The bat strikes again!

Another bat adventure last night. The kids reported a dead bat in the basement on Saturday, but when Bruce went down to get him, he was nowhere to be found (a fact Bruce conveniently withheld from the rest of us). This one, though, did not fly into a bucket like the last two, so it was a full force family chase around the house! Rowdy now thinks chasing bats with tennis rackets is more fun than hitting tennis balls (although in the final showdown, he asked to be excused from the room - a wise move since I might have taken his head off as I was swinging at the swooping thing)! We had to finish watching "Rudolph" afterward just to settle everyone down!

Now we are getting ready for family arriving today, and I just looked out to see Bruce with MORE LIGHTS and extension cords in his hands! Bruce, honey, it's just three days until Christmas, there are already more lights than the power company can handle - please . . .

Is it spring yet?

I am trying to enjoy these days of not being able to ride and immerse myself in the Christmas spirit . . . but it's just not quite working! I've done all of the cooking/baking I can do this far ahead, wrapped what is here (please let FEDEX get the last of it here!), and now I just want to ride. The melting snow we had at the end of last week with frozen ground underneath sent a torrent of water down in front of the arena, which immediately froze over Saturday night and Sunday - so it is a true ice skating rink for 30 feet in front of the arena. The high areas are okay, so we've been able to at least get the horses outside into the top paddocks, but there will be no riding for the big guys for several more days! The frustrating part is that as soon as you get in the doors of the arena, it's warm (ish) and the ground in there has not frozen at all (which was the problem last year with the sub-arctic temps). Oh well - Merry Christmas, ponies - enjoy your break, and we'll get back in shape soon enough!

Go Meagan and Bentley!

Meagan Davis is 6th again and moves into the A Final at Young Riders World Cup in Germany - huge congratulations on this outstanding accomplishment!

Let it snow, let it sleet, let it rain!

It's our 6th snow day of the school year, and winter doesn't even really begin until next Tuesday - that can't be a good sign! We woke up to a beautiful fresh blanket - several inches of perfect snow still falling - but it has now changed to that fun, frozen, pelting -you- in -the - face stuff that makes every move dangerous! I woke up with visions of riding Barney in the snow, but he refuses to even lift his head above his knees - he looks like a peanut pusher with his nose shuffling along the ground, hiding from the falling ice! He actually tries to bury his head in my back and walk behind me to block the weather - um, hello, have you seen how big you are? At literally twelve times my size, I don't think it's working out for him very well! So, it's another day of defrosting water troughs and trying to keep everyone warm and dry, but at least the kids are loving being home, and humans and horses alike are thankful for the new run-in sheds!!

This just in: Meagan Davis and Bentley were 6th out of 14 at the Young Rider World Cup today! Top 7 advance to the freestyle after indiv. test tomorrow. Do you remember her unbelievable ride when Bentley freaked at Nationals? I have a video of her from about a year and a half ago, and it is AMAZING how much she has grown as a rider in that time! I love watching our awesome young riders! Way to go Meagan and Team USA!

Here is a link to her Germany blog: http://meagansgermanyblog.blogspot.com/

Mark your calendar!

Lauren Sprieser is scheduled to return to Sally Run April 15-16, 2011!

Thank you, LAUREN!!!

A big thank you to Lauren for a wonderful clinic. There were huge smiles on everyone's faces as they finished their rides - so helpful and so fun - I am definitely going to have my camera ready next time to capture those grins! Thank you also to all of the riders, parents of riders, and auditors who came out to make this such a success! We had a wonderful 24 hours of weather and hopefully everyone can make it back home before the snow starts again this evening. I think if I heard one common theme in the rides, it was GO - like your hair's on fire!! So, Forward, Onward, Upward!! Happy Holidays, everyone!!

Ride Times for Lauren Sprieser Clinic

Here are the ride times. We can't wait to see everyone next weekend!

Lauren Sprieser Clinic Schedule

Friday, December 10, 2010:
4:00 Caroline Stephens and Warnissimo
5:00 Michaela Bethard and Midnight


Saturday, December 11, 2010
9:00 Kim Huffman and Navina
10:00 Caroline Stephens and Warnissimo
11:00 Molly Watson and 5YO Training level horse
12:00 Amanda Williams and 15 YO Arab
1:00 Lunch
1:45 Megan Blevins and Play Toy (Arab) or Abe (lipiz)


Auditors:
Sarah Russell
Dawn Gifford

*More accolades for our clinician - Lauren's won the 2010 Region 1 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dressage Competition at the FEI Levels!