Bleeechhhh... Training Level Test B... booo booooooooo

I remember now that I LOATHE training test b. I wish it would die a fiery death. ugh.. Especially after doing all the fun first and second level tests. Ugh.. 

Today we had our Over the Hilltoppers pony club meeting. It was a ride-a-test with Chris Pritchard. It was good. I wanted to see how he felt after the dressage show and I needed to run through the test for the AECs. I swear, I think I moved up to prelim to get away from that test. Ugh. It's too much sling shot back and forth nonsense. 

Considering I haven't run through it... since probably the last time we ran it which would have been a year or so ago maybe.. I thought it went well the first time. Especially since I was running late (as usual) and didn't get to warm up like I wanted. Fleck was great. He just marched in and did his test. I didn't prepare him well enough so our downwards were a little braced. Chris said he was quite lovely and very workmanlike. She said we would get great harmony scores and great obedience scores. She did say that he was very haunches in coming down centerline the first time. (Hmm.... wonder if he's trying to take some weight off that right hind?). She said he tilted his head in my left lead canter so try to keep his ears even. She said that my canter lengthen needed to be much more lengthen from the get go (not a progression as it says because those that show from the get go will score better than those that build to it) and it needed to stay the same rhythm and not get faster. I asked about preparing for the downward earlier and she said yes. That way he comes down more balanced and the next two transitions are more balanced. And if I show more lengthen initially, then bringing him down a bit sooner is okay. He also needed more stretch in his stretchy trot and his free walk, but that's always the case. 

We took a breather and tried again. And it was a disaster! Ha! I'm not sure what happened. He and I were both out to lunch. He trantered at the first canter, then had the wrong lead. We were halfway through our first canter circle before he picked it up. But then we both woke up and it got better. Our second canter lengthen was MUCH better she said. But she did notice him being uneven. She felt it was more muscle soreness. 

After I untacked, I did take note. There was no back pain, no swelling in his stifles. But when I touched his right SI, he scooted. So I gave him a liniment soak and massaged him. I'm hoping that will help. I'm going to get Super Doc to come look at him and see. I'm hoping we can get him feeling better before AECs. He just keeps on going but I don't want him to be hurting.

But at least it was better than yesterday and not worse! And it was good practice to run through that test. I'll definitely need to practice it quite a few more times.