All is Well

One of one.

Unplanned radio silence has been going on here for a few reasons, none of them bad, some actually very good.  I had special assignment for work pop up that took some additional time out of my days.  I'm two classes from being done with my Master's in Forensic Science, and I have recently had some unreal career advancing opportunities outside of my regular job.  I'm also in the process of applying to the school I'm going to attend for my Ph.D.

I've been busy, but it's all for the advancement of my career and we all know that in the end, that just means more money for pony stuff, right?  We also had family come to town for a visit and last time they were here, in March, I had to leave 24 hours after they got here for a work trip so I didn't get to spend much time with them.  This time I was here for their entire visit.  Here are some pics of what I've been up to.

Bad Water Basin, Death Valley.

Golden Canyon, Death Valley.

Zabriskie's Lookout, Death Valley.

The Other Half <3

Back gate of Area 51, Rachel, Nevada.

You know all that Storm Area 51 nonsense going on?  This place is the rally point where it is supposed to start.

Sunset at the top of the Stratosphere...this was just the beginning of a crazy tequila filled night with a friend that stopped through town for work.  It ended with riding the big zipline over Fremont Street.

Also, Klein was on light duty for a few weeks while she got the loading dose of One AC.  I wasn't going to put her on it here but I decided to go ahead with it because it definitely won't hurt anything.  She had a mild case of anhydrosis in South Georgia that I caught immediately and One AC worked within three days to have her sweating like she had jumped in pool.  So, ever since then I have put her on it each summer.  I usually start a month prior to warmer weather but I started it late this year because I wasn't going to do it due to the dry climate.  It's not the heat that is the problem.  It is heat and humidity combined that is the problem.  But, like I said, it can't hurt and I have better peace of mind with her on it.  The vet here said that she really only sees cases here when we have some rain and the humidity increases, which is noticeable when the normal humidity is 9-14%.  All of that to say, I follow the loading dose instructions and they state "strenuous training or work must be reduced to a minimum for three weeks if maximum results are to be achieved.  Walking to maintain muscle tone is suggested, but keep the heartbeat below 80 bpm."

She's back to work now.  I took her to Lone Mountain the other weekend and she had a great time.  She loves adventuring.  I jumped her this morning and she felt amazing as usual.

Lone Mountain hill work.

One of those gorgeous mornings with my #1.

I have switched to riding in the early morning before work now that the summer heat is here.  The girls have fans with misters on all day to keep cool and they have been doing great.  My Queen B continues to look absolutely amazing and completely blow my mind with her fancy movement.

Queen B has been out and about too.  She has been having an odd issue that took a little detective work on my part but I have solved the mystery and that whole thing deserves it's own post (next post).  But B has been out and about too.  I also took her to Lone Mountain and she did great.  She was nervous at first but calmed down and did some hill work and did the whole trail that goes around Lone Mountain.  I took her alone on purpose like usual.  She has also been hacking around the neighborhood like a pro.  I jumped her last month and she felt AMAZING and nailed every distance at 2'6".  I was so proud I could have just floated right off of her back.  Once she gets straightened out this week it's back to jumping for her and I'll be taking her for some jumping lessons.

First lesson!  This was her first dressage lesson, or any kind of lesson for that matter, and she did absolutely perfect.

Hacking through the neighborhood to our lesson.

One of our hill work loops.

I did not make it to the recognized dressage show that was supposed to be Queen B's first recognized dressage show.  This was due to the special assignment at work.  There was the potential to work weekends and there was no way around that so I decided to not even take the risk of potentially flushing a few hundred dollars down the toilet by entering and then not being able to make it.  There are plenty around here anyway.

Mochs and Wes are also doing great.  Every update I get from the barn owner in NJ just makes me even more glad that they are where they are.  Here is a video from a few days ago:

The weather has still been insane up in NJ.  There have been two small tornadoes in the area we used to live in and massive flooding.  All has been good at the barn where Mochs and Wes are.  They are a bit further southeast from where we lived.  I cannot tell you how happy I am every single day when I wake up in the desert.  I love it here.  It's 107 today, and 5% humidity.  I LOVE IT.  And guess what? It was gorgeous riding this morning.  So to everyone who said how hot and miserable they think it is and how I wouldn't be able to ride in the summer...think again.  Meanwhile there are heat advisories of the absolutely crushing heat index because of the heat and humidity in NJ.  I would MUCH rather be riding here in the summer than there.  You know what else is amazing, NO BUGS!  It is so nice to walk around without insects buzzing all over, landing on you every .00023 seconds, and biting you.  There are NONE here.  I love the desert.