This and That

I have so much to write about that I'm just going to give some quick summaries.

1. The Quest to take back C is continuing to work. Yesterday I could feel Carmen actually thinking about what I was asking and that life might actually be better at the far end. It was an incredibly windy day and normally I would expect a ride full of spooks and mini bolts. But not yesterday. I am sticking to the plan that all the work happens in 3/4s of the ring and all the resting in the last quarter. I could feel her actually begin to head that way when she was feeling the need for a rest. I have decided to stick to this plan. Yesterday went so well that after I took her outside and into the tall grass where she grazed without a worry. Before she would stand but not graze.

Caelen took this photo-look at Irish's outraged ears at the unfairness of it all

2. Horse Camp is going well. There may or may not be slave labour (painting the ring fence) and there may or may not be ice cream bribery. But it's all fun.

 Caelen is like a sponge absorbing what I'm saying and then putting it into practice. Irish is having a blast too. Yesterday Carmen and I were standing up by C (she was happily resting) and I explained the counter-canter loop to her. She didn't understand the loop idea so I had her trot it first and then I asked her to canter it.
And she did.
Perfectly.
The first time.
So Sis, she needs to start riding at a dressage barn when she goes home. She's a natural.
After they go for a ride around the fields. I grabbed this video of them:

Irish has a bandage on his bandage on his left fore because he has a big sore on his fetlock and the flies were getting in it. I want it to heal first.

3. Olympics: Last night I was playing the video of the Cross Country through my laptop to the TV. It seemed less dangerous then previous courses but I don't know a lot and could be wrong. But a Canadian rider was first and I realized her horse, 'A Little Romance' is half-sister to Irish. So that was cool.

4. I received a special package in the mail yesterday. I entered a contest on Olivia's blog a few weeks ago and I was one of the winners. We got to pick our prize and I picked a stall sign for Carmen. I asked her to use my banner photo but she had other ideas so this is what arrived in the mail:

In a letter she explained that she felt it should be a photo of Carmen not Steele. And she was exactly right- Carmen is not Steele. So she took a photo from my blog of Carmen that she really liked and used that. Which is funny because I also love that photo and almost sent that one. And, because Olivia is intrinsically kind and knows the pain of losing a heart horse she added this in:

I love reading Olivia's blog and her adventures with her mule and mustang. One day I'm going to drop in- I swear it. There are a few bloggers in California that I would happily invade. 

Tonight Karen is coming and Cynthia and I are having a lesson. I cannot wait.