August Wrap Up

	Butterball
Training rides	4
Lessons	3- 2 jump, 1 dressage
Hacks	4- 2 with the equiband, 1 bareback
Flat rides	4
Conditioning rides	0- foiled by rain after work
XC school	1- Naked Horse
Shows	2- Notting Hill schooling jumpers and Bouckaert International

Butterball had the first week of the month off while I traveled to eastern Oregon by way of Boise. 

It was SO beautiful and an area of the country that I had never seen. My friend rode him once while I was gone and popped him over a few jumps. With her ride added in, he worked a total of 21 days of the month. September is the month where we're getting serious about conditioning for the N3D in October. 

It seems silly to include notes about Chatt in the wrap up given how recent it was, but sometimes I look back on the monthly wrap up rather than individual posts, so... our one show this month wasn't exactly what we were aiming for although it was delightful to travel out of state with my fave partner ever. However, in stadium I quit riding halfway through, and we ended with our first RF for stadium. 

But there were some nice jumps before that
Photo by Liz Crawley

Given this (mis)adventure, Butterball ended the month with a few days of back to back training rides. The first ride EM described how serious she was about relaxation and a long neck connected to a swinging back. If he started to die (decrease activity) when shortening his stride, then move sideways. He picked up the second ride right where he had left off with the first. She jumped him some in both rides, describing how she went forward away from the jumps and then moved the canter through the corners, and then let him get his eye on the jump and sort his legs out. She rode him to a few tighter distances where he had to pick and be clever. She described it as working with/towards the jump, NOT against it. 

We're starting September with two back to back lessons. Then we'll head to Majestic for a pop around the schooling show on the 13th before going up to Stable View Oktoberfest at the end of the month. Florida has generously given us some lovely fall feel days this month, but this upcoming weekend looks to be back in the 90s.