I'm back!!!!!!

Ok, I know I get a big, fat F for my lack of blogging the last month or so but I've been in a funk.  Don't have a super good reason other than sometimes life has to suck so you can really appreciate all that you have.  I think the most frustrating thing about funks (at least for me!) is no matter how much I remind myself how awesome my life is (awesome horse, fabulous dog, surrounded by fantastic people, not to mention all basic needs are more than met), I can't break the spell.  So annoying!  Grrrrr...

Anyway, I'm finally over it!  I've been riding and lucky for me Charlie hasn't held my riding neglect against me.  He's been very good (meaning not naughty) but I've definitely lost some ground training wise which is a little frustrating, especially on the flat.  Boo.  As I mentioned in my last post, I HATE FLATWORK!  Well, mostly hate it.  I suppose I should clarify a bit - I don't have a problem riding a dressage test at a show.  I have issues with the practice part like I ride down the centerline to practice my halts and they aren't square.  I lose sight of all the elements needed to ensure a square halt and focus solely on the not square part.  And get frustrated.  And then a vicious cycle begins...  It's kind of like the funk thing - I just can't get my mind focused on what I should be focusing on.  I feel like I'm explaining this poorly so I'll keep thinking of how to word it.  But basically to sum it up, I want someone on the ground every single time I school on the flat to tell me what to do.  Sad, I know...

I signed up for a schooling show next weekend at the Carolina Horse Park, just BN.  Should be low-key and fun.  Going XC schooling on Sunday at a local-ish farm.  The barn there is too die for - hopefully I remember to take pictures.  It's absolutely beautiful - when I win the lottery, I want a barn just like it.  :)

So I haven't been a total hermit - I went to the SC high school rodeo championships last weekend.  It was pretty interesting.  Only one kid stayed on for the bull riding and they even had a French-exchange student in the bull riding.  I wonder if his parents know what he's doing...  I went a couple of weeks ago to one of what I guess you would call the regular season rodeos and couldn't believe how many people were there - super popular friday night activity apparently.  Guess I need to get out more.  Any who, without further ado, rodeo pictures!!!!

 

Barrel racing - I think this looks fun although I would be super worried about footing and tendons.

 

Bull riding - this is the lone kid who managed to last all 8 seconds, at least I think that's how long they need to stick to get points.

 

This is goat tying - I felt really bad for the goat.  You could hear them crying...

 

Steer wrestling - this is where they jump off the horse and try to wrestle the steer to the ground.  Nobody was able to do this.  Although, the championships were better than the regular season rodeo I went to - during the regular season one, all the participants face planted in the dirt.  I don't think I would like this one so much - I mean who voluntarily leaps off a galloping horse hoping to land on a cow?

My sign that things were finally looking up even if I did get rained on while riding - took this on my drive home from the barn after getting a little soggy.

Nadine's daughter is home for the month from school so I have a riding buddy for the month - should be good for motivation.  We're going to the show together as well as schooling on Sunday so maybe she can take some pictures.  One way or another, I promise some Charlie shots next time - he looks chubby!  Yay!