Sunday Horse Show

Sunday (July 25th) I participated in a horse show with Horse Gal. We went in 2"3 and it was a great learning experience for both of us. It was also a check on how far we've come in a month. Last month, I didn't have my mind on showing Nikko. To make things even hard, July was the only time I rode him.

Our first class was Novice Eq. Over Fences. It was a complicated course, consisting of one tough roll back. You had to get your eye in the spot even before you jumped the first part of the roll back. Then, in no more then 3 strides, turn around another jump and dodge a tree with a wide turn to the second part of the roll back. Well, lets say Nikko thought we where going to the wrong spot and he said that he would just jump the second jump in the line by himself. Umm, mom? You know this is a LINE? We are suppose to jump the other jump, not go around it. Ok? I turned him in time to run him into the wing, in which he dodge. I lost my right stirrup (see what happens when you don't have your heels down?) and lost my balance when he dodged away from the wing. I ended up in front of the pommel with my left foot still in the stirrup. I fixed myself up, just in time for the turn to the second part of the roll back. I picked up the right lead ad jumped it perfectly. I was mad at myself the whole entire day. But on the plus side, I got 3rd out of 5 people! I technically just broke because I didn't refuse, I wasn't off course, and I never picked up the wrong lead afterward.

The next class was a flat class. Novice Eq. Flat. When we where asked to canter, Nikko picked up the wrong lead. So I brought him back down to the trot. Then I asked again. He now cross-cantered. I took a deep breath and got him to pick up the correct lead. We placed 6th out of 7 people.

Our third class was another jumping course. It was Green Rider Hunters 2"3. It was a pretty basic course. Single fence, judges line, diagonal, outside line, then to a lone oxer. It was pretty perfect, except for a couple of distances. One we just got deep, but not ugly. The distance to the oxer...one word - ugly. We placed 10th out of 23. In that particular arena, the ribbons go up to 10th.

We participated in two other courses, but we did't place in any of them.

Then we had our Green Riders Under Saddle. Nikko was pretty good, in frame and all. Its just those darn ponies! We can never beat them, now can we? Needless to say, we placed 9th.

Our last class of the day was Eq. Flat. We where perfect! I placed 3rd out of 21 people. I felt like having Nikko bite a couple of horses though...people cutting me off...*grumbles*