Pardon the long break between blogs, but we’ve been busier than expected! While this is my third year to groom at Young Riders, every year we take more riders, which means we are all busier! However, I personally feel this is a fantastic problem to have, so I am definitely not complaining! So let’s get down to what’s been going on with Area V since we arrived in Kentucky on Monday.
The truck ride was long, and while I am usually the first one to fall asleep, I somehow got the short end of the stick and ended up not being able to sleep much at all. Therefore, my “cool” was not as great as it normally is, at least when it comes to dealing with Jacob. My “cool” was also hindered by the fact that it’s super hot here, and ridiculously humid! What we were hoping for, at least weather wise, has not happened so far. They have actually banned shadbellies for dressage tomorrow and Friday and the proper attire is now solid colored polos. Area V has three awesome team polos, but they are not solid colored, so I believe we are coming up with another alternative. Anyway, back to Kentucky. We arrived Monday at 1 pm and were completely set up with all our equipment by 6. By the time we got through checking on the horses, unpacking our bed rolls, and locating our suitcases from the enormous pile in the back of our “camp mom”, Catherine Baker’s truck, it was after 10 pm. We then had a quick pizza dinner and went to bed.
Tuesday morning we grooms sent all the riders on a hack and we worked on getting the barn looking spotless. Later in the afternoon, light dressage lessons were in order for all the riders and I gave a trot-up groom’s lessons, using Falcon Splash as my model. We went over quarter marks, braids, tail wraps, and baby oil techniques and it was quite worth it. Our horses looked amazing at the jog, but more about that later! Tuesday night brought a golf cart parade to Spy Coast Farm, and a barbeque dinner for riders and grooms. Karen Shull, our barn manager, arrived late Tuesday night and was extremely happy with our barn set up. I must give all the credit to that amazing grooms and riders we have here in Area V. They constantly ask me what they can do to help, and everyone pitches in for everything! We then showered and went to bed, though I am now the official culprit for keeping my team trailer awake later than they should. (I am normally the first one to bed, and am also the “chaperone” for one of the team campers, but for whatever reason, we’ve been having slumber parties on my bed every night, chatting away until almost midnight! My goal is to not let this happen tonight because Jacob says I’m cranky from lack of sleep.)
Wednesday morning we fed at 6 am and have been going non-stop ever since. The riders had dressage lessons all morning and then went to do their briefing and first course walk. Back at the barn we were scrubbing everything until it was spotless! Armed with toothpicks, toothbrushes, brass polish, toothpaste, saddle soap, and lots of rags, our tack was looking beautiful in time for the trot up. Dr. Chris Newton, our team veterinarian, wanted a practice jog at 12:30 in bridles, and I wouldn’t let the riders use their trot up bridle, because the grooms had worked so hard to get them gleaming for the official trot up. We spent the rest of the morning clipping, braiding, bathing, and making the horses as shiny as possible! The trot-up started at 2:30 pm and all our horses were accepted, which we were very excited about! Of course, the parents wanted the official photo shoot afterwards, but since it was so hot, it was much abbreviated from last year, for which I am grateful! We now have the opening ceremonies tonight and pizza party, and then I think we are looking forward to an early bed time after our last check on the horses. Jacob is the first horse in the dressage ring at 8 am, so I have my work cut out for me, to get that paint horse as clean as he was today!
The two star dressage starts tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll have an update on our team tomorrow evening!
Elizabeth
