Put your Eventer panties on and ride!

So... we had signed up for the High Point Schooling show today. We planned to do 2-1 to see how it might go in June at the recognized dressage show. And then we signed up for two stadium rounds. 

Friday was cold and windy and I was hoping to do some intervals but I got stuck at the day clinic so.. no riding. And then.. it started raining.. and kept raining... and raining... and raining!! I woke up and went to feed and decided to scratch. It was cold... and wet.... and cold... and wet! But... Beth talked me into it. She said that we NEEDED another stadium round before Windridge. And that I could put studs in. And that it wasn't that bad. Sigh..... So I went. And it was fun.... And again.. Beth is always right. ;) 

We got there and tacked up in the rain. And got on... Poor Flecky.. he was trying to hide his head because he doesn't like the rain on his eyelashes. But he was pretty darn good. We didn't warm up too much as it was rather slick in the grass warm up area, but... we got it done. Then we went in and did our test. It wasn't our best by far, but it wasn't too bad. He was a bit more rideable than I am used to and so my half halts were much more effective than usual. A fact I did NOT remember when we did our second counter canter loop... he broke. But it was because I over half-halted. Doh. Our canter to walk to canters were pretty darn good considering. We got counted down for a trot step or two but for us... pretty darn good. We even got some 7.5's on our trot work. Yay! We ended up with a 63%. Which... quite frankly, I'm quite pleased with. Sure, it's no 70% but still! It would have been a qualifying score. :) I'll take it. 

So then he went in his stall and I went and checked out the course. Tacked back up and then I realized how cold I was. Everything was wet. I tacked up way too early and had to wait on Beth and Hannah to finish their dressage tests, so I went back to the barn and Fleck and I hung out out of the rain for a bit. I shivered the entire time. It sucked.. But then we went back out and got warmed up (literally and figuratively). The warm up jumps were in the grass so I had to be careful and Fleck slid a little. But it wasn't too bad. He was jumping great too. He wanted at them! So we went in for the training round first and he was a little behind my leg to the first and second fence and then we started rocking and rolling. Although my leg kept slipping but it might have been because they were numb. Anyways... at fence 5, which was almost perpendicular across the arena, he stopped. I didn't close my leg and he got to it to a deep spot and without my help and leg.. he decided it was easier to stop. I wailed on him with my princess wand and then he jumped the rest of the course fine. 

We hung out for a bit while the others changed tack and did their course and then raised up the fences for the prelim rounds. I warmed up over two more warm up fences and he was on fire! So then we sat for a minute and then went in. I wanted to simulate the show grounds since we have had a few stops lately. Anyways.. we went in with GRRR and energy and it was awesome!!! He jumped like a beast! He was a little skittery because the footing was getting slicker, but he jumped great. We had one rail down, but no stops!! Yay!! So... for next weekend... GRRRRR!! :) 

And you know what made me happiest!? Flecky just keeps getting happier and happier!! He's back to his lean mean prelim machine self :) He was sooo excited about jumping :) YAY!!! I think he likes his aluminum wedgies back. 

So.... quite the miserable weather but quite the fun day!