On September 1st I signed me and Finn up for a dressage clinic at our new barn with a well known local dressage instructor, Sue Winslade. For the first time since I had owned Finn I had someone telling me how much she liked Finn and how nice of a horse he was. I know it shouldn't have mattered that much what someone thinks, but after a very trying year with my first horse it meant the world to me. Finn was wonderful for the clinic and gave his all. I started realizing that when he had an audience watching him he liked to put on a good show!
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I continued riding and taking lessons throughout the Fall. I went on a bunch of trail rides with my farrier's girlfriend and we became good friends. Finn proved to be a great trail horse, and rarely spooked at much of anything. We had another setback at the beginning of December when Finn sustained a paddock injury that resulted in a swollen rear left hock, as well as a big cut on the upper part of his rear left leg. I honestly thought that he was going to be lame forever. But after two weeks of stall rest and a week of bute the swelling was completely gone and the cut was all healed up.
December 2012
I recently had my farrier's girlfriend, Amanda, start riding Finn to keep him in shape when I can't get up there every day. I also started having my trainer ride him. I am hoping that this is the year where we can really make something of ourselves. I'd like to go to a few shows, go cross country schooling, and participate in our first event by the end of the summer. Let's hope we don't encounter as many setbacks as we did last year!
Glad the injury wasn't more serious! And that you guys are starting to become more of a team:)
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