Not so great pics from Watermelon

November

Snow is on the ground and Banana's shoes have been pulled. And it looks like I'm going to have to buy her boots for winter jaunts down the road, if yesterday was any indication. Yes, it was below freezing and snowing but my neighbor and I rode down the road. It was actually really nice.

I know it has been awhile. Las Cruces and then I had one of those "50% of your grade" things to do.

So how was Las Cruces? Decent. My best eventing dressage score to date 34.5.

6's, 7's and an 8! Go us! However, our awesome score only had us in 6th. I wish it had been one of the BN tests instead of Intro.
 
We had a refusal in stadium (my fault, forgot to ride her) and then inevitable time faults. Which, if I'd been thinking at the time, I could have made up. We dropped to 7th.

XC was fine: no refusals, within time. Alas, no one else had refusals or time either. She definitely has an issue when her little jump is between, or next to, big jumps. She was pretty wiggly into a bunch of them too. She needs more milage.

We finished in 7th, which if I can't win, getting a pretty purple ribbon was awesome! I only have one other one, back from when I was a kid.

The driving was brutal. I went out on XC at 1:06. I pulled into my gate at 11:06 after the 8 hour drive. Thank goodness the Starbucks in Bernallio is open at 7:15. Southern New Mexico is actually quite pretty. And they grow cotton down there.

So, goals for next year? None. I think I'm going to stop trying to be "An eventer" and go back into my "let's have fun doing everything!" mode. So, we're going to try competitive trail and maybe go to some real dressage shows. If I can get the three saddles I want to get rid of sold I will be buying a side saddle. The nice thing about Naners is that she's really game for anything so I want to take advantage of this. I'm never going to be really good at any one thing, it's not my style, I like to be competent at many things. Naners is a fine mount to be doing this with.

Oliver the mini continues to amuse me and Aruba is gaining weight. Things are pretty happy here at Pam's Pony Place.

Show #4 In 5 Weeks

The last show out of my four was last weekend. A local dressage show that I wasn't necessarily planning on showing at, but it was pretty clear at Watermelon that Quirky the Connemara needs to get out more. Somehow, in between secretary duties, I rode him Intro B and we also did Dressage Seat Equitation so the other person in it could beat someone. I knew she'd beat us as I had no intention of cantering, but thought a little pressure, but not too much, would be good for the pony.

I refused to get into a show coat. I told people that morning they were lucky I was wearing clothes at all. I haven't been that tired in a long, long time. I don't know how those Hunter/Jumper types show weekend after weekend.

Our test was fair: 60%. I think she could have safely given us a lower score and I wouldn't have complained. It was much more appropriately judged than the same test was at Watermelon where we got some ridiculously bad score. But, the judge there definitely had a thing for warmbloods looking like they were in a frame, even false ones. This judge definitely judged on what the horses at that level should be looking like.

In Dressage Seat Eq I was told I "have a lovely hunter seat, but need to lengthen my leg so I can use my aids better." Well yes, I would love to ride with a longer leg. But, there's something about dressage saddles my hip does not care for, we're talking hurts so bad you can't sleep pain. So I've been avoiding dressage saddles while I get things sorted out.

We've also sorted out that Quirky does has an offness to his gait, that I've been feeling for weeks but we couldn't pinpoint. If you look at the top picture his hind hits earlier than the fore in the trot. His mom is going to have him looked at now that we've figured out there truly is something amiss.

In Intro B we weren't against anyone, so a blue for the pony. I spent part of the afternoon scribing for the first time and got to scribe for some Western Dressage. It was nice to learn about it from the judge, who is wholeheartedly embracing it. Maybe Banana and I will add it to our "to-do" list.

Banana's First Horse Show

Somehow, in the insanity that has been the last couple of weeks I forgot to recap Banana's first horse show. It was the same show that I got up close and personal with the dirt, but that was a bit later in the day.

Due to having been scared of her just the day before, I decided not to push it and did Walk-Trot flat and Pile Of Poles. She was mostly good. A bit fussy, but not too bad. We even actually cantered part of the Jumper course (yes, Pile Of Poles Jumper. Don't judge us.)

We didn't actually compete against anyone, so four blues. Go us :D

One of my finest moments as an equestrian

The other weekend during the H/J show at the Taskmasters I decided to take Sir Thomas out over X-Rails for shits and giggles.

He's an awesome little jumper and we went over a lot of jumps.

I was starting to get a bit tired, but there was another jump in the line and I thought, just one more...

When I landed I swear the footing reached up and grabbed my foot, as the next thing I knew I was staring at the dirt.

Sir Thomas was concerned.

I survived with bruised knees and a scrape on my elbow.

And so goes the tale of falling while jumping a mini.

Goose Downs

I have to start this story with the drive. Out here we have a phenomenon known as "monsoon rains." Starting in mid-summer almost daily thunderstorms show up in the afternoon. If it's been a particularly dry year they start wildfires. They also cause flash flooding as they tend to drop a lot of water in a little time. Between Albuquerque and Santa Fe we drove through a huge storm. The arroyos (dry creek beds) were full of rushing water. We saw snow. And there was a flash flood across the freeway, fortunately not deep, but there was a car backwards in the water in a ditch on the side of the road.

Okay, it could be hail, but we're calling it snow

There should not be brown water going across the road

We schooled Stadium on Friday, thank goodness we did. We have never seen anything like those jumps. Everything had flowers. There was even a brick wall, which she refused the first time. I don't think she knew what to think about that thing. She also pulled a rail, which is completely unlike her. Stadium was held on a polo field and I had been quite concerned about the grass, but she didn't trip at all.

As for dressage... well, on the plus side we did get a 7 on our free walk and the comment "Good energy some stretch." We also got a 1 on our working canter left lead. She did pick up the correct lead for the first time ever, but she bucked her way through the half circle before the canter depart. Comment: "Repeatedly disobedient."

Someone had the bright idea to put the tents for the Trade Fair next to the dressage arena. And, as it was a roping arena it had high walls so only the flappy tops were visible. Before we even started our test I had some brilliant spooks and it sorta went downhill from there.

Ahhh! Pony Eating Tents!

Which is a damn shame, because she actually warmed up really nicely. Then we went in that damn arena and lost it all. 51.4, which isn't our worst score, but gosh darn it, we have worked so hard to fix our dressage.

Stadium went just fine, though she bucked her way to the first fence. The brick wall wasn't on our course, though we did have to go past it. She spooked at it.

After stadium we went to visit the Trade Fair, as several people I had talked to that morning wanted to meet Miss Pony Toes. She was fabulous. She let all sorts of strangers pet and love on her, including petting her head. She wouldn't have allowed that a year ago.

Of course people love me. I'm adorable.

We had to trailer to Goose Downs for XC. She was quite wiggly to all the jumps, but we got over them. She wasn't as fast and focused as usual. She was not herself this weekend. I'll be talking to the vet.

Look! Dressage!

 There was a show at Penny's old home (where the clinic was) today. The Taskmaster rode the BN test that we've spent the last two years riding over and over again to give her a nice good ride for once. I was going to ride Intro B on Meatball, but for a variety of reasons he didn't come, so I rode the test on Pony Toes. Not our best test, but not our worst. She was not a giraffe and that's all I really hope for some days. She got a 66% with The Taskmaster and a 59% with me.