Wow- How is summer almost over already? I feel like this is the first time I have sat down in days, and the first chance I have had to write in months! A lot has happened since my last blog, and I have observed more interesting things within our sport that I feel I should write about.
Goose and I have had a great spring season. He is really coming into his own this year, and continues to show up at every event willing to give me 110%, even if he only has 60% of the trot that the bigger horses do. We are gearing up for the bigger part of our year with the I/P this coming weekend at Champagne Run. While I have always had it as a possibility for us this season, I never really felt it was a reality until the last couple of weeks. I have been trying to take advantage of Meghan being home despite both of our busy schedules, and have actually gone back to jumping with Jill again. Both have made subtle changes to my riding that have had a tremendous effect.
Goose-man feels stronger than ever, and after galloping around in the mud (AGAIN! I feel that he has 4WD permanently on for this season- and more rain in the forecast for next weekend UGH!) I am beginning to really feel that we can tackle any course. He is becoming a flag-hunter, something that is really cool to feel, and he steps up to make the big-kid strides despite the ugly footing.
We recently did a combined test at the O'Donoghue's barn where I rode an old Preliminary test, one more comparable to the new Intermediate tests without making them set the standard size dressage ring. I was then able to do the Intermediate show jumping, and I have to say thank god for practice! I had a less-than-ideal warm up, working myself up pretty good and actually causing a stop- something Goose has never done. I then proceeded to take my anxiety into the ring with me, causing us to have a bit of a frantic round- yet one where we weren't actually going anywhere because I didn't have my leg on. But Goose jumped out of his skin for me, and being the freak of nature that he is, we came away with just the A element of the triple down. Meghan then came out to the ring and we schooled one of the bending lines to the triple again, and Goose felt fantastic.
Was it my best showing? No! But it was the feeling of being in a show jump round of that height with everyone standing around and watching that I needed. I have gotten better in my lessons about my canter and distances, but once people are watching I get worried. I told Jill I didn't want a ribbon, I was the only one in the division, but I just wanted the experience. That to me means more than any $2 to put on my mantel.
I talk to a bunch of people who ask me why I haven't been competing at smaller events, telling me that Goose would clean up if I didn't travel to the KY Horse Park where the divisions are 20+ horses and young riders own old Advanced horses. But what is the point of that? I am competitive- against others AND against myself.
At Midsouth Goose took 8 points off of his dressage score from the first time we did Preliminary Test B- 8 POINTS! That is a huge difference, and I know there was room for more improvement, as I left accuracy points on the table and his canter felt a bit stuck in the ground due to the footing. Easy points to make up. My show jump round was the smoothest round to date- in spite of me marring Goose's perfect record for rails this spring. And then we had a fantastic go around the cross country in the deep mud, and he answered some good questions considering he had not been out in 6 weeks. To me those factors mean way more than the $2 red ribbon I brought home.
Did I want to win? Absolutely. Am I happy I finished 2/19 horses? You bet! But I would have been just has happy to have finished 5th or 6th with the amount of rideability that I had there than finished 3rd out of 6 with a ton of rails and a stop on the cross country. Too many people get caught up in the final placings, or care about what color ribbon they bring home to place on their mantle, that they forget about why we do this sport. It is very difficult both physically and mentally, and you can't always win. But if I do win, I want it to be because I put in the homework and practice and because I beat the best that there is.
I head to Champagne Run this weekend with 19 horses currently entered in my division. I am moving up a level and do not expect anything. My only goals for the weekend are to have an obedient dressage test, because I expect Goose to be green in the ring having to answer new questions such as shoulder-in and canter-walk-canter. He lacks in strength in these areas, but I want him to try. I want to go into the show jumping and have a confident round, even if we have a rail or two. I want to work on keeping my leg through all of my corners, my back flat, and my chin up. And then I want to go out and kick the cross country's ass in prep for the CIC* in August. Most of all I want my horse to still greet me with his ears perked, to strut to the trailer the next time I load him up, and to be happy and sound when we return.
If all of those things happen- you can keep your $2 ribbon, no matter what color it is. Because I will win no matter what the number is on the score board.
No comments:
Post a Comment