Kentucky Classic

After a very long debate as to whether or not to enter Full Gallop or go 9 hours to Kentucky,Barbie and I chose the latter. Mostly because I was also attending an ICP assesment in Ohio the following week,so we thought it would be easier to make the treck to Lexington and then stay at a friends for a few days. well stay we did ,but that part comes later on in the story.....

The event was spectacular. the weather was PERFECT!!!!!! the footing was PERFECT!!!!!we had PERFECT stalls,great stable mates and we went a day early so we were even able to take a few naps while we were there.( I was SOOOOO nervous about my exam.) I was franticly reading and studying trying so hard to remember all this STUFF!

The horses shipped really well and were relaxed and happy. We went a whole day early as they seemed drawn up the last time we shipped to Kentucky.This time everyone,including us got a nice rest.It was lovely and cool.I rode them all twice the next day before dressage and i think it paid off!Harry won the prelim with a 25!Peter was a 33 and Pickles was a37! We were very happy with all that. Especially Pickles as he so sensitive.Show Jumping was great, as they all jumped double clear rounds.Barbie was an absolute star to get these horses in and out of the ring every twenty minutes.

Cross Country was great fun. Peter zoomed around the fastest of the devils and moved up to third.He is now qualified for a one star and intermediate ,but we are going to wait I think as he is only 6.Harry won his class with a lovely clear and pickles was a superstar as usual across the country.He is truely ready to move up when the time comes. I feel confident that Harry will handle Intermediate too but still needs another event. I do not plan on moving them up till next year anyway.

I passed my ICP exam.ThankGOD! They are very stressful.Lets leave it at that. I am very happy to have passed !

The transmission blew up in my truck while heading to the ICP. That was not at all a pleasent experience. I shan't go into detail now as I don't have much to say thats very nice. But we are happy to be home. Today is Friday ten days after leaving for Kentucky. So I have lots to do before the September 19th Horse Trials here at Paradise.

The Kentucky Classic was a magic weekend for us and I choose to rethink those memories over and over.Sadly I am unable to feel that way about my own Horse Trials.The stress of few entries makes putting the event on a nightmare.We are slightly over our bare minimun number before cancelation.Organizing an event can be tons of fun,but its not so much fun when no one chooses to come.I am especially disheartened by the lack of our local riders that have yet to enter.Fingers crossed things will get better.

I am so proud of the horses.Peter came straight out of a field of 40 horses less than `15 months ago.Harry had never done an event. And now they are really becoming confident preliminary horses. Pickles is regaining faith in me. He is a very special boy recovering from serious drama a few years ago with a careless rider. (Not me.)It has taken every bit of 2 years to get him to BEGIN to trust me again.I love my horses and had a great time at the Kentucky Classic. It was the right decision.