I know, I have been away for a long time. I was teaching a class at UCR. However, If you have been reading Happy Hoofbeats, you know that my students and I have been busy. Still, I can't wait, now that this particular job assignment has ended, to get to work on Sailor and /Centi's chapters.

Yesterday former student Dale Raymond, navigator Jeff Allen, and I rode from Grand Terrace, homebase, over Pigeon Pass Road, then down the telephone pole access road on the Moreno Valley side  yesterday. It was a clear day and a challenging ride. For the first time in years, we let Centi, Sailor, and Sunny go flat out...on a safe surface and slight incline. Not what I would do every time! We were ALL huffiing and puffing. We saw over 50 burros back there, with the yearling males being shoo-ed off by herd stallions. What a noisy bunch they all are.

I had no IDEA so much time has passed since my last post. Jeff Allen- my navigator/header- as well as Mary Mc, and Tara and I have been riding and working the horses A LOT. Jeff finished restoring the Meadowbrook cart, so we now have 2 carriages to drive. I upgraded Centi's harness, so there are 2 complete sets of harness. Anyone interested is welcome to watch our lesson at Reata Ranch on the corner of Washington and Jefferson in Riverside with Athena Kepplar at 9:00 AM on July 21. It will be Jeff's 1st lesson, so beginners will have a good idea of what to expect. I am looking forward to speed work through obstacles as practice for the next show!

Since last I wrote...

Sorry it has been so long, but I have been busy! The book is coming along. Benjamin, Cooper, Gitano are final drafted, Baretta and Fresno are in the process. Plus, several wonderful "crew" and I were getting Sailor ready for his first carriage show. OH. WOW. We came in 2nd of 12 in our first class! And 4th in the Open Pleasure class. Next time we will try timed cones. If you are reading this and rode any of the above horses, also Dreamer, who is next, do let me know at annecenti@juno .com  Your comments are WELCOME.The only downside to so much writing is that I may need to do more standing up!

How cool to visit a former student, now instructor in her own right

Lindsay Long (just engaged, FYI) volunteered to help distribute my books to venues in the N. CA area. I was her first riding instuctor:  she was 7 years old. She went on to pony club and never gave up her dream. I was able to visit her lovely facility at Hidden Valley Ranch, in Carmel Valley with Pia, Midnight 2, and Lacey as school horses. She had a guest instructor as a birthday surprise for one of her students: Bea de Gracia. I met Derek and Bea when they ran Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. Lindsay is in the process of organizing a club house with bunks for summer camps. I recommend it.  She has her own website, Lindsayslessons.com. I will learn how to post pictures,too, maybe! We have stayed in touch all these years, and I could not be prouder of her.

Well, by now you should have seen the carriage lesson Jeff, Sailor and I had a Reata ranch on the Thursday before Memorial Day. We have to get both Centi and Sailor in shape for the upcoming Adhor Drive on June 23 in Camarillo. Dale and I rode all over Sycamore Canyon on Monday. It was GORGEOUS. Will try to get Happy Hoofbeats out tomorrow, as I will be in Big Sur for the next 5 days! will get to see former student, now a trainer in her own right, Lindsay Long.

always forward!

Thanks to my wonderful navigator, Jeff Allen, we harnessed up and had our best practice yet through the obstacle course.  We made a maze, single poles, and a series of gates in a large field in the flood plain near MakRanch. First time through, a week or so ago, we hit everything! Friday, we made it through every one at the trot, the first time. YAY. Looking forward to our cones lesson in Riverside on Thursday. Let me know if you want to spectate.