News from the show

Just driving to the show was exciting yesterday with numerous idiots determined to pass the trailer at the last minute forcing Rob to put on the brakes. People need to learn to drive around horse trailers! They can't stop on a dime, and it rattles the horses each time the brakes are applied. Oh, and there was the lady who was busy staring off to the west as she merged to the east and pretty much ended up in the next lane. How hard is it to look where you are going?

As we drive up to the show it is apparent they were not spared from the wrath of the cloud Gods and the rings were rather wet...and barren of horses. No schooling in the show rings for us, other than the indoor. This was smart of the organizers, but it is nice to be able to get in the rings before the show. They did open it up to be walked in the morning...so Clare and I got there earlier than planned to hand walk the three horses in the two outside rings.

When we approach the show barn to unload, there is of course the grey haired man with the poodle unloading right at the barn entrance...so that there was a line up of trailers trying to get past...seriously, how hard is it to unload where everyone else does? There is an entrance on the SIDE of the barn too! Oh, and later he was parked in the same place while he waited for his passengers to get done in the barn because apparently they can't walk to the parking lot. For some reason this same person/horse trailer is always loading/unloading in the entrance. Not sure how they can be so clueless/rude.

Horses settled in well, and we schooled in the indoor. Brie thought the open man doors were frightening, but otherwise obedient. Tango was quite good. Magnus was great and did not cause any disturbances.

So on to today. Weather cooperated with the hot weather helping to dry the slop, but man was it humid. I was rather moist and hot after each test and my helmet didn't have nearly enough time to dry between rides. I dislike the feeling of a cold sweaty helmet upon my head! (as an aside, I was surprised by all the non-helmet riders....seriously, after the recent publicity of Courtney King Dye's incident where her horse TRIPPED landing her in a coma and the even more recent accident at the stampede where the horse had a heart attack and landed its rider in a coma too...I don't care how safe or good your horse is, you can't prevent tripping or a heart attack!)

I started with Tango in the indoors. It was second level test three. Not an easy test to start with...but she was pretty good. Spooked a couple times, likely because the tractor was zooming in and out of the barn ,but I was pretty happy with her as she was not nearly so rideable last show in the indoor. (Not sure why the barn staff couldn't have the barn alley near the arena done by 9:54 but oh well).

Then I was busy braiding Brie for her test in the outdoor. She was VERY obedient and I actually had a lot of fun in the test, but the deep/wet footing was not to her liking and she didn't feel comfortable moving out and would stall out when we got to a super deep spot. I figured she was protecting herself and gave her the benefit of the doubt.

I had a two hour break before Brie's next test. Indoors. She was less spooky than for warm up the day before, but still staring out the end door and spooked at the concession. Oh, and she did added a flying change when I half halted to get ready to go back to the trot. Unasked for flying changes seemed to be a theme for today.

An hours break and then Tango was in the CDI ring. I was less impressed with this test as she wasn't really that attentive. The test I was trying to do had simple changes and counter canter. The test she did had flying changes. Nice flying changes, but still, netted us scores of 4 for movements with coefficients of 2 (worth double the other movements). It surprised me as at home she is great at counter canter...so my freestyle has a fair bit of counter canter...

Both horses ended up with a second and a third. I am ok with that, but hope to improve my scores.

Magnus had his first class today too; the 3 year old Material class. Poor Mags was so overwhelmed once he got in the ring that Clare had trouble keeping him going, so the judge brought the 4 year old in for its class to judge concurrently. This helped and Clare was able to demo walk/trot, and canter one way before Mags had enough. This was good enough to give Clare a good score to earn a red ribbon (in dressage, you need a certain score to qualify for a ribbon) and she won PRIZE MONEY! $50!

Prize money at a dressage show! (when I heard about the prize money I began to rethink my decision to not show Coregel in the 3 year old tests...only a horse person would think that spending $300 to earn $50 in prize money made sense).

A crazy thunderstorm hit as I was leaving. Hopefully the rain didn't fall too hard and rewreak the arena...

I was exhausted. Rob kindly refueled the truck for me tonight.

Now to go to bed and prepare for tomorrow!

Karen