Thunderbird, the first

Apparently I never actually posted this from back in April - I am starting to write up a Derby Summary post, but might as well toss this up in the meantime.


We are planning to spend *most* of our season up at Thunderbird this year, so I'll have to start naming posts something other than "thunderbird."  

But I gotta say, it's hard not to show there.  The facilities are impeccable, the rings are big and beautiful and well maintained.  The jumps are built to the hilt, and the staff are all NICE and accessible.  It's hard to fault them for much.  

Oh, and everything is in CAD, which means its showing at a 20% (ish) discount.  Sold. 

Our April outing was one for the books.  Quiz nearly swept his Green Division and was Champion.  I was WAY better on Winds and managed to not only lead my first jog ever, but snagged my first championship at 3'.  Quiz had his Derby debut and won it.  And Winds galloped around the Big(ger) Derby track for the first time with a respectable 4th place finish.

Also, somehow a week of supposedly very rainy weather, turned into pleasant sun and clouds and we didn't get a raindrop on us once.  

Quiz is looking like an entirely different horse than he did down in Cali.  It's like we came home, schooled some gymnastics and all the sudden he figured out how to Hunter.  He's lifting his shoulders, following the rein over jumps and keeping his balance and collection with minimal effort.  It's so cool to see, and so gorgeous to watch.  He's a good egg.

Winds made it clear I need to work on stay straight and really coming forward through my corners.  But he gets credit for rewarding me with a great adjustable canter and solid rhythm when I do.

on to the next!

The (extremely) Amateur Adults

I've spent the better part of the last two years trying to undo enough bad habits that I can (respectably) make my way around the AA's with my 1.40m horse.

At times this timeline and process has been frustrating and disheartening, but I continue to adore my gray horse and his ability to help me let go of sins past and learn how to ride like a competent adult who has a significantly reduced sense of risk tolerance and a significantly increased sensitivity to self preservation.

So, when the moment finally came for us to go canter around the 3' ring together, I am really, really proud that there were lots of moments that looked like this:

And thankfully only one moment that looked like this:

But we'll get to that.

All in all, I had a lot of fun.  Winds was significantly more interested in his job than he was with me in the ring last summer which I attribute to a combination of increased comfort as well as increased give-a-shit-ness for a slightly taller fence.

My videos show that I am in fact riding better, and that I can be taught.  So that is something that I am trying to hold on to and pat myself on the back for.  They also show me that I still love to drop my hands, wait in the corner and collapse my left side.

But that's why we love this sport, there's always something (or like 10 somethings) to be working on.  I admit that like most type A ammys in the Hunter Ring, it's much, much easier to focus on the 10 somethings than it is on the progress - but I'm lucky to have a crazy supportive group of barn ladies who are always quick to point out what's going well or more importantly - going better than before.

Here is my first round from our first week.  All in all - not disastrous! I got Winds to the first fence mostly perfect and he clobbered it like he didn't notice it was there.  I was somewhat surprised since I spent the whole time in our approach thinking "holy crap his front end is light, holy crap his front end is light.." and then WHACK -  Not so light.

Anyway, there was that, and a monster chip, but otherwise we recovered.  I look tense, but you can tell I'm starting to relax by the end.  The judge might have mixed up his notes because we pulled a 3rd in this round.  I know Winds is pretty lovely, but I guess maybe everyone else had a bobble too.  I guess since it was the first day of the second half of the circuit maybe I wasn't the only one stepping back into the ring for the first time in a while....

 

And for comparison when nerves were slightly less at play - here is our second round on Sunday from the first week.  Not perfect by any means, but a more consistent pace, I was thinking more in the corner and way more at ease with Winds' level of engagement.  I think we got 4th in this one out of about 20.  (TAKE THE RIBBONS AND RUN).

 

The second week was much the same, with mostly small improvements.  Still a slightly late change or one chip sprinkled in each round, but the rest of it was pretty good distances with pretty good pace and pretty good decisions.  I just need to up the consistency and we'll start finding more success.  

I did have my HORRID very bad, no good, chip during the second week. 

It's probably the first time I thought I was actually going to flip my horse (and that includes all the harebrained shit I did on cross country in my youth).  I totally overthought a corner, second guessed myself (be patient, be patient, she said be patient, holy crap we need to gooooooo!).  And it didn't work out well.  I gunned Winds, he tried to listen, then realized he needed to put a foot down, but I was pretty sure his legs were going to land in the flower boxes and trip us.  I had already mentally committed to bailing of his left shoulder when he managed to touch toes down - pop them back up and get us over in a much less dramatic fashion than I had pictured.  (Word has it we stayed very straight, because my trainer couldn't tell how ugly it was from behind.....)

My next thought was "hmm.  That was bad.  We should just regroup, add in the line and come out more organized."  But Winds landed, knew he had ground to make up and marched right up the line in 5 and jumped out like I hadn't totally messed up the first part.  What a prince he is.  

So ended our first exploration of the AA's together.  Mostly good, some nerves, some pilot error, a LOT of pats for Windsor and a couple good ribbons to feel good about.  

Next up - Thunderbird!

Two Weeks in the Desert

The boys and I are back from our first trip back to HITS in three years (and both of their first trips to the show). 

I continue to have several gripes about how HITS operates their shows, but I do have to give them credit for some significant infrastructure improvements - and I can't deny that I love getting out into the sunshine and show ring months before the circuit kicks off at home. 

Two weeks of showing saw me tiptoe into the Adult Amateurs with fairly consistent results (only one gasp-worthy moment).  Winds galloped around the Devoucoux Prix both weeks with admirable rounds and top ribbons.  Quiz moved into the 3' Greens, won a very competitive hack, and took first in a class of 85 with John French in the irons.  I meandered around the 2'3" with the baby, drank a lot of wine with my barn ladies and walked over 50 miles each week which totally justified my breakfast burrito habit... 

We experimented with a (much) lighter schedule for Windsor both weeks.  One pro warm up to get him in the ring that would have the Prix.  Then just my AA division.  The second week I added a 2'9" Eq over fences to ride something a bit more fun (adult Eq ran the same day as the Prix so I wasn't able to play in that ring..).  He's definitely a bit brighter with fewer trips around the ring, but I think keeping his miles to a minimum will serve us all better in the long run.  

Quiz was a dude and took everything including the 40mph winds without batting an eye.  The first week he looked a little wiggly and green in his division, but by the end of week two the polish was really starting to come out and show itself over fences.  I wanted to ride him in all the tiny divisions, but in the name of not overwhelming him or making him hate shows, we kept it light and low key.

I'll get some videos up of the Prix rounds and some of Quiz's debut as well.  I'd love to share the video with Frenchie riding, but uh.... I managed to not press record so I have exactly ONE SECOND of that glorious round.  dammit. 

After a week of rest and relaxation we'll get back to work and focus on fixing the small stuff before heading up to Thunderbird in April! 

Spring Inaugural - Amateur Days

In sprite of my insipid mood and fury over the inevitable frustrations of showing in a subjective sport, the show rolled on.  

Friday all of the Equitation Divisions ran, leaving Sat and Sun for the Hunters and Derby.

I skipped the show on Friday, thinking that a) I don't actually need to drive to/from the fairgrounds (45 min) every day to sit like a hormonal bump on a log and throw tantrums about judging, and b) Since it was Half-Lease-Lady's first day of showing with Prair I thought she might appreciate said hormonal-bump-on-log not hovering directly over her the entire time.  

I know if I was leasing a horse I wouldn't want a hovering owner adding to my first day show jitters.  

So I spent the day actually working and then formalizing the whole Nursery Plan for our house (we don't actually have a good room for a nursery, as our second bedroom is two flights of stairs removed from ours.  My charming father made a suggestion that we utilize the elevator as a nursery ((which we do actually have, since we anticipated that my grandmother would be living in the house..)), since he thinks it would just be neat-o to send the crib (and baby) to whatever floor of the house you were on.... )  Instead, I made the executive decision that we will be constructing a wall to enclose an alcove/corner thing that was a sort of home office area but could easily be a baby-space, and unlike the elevator, has windows. But I digress...

The report from the show grounds Friday was ambiguous at best.  I looked at results online in the evening and saw that Prair and HLL won the Eq on the flat (yay!) but showed no placings for the rounds over fences.. curious since there were like 8 in the division and everyone should (presumably) get a ribbon.  

When I finally got the full story, it sounded like Prair was a very anxious horse in the indoor, and there was an alignment of all things bad that resulted in a moderate crash during the first round of the Adult 3' Eq.  

They scratched the second round, headed outside and started just adding Low Hunter rounds to get in the ring and build up height.  they literally went in the 18", 2'3', 2'6" and 2'9" rounds and by the end both HLL and Prair were back on task and locked in.  They either won or placed second in all those classes, so I think the recovery was swift.  

Later that evening they returned to the indoor for a cool Equitation Challenge thingy.  They placed 2nd in their age bracket which moved them into the top 12 from all age divisions. Sounds like the judge just kept calling for things (lengthening of stride, counter canter, dropped stirrups, etc) and would pull you into the center of the ring when you screwed up.

Well, Prair had a fit about the indoor and wouldn't stop flipping her head, so they (sadly) got pulled first and then had the pleasure of standing in the middle of the indoor for 20 minutes while the class ran and Prair proceeded to wig out.  

Silver Lining?  A big, pretty NECK RIBBON for the effort.  

Pretty purple-ish for 12th place

Given the semi-disasters in the Indoor, everyone decided to change divisions and show the Low Adults at 2'9" outside for the weekend.   

That was a Good Decision.  

Everyone seemed happier and they totally kicked ass.  Over fences on Saturday they took a 1st and a 2nd, followed by a 1st Under Saddle.  Not a huge division (maybe 5 or 6?) but still some really nice horses, including one that we showed against down in Thermal and regularly beat us.  

Sunday they came right back with another 1st and 2nd over fences which claimed a Championship and saw our Barn-mate take reserve.  

Pretty Prair, her lovely Half Lease Lady, and their COOLER

This week it all happens again, except Pro Days start tomorrow at the crack of dawn.  Prair will have to face facts in the indoor and suck it up for the Large's and Pre-Greens again - hopefully we continue to see improvement!!

The Adult Amateur Debut

This weekend was rad.  I'm so glad we went.

WHEE! (oops, my leg)

If you read nothing more, that's the final message.  Of course, with a full night's sleep and videos in hand, the glory of nothing tragic happening is fading into nitpicking the mistakes apart, which belies how proud I am of Prairie for our outing.

Turns out I was the only Amateur who wanted to play this weekend so I got combined with the Juniors who are chasing points and vying for the zone championship.  Good for me in terms of competition.... bad for me in terms of confidence/ribbons. :)

But, such is life, no one likes getting their ass kicked by a 17 year old in the prime of their junior career, but sometimes that's what Sunday brings you.

So, without further ado.  The Day.

As we were hauling to the show I started thinking about everything that I was changing all at once. 

True, Prair has been to this arena several times, but not since... March? so it's not like I could count on her having a super strong memory/comfort with the place.

Usually we haul over on Friday, school the jumps/ring and have a sleepover before showing.  If nothing else it gets me used to the angles in the ring and Prair a bit more settled. 

Usually I have my Trainer with me to keep me from overthinking things/give me useful reminders, etc.

Also, said trainer usually shows her division prior to mine so Prair has already seen the jumps/lines/spooky things and is a bit over it.

This time however, I thought it'd be super clever to not do any of those things, and oh yeah - move up to 3'.

Maybe it was all the great rides this week but for some reason I was totally not at all worried about it.  At all.  And thankfully, I didn't need to be!

Prair settled in great and munched on her breakfast (something she was pissed not to get prior to departure...) while we checked in, learned that start time had been pushed back an hour and finished our coffees. 

One of my good friends graciously volunteered to be ground crew for the day so she was whispering in my ear smart things like "ummmm if the arena is open for another hour do you want to hack?"

and

"after you hack do you want more Starbucks"

You know, the sort of helpful suggestions that keep you going on a cold, 20 something degree horse show morning...

When it finally came time to warm up, Prair was chill, relaxed and totally pleasant.  We walked around on the buckle, proudly bundled up in one of our coolers and I marveled at the mare's attitude.  Then we picked up the trot, and I was still able to keep a loose rein (whaaaa).  We canted some serpantines, sometimes asking for a change, sometimes holding counter canter... she was great.  She did spook at a car on the road once, but she came right back. 

We put up some jumps, she was chill and soft.  We put them up higher, she stayed chill and soft.  I called it good and we waited to go in.

The first round was... interesting.  I was nervous about not having enough pace or step to make the lines so I deliberately started with more canter than I wanted to (since what I want is a teeny, tiny, micro canter).  This was a great idea until our first line when at approximately the third stride (of five) I wasn't sure we were going to get a fifth fit in.  WHOOPS. 

I felt like the next line (a four stride) was just as catastrophic, but on video it doesn't look as bad.  Finally, the two stride (which I almost never school) came up faster than I wanted, we took a longer spot in and got a bit jammed up going out. 

All in all, it looks way better than it felt (it felt like an unmitigated disaster) but that's why we pay for the warm up round folks! Prair also felt a big wiggly to the jumps, but that's probably a factor of having not seen them (at all) and also not having S take her through some rounds before my rides. 

Here's the video: 

(Note: I'm putting up all the videos for archiving purposes, I don't suggest watching them all unless you find them FASCINATING.  I pulled some stills for those skipping the vids.  If you want to watch one and one only, our second Eq round is the most respectable).



We took a quick break and re-rode the same course for our first hunter round.  It was... a lot better on account of the fact that I started with the right canter, but I sorta screwed up my changes and cross cantered a fence so we placed last, which was to be expected.

I'm releasing!

The second hunter round was better than the first.  We fixed the pesky lead change issue and I didn't freak out in the two stride (though I still didn't really release).  I think we pinned third.



Then it was onto Eq courses.  The first Eq course was... boring? I've learned that the twistier the course the better I ride it, so.. that wasn't a good sign for me.

Prair somehow managed a weird/small spook thing right before the judge's line so we biffed that along with our turn after it, but such is life.  Everything else went pretty well. (we placed last)

flying out of the Judge's line...

Our final round came up and had some better rollbacks and whatnot which made me happy.  But Prairie was starting to get impatient, so I was also concerned her egg timer was going to go off at an inopportune time... But in the ring we went and I think it was our best round.  It sorta looks exactly like all the other rounds on video, but when I was riding it, Prairie felt the most adjustable and most attentive that she had been.  It also felt like my least-tragic trip through the two stride :)  Least tragic is always something to aim for...  the one major blemish was that Prair decided applause was scary and spooked a bit during our closing circle.  Nitwit.

Into the two stride we go! (I'm maybe straight??)

Actually, now that I look at all the videos I'm not sure that was our best round... either way we placed third again (whee!).

The flat classes were boring (cause they're flat classes) and I was EXHAUSTED.  For some reason I kept creeping into my knee and out of my heel in my courses which left my legs tired.  Prair was apparently also tired and really wanted to drop on her big forehand.  I struggled to get her to sit back, but ultimately went for giving her a looser rein than picking the fight.  We placed second in our Hunter Under Saddle and last (wah) in our Eq.  It was deserved though... I was braced and tired and Prair looked... not fabulous.  definitely not our finest moment on the flat.

But you know what? We showed at 3' better than a lot of shows we've had at 2'3" or 2'6".  I felt totally comfortable with the fences, and Prair was the most manageable she's ever been for me on course and it was all without days of schooling or showing beforehand.

That is a super fitting way to close out our 2013 season (for real this time), even if our only blue was by default!