Finally!!!

 Yahoo!! We finally got to pop over some cross country fences!! We have all our shoes... we are sound... and it's not a gabillion degrees out!

 

I had a cancellation for this morning and opted to not fill it. So that meant I could ride! Since yesterday was stupidly mean temperature and humidity wise, I didn't get to ride Lyric. So, today she got to go play! I debated taking her to Ashland vs riding at home and maybe being able to sneak two in, but... I decided that I wanted to go do XC. Even though I forgot that we're schooling on Saturday, but... still! I wanted to play. I was trying to be good and asked Caroline if she wanted to join me. She said yes, so yay!!! Except then her son was complaining about his hurt foot so she had to take him to the doctors. Poor kid ended up having a broken foot. So then I double debated riding at home, but then Sharon texted and said that her hair appt got cancelled so she could ride. Yay! So I decided to go to Ashland after all. But then Sharon said she couldn't get there til 11 ish. Um... I have to be leaving by 11:45 to get to work! Doh! So.. she said she would hustle. 

 

So.. Lyric and I loaded up after she finished breakfast and headed out. I figured I'd warm up and jump around cross country some until Sharon got there. Then we could hack. And then if she wanted to stay out longer, she could. So that's what we did. I walked Lyric around the small heron lake and then out to the XC field. She was a little short and choppy starting out but then loosened up. We got to the XC field and I picked up the trot. She was happy then and got more forward. We trotted over two logs and the second one she landed in a canter, so we cantered. And then we jumped some bigger things. Still nothing huge. And probably only a few beginner novice fences. Most of them were probably starter but we did get a couple of actual beginner novice fences. She did stop at the triple log stack (which might have actually been closer to novice, for ashland at least) twice, but that's because I was losing her shoulder. Once I got her straight in her body, she jumped it fine. And while she did try to run out that right shoulder a few times while we were cantering around (not necessarily at the fence), I was able to get her squared back up. She felt like she was being quick, but... I do think it's more just that she has shorter strides than the spotties, so she feels more frantic and fast to me than she is. But she was excited and was going today! She was also jumping most everything out of stride!! We didn't chip but once or twice. YAY! I was trying hard to stay in the backseat and I mostly did. But the one or two times I got a little ahead, she still jumped. Good girl!

 

She even did the up and down banks, the up and down bank in the water, and the ditch. I even did the big coop on a slight angle to the ditch to the hanging log out! Which might ahve actually been a training level question.. but probably novice (or maybe even lower) height. And she sort of peeked but went without stopping. It was more of a slight almost pause to assess. She cantered in and out of the water too. What a good brave girl! 

 

We jumped a fair amount of fences with not much of a break. She was just going, so we just kept cantering and picking fences. I did give her a few breaks though. So then I figured Sharon should be about ready and we were done, so we walked up the hill, then back down. Then I did a few circles of trot to get her back into non-xc mode, and then we walked back up the hill and met Sharon and Baylor as they were coming out of the woods. Sadly, we only had about 30 minutes although I did decide I could probably stay out a bit later and just get feed after work instead of before. 

 

We hacked down to the lake so Lyric could get a sip. She splashed a tiny bit. Then we went down to the bridge by Raccoon Loop and I got a phone call. I figured it was the doctors office trying to schedule a follow up so I answered. And it was the doctors office.. but it was Dr. Woo. My biopsy results came back. And.. it is cancer. A grade zero, which they debate on whether to even call it cancer, but... they do. She suggested either an MRI and a lumpectomy with chemo/radiation or a total masectomy. Oh.... oh.... oh. Wow. That's not what I was expecting. She gave me some more info and I told her I would talk to Mike and then check back in. She said they'd call to schedule my MRI soon. I hung up... and then cried a tiny bit. I told Sharon. And bless her... she's a good friend. We walked up the hill via idlewhile or hoot and holla or five terraces.. I don't even know. And then we were at the top and headed back down to the backside of XC. There was a tree down, that was not in a great position to jump, so we walked around and still had to step over a larger branch. And then we were back in XC via Narnia. At that point I told Sharon that I had to go because of timing, but also I didn't want to stay longer because.. I wanted to go home and talk to Mike. So she and Baylor peeled off to try to go find some other friends that were out riding. I felt awful, but.. I am glad we got to ride together for 30 minutes at least. I got Lyric hosed off and we headed home. And Mike is amazing and said all the right things. So I'll call tomorrow and get more information and then be praying like crazy for guidance on what to do. 

Lyric was so good though. We had fun schooling and I think she's ready for the show. I'm excited about our lesson on Saturday because I want to see how she'll do over more beginner novice fences. And she was so good while I was on the phone. She's just a good mare. I did tell her I was sorry that I underestimated her. I'm grateful for her.