fun show shenanigans

We finally had a show this weekend!! It was just a fun closed-farm schooling show at OF (we're allowed to go bc we're technically students there) - and we had a blast :)

isabel gets her beauty sleep (and wallows in mud...)

It was a great opportunity to test out our routine and nerves - but without a lot of pressure or very high stakes (or financial outlay - the show cost the equivalent of a lesson). 

mayyyybe the dirtiest i've ever seen her lol

We got there just in time for B and Wick's classes. The show was very casual, so riders briefly warmed up together on the flat (with all the resident trainers clustered together in the middle) before beginning the hack class. After that, every one got a chance to warm up over the same couple fences before the over fences class began. 

dis her game face

Our hack class was no joke too. Just like last year, they tested us on a LOT of stuff for a long-ish time. We did multiple trots (sitting and rising) and canters in each direction, complete with various transitions: walk to canter, trot to canter, trot to halt, halt to trot, etc. They also tested us on rein backs twice and asked for a specific number of steps each time. 

 

We whiffed our first right lead canter depart, but otherwise Isabel was spot-on. Our recent practice on backing served us very well as Isabel stayed very soft and polite and STRAIGHT for both rein backs - tho we added a step each time. But generally, mare was in complete show mode and gave me some very nice work with minimal fuss. And it was good enough for 1st - good mare!  

jumping straight into a corner full of horses. mare don't care

The over fences class was typical for my jumping efforts at shows: a little wild and wooly, balanced out with pulling to the fences. It was kinda tough to navigate, given the arena size and the fact that one end was full of horses and spectators. We came out of the outside line (in the background below) cross cantering and nearly mowed down the crowd... oops!

wheeeeee!!

I could have done a better job regulating our pace and getting a 'bouncier' canter that wasn't so fast and flat. That would have helped us from getting so deep to a couple of the fences... but oh well, maybe next time? At least we had good 'energy' haha. 

jumping like a saint

Isabel was very good tho - and did everything I asked exactly as I asked for it (for better or worse). Not entirely sure why we knocked the first rail - we were maybe distracted by the crowd and gunning for the striding (30' distance)? I'm not worried about it tho - esp as a different horse might have stopped at the diagonal above since we got so deep, but she made it look easy. Thanks mare! 

video here

Our efforts garnered us a very fair 3rd place. Trainer P had wanted me to run through once more (tho the course was taken down too quick for that to happen) to smooth it out and get the proper striding on the final outside line. It was measured at 36', but we got pretty deep on the in jump and I opted for 3 strides. Part of me also thinks that the full size competition stride in this indoor miiiiiight be asking a little too much too haha. 

Anyway we stuck around for a little bit longer for the games classes. Isabel and I redeemed ourselves from the last time we played musical stalls (when we were eliminated pretty quickly) and were 2nd - tho it meant pushing a small child and pony out of the way. Um... sorry kiddo? Lol...  The bareback sit-a-buck class was a little less rewarding when I lost my dollar a minute or two into our first trot. Eh, still got a 4th place ribbon - woot woot satin! 

a good day :)