The World According To Madeleine

I guess I better get going, because so much has happened since the last time I updated. I don’t know where I should start though.

This summer I only went to one horse show. It was very fun, and my first show in the main ring. I did amazing schooling with Katie, exept for when I fell off and broke the fence. oops. Once it had been fixed, I started again and was fine. Showing was pretty good, Alaska spooked at a fence because she had to jump into shadows, but I got her over every other time. We only got one 6th place ribbon, but I was proud of myself and got several reserves from the judge.

On another riding note, I went to the chiropracter and my back has been feeling much better and I’m riding pain-free, which has made so much of a difference in being able to ride correctly.

Marching band has also started, and band camp was very fun, except that I was sick for the first couple of days. I ended up puking at arby’s, and once in the dorm after breakfast. Aside from that, our show got put together very well, mostly due to the fact that our director changed the way she teaches. It’s nice to actually be good at our show, but seriously,  I don’t think she had to change everything that was possible. I hate it, and so do a lot of other people.

I also dyed my hair purple after waiting the whole summer for the blue to wash out. I would have a picture, but my computer is being very annoying and not letting me upload it.

We also went to Arizona, and that was very fun. We spent a lot of time just around Nanny’s house, and explored a creek we never had been to before. We also spent a lot of time kayaking and on the quads, which I got to drive a lot more this year because I have my permit. We were going to try to go to mexico, but climbing through the border had to suffice. And sadly, I don’t know if wee’ll be able to do that anymore, because there is going to be a virtual fence put in.

School starts on tuesday. I’m excited because my classes are pretty good, and this is my last year before I can go off campus to take and EFE or EFA. It will also be very cool to get to see everyone everyday, and I can’t wait for PAC to start. I’ll have cross country practice everyday after school for a while, which I actually get to run this year.

I have a problem when I ride, my legs slip forward, partially because Alaska is shaped like a pear, partly because of the saddle I ride in.

Today I went to Millbrook because Nanny’s birthday present to me is to pay for some of a saddle, and because my helmet was way to big because of my lack of hair (my head is 3/4 of an inch smaller now). I was originally going to look at HDRs, but they didn’t have any, we asked, and the lady found me some saddles she thought might work. I’m a very hard to fit person in everything I guess. She got a used one that had came in yesterday and it fit me really well. I took it home so I can try it out and make sure it fits Alaska, I rode tonight and it’s really comfortable and my legs don’t move(!). It fits Alaska really well too. If it works out well jumping tommarow I’m going to get it.

I haven’t posted in a really long time, and too much has happened for me to talk about it all in detail, but my Daddy’s wedding was great, I played in it, I did pretty well, I got to know my step-cousins, and they’re really interesting and fun to be around, the next week I went to chamber music workshop, a couple people from my school were there, two from my grade, one a year younger, and one a year older, they were pretty fun to hang out with during lunch and before the concert, the director was awesome, he was so animated, and I loved his directing style, you could always tell where beat one was, unlike our school director, and he was funny. I also tried wakeboarding, it was hard, I couldn’t seem to get up, but next time I try I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to do it.

I will talk about my horse show in detail though.

The show was Twin Cities in Berrien Springs, which was at a really nice fairground. Before we could go we had to pull Alaska’s mane and trim her whiskers, which she really doesn’t like. She would trow her head up and back up really fast, since I’m a slow mane puller, Sarah, a speedy quick mane puller, finished for me. We left trimming for the next day, the big clippers she hated, but when we used little ones she was fine. Then we had to wrap our horses, which she stood really well for, then we loaded them into the trailer and left for the show. I did really well schooling, I got really good distances to the fences, all the strides right, and I had a good pace. Alaska was an angel about being in the show ring and warming up, she wasn’t spooky at all. Showing the next day wasn’t quite as good, my first two jumping classes were too fast, and I didn’t get every lead. I still did a really good job, I won two classes, one over fences, and a flat class. I was told that Alaska and I were the picture of what horse and rider should look like, Rob told me that it was the best that he’d seen Alaska on the flat, ever. He’s not the kind of trainer that just randomly hands out compliments like that. Hearing that was better than winning the class, but Rob said if I hadn’t there would’ve been something wrong.

After that I hosed Alaska off and then went to watch Cheries ride in her jumping classes, jumpers is always fun to watch. Her classes were the last of the day, so we left afterward and went to Applebee’s with everyone, then back to our hotel room Mom and I were sharing with Cheries, who is really nice and like everyone’s show mom, she was really helpful, and I’m pretty sure she was there for all of my classes.

The next day was not quite a great as the first, actually, it was much less than that. There was a single diagonal fence that I had a really hard time with, every time I refused at it, then I had my last class, I was determined to get over that stupid fence, I was mad and wanted that fence. The course started on a four-stride line, the first fence was bad, and I wasn’t going to get to the fence in four strides, and I knew it, so, instead of sitting back like I should have, I dropped her right in front of the fence. I got what I deserved, I fell off. I even have a video of it. At least I didn’t refuse the single diagonal, I was disqualified before I could get to it.

Scott suggested that instead of riding horses, I just get a couple gerbils. Hmm, no. Gerbils are smelly and small and a tasty snack for kitties. They do cost a lot less money, but I’ll stick with horses.

Track has been hard. Run a lot, no time to stretch, sore next day, walk like old person, can’t run. It’s fun though. I like running, I like being around my friends.

Eight chickens have died this week, Pollock got out and got them. Trick Chicken and Doris died. My chicken and my other favorite. Very sad, I cried. I don’t know who the other six are. I don’t want to go into the chicken coop to find out.

Sprig break started today. I don’t want it to. All but one of my friends are leaving, or have already left. I want to be at school where I can see everyone. Six hours into spring break and I’m already lonely. I need my friends.

New Modest Mouse cd, it’s a good one. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. I would recommend it, but not for people who don’t want their kids listening to songs with swear words or don’t like or are offended by profanity.

I’ve been riding Alaska more. I still like her, but turns are very hard. I can fully understand what Trevor (owner) meant when he said that Alaska is so big it’s hard to turn. Makes me sad that Guy won’t be at the barn anymore. I’m pretty sure he’s moving to a western barn. I think he has too much potential as a hunter/jumper for him to become a barrel racer. *sigh* I’ll miss him a lot. I don’t even know when he’s leaving.

Thus endeth my short post.

Last night I rode Alaska. I love her. She has beautiful, comfortable gaits, and is so much fun to jump. She’s about 16.3 and has a huge stride. I feel so tall and graceful on her. Mom said that as soon as I started trotting, I had the biggest smile on my face. That’s how much fun and smooth she is. She’s hard though. I’ll have to work really hard to learn how to ride her well, and there will be growing pains, I’m sure, but I can’t wait to ride her more.