Thursday, December 4, 2008

Fun and goodbyes.

Today was the last riding class of the semester. It was a whole lot of fun, even though it was really sad too. 
We spent the day playing games. I rode Bugsy AGAIN, but it was okay because we weren't jumping. I also took a pain pill before I left, so I'm not in too much pain right now. Bugsy was actually really great for me. 
The first game was a race involving those red Solo cups (See, they're good for all sorts of games!) and chunks of rubber arena footing. We had to race across the ring, pick up a single piece of footing, race back, put it in the cup, and get as many pieces of footing in the cup as we could in tw0 and a half minutes. I had three in my cup before Bugsy nosed the cup over, and then I got two more after. It was a whole lot of fun. 
The next game was "musical blankets." Teresa set out a bunch of old saddle pads on the ground on the inside track of the ring, and we had to trot along the outside track while music was playing. When the music stopped, we had to get some part of at least one hoof on a blanket. It was really fun, even though I was the third one out. I sat sidesaddle in the middle for a while, which was fun. Bugsy wasn't as cooperative with the leg over his head as Stella usually is, which surprised me. 
The final game was a relay race. It was the chestnuts versus the paints/bays. I was on the chestnut team, and I was the third person to go each time. Each person had a different task to complete while crossing the ring to pass off the crop. The first rider (Heather) had to ride a sitting trot, the second rider had to ride any gait without stirrups (Shannon cantered.), the third rider had to ride any gait in two-point (Moire cantered.), and I had to ride any gait without stirrups (I cantered.). We lost both times, but it was so much fun. 
I like gymkhana games. They remind me of why I ride.
After the lesson, we untacked, ate some wonderful peanut-butter-chocolate brownies (courtesy of Shannon), and talked in a circle outside of the barn. I'm going to miss everyone so much. Some people are moving up to Intermediate like me, but I don't think anyone else is in the class that I signed up for. Some people are staying in Hi-Elementary. 
I was thinking about joining the team next semester, but after hearing tales of the brutal social hierarchy, I'm not so sure. I hate, and always will hate, excessive competition and rude people. 
NOM NOM NOM, Shannon made some bangin' brownies :) 

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