The World According To Madeleine

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.

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.

Last summer, before I was riding Guy, I rode Alaska. She was available for half-lease, and, assuming she wasn’t too much for me, I would’ve been half-leasing her. Sadly, she had developed epm, which no one was aware of until right before my lesson on her. I rode Guy a couple weeks later, who was also available for half-lease and was a great horse for me, I’m half-leasing him now and Alaska has recovered completely. I’ve been to shows on Guy, and I have become a much better rider. Now, Guy’s owners are thinking of moving him to a barn closer to where they live. This is sad, because I will miss Guy very much. He taught me a lot. This is also a good thing, in a way. Rob said to my mom that I’m probably ready to move on to a different horse. So, even if Guy doesn’t leave, I’ll probably stop half-leasing him, and move on to another horse. There are several that I could half-lease, and Alaska is one of them. I think I’ll be riding her to see if I like her. I’m pretty sure I will, from seeing other people ride her. I hope so. I’ve always loved Alaska, and I love her owners too, which is good. I hope everything works out…

It’s now 2007. It makes me kind of sad, just because I liked 2006 so much. Even though some stuff last year kind of sucked. Sigh. Oh well, I’ll get over it.

I was thinking about making some New Year’s resolutions, because I’ve never made any before, and I just felt like it. But I’ve yet to come up with any. I guess I could run more, but if my stress fracture isn’t completely healed, that could be a very bad think to do. I could say I will do situps and pushups every day. But I’ll never do that, so why lie? Maybe, draw on my legs less with sharpie, but I should probably stop doing that anyways, because I found out it’s actually bad for you if you do it enough. That’s a pretty lame one. Maybe I just won’t have ny new year’s resolutions.

On Monday (New Year’s Day), I participated in the “One One Run”. (It’s on the first of the first month at one o’ clock) I actually walked it, because I can’t run on account of my still-healing stress fracture, which could get worse if I run on it too soon. Also as a test to see if my new running shoes were comfortable, and if it didn’t hurt, I could run in a week or so. It didn’t, so next week some time I should be able to run short distances on soft surfaces. Assuming my foot still doesn’t hurt running, I should be able to do track this spring.

Later that day, I went to ride Guy. Rob wasn’t giving lessons that day, but I could still come out and ride with Katie and Emily. We worked on flying lead changes, which I have only done once before, last summer. They’re pretty fun, especially since Guy is young, he has to be going fast to get a full change.

Today I went to their house again, and we made necklaces and just hung out there. It was fun. I made two necklaces, and I like them a lot.

And my hair is purple! (not permanently) I went to Anna’s house on Saturday and I spent the night. We watched “Rent”, played poker, and dyed my hair, and just talked. We stopped halfway through the movie to dye my hair, and then let it sit while we watched the rest. Anna’s Mom video taped Anna dying my hair, and Anna video taped me blow drying it. The next morning she even video taped me waking up, which is now on youtube.com.

My Christmas was great. I even got into the holiday spirit on Christmas Eve, what it took was caroling. On Christmas Coleman woke me up, I opened up my presents. I got a socks for finding the Christmas pickle, a winter hat, a tan baseball hat, a running book, a running shirt (I’m probably forgetting something), and guitar books. When I opened them I was sort of confused, because I don’t have a guitar. Then I got it! Dad said it was because I played other people’s guitars so much. Then he asked where the fourth book was (there were only three) and said he forget to wrap it, and it was in the closet. Yeah. So I went and looked, and there was a guitar! I am so exited! I’ve already started to play in the book, and I sort of get it, I can read the notes, but sometimes it’s kind of confusing, because open notes on a trumpet are not open on the guitar. Then Lori came over, and I got picks, socks, a bracelet making thing, and pitch pipes for tuning my guitar. Then we went to our cousin’s house and we didn’t have a present opening time or anything, which I liked better, because there wasn’t so much waiting around. I got two scarves, a hat, a purse decorator thingey, and tips and chalk for pool ques. We were going to go to Grandma’s house, but she wasn’t feeling well, so on Tuesday we went there and I got a fleece. Yesterday I went to yoga, which I haven’t gone to in a while. It was fun. Then my Dad took me to Gazzelle so I could get new running shoes that were more supportive, so my stress fracture will heal, and won’t come back when I start running again. Then I went riding, and I had a good lesson. After that I went home so I could get out of my riding clothes and then I went to see “We Are Marshall” with my friends. The movie was good, but it was sad.