Excited!

So many reasons why I'm excited...Soon's weight is looking better, his topline is back after a couple weeks of more focused work, and he's going like a star right now.  I'm getting much happier eating salad and grilled chicken/turkey every day, and I've been running and hitting the gym (weights specifically) regularly the last three weeks.  Starting to see some results, and this will only help my riding.

Turns out Potential New Trainer has Stephen Bradley and a known dressage trainer at her facility several times a month, so it looks like I'll have easy access to some excellent training/clinic options here very shortly.  I'm seriously considering going to the Stephen Bradley clinic at the end of the month.  Not feeling completely prepared for that (lack of regular jumping), but if my barn owner is going anyway and we sign up for an easier group, we should be perfectly fine.  We have a two-day jump clinic at home mid-September anyway so this could be a good opportunity.  It's supposed to be a little cooler this week, and if so I'll do more of our poles on the ground/gridwork routine this week to prepare for a potential lesson next weekend.  I'll try to get a jump school together while I'm at it.

And extra exciting news is that it looks like we'll be RIDING WITH LINDA ZANG next time she's available in town.  I can't adequately explain my emotions at the thought of riding with a Guru so let's just say:

On another note, we hopped around the XC stuff at home and took on the big roll top for the first time...he rolled to it in a beautiful, forward/open canter, and took it right in stride.  I felt him lock on to it and he felt LOVELY.  He felt great all day over the jumps and really seemed like he was happy to be out of the sandbox and doing something more fun.

He's so goofy when he's pleased with himself