epic 3* xc @ MDHT

Phew, the Monday after a long weekend is always a bit of a doozy, right? This past week / weekend was so jam packed I almost can't remember everything I did.

Boyd Martin won the 3* with Pan Am Games-bound Tsetserleg

Sure, there was plenty of riding. Some July 4th fireworks, naturally. A few World Cup games... A graduation party, some nights out with friends. Spectating at a low key local jumper show, and then turning right around to spectate again for Loch Moy Farm's epic CCI3*-S division (plus all the rest of their FEI and HT divisions).

Ya know. Some stuff haha. Oooh and some shopping too, tho that'll have to wait til later.

and. ya know. he also won the Open Prelim with Bonito. like ya do.

Part of me was sad to sacrifice my regular weekly jump lesson to go check out the show. But.... Yea it was totally worth it haha. It feels like a worthwhile trade off anyway, esp since Chuck and I have been doing our best to follow doctor's orders, and have been incorporating more jumping into our weekly regimen. More on that later, too, tho.

epic compilation here - including almost the entire Pan Am team (inc reserves) 

My main priority for spectating at Loch Moy was to get enough footage for another badass FEI compilation video. Mission accomplished haha, see the above.

Honestly there are so many incredible moments from the video that it would have been nearly impossible to try to pick and choose just a few screen grabs to share with y'all. Possibly I  might go back and do that later, but for now you just get the video. Please consider sharing it too, since admittedly my own YouTube audience is basically like.... my mom, my cousin, and maybe a couple of their neighbors LOL.

Included in the video are some insane combinations like a sunken road, MDHT's notoriously giant leaf pit, and a crazy roller coaster line through the water. All ridden by top class riders and horses, since this event served as a formal run for the US's selected Pan Am team.

picture unrelated: probably neither a Pan Am mount or prelim horse haha, but still my best most handsomest boy <3
pc Austen Gage

Anyway tho, I hit up the show with Austen and her huskies (after having already watched Austen's little jumper show the night before, a story I'm sure she'll share eventually lol). For the 3* class I made it my business to hustle around the entire course, moving quickly from jump to jump, in order to snag all the footage.

After that, tho, it was time to park our swampy selves in some shade. Just relaxing with the cooler full of various beverages haha (beer-mosas, anyone?) and enjoying watching all the divisions and pretty horses go. Which felt like a fitting end to a very long holiday weekend, ya know?

any busy weekend is worth it when i get to see this face! pc Austen Gage

More to come later on the state of things with Charles (short story: shit's good, y'all), and my latest and greatest plans etc. Until then, tho, I'm getting caught up on my sleep schedule, and, uh, ahem, possibly in cleaning up the house and buying groceries too. Details details.

Did anyone else in the States take advantage of the long weekend? Was it equally jam-packed with random escapades, or perhaps you took advantage of having some extra opportunities for down time?