There was a point to this story but it has temporarily escaped my mind...

So this *might* be long and rather random. Don't know yet, haven't typed it, but suspect as much. hahaha consider yourself forwarned!

Ok gotta admit I've been feeling a little homesick the last few days -- I'm fitter now, so not exhausted when I come home from work and miss having people I can call up to go out for dinner or gossip or whatever. Sobeit -- not tragic, just a little blah. So this afternoon I was heading back from the stallion paddocks, which meant passing in front of the Emerson's house, when I hear "Hey Lauren!" turn around and Denny's coming towards me w/ a box. I'm figuring he wants me to take it to the main barn... But no -- it was address to ME!!! Yup that's right, just as I'm starting to feel a little down I get a care package from my Mum filled with.... Can you guess? MARS BARS!!!!! Woohoo!!!! Of all different sizes :) hahaha I definitely had one for dinner. So yeah that entirely made my day. And I realize it has nothing whatsoever to do w/ horses, but this is my blog so I can write what I want :) You WERE warned >;-P

Lesson today was application of Sally Swift. Nothing new cause, well, I read the books too :) But was def a good review and a smooth transition from yesterday's detailed body-awareness. Did have to laugh though cause some of today's seemed contraditory to some of what I was told the first week -- and today's was much more *right* in my mind. @ the end of the lesson I put my leg where I tried all spring/summer to make it go and asked outright "is this right?" -- Yes, exactly. hahaha so evidently it's only in jumping when the leg should be crazy forward. If the weather's decent we're supposed to jump tomorrow, so I'll find out. We were stuck inside today.

Theory analogy of the day: "the eyes are the nails". What, you mean that doesn't make sense? Sheesh! Hahaha ok think of the old "for want of a nail..." poem (here for those who don't know what I'm talking about: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Want_of_a_Nail ) -- now the eyes are the nail... If the eyes go down, the chin and head go down;
when the chin and head go down, the shoulders curl over,
when the shoulders curl, the ribs collapse,
when the ribs collapse, you lean forward and your balance is off,
when you lean forward, your leg goes back,
when your leg goes back, it doesn't function
and basically you're now riding like a blob
all cause you let your eyes drop :)

Sometimes the weirdest analogies are the best :) This was particularly entertaining w/ Denny demonstrating on the ground >;-P


We also had "eventers have to be figure skaters and hockey players" -- this is a prob as I can't skate >;-P hahaha no, this one was in the mental aspects of the sport. For dressage you have to be very calm, very focused, and very precise -- figure skating. For XC you have to be very agressive and arguably less focused on form. And stad is somewhere between the two. The trick is that those two mindsets are somewhat contradictory and to get both of them to work, sometimes w/in an hour of each other, is a bit of an art. And of course *most* eventers lean more naturally toward the hockey player/xc side of things and have to train themselves to focus on the details for the figure-skating side. Cause really, the other two phases (dressage and stad) are sports in themselves and if that's all you really wanted to do, that's what you'd be doing. IMHO, this is why most DQs don't like working w/ eventers (or the more tolerant ones are just rather bemused by them) >;-P "Are you going to do a *real* warmup or just go gallop around?" -- sound familiar anybody? hahaha

Also chatted for a while about coaching theory and how to effectively teach the various learning styles (audio, visual, kinesthetic) and appropriate use of video and/or demonstrations. Nothing new, I just appreciated that he's willing to help me to evolve my coaching.

Ok well I think that's enough random babble for today :)

I *swear* I've sat on a horse b4!!!

So I rode the Rio-clone in my lesson today. Cute little horse -- a bit downhill (well I *did* say he was like Rio :) Nothing terribly exciting about him, but nothing bad either. Lesson was awesome though from a rider-focus pov (as opposed to a horse-focus which 90% of them are). Think lunge-lesson type details, except not actually on a lunge *g*. @ one point I started to laugh cause I had 4 corrections in less than a stride. Literally. Just think of how FAST the corrections were coming for that to happen! And of course they didn't stop at that stride...

Sit deeper, shorten your reins, relax your thigh, eyes up, lower leg on... but SOFT!, shorten your reins, bend your elbows, chin up, hands lower, hands higher (that combination amused me), inside leg forward, rythym (what?!?!?! I'm just trying to keep me ON the horse in the right position, or some variation thereof -- you want me to RIDE too!?!?! Sheesh! hahaha), outside leg back - too far!, stretch up, outside rein shorter, bend your elbows (I admit I have trouble bending my elbows when my reins are really short! It's still an either-or propsition @ the moment so those two commands tend to come together often), chin up, softer back, rythym, leg down (yeah Mary that one's still haunting me!), shorten your reins . . . Well you get the gist. Can you figure out bad habit number one?!?! Continue this for half an hour or so... It was like being in step-class a level higher than you really should be :) Eventually you get so tangled up you don't know WHAT you're doing -- but then when you do get it you're thrilled. Except I'm not sure I ever got it! >;-P

But man did it ever make me think about exactly what I was doing. N it was highly entertaining (is it bad that I'm thoroughly amused by attempting to achieve the impossible?). @ one point I got so confuzled (yes that's a word :) that even real basics were getting lost while I tried to organize everything else. Which I suppose is technically NOT a good thing, but I loved the challenge, and Denny seemed happy w/ the attempt if not necessarily the result. Although he did seem to think there's @ least a smidgen of potential there, so that's a relief!

My record before today was 7 corrections @ one time. N that was YEARS ago. Marg came close w/ 6 back when I was riding Rios. I remember that :) Today I think blew all records away. N since I was actually trying to apply them all (rather than counting them!) I didn't have enuff brain cells LEFT to count! I'm afraid calculus is forever gone -- it got ejected from memory somewhere between "hands down" and "hands up" hahaha Such a shame.

On a completely different note that many of you will understand -- this particular horse is beyond terrified of cows. Now he's only been on the property since yesterday (this woman brought him in for me to ride since Cayman got vetoed) -- so he's still a little concerned about life and spends a lot of time calling. Off we go for a hack (unescorted -- woohoo!) and he's calling and calling and all the horses are ignoring him. Well I guess this one kind cow took pity on him and answered. A nice long low Moooooo. OMG was poor RC (Rio Clone) ever stunned. Whipped around in a circle and froze. His little heart was pounding at top speed. But the cow was well out of sight... hahaha well I'll tell ya -- RC didn't make another sound for the rest of the ride :) hehehe if you yell, it tells the monsters where you are! Well it amused me anyways :)

The story continues . . .

Wow, I think this might've been the longest blog-less period yet! But everybody was away for Thanksgiving so I figure it's all good :) Hope you had a happy turkey day!!!

I had no turkey, but I DID get pumpkin pie! Woohoo! From a church bake-sale of all places :) (hahaha sorry Mum, the recepie you sent me wasn't exactly detailed enuff!) The poor old gentleman selling the pie was oh-so-disappointed when I told him no I would not be attending church on Sunday *g* hahaha ah well -- was worth the sales pitch for the very yummy pie.

So anyways -- back to the interesting stuff (that'd be *horses* people :) -- ummm yeah, Cayman has kinda been banned from lessons. This is less than good :( I was very disappointed :( We hacked for a few days -- very forward, through, on the bit etc etc. N def using himself (hills are HARD!). Then on the last day we hacked him right into the sandring (still following the baby-sitter of the day) where he promptly quit. Stalled out like a car going too slowly in high gear... Still following but really poorly. Then when he had to go away from the other horse, the rearing started again. And when he got smacked for the rearing he went forward for maybe a minute. Then quit again -- w/ far more drama this time :( It actually wasn't bad to sit to, but I guess it *looked* fairly impressive cause audience reaction was entertaining. Except for Denny who was not @ all amused. Told me to put him away and not bring him back since it evidently IS mental rather than physical. So we'll see -- not sure exactly what's going to happen there yet :(

In the meantime I've been mostly catch-riding... One of Denny's horses I'm hoping to inherrit when we go south (his usual other rider is staying here this year, so there's space :) but we'll see. *fingers crossed* He's entertaining -- has quite the huge spook in him but I figure after a time or two I'll learn to stay on *g*. Right now I only ride him when the other girl's away (as she was the last few days). Another of D's horses I've been riding regularly, but he's coming back off an injury so can't do much yet -- that one I really like just cause he's FORWARD. Like in ways that redifine the word. It doesn't matter where you're going, you're going to get there yesterday! hahaha N he was apparently solid @ prelim b4 he was injured so I'm looking forward to him being able to jump again! In the meantime, one of his clients has a tb she wants me to ride so I tried that one today. Cute enuff, but very green for his age, and not the bravest over fences... Also very unfit. Looks a whole lot like little Rios though so of course that immediately gave my initial emotional impression of him a boost! Apparently very well bred (his father did advanced and ran Rolex), he just hasn't ever done anything other than hang out in a field. N he's small, n we all know I have a thing for the little horses :)

Anyways -- that's the latest story. A little frazzled, but then such is my life >;-P

What happens in Vermont stays in Vermont . . .

. . . but nothing ever happens here.

Yeah so I *might've* stolen that title from a t-shirt. But it amused me.

Ok so those of you reading this for the horse stories -- looking for either the good or the disastrous, may as well skip this one. The only horses I saw today were the ones I have to feed and blanket every day. Otherwise, it was my day off :)

So it turns out that moving to VT has not taught me how to relax. My day off and I decided to make the most of it. I had 3 goals -- get groceries (never happened), find a fuzzy girth for Cayman (did that - CUTE tack shop), and go play tourist. Have car and camera, will travel :)

Lesson number one: when hiking an unfamiliar trail that's going steeply downhill, keep in mind that the return trip will be UPhill!!! The first time I just didn't clue in. An hour later when I turned around I realized what I'd done. Ugh. The 2nd time I thought of it but decided I was ok w/ the size of the hill. The THIRD time, I got part way down the hill and decided whatever was at the bottom was definitely NOT worth the trip back up and cut that one short :)

Was thinking of the Wed ladies today -- and yes I realize none of you ride on Wed anymore but that's really irrelevant :-P One of the places I ended up at today reminded me of the Xmas shopping expedition. You would've loved it. Beyond huge. Split into the antique section (w/ something like 450 dealers -- n yes much of it was crap, but even I could tell some of it was *very* impressive) and the country-store type section (just as big, but fewer dealers -- more like a compilation of little stores). There was also a glass-blowing shop; I'm not exactly sure why but that seems to be the in thing here. AND the "toy train museum" right inbetween the country and the antique sections. haaha I have no idea what that has to do w/ anything, but it amused me. Then a field or two of tents outside w/ more random stuff.

I was randomly driving to the next little town when on the way I came across the "apples and crafts" fair -- kinda like the one-of-a-kind show but outdoors. And REALLY good food :) mmmmmm is apple-crisp for dinner a bad thing? Spent a few hours wandering around this show (apparently only on this wknd). Fun fun fun. Kerri you would've loved it! Never did make it to said little town. Maybe next week :)

Stopped at this one place just cause I nearly crashed rubber-necking it! hahaha "Fool on the Hill" which proclaims to sell "wonderful things" -- but the... ummmm... display. hahaha well we'll go w/ the picture is worth a thousand words theory -- check out the FB album and you'll know when you get there!

Driving w/ windows down, loud music, etc. Only thing missing that would've made it perfect was my friends. Miss you guys!

Anyways, photos here if you're interested: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=166427&l=513d0&id=823765365

Cayman can tell time -- can your horse?

Cayman's t/o paddock is an L shape -- the short part of the L points to the gate, while the long part runs behind 2 of the smaller paddocks.

I almost always go get him to go ride somewhere between 10 and 11 (and I'm always dressed in riding gear) -- his game is to let me come in, then he darts around the corner and goes waaaayyy to the far side of the L, keeping an eye on me. As soon as I round the corner he starts grazing, then pops his head up as in "oh, were you looking for me?" and comes all the way back over to see me. We do this every day. And he ONLY plays this game when we're going to ride (not any of the several *other* times of day I'm in his paddock - then he always comes right to me, or anyone else).

So today we weren't going to ride till the afternoon but @ our usual ride time I was working in and around his paddock and the adjoining ones (dressed in normal barn clothes). Well every time I was anywhere near his he'd do the whole 'dart-around-the-corner-stop-and-look' thing... But apparently I wasn't playing MY part right. He'd come back to the gate to see where I was and what I was doing -- then as soon as he had my attention, dart back around the corner again. Did this for a good 45 mins -- didn't seem to get that I just wasn't able to play this morning...

When I did eventually go get him to ride (dressed accordingly) it was right near the time he usually either comes in or switches paddocks and he just stood at the gate the way he does for anything other than am ride time.

So Cayman clearly tells time (as opposed to clothing/attitude/etc) -- there's riding time and grazing time and feeding time and everything else time. N switching them around really shouldn't be done w/o his previous approval!

hahaha well I thought it was interesting anyways!

Better :) Not that it could've been much worse...

So today Cayman just went hacking. Was a little sticky @ first, but no rearing. N actually went *forward* on the hack -- AND figured out how to navigate terrain (our babysitter today was way more adventurous than the other ones have been -- but C kept up :) Through mud, straight up a freakin moutain, over/through/around fallen trees (XC in its original form!), down a thankfully less steep hill, over a stream (admittedly he's done that one several times now), through a ditch (yes he went in it rather than over but it's all good), basically everything you can think of on a trail we hit today. N was absolutely perfect weather for it, so that helps :)

So I have to admit, while I don't particularly like doing late-night, some nights it's not so bad Temp about 10 deg -- cool enuff to be crisp but not so cold to make you cringe when you step outside. There's something about being outside alone, in the country, under a really bright moon w/ a sky of endless stars, the only sounds being the horses nickering, the odd coyote howl in the distance, and the crinkle of the leaves under the hay-cart tires... Was kinda nice. Certainly beats working late at the office!

The Ugly

Ok so it was a stunningly gorgeous day out today. Like 20deg and sunny, w/ the fall leaves still changing, bright blue sky, etc etc. Thank God cause SOMEthing had to go right today.

So first thing this morn I was leading a horse, who randomly felt the need to jump sideways for no apparent reason and totally squashed my foot :( It is multiple colours now and about twice the size it's supposed to be. AND I didn't have my paddock boots w/ me so for the morn ride I had to shove it into a field boot :( That was ok, getting it OUT was beyond brutal :( Needless to say, I remembered to bring my paddock boots back for the aft.

So then I go get Cayman, was bumed to discover that what was supposed to be a jumping lesson got turned into a dressage lesson :( boo -- particularly annoyed as this was decided *after* I was tacked up. Ah well -- in the end it didn't matter; we never got past the w/u :( Mr Cayman, who's been so good about everything, randomly decided he wanted nothing to do w/ anything and started rearing. Cute eh? To be fair, I *was* warned about this -- but I had hoped he was over it. And he wasn't even being pushed to do anything. :( Denny had me get off and lunge him a bit -- then got back on. Exact same thing. Took all the tack off, couldn't find any sore spots :( Was dismissed from the lesson and told "this afternoon try hacking him w/ Cotton (bombproof hacking buddy) and see if you get the same reaction" -- ok fine.

So this afternoon -- Cotton's rider is the most unreliable person on the planet and, of course, didn't bother to come back after lunch. Specifically said she would, but didn't. Not allowed to hack alone, everybody else is busy. Ok sobeit.

Later Denny was discussing Cayman w/ random dressage coach who comes in to teach some of the girls, so I was asked to bring him out. She's checking all the typical chiro soreness points etc etc -- no reaction from him. But then Denny (who's reasonably tall) leans over him and puts one arm on either side of his ribs and says "well it was when she put her leg on like..." and as he was saying "this" Cayman lost it. The brilliant statement from the other coach "well THAT's not supposed to happen" hahaha. Classic eh? They then, of course, repeated this game a few times. N Cayman was totally kewl w/ being poked and shoved and what have you everywhere else, but EVERY time he touched that spot (particularly on both sides @ the same time) he got a pretty intense reaction.

So now Denny's debating about whether to get the vet out or if, since he's done it b4, it's really an attitude thing (in which case he wants nothing to do w/ him): -- told me to just hack him for a few days and see what he's like. So I don't know, I'm just going along w/ what I'm told for now.

Fortunately the other critter I rode today was good as could be so that helped a little. Unfortunately, he's going home tomorrow so that's the end of that.

Blah. Horses.

oh AND my ipod stopped working :( It plays music but the little dial doesn't spin any more :( So can't pick songs or navigate the menu. NOT kewl.

Frog theory

So didja miss me? No blog yesterday cause there simply aren't enuff hours in the day!!! Between work, pinata hitting (hahaha seriously! Pics when I have some time :), other work, Cayman, and night feed there just wasn't any time left. Sheesh.

Anyways riding wise there wasn't anything interesting yesterday. My lesson was really more of a supervised flat ride -- again mostly working on getting him going forward. But since it was cold and windy this wasn't a real challenge Forward and STRAIGHT might've been -- but we had some VERY kewl lateral maneuvers. Are we SURE there's no QH in him? Cause he can SPIN! hahaha There were two others riding in the ring who were having some real probs (they're here for a wk) so Denny ended up mostly working w/ them (he'll teach anyone in the ring. Regardless of whether or not they're actually IN the lesson. Or even on a horse for that matter! hahaha Several times I've been called away from whatever I've been doing w/ "Lauren come watch this, it's important". Gotta admit I actually love that so not going to complain the odd time it worx against me. I've already learned if you're not TOTALLY into being involved in your ride you go hacking - or school wherever he's not :)

Today was stad jumping. We got the "frog" theory. Seriously. That's what it's called. It has a name. hahaha he reviewed the study done about how if you put a frog in boiling water it'll jump out, but if you put it in cool water and heat it gradually it'll die, and applied this to most disastrous jumping rounds. As in they start out ok, and then the horse gets a little flat or fast or whatever, and then a little flatter, and then dangerously flat, and then they quit or crash. But the change is so gradual it sneaks by the rider. Or not even necessarily jumping -- just riding in general. I got "you start w/ your reins the right length. Then they're a *little* too long. Then they're long. Then your hands are at your hips!" hahaha guilty guilty guilty. So essentially it's more of the "ride every stride" concept but a way of understanding why that doesn't always work even when you think "but I WAS riding!!!!"

My EQ got nailed today. hahaha I felt like saying "you want me to look pretty, or be effective?" but I figured that wouldn't go over so well -- n really Cayman can pretty well walk over these so it's all good. It's interesting, he wants the leg waaayyyy farther forward than anybody I've ever ridden w/ b4 -- n he does, of course, have a theory behind it which he's happy to expand on :) sobeit. But I sort of wonder what'll happen after I work so hard to get the hang of this and then come home and have some other coach be like *WHAT* are you doing?!?! ahaha I guess, if ever, THAT would be the appropriate time to name drop "Well Denny said. . ." hahaha they're gonna hate me. On the plus side I LOVE that he actually tries to fix it. It's been years since I've had a jumping coach who will consistently nail your position until you get it right -- it seems most of them figure "well she can ride, it must work for her" and give up pretty fast. He'll pick up on anything, the instant you do it. And it is making ME think a lot more about what I'm doing and WHY -- so that's making a huge difference (I hate making people repeat themselves :). In just a few days. But I tell ya, the first time I get all the way through a jumping lesson w/o being told to push my leg forward I'm going to be very very excited. That'll be next week :)

Oh and after all summer of being told "your dressage saddle doesn't suit you, you're fighting it" today I got "your jumping saddle doesn't fit you, you're fighting it". *rolling eyes* Classic eh? Oh if only I could win the lottery -- I'd have tack that FITS and horses that are trained :) hahaha well maybe not the later, I like babies :) Until that point however . . .

Ok back to work w/ me :) Only 2 of us today so it'll be a loooonnnnggg afternoon. Beyond georgous weather though so tis all good :)

New Pics Posted on FB

So (comparatively :) short post today cause A, I'm exhausted, B, I have a TON of work for BI to do (yeah the ones who actually PAY me :), and C well really if they're all crazy long nobody'll keep reading -- n it'd really suck to be writing to nobody!

The main purpose of the post: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=164855&l=7850f&id=823765365 -- photos from Tamarack. Enjoy :)

Today's lesson was dressage, and was short cause really Cayman was a *little* tired after yesterday :) Focus was rhythm, rhythm and . . . oh yeah -- rhythm!!! (want to guess how many tries it took me to spell that right? Sheesh). And the rhythm we're supposed to have is significantly more forward than I expect -- hahaha after years of "slow down. slow down. SLOW DOWN!" in every lesson on every horse this is quite the change :) But then C's not my usual type of horse either. Anyways after much frustration (trying to make a horse who's both lazy AND tired go, and go properly, from *subtle* aids is not the easiest thing to accomplish) we finally got a "very good" and "you rode that well" -- which of course had me beyond thrilled. Then we got excused to go for a hack. Much better. Gorgeous day. New hacking buddy who doesn't like other horses and walks a million miles a minute (particularly dramatic when the average snail would've passed C today!) -- but I really like her rider so was still fun. C did perk up when we got on the XC course though -- thought that was sort of interesting.

Tonight we went for a handwalk and graze -- accomplishes two things: helps make him fatter and teaches him "to be a horse". :-P hahaha You'd think that'd sort of come installed, but evidently not. He was great. Around the orchard, up and down the bank, by the xc jumps, past the scary feeder etc etc etc. Wanna guess where he lost it? Yeah that'd be when we found the dressage ring. Sheesh. Of all the things I can legitimately expect him to be kewl about. But no, evidently not. Classic eh?

Ah well. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

1st XC Lesson

Yes, you read that title right! hahaha so we had our first REAL jump lesson yesterday -- CLEARLY time to move on to XC.

Denny had a ship-in lesson scheduled to do XC today that I was kinda hoping to get to vulture just cause I've never seen him teach XC. But first thing this am I get "you should ride w/ her" -- so I'm thinking hack my horse around, more outdoor exposure etc... Yeah not so much. I'm actually supposed to participate in this whole XC idea :) hahaha

W/u in the sand ring -- half the fences are baby-sized from yesterday and 1/2 are T sized for the lady who's lesson it really was (her horse was georgous dark bay - almost black - draft cross. Can jump the moon. Very very strong though). So I jump the baby fences and she jumps all the fences. N I was very proud of Cayman for not losing it when she galloped up passed him or jumped something behind him. We've all been on horses not used to that who've reacted ummm strongly in the past :) But he was kewl. So by the time we're ready to leave the sandring we've done, essentially, an entire lesson.

Denny says "I'll meet you by the bank" and leaves -- so we go hack out to the bank. Now this is still in the main yard (not out on the course) and there're a few little jumps there so I figure we're going to start w/ those. No. "Lauren take Cayman up on the bank and off the other side and see what he does." ummmm are you kidding me?!?!?! I've been spoiled by Marg's baby bank @ Myrddin :) hahaha this was a *little* intimidating -- not the least because once they're on they HAVE to jump off. N it's a decent size. But ok. So we march up to it, it's about half way between C's knee and elbow in height -- which, when your horse's head is stretched out to see what's going on puts it nose height. Which Cayman took as a sign I was clearly leading him to a snack! hahaha yup that's right, couldn't convince him to go UP at all -- every time we got near it he'd graze. Classic :) Tried following the other horse (who did it perfectly) -- yeah nothing of it. Tried it in trot and he got VERY concerned. I was really happy Denny didn't push that -- once there was the slightest sign of concern he changed tracks. He tried to lead us, but A -- had trouble climbing up the bank quickly himself (it's not small) and B Cayman doesn't LIKE Denny >;-} hahaha so in the end I got off and I led him up the bank and down the other side. We did this both ways, and C was a star :) Then I got back on him (he was GOOD for that) and no prob doing it. Up across and down. First time was a little scrambled, 2nd time did it like an old pro. I was thrilled.

Went out to the real XC course -- jumped over a couple tiny things (PE height - the *smallest* brush fence I've ever seen! hahaha and it actually had brush in it!) and one or 2 E fences. He was kewl w/ it all. A little concerned the first few times the other horse (who was doing T) galloped away and came back towards us) and def going much faster any time we were pointed toward the other horse. But willing enuff and certainly seemed to be having fun w/ it. Not ready to hack (or do XC) alone yet though -- wasn't very good when we were leading. That'll come though (I hope!); really, as far as I know of, I can count on my fingers the number of times he's hacked anywhere that's not a flat field.

So then we go to school the water. Cayman's really not sure about water. He's starting to accept crossing the little stream to get to XC cause we've schooled that a bunch while hacking, but even then he's a little iffy. N this is REAL water. AND good ol Cobey is running, bucking and playing right beside it (showing off for spectators) rasing the tension level a little. I'm supposed to go first, but C wasn't having anything to do w/ it -- couldn't get NEAR, much less in -- so we got a lead... And he went right up to it. Stopped and looked. Put his front feet in. And attempted to JUMP all the way across the rest! hahaha I do believe the words "holy shit" escaped my mouth >;-P Denny's comment was "well sat -- it's COLD if you fall off in there!" hahaha so he bounded the rest of the way through the water and out the other side (this water you can run in-run out -- it's very baby friendly). So I get told to turn around and come back through. No friggen way. C isn't having anything to do w/ that. I can't even get him on the grass :(again w/ the we'll be doing our first few XC courses in reverse). So we get our trusty leader again (this is why I'm not allowed to hack alone yet) who Cayman gamely follows in w/ just a minor jump this time.... Then buddy stayed in the water while we went out the other side and came back in. MUCH better this time. So we wandered a few circles in the water, lots of pats etc. And walked calmly out. Then (w/ buddy still in the water) walked in and trotted out (the trot only sort-of happened, it was a little much for C's spinny little brain) and turned around and walked all the way through w/ no silliness. N then he was done for the day :) We watched the other rider jump in and out a few times and try some of the banks n then we headed back.

2.5h ride. I was exhausted. Cayman was still bouncing on the way home. And WHO'S the unfit one? Sheesh :)