Ring in 2021 in the dressage ring: January-February Goals and Progress

[Moutaineer]

Flight, Ding is looking GREAT. You must be so pleased! And Kelo, so do you! Your new guy is going to be something fancy.

MSM, sometimes you kinda wish you hadn't seen that before you have to get on again, don't you!

Laddie was a somewhat chastened good boy the day after our excitement and I had a pleasant, but brief ride. However, it's snowed like hell ever since, so the roofalanche quotient is getting pretty high again. The soundproof bonnet helps a bit, but not enough--and then there's the sight of it going past the windows... He's OK if he's kept busy and focused, but that's hard to do when you are trying to bring him back slowly post-layoff. He reckons he's perfectly fine, of course.

Demi, I think positive vocal reinforcement is a hugely important teaching tool. If we never tell them they've done the right thing, how are they ever going to work it out for themselves?

I'm glad Rip is doing so well!

My husband has an appointment for his first Covid shot next Friday, which is a huge relief. I reckon I'm probably a couple of months out, but at least if I'm not worried about killing him it will make life a little less stressful.

Nothing else new to report here today. Work meetings all day so no horsie stuff for me.

[piedmontfields]

Love the progress reports. Go rip! I agree that Ding looks even more powerful now. I had forgotten he is TBxFriesian. That is tricky as you know and he is such a great example of solid training--I mean that as a serious compliment, Flight!

My grand news: This is the second day of 2 minutes of trotting on straight lines. Emi is unbelievably happy and proud of herself. Of course it was straight, forward and on the bit!

[demi]

That’s great news Khall. Good Boy Rip!! You know we will eventually want some pivo of him!!

Kelo I meant to tell you how much I liked the vid of your GP QH! I’ve seen stills of him before, but I think that’s the first video I’ve see. It’s really quite impressive. Your little golden boy has some big shoes to follow!!

Flight keep posting those videos. Ding is fun to watch. I know you’ve said he doesnt have the fancy warmblood gaits, but I truly love watching you and Ding with your genuine harmony together.

Susan I always like your posts as I am encouraged by your perseverance. It is damn hard sometimes to ride with an aging body. I have days where I’m so stiff I can barely get my leg over the saddle. My eyes about fell out of my head when I first got the soloshot and saw myself hand walking Rocky to the mounting block. I thought, who’s that gimpy old lady walking my horse!

Piedmont, I am happy to hear Emi is back! And I’m absolutely sure it was straight, forward and on the bit

If I have forgotten someone I’m gonna have to play the old age card!

[Chisamba]

Demi, I think you are doing great. Like me, using video to try and progress. It's not easy but it does work if you keep at it.
Chisamba, so cool to read your history, especially to hear how you were long listed for the Olympics. Not many can say that. How tragic to lose those horses too, by the way.
Aleuronx, sorry to hear that you still have troubles with Kora. I hate not riding!
Yay Bliss video! Looking so good, love seeing your progress. He is a very nice horse.
Mountaineer - ouch! The worst I have is the neighbours sheep, can't imagine what snow falling off the roof would be like! Good that he was sound though..??
Khall, is Cedar on vdeo there? I can find some of the livestreams, I'll see if I can find it.

Ding's been off for a while with intermittent lameness. I had him xrayed and it showed bits of stuff but nothing huge but the most likely impacts were he likely had laminitis in spring (which I thought he might have had, we had so much grass after such drought) and consequently has thin soles. He had a persistent toe crack but thankfully the xray showed nothing behind it, no gas pocket etc. So the plan is front shoes for few cycles, and cut out the toe crack properly to get it to heal.

Now Ding has never had shoes in his 12 years of life, and to be honest I was a bit sad/apprehensive that we were going to shoes but since I've ridden him a few times, to me he is noticeably more confident in how he moves. Is it the shoes or the time off?
Previously In his sequence changes, I was struggling with him coming through with his hindlegs, but he's a lot more willing now.
I'll add some vid, he's even more willing for 1 x changes. In fact, it's me that can't keep up. Watching the video, I need to keep my backside in the saddle and trust him a bit more, but please, anyone with experience with 1x changes that might have some tips let me know! I'm making this shit up by myself .

Ding's vid:
https://youtu.be/-KzNGyg84Wg

Flight, I am so impressed and inspired by how you just keep progressing. I think you are sitting better than your earlier videos of your changes. if you can sit more quietly in your seat the timing for ones will be easier. although to be honest once I had the ones, I would start them, count and then stop them. my timing wasn't good enough to do exact counts. Sunstorm would string them together and I'd just tell him when to stop. so my advice might be worthless

having two horses with laminitis, do you think maybe he could lose a few more pounds? sadly once they have had a bit of it, they are prone to more.

[Chisamba]

Some real progress to report. Bliss and I can now do 4x changes! He's going super well for my trainer and it's great to be in a position where I can get on and enjoy where he is now.

Some pics and video... (please note.. trainer rides him much better than I do... she has him reaching more honestly into the bridle than I am able to get at this point)
https://youtu.be/hlyzJqzhINI

2 things I noticed. First some long time ago we chatted about rider collapsed ribs, I think your posture is great, straight and clear. second, I really like his canter work, I think I prefer it to the trot. well done

[Kyra's Mom]

Well..I got to ride again! 2x this week so far. And, I am delighted to say it was 180 degrees from our ride on Sunday. Thank you for no wind. It makes life so much nicer. I didn't have much time but had a lovely ride. The outdoor was just worked 2 days ago with very little traffic and the top was dry but with moisture underneath and one's geometry becomes crystal clear when it is like that. After our 5 min of walk, I did some bending lines to LY aka bow ties then went to trot. She was so lovely and light...almost too light but she was in front of the leg and had very nice self carriage so I ran with it. Our 20m circle (trot and canter) was pretty darn nice...maybe just a bit flat on one side but it looked like yin and yang with our change of rein through the circle (at trot). We finished up with our haunches in exercise on the square at walk and just for kicks and giggles, I tried to get some leg lifts under saddle. We didn't try to do actual SW as I need to convince her she can do it while I am mounted. She did it...not the amplitude I have been getting on the ground but she definitely tried and I praised her highly on how wonderful she is .

Flight...super work .

Susan

[Ryeissa]

My dog has cancer and my horse slipped and hurt his shoulder slipping on ice- not a crisis/life threatening but TBD. Please jingle.
Worst day ever.

[Anne]

Oh no Rye! Massive jingles for pooch and horse, and cyber hugs to you.

[Chisamba]

jingles Rye

[khall]

Jingles Rye!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Oh gosh Ryeissa. I'm sorry. Jingles for you and your animals.

[Kelo1]

Jingles for you and your animals, Ryeissa

[Moutaineer]

Oh, Rye, i am sorry. Sending healing wishes.

[Josette]

Sending positive vibes your way.

[demi]

So sorry to hear that, Rye. More positive vibes from Texas.

[Ryeissa]

thanks, little dude is doing ok-ish and getting stall rest. Going to check him later today.
Little dudette (dog) is getting her diabetes and UTI cleared up before a possible mass removal surgery. She was in the hospital a lot this week.

[Aleuronx]

Jingles for the painted dude and your little dudette, sounds like you all have had a rough week. Dogs never live long enough.

[blob]

So sorry to hear this, Rye. Please keep us posted on both

[Ryeissa]

so Riot is "ok-ish". stall rest, getting therapies. I think its left shoulder. Seeing sports medicine vet monday am

[demi]

How’s the dudette? Is it the one-eyed dog? I have a soft spot for her because I have a one-eyed Boston Terrier. They have tendency to pull even more on your heartstrings....

[StraightForward]

Jingles for your critters Rye!

I need to go back and watch everyone's videos; seeing the progress is so inspirational!

Just chugging along here. I think I may have found the unicorn saddle we need (18" XW, forward flap, short block) with features I want (monoflap, serge panels) used. Sent tracings off last night and emailed photos this morning. Fingers crossed it will work since it's cheaper and will save me probably 3 months of waiting to get something custom made.

In the meantime I'm alternating between lunging and riding in the dressage and jumping saddles to hopefully prevent issues. We had a lovely ride on Thursday evening, A getting much more adjustable in her trot and canter, and able to flow between lateral movements in the walk as well as getting more comfortable with the W/C/W transitions and simple changes. I'm trying to remember to incorporate rein-back into every ride, and I think it's giving her a better sense of how to keep her hind feet under and active, so the TOH is getting more correct.

And Tesla is finally almost lunging like a normal horse as in, I don't have to double lunge to maintain control. She's still difficult and argues at the beginning of each session, but it's coming along, so I should be able to warm her up on the lunge and then hopefully not have to have the same arguments under saddle every time. Cantering right is truly difficult for her, so I am not having any regrets about taking my time on getting her cantering under saddle.

[Ryeissa]

How’s the dudette? Is it the one-eyed dog? I have a soft spot for her because I have a one-eyed Boston Terrier. They have tendency to pull even more on your heartstrings....

yes! Good memory....this is the diabetic beagle x lab baby girl! she is doing well overall. liver mass (cancer) but UTI needs to be cleared up before surgery can happen.
Overall fine-(really, you would never know she was so sick)
Her eating in the am has been weird- not sure if its the antobiotic or "hey lets trade up for better food~!" but we are managing. At least this round she isn't throwing up and really sick.
(Obviously if she doesn't eat she doesn't get insulin or antibiotic).
She is overall appearing normal and happy, and she is a very tough girl. She lost her L eye due to glaucoma 1.5 yrs ago.

Riot dude is getting more treatments this weekend....and on stall rest. Not bad timing since its well below zero. I have no idea what happened to him as he was running outside but some variation of slip/fall/crash. We know when it happened and the trainer said he was super for the ride hours before.

[Sue B]

Jingles to dude and dudette, Rye. I hope everything works out well for you and your animals.

Love the videos Flight and Demi. You guys rock!

Moutaineer, I kinda wish we had some of your snow, ours is always "rain and snow mixed" which makes things somehow soggy and icy at the same time! Jingles that Laddie continues to stay sound and that your horse search goes well.

Piedmont, that is so exciting! Keep up the good rehab, Em!!!!

Why is it, when I only live 150 miles or so from SF and Kyra's Mom, that we have high winds, snow, rain, ice blah, blah, blah, and they don't??? Yesterday it was mid to upper 30's with 25-30mph winds gusting to 40mph. Definitely NOT riding weather, lol. Today, at least, the sun is sort of out and it's about 10 degrees warmer and winds aren't quite as strong; so maybe I'll venture out for a ride later today. Good news is that all horses appear to be sound at the moment, fingers crossed Probably can't do much arena work cuz there are still large puddles in our driveway, indicating that the arena is probably still too wet. Did I mention that I had a lovely ride last weekend on both the boys? Not much actual work but it was nice to get out and about, and they were both well-behaved despite both having the "squealies."

[StraightForward]

Sue, if it makes you feel better, we've had plenty of nasty windy days lately. There was definitely no chance I was getting on Tesla with the wind last night. My barn (and Susan's is a couple miles farther out) sits up on a bench probably only 100' higher elevation than my house, but it gets way, way windier out there.

[piedmontfields]

Fingers crossed for creatures needing healing! Ice is very scary to me with horses. I miss the northeast, but wonder if I really would be happy back there with horses in my life.

SF, I so hear you on making Tesla "a normal horse." Honestly, that should be on the training scale! Fingers crossed on your saddle unicorn.

We are now doing 5 minutes of trot. Emi would like to extend that to 10. This is why I'm the physical therapist and she is the mare

[StraightForward]

Piedmont, great to hear that Emi's PT is continuing to progress!

So much for my hopes of warming Tesla upon the lunge; she was still a PITA for the first 10-15 minutes under saddle. I had to laugh because one barnmate saw the first half of our ride and remarked on how naughty she was, while another barnmate.saw the end of her ride and said she was looking wonderful. The sticky parts are getting less stuck though,.so just keep swimming!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

I was hoping to ride my friend's Arabian gelding tonight but this morning I fell halfway down our stairs. They are so steep, it's not the first time! This one, I'm feeling it! My upper back and left shoulder are pretty sore. No riding tonight, I can barely lift myself from the couch.

I have a Dressage lesson on Tuesday, hopefully I'm not still sore then.

[Ryeissa]

I think we will be sitting out for awhile so catch up with you guys in March

[exvet]

Gosh sending well wishes to all those in rehab as well as those dealing with less than spectacular weather. Junior and I went to the show this morning. We were blessed with a beautiful day and a pony that behaves so well and is so easy in many ways. We scored the same in each test in front of each judge (second level test 3). We came in first with a 62% and change which seems to be really where we ended off (okay a 63) at the last show 2 weeks ago. I can't say I'm disappointed at all. I know what we need to work on and where we need to improve. We are so close to hitting that groove that I can taste it. I really haven't developed the medium trot or the transitions as I should. Because he's just turning 7 next month I've been a bit sparing because I don't really want to use him up subscribing to the idea that there are only so many in there. As stated many times before I really need to work on increasing Junior's strength and ability to carry himself which has been hinging on getting him and keeping him straight. We're really teeter tottering right now; but, I know exactly where to head from here. So at the end of the day we need to improve A LOT but I feel that we are on the right path. I'm just grateful for every day that I get to own and ride such a willing and well behaved pony. Now we look onto March and see if we can improve a bit more in 5 weeks.

[Ryeissa]

Not serious WHEW....! So happy

[exvet]

Not serious WHEW....! So happy

That warrants a celebration of sorts.....yay!

[Ryeissa]

Not serious WHEW....! So happy

That warrants a celebration of sorts.....yay!

YEAH! I was thrilled. It started really bad so I had no idea what to think, Miracle boy

[demi]

Just about 3 weeks left in this thread. I am feeling fairly good about being able to complete my goal of sending in another T3 test to Melissa Creswick at virtualhorsesport.com. We’ve made definite improvement over the first test I sent in but some things still need work. I think I’ll probably video and send it in even if it isn’t as good as I think it can get. Just to keep me motivate and working. I’ll give myself 2 more weeks before I video the test.

[Flight]

Only 3 weeks left? What happens to time as you get older?? It seems to speed up so much.

Thanks Chisamba and Khall for tips with the tempis. I think it's going to be a work in progress... I've been practicing being quieter in single changes but I get too excited when I string them together or if I get too quiet they don't happen. The hip video helped too.
The shoes are going well with Ding, until he lost one and I remembered why I really prefer barefoot. ARghhh how annoying!! My farrier is off at the moment, but fortunately I was able to find another that could come and put it back on. Feels like you are at the mercy of the shoes/farriers.

Took Norsey to a comp, he was soo good. But his tension shows in his back, so my sitting trot was horrendous! All I could do was hang on and try to decrease the amount of daylight between my arse and the saddle.
I'll order some pics soon and share.
My $4k saddle for him has the wrong shaped tree and that is why it keeps lifting up at the back causing my bouncing to get out of synch. It's so depressing when you think you are doing the right thing, buying something that someone tells you is the best thing for your horse and then it turns out it isn't (and never likely was). Added to that the fitter thinks my horse has kissing spine or something really bad with his back, because he doesn't seem to build a lot of topline despite the work. So, I've got to find a vet and get some imaging and a consult. But again, you put your $ and trust into someone's word.....

Ryeissa, great that whatever was wrong isn't serious!

Forgot to say. Kelo - awesome to see some vid! Look at your guy dancing He looks like he really tries and concentrates. Love it

[exvet]

I too find it hard to believe that there's only 3 weeks left. I am still tentatively planning on going to the March show in Tucson. I think 5 weeks is enough to time to be able to achieve some improvement to affect my scores and more importantly improve our accuracy in Second level test 3. I'm going to take several of the suggestions provided in this and the scoring of gaits/tests thread and put them to work. Riding with bridges reins has already helped me and Pivo has been a real godsend. Now that all applies to Junior.

My daughter has asked to get back into riding again. She sent her (my former) stallion to Florida on lease a few years ago because she couldn't really afford to keep him. She really hasn't ridden much since then; but, now that she dropped one job (she was working 2 full-time jobs) and has gone back to school (and now lives next door to me) she would like to get back into the saddle. So, the plan will be letting her ride Junior when we go trail riding so that he gets an opportunity to improve his fitness level and stamina even more, while I ride Brandon and my SO rides Ace. This really helps everyone get more mileage and in the terrain that we have access to should significantly help everyone's strength increase. It will be interesting to see in 3 weeks of the 'new riding regimen' where all 3 are at in their fitness level. Brandon's has been gradually improving/increasing with all the trail riding we've been doing. I still haven't found a bit that he accepts. He hates tongue pressure; so, that is a component I'm having to deal with right now. He's perfectly fine on a loose rein. He's also grown more, taller not wider.

Absolutely love all the video and pictures and am grateful for the helpful suggestions, Thank you!

[Chisamba]

I know I live in the northeast and its winter, but I am tired of snow on top of snow on top of snow

[Moutaineer]

Chisamba, the second half of February/first part of March is the bottom of the winter pit for me. I'm over it. Thankfully we don't have much snow at our new home (I can actually see grass...) but the barn is 1500 feet higher and is a different story.

Mr Laddie continues to do well. Working on our fitness while trying to curb his natural enthusiasm a bit so we don't manage to do something stupid. Working on getting this lease set up, or half lease at least to start with. She rode him on Sunday and they got on well together--she's a good rider, probably better than me once she's backin riding shape, and has nice hands. His ears were helicoptering as they figured each other out. She's coming over to ride again after work this evening and I think I'll go hide in the tack room so she can get on with it without him constantly watching and questioning me

I'll admit is gives me a pang to see someone else riding him, but it also makes me feel good about how well he looks, even after the last 3 month ordeal, and how responsive and happy he is and how far we have come.

[StraightForward]

Rye, glad to hear Riot is going to be OK.

She's coming over to ride again after work this evening and I think I'll go hide in the tack room so she can get on with it without him constantly watching and questioning me

Haha, I had that problem when Susan would watch me ride Kyra. She always had an eye on mom looking for signals. Well, eventually she got over it.

I feel a little guilty saying that the weather is delightful here today, so I'm hoping my 3:00 meeting doesn't run too long, and I can get the SoloShot working for my ride on A after her nice long massage yesterday. Work is always interfering with my riding!

[Chisamba]

So after some thought and self video evaluation I decided I needed to up the tempo in Kimba's collected gaits to show her to greater advantage.

I do think I like the way it is developing, but I feel a bit like Flight describes riding Norsey. having trouble keeping f..a.. in the saddle. so in my last video I think Kimba looks great and I look like a sack. K is built downhill.

Caliburn otoh has a much more relaxed elastic stride a bit slower tempo. C is built like a giraffe.

it is amazing how one really has to change one's focus from horse to horse

[khall]

I’m in the omg how do you sit this trot?? Club too with Rip. Right now he’s a bit plump (why do my horses gain weight in winter on soaked hay and forage diet only) so he’s even more difficult trying to get my legs down and around him. I’ve got to get the pivo going so I can share get some help. Though thinking of sitting on my AR helped most definitely in the canter work which is how I got the changes.

Chisamba while you are having snow we are having rain and more rain. Much prefer rain to snow but still ick.

[StraightForward]

They finally got new tines on the arena harrow and groomed the arena. It was delightful, and A felt really good. The SoloShot cooperated and I can see from the video that she is not quite through enough in the collection just yet, but I'm sure it will get there. Her lengthening was pretty good, as well as the stretchy trot and most of the transitions. So I would say she is pretty solidly first level right now and the second level work is pretty well on the way. Perhaps most exciting, since starting Feldenkrais, my shoulders are staying much more even and my torso is starting to turn to the right a little better, though there's still a ways to go.

Nice moment from our canter work this afternoon:

[Kyra's Mom]

SF, Miss A looks fabulous. I know...the weather has been fantastic this week since the wind quieted down.

I have ridden 4 visits in a row . However, I am lamenting the (hopefully temporary) loss of my nice quiet barn. It makes riding a bit challenging.
The east end of our outdoor arena is about 15 feet from the road. It is a north-south road. There is a road closure on the next east-west road and all traffic is detoured down our n-s road--until April. Yippy... . They dropped the speed limit to 45mph so therefore, most cars rip along there about 60mph .
Not to mention all the heavy trucks, because the arena is about 1/4 mile from the intersection at the end of a small slope, they all use their air brakes. The construction is crazy around here so lots of heavy trucks...Then, the neighbor who has a house down the driveway that goes by the outdoor (east-west) has been landscaping...for over a month. Dump truck after dump truck of dirt and fill material and for the last 2-3 weeks, placing rocks and planting trees. OMG, of course all their equipment beeps in reverse. My head about explodes and poor Kyra's pen is about 40 feet from the property line. She gets to listen to that all day long. At least they get a break at night. Basically, the guy is putting in a park...they must have brought in 60 trees. One day I was riding and heard a gigantic crash and a big backhoe had just smashed a small outbuilding that was just on the other side of the property line. I felt so sorry for the little horse that is next to Kyra because all her neighbors were either in the arena or in the indoor. I went out to check her and make sure she didn't leave the country. She weathered the crashing OK.

As I said, it makes riding a bit challenging. I welcome some of that stuff. I don't expect to ride in a vacuum but holy cow, right now, it is coming from every direction. Normally, when she gets tense it is in stages and I can shut things down before she takes over. Yesterday, I was riding. She was doing fine but lots of extracurricular activity between the neighbor's and the detour. We were cantering a nice 20m circle and I was asking her to canter on, then collect for a few steps then canter on. Well, she went from totally fine relaxed canter to stiff legged pronging in one stride...she nearly boinged me right out of the tack . Thankfully, she didn't and she calmed right back down and I got the nice canter back but I'm too old, fat and out of shape for that crap. I don't even know what particular distraction caused her sudden transition to cantering like she was on crack. Aside from that, she worked really well. I did bunches of lateral work at the walk and it was all really nice. Trot work was just basic with lots of bending lines and changes of direction.

I got some composite stirrups for my saddle. The new saddle is treed. I had ridden treeless for years and boy, the new sucker is HEAVY (comparatively) by the time it had stirrups and my heavy seat saver on it. So the new stirrups were more to cut a couple lbs of weight than anything else but I really like them and their wide treads. In my old age, I was having trouble heaving the saddle up to the saddle rack which is about 5 feet high so even a couple lbs lighter helps.

Rye, I am glad the pinto pony does not have anything serious wrong. Jingles for the pup.

Susan

[Sue B]

Can I just say...I hate you guys (kyra's mom and sf) Yesterday evening, when I finally got "home", I pulled into my mom's driveway and noticed the barrel I set the Pivo on was gone. The log and rock that keep it and the tripod from blowing over were lying in the arena where the barrel had been. Where did I finally find the barrel? In the pasture! Seems the wind actually pushed it under the fence!

Carry on

[Chisamba]

I am honestly not exaggerating, this was feeding after the first snowfall, we have had two further falls of 7 inches since. the advantage being that it was so cold we can.perch on top of the uncleared snow. had to dig out every gate and every door. and in some places play hunt the water troughs

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Chisamba, that's insane! Wow! I hope you all thaw out soon!

[khall]

Then the mudd!! Chisamba I don’t know how you do it.

Thankful ours is just rain. Today though we are way too warm. I was working horses and was fighting gnats and mosquitoes! In February

[heddylamar]

Oh god. The mud.

I rode today for the first time in a week. Even though our arena is on top of a rise, and everything slopes away, it was still a gigantic soggy mess. We walked ... and bucked ... and eventually did some nice turns on the haunches.

This is the only time of the year I wish for a covered arena. But, with two exceptions, I'm not interested in boarding in any of the places here with indoors. And for two horses? Ouch.

[Moutaineer]

Chisamba, though I miss my little farm and having my horses at home, that picture reminds me why I'm not doing it anymore. Take care, its just so damned physically and mentally exhausting dealing with all that.

[Kyra's Mom]

Can I just say...I hate you guys (kyra's mom and sf) Yesterday evening, when I finally got "home", I pulled into my mom's driveway and noticed the barrel I set the Pivo on was gone. The log and rock that keep it and the tripod from blowing over were lying in the arena where the barrel had been. Where did I finally find the barrel? In the pasture! Seems the wind actually pushed it under the fence!

Carry on

Sorry Sue . As SF said in an earlier post, our barns are both on the plains of Kuna and it for sure is always blowing 10-20mph more than in town.
I was just happy to have it lay down for few couple days. That is all I need for Kyra...wind on top of all the traffic and noise we currently have going on. It has been an odd winter for sure.

Oh, Chisamba. Take care in all that snow. It adds so much work.

Susan

[blob]

Sorry for all those dealing with tough weather. We have had a very wet period here, but with a covered ring, it is manageable. Though pastures are muddy messes, which isn't great if you have runners.

Hoping to get some lessons in this weekend after a few weeks without any. I am hoping my trainer will ride MM again. i think right now I will get more from him putting on training rides every other week or so than a lesson. But RP and I really do need a lesson! We're still aiming for a show end of February, but I am a bit worried that weather might make it not worth it. So, waiting on the very last minute to send in entries...