Thank you Lord for bringing me Rocky.

So things have been going pretty good in my life lately, something which is both surprising and amazing.  One of the reasons I feel this way has definitely got to be Rocky.

Once again I am late to the punch in reporting on how our show went, but it's a good way to introduce this post, so I forgive myself.  (Hopefully you forgive me too.  After all, remember the title of this blog...?)

Our last-minute show at Langley Riders went so incredibly well.  Like, better than I ever expected.  After the Willoughby show I figured that, laid-back as the Rock may be, he was still going to get a bit "spicy" in public and need a fair amount of work and exposure before we'd be successful at shows.  After all, his owner informed me that the last time he'd been shown was in 2011 at the Sporthorse show - in the halter classes only.

Well.  I was wrong.

He took to the Langley Riders grounds like they were his own home arena.  And we proceeded to kick butt big time.  We wound up with firsts in equitation and hunter under saddle (both of which were classes that, if asked which classes I'd specifically like to win, I'd have named - eq because it's judged solely on me, meaning that perhaps my eq isn't as bad as I expected??  And HUS because Rocky was bred for it!).  We also won the pleasure pairs class which was fun, I'd never done it before.

Then we placed second in discipline rail and third in english pleasure.

I have to say that I think I was actually the victim of a little bit of breed bias - in my favour.  This is a bizarre thing to me.  I have spent most of my career riding arabs and arab crosses and fighting the breed bias.  At this show, the judge was a QH judge, and in a couple of classes I feel fairly strongly that she purposefully looked the other way during some of our minor disobediences.  Discipline rail is a good example.  Early in the class they called for turn on the forehand, which we hadn't practiced at all (had never attempted, actually).  Asking Rocky for it confused and frustrated him and he began acting up.  (It was also the end of the day and you could pretty much tell he'd kind of had it.)  Anyway Rocky threw his little temper tantrum, and the whole time, the judge stood firmly with her back to us.  Then they asked for a counter-canter, which was something else we hadn't worked on - it took me a couple of tries to convince Rocky that the wrong lead was REALLY what I was asking for.  The judge awarded us a second place.  Maybe she honestly didn't notice, but I find that hard to believe.

Anyway.  The whole experience was fantastic.  I love this horse SO MUCH.

Pics!

Warming up

In class

Picking up our ribbons!

Anyway.  All in all, a great day.  I was very happy with the people running the show as well, other than the announcement that show coats were usually mandatory - seriously, for $8/class, you think I'm going to crack out my $200 show coat??  No thanks!!

So I am looking forward with great anticipation to the Sporthorse show next weekend.  I sent in my entries so we're all set.  I decided to skip the halter classes and only show for one day, reducing my costs drastically as I don't have to pay for a weekend stall.  I'm showing in 2 english pleasure classes (19 and over, and coloured horse), 2 hunter under saddle classes (also 19+ and coloured), and the 19+ equitation.  I tried to enter the classes that would give us the best chance at success.

There is another show at Langley Riders the following weekend, a trophy show which could be fun but we'll see.

So I've been thinking a lot about what I'd like to try and accomplish with this horse.  In my mind, I am still an event rider, even though I've only really done dressage for the last *cough*decade*cough*.  When I first met Rocky I thought the same thing - he'd be a killer lower-level event horse, just on the strength of his temperament.  But... if my time in Calgary's jumperland taught me much, it's that jumping really isn't my thing.  Eventing appeals to me more than jumpers but in truth I think I'd always be battling my fears... which is fine when you have time and energy, but maybe not so much with my lifestyle.  Plus, truthfully, Rocky is not ever going to be much of a dressage horse.  Lower-level dressage, of course, because frankly I will always believe that dressage will help any horse.  But it will never be that easy for him.  He naturally wants to carry himself a bit downhill, with a flat-kneed stride.  So, I figure, why not play to his strengths and try AQHA for a while.  I worked at an AQHA barn in my formative years so while I have never personally competed with a quarter horse, I am very, very familiar with what they are looking for, and Rocky would be killer.  So... I think I've decided to give it a try.  After all, it's probably one of my strengths too... I am a very good show rider, I am great at finessing a fussy horse around a ring making it look like the desired "pleasure" to ride.  (Of course with Rock it doesn't take much finessing!)

I guess then that's our goal.  Next year I will keep doing the schooling shows and aim for maybe another Sporthorse show and try for an AQHA show - though I won't complain if I have to wait until 2014 for that.  They are super competitive so I definitely want to be ready.  In the meantime I may try to find an AQHA barn and/or trainer to hook up with.

I may also do some hunter shows, and aim Rocky toward AQHA hunter over fences.  But that won't be the focus.

It's so nice to have some goals, some things to look forward to.  With everything that's happened over the last year, I will take anything positive that I can get.  This horse is something I will always be grateful to have in my life, a chance I never ever thought I'd get in a million years.  I love you Rock!!

Me: "Rocky, let's go for a ride."
Rocky: "om nom nom."

Horse show time again!!

This post is super late but I did take Rocky to the Willoughby show last month. It was good. The show was PACKED... super busy. We got a 3rd in eq and a 5th in pleasure. Rocky was a bit high, did have one moment where he decided to just take off, but all in all not too bad. Although... pretty much every canter transition involved a minor crowhopping fit. Guess I know what we need to work on, lol.

 Pics!

So... looking at the pictures, I was actually kind of dismayed. I seriously lack polish, and it frustrates me. I know that it's because all the horses I've had in the last several years have been greenies, I've spent all my time trying to train them rather than work on myself. Well, now that I have a horse who will semi-reliably do what he's asked, I can concentrate on improving my own equitation and technique. I want to start lessons again soon.

 I am taking the Rockster to a last-minute show at Langley Riders tomorrow... my first show there. I think I'm going to have to break out the show clothes, all the pics I've seen from their other shows, everyone seems to be dressed up. At any rate it'll be good practice for the Sporthorse show in September. There's a show at Windsor on Sept. 9th that I may try for as well, just to get a bit more practice in before Sporthorse. We'll see.

 I'm so happy, though :) Things are still pretty crazy in the rest of my life, so it feels really good to have something like this to focus on.

Wish us luck!

Yet more crazy changes

So... if you read this blog regularly, or even if you only stop by once in a while, it may seem like my life is insane and all I do is bounce around like a lunatic. This would, in fact, be the case. Maybe it wouldn't seem so crazy if I updated more often, but in truth it probably still would...

Anyway a million things have happened since my last update. I am back in BC, working on settling in at a new place in Cloverdale. Somehow I find myself working a ridiculous job that was supposed to be a part-time, low pressure kinda thing, but instead is turning out to be 5 days a week and crazy. I'm not happy about it (the pay is abysmal) but for some reason I am reluctant to walk away and find something else. Who knows what will happen with that. In the meantime at least it's evenings and weekends so I get to spend my days with the boys... can't complain about that.

More importantly, on the horse front, I have several pieces of news that are much more interesting than my career (or lack thereof :D ) First, just as I was coming back to BC, Jessy asked if she could have miss Moira back. I was thrilled to say OF COURSE!! So they are back together and happy as clams. Moira looks great, I can't wait to see them showing again. Some pics of the SuperPony:

In other news, I myself am getting back into riding again too, and I am beyond thrilled :) When I first came back here, about 2-1/2 months ago, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I didn't want to own a horse, I definitely don't want that kind of responsibility right now. But I didn't really want to do a part lease or something, or even a free lease. I decided to just kind of look around and hope the right opportunity would present itself. And it has :)

A very nice lady approached me about riding her horse, a 16.1hh appendix QH gelding. Now as you probably already know, QHs are not my thing... I have spent the last several years with Arabs and TBs, particularly the hot and crazy ones. So needless to say I jumped at the chance! :D

 This is Rocky, and he is adorable as heck, and SO MUCH FUN to ride. I don't have to constantly worry that my horse is going to spook out from under me. He does what I ask, when I ask it - usually, lol. It's a strange and wonderful feeling!

How strange to ride a horse that's already trained, that doesn't have issues I have to overcome. Plus, he's just so cute!

Rocky with his brother Harley. Love! <3

Anyway... we are already planning to go to the Willoughby Saddle Club show at CVP on July 22nd. I can't describe how excited I am. If you recall, my last show was a dressage show on Gia that left me so dejected I thought about not showing again. To be able to just go and show without worrying is going to be such a treat.

All in all, there has been so much change that it overwhelms me often. It's getting better with time but I still have my good days and bad days. I am trying very hard not to focus on what I have lost, and instead look at this is a chance to start over and do what I really want. I'm trying to stay positive. I'm also very, very grateful for everything in my life, positive AND negative. It's what makes us who we are.

Hopefully I will be able to update more often, can't wait to document my progress with Rocky (going to start him over fences soon, maybe we can even do some horse trials next year!), and this blog has been seriously lacking in recipes lately ;) Wish me luck!

Show tomorrow

Me: "I don't know why I'm so nervous about showing this weekend!
My boss: "Imminent demise is always something to be nervous about."

***

Yes, Gia makes her dressage debut tomorrow. Our last couple of rides have been awful. I don't have high hopes :)

I would like to say I have goals for tomorrow... I don't, really. But here are some things I've thought of:

I want to do my best to make sure I stay calm, quiet, and soft. I tend to get nervous and brace against her, which makes her brace against me and get hollow and stupid. Let's try not to do that, lol.

When I get nervous, I have a tendancy to coast-- to just try and "get through it" rather than focusing on doing as good of a job as I can on the test. I really want to try not to do that. I'm going to try and remember to actually correct her if she needs it, rather than just try and float past any disobediences and get the test over with.

The only thing I can really control is my own position. Rider position and effectiveness of the aids has a coefficient of 3 so I want to try and pay attention to my ride as much as possible. That way if all else fails, maybe I'll get a good score for position :)

All in all I really don't want to overthink it (because in the long run, does this one dinky show really matter that much?) but for some reason I'm really keyed up about it. Relax, Elizabeth. It will all be fine.

Wish me luck, and I'll see you on the other side!

Stuck on you

So, I guess I've made my decision about the Supermodel. I thought about it a LOT, I waffled a lot, I second-guessed myself a lot. I decided to sell her. I stuck to my decision until the last possible moment... then just a bit PAST the last possible moment... and then I changed my mind.

This horse is a part of me. How did this happen, I don't know. Do I need a high-maintenance drama queen of a horse? Heck no! But she's my girl, and it looks like she's going to be my girl for a long time.

Sooo... where to go from here. Since making the decision I've thought about this a lot too. I thought about taking her to the Sporthorse show but truthfully, it's kind of a waste of money. I can walk into a halter class and know exactly how we're going to place. She won't beat the warmbloods with their extravagant movement, so it depends on how many warmbloods are in the class as to where we'll place. It's a bit hard to justify for a show that will cost me more than $300.

So then what? I refuse to do the schooling shows. I have to say that being that the lower mainland is like the horse capital of the Northwest, the schooling shows I've seen have been very poor quality. Worse than the Tri-cities, I must say with shame. There must be a great divide in shows around here-- dinky little schooling shows where the same people tool around in circles or over fences accomplishing nothing, or A-level shows that only those with a lot of discretionary income can afford. I'm not interested in either at this point.

What else is there? G will never be an event horse (even the thought of her princessy butt going cross-country makes me laugh), I could do Arab circuit but the thought just doesn't do it for me. So... dressage.

Dressage is my bread and butter, and has been for a long time. I love it. I just didn't think it was G's cup of tea. But at this point... I don't care. I found out that there's a dressage schooling show on the 24th, and I started thinking that this may be the perfect solution. Get her out in public but set her up for success-- leave Moira at home (she'll be going a 2-phase the next day), no other horses in the ring with her, and get her really working and focusing (if at all possible). I'm going to enter 3 walk-trot tests so that even if she has a breakdown in the first one, hopefully we'll see some improvement with each successive test. In fact, I think that should be my goal.

We'll see what she thinks. I rode her yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks (we just moved into our new house and it's been CRAZY!) and she was really great. I kept the longeing to a minimum (I'd love to not have to longe her every time I ride, so I am weaning us off of it) and I was so thrilled with her. Forward, swinging, round, concentrating. She got cranky toward the end as she got tired, but all in all it felt really good. There may be hope for us yet.

I did get a few pictures of Jessy riding her the other day, unfortunately no jumping pics-- she was not impressed with jumping. G didn't freak out or refuse, she just didn't care. She tried to trot everything, and if she couldn't, she'd just plow through it. After a couple of decent efforts we called it quits.

Perhaps it's a sign that she isn't meant to be a hunter :) Would she just make up her mind already??





Gotta admit, high-strung or no, the mare is freaking adorable.

Update... but not really

I'm sure you're wondering about my quandary. Or perhaps not, I don't know. But I still am! I still don't know what to do. I'm stuck on this horse, I'm having a tough time letting go. And she's doing so well! (At home, that is.) She's going consistently well walk/trot/canter. I'm trying to start her over fences but she insists on trotting everything rather than actually jumping. So I'll have to raise the fences but I'm not brave enough yet... so of course I make Jessy do it. Should hopefully have pics tomorrow.

So basically, I'm still sitting and thinking, trying to decide. At any rate I intend to take her to the fall Sporthorse show, do the halter classes again and probably (gulp) try some walk-trots. I must be crazy.

Jessy and the SuperPony are looking forward to the Mary Swanson horse trials in October. Wish them luck!

More updates as they come, lol...

CVP Horse Trials 2011

Jessy and the SuperPony did their first Horse Trial this last weekend at Campbell Valley Park here in Langley. They were fantastic! Jessy's goal was just to finish without getting eliminated, I figured that they'd finish on their dressage score since Moira is such a jumping machine and knows her job so well. I didn't make it to dressage day (it was a Friday, I was obviously at work) but they did great with a score of 67.5%, putting her 10th out of 17. Cross-country day I got my butt out of bed at the crack of dawn, loaded up the baby and headed out to see her go at 8:08am.







She went clear, of course, not even a hesitation. And they rocketed around the course, coming in super fast (actually they came in about 40 seconds under the maximum, lol). She moved up to 8th after cross-country.

Sunday was stadium... a long day of waiting! Her division was at the very end of the day.





They dropped one rail in stadium which unfortunately put them in 9th place and just out of the ribbons... but nothing to be disappointed about, they were fantastic and in stiff competition. Can't wait for the next event!

Quandary

Isn't that a great word?

I always say I don't make plans, I set goals. Plans can change, sometimes because of reasons out of your control, but your goal can still stay the same. But I am learning that, with horses at least, sometimes you have to be fluid in your goals as well. For example, I had to change my focus from dressage (which has pretty much been my life for the last 10-ish years) to the expensive, competitive world of hunters because it's what Gia wants. But now, rather than having the goal of competing in hunters, I have the goal of getting my horse out in public without her having a complete mental breakdown.

Next week she is going to a friend for a bit of a butt-kicking. She is going to be taken out on trails, ridden in their busy arena, and other scary stuff like that. She's not going to be allowed to be the princess she is at home. I hope to heaven that it makes a difference, because if it doesn't, I honestly don't know what to do. Hence, my quandary.

It's been mentioned by a couple of people (and mulled over by myself) that I sell her. She'd do very well in a big Arab barn with a regular trainer, and she'd clean up at sporthorse in hand and sporthorse under saddle classes. I'd be happy to see her in a home like that, too. If I can't get her there, I'd like to see someone who can... I just don't want to show on the Arab circuit, myself.

I really don't want to sell her, though. This is the first horse I've had in a long time that I really want to work with, really want to succeed. I feel like we've come SO FAR, it's really been amazing. But we've hit a wall.

Other options include leasing her out, breeding her, or trying to tough our way through it.

Then there's me. I need to take a good hard look at what *I* want to do, what *I* want to accomplish. I don't HAVE to show hunters. I'd be just as happy showing dressage, or even eventing. But that would mean moving on to another horse.

As an adult amateur, working full-time and caring for my kids (plus husband, family, social life, et al), in a way it makes a lot more sense to have a horse who is more broke, who I can just get on and have fun with. A horse I can take to shows without worrying that it's going to flip out (or flip over). A horse who can teach ME something and advance MY ability.

But... it's Gia. Someday she's going to be a superstar. Maybe. Or, someday she's going to be a pasture ornament, or someone's pretty pet. Depends on if we can get through to her or not. I'm not willing to give up on her YET... but... I don't know what's around the corner.

Rising above

I am referring entirely to horses at this point, although there are many other things in my life right now that I am struggling to rise above :)

But I'm talking about Gia's terrible last show. I talked to my instructor about what happened, and where to go from here. I was scheduled for a lesson on Tuesday, I asked her to make it a training ride instead. It went fairly well. It's interesting to watch someone else on Gia, I'm the one who started her under saddle and I'm the only one who's ever ridden her-- except I put Jessy on her to canter for the first time.

When a horse is your "baby", like G is to me, you let them get away with stuff you wouldn't let another horse get away with. So it was really good to see Miraya ride her and really get after her.

She recommended a couple of things... first, a standing martingale. G has a habit of whipping her head around to get away from the bit, which to be honest I'd kind of not really noticed :) I guess I just got used to it.

The other thing she recommended was a B1-Thiamin supplement, to help take the edge off. My farrier enthused about it's benefits as well, so I started her on it yesterday. We'll see how it goes.

We are going to have a lesson and another training ride next week, and then Miraya is going to ride her at the Willoughby show next weekend. I also noticed that she was in flaming, disgusting heat at the last show so hopefully that contributed to the craziness. Ugh. Keep your fingers crossed that this next show is way better.

After that, we will be super busy getting Moira ready for the event at CVP in mid-August, so G won't show again until either Sunnyside or Willoughby on August 28th. And then the big finale (hopefully) of the season is the MREC Labour Day show, which I'm hoping to actually JUMP Gia (gasp!) So we're going to have to work super hard through August to get her going over poles. I don't have high expectations, some crosspole and 2' classes would make me perfectly happy.

We will still have the Sporthorse show on the 23-25th of September to round out the year, but that's no biggie, judging by the last Sporthorse show :)

I am trying to stay fluid in my goals for her. Honestly, even watching her have temper tantrums with Miraya riding, I still had to be grateful because this time last year I was wondering if she would ever be rideable at all.

We'll get there! We're in no hurry.

You have to take the bad with the good

We went back to Sunnyside Saddle Club for their hunter show today. Gia was terrible. I mean, REALLY terrible. It was probably the worst show I've EVER been to.

She just went completely bonkers because Moira wasn't in the class with her, and became completely uncontrollable. I actually ended up getting off and leaving the class, then scratching the rest of my classes. I've never done that in any of the hundreds of shows I've been to.

She seems to be getting worse with every show, instead of better. I admit to being very discouraged right now.

I am going to separate them. It will mean that Gia will have to live by herself in the back of the barn for a while, but it has to happen. She's a danger to herself and others when she freaks out like that.

On the plus side, Jessy very kindly let me borrow Moira for a walk-trot class and (gasp) a jumping class :) I haven't even cantered a horse in about a year and a half... and haven't jumped in much longer than that. But, Moira being the babysitter that she is, just packed me around the course and we ended up 3rd in a good-sized class.

I was very grateful because it kind of rescued the day for me.

Lesson on Tuesday... our next show is Willoughby on the 24th. Keep looking forward, is all I can do.

Show!

Well, we survived... barely :)

Gia freaked out as soon as we got to the show, and literally DIDN'T STOP freaking out ALL DAY. Seriously. When my shipper came to pick us up at 3:00 in the afternoon, even SHE mentioned how bad Gia was freaking out. She basically threw herself in circles, whinnying like a banshee for EIGHT HOURS... except for about half an hour where a fellow competitor took pity on us and let us use one of her stalls.

I was too dumb to reserve a stall and by the time we got there, they had none left-- a mistake I WILL NOT make again. We kind of holed up in a corner, doing our best to hang on to a screaming, jigging, pawing beast. Trust me, putting hoof polish on her was a nightmare, and switching from halter to bridle and back again (without having her break free and hightail it out of the barn) was a carefully planned, lightning-fast mission.

Luckily, thank god, the classes were not judged on behaviour!

I had a good look around at our competition... it was quite busy, lots of entries, and some super-nice horses. But I was pleased to see that we fit in quite well... I was afraid we'd be ratty-looking, but Gia was gleaming and lovely. I looked like a pink-haired drowned rat because of the rain, but at least the horse looked good!

All in all we did really well! We got a 2nd and 3rd in our dressage type classes, and a 3rd and 4th in our hunter type classes. I was happy to see that the classes were placing pretty much exactly how I thought they would, which meant that my eye for conformation is not as bad as I thought it was. In every class, we placed just below the fancy (and, I'm sure, expensive) warmbloods. Most of them were offspring of a particular stallion, and I was so impressed with them that I'll have to look up the stallion himself. Not that I have any intention of breeding... but if I DID, lol...

Anyway, the show was tough but great. I can't wait to do it again in the fall. I'm so proud of my beautiful girl!

Pics... not many, unfortunately, my husband was only able to stay for one class. But here you go!

In our little corner...





Walking through the barns, trying to keep a psychotic Gia calm



In lineup... setting up!





Being judged



I am so glad to be home, and I'm sure Gia is too! I'm going to sleep well tonight, with the help of some ibuprofen to help my poor sore knees... spending a whole day walking in circles on concrete is murder on the joints!

Nervous!

I can't believe I'm still freaking out about this show tomorrow. I haven't been this nervous about a show since the state dressage championships in 2006 (which, for the record, I won!) I am sitting here bored at work, thinking about everything I need to do today to prepare. It's going to be a long day, and an early morning tomorrow!

I want to take my mind off of tomorrow, but I can't think of anything else but horse shows, so I'm going to post our planned schedule for the rest of the summer:

July 10th: Sunnyside Saddle Club hunter show
July 24th: Willoughby Saddle Club show
August 28th: Sunnyside Saddle Club hunter show
September 23rd-25th: BC Sporthorse Fall Show

Also, Jessy and Moira plan to do the CVP Horse Trials August 12th-14, and we are toying with the idea of sharing Moira at the MREC Hunter/Jumper show over Labour Day weekend. We'll see on that one.

So... my goal for Gia was to do two big shows and one schooling show. After this weekend, I will be most of the way to that goal (having done one schooling show and one big show).

I also intend to start taking lessons. I have a hunter/jumper trainer coming next week for a trial lesson, we'll see how that goes. I don't know what Gia wants to do yet... hunters? Dressage? Usually I can tell pretty quickly but not with her. So we'll let an experienced H/J rider tell me what she thinks.

Well, back to my obsessive list-making about what I have to do and pack tonight... okay, can't forget the hay bag, treats, oh and of course the bridles...

Horse shows. That is all.

It's only Wednesday and I'm super nervous about the show on Saturday. I don't even know why... I am normally NEVER nervous at shows (I've been to so dang many they just don't bug me anymore). Plus, it's only an in-hand show, so I won't even be riding... hardly any risk of bodily harm this way :)

I think it's just that I think I really have something special in Gia, and I'm kind of afraid that the judges are going to disagree. I wouldn't want to hear that she's actually really badly put together and isn't worth spit. I'm not a great judge of conformation, I admit it... but I THINK what I see when I look at her is pretty good.

I guess we'll just have to see! What's the worst that could happen-- they'll tell me she's built like a donkey and moves like a Buick with a flat tire? In reality, that isn't very likely to happen... more likely is that we'll just go in all of our classes and get nothing out of it. But it doesn't matter, it won't make her any less valuable to ME.

In the meantime, I will continue to harbour my daydreams about winning... I'm not greedy, she doesn't need to win grand champion overall or anything like that... a reserve championship in her division would be just fine :)

Yesterday I practiced braiding her for the show... how can you blame me for thinking she's drop-dead gorgeous? Just look at her!





Perhaps I'm just really, really barn blind. Ah well <3

SUPERPONY!!

Saturday was the Campbell Valley Pony Club trophy show at Milner Downs. Jessy took Moira, we didn't have super high expectations, Jessy had a bunch of friends going to the show so just wanted to go have a good time. She did-- she and Moira got a 6th out of 12, a 6th out of 11, and a 4th out of 15... they were amazing!



I can't get over this mare. Last Thursday Jessy popped her over some jumps. She even taped colourful paper to one of the poles to make it "scary". You think Moira cared? Nope. She hops over everything, no sweat. Her temperament is so wonderful... this mare is seriously worth her weight in gold.

She and Jessy plan to do the jumping classes at the next Sunnyside Saddle Club show, then hopefully compete at the Campbell Valley horse trials in August. So exciting! Who'd have thought they'd come this far in such a short time?

I can't wait. Now, if only Gia would take a lesson from Moira and settle down a bit... :)

Few more show pics:

Sunnyside Video

Just a quick vid Jessy made of the Sunnyside show



There are a couple of clips of the Supermodel and I in there, and I was really impressed at how we looked. Yes, she was tossing her head around, but we didn't look like we were careening off the arena rails like a ping-pong ball... which is what it felt like :)

Go us!

Sunnyside show!

Well, we survived! I didn't get bucked off, and we managed to make it through both classes we entered. Yes, she flipped out and embarrassed me when we got there. As soon as Jessy took Moira to be longed, Gia figured she was going to die an immediate and painful death and proceeded to spin in circles screaming madly, while trying to trample me. It got quite exciting for a bit.

Beyond that, she had one medium-sized meltdown when I first got on her... threatened to bolt, skittered sideways, but we still made it into the ring and our class. The rest of our rides were typical green-horse stuff-- spooking, whinnying, random stopping and bolting. Her inability to walk in a straight line is pretty legendary. But... she had some lovely moments of softness, and when they called for the lineup she stood like a stone (which frankly surprised me!)

We entered two walk-trot classes and got a 3rd and a 4th. Not too shabby! I was just shocked when we didn't place dead last in our class!

The Superpony did pretty good too... they got a 2nd and 3rd in the walk-trot classes, and a 4th in the Green Horse. After the classes, Jessy schooled her a bit in the lovely big warmup arena, and popped her over a crossrail... she was a star.

All in all, a good day! The show was low-key, in a nice setting (Sunnyside's facilities are fantastic!) They have shows there all summer, and I'm sure we'll be going back.

Pics!

Getting ready to head out





Showtime!








Results being announced



Moira objected mightily to the ribbons, for some reason. Notice Gia standing there like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. Very suspicious...





Next show... BC Sporthorse show, 2 weeks! :)

Balance

Yesterday I went to physiotherapy for the first time, for a longstanding back issue that has only been exacerbated by pregnancy and getting pitched off the Supermodel. It was very interesting, I learned a lot-- about how the way I hold myself and the things I do affect my back and neck pain. I was sent home with lots of stretches and exercises to work on to improve my core muscles, which is kind of exciting to me as it will only improve my riding.

I feel very positive right now, for the first time in my life I feel like I'm actively working toward both my physical AND mental health. It's not an easy road, and I have a tendancy to get overwhelmed and upset. Hopefully I can look back at this post and remember that it isn't always like that, and it WILL get better with work and time.

One of the very interesting things that was pointed out to me is that I am not very good at breathing. (How can a human being NOT be good at breathing, you ask? I know, right?) I have a tendancy to hold my breath at the slightest provocation. I have to learn to relax and breathe... which we all already know I'm not good at. :) That will help my mental state, and of course my riding as well. Yes, I tend to look at things from the point of view of my riding-- but it gives me a physical, concrete perspective on what I'm trying to accomplish or change.

At any rate. I will be doing my exercises diligently (in fact, my boss even put out an exercise ball for me in the office!) and looking forward to the results. In the meantime, our show is this coming weekend, so there's lots to do right now!

My big goal for the show: concentration and focus. Gia lacks both, and it'll only be worse when there are a bunch of strange horses around her. I expect she'll lose her little pea brain at all the excitement. So I want to work very hard at both of us maintaining our focus, not getting distracted and/or frustrated. Anything else is gravy.

I can't wait! (Oh, and cross your fingers for good weather, I don't want to be hacking to the show in the rain!)