Sasha was interesting at the last show.
She stepped of the trailer super relaxed, and she seemed very mellow. She schooled perfectly, and when we showed, our first round started out perfectly. It was a tricky course, and she was nailing it. Well, until the long approach to an oxer. Three strides out, she sucked back against my leg, so I closed it but not enough, and she stopped. Circled back around, jumped it, continued on our way. Perfect after that. Of course. So I got 5th in the class (half the horses refused, I was the "top" refusal lol) I figured, alright, she's being good, next course is our time. Nope, she got really strong and obnoxious, we left a stride out of a line, and she fought the whole time. Yayy, bit swap time.
My trainer tried to change her bit in the little waiting area. She flipped out and was backing up and rearing. Of course. Eventually we got her in her full cheek and then she settled down. However, she was swinging her butt out and backing up randomly in the waiting area, and all the horses gave us a large clearance zone lol! Our next two courses were a little better, but we didn't place in either of them. The last course we definately should have placed (quiet, all distances + changes, placed below horses that broke and were not pretty jumpers/movers), but the judging was super weird. Oh well.
In the eq flat, the first direction was a little fast, but the second direction was perfect, and my eq was good. I pinned 6th. Under people who's horse was bucking and crow hopping the whole way around. Woww. The hunter U/S had 13 horses in it. It was perfect until halfway through the last canter. A horse charged up bucking behind us, and Sasha freaked out and took off. Ohh boy. I was so so mad, I thought we bombed it. I placed 5th? Um, alright...not going to complain, but I so didn't deserve that!
Oh, and my lesson Friday was epic. I did a line around to a diagonal in and out. She was perfect through the line, but really strong through the in and out. Well. We jumped into the line, and she landed crosscantering. I couldn't figure out what she was doing until 3 strides out from the other jump (6 stride line) and so I half halted her a little late. She swapped her lead, and by then our distance was shot. I should have gone for the long spot. Instead, we got an itty bitty little chip, and she was practically under the jump. She stopped, slid into the jump, threw her head up and backed up. I was on her side with one foot in the stirrup and the other practically dragging on the ground. I knew I was either going to fall painfully or I could just sort of step off. I chose option two, and I got right back on and did it again.
She was perfect in my lesson Saturday. I'm going to just hack her around tonight, and I have a lesson tomorrow. Yay, funness.
It's been a crazy year. So many ups and downs, highs and lows. At the beginning of the year and this blog, I wouldn't canter her on my own. Now, we're showing 2'6" semi successfully. This year was all about getting her quiet and relaxed. I didn't care about ribbons, yet I ended up 5th in both my 2' divisions, and 4th in Open Pleasures even though I've done it twice. It's been a crazy journey, but it's only just started. I have several good years left to show with this horse, and it's only going to get better. We've both grown up and improved so much this year, and we've taught each other so much. She's taught me to be so much more confident with bad behavior in the ground and in the saddle, and my riding has improved so much. I've taught her to relax and quiet down, and that life isn't a race. I can't wait for what next year will bring.
Until next time,
Cruce<3
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