Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything, mostly due to school (work) and everything else getting in the way. Really, I have no excuse, other than I hate sitting at the computer when there are other things to do.
News on the show front - Sam went to The Ark, Frostbite, and won his division (BN) on a 31. I was thrilled, considering that my score would probably have been two points lower if I hadn't made two stupid mistakes - turning back onto the centerline too soon for the final halt, and cutting a corner in the walk. We actually scored four 8s (!), and would have gotten an 8 for gaits as well if Sam wasn't so darn lazy in the walk. He's such a slow walker. He was a bit backed off my hand xc, because I made the mistake of riding him in the two ring Pessoa (even though it's a french link), but I moved the rein up to the top - snaffle - ring for stadium, and Christan said that we had the "prettiest" stadium round she's ever seen me do - yay! Stadium is usually my nemesis, so that was great news.
Oliver is a superstar. He went to his first show, ever, and only third time off the farm, to FenRidge HT. It was a COLD day, and Christan rode him for me, as I'm a nervous mom and didn't want to wreck things by attempting to ride him at his first show. Dressage was beautiful - he got behind the bit a few times, which wasn't a surprise to either of us, but he scored a 29.5. Judge wrote that he was a beautiful horse. Stadium was clean. Christan cantered the whole course. He fell asleep in the start box, so he had a wiggly first fence xc, but he went clean for the rest and they ended up winning on their dressage score. Yay!
I also took him xc schooling at The Ark (where Sam won) and he was incredible. We had to "walk the gauntlet" down the driveway, past the mini pigs, geese, peacocks, llamas, you name it, and he was walking with Kelly on Pudge, and Christan on Connor, and he was the bravest one there. I could feel him just take a huge breath when I told him it was okay, and he just sucked it up and marched on with hardly a flinch, leading the way. He was equally good xc. Ollie didn't stop at a thing. He wobbled to only one fence - a black bench with flowers in front - but we cantered at it and I managed to stuff him over it anyway, and after that, he jumped things out of stride. He even calmly went over the spooky BN/Maiden half ditch, and led the way into both waters. He is so much fun.
I had a lesson with Christan with him this past Saturday, and we flatted, and Christan said that he is ready to really start to sit into his canter work, and she commented on how lovely he is looking. I can't say this enougn - I am so happy with him. I would buy another Oskar baby if I could afford it, and when I can, I'm going to look for one! He is most likely going to go with me Maiden to the Frostbite in December.
We are at the new farm now - the Wylie's. It's lovely, but the pasture is so damn big that I have to trek back and forth to get the ponies, as they seem to want to live by the water hazard out there. I don't know why that particular area of the pasture appeals to them so much. I've actually seen them standing in it, playing around, and this past week I drove by and saw Oliver standing on the bridge, with Sam right behind him. Funny boys. I can't wait until we get the jumps up. I'm getting very tired of flatwork. If I ever thought I could be a dressage queen, these past two weeks have proven to me that I simply cannot live without jumping. I also need the dressage arena, but the jumps are probably a bit more important.
No comments:
Post a Comment