And so, yes, we did the show thing. I did not even try to school her under saddle considering we'd only had a few rides AND so much new was already being thrown at her in a two day time period. She did wonderfully.
Friday morning she walked onto this teeny tiny trailer. She walked off at the barn, walked through the barn, grazed through the front yard, walked across the trail bridge and the carpet, was a champion. She stayed in a stall although it was a bit confusing for her to do so I think. The only thing that really freaked her out the whole and entire time was someone getting in the loft right above her head and throwing down hay right in front of her stall. Oh, and we'll have to work on the running water thing.
She scored a 69.2 with good comments from the judge. Her body condition is, of course, still lacking, and she has a lot of developing to do.
But her going to this show changed my life. My boss tossed off a comment about Inky that not only wasn't true but was made in such a way that, well, she would never had said that to anyone else in that way ever. It made me redouble my efforts to find a different job and sure enough, I did and I should be riding more horses and we'll see where else this adventure takes me.
I've got nothing bad to say. I've had a great run at JEF, I have loved it there, love the people and the horses and everything, and I'm very sad to be going and yet, well . . . .
After all that horse show stuff, Inky got back on the itty bitty trailer, although that took her a minute. I think me working her through that helped to get me the new job. She was awfully glad to get home -- she ran up to Duke, sniffed noses, then laid down at his feet and rolled.
Showing posts with label show. Show all posts
Showing posts with label show. Show all posts
Friday, August 5, 2011
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
epilog to prolog
Working backwards, I guess, I had a mahvelous time in the costume contest. But that was very little in the way of riding.
I was well pleased with Rolinette, my ride in the show, and the progress we've made. Our score was 63.2 and I was .8 out of first (got second -- strangely my first red ribbon in the newest collection). Got 7 in both canter circles and an 8 in one trot circle. Canter transitions up were prompt and obedient but not forward until the second stride ever. Canter transitions down tend to be a bit against the hand and we'll be working on that -- hopefully with some lesson help there. I'd determined to push the free walk, did, got a jig step -- you pays your money you takes your chances -- that's fine. I did what I wanted to do and am well pleased.
The stretchy circle is something else again. I mean, it is better than it was. But it. is. not. good. I think I will work this winter in the fields (because she seeks out the contact best there) and then try to bring that into the arena. The Friesian propensity to get behind the bit is quite difficult to know how to correct. She's got some lengthening . . . she could move up.
Before the show I rode as I said I would . . . Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Friday was very windy so we didn't even approach the judge's stand -- one doesn't want to create issues. I don't specifically remember now the others.
This is, I think, the end of documenting every ride. For now anyway.
I was well pleased with Rolinette, my ride in the show, and the progress we've made. Our score was 63.2 and I was .8 out of first (got second -- strangely my first red ribbon in the newest collection). Got 7 in both canter circles and an 8 in one trot circle. Canter transitions up were prompt and obedient but not forward until the second stride ever. Canter transitions down tend to be a bit against the hand and we'll be working on that -- hopefully with some lesson help there. I'd determined to push the free walk, did, got a jig step -- you pays your money you takes your chances -- that's fine. I did what I wanted to do and am well pleased.
The stretchy circle is something else again. I mean, it is better than it was. But it. is. not. good. I think I will work this winter in the fields (because she seeks out the contact best there) and then try to bring that into the arena. The Friesian propensity to get behind the bit is quite difficult to know how to correct. She's got some lengthening . . . she could move up.
Before the show I rode as I said I would . . . Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Friday was very windy so we didn't even approach the judge's stand -- one doesn't want to create issues. I don't specifically remember now the others.
This is, I think, the end of documenting every ride. For now anyway.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
that was fine (the way Heather says it)
Fine. Not good, not bad. Adequate. A sixty. I am not particularly disappointed in that I am very pleased with the progress Rol has made. She is fit, she is much steadier in the bridle. I still can't get a decent canter transition up though. And her hind end is falling in. Lots of shoulder fore the judge said. Yes ma'am.
I was not particularly pleased with my ride today. It was fine in that I did do some things that I meant to do, like keep her relatively straight on center line and in halt, and keep her from jigging in that medium walk before the very quick trot/canter transition at C. Both things involve what feels to me like leg off. That was my finesse thing. But riding her I never quite felt in sync. Like I was riding on top of her instead of inside of her.
And like I was tipping. And I so hate that.
And there was the BEAUTIFUL rider there, something like 21 and gorgeous but way more important to me, a gorgeous rider. I so want to be there.
I am so not there. But I have a good feel. I need the seat. I need the seat.
And I did not let her go forward enough at canter. What is that about? I am not afraid so why am I holding her? I need to not do that, period. What I want to do is take up the whole large arena and canter her around on a loose rein until both she and I feel it. That probably won't exactly happen. Like so many things.
I want to find someone who rides (or has ridden) themselves beautifully and who has students who she/he has taught to ride beautifully and say, "Transform me! I'll work, I'll work hard, I won't complain."
I didn't bring the test home because Lisa hasn't seen it yet but I want to study it some more, for sure. And to see the video. And to ride some more. One more show this season.
I was not particularly pleased with my ride today. It was fine in that I did do some things that I meant to do, like keep her relatively straight on center line and in halt, and keep her from jigging in that medium walk before the very quick trot/canter transition at C. Both things involve what feels to me like leg off. That was my finesse thing. But riding her I never quite felt in sync. Like I was riding on top of her instead of inside of her.
And like I was tipping. And I so hate that.
And there was the BEAUTIFUL rider there, something like 21 and gorgeous but way more important to me, a gorgeous rider. I so want to be there.
I am so not there. But I have a good feel. I need the seat. I need the seat.
And I did not let her go forward enough at canter. What is that about? I am not afraid so why am I holding her? I need to not do that, period. What I want to do is take up the whole large arena and canter her around on a loose rein until both she and I feel it. That probably won't exactly happen. Like so many things.
I want to find someone who rides (or has ridden) themselves beautifully and who has students who she/he has taught to ride beautifully and say, "Transform me! I'll work, I'll work hard, I won't complain."
I didn't bring the test home because Lisa hasn't seen it yet but I want to study it some more, for sure. And to see the video. And to ride some more. One more show this season.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
woohoo!
We won. With a SIXTY-SEVENpointFIVE! It was funny because I asked Rolinette for perfection, kidding on the square of course, and largely got it. There were certainly points in the test where I felt like, oh geez, I wish that were better (particularly the trot to working walk transition, and then the free walk was wandering but I didn't get badly busted on either of those things), and there are certainly things we've been working on that we'll continue to improve upon (bend at canter perhaps?), but all in all, for us, at this time, it was pretty well perfection. She was much steadier in the bridle and didn't curl a lot and that steadiness is a MAJOR thing. We still don't have it all the time but we had it today! For the test!
My plan will be (subject to change and input of course) to continue working on strength with the hills and freeness with the lateral work. Cantering more distance and more transitions. BEND. The circles and bends and lateral stuff and hills to work on the ability to step under herself. Transitions for the steadiness there. Maybe a touch of lengthening and shortening.
My plan will be (subject to change and input of course) to continue working on strength with the hills and freeness with the lateral work. Cantering more distance and more transitions. BEND. The circles and bends and lateral stuff and hills to work on the ability to step under herself. Transitions for the steadiness there. Maybe a touch of lengthening and shortening.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
the sound I had to follow
Lovely show. Lovely ride. Lovely horse. Lovely day.
Yeah, sure, we got busted by the judge for a number of things and only scored a 54 point something and placed fourth out of five. It was still good. And some of the things we got busted on can be improved by improving fitness. And some can be improved by improving riding. And some of those things are just who that horse is as a 21 year old retired broodmare who has had a lot of babies in her life (I know personally five of those babies).
I wish we had done better. I wish I could score 70! Laughing, but, sure, wouldn't that be grand.
But I also think we did really well. She *was* much more forward, the transitions weren't bad (except that last canter was sticky), and while her head is unsteady, it was much better than the last show. And while we've cantered better, we got it and we held it and that was our goal. Our walk was not good but our transition into it was very good. The judge was pretty critical in her comments, a tough cookie as it were. In watching the video I think there were lots of positive things she didn't happen to mention. And I think she was judging on the horse's raw talent a lot.
Of course, the whole show is a lot more of an experience than just the ride. Barry showed up, and took me to dinner. That was especially nice. Rowan stayed with me all day and helped whenever needed. Leafy won two duels at Yu-Gi-Oh. I had so much help all day in running the barn and getting ready and having fun. And Rolinette was extraordinary. The Moody Blues' "Wildest Dreams" played on the ipod as I pulled into the barn, my number was 21 (also the age of my horse), and a great blue heron flew low over as we watched the early part of the show.
Barry made a comment to husband as I rode my test: "She's really at home in the saddle." Husband countered: "The saddle is the only place she is at home." And that one has me thinking.
Skipping back to the ride, when we decided to ride T2 and I thought about what score was likely, I thought that 55 would probably be good for us at this point. That's what we scored. The winner of the class scored 61 and the next three were within a point of 55.
Yeah, sure, we got busted by the judge for a number of things and only scored a 54 point something and placed fourth out of five. It was still good. And some of the things we got busted on can be improved by improving fitness. And some can be improved by improving riding. And some of those things are just who that horse is as a 21 year old retired broodmare who has had a lot of babies in her life (I know personally five of those babies).
I wish we had done better. I wish I could score 70! Laughing, but, sure, wouldn't that be grand.
But I also think we did really well. She *was* much more forward, the transitions weren't bad (except that last canter was sticky), and while her head is unsteady, it was much better than the last show. And while we've cantered better, we got it and we held it and that was our goal. Our walk was not good but our transition into it was very good. The judge was pretty critical in her comments, a tough cookie as it were. In watching the video I think there were lots of positive things she didn't happen to mention. And I think she was judging on the horse's raw talent a lot.
Of course, the whole show is a lot more of an experience than just the ride. Barry showed up, and took me to dinner. That was especially nice. Rowan stayed with me all day and helped whenever needed. Leafy won two duels at Yu-Gi-Oh. I had so much help all day in running the barn and getting ready and having fun. And Rolinette was extraordinary. The Moody Blues' "Wildest Dreams" played on the ipod as I pulled into the barn, my number was 21 (also the age of my horse), and a great blue heron flew low over as we watched the early part of the show.
Barry made a comment to husband as I rode my test: "She's really at home in the saddle." Husband countered: "The saddle is the only place she is at home." And that one has me thinking.
Skipping back to the ride, when we decided to ride T2 and I thought about what score was likely, I thought that 55 would probably be good for us at this point. That's what we scored. The winner of the class scored 61 and the next three were within a point of 55.
Friday, April 30, 2010
day before the horse show
The day before the horse show dawned bright and sunny blah blah blah. So packed my already tried on show clothes, and the clothes that will go over my show clothes while I braid, and my polished boots, into the van and headed out to the barn. Tomorrow I should only need to remember to take myself. Family will follow later. I'm working, so I'm going early to feed and get the ones that can go out turned out and those stalls cleaned so other horses can use those stalls for the day.
I took my time grooming as I think that helps get her muscles loose, lots of massaging. Then braided (it was tighter but uglier today, lumpy and bumpy). Rode. Nice ride. I just warmed up about like I hope to do tomorrow, not too much. A good amount of walk with circles and bends and leg yields and contractions and lengthenings, and enough trot that she can actually trot instead of whatever it is she does at first. Then I just asked for a few transitions to make sure she was listening and willing to go when asked and then I rode my test. It was probably better than the last time -- at least I got 20 meter circles. She doesn't like the judge's tent but nobody does or will and it only took three circles to hit the track on that end.
So then we went in and bathed. And then cleaned tack. And hung out a bit. And talked to the women who are helping me work the barn tomorrow. Etc. Wonderful day.
I took my time grooming as I think that helps get her muscles loose, lots of massaging. Then braided (it was tighter but uglier today, lumpy and bumpy). Rode. Nice ride. I just warmed up about like I hope to do tomorrow, not too much. A good amount of walk with circles and bends and leg yields and contractions and lengthenings, and enough trot that she can actually trot instead of whatever it is she does at first. Then I just asked for a few transitions to make sure she was listening and willing to go when asked and then I rode my test. It was probably better than the last time -- at least I got 20 meter circles. She doesn't like the judge's tent but nobody does or will and it only took three circles to hit the track on that end.
So then we went in and bathed. And then cleaned tack. And hung out a bit. And talked to the women who are helping me work the barn tomorrow. Etc. Wonderful day.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Bless Me Epona
Bless me Epona for I have desired more than I could achieve.
I have so many different levels going on with this one. I am sorely disappointed in myself. I did not ride well. I did not solve the problems that the day and the horse presented. She always takes awhile to warm up BUT in the warm up she was nervous because of parking on one side of it (which didn’t affect the show arena) and I didn’t end up warming her up adequately. I opted to keep her calm and not upset by not working beside the horse eating monsters. The other option would have been to try to work her through it and that is perhaps the option I should have taken.
Or not. It is hard to tell. But I was disappointed in my ride. She was sticky with no impulsion and she was inconsistent as h*ll. The two go together in that when she moves off forward, she is more consistent.
OTOH, we got a 64.5 which ain’t bad, and placed third in our group. Seeing the video, it wasn’t so bad. Well, except for her head bobbing and her not tracking up which was exactly what the judge said. The best part of the score was that I got a 7 on rider position/effectiveness which I would always always aspire to that. And she was absolutely beautiful. And the braid was finally nice.
And everything everything about getting ready was fun. The weeks long prep, the prep this week, the working yesterday, getting there early today, shopping the used tack sale, seeing all my friends.
My children tell me that there is an entire box of ribbons in the building from the old days. And a framed thing of my blue ribbons from Meredith Manor when I won Reserve Showmaster Champion. But I won that on the strength of a choose your line jumping class where it is going for it that matters -- where I actually took my calm horse and hyped him up before going into that ring.
Sigh. Truth is, I love it. I love all of it. I love seeing people I know and have fun with do well as much as I love doing well myself.
Thank you Epona for all the blessings you have visited upon me.
I have so many different levels going on with this one. I am sorely disappointed in myself. I did not ride well. I did not solve the problems that the day and the horse presented. She always takes awhile to warm up BUT in the warm up she was nervous because of parking on one side of it (which didn’t affect the show arena) and I didn’t end up warming her up adequately. I opted to keep her calm and not upset by not working beside the horse eating monsters. The other option would have been to try to work her through it and that is perhaps the option I should have taken.
Or not. It is hard to tell. But I was disappointed in my ride. She was sticky with no impulsion and she was inconsistent as h*ll. The two go together in that when she moves off forward, she is more consistent.
OTOH, we got a 64.5 which ain’t bad, and placed third in our group. Seeing the video, it wasn’t so bad. Well, except for her head bobbing and her not tracking up which was exactly what the judge said. The best part of the score was that I got a 7 on rider position/effectiveness which I would always always aspire to that. And she was absolutely beautiful. And the braid was finally nice.
And everything everything about getting ready was fun. The weeks long prep, the prep this week, the working yesterday, getting there early today, shopping the used tack sale, seeing all my friends.
My children tell me that there is an entire box of ribbons in the building from the old days. And a framed thing of my blue ribbons from Meredith Manor when I won Reserve Showmaster Champion. But I won that on the strength of a choose your line jumping class where it is going for it that matters -- where I actually took my calm horse and hyped him up before going into that ring.
Sigh. Truth is, I love it. I love all of it. I love seeing people I know and have fun with do well as much as I love doing well myself.
Thank you Epona for all the blessings you have visited upon me.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Laid Low
TMI: it started with a cough that wasn’t from sinus. Progressed to fever and aches with more cough. More fever. Then my head exploded, a big gaping red hole over my left ear and eye that I had to keep a pillow pressed into to keep everything in there from leaking out. The fact that I was freezing was also helping to keep it from leaking out. When the worst of that pain lessened and moved to the back then the other side of my head, then I got hot, burning hot, and puked nothing but bile. Four times. In the middle of the second night my kidneys felt like they were cutting their way out of my back. Daybreak was the first sign I’d had that I might actually get better at some point in the distant future. Now I am just sick - hacking and sneezing and blowing and aching - not dying anymore, and maybe even gradually getting better.
October has been a month of horse opportunity for me. I’ve gotten to ride Rolinette regularly, work at a big horse show, trail ride, be in the fun show with the girls, and even to ride Bart in a lesson with Andre.
I simply cannot do this much, stress this much (even when it is good and pleasant stress), go this much. When the kids were small and I was strictly a SAHM, I seriously tried to never “do” more then two things in a week - generally no more than two trips to town for any reason in a week’s time. We didn’t pick this life out here in the sticks in order to go go go all the time. We’ve always felt that time spent here, with each other, doing simple things like eating home cooked meals together, would be how we defined success. A long long time ago I figured out that the pace of my life needed to be slow . . . if it wasn’t slow, I made mistakes. If the pace of one's life is too fast, one misses things.
Ah, but horses. My chance with horses. When I first got Duke, it became obvious to me that I simply breathe better with horses than without horses. When I got the barn job, it became obvious to me that I was happier still with those horses and those horse people in my life. And with the barn job, I always wanted and hoped for more opportunity - to ride, to teach, to do anything responsible and horse-y. And I got it and I did it and I got sick from doing too much too much.
Oh, I’m not saying I could entirely avoid the flu virus if I didn’t do too much: I’m just saying that its part of it, it feeds into it. Everything is connected. There are no coincidences. What I’m saying is, I’m paying attention. I acknowledge.
I have to figure out how to do it all AND slow down. Does that sound crazy? I don’t think it is crazy though. Part of slowing down is just being aware to hear the slow beat of the cow chewing her cud - be aware of that and keep that as the bass beat of my life. Part of it is knowing that saying yes to everything is not how one does it all. I have to be more present in all of it - at home, at rest, at the avocation.
Lisa says for me to come ride Friday for Andre anyway, and I will if I feel like it, no prep rides notwithstanding. If I feel like it, I’ll go in on Thursday and ride Rolinette because otherwise we’re going to have to go intro in the November schooling show instead of training. But Saturday, Halloween, and making sure all on the farm is ready for Halloween, that’s all family.
************
Just to keep all rides on here too, I did ride Rolinette last Friday and Saturday, neither strenuously but both adequately. Friday was mostly a tune-up for the show coming up and we trotted the entire arena and she and my daughter schooled the trail class, and my other daughter and a different horse had costume fittings.
Saturday was the fun show. Husband actually decided to come even though I had rather encouraged him to just stay home. These sorts of standing around and waiting things drive him batty. But we walked in and very soon daughter did the trail class since you could do it at any time. Lisa had suggested that I take Rolinette in the arena during a schooling break but that would have meant tacking her up very early and . . . well, I just don't like overdoing the schooling. Some horses need more than others, true. I think Lisa still thinks I should have done that as she commented that Rolinette was "tense" "without any warm-up at all". Well, she was somewhat tense in the scarey end of the arena where there had recently been killer cows on the other side of the fence but I'd schooled that two days already with just minimal improvement. I could make her do it but to do that just made her more tense, not less. And I did warm her up, just in the other arena . . . and then we did stand and wait for the class. Anyway, I thought she did well. It is funny in that I realized I'm actually less nervous for competition than for lessons. We got a third in our class . . . and I was so proud of Dianne that she and Adonis beat us! Daughter in trail got a fourth (in a very big class), and daughter in costume got a medal, and we all got to go home where I then realized I was getting sick. There ya have it.
October has been a month of horse opportunity for me. I’ve gotten to ride Rolinette regularly, work at a big horse show, trail ride, be in the fun show with the girls, and even to ride Bart in a lesson with Andre.
I simply cannot do this much, stress this much (even when it is good and pleasant stress), go this much. When the kids were small and I was strictly a SAHM, I seriously tried to never “do” more then two things in a week - generally no more than two trips to town for any reason in a week’s time. We didn’t pick this life out here in the sticks in order to go go go all the time. We’ve always felt that time spent here, with each other, doing simple things like eating home cooked meals together, would be how we defined success. A long long time ago I figured out that the pace of my life needed to be slow . . . if it wasn’t slow, I made mistakes. If the pace of one's life is too fast, one misses things.
Ah, but horses. My chance with horses. When I first got Duke, it became obvious to me that I simply breathe better with horses than without horses. When I got the barn job, it became obvious to me that I was happier still with those horses and those horse people in my life. And with the barn job, I always wanted and hoped for more opportunity - to ride, to teach, to do anything responsible and horse-y. And I got it and I did it and I got sick from doing too much too much.
Oh, I’m not saying I could entirely avoid the flu virus if I didn’t do too much: I’m just saying that its part of it, it feeds into it. Everything is connected. There are no coincidences. What I’m saying is, I’m paying attention. I acknowledge.
I have to figure out how to do it all AND slow down. Does that sound crazy? I don’t think it is crazy though. Part of slowing down is just being aware to hear the slow beat of the cow chewing her cud - be aware of that and keep that as the bass beat of my life. Part of it is knowing that saying yes to everything is not how one does it all. I have to be more present in all of it - at home, at rest, at the avocation.
Lisa says for me to come ride Friday for Andre anyway, and I will if I feel like it, no prep rides notwithstanding. If I feel like it, I’ll go in on Thursday and ride Rolinette because otherwise we’re going to have to go intro in the November schooling show instead of training. But Saturday, Halloween, and making sure all on the farm is ready for Halloween, that’s all family.
************
Just to keep all rides on here too, I did ride Rolinette last Friday and Saturday, neither strenuously but both adequately. Friday was mostly a tune-up for the show coming up and we trotted the entire arena and she and my daughter schooled the trail class, and my other daughter and a different horse had costume fittings.
Saturday was the fun show. Husband actually decided to come even though I had rather encouraged him to just stay home. These sorts of standing around and waiting things drive him batty. But we walked in and very soon daughter did the trail class since you could do it at any time. Lisa had suggested that I take Rolinette in the arena during a schooling break but that would have meant tacking her up very early and . . . well, I just don't like overdoing the schooling. Some horses need more than others, true. I think Lisa still thinks I should have done that as she commented that Rolinette was "tense" "without any warm-up at all". Well, she was somewhat tense in the scarey end of the arena where there had recently been killer cows on the other side of the fence but I'd schooled that two days already with just minimal improvement. I could make her do it but to do that just made her more tense, not less. And I did warm her up, just in the other arena . . . and then we did stand and wait for the class. Anyway, I thought she did well. It is funny in that I realized I'm actually less nervous for competition than for lessons. We got a third in our class . . . and I was so proud of Dianne that she and Adonis beat us! Daughter in trail got a fourth (in a very big class), and daughter in costume got a medal, and we all got to go home where I then realized I was getting sick. There ya have it.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
everything together
No photos of the horse show. I'd never been to the Kentucky Horse Park -- I think they were beginning to build it maybe when I was last in that part of the world which would have been when I was about 18 and for several years before then. Didn't have time to see much of it while we were there but what I did see was beautiful. The Gypsy show was in the new and *almost* finished Colosseum and the horses were in brand new barns. Camping was full so we pulled the LQ horse trailer into tent city and didn't have water but we did have electric which meant heat and that was very important because it was COLD and at least what little time we spent in the trailer we were warm.
I think there would be too many tales to even start the telling. Lots of people, lots of horses, lots to do. In the end, the horses were happy and did well; the owner of the horses came and saw them and I think had a good time horse showing; and Lisa and I bonded I think. Of course, maybe it was just that by the time we got home we were totally punch drunk! After all, Saturday we didn't leave the show grounds until 11:30 and we were back around 5:30 am because our first class Sunday was at 7:48. We left around 3 to get back to home barn around 8:30 but when we were almost there (I mean like a mile away), a wreck had the road blocked and the fireman told us to turn around in the church parking lot where we proceeded to bottom the trailer out and get stuck and block the road ourselves. Ah, but our community came to the rescue in that the nice volunteer firemen also got us out of that predicament and we shortly did get home. I could have kissed that guy when we walked up and said, "Lisa? Is that you? Don't worry -- we'll take care of you! You are the only one I know who drives a rig this big on this road."
After four days at the horse show, I had two more to run the barn. So I'm just now home. Monday everything just went too slowly to get on Rolinette so I lunged her to get her legs moving and hopefully improve her fitness since she'd already had five days off. Tuesday things were going well but then with the vet coming suddenly it was three o'clock and I still hadn't ridden or finished so I finished, brough horses in, fed, and rode *anyway*. Oh, and let me tell you, this ride felt good. I don't know quite why. She still isn't consistent in the bridle although it is improving but boy did she have an engine and the transitions were much much better (one I could even feel picking the horse up in my legs like I remember it feeling). The cows were out and two lawnmowers and she didn't like any of that but eventually (and with Lisa's help leading the way) we conquered the scary end of the arena. Well, I don't know about "conquered" but we went through it several times so that if we do the old timer's class in the fun show on Saturday we can hopefully go through that side of the arena.
That ride just felt good all over.
I think there would be too many tales to even start the telling. Lots of people, lots of horses, lots to do. In the end, the horses were happy and did well; the owner of the horses came and saw them and I think had a good time horse showing; and Lisa and I bonded I think. Of course, maybe it was just that by the time we got home we were totally punch drunk! After all, Saturday we didn't leave the show grounds until 11:30 and we were back around 5:30 am because our first class Sunday was at 7:48. We left around 3 to get back to home barn around 8:30 but when we were almost there (I mean like a mile away), a wreck had the road blocked and the fireman told us to turn around in the church parking lot where we proceeded to bottom the trailer out and get stuck and block the road ourselves. Ah, but our community came to the rescue in that the nice volunteer firemen also got us out of that predicament and we shortly did get home. I could have kissed that guy when we walked up and said, "Lisa? Is that you? Don't worry -- we'll take care of you! You are the only one I know who drives a rig this big on this road."
After four days at the horse show, I had two more to run the barn. So I'm just now home. Monday everything just went too slowly to get on Rolinette so I lunged her to get her legs moving and hopefully improve her fitness since she'd already had five days off. Tuesday things were going well but then with the vet coming suddenly it was three o'clock and I still hadn't ridden or finished so I finished, brough horses in, fed, and rode *anyway*. Oh, and let me tell you, this ride felt good. I don't know quite why. She still isn't consistent in the bridle although it is improving but boy did she have an engine and the transitions were much much better (one I could even feel picking the horse up in my legs like I remember it feeling). The cows were out and two lawnmowers and she didn't like any of that but eventually (and with Lisa's help leading the way) we conquered the scary end of the arena. Well, I don't know about "conquered" but we went through it several times so that if we do the old timer's class in the fun show on Saturday we can hopefully go through that side of the arena.
That ride just felt good all over.