Mia did excellent in XC schooling!  She loves water jumps and we got to play with so many elements.  We did a bank out of water to a three stride to a small pheasant feeder.  We went down the bank into water.  We did up and down training level banks.  We went down banks that had a small log on top of it (Mia's hardest question a few years ago).  We went over 3 different training (2 prelim?) jumps.  We jumped one of those HUGE hay bales.  Most importantly, we jumped what is the beginnings of a sunken road called a roller coaster.  You jump a fence, have an immediate downhill slope to an immediate uphill slope with a jump on top.  I am SO glad we schooled this because Mia did not understand the question!  She was game, but very confused and unsure how to proceed.  We went over it about 10 times before it was easy for her.

On show day, things went very smoothly.  Dressage warm up was good!  But....  I was still really tired and so I drank half of an energy drink on the way to the show and it really messed with my mojo.  During the dressage test, I did the unthinkable.  I.....yeah....I stopped riding.  BLAH!!  She was doing so well too and I just stopped riding!  ARGH!!  We ended with a 35% with her new "relaxed" dressage frame which had my reins WAY too long and not a lot of back/front connection.  Considering there were 2 people in the mid 20's, my 6th place placing of 10 wasn't too hateful.

Stadium was next and I was glad I took the time to walk it.  Fence one looked like you could make an easy inside turn to 2, there was NO way.  Phew!  Despite it being a relatively easy course, it was hard for everyone.  Only 2 people rode double clear, yours truly included, and one person even fell off.  Yikes!!  After fence 7 I lost my right rein and almost missed fence 8 completely and fence 10 I just froze, got a bad distance and Mia hit the jump but it stayed up and I didn't fall off despite looking down over her shoulder.  Grr.

XC was immediately after stadium, with only 20 minutes between the two rides.  And XC was on the other side of the facility.  Hustle!!  When we got there, we were held because a rider fell off, the horse took off and no one could catch it.  Yikes!  When they finally sent a horse on course, they still hadn't caught it.  XC rode very well.  Mia was wonderfully forward and got nice distances to the first few fences.  She got a little strong over 4 and 5 but came back when I asked her to trot through the woods. She dominated the water and fence 9 and we went to the roller coaster jump.

The fence was actually the "easier" jump, where you land flat for a stride before going down the hill, we had schooled the one that had an immediate drop.  She locked onto the wrong jump at first, then I got a bad distance to the correct jump so it wasn't pretty but it was easy peasy.  The up bank was a piece of cake and the ditch was SUPER!  I am SO happy that schooling the faux ditch at the barn has made ditches be a non-issue.  We finished up with a nice, slow dressage canter to eat up time and was still 30 seconds under optimum.  Double clear!

Our double clear resulted in a wonderful 3rd place finish, with only .8 points from second.  WOW!!!!!  If I had ridden just a half effort harder in dressage I could have gotten 2nd. Argh!  Not riding is not typical of me, so I am pretty sure it was the energy drink, but at least she was nice and relaxed during the ride and both jumping rides were amazing.  Mia got Monday off and we were going on a trail ride Tuesday.  Cliffhanger.....

Some fun - Eventing Bingo bad backstories

Emma is having a fun sounding contest over on her page.  Eventing bingo!  How fun is this going to be!  As I am looking through her mock cards, I am cringing bc I have had so many of these happen and I really don't want them again.  I thought it may be fun to share some of my flub.  Yes?  No?  Eh, let's go with yes.  The good part? Several I have NOT yet done.  The big one, fall off?  I have yet to fall off at a show, jumping/dressage/otherwise.  Score!!  The rest?  Well.....

Your horse was "that" horse in warmup:
This is reserved for App.  We went to a dressage show in OH, one of the "big" shows we went to.  It may even have been rated, I don't remember, but it was a multi ring, non-schooling show type of show.  We got there, I was tacking up at my trailer and I slipped the halter over App's head as I prepared to put the bridle on.  He stepped back/to the side as he went to grab some hay and suddenly his halter randomly slipped off his neck and head.  I reached for the reins as he looked at me, I swear he winked, ducked his head to slip the reins and took OFF.  Ran all over the (very extensive) grounds, disrupted the warmup ring, someone's dressage test, it took over 5 mins for people to catch him.  After that, the show secretary gave us a stall at no charge to contain him (not really needed at that point, but didn't pass it up) and  yes the judge recognized him (I mean, how many spotted dressage horses are there at any given show) as the loose horse of the day.  To top it off?  We got "inattentive" several times as App just did not want to play in the ring that day.

So many penalties but not, somehow, eliminated:
Long time readers got to read about this one as it happened, Mia's first ever horse trial.  She gave us 3 refusals going xc.  Yeah.... how I got her clear over the rest of the course and THEN over stadium, I have no idea.  That was not an enjoyable day haha!  We had a score of like 90 or something HA!

No brakes/WAY too fast:
This is also a throwback to App, I think it was the first derby with App in Michigan.  The instructor at the time suggested a waterford bit bc App was so heavy and strong going xc, it would stop him from pulling.  Great!  Something new to try over our slow twist snaffle!  I rode in the waterford the week prior the show, including a small run over xc type stuff at our farm with no issues.  We went to the show and had no pulling whatsoever!  But also no brakes whatsoever.  I ended up dragging him to a halt in front of the farm owner and TD and a ton of spectators so we could try to walk/trot down a big ass hill so he didn't kill us as the grass was still wet.  We also went faster than every other single horse at that show, including training level, and WE were the reason they implemented minimum times for their derbies.  So.....you are welcome y'all?

Got a 4 on movement:
Not only did I get that (at 2 different shows), I even beat it with a 3!  This is reserved for TWH and his pacing, back when our canter/trot transition was not strong and he paced instead of trotting for his last transition/turn up the center line.  Yeah....they really don't like when you pace if you are not riding in a gaited class!

Jumped a fence with no stirrups:
Oh geez, that is reserved for TWH.  We were at a horse trial and were 2 jumps from the finish.  We jumped out of the water and cantering along, TWH had one of his random spooks and I lost my stirrup about 3 strides from the jump.  Thankfully we practiced no stirrup jumping regularly but not something I wanted to do in a competition!  We finished without issue and I know we placed, so it was good in the end but talk about an Oh Crap moment!

Competed in heavy rain/mud EVERYWHERE:
OMG do you remember Mia's show?  That was the coldest and wettest I have ever been in my life.  It was our first 1st place finish though!  It was in the high 30's/low 40's, windy and poured rain down all day and yet they still held all 3 phases.  I wore my raincoat for all phases and even posted video of the dressage test to show the rain.  It was also the show in which I really decided I had to focus on position bc I rode soooooo poorly in stadium, pics are on the blog somewhere.  Then Mia could not be stopped for the first 3 XC fences (another nominee for no brakes/too fast?) and over half of the competitors dropped out after dressage.  We ended up driving the trailer to the road and load the horses on the road bc people were getting stuck left and right and tractors were pulling people out.  I had to literally wash everything that was touched.  Inside and out of the entire trailer, there was either 3 or 4 loads of horse laundry, inside and out of the entire truck, it took forever to recover from that show.

Missed a jump on XC:
Wow that was also TWH.  We jumped the BN fence instead of the N fence, as they were literally side by side.  I yelled out to the jump judge I jumped the wrong one and jumped the correct fence, but she still eliminated me for jumping the fence twice.  I had to chat with the TD after scoring was posted (and I found out I had been eliminated) to explain and thankfully they accepted my excuse and removed the elimination.  That is one mistake I hope to NEVER do again!

And yes, I did find even more on her list that had stories, haha!!  Hopefully these won't happen again, once is enough in my lifetime for sure!  Is anyone else participating in Bingo?  Does anyone else have stories about how bad things can get, even if they are kind of funny later?

2016 - A Year In Review

Wow what a year 2016 has been.  Not nearly as bad as it has been for others but I am sure glad to see it go.  Where did we go in 2016?

January:

I spent the whole damn month redoing our farm house which resulted in virtually no riding time.

February:

I posted my first/only before/after post of my remodel and got the farm listed for sale.  I rode during a showing to try to get in horse time and ended up with an offer within 48 hours of the farm being for sale.  Even though it was for sale for 6 months the year prior.  And I squeeze in a trip to see barns in PA before picking the one I am at now.

March:

March was a little sad as I did serious packing and downsizing.  The horses got all of their health stuff done for the season in prep for their move and we start to diagnose App being NQR and I practice solo trailer loading of both horses in prep for the Big Move.

April:

April was the Big Move.  The horses were moved with so little problems it was seamless and we found I could actually fit my entire barn in my 2 horse trailer.  Then made the final trip to PA.  I had my first rides in PA, though it took Mia a while for her brain to arrive from MI, and App is officially retired after an ultrasound and xray.

May:

I determine Mia doesn't like her HSS baucher bit, her HSS loose ring, her eggbutt french link, or, or, or and I went back to her copper eggbutt.  We had our first XC jump schooling in PA, our first lesson in PA AND our first show in PA.

June:

We had our second lesson in PA which didn't go nearly as well as the first lesson and talked about boarding vs at-home care.  And I still stand by it, I do not want to go back to at-home horses.  I loved the ability to have them "right there", but the amount of work far exceeded the joy and pleasure I got out of having them home.  Oh yeah, and I fell off again.

July:

Mia's dressage starts to spiral out of the circle of good and into the circle of "this needs fixed" and I start using a pelham.  I test out 4 saddles in the search to find a new jump saddle and have another XC schooling.  Mia gets sick and I get an awesome stall plate from Olivia.

August:

August wasn't great.  We lost a third of the month from Mia being sick, missed a show and Mia's dressage continued to go downhill when I didn't ride in the pelham.  We had our third lesson which went pretty good.

September:

Mia started going better in her copper eggbutt and I stop using the pelham.  We had our 2nd show which went really, really well despite not placing great.  We had a CWD saddle rep come out before buying a used County Innovation and finding it didn't fit well, but felt amazing.

October:

A total reflock was done on the new saddle and we go to our 3rd show in which Mia doesn't show up to play, resulting in our worst dressage score to date.  I get my saddle back and get my 2pointober time up to a new personal record of 7:09 and aim to go higher before the end of the month.

November:

I finish out October with another new personal high of 8:01 in two point!!!!!!  Then Mia gets sick again and we lose an entire month with her being NQR with fat legs, random fevers and lethargy.

December:

Mia has decided to show back up and play when we work on dressage, though I don't get too much riding in due to the cold and weather and finish out the year trying to fall off when I ride w/t bareback and declare a new thing, No Saddle January.

Here is to a better 2017 for me and for all!