Pedro The Great

WE MADE IT!!!!AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH the last event for Peter Pan this year and he is very happy and extremely sound. I am so happy and grateful for a safe weekend,I can't sit down. I also just discovered great music on Pandora, so my office has changed from a room of torture and tears to a rockin', jammin' place!

Peter Pan has many names depending on the day.Peter Pan,Peanut Butter,Osama,El Diablo and Don't BUCK ME OFF!But today he is my shining star.It has been a long season with many ups and downs.He won a couple prelims,I crashed at his one star debut and broke my back(wearing number 13!)and had a STELLAR dressage at the AEC's and then,this weekend completed his first two star,safe and sound!

Believe it or not,I was drawn number 13 again and I had a fit and begged the Ground Jury to change my number.I swore to myself I would never ride with that number again having had terrible experience in the past. They were very accommodating so I became 197 and spent the rest of the weekend confusing everyone. Thank you Ground Jury!

I was happy with the dressage,having had a rather large blip when he touched the boards in his second turn on the haunches. At that moment I felt he turned into" Mr. Don't BUCK ME OFF!"He thought about it but quickly regained his composure to finish the test in fine form in FOURTH place. WOW!

His Cross country was exactly what I had hoped for at this early stage of his career. He is only 7 and just started jumping 2.5 years ago. I purposely went slow and had what I call a controlled round off a loose rein. He went all the straight ways(except for when I forgot where I was going after the water jump for about 7 seconds!!!!OOOPS!)I was pleased with my ability to control myself and stay slow and straight.I got cocky twice this year and paid the piper.Feeling my little boy be so happy and confident was well worth dropping to 12th place. I was over the moon with his performance and I felt we did a lot of good for our partnership in the future.

GOD I MISS RIVERDANCE AND PICKLES!!!!!!!!!It is very hard to have only 1 ride and keep it together emotionally at that level.I had a very very strong visit from Pickles walking back from the vet box after the cross country. He was in my pocket on Saturday for sure.How Lucky I have been to have had so many great rides on Riverdance ,my horse of a lifetime.Too bad I wasn't where I am now when I had him ...but we all have so much to learn.

River and Harry are next up to come out of the cobwebs and keep me jumping the big stuff till Peter comes back from his holiday.I know one thing for sure. One has to stay jumping the bigger fences or your eye goes quickly South!

I was pleased with the show jumping today. I'm feeling a little more at home with those monster fences.Peter was very relaxed and handled them well. But I had a slip in the turn to the last line.Naturally it was the triple with a good sized oxer in. I had the A and B down but then Peter got his feet back and cleared the last two jumps.Whew ,that was a close one.When I slipped on the approach to those giant red and black rails ,I thought,"Oh this is going to hurt!"

I owe a huge THANKS to Barbie Reeser and Lynda Clary-Burke ,my two helpers at the event. No one can do this alone. They were there to support and help and Peter looked amazing. Barbie is a super groom for sure now.She'll definitely be ready for Kentucky in a few more years!(Hope I will be!)

All in all a great weekend. I was very proud of Peter Pan. He can really fly and I hope he never grows up. I know I won't so we're really good for each other.Well that's all for now. Off to Neverland for the night. Happy Halloween.

Thank you everyone at Chattahoochee Hills.