Forward Solves Everything- Show Recap

 So last weekend I took both horses to show. It was an epic weekend filled with lots of action, fun and learning. To keep it simple, I'm going to divide it up between the two stars of this blog, starting with Quaid. 

The show takes place over 2 days but you can haul in the day before and ride in the show ring (5$ per 30 minute slot, which is a good deal).  I left Friday morning. I was all alone so glad that both horses walked on without any difficulty (probably because I had a plan if there was any problems).  The trip was uneventful and we pulled in around 11:30. Paula met me there and we prepared the stalls and unloaded them. 

Not sure but fine

 

I had two slots for warm up- 1-2 and 4-5. I decided to ride Quaid first. I got him tacked up and took him out to walk around the ring. He was really good about it. So I left to mount up outside and ride back in. Just as we were walking towards the mounting block a horse got away from her rider (trying to put the bridle on) and took off. She ran at us, then past us then back again. finally she was caught. Quaid was wide eyed and, understandably, a little freaked out. So I walked him a bit and then got on. 

We went into the ring and he was definitely tense. I did what I always do which is try to contain him. Spoiler alert, Jane is not a fan. She says that the more we contain the more explosiveness we create. And she is, as always, right. But when you're riding it feels wrong to push them forward. I (and I'm sure I'm not alone) want to hold hold hold.  Jane got us to trot forward and keep his mind busy. She was also on me for leaning forward and not having my butt in the saddle. 'SIT DOWN'  was a refrain that all of her students heard that weekend. That, of course, worked really well. I was quite pleased with our ride.   

My rides were very reasonable: 9:15 and 10:00. I had lots of time to braid him and then take him into the warm up ring. It's been a long time since I rode Training Level and I've forgotten how the warm up ring can feel like Thunderdome.  There were quite a few horses going every which way. Poor Quaid was quite rattled. There was one horse that it didn't seem to matter how much I tried to avoid always seemed to be crowding us or being hit hard by us. It's a lot to ask of a young horse who's essentially ridden mostly solo or with one other horse.  He was really uncertain about horses coming at him or near him. Sometimes there were horses coming at us and beside us at the same time. 

Then a horse spooked at the open window. Quaid, who had been quite fine with it before was oh god. that horse is scared of it so it must be scary. Now I'm scared.  He started to get spooky and throw some big spooks. I totally understood, he was responding to the herd dynamics and was in full self-preservation mode. My 'let's go forward and it's all fine' was not really cutting it. I'm not gonna lie, without Jane to do her magical mix of cajoling, advice and ass-kicking I'd have gotten off and scratched right there.  But I listened and tried. Failed, tried again, and kept trying.  We slowly began to settle.  I took him towards the centre and had him walk around and let down some adrenaline.  We breathed.  He showed an incredible amount of trust in me. 

Then it was time for our class. I rode Training Level 1 & 2.  I have videos of our rides Saturday but not Sunday.  But that's okay.  Here's the first one:

When I was watch it I can see how conservative I'm being and I should have not 'held' so much. But I'm also being quiet and steady. Our scores ranged from 3-7. The 3 when he balked going into the corner at M. 7's for our trot and centre line work. Our final score was 56.35 with the comment "Unfortunate. Think to stay forward, more on the aids'.   

We had a brief break and then back in the warm up for 10 minutes (it was a lot quieter) and then in for our second test. This went a lot better, with scores ranging from 5-7.  It felt so much better and I was really pleased. Our final score was a respectable 63.62.  He was done for the day and I was pretty happy with him. Honestly, I think he was relieved to be out of the warm up ring. 

I should note that for both our tests I would ask for the canter but did not make a big fuss when he broke early. I simply tried to settle him into the trot and carry on. The goal was not to win but to lay down some groundwork and experience.  We ended up placing 3rd and 2nd. 

Sunday our ride times were similar. Our warm up was a lot better until I tried to do some more canter work.  The wheels fell way off the bus for that. Jane was on me for going forward and lightening my seat. He needs you to be the stabilising force. If you go on his withers you're telling him to buck.  I really really tried.  We had good moments. He was WAY better about the other horses being around. I was really happy with that. 

yup

nope

 

When we rode our first test (TL1) he had a full on melt down in the corner by M.  He balked, backed up refused to go forward. I was expecting the bell to be rung to eliminate us so instead I made a diagonal line to B and carried on. I cut that corner but just carried on. I felt I rode more forward but I have no video proof. Our scores ranged from 4 to 7 with a final score of 57.5.  I was happy to not be eliminated so was not going to cry over a very generous score.  The judge asked me what happened and I shrugged and said 'babies'. 

Our second test I went in with a plan to ride forward. In TL 2 we track right, right into the corner. By then I figured out that it was the reflection in the glass freaking him out.  Anyway, as we went to the corner he full on balked and carried on. I thought about saluting the judge and giving Quaid a break. But instead I took a breath and decided to carry on and show him it's all okay. I sat up guided him forward and carried on. Laster one we were to come through that corner and pick up a canter between C and M. I decided that I was not asking for the canter. Instead I bent him to the inside, put on my inside leg and trotted him through it. When he went through I patted him and asked for the canter at the centre circle. It was a shit show. But I tried.  When we trotted down centre line I squared my shoulders smiled at the judge and trotted him forward. Again our scores were 4-7. Our score was 56.9. But the comment was awesome: 

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I think we placed 3rd and 4th. I was so proud of those ribbons. They were hard earned. Jane was able to watch this test and she said she was really pleased that as the test went on I rode better and better. I didn't unravel.  I realised that I hadn't been nervous or worried at all. I was just thinking about how to support him. 

It would be easy to frustrated with how his show went.  Old me certainly would have been. At home we can do the Training level stuff easy. But the current me can see all the gains we made at this show: 

1. we tried and no one died, cried or unraveled. It was really close and without Jane's support I probably would have scratched. 

2. Quaid tolerated the show without kicking the stalls when left or refusing to eat. He did call but even that was not as frantic as last year. 

3.  I think if we had down intro level it would have been easier but not the challenge we needed. He can do this work.   We need to learn to travel and do the work. It will get easier with miles and experience. I talked to Jane about it. She said something along the lines of 'if you rode him walk/trot then you would think of him as a walk/trot horse. A baby. And he's not that.  To quote my friend Tanya: 'he's just a genius, not a baby genius'. 

4. Quaid tried really hard to listen. Just sometimes what I asked when against his instincts and he responded. This has informed what I need to do with my training at home. He's pretty easy going so I need to introduce some stressors at home and show him he can work through it. I can't expect him to know how to deal with it without practice. And clearly I can't assume that because he's fine at home he'll be fine in other places. 

5. He handled the warm up really well. Each time I rode him in it he was better.  He coped with the chaos and I got really good at keeping him in his own zone. I scanned the ring and moved us away from other horses. When I couldn't I sat up and kept my outside rein.  I really tried to keep Jane's advice in the forefront: 

• he needs me to be his stable centre. To do that I need to stay over his centre of gravity and not move around. 
• I need to not be passive or try to contain the energy. Let it go out. If you activate the hind legs you engage in the brain.  

6. Forward is key. Not fast. But forward into contact. 

Like I say, I don't show to win. I show to see where we are. And to hang out with friends.  Friday night a bunch of us go to dinner. This year the show committee held a reception on Saturday night with pizza and beverages. It was a great time.