June 2019

Let's start this month off with something not horse related. Sophia's friend invited her to jello night at her church. This is a night where the kids play games throwing jello at one other. I don't get it but I know Sophia had a great time. They came home in a plastic bag so she wouldn't get her friends car sticky!

Sophia competed in the Pony Club Jumper Rally. She rode Logan who she only rode a couple of times. She did amazing. She was the highest scoring rider in her division. This girl is good! Pony Club is giving her lots of opportunities to try new things. She is learning so much on and off the horse.

Sophia and Emma gave a team demonstration on preparing for a Pony Club Rally, which they both know a lot about, for 4-H. It is great to see her up in front of a room sharing her passion with others.

The biggest deal of the month was Ride for Life. This is a weekend long event to benefit breast cancer research. This was the first time she took a horse to an event for the weekend. We needed to back shavings, feed, water buckets and all her supplies. Pony Club taught her how to do all this. She had a blast. This was likely Lucy's first time staying overnight at a show. She was nervous. Sophia was nervous. During her first dressage test Lucy halted for a moment and then side stepped across the ring. Sophia was determined and got that horse moving through the test. 

She and her friend did a muscial pas de deux freestyle to the Pink Panther. The musical event was not judged by a dressage official but was audience choice. The audience voted with dollars. Sophia and Kate took first place in the youth division. They had fun while raising money for a good cause.

The entire weekend was a fundraiser. Sophia worked VERY hard getting donations. Everyone who donated got their name on a pink ribbon which she hung on Lucy's stall. Those who donated $25 or more were able to personalize their ribbon with a message. Sophia was the highest youth fundraiser bringing in more than $600 in donations. She rode in memory of Grandma Barb and Grandma Beadle who both had breast cancer. She rode for Grandma Bev, Grandpa Skip and for all those who donated in memory of or in honor of someone who was struck with breast cancer. Hopefully they will find a cure to this horrible disease soon.

So many of her friends came out to see her. Friends from her first barn came and watched her. Angel, who introduced her to dressage when she was coaching her and even Aunt Leslie made it for the musical freestyle. I am so glad we are able to spend time with Leslie. We don't know how much time we have with her. But isn't that true of everyone. Life is short. I am trying to remember that and enjoy each moment I have been blessed with. 

It was an incredible weekend.

Sophia is happy with the barn, their horses and the friends she is meeting there. 

And our animals just wish we were home some more to spoil them. 

May 2019

Another month another rally.  Pony Club is a wonderful organization and is teaching Sophia a lot about riding and horsemanship. However it is keeping the entire family busy! Sophia took part in the Games Rally this month. You play games on horseback, like taking a cup from one pole and moving it to another, all while racing another team. Games teach balance and coordination. Getting a horse to go through obstacles and cooperate while you are trying to do these tasks is not easy, but it is fun. Sophia competed with Bonsai and he was great. He was excited and speedy but she handled him well. Her team took first place in her division at the games.

Sophia also completed the jumping portion to move up to D3 level. 

She enjoys spending time on Navajo. She trusts this horse so much that she can stand on the saddle and he will remain still. They share their trust of each other. It is a wonderful thing to witness.

We started off the month with our annual picture by the azaleas. This year she was smiling, laughing even. So glad I captured her personality on camera. She hates pictures so her charming nature is always absent. 

I personally got to spend a day, albeit a rainy one, at the Sheep and Wool Festival with friends. I have lots of new projects I need to do now. I should be busy for a while. 

I also attend the third session of the Etna Project. This is an incredible four-weekend long seminar for interpreters. It feeds my soul, both educationally and emotionally. I am so grateful that I can take part in this series. I also went to the same retreat center to help assist at a foundations seminar. It is so nice to get away every now and then.

April 2019

April was about horses. As the weather started getting warmer the horse activities started picking up. When looking back at pictures for this month I am not sure what else we did. All I have is pictures of horses, with the exception of the visit from Linda. Let me start there.

Linda, Chuck and the girls came down to visit. Linda spent Sunday with Tracie and my brother while we were at a horse rally. We were able to spend time at dinner with Linda and the girls. We also spend a little time together on Monday after Linda and Stephanie went on a college tour.

The biggest horse event was Pony Club Dressage Rally. Sophia took a clinic earlier this year and the instructor said that she could likely qualify for National Championships held in North Carolina if she continued riding this well. That was all she needed to hear. Her eyes were set on the prize. She took a horse named Lucy to the rally and got well over the qualifying score for Nationals. She scored 67.12 in Training 1 and a 75.17 in Training 2. She tied for the highest Training Level test 2 score. She also rode her first musical freestyle and got second place. It was an amazing day. 

Going to a rally for the first time was intense. She had to bring containers filled with water for Lucy, a bunch of supplies and was responsible for herself and her horse the entire day. She was on a team with three other girls from her club. The team had a stable manager to help them. They started the day with inspections. The girls and horse were inspected for safety and cleanliness. The standards are all very high. Her team took home a second place for horse management. Parents can not talk, never mind help, the girls at a rally. This teaches independence and responsibility. What an incredible experience. It was a long day. We were on the road at 4:30 in morning and not done until around 5:30 PM. 

Sophia participated in the dressage show at her first barn. She rode a horse named Pablo. He is not trained in dressage but they had fun. (I don't remember her scores)

Sophia had her first cross county experience at the new barn. She LOVED it. Cross country is riding out in a field on different terrains and jumping over natural barriers. She rode Bonsai. They both did great. 

I finished a knitting project! 

And our animals are enjoying the warmer weather.