Seasons change

Spring has sprung. Living in New England, this means mud everywhere, completely unpredictable weather, and some very wound up thoroughbreds. All winter I've been enjoying 'indoor' Fiona. There's no reason to worry about where the barn is and what the other horses are doing, she is still inside. Now we have returned to the summer barn. It is the return of the 'season change' Fiona. The one that thinks the chipmunk army is after her, that there are gremlins in the woods, and that the above ground pool is a portal into hell itself.

I almost forgot about her and the above ground pool. She's seen it for a couple months, she's used to it. No problem. Right?

Not so much. Our first ride down the hill to get to the ring and she just stopped dead to stare. There was her nemesis, shifting in the wind with its so very dangerous green tarp cover. Every muscle tensed as she waited for the threat to make the first move, but the pool is a wily opponent. It just waited, making plastic rustling noises. The princess waited in turn, ears quivering and nostrils flared. At the first sign of attack, she would certainly get her rider back to the safety of the barn with all possible haste.

The stand off probably would have gone on for hours if I hadn't gotten bored with the whole thing and kicked her along. Instead she had to head down to the ring to work in the great big sandbox all by herself. She darted and spooked and spun, just like I remember from the fall. It didn't help that the temperature was in the forties with a stiff, twenty to thirty mile per hour wind. A new barn, fence repairs, and a cold front? We were doing well that we were able to do the ride at all.

On Sunday we had our two-phase. Rather than blather on about that, here's the video of her rides. We did get a spiffy red ribbon to add to her collection, and she certainly seemed to enjoy herself. We did learn that she must wear boots for dressage warm up. She managed to kick herself just before going in and I was having a heart attack while she walked that off. Such a klutz.