Hopefully I am not being shamefully unprofessional.
My horses were great this weekend.
I am pleased with Beast all the way around.
I am bummed that I was not more thoughtful about the studs in dressage but you live and you learn.
The show jumping was great. The mare is jumping so well and that pleases me to no end.
The cross country was good for what it was.
The ground was a bit hard in spots and the course (which was well layed out with the space given) was a teeny herky jerky with all the winding we had to do.
With that said, I am by no means criticizing, I am just observing in relation to my horse(s).
Beast was very brave and her usual self but I find I ride her a bit differently after last fall.
Retiring at Virginia Horse trials last fall may have been a blessing in disguise. It FORCED me to take a hard look at my horse and what I could do to better prepare her as an athlete.
Beast is definitely an Ulcer Guard kind of girl. She is also a hack the day before competition and requires a lot of low stress kind of girl.
Today I rode Beast as if she were a clients horse. I think I had become lulled into a ho hum attitude with her.
If she would peek at something, I would ignore it because she always goes.
After Virginia, I feel a bit sharper in the XC. I think this will help better prepare us for the upcoming 2 stars and hopefully a move up to advanced.
Callie was (like I said) a dream in the dressage. A total dream. All the scores in the divisions from the judge she had were a bit high. I also simply don't agree with the main comments that were written so oh well!
Callie was a NIGHTMARE in SJ warm up.
I almost bit it for real. If I had not been surrounded by my peers, my pride would not have magically glued me on my leaping mare. I also didn't want my air vest to deploy and cost me a 40$ replacement cartridge.
After the leaping spree, we trotted and I sang to her like a psycho. (It used to work for Ralph Hill right?)
By the time I got into the show ring she was actually pretty good.
I did not sing "I'm bringing sexy back".
I did how ever sing Eminem's "White Trash party" on the XC. She liked that. She got a bit cocky on the XC and over jumped a bit. Interestingly after she scared herself a little on landing she became much more respectful of my half halts.
I was happy to see that she was in heat after I finished. I did not notice before in the day or in the previous days.
Heat causing discomfort would be something I could work with (if this is what can cause her to be naughty)! I had suspected that it had to do with her being a mare but there is often seemingly no rhyme or reason to Callie and her "bad days".
I can work with this. I can call my vet on Monday and start to devise a plan to help my little girl.
Callie was good when it counted and that was great.
Her place changed four times while I was at Full Gallop so lord only knows where she will end up.
The scoring had (has) major issues which can be a bit frustrating.
I was so sad to see Dave and Maggie go. It was so amazing to have them here to support me.
They will be back on Friday so only a four day wait. Then I get them the rest of my stay until we go home together.
I was also sad to see Katherine go. I wish Katherine and Alison could be with me the whole time!
At least I have little Ossi, Stephens crew and my sister from another mister..... Becky.
I hope this all made a lot more sense and I will post video next.
Bed time for me.
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