Exciting Stuff & Tough Decisions

Okay, so exciting stuff first, shall we?  Well, yesterday Cadence did her first set of transitions in two weeks where she stayed soft and didn't try to barge through or evade me.  Downwards transitions, I should add- her ups are always good!! Which may not seem too exciting to most, but it IS pretty exciting when you take into consideration that your horse, who recently decided to lose her past year of training and return to the bargy, rude 5 y/o phase, has apparently remembered how to act normal again.

Okay, so while all that MAY be exciting, here's the real news:
The really exciting stuff is that we may be heading down to the Carolina Horse Park in March for the Pine Top HT.  Yes, we'd only be competing at Novice (or maybe only BN depending on how the Mare feels) but really its like getting to go on vacation with your horse.  We'd head down the week before, do an XC school or two, and theoretically enjoy the sunny non-snowy weather!  If only they were on the coast...
The tough decisions part comes in because if I go down to NC, I won't be going to the Rolex this spring.  Financially, it just isn't feasible... plus, that's a lot of time off. Now to most people that probably seems like a no-brainer: to ride, or not to ride.  But for me at least, the Rolex is more than just going and watching some pretty ponies prance around all day.  Anywho, to an extent there isn't really a decision to be made, and I should (and do!) count myself lucky that I've been offered the opportunity to do something as exciting as travel 8 hours away to go school xc and compete while the rest of my country freezes their toes off.  A small part of me does still mourn the loss of Rolex though...

 Rolex...

 ...Rolex...

 ...Rolex...

 ...Rolex...

 

...Cadence!

My own pony wins out every time... even if the jumps we jump aren't quite as exciting!