ARGHHHHHH

 Today was ridiculous! And I'm going to vent but I'm already over it. I had a lesson today and decided that I wanted to take Funny for some dressage because... Laura and Julia couldn't make it so I would get a private lesson and I love my dressage lessons with Jacel. But I also love my jump lessons but since there was no one to jump with, I would take advantage. So yay! 

I checked the weather even this morning and there was a small chance of a passing shower but it was short and didn't look like a big deal. And lately... all of our "weather threats" have proved to be just threats.. we've hardly gotten any rain despite a 10 day forecast of all rain. So... we head out early because I needed gas and we get to Ashland early. No big deal.. I'll go for a warm up hack. So I start to get Funny groomed and tacked up and it starts sprinkling here and there. It only lasted a tiny bit and went away and then came back again. But no big deal. So then I get her tacked up and was about to hop on and it starts raining. Legit rain but not bad. So I swing up to keep my saddle dry and then it just starts pouring!! Also, the ashland crew was taking down the arena's from the show so there was a lot going on. And Kelli had just pulled in with her trailer. I wanted to say hi but Funny was getting super antsy and tight and I wanted to get in the woods to avoid the rain. So I waved and apologized and we headed out. And then it started coming down even harder! Good grief! At this point there was nothing I could do. I doubted I could get Funny to get in the trailer, even if I took the time to untack her. So... we kept on going and tried to stay under the trees. But it didn't matter. We were both soaked. My underwear was wet and holding water, my boots had pooled water, my bra was wet... my helmet kept pouring water off the brim onto my saddle. Sigh... My gloves were soaking wet. 

 

But Funny settled and was a good girl hiking in the rain. We walked to the lake and then back and went to the dressage arena. I walked about two or three laps and was waiting on Jacel, who was running late because her student before me was almost 30 min late. I picked up a trot and did two circles and my phone rang. I tried to answer it as it was Lucy but my phone was so waterlogged it wouldn't let me do anything. So then she texted and asked if I hadn't started riding yet if I could not use the arena and put hoofprints in it before the rain. (They had just drug it I guess). Sigh.... I get it. It's totally fair. But I was cranky because dangit I wanted a dressage lesson. And I was sopping wet so I was extra cranky. So I hollered to Kelli and then headed up to the jump arena to just do my lesson up there. Not a huge deal. Except Jacel was finishing and said that it was so much rain so quick that she made them stop jumping because they were creating big divots already. UGH.... I guess in retrospect, maybe a flat ride wouldn't have been as big of a deal because we might not have created divots without jumping, but... it's a priviledge to ride at Ashland and I didn't want to upset Lucy or damage the arenas. So... we just started laughing... like.. it's POURING rain... we're all soaked entirely through... it's just ridiculous. So we decided to do a lesson in the XC field. We could do a dressage lesson down there and not tear up footing and we were already soaked through anyways.... why not!? So we did. Of course once we got out there it cleared up and stopped raining. 

 

But the geese were out there. A TON of geese. And Funny was not having it. So... I explained how XC went so figured maybe this was a good thing because we could work through things. And.. it was. I know it was. But quite frankly, it was frustrating. Because I basically had to just spin her in circles and do figure 8's and changes of directions and changes in gait while she had a meltdown about the geese. And... we did make progress. She went from totally blowing me off and throwing her shoulders around to cocking one ear at me and staying more balanced. But... you know... not the dressage ride I wanted by any stretch of the imagination. We finally moved to the water complex and made her trot in circles in there to help her pay attention but by then the geese had moved a hair closer to the water complex so she was counter bent on one side the whole time. And again.. it's fine, because we worked through it. But it wasn't a fun ride by any stretch. So then Courtney showed up so we were pretty much done. I went and got Jacels' phone for her and brought it back. And then... I tried to leave and Funny threw a tantrum and didn't want to leave them. Grrrr....I managed to send her forward and we even got a nice semi-straight trot. Then I made her trot two logs and she managed to stay between my aids and steered quite nicely. So then we went back to stadium area and I decided to do a little bit more trotting in the grassy area up there. I don't know... I guess I felt like we hadn't really accomplished anything... And she was naughty there too, but we finished with some pretty decent trot circles without her throwing her shoulders every which way and threatening to go the opposite way. So... maybe I accomplished more than I think, because... I won. She didn't get to go the way she wanted and we didn't get into a big fight about it... I just persisted. So yeah.. I guess we'll see what happens our next rides there. 

She was hot and sweaty and wet and covered in sand. So she got a rinse and we headed home. I had to dry out and clean my tack but my saddle seemed to have fared okay thank goodness!