View this post on InstagramA post shared by Les 5 toiles de Pau (@5etoilesdepau)Its mad, isnt it, to think that next month will deliver us our final two five-stars of the 2024 season, and after that, its time for full-on nesting mode. Actually, that last bits not that hard for me to believe the temperatures here in the UK dropped drastically over the last week or so, and Ive already switched on the hibernation side of my brain. Ive built a rug box for my horses laundered and repaired winter wardrobe to live in; Ive made a bottomless bucket of beef bourguignon that my partner and I had been dipping into throughout each day with great hunks of crusty sourdough and French butter; Ive dug out the winter duvets; Ive lit all the candles; Ive shirked my responsibilities and dimmed the lights and read endless Elena Ferrante novels andI am not sorry. Im always sad to see the season end but man, every year I feel like I get better at embracing the once-dreaded off-season. Nowadays, Im all for the cozy life and recharging my batteries ahead of the busy season to come and it really does come around fast, every time. So claw yourself back a day off soon and make yourself something hot and comforting to eat on the sofa in your pajamas. Lifes too shortnot to.NationalHoliday:Forget about the day its Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week! Is your barn dog or cat missing a leg, or an eye, or is he or she in his twilight years? Did you adopt them out of years spent in the shelter? Do you have a rescue horse who had a safe landing with you that they may not otherwise have found? I love these kinds of stories and yes, my form of procrastination is watching senior citizen dogs find their happy ever after so please share your sweet friends with me in the comments and lets get this week off to a nice start, shall we?U.S. WeekendAction:The Fork at Tryon (NC): [Website] [Results]Aspen Farms H.T. (WA): [Website] [Results]The Event at Skyline (UT): [Website] [Results]Flying Cross Farm H.T. (KY): [Website] [Results]Otter Creek Fall H.T. (WI): [Website][Results]Marlborough H.T. (MD): [Website] [Results]GMHA September H.T. (VT): [Website] [Results]UK Weekend Results:Cornbury House International (Finstock, Oxon.): [Website][Results]Chillington Hall Regional and Youth Championships (Wolverhampton, Staffs.):[Results]Penrith H.T. (Penrith, Cumbria):[Results]Your Monday Reading List:Making your eventing debut soon, and feeling a little bit overwhelmed by all those officials?Dont stress theyre there to help you, not to catch you out. But something Ive always found a really helpful way to feel more comfortable with everything and everyone is understanding what theyre actually trying to do. (This is actually another reason why volunteering is great because you see the whole event from that side!) This handy primer to each of the major players at the show, and what their job entails, will fill you in on all the above, plus help you to find the person you need for whichever box youve got to tick, whether thats paying your outstanding entry fee, getting another bag of shavings for your horses stall, letting someone know your horse has lost a shoe in the warm-up and needs a time adjustment these folks can help with it all!Who among us ISNT a bit in love with Monica Spencers Artist?Hes a seriously cool dude AND an OTTB, which is enough to get me committed for life, frankly. You can learn lots more about this big character on the five-star circuit in this Behind The Stall Door deep-dive. Bring apples and carrots, chopped up real small.Okay, so we all have to perfect lateral movements so we can get those big scores in our dressage tests.But whats the actualpoint of them? What impact do they have on our broader training system if we commit to doing them well? And are they worth learning, even if you never plan to compete? Head over to Horse Nation for the big reveal. Spoiler alert: lateral work goooood.Some Mondays, you just need a little dose of abject silliness to get you through the morning muck-out.Today, we can offer you a very big dose of abject silliness, so consume at your own risk. This is, of course, the Eventerland stories of the Paris Olympics, brought to you by Irish eventer and EquiRatings co-founder Sam Watson and his odd, delightful mind. Go well, friends.Morning Viewing:Get Ros Canters analysis of her winning cross-country round at Burghley, which is full of some fascinating insights like every fence on course feeling like, and having to be ridden a bit like, a drop fence. Tune in: