So many things to share, don't know where to start! This weekend was amazing. Makes me emotional to think that its over. Got to see some of my very favorite people on the planet, Meredith and Bryan Burgess, who came down for the Dunnabeck Horse Trials with their "son" Lord William, a massive grey Canadian Sporthorse who likes banana slushies and cake. I was honored to be and officially entourage member of The Grey Blur aka Dorian Grey aka Lord William. Willie is looking wonderful and is still his silly self, and it felt like home again to have Mere and Bryan in Cdale, joining me in shenanigans.She and Willie did great for their first time back in the game since the wedding and Mere hardcore twerking her back in June. Carbondale feels just a little more empty without The Burgess Family in it.
After the event this weekend, with the amazing generosity of two friends and Jill's gracious permission (knowing how little experience and education Buddy and I have collectively over fences) I go the opportunity to live a dream. I got to school cross country at the Dunnabeck Horse Trials course! My friend Katy owns a Chincoteague pony, which she has evented in the past at Dunnabeck, so she and Kelly (who's mare got a nail through her hoof a few months ago which pierced the coffin bone- so she trailered us all the way there just to watch us ride) coached me and made Buddy and I both brave. I KNEW he could handle this, I was just worried about me keeping up and staying on so I didn't freak him out and ruin the experience for him.
This is how the day started- not OK with the tiniest little one foot bank.
Not OK with coming down off of it either, but it made for a pretty picture of a collected dressage horse :)
So we got a little more brave, cantering through water for the first time and jumping the bigger banks.
He had no problem with the water.
We started small, trotting to the little bank, then cantering to the little bank, than cantering to the bigger bank.
Our 2nd time through at a canter he began to slow down in the middle of the water complex, so I gave him a little squeeze forward... not wearing spurs and didn't touch him with the crop... As you can tell from his take-off spot, he SUPERMANNED out of the water, popping me so hard out of the tack and surprsing me so much a screamed "HOLY SHIT!!!" as he landed on the bank and promptly forgot I was still riding a horse and fell off in amazement (check out my leg in the pic above...) It was hilarious.
I fell gracefully right onto my butt, didn't hurt a bit as I was still reeling from that amazing take-off. I stood up as my entourage looked on worried, jogging toward me. I started jumping up and down screaming "DID YOU SEE THAT?!?! THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!" I got right back on from the boat dock jump and did it again. Soooo much fun!
Instead, despite my hesitation and protest to my insistent coaches, we cleared this Area IV Novice Champion fence. I'm still on cloud nine from this moment. Can't believe its us in that picture.
The fence was on a slant, making it a tricky looking rider fence, but it rode super smooth. Buddy's really learning how to look stylish over fences. :) This is how we ended our first XC experience.
Could not be more proud of him. We did roll tops, log stacks, a crazy gate-looking apparatus with greenery and corn stalks all over it, and several more dry banks. I said it before but I'll say it again: The more I think about it the more I know I wouldn't have attempted half the jumps I did yesterday without Buddy. Its going to take me a long time to trust another horse like I trust him. I knew he could do it, and that he'd try as hard as he could to the very best of his abilities. He far surpassed my expectations as usual. He trusts me so much more than ever. He knows I wouldn't push him to do anything he isn't capable of because for us, its not about competing or winning or beating everyone else or being the fastest and the best. I just want him to trust me, have confidence in the decisions I make on his behalf, and be the best at what WE set out to accomplish for us. Yesterday was a huge day for us in so many ways. Thank you for trusting me Buddy, and always keeping me safe. I promise to always do the same for you.
A goal for the future- to jump this canoe, even if its just once.
After the event this weekend, with the amazing generosity of two friends and Jill's gracious permission (knowing how little experience and education Buddy and I have collectively over fences) I go the opportunity to live a dream. I got to school cross country at the Dunnabeck Horse Trials course! My friend Katy owns a Chincoteague pony, which she has evented in the past at Dunnabeck, so she and Kelly (who's mare got a nail through her hoof a few months ago which pierced the coffin bone- so she trailered us all the way there just to watch us ride) coached me and made Buddy and I both brave. I KNEW he could handle this, I was just worried about me keeping up and staying on so I didn't freak him out and ruin the experience for him.
This is how the day started- not OK with the tiniest little one foot bank.
Not OK with coming down off of it either, but it made for a pretty picture of a collected dressage horse :)
So we got a little more brave, cantering through water for the first time and jumping the bigger banks.
He had no problem with the water.
We started small, trotting to the little bank, then cantering to the little bank, than cantering to the bigger bank.
Our 2nd time through at a canter he began to slow down in the middle of the water complex, so I gave him a little squeeze forward... not wearing spurs and didn't touch him with the crop... As you can tell from his take-off spot, he SUPERMANNED out of the water, popping me so hard out of the tack and surprsing me so much a screamed "HOLY SHIT!!!" as he landed on the bank and promptly forgot I was still riding a horse and fell off in amazement (check out my leg in the pic above...) It was hilarious.
I fell gracefully right onto my butt, didn't hurt a bit as I was still reeling from that amazing take-off. I stood up as my entourage looked on worried, jogging toward me. I started jumping up and down screaming "DID YOU SEE THAT?!?! THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!" I got right back on from the boat dock jump and did it again. Soooo much fun!
Instead, despite my hesitation and protest to my insistent coaches, we cleared this Area IV Novice Champion fence. I'm still on cloud nine from this moment. Can't believe its us in that picture.
The fence was on a slant, making it a tricky looking rider fence, but it rode super smooth. Buddy's really learning how to look stylish over fences. :) This is how we ended our first XC experience.
Could not be more proud of him. We did roll tops, log stacks, a crazy gate-looking apparatus with greenery and corn stalks all over it, and several more dry banks. I said it before but I'll say it again: The more I think about it the more I know I wouldn't have attempted half the jumps I did yesterday without Buddy. Its going to take me a long time to trust another horse like I trust him. I knew he could do it, and that he'd try as hard as he could to the very best of his abilities. He far surpassed my expectations as usual. He trusts me so much more than ever. He knows I wouldn't push him to do anything he isn't capable of because for us, its not about competing or winning or beating everyone else or being the fastest and the best. I just want him to trust me, have confidence in the decisions I make on his behalf, and be the best at what WE set out to accomplish for us. Yesterday was a huge day for us in so many ways. Thank you for trusting me Buddy, and always keeping me safe. I promise to always do the same for you.
A goal for the future- to jump this canoe, even if its just once.
No comments:
Post a Comment