It's Go Time

Go Time.

This week is going to be spent preparing for our first competition of the season, Rocking Horse I. I went out on a limb and entered Hewie in the Intermediate straight away, the dude has done a year and a half of prelim, if he's not ready now he ain't ever gonna be!

I'm really glad I did. We did our XC school today over at Longwod and I took both Donald and Hewie. I kid you not when I say it was a perfect day. Perfect venue, perfect weather, perfect footing, and perfect horses. They did everything I asked of them and more. They're so much farther ahead this year than they were at this time last year, and I know it is because they are now a product of a good program. When I get to go out there and have my horses go absolutely beautifully, it makes all the sacrafices I am making to be down here worth it.

Buck made us do an interesting exercise today and it really got me thinking about how important position is. We had to jump a series of XC fences with only one hand. We joked that this was our "test" to go to Rolex. I jumped around the first time successfully but when I came back he asked me if I noticed how much my hand was moving (the free one, not the one on the reins). He asked me to do it again but keep my hand perfectly still. It not only improved my balance but my eye got better and so did the rythm of my ride.

The most important thing I'm learning, and the scariest, is that at the four star level there is no room for error. My rookie mistakes are not tolerated anymore. Every time I throw a leg over a horse it's focus, focus, focus... I can see my efforts paying off but I still worry about messing up from time to time.

Now I just have to remember to get my jacket dry cleaned... or my mom will have a fit!


xo

k