After Margaret and I had such a fun time at the fall hunter pace, we opted to go again this spring! This time, while I rode Rejoice again, Margaret rode her horse Jester and had a friend ride Ladyhawke. All Kennebec Morgans!! Jester and Rejoice have the same dam and Jester and Lady share the same sire. Unfortunately instead of a lovely late spring day, we had one of the first intensely hot and humid days of the year. It was definitely a bummer, but the ride was mostly in the shade of the woods and we had a great time! most of the fences were 3' coops but we found a small log and this hay to jump haha Until we didn't. 😑 We brought along a third friend who rode Margaret's older mare, Ladyhawke. She's a good rider but hasn't known Ladyhawke for very long and didn't realize how much of a cranky boss mare she could be at times. She kicked Jester right in the front leg just about halfway through the ride, and while the cut itself ended up not being a big deal in the
Our second event of the year was this past weekend at an equestrian center in New Hampshire. It was a gorgeous summer day when the sun was behind the clouds and blazing hot when the clouds parted LOL! Despite the heat, Snappy was quite good. My thirteen year old agreed to come along as my photographer and he did a great job.
We warmed up easily for dressage and put in a decent test for a 28.1, which landed us in third place out of a division of five riders.
Cross country went well and the only fence she was pretty sure was a big no was a 2' black drainage pipe thing. She paused at the base of the fence but I was ready and pony kicked her over it haha. No way you are stopping on the little fences, mare, because I know you are brave deep down! There were thirteen total fences, ranging from tiny logs (see pic below of fence #1, the smallest fence on course) to railroad ties, coops, and a little brush fence. I think had I not been riding her forward in a brave and quiet manner, she would not have been as good as she was. I tried to get her to canter in a few spots where we had plenty of space and decent footing, but she is still not having anything to do with the canter. She is so unsure of herself and lacks confidence in the gait, so as much as I want to move her up, she still cannot do a Beginner Novice level dressage test. :-(
I knew the girl ahead of me in dressage fell off on the XC course (she was fine), so I figured I had moved up to second place. I checked my XC score to be sure it was correctly listed as clear (it was), but they hadn't updated the placings on the board and I didn't think much of it. We jumped the stadium course well and I loved how much more easily the course rode because they expanded their ring this year! Granted, we only trotted around over itty bitty jumps but it was a good upgrade to the facility.
At Hilltop, they pin the divisions in the ring right after everyone does their stadium round, so I was super surprised to hear them call us as first place! The first place horse must've had a refusal on XC or a rail in stadium (I have no idea what), but whatever it was moved us up! Yay! Ribbons are fun but getting out there and showing my horse is the best no matter what. Snappy was a good horse the entire day, despite the fact she refuses to eat much and barely drank any water (so frustrating). At least she had Ulcergard on board, but darn it mare, it is frustrating how oddly picky she is about eating!
We warmed up easily for dressage and put in a decent test for a 28.1, which landed us in third place out of a division of five riders.
Cross country went well and the only fence she was pretty sure was a big no was a 2' black drainage pipe thing. She paused at the base of the fence but I was ready and pony kicked her over it haha. No way you are stopping on the little fences, mare, because I know you are brave deep down! There were thirteen total fences, ranging from tiny logs (see pic below of fence #1, the smallest fence on course) to railroad ties, coops, and a little brush fence. I think had I not been riding her forward in a brave and quiet manner, she would not have been as good as she was. I tried to get her to canter in a few spots where we had plenty of space and decent footing, but she is still not having anything to do with the canter. She is so unsure of herself and lacks confidence in the gait, so as much as I want to move her up, she still cannot do a Beginner Novice level dressage test. :-(
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| Snappy thought it would be best to NOT go over one of these. I convinced her she was incorrect. ;-) |
I knew the girl ahead of me in dressage fell off on the XC course (she was fine), so I figured I had moved up to second place. I checked my XC score to be sure it was correctly listed as clear (it was), but they hadn't updated the placings on the board and I didn't think much of it. We jumped the stadium course well and I loved how much more easily the course rode because they expanded their ring this year! Granted, we only trotted around over itty bitty jumps but it was a good upgrade to the facility.
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| Baby jumps! |
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| DORK |
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| We won a brush and all competitors got a little bag from Meader's Supply. Cool! |
aw what a good mare tho! congrats!!! my trainer kinda approaches the canter the same way too - esp for green or young horses, or horses who otherwise kinda struggle with the canter, she likes to let them develop it through a little jumping. seems like Snappy was thinking about it a little bit in stadium too!!
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