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The 24 hours since my last blog have been turbulent to say the least.
To start on the positive note I had an amazing lesson with Kyle yesterday on the flat and was floating on cloud 9 while walking back to the barn. Conveniently, immediately after I walked past our vet and waved some of the show jumpers grooms were yelling "Hey Lady, Hey Lady!" and pointing at Gracie’s hind end. My first thought of course was "well, they don't want to go near that" but then I saw what they were pointing at as one of her hind shoes was hanging on by just one nail. Luckily our amazing team vet, Dr. Chris Newton was able to come remove the rest of the shoe safely and send me back to the barn, back on earth to soak her hind foot. How fun does that sound with Gracie? Despite a few initial kicks at us to let me and Alex Green know she didn't enjoy this Grace finally let us put her foot in. When she trotted up sound later Chris and I decided to have it glued on the next morning after a night of having it wrapped. Thank you Grace for waiting for the perfect moment, the day before jogs, to throw the first shoe you've ever thrown since I've owned you. And a hind one at that! But again, she is one tough little mare and didn't seem the least bit bothered by it.
(Above Left: TSF Amazing Grace all tucked in for the night in her stall at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Good Luck Monkey is courtesy of Law Eventing! Below Right: Two-star teammate, Devon Brown at the Opening Ceremonies. Missy Miller Photos)
After dinner with the team last night a few of us were making a late night Wal*Mart run and picking up some last minute accessories to add to our jog outfits. Upon selecting the items and everything else we needed as I walked out to my truck I made the shocking discovery that my keys were NO WHERE. I ran back inside and asked everyone who looked like they would be able to understand me in my high pitched and panicked state of mind. After perusing the store hunting for my elusive keys and not even catching a trail the intercom came on announcing the closing of the store. I had officially closed down a Wal*Mart and it was starting to look like I would also be sleeping in my truck. Welcome to Kentucky. Thankfully my teammate, Dani Dichting, was able to come pick me up and I was invited to spend the night with the rest of my team and hope my keys would be magically found by the next morning. Well they weren't... This left me in a hard situation with my clothes on one end of the world and everything else on the other end. My sweet groom, Alex, leant me her truck when I needed to get dressed for jogs. Looking back, it was a very risky move on her part looking at my recent history with keys. And of course my reputation preceeded me and a locksmith was called from tripleA to make her a new set. Strike two. But alas, the key god's shined through and a call was received saying mine had been found!
Besides all of the lost keys and lost shoes, I am happy to announce that all of Area 3 passed jogs today and looked smashing while doing so! Bring on the weekend! After jogs and another fabulous lesson from Kyle I am really looking forward to tomorrow and also can't wait to see my teammates go in the ring as well!
(Left: The result of two lost sets of keys in Missy’s truck. Below Right: Emily Renfroe at Opening Ceremonies. Missy Miller Photos)
Opening ceremonies were earlier tonight and I think all the organizers did a great job on honoring every discipline and area/zone/region accordingly Walking into the grand stand arena at the horse park with all your teammates, seeing the Rolex signs everywhere and hearing your family and friends clapping for you is almost impossible to describe. Definitely makes you stand up a little taller. After a short but very moving opening speech the feel of excitement among all the competitors was impossible to deny as you saw all the team members from every discipline looking sideways at each other and grinning, although the grins were wavering between worrisome looks as a threatening thunderstorm loomed on the horizon. I doubt that will be enough to damper the spirits of everyone here as the week moves forward.
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