Where have you been? The ranting mother catches you up on the year that lapsed between posts!

As anyone who has ever blogged knows, starting is easy, sustaining the momentum is another thing.  Just after I last posted, my daughter and I hit our one year anniversary at the eventing barn where we board, she hit her stride with her pony and I had said about all I had to say for awhile.  In that first year I learned so many tangible, practical things and I loved sharing them.

In the second year, the lessons have been less concrete, though no less essential and impactful.  And we continue to learn.  I look forward to sharing these lessons over the coming months.

So last spring began with my daughter's awesome little pony taking off while jumping with her on his back.  She held on and in the end, she was ready for that lesson.  The little girl who had been broken by such behavior from a pony in the past emerged from the winter more confident, determined and ready to take whatever her pony dished out.

We bought a bigger trailer.  I had always known that with a daughter who wanted to event a dressing room would be essential.  It just took us awhile to work my husband around to our way of thinking.

Elizabeth and Pumba in July.

Elizabeth took her pony away to camp in Vermont.  When I picked her up she was like a whole new kid.  Her confidence had soared and she was ready to move up a level.  She was also several inches taller and starting to outgrow her beloved pony.

We had a great season with excellent instruction at pony club meetings, a trip to Kentucky and the Kentucky Horse Park for Pony Club Championships where her quiz team came in 7th in the country! Elizabeth competed at her first few USEA sanctioned horse trials.  At the first one, her pony took off across the cross country course with her and I was worried, amazed and proud as I watched her work through the tools in her tool box until she found one that worked.

Elizabeth and Quizz at their first horse trials together in October.

By the fall Elizabeth had truly outgrown her pony, both in size and in his ability to compete at the level she was ready for.  In August we stumbled upon the perfect horse to be Elizabeth's next partner. We were extremely lucky!!!  Elizabeth began her new partnership with Quizz and Pumba found a new home in Hamilton, Massachusetts.  In case you are not aware, it's never that easy.  We took it as a sign that it was all meant to be but perhaps nothing is ever truly easy.  We are now on a new journey, complete with twists and turns and unforeseen complications.  

And here I leave you with my promise to try again.  A new year, another resolution, and hopefully one I can fulfill.