LRSS 5/31

So, our first show is over.. under our belt, which is a good thing. I have to apologize for not having written much lately but life has been busy - a funny thing to hear from someone without a job, but it's true.

Last week we spent the better part of three days driving out to NY to help our friends who are moving to NH. We helped them pack up what they wanted to take and put what they were leaving into an order fit for showing their house to prospective buyers. Karl drove one of their cars back and I stayed to watch the baby while they continued to pack. I followed them back on a very long drive in the dark and fog and rain and by the time I got home I was so tired I couldn't think straight.

So that ate up Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week - a bad thing b/c I didn't ride any of those days but a good thing in the sense that I probably wouldn't have ridden anyway b/c it was raining here... either that or I would have ridden in the rain and made Sky miserable, as that is her least favorite activity!

By the time Saturday came around and I could ride, there was so much prep to do that Michelle and I did a quick hour long jaunt down the road and I rode in the yard for a bit to make sure she wasn't crazy, and that was it.

I do have to say that Sky was the cleanest she's ever been yesterday! We bathed and scrubbed and wrapped legs to keep them clean. Thanks to Lisa's persistant nature she has now a perfectly pulled mane! (that was a process, let me tell you!) So, by Sunday AM we were good to go.

So this is how our day went - first we did halter for horses 6 and over. There were about 15 people in the class and although the judge eyeballed us a lot, we didn't place. Sky did pretty well to set up but is still cocking her back foot and falling asleep on me!.

Showmanship was a lot harder and then we had Lisa to help us with the pattern. The practice did not go so well just because Sky kept trying to crawl into my or Lisa's pocket and had to learn otherwise - quick! So, we practiced and practiced and by the time I went into the ring, I was all like, "just give it a go"... so we did the pattern and messed up a bit on the pivot but otherwise did ok. There were 16 people in that class and there was a lot of standing around while waiting for the decision. It was worth it, though, because we placed 6th out of 16! Not too shabby for my first time out at showmanship!

Then it was on to riding, and after looking at the equitation pattern, I knew we were doomed. I had asked about having to do a change of lead before and came to the conclusion that I wouldn't have to do one... oh, no... the equitation pattern had one! So, we practiced and practiced and after getting Sky to take the correct lead I realized we might be ok. During the pattern in the class, she took the right lead at first, then for the change, the circle was so small I never got her back into the lope! At that point I thought I was doomed to be last but there was a woman behind me having a very hard time with her horse... so I thought maybe we wouldn't be dead last.... Well, while we were doing rail work her horse spooked at something and she fell off, so so much for that. She seemed ok but shaken up for sure. Sky and I managed to get the correct leads but were no match for the experienced riders and horses in the ring and wound up 4th out of 5 (if you count the woman who fell).

Next, we had adult pleasure in which she broke gait and wound up 5 of 5. Adult Discipline Rail was the same story and despite the success of achieving the correct leads, we broke gait again and had to endure the torture of having the judge watch the whole time! Not like it wasn't bad enough that I was lapping the snotty girls on their perfectly slow horses... oh well, 4 of 4 there.

Open Pleasure Senior Horse I made a new goal just to not break gait... grrr... so we acheived that but still ran circles around everyone. Her trot was much better there but the whole day her headset was never right and I couldn't manage what I wanted with one hand... When we lined up the judge mentioned to me that 'she's a little strong'... I explained that it was our first time showing w/t/c and he seemed to understand us better. We still got 4 of 5 there, but I was estatic to just not be last!

Then it was lunch break and by the time we got back on for trail both Sky and I were ready to be done for the day.... but we waited our turn and did our best... I love trail. I do extra things like sidepass up to the mailbox instead of just walking to it, I made sure to stop at the bridge like the instructions said to do.... in the Adult division we never again made it to loping like we were supposed to... oh, well. When we did the course again for Senior Horse we did get a lope in... the second time through I even tapped the mailbox for good measure and threw the coat over her whole head, not just across my saddle as the instructions said to... hey, it made the judge laugh!

So we wound up winning 1 of 7 for Adult Trail and 1 0f 5 for Senior Horse Trail... enough to make my day before we all pulled out for the day! I have a lot to work on for two weeks from now, but that is a good thing. As much as I hate to get last or do poorly it's a place to improve from, something I wouldn't really have if I was still doing walk/trot.

I was super tired when I got home and passed out at 8. I'm sure Sky was sleeping before then!

C