Wednesday

Day 3: Even at 5 AM it isn't quite light in Calgary. As is typical of Canada nothing is open and thus no coffee available. It is raining and the world is mostly quiet. I love the sleepiness of early mornings at Spruce. No one is in a hurry, horses are usually getting walked instead lunged. The pace is an amble contrasted to the usual dead run of most shows. Aurora and Duvalin are happy to be the first fed in their aisle. I get to do the morning before going back to the Super 8 to pick up Tami and The Terriers.

T and Aurora go 28th in the 1.25M that start at 8 in the North American Ring. 7:30 rolls around and T has walked, Aurora has walked, she is groomed, tack is set out, studs have been selected and the backpack is packed. T and The Terriers take a nap. I go get coffee and toast. Yet another reason I love this place, they assume that people might like to eat like normal people. I share my breakfast with Addie and Luna while I force myself to be patient. Getting the horse ready early does not make the other rider's rounds go faster. If it did we could have a great side business in time-fault avoidance.

The schooling area is its usual self. lots of people, lots of horses, most of them famous or acting like they are. The people watching is pretty good but perhaps not as good as at the North American. As Hollywood has shown us for decades, nobody can fascinate the world like a Californian. I forget Aurora hasn't been here before because she takes it all like a pro. flags don't bother her. Getting studded at the ring seems to be old hat. She doesn't get wild until after her victory gallop in the 1.30M. We'll see how relaxed she is tomorrow now that she knows victory gallops are part of this scene.

The wanna-be lover boys are back at it. Cashew is tied beside a cushy looking dog bed but he'll have none of it unless he can lure his little blue-eyed miss in to join him. The naughty minx keeps lurking her way down the aisle toward him; her intentions don't seem entirely pure. Capone has quieted down but he still notices every move La Pinta makes. Michelle (Capone's groom) is worried, she's been told it takes 30 minutes to walk to the international ring AND Capone seems too quiet. I can't help her on the timing issue but after Aubrey rides she abandons discretion and walks Duvalin in and out the west end of the barn, right past Capone. That perks him up. Cashew remains inconsolable, apparently he also misses his cat.