So I had a flat lesson with Mike at about five in the afternoon last Thursday, and it was ridiculously hot. While tacking up, Mike asked if I knew my dressage test since it was different than the one I'd been doing all spring, and I lied like an idiot and said yes. His reply, "Good. We'll go over it." With that slap in the face, I paused what I was doing and looked up the test on my iPhone after he'd walked off, learning it in about five minutes, and let me just say, it showed.
Oh, and let me just add this in real quick. I usually don't lie, especially to respected adults, so the ONE time I quickly say a teeny white lie, the stupid thing comes back to bite me in the butt. Duly noted karma. I promise you, I won't be doing it again.
So for the next hour, it was evident I hadn't practiced the test on my horse. I could tell Mike was a little frustrated but he knew I hadn't ridden Stoney much and knew I'd have it by Saturday (especially when all we'd done was ride my test for an hour).
It didn't take long for me to realize I wasn't feeling well after, and I just thought that it was heat exhaustion (since this has happened once before when riding with Mike) and blew it off. My body decided to tell me wrong as I ended up feeling like crap for the next twenty four hours with a stomach bug. Another punch in the face from karma? Hopefully it isn't that mean.
I jumped the next morning and Stoney had improved drastically from not even two weeks ago when I was down before. Heather put him in a different bit and it really helped. Now he feels like a completely different horse. Scratch that. He is a completely different horse now.
We got to the show, unpacked, and I rode again that afternoon. Stoney was dragging me around so that made for a great session. The next morning, our dressage didn't go that great. I reverted back to my old ways with riding and it showed. No, he didn't rear twice like at Greenwood, but he did leap to canter on two occasions. Oh Stoney, always having to make things interesting. The judge wrote "elegant horse, but rider needs to loosen up on the reins." Funny how when I did just that on his lengthening canter, he blew right past the letter we were supposed to trot at and didn't even trot until the next letter. He literally drug me around the entire arena. Last show, I realized we needed a stronger bit for jumping. This show, I realized we need a stronger bit for dressage because it was blatantly obvious that Stoney has no respect for the loose ring in his mouth. When I am able to get more leverage, I will finally be able to loosen up on the reins...AND then actually succeed in getting him back.
Although it wasn't our best, I put it behind me and focused on show jumping. I get to warm up and pop over a few, then Mike has me come to a huge spread oxer. Stoney gets there on a half stride and just decides to sit on his butt and slide right into it, taking the whole thing, standards and all, down. Mike just stands there, and after a long pause goes, "Well...that was unusual of him." Tell me about it. I ended up getting a few more jumps in and went into the arena. It was like we were half way synced, if that even makes sense. I ended up with a rail and Stoney ended up with a rail. The first line I reverted back, yet again, to riding him like I used to, and we hit the front rail of the oxer that was the second fence. Stoney realized a little too late I wasn't going to save him and ended up hitting 5a. After that, the rest of the jumps when extremely well and we were finally back in sync like from the morning before. Mike honestly told me it would have been easier that weekend if I'd never even sat on Stoney before until now. Now that he has changed completely, I have to change the way I've learned to ride this horse for the past year and ride him completely different now.
Saturday: just chillin in his stall (:
I can honestly tell you that on Saturday, I never even looked at what place I was in. All I knew was that I was probably last or next last after dressage and that because three people fell off in stadium (weird...), I'd probably move up a little even with my two rails. I knew though that I was no where near ribbon placing.
Stoney jumped around the cross country course like it was nothing. Because it was on new land, there weren't any bank or coffin complexes built yet, just single fences with the exception of a bending AB and the water complex. Going from jumping clean at Greenwood to here wasn't all that hard. Not to mention their fences were extremely small for training. We did have a little scary moment at a small corner where Stoney decided to add once I'd gotten him up to a good stride. I swore we were gonna hit the ground, but somehow he saved himself and got over, though I'm still not sure how.
Although it was extremely hot and the terrain was filled with huge hills, the big man never slowed and ended up coming in around twenty seconds before optimum. Sometimes I get so frustrated with his lack of technique and greenness that I forget to realize just how big his heart is and the bravery he has come to have.
Many could say it wasn't a weekend to be that happy with, but I really was satisfied with it. The heart this horse has and the bravery he has is something that can't be taught. Technique, how he jumps, and how he carries himself can always be taught.
The past few shows, his cross country is finally starting to come together. He's figuring it out. At this show, his show jumping finally started to see daylight, and it was a round that gave me hope that the next would be better and not leave disappointment like the one at Greenwood. He is finally getting it. Now that cross country and show jumping are finally beginning to fall into place, that leaves dressage to focus on. I feel that this bump in the road will pass with just more experience...annnddd a stronger bit. Maybe then we'll start to see daylight. Getting daily instruction and a good flat lesson at least once a week at Will's will also improve it substantially. I'm also hoping to go to Memphis for a dressage clinic with Wolfgang in a few weeks, and he ALWAYS improves our dressage. Somehow it always comes together and makes sense when training with him. And it gets even better than that. I have a two day clinic with Karen next week that I'm sure will be beneficial as well.
My biggest fear right now is screwing Stoney up in the next four weeks until I leave for North Carolina. Mike assured me that I won't, but still, I'm scared I will. *Sigghhh* Negative thoughts are always a struggling battle. The fact that my kimberwick I ordered still hasn't come in after three days is stressing me out as well. Gahhh. I've also ordered the contraption that Heather had Stoney living in for six weeks, so if worse comes to worse, I could always just stand on the ground and lunge him in that once a week, more for my reassurance than anything.
Oh, and did I mention that I got a ribbon? (: Seventh place baby. Heck yes. This is the first USEA event that Stoney has ribboned at. The fact that it was at training level and not novice makes it all the more better. I didn't even realize we finished in seventh until after we'd left, and I lucked out on a friend getting it for me who will be riding with me in the Karen clinic. It's safe to say this purple ribbon will be going to North Carolina with me. It's literally only a month away now! Looks like I'll only have to slave away here for four more weeks, as well as ride my horse in this terrible heat, and then it's goodbye humid Arkansas, hello North Carolina skies. Skies whose average temperature highs are about ten degrees lower than the ones here.
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