Mixed Results

Luxury

Photos my friend Diana took, pictured w/ me, bottom left

Saturday I went to the schooling show. I got to travel first class as my BO calls it. Our very own 'every horse loves him and obeys his every whim' whisperer who works at our barn hauled my horse to the show. He made sure he was bedded nicely while we waited and helped me tack up. He wiped my boots and took my ribbons back to the stall when we were done. He even walked my horse around between classes so I could stand around and chat with friends. At the end my barn mate and I wanted to stay longer and watch the bigger classes, so the whisperer loaded up my horse and took him home, back into the routine of things. SOOOO nice and worth every penny :)

Started well enough

I wasn't particularly pleased with our courses, mostly because Sam was amped up and pulling. I was managing it best I could, but the arena was large enough for five strides between the lines, but only like 2 strides until the corner - which my horse is famous for careening around. He was unimpressed by the small jumps and once in each jump class, he trotted both in and out of the line. But my fault for not having leg on. In the end we managed to make a good showing in the division, like an old hat for us, taking home the championship.

1st Trot a Course- Flat
3rd Trot a Course – 18"
2nd Trot a Course – 18"
Division Champion Trot a Course – 18"

More then I asked for

Going in for the next division, Sam pulled me all over the place even in the warmup we had beforehand. I should have decided just to trot every jump - which I did for the line in the warmup - but I'm ambitious and like to go big or go home. And we cantered the whole course. When I came out of the first class my very first thought was, that was like a roller coaster ride - and I liked it. Even though it was not very hunter-like at all, esp with overshooting jumps because we had difficultly in the corners before them. But it would be the next class that would bruise my pride.

We cantered up to our 2nd jump, the first line that had the largest vertical (2') at the end, I was looking up and beyond the 2nd jump but also tapping the brake all the way to the jump (should have stopped tapping in the corner) and saw we were going to leave long and apparently started to take the jump myself. However, my self-preservating horse made a last minute add (he usually adds) and the quick movement knocked me off balance (since I was already too far forward) and we did get over the jump but in the next stride I made an apparently lovely emergency dismount to my feet and then momentum pushed me on my butt ever so gently. Totally unhurt. Sam then bucked his way around. Once caught, I remounted and we did the whole course trotting every jump.

By the time we got to the last class, a flat, he was SO FREAKING heavy in my hands, all behind the vertical, even though I was trying to release, release, release and get him to hold his own head up in the right spot. Going left he was too fast, and in the last part going right, he finally settled into his lovely trot and canter. Too lovely, too late.

3rd Green Rider – (Crossrail in Verticle out) 2'
5th Green Rider – (Crossrail in Verticle out) 2'
4th Green Rider – Flat

I learned a few things this weekend. What I need to work on... Where I want to be. It's a good measuring stick. Next show in two weeks!

Did I mention I was #1? No pressure or anything...