Riding the Dragon: Quaid's Show Recap

 Better let than never, right? 

I had entered Quaid in Intro B & C for the show. Intro C has a bit of canter in it on both leads and I knew we could definitely do it. I had spent the weeks leading up to the show practicing the 'pick up X lead in first quarter of circle' and 'transition to trot' before A.   I wanted to be sure that we could do it with zero issues at home before asking for it at the show venue. Honestly, we cantered here, there and everywhere. We were the Roy Kent of cantering. 

I had booked an hour in the ring on Friday for us to practice and to work on him being comfortable. Spoiler alert: he was not comfortable. In fact he was totally NOT comfortable and had zero desire to listen to me (or Jane). It was incredibly frustrating. Jane did a good job of keeping me from getting harsh or busy with my hands but it was tiring. Near the end we still hadn't successfully cantered and my time was ticking away.  I was determined to get the canter. He was determined to buck and scoot and run sideways. The volunteers were trying to catch my eye to let me know my time was up and I was not making eye contact, lol. I even said to him I don't fucking care, we're cantering.  Finally I got a good (well half-way decent and not at all dangerous) canter and I halted and hopped off. I was about 15 minutes over my time (sorry, not sorry). 

I was a bit discouraged. And, to be totally honest, for the first time I thought 'what if I can't get him through this? I will have to sell him'. It is just so fucking glaring the difference between home and away. If he acted like that at home I would never dream of taking him anywhere because we wouldn't be ready. But he doesn't. It's not like he doesn't have feelings or acts up at home. He does, but it's short lived and he gets on with it. 

Anyway, Saturday morning was on him about 45 minutes before our first test. He was, as expected, tense in the warm up but Jane kept us on track and we were able to do all the things. Including some half-decent canter in the warm up ring. Intro B is just walk and trot and he felt really good. There were zero shenanigans and I was really happy with our test. Our scores were mostly 6's with a couple 7's and 6.5s for a final score 62.8. The judge noted some tension and wanted 'more forward and uphill balance'. 

pro photo from the test. I think 
we look pretty good here

There was a short wait between this one and our next one. In the warm up I just worked on keeping him focussed and supple.  The test went really well up until I asked for the first canter. And that was a giant 'nope'.  I regrouped and asked again. It was a flail, a teeny bit of canter and then we fell out of it. All of this garnered us a score of 1 (for canter) and 0 (for the transition from and back to trot).  But the good news was that we regrouped and carried on. Our second canter actually happened. But it was tight and the circle was smaller than the required 20 m. I knew that but felt that it was better to just accept that we cantered and not get too much in the weeds lol.  Our scores ranged from 0 to 7 for a final score of 53.5. The judge noted 'some tension' and that there was 'potential for much better riding experience when addressed'. Which made me laugh. It reminded me of report cards when the teacher wrote 'Teresa has a lot of thoughts that she likes to share". 

But overall, he was much more rideable than Friday and I was pleased that we worked through it. I celebrated by buying this hat that a vendor had: 

from Blondie's Cinches. 
It felt apt. 

On Sunday I also planned to a 40 minute warm up. He was a lot quieter and seemed more settled.  Our first test (Intro B) felt really good. In all he felt more with me and relaxed. He was a bit tight in the free walk and I didn't let him out completely so the judge dinged me on that (fair). At times he got a little low in the neck as well. I think that was fatigue. Either way we ended up with a 60. 

We did a little walking around and some cantering before C. I could tell he was tired but still had gas in the tank. Again, he got a little low at times but was very rideable. Then we got to the first canter circle. He was a firm no on that again. I didn't give up but kept asking because he can't learn that bucking stops the work. The score was a 1 with the comment 'much bucking'.  And a transition score of 1. 

I honestly can't believe I sat that
( I tried to buy it but the show photographer
said that bucking photos are free lol) 

When it was time for our second canter he was all ready to battle. I decided that I was just going to ride it out and he needed to sort himself out. That got us a 3 because he was disunited, then switched and finally sorted himself out while I stayed up and balanced. The good news is that we tripled our score lol. And the transition in and out got a 5 so.... a massive improvement (*lol*sob*). Our final score was 53.5 with comments about tension and riding the horse forward. Noted. 

After Jane wanted me to go back to the warm up and canter him. I took him and back and really tried but he was completely done and could not horse. I realised that he was past the point of being able to learn and we were interfering with others trying to warm up so I got a nice trot and called it a day. 

Funnily enough I didn't end the show with the thoughts that I have to sell him. Other than the canter debacle he became more and more rideable as we went on. So I persevere. 

Jane and I have a theory that a lot of this is stemming from separation anxiety. So we have a plan that we're executing at home.  I'll write more on how that's going another day. 

see, he can be lovely

 

Minefield: The Perils of Being Online

 I know that I owe an update on Quaid and the show. Bear with me, it's coming. As with most things with him these days it was a mixed bag and I'm sorting through it in my head. That may take a while, lol. 

But this post has been percolating in my brain for a few months now and I've decided to get it out my head and onto the blogosphere.

You're welcome. 

I helped my friend take her horses to the vet. 
I got to hold Ms. Fizzy. She is as adorable as she looks. 

I am a Gen X-er and one thing that makes me profoundly grateful about that is the total lack of social media and phone cameras. Back then the closest we had to this was rumours and a polaroid camera. It's not the same. Photos cost money and no one knew how to edit them. These days it's so easy to snap a photo and use it to shame, bully or harass. It's even scarier with AI being able to create fake photos and videos. 

It's not that people are worse. They are the same mixed bag of good, bad, nasty and kind they always were. What has changed is access. Keyboard warriors are everywhere and it is so easy for a photo or video to bring out the worst in people. Because everyone can post something it gives a sense of expertise that may be warranted but not necessarily. 

On FB I have literally seen a post urging 24 hour turn and everyone chiming in with how great that is and anyone not keeping a horse on 30 acres of pasture 24 hours a day was abusive and didn't deserve them (of course not everyone but enough). Then another post came out saying 24 hour turn out was bad for horses and it got the same type of responses: forcing horses to be outside was cruel. 

another photo to break up the wall of text. 
I think my kitty was assembled wrong. 

Online bullying of riders, trainers, vets and other horse professionals is a real problem.  

I recognise that I choose to have a blog and an online presence. It was a deliberate choice and one I don't regret. I haven't really had to deal with a bunch of trolls. Except when Steele died. I had quite a few show up on my blog which is why I now approve comments before they are published.  

Now blogs are old school and maybe most of the trolls moved to TikTok. But I am aware that there is a risk of posting the things I do. Which is why I am very careful about the privacy of others who intersect in my horse life. Unless I know for sure that they are okay with me mentioning their names I don't. I use generic terms like 'friend, barn owner, etc.,. And I never mention juniors.  

Cordelia has Pannus and UV rays
make it worse. So she gets to look 
supercool in her doggles. 

To me it seems that this is a good way to write about my adventures without compromising someone else's privacy.   Maybe I'm overthinking it -because we all know that's my jam.  

Do you think about these things when you post? How do you navigate it? Am I being too careful? 

It's Showtime!

 Last weekend was the horse show and it was an adventure and a half.  

It all started last Sunday with my finding one of my trailer windows shattered. We're pretty sure a rock was thrown by the lawnmower. I had to wait until after the show to make an appointment so I used plastic and duct tape to keep everything dry. I put it on the inside and outside to make sure.  Getting the tape off is a problem for a different day. 

why yes that is a bag from the tack shop lol

Then on Wednesday and I was moving the truck and it died. whomp whomp. 

 I called CAA and they determined that it was the alternator. There was no way to get it fixed before Friday so it looked like the show was not going to happen. I was really bummed. Mostly because I had worked so hard on the freestyle and it was ready. Then a friend (a really good friend) reached out and said I could use her truck. 

on it's way to truck hospital

Needless to say that by the time I had sorted all the logisitcs this week and packed everything I was pretty exhausted setting out. Once I got there I was determined to have a good time. I was super excited to see my horse friends and to ride Carmen.  She has lost 100 pounds now and has been feeling really good.  We'd been working hard on the freestyle the last few weeks. 

Let me just say that choreographing a freestyle is hard.  I had spent hours on it and finally figured I had it finalised. I had built in a couple spots to flex in case we were ahead or behind time.  Carmen felt really good in our Friday warm up and I was able to run through it one more time to make sure there weren't any adjustment. 

I had signed Carmen up to do one second level test on Saturday and Sunday, plus the freestyle on Saturday.  Given that she came up lame at the last show I was keeping my fingers crossed that all would be well. Of course I have made a lot of changes with Carmen since then so it didn't feel like things would go wrong. But, also, horses. 

Anyway we rode our test and it went well. Carmen felt really good and back to her old self.  There were 5 people who signed up for a freestyle so they put them all at the end of the day. I was the last rider. 

I had a bout of nerves when I went in and then just took a breath.  The judge rang the bell and I got into position.  My music was a compilation from the Zorro soundtrack. (long time readers may recall I did a pas de deux to this with Karen years ago at a cancer fundraiser show back in 2019).  I have been listening to this music on repeat since I decided I was going for it.  I know it backwards and forwards. But when the music started and it filled the arena I got goosebumps.  My inner 12 year old laughed in glee and we were off. 

And, oh my god, I had so much fun. I was having the time of my life. Carmen was being really good. There was one bobble in the canter work where I loosened the outside rein and she spooked. I couldn't get her back and decided to ride it forward.  Anyway, here's the video: 

After I felt wonderful. I hadn't even wondered about my score. My heart was full because I was dancing with my horse again.  We ended up with a score of 63.2. The judge had a few comments. Most of which were negative: I had too many circles and she didn't like the canter music (myself, I LOVE the canter music).  She did like my entry and my trot work was interesting.  But honestly, I don't really care, lol.  

The music is dramatic. So it Carmen. So am I at times. The older I get the more I realise I want to ride with joy. Could the test be heavily critiqued. Sure. But I'm not at the olympics and I don't care to do anything to take away the joy I felt doing it with Carmen.  Those watching seemed to really like it and a few people after told me they enjoyed it. Either way we were reserve champs for the 2nd level bronze freestyle. And I got a lovely saddle pad. 

I don't think you can quite see the amount 
of glitter it has....

Quite a few people told me that Carmen was looking a lot better. Some commented on how happy she looked when I was riding her. The judge thought my horse beautiful and had a lot of power that I should learn to channel (working on it lol).  On Sunday she was lovely and sound. We had a nice test and I was glad to head home.  

I found out today that Carmen and I were actually 2nd level champs at the show. It never even occurred to me that we were in the running. Like I said, my joy was from advancing my riding, hanging with friends and riding that freestyle. It was a definite highlight. I'm pretty sure that Carmen enjoyed it as well.