Wasn’t it August like 2 days ago? How is it almost Christmas? I’m shooketh. I don’t understand how time just keeps moving faster and faster. Pause. Slow down. 2020 was like two years ago, how is it almost 2025? Is it just me??
This week snuck right on by me too, I truly thought it was Wednesday but turns out it’s Friday. My bad. Is time a social construct? Is it even real? As Billie Eilish said, when we all fall asleep where do we go? I have questions.
But anyway, it’s been more of the usual around here really. More rides on Rubes, who is so smart and catching on to this sporthorse thing more and more every day. I posted a vlog of him on the Patreon dashboard with w/t/c video and his first time cantering a jump, and for less than 3 weeks of re-training I’m super happy with how he’s improving. Literally from one ride to the next, and you can feel his gears constantly turning. It’s no small thing to go from 10 years as a racehorse to an entirely new life and new style of riding, but you have to love the heart and willingness of a Thoroughbred. He just tries his best to figure out what I’m asking.
I love this stage of training too, where they’re just like little sponges in the beginning and there are so many small “aha” moments. It’s really fun. And now that I’m riding him pretty much every day, more and more of his personality is starting to come out, too. He’s such a quirky little weirdo, I love it. Wouldn’t be a horse of mine if he was normal, right?
I had a lesson this week but have zero media from it. Your standard jump lesson, working on nailing down the same concepts we’ve been working on. There’s incrimental improvement, and Presto was considerably less spooky this week than last week despite the presence of the pig, so we’ll mark that as a win. We’re signed up for a schooling show this weekend (I’m so not in the mood to horse show but we need to go knock some rust off, so we’re gonna), and then next week Ellie is out of town, and then it’s January. You know what January is? The beginning of season in Ocala. ALREADY! What was once on the horizon is now suddenly staring us directly in the face.
We did make a plan for a more amped-up training schedule starting in January, adding in more lessons and probably some training rides. I’m mega tired of feeling a bit stagnant, so I’m going as all-in on the education aspect as I can afford. Now if we could make it through a whole season without one of us hurting ourselves, THAT WOULD BE GREAT (knocking on every speck of wood in my house). I also need to start drafting my RRP application stuff for Rubes in the next couple weeks, but my brain can’t even cope with that yet. One thing at a time.
In other fun news, this is the time of year where the mail gets exciting, both with things I knew were coming and things I didn’t. One such surprise:
Natalie came out to the farm to film social media content during the summer, and Presto got to be the background horse. We love Natalie, she’s the coolest. If you haven’t read any of her books, you should… it’s so rare that horse books are written well, and hers are among the best. It was super fun to get this package and find books inside. Always a win.
The FLAIR ambassador jackets came and I’m also obsessed.
The FLAIR strip on the back is just chef’s kiss, and it’s actually a really nice lightweight jacket. I needed one, so it’s an exceptional score. We love our FLAIR strips.
And then one thing I knew was coming: the Correct Connect thumb grip reins. I got these for Rubes’ bridle because he had some old half-melted rubber reins on his, and I really like them so far. There’s something about the weight and shape of them that sits really nicely in my hand.
I also need to write a separate review post for the shop I got them from, because they were so helpful and above-and-beyond, they deserve a proper shout.
My saddle is stuck in customs at the moment thanks to UPS so I’m having some sads about that, but I can’t do anything about it so I’m trying to forget. Thus, I ordered myself some frozen jizzlets for Christmas. From this dude, who I am obsessed with:
He was only 3 in that video
He’s sooooo my type. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since I saw him, and the deadline for ordering the frozen from Germany was quickly approaching, so I filled out my paperwork and sent the deposit yesterday. I just love him, must have. He’s fairly young and the oldest offspring are only 5, but I went down a rabbit hole looking at videos of them and quite like them all. Lots of praise for temperament and rideability. Plus his pedigree is super. Done deal. Sign me up. Merry Christmas to me, bc what better gift is there than frozen horse jizzlets?
breedrideevent.com 