Playing Catch Up

I'm honestly not going to play catch-up because 1) It's been 2 months since I've posted, I'm embarrassed about it and 2) You've probably already seen everything on Instagram or Facebook.

Long story short, Brantley is feeling great and going better than ever!

We've already had our first Hunter Pace and although we didn't place, we had a blast - especially that part where he decided he was done being held back... We survived and it was a much needed run.

As he started to feel better, I started to feel him out over jumps again. Little cross-rails of course to start and he seemed pretty gung-ho about the whole thing. After talking to Kate, she offered to give me some lessons and well... Apparently Brantley and I are very coach-able. Plus, I couldn't ask for a better teacher.

Of course it was a rough start because my confidence as a rider in this setting, blows. We know this. I have no problem running free through the woods and letting B fly, but for some reason I get grabby with my hands and well... It's something we need to work on. Which we did...

Yes, that is me... And my horse... Jumping 2'3" like a boss.

What's all the jumping for? Clinic prep. Sinead Halpin. How? Lauren.

Me, Kate, Wendy, my first trailering experience... Raritan, New Jersey.

We met up with Lauren and let me say, I didn't want to come back.

We loaded up and left at about 9am Friday morning and made our way down. We stopped a couple of times and I drove pretty slow seeing as it was my first time hauling a trailer out of the driveway... But we made it in enough time to reunite with Lauren, get a quick tour of the barn, and then hop on for a ride. Brantley was awesome and absolutely loved every minute of it.

That moment Lauren & Charlie decided to catch up.

COOTIES!

The next 24 hours for these boys was pretty sh*tty... Food pulled by 9pm and starved the next morning just to be drugged and scoped for ulcers. Of course, Brantley was the one who came up positive. They found one and some slight inflammation, so yay for Gastrogaurd. Not so yay for my wallet. At least the scope was free... What was kind of shitty was the part where the rep said, "Ulcers can come up pretty quickly so it could've been from the 5 hour trailer ride here." Thanks dude...

After some lunch and watching the other clinician, boys seemed pretty away so we threw them out in a huge field since we couldn't grain or hay them... Lucky them, our session was at 4:45pm. They were pretty much saints...

Honestly Brantley was amazing and so forgiving because after all that crap, I rode like sh*t. She liked how I stayed out of his way and let him figure out the jumps himself, but I was on his mouth again. I totally let my nerves get the best of me and there were a couple of moments where I thought I was going to lose him to his pumping heart and wild looks... But he held it together. Now if only I could've been that brave. We learned a lot and I can't wait to get back over those rails and fix my fear. I'm not afraid of him or him doing something stupid... I just seem to lose confidence in myself.

Photo Credit: Wendy Vican

We can only get better right?

Photo Credits: Kate Taylor