Summer in Cliffnotes and Photos

I can't seem to keep myself on the blogging train. Which is really sad, because I love being able to go back and see what we did (and how far we've come). I'm going to make a solid effort to rejoin the blogging community. While I haven't been posting I have been following and I've loved reading about everyone's journey whether it be full of shows, achievements and lessons or some of the most eloquent, heartbreaking thought on life and marriage.

I last left you in the midst of a clinic and then Blogger ate my scheduled posts and I had no motivation to continue. It's been a hell of a summer and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Cliffnotes version:

June:
Becky Lee clinic in June ended with us schooling a bunch of Training courses

Went to a local jumper show.  Kicked butt!

We like winning!

Cochrane HT (at Entry) Finished on our dressage score (which turned out to be our best of the whole season)

Dee felt the need to smile for the camera

July:
James Alliston clinic.  Fell off (pilot error, miscommunication), schooled almost all the Training fences, made new friends but didn't really feel like I learned anything

Zoom

Had my first therapy session with a Sports Psychologist. Fabulous idea. I haven't had a single crippling panic attack since. She reminded me that everyone has baggage, its just how we pack it away that is different. I still have fear, but I feel like I can manage it much better.

Thompson Country HT - finished on our dressage score again. Found Entry to be boring and felt completely ready to move up at Rebecca Farm

Hauled down to Kalispell early to spend a week at Herron Park with Sandra Donnelly. Had some fabulous jump schools, climbed a mountain, ate way too much pizza and enjoyed having no cell phone. Sandra told us when we get our dressage better we will be ready for Training no problem. Made a ton of new friends. Discovered my horse cannot have a day off while living in a stall, she becomes a wild beast!

I'm spoiled to be showing with Isabel

Herron Park is just gorgeous

Ditch that actually had a creek running through it

Completed Rebecca Farm Novice, on our dressage score. My FB blew up when we were featured on Eventing Nation's "Who Jumped it Best?" (It sure wasn't us, apparently I felt the need to check to make sure the ground was still underneath us). Took 14th individually but my team placed 4th. The best friend and the boy both came down to support me.  I couldn't ask for better people in my life. Dee got a boot rub from her XC boots that managed to get irritated and ended up with full blown cellulitis. (NEVER ask how you haul the lame horses home from an event a full day away)

Rebecca Farm is no slouch either

Spent 10 days being wrapped and medicated, bounced back super quick.

August:
Alhambra HT- Pre-Training, toughest PT course I've ever seen. Had a great dressage test, scores did not reflect but I was super happy. The weather was horrid and the footing was slick.  Picked up a 20 on XC when we slipped right in front of a jump and I pulled her off it (rather than risk near death). Still finished with time allowed. Pilot error in stadium gave us 4 faults but I was still really happy with my horse. (No media because everyone missed my stadium and dressage rides and the weather was too bad for XC)

Babysat a couple of baby Standardbreds in their first XC foray. Could have done without the 5 minute deluge and the flat tire but it was still fun.

The fabulous Jose Jalapeno and Shimmer-E

Had pro photos taken of the pony and dog, The Boy tagged along.  Dee thinks putting her ears forward is for fools

Favourite picture ever! Thanks to SMTT for the inspiration and how-to

I love them all. I'm glad the feeling is mutual

One of very few with pretty ears

The Boy and I look at a bunch of acreages

September:
South Peace HT-Pre-Training. Rode my dressage saddle aside (only having ridden her sidesaddle twice before). My nerves got the better of me and I kept forgetting my test, which is a first for me. But them's the breaks. Had a fabulous clear stadium round and proceeded to kick XC butt (including our first buffalo jump) to finish on our dressage score once again.

Sullivan finally got branded

Skipped Championships to attend a small local jumper show that offers prize money.  It worked for us! I could only attend on Saturday so we did the highest divisions they offered (.75m and .85m). Took one second, two firsts and pulled one rail. We came home with over $600 and 3 coolers (I won two for classes, and won one in the door prize draw). Perfect end to our season!

See, we really like winning!

And that's our summer in a nutshell.  Dee just had her shoes pulled and is enjoying a week off before we spend the rest of this year focusing on dressage.

Wherein New Pony Gets A New Name

So I signed the Bill of Sale and said goodbye to a chunk of cash on a Saturday.  In true "crazy eventer" fashion I took my new purchase to a show on Sunday.

It was just a small local jumper derby and I entered the 2'6" since Dee is just coming back into fitness.  The division had two classes, Power&Speed and then the Derby.  I wasn't really expecting much.  My goal for the day was to not fall off.  This would have been a major feat with the red mare.  Apparently now that I have Dee I need to reconsider my goals (in the best possible way).

Since our partnership is in it's infantile stages I figured we could use the low pressure atmosphere to just kinda bomb around and figure each other out.  Turns out, riding a safe horse with more experience than me means when I put my leg on and say "Go" I get a lot of go.  Same when I put my leg on and say "Turn".

Not only did we go clear in the Power&Speed but we went fast!  It didn't feel like a crazy fast round but we were definitely moving.  I also took a few inside turns and Dee was a complete rockstar about it.

The derby class was a total hoot.  We jumped in one ring, then had an in-and-out into the next ring, jumped a wall coming out of that ring, up and down a "bank" then jumped back into the first ring. Since our first class had gone so well my competitive side kicked in and we took some tight turns and we boogied.  I had so much fun.  Not once was I scared for my life and I was sure that when I asked for something I was going to get it.  Coming out of the ring the BO told me that if I had just bought her yesterday I had made a great purchase.  I couldn't stop smiling.

It was a big class (20+) and I figured we might place but there were some established partnerships there, and some lightening quick ponies so I wasn't holding my breath.

Turns out we got a second in the Power&Speed and we took first in the derby, which was good enough for division champ and a COOLER!  There may have been some enthusiastic cheering/squealing and jumping up and down but I will neither confirm nor deny.

Best Pony thinks posing is beneath her.

Dee is officially known as Best Pony now.  So much so that my mom has taken to calling her BP.  It was an awesome start to our life together.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.  For the first time in quite some time I believe I will make it to Rebecca Farm next year.

Pony Filled Weekend

Friday was my day off so I headed down to Red Deer for the Gold Dressage show where Shimmer-E was showing her lovely 4-year-old RPSI stallion in their first Gold show.

I'm a braiding machine! (And Ritchie was convinced his water belonged on the floor, hence the Captain Jack pose)

Her weekend started off with a bumpy start, her Thursday hack was tense, distracted and Ritchie threw in a buck. Friday morning she was feeling nervous and discouraged and like she may have over-faced her horse.  After another tense warm up she elected to dismount because she was not feeling confident or safe.  After a quick discussion with the steward it was decided that I could in fact warm him up.  So I grabbed my boots and breeches out of the car, borrowed her helmet and mounted up. Studly Pants was a little behind my leg, and a lot tense but I said "go forward, and go forward NOW" and since Shimmer-E has installed all the right buttons he responded with "Yes, Ma'am".  We went on to have a solid warm up.  He was no where near as relaxed as he can be, nor as forward but he was willing and obedient.  For a baby stallion at his first really big atmosphere I think we can call that a win.  They went in to take a 67.7% in First Level-1, good enough for a first!

Saturday I got up early to go and ride Ritchie again since Shimmer-E was teaching a first-aid course.  He schooled just lovely and then I settled him in for the day and booked it home.  I loaded up my mare, went and grabbed a couple of friends and their horses and made the trek to Minds Eye Ranch for our first cross-country school of the year.  It deserves a post of it's own, so stay tuned!

Most handsomest baby pony

Sunday I headed back to Red Deer to help out Shimmer-E again.  I got him braided and all groomed up (she had let him roll in the arena-this is me publicly shaming her for not bathing him after!) and hoped on to warm him up again.  He warmed up fabulously!!!!  I couldn't have asked for anything better.  There was a small jump set up (read 12", maybe) and he even got his first experience going over a fence with a rider.  Once those massive joints of his fuse I'm totally stealing him and he's going to make a fabulous jumper.

Amanda got on and was having a great warm up until a gelding walked by in a scrim sheet.  The sheet for some reason caused a baby meltdown.  They had to go in and ride their test and Shimmer-E kept it together and rode the very distracted and tense horse that showed up and managed to pull off a ride that was good enough for 3rd.  We just couldn't get his brain back so after a few 'discussions' about acceptable behaviour we ended on a decent note and put him back in his stall to hopefully let him settle.

We pulled him out for his last test of the day and he was back to being a very good boy.  A few bobbles left them slightly behind their first First Level score but it was still good enough to win the class.  It was a really good place to end his show weekend (after a brief photo shoot with his handsome ribbons).

Thanks to Natural Expressions Photography for this lovely photo of a most handsome boy.