At Last

We FINALLY made it to an event.The Area 3 Championships at Chattahootchie Hills.Sadly Harry couldn't go as he had hurt his back,so Barbie and I went down with Pickles and Peter Pan.Rain was in the forecast and boy did it ever.Poor carl ,I know exactly how he feels to have his beautiful facility destroyed by all the trucks.Mud was everywhere (though the tracks for the horses were good)But Five hundred people can definately tear up a field.Our stables were soup.The horses did not want to even go in them!

Dresage went well.Pickles was drawn first of the class and I thought went very well for him.He is such a sensitive horse and gets very worried.But he was really a good boy,yet was placed last in the class.Never mind.He was happy and so was I.I can't wait to get him in a large arena!Peter was all business.I was very happy with his test.The judge told me she was very dissapointed by my rides and expected much more from me!Humph!Back to the drawing board.Peter was tied for 5th after the circles.Again I was pleased with the horses.

We were stabled way far from the event and could not hear a thing up on the hill ,so we missed a great deal of the competition.Too bad as it would have been fun to watch the 2 star horses going.I thought the Training championship course was very soft and was disapointed to see us share fences with the novice ,rather than the prelim.But,as it was my first run of the year ,the most important thing was would my leg hold up?It has been feeling great but I have had a few balance issues,standing in the irons.The pain factor has really subsided.I did not feel a thing on the day and had two clears ,so things were spot on.

I am impressed,having missed basically the entire spring season,by the HUGE INCREASE in the numbers and degrees of angled questions out on the cross country.They are everwhere.We had a great angled coffin in the training.That was great practice for things to come.
Jon Wells was kind enough to buzz me around the prelim and Intermediate courses and there were some SERIOUS angles out there and I thought the intermediate water was also without joke.

I think these angles are a great way to make people ride better.You have to slow down and be very accurate.You have to PRACTICE!There is NO WAY to ride these things without PRACTICE and thats what riders need! AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!!!!It's not enough to just go out and jump big fences.The Europeans at Rolex REALLY SHOWED us how to do it.I know that this is something I will have to work on to step up my game.

Show Jumping had to be moved to a second location as the intended place was destroyed by the first day of competition.So the Organizing committee at the event deserves great thanx from all of us riders for their efforts.I hear it took them all night in the mud and rain.

I haven't been practicing my show jumping on the grass much and I think that rattled Pickles a bit.He jumped a clear round but was muddled by the footing a bit(which was good just wet)It was a nice flowing course.Last time I jumped at this event it was a very hard course with few clear rounds.Peter was also clear and jumped like a lion.

So Peter was third and Pickles 8th.We were delighted.

It's nice to be home again and out of the mud.Lets hope the washing machine holds up!

I had lots of friends at the event and my sponsors ARENUS were there which made it even more fun.I am so lucky to have their support and they are more FUN than a million monkeys.

So Full gallop is next.I am thinking about moving Peter and Pickles up to the Prelim.Just have to decide.My concern is the ground over there can be a bit hard.Harry will hopefully run the training as he missed his first start.Then we shall hopefully go on to Champagne Run in Lexington.So stay tuned.Today its back to the drawing board and getting everybody back in work after their short weekend break.It is wonderful to be back riding again!