Callie and I dressage
On Saturday we all ended with ribbons in the top 6!
Callie show jumped like a dream. She was clean despite my best efforts to have one or two rails.
XC also went quite well. She was so willing, unimpressed and happy cross country I got caught being a bit quiet to the water. She hung a leg pretty badly, I think she had no idea there was water on the landing side of her little training log and was startled to see it there. We twisted and as I went to the side, I swear that little mare moved herself under me. We got her hind end going and we jumped the log out with great ease. Callie finished the course spot on and very well. I am happy to have two such smart brave mares!
Alexis rode the best she ever has in the dressage. Packer was very good and is getting stronger and stronger! He jumped quite well despite the slippery footing. They ended in 6th at their first recognized event!!! A huge congratulations!!!!!!!!!
Alison rode the best she ever has in all three phases and earned herself and Knick a blue ribbon!!!!
Knick was so happy to be out at his first event of the season but was very quiet and well behaved (for Knick). He only sort of reared two or three times ;)))))
Alison made Knick look like a grand prix horse in the dressage. He scored a 34 ....even with an error....and added only one time fault to win with a 35!!!!!!!!!!
Courtney Swartz had three great phases. She had her AWESOME mom Vanessa help warm her up on the flat earning a 35. Court rode perfectly in both stadium and XC to finish in 5th on her dressage score.
Courtney has always been an amazing show jumper. She has ridden extensively with Laura Pickett and she sure shows off what an amazing teacher Laura was. Laura would be very proud of Courts performance yesterday.
On Sunday I headed back over to help Hunter and Kari.
Kari rode really well in the dressage. Kaliente was a bit ADD in the dressage and Kari handled it like a pro. Kari and Kaliente had their best show jump to date. All their hard work has paid off. Kaliente is starting to be so comfortable with her body and this is a credit to Kari. They looked brilliant cross country but were surprised by the open ditch toward the end of the course. The horses seemed to have trouble reading the open ditch on Sunday in the rain but hadn't the day before!
Hunter pulled off a really successful day! Hunter has been really busy with Lacrosse so he has not had as much prep and schooling for this spring eventing season. They had a beautiful dressage test, I thought the scores were all a bit high in his division though. His showjumping was PERFECT! XC was very well ridden and Fance was great on some less then mediocre footing. Fance was also a bit surprised by the silly open ditch but finished very strong.
Summer went to the event but was not herself in dressage warm up. We elected to withdraw her and will have to wait until her next event for her big debut!!! She still had a great first show experience and was able to soak up the environment like a giant 4 year old sponge!!!
I am so proud of all of my students.
They really did an amazing job, every one of them. I could not be happier or have hoped for any more for any one of them.
Working with horses can be hard sometimes. Things can seem like they are not going well when really they are going just the way they need to be.
Alison had a fall from Knick a few weeks back and all though it could have made her feel not ready for Redland, she turned it around into fuel to become over prepared and then she won!!!!
Every experience is a gift, if you let it be. It is all knowledge gained, if you let it be.
I learned that on a course that has a lot of turns and doesn't have the acreage for long gallops, I have to help Callie a bit sooner or quicker to get her in front of my leg. She has just turned 6 and has grown up so much already.
Kari learned her horse loves the way she is riding her and she said thank you today in the show jumping. She said thank you by looking perfect.
I have a date now with Maggie. Peppa pig is on and I have to make the blanket feel needed.
It is a good weekend when all the horses return home confident and happy and the riders come home feeling hungry for more.
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