Back in Action!

This is perhaps the best view in the house...taken on top of Clifton Jade aka Morris this morning as he went back into work after his holiday. After such a great spring season, culminating with a Top Ten finish at the Bromont CCI2*, Morris deserved and enjoyed 3 weeks of getting dirty and fat and not having to answer to nobody! Until this morning, when we planted him in the cross ties and got him all dressed up for a ride. He was perfectly well behaved, I would have felt safe with anyone riding him, such a genuinely classy horse. Amazing to think that in about two weeks he will be back in top form as though his vacation never really happened. And we have a lot of work to do, really focusing on our dressage and show jumping for our fall competitions right up until we run at the Fair Hill International October 15-17, 2010.
I think the other horses in the barn know their places in the world....Morris was the first horse on the list of go for the day and will retain that prime spot until further notice! Got a new horse in today, a super cute 5 year old Swedish warmblood, and her stall is directly across from Morris. Told her to listen carefully, that she should be just like Morris when she grows up :) I hope he was telling her all the right things!
Be on the lookout for Morris to head to Milbrook early August. And I think he will be bringing his little (well, younger since Freddie stands at 17.1 and Morris is a solid 16.1 on his tip-toes) brother with him...Freddie's big adventure. We are taking Freddie up to Milbrook to learn about atmosphere and living in tent stabling and how to behave in a crowd of 300, all before he makes his real US eventing debut the next weekend at Waredaca. Could be a very exciting weekend! Stay tuned to hear about all the preparations to get the boys whipped into shape!