As usual, mea maxima culpa

Yes, you're right -- as usual, I'm behind on my blogging.  I've been really slammed with my new position at work, so I haven't had time in the middle of the day to update like I have in the past.  I've also been riding a lot, so no time for updates from the saddle either!

What's over there?  See my muscles?

Anyway, the updates in brief are:

Apollo is looking fit, fat, sassy, and shiny!  I had to bump up his feed again, because a cup of rice bran, 2 cups of beet pulp, and 2 scoops of Cool Calories weren't putting weight on him.  So now he gets 2 pounds of beet pulp (OMG, soaked, that is a LOT of food), 1.5 to 2ish pounds of rice bran, and 4 scoops of Cool Calories, along with salt and U-Gard powder.  Voof.  That's a lot, but he's looking gawjus.   See?





Of course, in the time between when I wrote that last sentence and now, a day has gone by.  In that day, he managed to scrape the inside of his upper right thigh, and apparently -- he tells me -- it's quite tender!   Yesterday our resident European rode him, and his comment was that Apollo was stiff at first but worked through it fine.   I got up for a bit several hours later, and "a bit stiff" was not quite nearly enough description.  He was really unhappy with the idea of moving much at all, so I didn't push it.   Plus, he'd already had a good jump school, so I didn't need much except Horse Therapy and just to get in the saddle.   So sympathy, cold hosing, bucket, and carrots for Apollo after a calm ride.

Come on, human.  Pictures are boring!

He was much less stiff today and barely needed anything more than a good long walk to get warmed up.  We worked on the grass instead of in the arena, and I have to say I really like it.  It's really pleasant to go thundering around the cross-country field, even if we're not jumping!  Plus, it's good for me to ride at speed on terrain.  Not huge speed or extreme terrain, but still.

We have a little jumper show coming up soon -- I'll update when I get back, for sure.  There should also be pictures!  Hooray!   Action shots, even!   Of me in my finally-I-got-them tan FITS.  No jacket, but we'll just be going in the jumper ring, so no worries.

Like, really, really boring.

It'll be our first time off property, so I'll be interested to see how he does.  I honestly expect him to be mostly calm, with some "OMG lookit that!" moments.  He's pretty relaxed, though, so I'm not too worried.  We'll school before the show itself, too, which will help.  Very much looking forward to it!

It's true: I is handsomest pony.

Then the other big news is that he's making his debut as My Event Pony (he did go once with redheadlins, so not his official debut) at Caber Farms at the end of the month.  :D   I am SO excited.  I even get to go!  Our resident European will be riding him, so he's sure to get a good, confidence-building ride before I take him out myself.   Super, super excited.  :)