April 2010


PHEW! This month has gone fast! When I look back at my calendar, I've only been in Middleburg a whopping 14 days this month! We packed our barn in Aiken up, and drove to The Fork Horse Trials. The Fork is a fantastic event with fabulous footing, unbelievable cross-country courses with manicured footing, and great competition as the host of the very competitive CIC3*. Most people use it as a qualifier for Rolex, so all the top horses are out, creating a great field of horses and riders. I was coming off a great weekend at Southern Pines, but knew that The Fork would be a whole other ballgame, and it was. They used Advanced Test B for starters. For Mo, no problem. For JB, big problem. For a horse still learning his flying changes, doing 4 of them in a test, 2 on a 20m countercanter circle proved too much for his little brain. He had a complete temper tantrum. So not our best day, but I couldn't really blame him too much. I knew it was over his head, and that I'd be lucky to "pull it off". I did at the trot, but not so much at the canter.
The cross country was very challenging, and big, as it always is at The Fork. My boys were perfect! Mo showed his true colors and I could feel all the experience he has, as we tackled the course. There aren't many horses in this world that can make a tough advanced track feel like a pony club round, but he did. He just hunted his way around, making quick work of each fence. It was very rewarding to feel that I have finally cemented my partnership with my "new" ride. No longer do I feel that I am riding "someone else's" ride, but I am riding "my own" ride. It was a job well done for the both of us. JB showed his huge heart, his courage, and his trust that Saturday. The course was A LOT for him. I did feel like I was squeezing a tube of toothpaste most of the way around, but he showed me his heart has no limits. He didn't always understand the question, or read it very quickly, but he tried to do right, and he did. He was absolutely fantastic. I figured I had either scared the crap out of him, or he had learned a lot, but either way, he got a huge education that day.
Showjumping went well, though I had an uncharacteristic 2 rails on Mo. Just when you get one part down, another part goes! I guess that's the sport! Always something to work on and improve. He really jumped well, felt great in his body, so I think am the one that needs the polishing! JB tried very hard to jump clear, and was stellar, though he didn't read the back rail on an oxer, and ticked it up front. It totally surprised him as he knocked it, like "ACK! Where'd THAT come from???". Good ponies and a great weekend all around!
We shipped home and immediately got ready for Plantation the next weekend. LV was pretty good on the flat and had a good score. He showjumped well, though did uncharacteristically "wear" one. It smartened him right up, and he carried on the better for it. He was really good cross-country on Sunday, and really feels like he has confidence in what he's doing now.
There wasn't much of a break before we turned around 3 days later and shipped up to Fair Hill with all 4 horses. JB and Mo did the advanced, though Mo only did the dressage. I decided to scratch him because the ground was a little hard, and he's been quite good. Unlike JB, Mo has a lot of experience and confidence at the level. JB, on the otherhand, needs to see as much as possible. It was a little nerve-wracking for me to be the very first advanced horse to jump the SJ, but great practice being in that situation! The next day, I was 2nd out of the box behind Sally Cousins. No chance for any feedback, so you hope the course rides exactly how you walked it!! It did for the most part, and JB made quick work of it where he needed to. LV had a tough weekend all around. He got very nervous for the dressage, which was right next to the grandstand. That was unfortunate, but onward and upward, off to SJ we went, and he was super in the big ring. Sunday started great, until I ran past Fence #8!! CRAP! Hate when that happens!! I thought they were pulling me up because someone fell off and they were having a hold. But no. Sigh. Tough sport. The star of the weekend was Kiwi. He was super on the flat, and seems to have become very reliable on the flat this Spring, which was our only missing piece! He jumped around just like he always does, and finished 3rd on his dressage score. I think he's finally ready to move up!!! Yeah! Go Kiwi Go!!!
I think I was about ready to crash after Fair Hill, but rallied enough to drive to Rolex on Wednesday. Wahoo!! We had an awesome rode trip, 3 girls, one who just arrived from New Zealand! It was great, just when my friend Jane crashed late at night, Carolyn, the Kiwi , was wide awake, so I had great company driving! We had a total blast. Dave and Patricia had purchased sponsor tickets, so we had great seats, great food, and lots of booze for 4 days! Oh yeah, and there might have been some nice horses and good riders there as well! All kidding aside, the event was fantastic, and inspiring, as always. It was brilliant to see horses you've known for years, as well as their riders clock around the cross-country. The Canadians totally rocked it, so hats off to them, and David for all his hard work! I love Rolex for the great competition, but you also meet some of the best, most interesting people when you're there. For us eventers, Rolex is the place to be!
I came back and off to Difficult Run Horse Trials. Thank goodness that's in my backyard! And now, we're finally into May. Jersey Fresh is this weekend, so Go JB Go!!!! A big weekend for my little horse. I can't wait!
I hope everyone is having a good Spring with their horses so far, shaking off the winter cobwebs! I hope to see you out and about, so until then, KICK ON!!!