I am definitely learning a whole lot these days and enjoying every second of it! I am the first to admit that I am green at the level. At my last two shows, I have learned what happens when I don't have enough canter and what happens when I am not patient, balanced, and run her off her feet into technical combinations. My motto this past weekend was to attack.... and well, I attacked and twice I over attacked! She came out of the box really going this weekend and I had an absolute blast!
We had one of best dressage tests this weekend! I also earned a huge compliment from Megan Moore saying it was the best she's seen me ride! Wayne would have been so proud! We had two stops on XC, for the same reason, and both at "A" elements. Her attitude was not, "I am not doing it." It was more like, "I cannot do it from that canter." Once I circled and organized, she answered the questions perfectly. What I am thrilled with is how well she held her line everywhere! I watched some more experienced riders take the option at the "D" element of the water and even though I thought about taking the option once we stopped at "A", when I landed in the water, look for my line up the angled bank to the skinny, it was right there! She sailed through angle tables and negotiated the terrain at the corners. The sunken road was an A,B,C,D and the horses were asked to jump in over a solid roll top then down the bank and up the bank at an angle with a skinny angled bounce out at "D" inviting the horses to run out right. Once I got my canter correct, Frankie sailed through straight as an arrow.
Show Jumping is getting better. At least when I make a mistake, I seem to make one.... even if I make the same one more than once! I am getting better at knowing where I am in the shorter distances but when the distances are seven strides or longer, I have a tendency to disrupt the canter on the landing before I know if I need to stay the same, wait, or move up. Two of the three rails we had were this exact mistake. I jumped in and took a tug then found myself wanting to move up three strides out. The other rail was a gentle roll out of the cups. I left all my rails up out of combinations and that is huge for us. Now, to just keep working on putting the numbers together.
I had an amazing weekend, with an amazing group of people from Lexington! Tom was SUPER and very helpful all weekend!! Having him there to support me is important so even though he probably does not LOVE it, he is a great sport about it all! Jen O'Neil and Megan got Frankie safely to GA and all set up in her stall. When I arrived the next morning, she was re wrapped, my packet picked up, and my stuff nicely placed in front of my stall. What an SUPER group of friends. Megan and Andrea were a huge help and both so incredibly positive as always. As were Elissa, Lindsey, and Drew. (So many KY people were there- it was almost like KHP South.) Jen and I went around and around the advanced course, once even with the help of Micheal Pollard. I know how disappointed she is in how the weekend turned out. My other friends, Hannah Williams and Heather Johnston didn't have the best of weekends either but you've of never know it from their attitudes! I LOVE traveling with this group. It seems we really understand each other and have formed our own little team. I have surrounded myself with people that care about others and are excellent horsewomen. May your next journey be as much fun as the destination!
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