Well...the rain stopped....finally!

Apparently it took a long time to stop raining at Amberlea, and was still pouring when Amanda went back to do night feed Friday night, and was still drizzling a bit today, but not nearly as bad as yesterday, so it was possible to stay dry. But the damage was done; the footing in all the outdoor rings were under water with muck and puddles.

Amanda and I stuck to a similar plan as yesterday; just a walk warm up and a brief trot once in the competition ring to prepare for the classes. We both avoided the warm up ring muck. I don't think Tango would have gone in the ring if I had asked her too anyway!

Fr0m team Hillside, Amanda went first again (with her resilient groom Joan, who came back for an another day of punishment and suffering). She had her Intro test first, and went ok, with just a few wobbles and mis-steps as Edgar dealt with big puddles and uncertain steps. Despite that, Amanda still managed to get a score in the 60's as the rest of the test was lovely, and placed 3rd. She decided to scratch from her Training Test as the ring that was in was even more under water!

Tango and I went about an hour later in the same ring that Amanda had been in. It was our First level test 3, and we were first in for that class...which I think was a good thing as a path hadn't been dug up too much, although I still opted to avoid the puddles that were there, so cut off one corner and one end a bit, but we managed to get in the 60s and another second place.

Then they announced that due to the rain the FEI classes would move indoors...which meant the Freestyle would also move indoor....which made sense due to the wet ring, but was not what I wanted to hear! I had prepared my timing and test to be outside, with the judges at the letters C, H, and E, but with it in the indoor, I had to start differently, and the one judge moved across the ring from E to B. Not a huge deal, but enough to make me even more nervous about that class!

I decided to flip my test around so it made more sense for the judge at B, and I listened to my music about 10 times to ingrain the timing in my head, so I felt more or less prepared.

So in I go for the class, and Tango is ok for our initial trot around (to the right), so we start our test...which starts with me trotting to X (the middle), halting and saluting at X, and then cantering off to the left and doing a lengthened canter down the E wall. I figured it would be an impressive start....but with it being inside, there were spectators along that wall...and Tango proceeded to jam her head in the air and canter sideways....not as impressive a start! And, her reluctance to go forward meant my timing was off for the music! My next moves were at the trot, and she got better, but still less forward than I planned for, so I was really glad I knew the music as I knew where I needed to make up time,, and adjusted my free walk accordingly, and got more or less back in the groove. She remained tense for the rest of the test, making our canter serpentine rough, but we finished ok, with a score that was lower than I hoped (58), but I did get some encouraging comments, so I think that if Tango had behaved as she would have had we been outside, it would have been more impressive.

All in all, I just wanted to get out and do a Freestyle so that I could be more comfortable doing them in the future, as I really think Freestyles are the ultimate goal and the most fun in dressage!

Amanda, Clare B and I watched some of the upper level Freestyles too; impressive!

After those classes, we notices quite a few trailers being loaded and leaving; the wet weather has led to a few people calling it quits, but I am hoping they manage to do something to make it rideable for Amanda and I tomorrow!

Karen