I love him but COME ON! This was our conversation:

Dad: Wait let me get this straight, you are taking Duke back to school?!

Me: Yep. It’s a hunt seat class he will be a lot happier doing that than us both attempting Western like last year

Dad: He can’t jump anymore, He’s not even in shape!

Me: What are you talking about!? I’ve been riding Duke for two months straight, Dad where have you been? I have that horse on a joint supplement and Dustin just put front shoes on him. I’m already taking him over jumps again

Dad: Yeah well how high are you jumping at school?

Me: I don’t know but Duke can handle it. Half of these horses have never jumped in their lives!

Dad: Still don’t think he’ll do well and you will probably just bring him back home.

Just to put a bug in your ear, my father has met my horse maybe 5 times, 4 times it was me bringing him to the car when my dad came to pick me up from the barn. My mom was the one who bought Duke for me (divorced parents), and dad hasn’t even helped pay for him in damn near 4 years. In fact, he has never even been to my new barn which Is coming on 2 years. Today was the first day in literally months he has asked about Duke. The reason Duke and I did so bad last year at school was because of me. I was an english rider having to make my english horse and I “westerm”, my horse was out on pasture for the last year, hardly ridden and out of shape when I took him to school. He was scared and hadn’t been in an arena full of horses in literally years. This year, he and I will be prepared. Yeah, I am fully expecting him to be a snot and hyper when we return but we will be in our comfort zone this time. I just wish my dad would understand.