I'm a little behind in my updates as things have been quite busy around here the last couple of weeks. The last two weekends have been very successful for Fairwind Stables riders! On the 17-18th, we competed close to home at the Greater Dayton HT. I competed Podge in the Training Horse division where he started with a fantastic dressage test to put us in 1st! This was a far cry from last year where we were way down on the leader board after dressage. He went into stadium jumping really well up until we took the bending line to the in-and-out where there was a brick wall at the first element. I had seen many riders, pros and amateurs alike, having trouble with this jump and so I gave
myself extra time in the turn so he could have a look at it on approach. In spite of my efforts, he still gave it a good look and took an awkward jump to take out both the first and second element. I don't know how l stayed on for that one! On Sunday, he went out on XC with a great attitude in spite of me flopping around on his back with a fever and body aches! We ran around clean but a little slow (he is learning to carry himself better at the gallop and that means a little slower pace at this point). In a very competitive division, that dropped us down to 10th but I was overjoyed with how much he'd improved in all phases (especially with a rider that wasn't much help to him!)
Piccolo competed in her second event at the BN level and was much more relaxed in the warm-up this time. She was having a decent dressage test right up to the point where I had to pick her up from the free-walk in the corner by A and she was pretty certain she was done with the test and put on the brakes. I finally got her through it to finish the test but I think she just needed to remind me how green she still is! Stadium jumping was next and, although we had one very cheap rail (barely a tap and it only fell from the cups on one side), she really made up for her disobedience in dressage. On Sunday, we returned for XC. She was so good, again in spite of a very sick rider on her back, but
by mid-course, I was too weak to ride like I needed to on a greenie and we had two stops. They weren't bad stops and I know if I'd sat up and helped her out more, she would more than likely have kept going. I just wanted to get her around for the experience.
Susie Gertz and Practical Magic had a great weekend in the Novice division. They started with the best test I've seen from them to date, followed by two clean jumping phases to finish in 4th. Jayne Whitton took her young, homebred mare, Grace's Star, and competed in the Starter division. I didn't get to see the dressage but the jumping phases were great even though "Sadie" had some green moments sorting out why there were people sitting next to jumps out on XC and so on. Calla Morris and Raindrops on Roxanne did their first event together and finished in 8th in the BN division. Finally, Stephanie Williamson, who had to replace her usual mount with another horse on Friday, started the weekend with a really nice dressage test. Unfortunately, the stadium phase didn't go as well and they finished their competitive ride there.
MayDaze HT was this past weekend and nearly as busy. I took Podge in the TH division and he started with a decent dressage test. We had just about the best warm-up yet but when he went into the ring, where he usually jumps, he was very on edge and put in a tense test (unusual for him). He continued on to stadium where he jumped the best yet, clearing everything nicely, but when he went to my bat for an oxer before an in-and-out, he over-reacted and we missed our line to finish the round with 2 rails. Saturday's XC ride was a blast - another clear round with just a few time penalties to finish in 8th place. Susie and Practical Magic finished on their dressage score to finish in 4th in NR and Jayne Whitton and Grace's Star had a successful first run at BN.....left before those results were posted but the young mare really matured over the past two weekends. Chelsea Costello and Shan competed in the KDA dressage show taking place at the park too and brought home a 3rd, 5th, and 6th (I think that's right) in First Level tests.
June has some schooling shows and then MidSouth PC HT at the end of the month.