Andale has been losing some of the good training Nicole gave him - throwing his head up like when he came to us as a country/charro horse a year and a half ago. He´d become a bit of a handful for Sean. It was time for retraining. Nicole this week put Andale through flatwork, lateral work, extended trots, reminding him he is capable of majestic work.

Nicole is also training Lucky and Carla to do Dressage Level 3 work. Lucky is adjusting well to working with a double bridle for the advanced movements. Carla has ambitions to be as good a rider as Cutch Olympic champion Anky Van Grunsven some day.

Retta Under the Mexican Sun

Cece, who part-owns Retta and rides her when she comes to Mexico, sent a drawing of her horse in the red halter she still uses. Hurry back to San Miguel, Cece!

Trail Ride

Today I rode the donkey Lupita. She is a stubborn girl. We tried to go over a creek and she just wouldn't go over it. Finally I got off to try to pull her across, but she decided she was going to pull me. So I saved myself from falling in. I got on again and Nicole and Vaquero get behind us to push her across and finally Lupita crossed the one foot wide creek. -Sean

Last week I was riding Muneca and she was a little hyper. So I stayed walking in the front part of the arena. I knew she didn't want to go to the back. Then I felt her relax and I followed Dumbum (Dumburi). When I got to the corner, out of nowhere Muneca spooked and started running. She stopped when she got to the other side of the arena.
Today I rode Carolita's horse Savanah on the trail ride and she behaved well. -Fernanda

I left our business (a spa) to my husband today and went out with Nicole and the girls on tiny little Retta. They call Lupita La Burra 'the couch' because her back is so wide. Sean rode Lupita bareback with a halter and a rope - for the comfy ride, but then the pair looked like something out of an I Love Lucy episode - Sean trying to get Lupita across a foot-wide creek. Vaquero used to be nuts on the trail - jumpy and hot. But suddenly about five riders are using him during the week, so, with lots of exercise, he was very calm today. Nicole rode with a double bridle just in case he wanted to race every campesino horse we passed, like he used to. -Sue

We were going to divide the whole group which is Lucinda-Cimarron, Nicole-Vaquero, Janice-Chico, Doc-Tesora, Sean-Lupita, Fernanda-Savanah, My mom-Retta and Me-Lucky in two groups. Group #1 - the gallopers: Lucinda, Doc, Janice and me. Group #2-The enjoyers: Nicole, Sean, Mom and Fernanda. The gallopers were gonna leave 20 minutes before the enjoyers so the horses woldn't act up. While I was warming Lucky up, and we were all ready to hit it, Benito (caballerango) says to us Lucinda and the others already LEFT.
And to make a long story short, Lucky and I didn't get to run. But hey, there is always a brand new day!!!!!!!!!!!!! -Carla