Adventures with a Baby TB: Update on things

It's been a long while since I posted anything about our eventing adventures, so there's a lot to catch up on. First things first........WE'RE OFFICIALLY EVENTERS NOW!!!!! He's a big bad show horse!

Whoop whoop, 3rd place in elementary!

Back peddle to the beginning of June. We tried the totally barefoot thing, didn't work out. Apollo's just not quite tough enough in his soles and heels particularly to go without shoes, so I had his fronts put back on. His hinds are still barefoot and are looking fantastic. We went XC schooling at Plantation on June 9th. We arrived to be downpoured on, and Apollo was HOT. Balled up, kicking out, wanted to go go GO. Once I pointed him at a jump, however, that little booger was ON. Ears pricked, gung ho LETS GO! Didn't have one refusal or even a hesitation. Jumped down hills, up hills, into the woods, out of the woods into the open field, did every intro level jump except the black plastic pipe at the end. We were both tired at that point, and I couldn't give him a good ride for another fence.

Through June I take several lessons with my trainer, his jumping greatly improves. Not nearly as much "hollow out and rush" to the jumps. We still have more to improve on, but he was going better. We entered the starter trial at Fair Hill on June 28th. We get there Friday night, and he's wide eyed and ready to be a crazy man. I got him in his stall, and after a while he settled. We also discovered he loves straw. He couldn't stop rolling in it and playing in it.

We get back Saturday morning very early, and I'm nervous. New facility, hasn't been turned out, he was hot hot hot last time we went somewhere (strangely at Plantation I didn't have a single nervous moment or case of butterflies, I was feeling as gung ho as he was.) We get the boys out and warm up in the grass ring near the barns. He's good. Looking around, a bit quick footed, a little speedy to canter but he went alright. We rode to the dressage rings and parked--he relaxed, almost dozing. We go through the wooded trail to get to the XC/stadium area just for them to see the sights. We crossed the stream with some encouragement and trotted on a loose rein around the warm up areas. Things are looking up, not so nervous now!

Our ride times were late--I didn't have dressage until 2:06. Naturally I got ready way too early because I did NOT want to miss my ride time. Turns out they could take me early, so in I went with no hesitation. My trainer was still up at the barn, my riding buddy was warming up somewhere, it was just me, him...and mom with camera in hand, READY. We went in, and he was SO GOOD. I didn't bother with framing him up, asking for him to bend or use his back. Our goal was to go in, remember the test (which was only W/T), not have any antics. We got a lot of 5/6s because he was above the bit, but I didn't care. We got a 7 for his gaits, which was surprising because he isn't a super duper mover. We got an 8 on our halt, I was pumped.

They got a chance to rest while we helped our trainer get her two horses ready for stadium/XC. They were more experienced than our boys, so she was doing novice/BN with her two. They rocked it, of course! A few hours pass....it's time to tack up for stadium and XC. We had walked the course twice and the stadium course a zillion times. I knew them both very well and wasn't worried about that at all. Thankfully we had jumped an oxer a few days prior at home because there were three in our course. The jumps were so small I didn't worry about distances or anything. We just had to do it. He warmed up great, a tad squirrely but nothing bad at all. We get into the ring (early again) and he knew. He KNEW. I was probably a little tense, so he knew "something is going on, mom is tense...." Not one stop, not one run out, not even a hairy eyeball. He was a bit hot, and my reins were too long so at times I felt like I was steering from my hips (my fault, worst feeling ever!!!) We overrode a lot of our turns, but at that jump height it didn't matter. To most horses they were little speedbumps, but to him, "this is serious business! We're jumping mom!" We only had 1-2 headshakes/scoots on course. I finish my go, then my riding buddy finishes hers (her horse is much more experienced over fences, so they had a lot more exactness and consistency in their round.)

Time for XC. The big moment.

We check in with the steward crew. I told them I was going to warm up over a few of the XC fences they had set up for us before going in. They said fine, so I popped him over a little wooden bench. He jumped it like a champ, super quiet, loped away from it like an old pro. I wanted to try another, but they called me on deck, so ready or not here we came. The man running the start box area was SO nice, I walked Apollo around the start box, through it, etc. while chatting with him. My plan was to walk out of the start box, pick up a trot and trot the first fence. We walked out, picked up a trot...then he broke into a canter. I decided instead of fighting, we were just going to do it. I had to stop overthinking and worrying and just DO IT. First jump was great. It was a nice log with some mulch in front and some yellow flowers. Our second jump was a small red barn. It was our only bad fence, I thought I was going to eat dirt. He screeches to a halt sideways, I lose my stirrup and almost come off. I thought to myself, "I spent a small fortune to be here. We drove four hours just to get here. WE ARE NOT GOING TO BLOW IT ON XC." We jumped it from a standstill with no stirrup and galloped on. He had one more "stop then jump" fence, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the red barn. He didn't balk or shy at a thing. Jumping by shadowy trees, downhill, uphill, areas where we couldn't see other horses, into trees, out of trees, he didn't care. Once again my reins were too long (bad habit of mine) so I didn't have as quick of control as I wanted, so I just talked to him and sat, "whoa" every other stride. We cruised to the last jump (the train), he popped right over and we galloped home. It's by far our favorite phase. HE WAS SO GOOD. He was a changed man after that day. He puffed out his chest and knew he was a big shot, he's one of the "adults" now, no longer a baby horse. He's been riding like a much more mature horse ever since that day. My riding buddy went on course as I was finishing, and they did awesome. Her horse motored around, didn't bat an eyelash, galloped on home. He's a very fluid horse to watch gallop.

We walked them back along the riding path in the woods, all smiles. We had passed other riders on our way to XC, and they were smiling ear to ear and seemed so happy with their rides. We chatted with total strangers (including a very nice girl named Scarlett) and it was OTTB city! Very different from the hunter world where the spectators all seem so serious and fixed on competition instead of going out there, doing your best and having fun. Not a negative word was said, everyone was so encouraging and friendly. I ended up with third (out of 8.) I originally had 24 people in my division, but they split it into three groups of 8. I was pretty pumped to place at all, wasn't expecting that! My buddy got 7th in open elementary (against a big group!) and my trainer got 2nd on her horse and 5th on her client's/our friend's horse. Overall it was such a good day, major confidence boost for all horses and riders. I was so proud I had taken this scraggly scrawny bald little horse and got him to our first event. We're planning on going to Rolling Rock on August 10th in the starter division (18"-2'.) I toyed with the idea of moving up to BN, but I just don't think either of us are ready for that yet. I think that will be a goal for next year. We haven't jumped more than 2'3" at home, and while he's more than physically capable, we need to get his brain ready first. We have all winter to work on it and especially to improve our dressage (turns out to be our second favorite phase, I'm indifferent to stadium because I've jumped ring courses a million and one times.)

You didn't think I'd make you read all that and not provide photos, did you? Enjoy :)!! They're a little out of order