So... we went to the Poplar schooling show today despite the tornado warnings and storms. Although... not without some kicking and screaming ;) Ha ha.. I wimped out.. I admit it. The original plan was to show at 10 am... which meant leaving at 6:30 ish. Well, then they postponed the show by 2 hours because of the bad weather. It was hot and quiet here until the wee hours of the morning. I think it was 2 am when the storms hit. Mostly just thunder, lightning, wind and rain. But it POURED. So when the show was postponed.. Beth decided to school at 8 am... Drats.. now I still had to get up early. Well, I woke up around 4ish and it was still raining and lightning, so I rolled over and went back to bed. I figured I could try to squeeze in schooling between dressage and stadium. I wasn't about to haul in the heavy rain, winds, and lightning. And in my defense, I had been up working the overnight the night before, only took a two hour nap, and then... couldn't sleep because of the storm and the storm phobic dog... So.. I woke up at 6:30 I guess and was planning to leave at 8. Texted Beth and she said it was raining there (they went the night before). Was sooo tempted to bail, but she motivated me and I'm so glad I did go after all!!
I hitched up in the light drizzle, fed, and loaded Fleck up. We were off... I managed to stay awake and only had to call someone once. :) We arrived and with the clouds and light drizzle, I decided to get a stall for Fleck. Settled him in and watched Stephanie's dressage test. It was LOVELY!!! Then realized I had to go get ready, so Beth took pics of Jamie. I didn't get on quite as early as I wanted... partly because I was just running behind and partly because I didn't want to get on too early because of schooling before stadium. (Beth and the girls opted to school after my dressage and before my stadium because it was raining that am). So... our warm up was limited and he wasn't really ready yet when we went in. But... overall, I was pleased. He felt more balanced and less claustrophobic in the ring. We had some decnent trot work, but he blew through my simple change and the canter was bleh.. BUT we had an amazing medium trot at the end! He stayed up and on his haunches and consistent! It was wonderful. Even the judge said so. Of course it was Pam and she knows us some, but still.
So then Fleck got a break while we watched Stephanie jump her first round. Then while she did her second round and Jamie jumped, I tacked up and met them for XC schooling. It was WET!! Beth told me to bring the big studs. I told her "Fleck is a big stud"! Hee hee... But anyways, even with big studs... Fleck slid around a fair amount. I think I'm going to have to put front studs in especialy now that he has those pads up front. Oh well. He schooled pretty well.... made up for my mistakes for the most part. We did some of the beginning of the course, then did the double banks up and down and the single bank with the big coop up and down. We moved on and attempted the angled cabins. We had a stop at the second cabin at our first attempt but Beth said he just got to it on a half stride and I needed to not let him drift. So.. we came back and did it pretty well. Then we did the trakenher again. And then...we did the double up banks with the bounce to the hedged coop. And nailed it!!! Yay!!! It's really ALL ABOUT THE CANTER! We did a few more things... and by the time we hit the water, Fleck was getting feisty. Not sure why.. they started tadpole and amoeba... maybe he wanted to go play. But we finished decently in the water and then it was time for stadium.
He warmed up on fire!!! He was mad that Nike and LC left him and was carrying on like a green bean... crow hopping and a little tiny bit of baby rears. Naughty boy... so I just sent him forward and started jumping warm up jumps. He felt pretty good. They set the jumps up just for me ;) (Felt bad but dangit I wanted to jump the big ones... even if they were all rails). So... we went in and the goal was to ride forward up into the bridle, keep the engine coming, ride forward through the turns, and... don't float my hands... keep the connection. And I think we succeeded. I didn't go off course ;) and Fleck was awesome!! We went double clear! There were a few spots where I sorta lost it and he covered for me. But... I was able to get my act back together and get back in gear. Yay for me too!! Sweet...
Check us out!!!! Whoo hooo.
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So...we finished on our dressage score.. in first... out of one! ;) ha ha.. But it was a good confidence boosting outing. I knew it wasn't him... and was me, but it was nice to realize I was able to fix ME. :)
So.. onward and upward :)
Yaaaaay, good work!
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