August-- Not sure I can come up with the words to describe the month. Hectic, disappointing, exciting, adventurous, bittersweet. Those are the ones which immediately come to mind.
Sophia worked her last Saturday shift at the barn on August 10th. She has worked Saturdays for over two years. Leaving the house at 6:15 or earlier and not returning until 4:30 PM. Sheworked hard the whole day.
Sophia spent the past couple of months getting ready for the C3 Dressage Certification. This was her first National Rating and it was HELL. She was well prepared. She did everything you could do, practiced lounging and wrapping. She continued your private lessons and clinics. She worked on grid work and designed a grid exercise. There were only two people doing the C3 Dressage certification. Gretchen did the Eventing. We all went up together. Dressage was the full day on Monday, followed by eventing late Monday to Wednesday. Having all the dressage requirements packed into 7 hours left no time to recover and regroup. The rating expectations were tough. It included riding different parts (warm up, test, without stirrups, grid work and riding in the field). It also included lounged and switched horses for one part. Sophia then had to critique each part and then listen to the raters critique her ride and her assessment of the ride. Wren is not your typical dressage horse. The raters weren't fans. Sophia's position, likely due to Wren's bouncy nature, was a little off centered. The raters did not mince words. It was defeating. Both Sophia and the other girl failed. Interestingly enough she passed the portion that she rode the other girls horse. The raters said your position was perfect on her horse. She may have passed the whole thing if she had brought a horse is more in line with a typical dressage breed. Sophia worked hard, did her best, Wren did well. It just wasn't what they were looking for. The standards are high, the expectations for Dressage are harder than Eventing. After this experience I don't think she will try again, and honestly I don't blame her. However, if she does, I will be behind her every step of the way.
Sophia attended a 4H Senior Awards ceremony at the fair and and end of the year Pony Club celebration.
Sophia and I went shopping a couple of times. We also organized all the purchase for your big move in day. Move in Day was August 22nd. We got there around 8:30 and lugged everything upstairs (the football team who was supposed to help were still practicing or perhaps at a different building). We rearranged furniture and set up your room. Sophia spent time hanging the tapestry and pictures. I unpacked most of your clothes while Daddy set up your desk. We had lunch and then left Sophia to her orientation activities.
It has been so hard not to have Sophia at home. I miss her more than you can imagine. But she is aving a blast. She has met new friends, have gone to the gym to work out, and are enjoying her classes thus far. We get short texts but other than that not too much communication. This makes me proud, I know Sophia is growing and learning to be more independent. It also makes me sad because I miss talking to her every day, hearing about things that she is doing. Bittersweet.
Thankfully she is not far and we have seen her at the barn. This past weekend Steve and I watched her ride and then took Sophia and two of your new friends out to lunch. Loved it!!
Our pets are all good. No doubt they miss Sophia too, especially Otto.
No doubt these blog posts will become much shorter now that you aren't home. But I am going to keep them going for as long as I can. I have been doing it since March 2005, almost 20 years! Why stop now?
