I Am REALLY Back to Work Now

Today is the first day of school for my students. Everyone around us started on Wednesday while many schools around the rest of the state are still enjoying their summer vacation.

I had a great summer. It was hot as heck, but not so hot that riding was unbearable. I simply kept to my regular work schedule, which included leaving the house by 6:00 a.m., so that I was riding in the coolest part of the day.

As teachers, we get approximately 10 weeks off. I decided to count how many times I rode during that time off. I discovered that on average, both boys got ridden 5 days a week. Unless I had a show or a clinic, I gave them Saturdays and Sundays off except for hand grazing or turn out.

• I went to three shows and one clinic during the ten weeks.
  
• I took 21 lessons. Most were with JL, but two were with Chemaine, and two were with Marisa Festerling, the CDS AA clinician.
• I rode a total of 92 times, and even though I rode twice on show days, I only counted them as one ride. Speedy got ridden twice by Aberdeen, and I didn't count those rides.

During those ten weeks we took a couple of short trips (Las Vegas, Santa Barbara) which probably lowered my totals a little. It really felt as though I rode way more than ninety-two times!

Over the summer, I was able to develop a pretty nice right lead canter on Sydney, and Speedy's oomph (thrust) is coming along nicely. It will be difficult going back to one ride a day. Technically, I have enough daylight for two rides after work, but being home at a reasonable hour to cook dinner and spend time with my husband is a priority.

Good by, Summer Vacation; see you in nine and a half months!