"It is not that far" should translate to: "Not as far as driving to Patagonia and somehow crossing the Panama Canal which re-breaks the land bridge between North and South America." Lindsey and I trundled down faster that the speed limit, two beater bikes on the rear bumper and made the blistering driving time of eleven hours. Next show will be close, real close.
"Our barn is not that far out" should translate to: "Any further our we would be beyond the Coachella Valley and into the San Jacinto Mountains to the west. Hugh measured the round trip form the barn to as close cars were allowed to the show rings at eight tenths of a mile. Do that round trip 5 times a day and you have your training for any 5K around. The terrain was flat, but dodging steaming piles of horse dung and loping though deep sand should count for some increased degree of difficulty.
"No one was left out" should translate to "Everyone got a prize and rode awesome!" Unbridled enthusiasm here, beware. Fiona managed to bring home 4 blues by going clean within the time allowed. This did spice up our ribbon rack. All the others managed to get pinned at one time or another. Always a thrill to know you did the course safe and sound and forward and positive and rewarded for same. When Princess was lead in for her trot, (8th place, but a place nonetheless), she was distinctly confused. Did she think it was my turn to jump the 3'3" jumps I just asked her to maneuver over? Connolly got a second in Eq over fences, Lindsey a 4th and Debbie got a 7th in their respective classes of Eq over fences as well. I am counting 28 ribbons for the two weeks with one trailer full of horses.
"It's not that hot/cold/windy/early/late/sunny/dark/dry, dirty and dusty" should translate to "It's not hot/cold/windy/early/late/sunny/dry, dirty and dusty" We had it all, all climate zones and time zones compressed into the week. The Sonoran Desert seems to jump from deep winter to mid summer in one overnight climatic convulsion.
Capote's tail, braided by yours truly. Hoping to enter him in the Marin County Fair, new division, braiding on a live object, children excluded, but I don't think he would stand in the exhibit hall for 5 days, or 5 minutes. The End. JP
