Fair Hill CIC 3* Day 1

Well, day one is coming to an end.  I am having a great time and enjoying every second!  It is still hard to believe that we are here doing the CIC 3*!  I have not said those words (CIC 3*) a lot so when doing in-barns, having them check my arm band, and other reasons to identify what division I am in, I find the words, CIC 3* sounding so foreign as they come out of my mouth.
We did our in-barns yesterday and they went well.  Frankie actually stood while they looked over her.  This is way better than in the fall at the 2* at Chatt Hills when she was trying to take everyone out!
Finding the dressage, discovering "THE Tunnel," and hacking through the forest have been adventures in themselves!  When ever Lindsay or I ask someone where something is we get, "You know where they have stabling for the Fall 3-Day."  Or, "Oh, you run XC in the field where they run the Fall Fair Hill."  Apparently, having not ever been to Fair Hill is incomprehensible by some! LOL.  Well, we are here now and I am getting my bearings.  I actually made it over to dressage today in 28 minutes and did not take one wrong turn!
I was able to walk around the course with Jan at 8:15 this morning.  As always, it was very informative.  We spent the longest time at the waters that Jan warned will ride very BIG on the out fences, the coffin, and the sunken roads... Yes, two of them.  The first sunken road comes up early, has a one stride in, 21 feet across the bottom, and a significant bounce out.  I have very specific instructions here and Frankie bounced out of the water really well at Southern Pines so I hope to have the same feel here.  Jan is very specific about where to be out of the saddle and where to have your "butt down" to the fences.  I have also learned to walk distances but not to depend on the number and to be ready to ride what I get.  Often, especially with terrain questions, such as the second sunken road- which is an actual ROAD, if they shuffle down the hill it will come up different than if they leap down the hill.  This will be the same case at the second water.  It walks a 5, but that my not be what you end up with.  This course is going to give me PLENTY of opportunities to work on closing the left side by putting my left leg ON, left hand down, opening my right rein, and NOT dropping my shoulder right to try and direct her where to go.   The shoulder is not a good means of steering! The course looks fun and rideable.... and ride is what I will need to do.
Our dressage test was a huge improvement from the test we did in the Fall.  She is more rideable.  Wayne was able to see my test and his biggest comment was that I need to RIDE her in the ring.  I think I back off her for fear of that blow up she is  was capable of.  She was behaved today, got both changes and good scores on some movements.  Early in the test my curb chain came undone on one side and was swinging rhythmically, hitting her in the side of her face.  Luckily, after the third whack, if went flying through the air, free of the other clip.  She was really good through all of this.  I am finding pliers and closing those clips as soon as I get home!  We got a qualifying score of 67.5 and the good news is there is so much room for improvement! She is only getting better and better!
I wanted to send an update from here but now, I am headed to bed and going to try to sleep (hope my typos are minimal tonight!) - I am really excited about tomorrow!  We have a busy day and again, I am going to enjoy every second.  :)