Hobby Horse Blog Hop - Week 20: Summer Snapshots

Way back when... when I was under 20... summer meant Pony Club Rallies. I was never too enthused about horse shows but I loved the test of horse and rider in a rally. These were modeled after three-day events, but were conducted in one day. We'd have dressage in the morning followed by the cross country phase. In the afternoon the event would conclude with stadium jumping.

Some of the 'snapshot memories' in my mind include:

• Apple's total destruction of the 'cattle guard' obstacle. The event organizers created a jump using gutters. They laid them side by side, creating a 4' spread that looked like a cattle guard. Apple decided it wasn't worth jumping over and ran right through it. As I looked over my shoulder I recall seeing pieces of gutter flung into bushes and leaning against the trees!
• Socky's indiscretion in dressage where he objected to cantering when and where I asked. He began to crow hop and buck. That little 'fence' along the side of the ring was just something to hop over. Elimination!
• The cattle pen: the course included a strange fenced in area, similar to what cows or sheep might be corralled in, with a chute at one end. In one rally they had us jump through the 'pen' as a two-stride in and out going one direction. We had to turn and jump it in the other direction as a three-stride in and out. Then turn, one more time, and jump the chute as a spread. Apple and I negotiated the first leg with ease. We turned sharply and Apple had to throw in a short little stride on the second leg, putting me a bit forward on his neck. We turned and made it over the spread - with me still being a bit forward. Upon landing you might guess what happened... I was half way down his neck. Apple put his head down and hopped... I was on his head. There is a 30M X 20M (I think that's the size) penalty area around any obstacle. A rider can not 'touch down' in the penalty area, but can do anything outside of it. I hung on for dear life, and did make it outside the zone before I hopped off, remounted and we went on our way.

Let's find out more about each other in the Blog Hop. 

I hope you can join in!

In case you are new... or as a reminder:

Each week I post two or three prompts. 

Write about one or respond to all.

Or, just link your blog to mine if you

care to share something else about yourself.

Most importantly,

complete your blog post (or comment) by asking a question of us.

I am really enjoying answering your questions,

and look forward to seeing other responses, too.

I think it's a great way to have a conversation of sorts!

Link your post to the Hobby Horse Blog Hop

by using the Linky Tool below.

Click where indicated, just after it says

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Or...

Leave a comment with the answer(s) to the

questions(s) on my blog, down below.

Visit other participating blogs on the list

and respond to their questions in your comments on their pages.

Hobby Horse Blog Hop Prompts - Week 20:

1. Describe a summer 'snapshot' memory that you have.

2. What things are you working on with your horse, dog, pet, child, husband or?

3. Vegetables: from your garden, the farmer's market or the store? What are your favorites? Do your animals have a favorite?

Here are my answers: 
1. I shared a few snapshot memories with you already, but here is another; Lying cocooned in a sleeping bag in the chill of a Canadian evening in Algonquin Park with the call of a loon echoing from the hills across the lake from camp.


2. Gypsy is a blank slate. She doesn't seem to have had any formal training. We are working on the basic commands with her: sit, down, wait and come. Gypsy lives to eat! She is very food oriented and should be very easy to train!


3. I adore tomatoes from my garden. Gardening in Colorado is a challenge, and last year I think we had all of 4 tomatoes. This year, barring any hail, hoards of locusts, bunnies, deer or other tomato-predators, we should have a few dozen. All that work... for so little!
The horses weren't used to treats when I first got them. They learned to like apples and carrots, but never acquired a taste for other things I tried, such as cantaloupe, watermelon, beans (which my dogs adore) and pumpkin.

I can't wait to read your responses.

Have a great day, and a great weekend!