Showing "the baby horse" off!

What a completely different world eventing is compared to the show scene! Sure I know what happens at an event, you compete in three different sections and the one with the lowest score ranking wins. I've watched and read enough about eventing to get the basic logistics to it. But all the extras - wow I felt like I was in another world... in fact I guess I was! I've been show groom for Rahn on and off since 2004, and know what happens in the show world quite well, as I should do. But on Sunday I watched my first event and it was such an experience. Granted, I don't believe it was run as neatly as it could be (I understand it's a hefty task though!), but it was certainly interesting. It has had a perspective on how I see what I do with my horses. All I know is the show world, and am about to enter it next month with Evo and Honey (Green Horse Show)... and have always wanted to progress into dressage days too, but had no idea what happened at a dressage day (from experience, again I know the logistics of it)... I still don't really, but I watched the dressage section with keen interest and now have the urge to enter some dressage later this year - of course the real baby tests, haha!

Anyway aside from being at my first event in the weekend, and recovering from exhaustion yesterday (and I didn't even ride at the event!!!) I went out to my paddock with my Mum. I decided I would ride Honey, even though it was rather windy... but we've been riding in all sorts of weather. The last time Mum saw me riding Honey was before Christmas, actually I believe it was some time in November. She told me she was really impressed with us... even though she doesn't know what she's looking at, she did say we looked much better together... which is always good, cos I believed me and Honey were doing really well last time she watched. Honey was really good... a little fast in her warm up, but she's still in "race mode" ever since learning to canter. I don't let her race, but you can really feel her forward movement... which is never a bad thing I guess! I actually found my way to bring Honey back to the trot I so love and adore from her (forward, but steady and not feeling like she has legs going everywhere)... I've been half halting her a lot but she just thinks I'm shutting her down in the front and fights it at times... so I've been trying to think of other alternatives as I'm not satisfied with our corners... but I've now found the answer! Again its a simple thing, and just goes to show how as riders we sometimes look too much at the problem and not the bigger picture. I found if I just held on the outside rein briefly (support with my legs and then close my hand more around the reins, give it a squeeze and then release), Honey slowed right down and started trotting! I began to really prepare for each corner (as I don't ride her on circles so much, but more rectangle shaped workouts) and we were just lovely in my opinion... I tell her clearly what I want and she gives it... as it should be done, but I just get so focused elsewhere sometimes! Mum called me over at one point and without thinking, I just clicked her on into trot and made my way to the fence... when I got there, I was like, haha didn't even think about that... I know it seems so small, but it was just a comfortable reaction, I guess that's what I'm trying to explain... I know I have a favouritism over who I ride... because Evo and I are not struggling, but not really comfortable like Honey and me... and Bailey I've yet to take out into the big paddock (going to this week though!) and I just adore riding Honey... I can't help it... we're so suited to one another, I don't feel like one of us is at more of an advantage than the other. It's a horrible way of thinking of things, but it's true and if I'm honest I enjoy my rides on Honey the most... although I feel more rewarded riding Evo. Anywho, I just went off on a tangent lol. Mum called me over and asked if I would show her our "canter canter canter pace pace pace" as I've been calling it haha. So I did, and Honey really showed off... Mum was thrilled, she knows how much this all means to me... then she went back to the car (which was parked in the middle of my "tree paddock") and after cooling down, I rode Honey in there... she eyeballed the car but cruised on passed it... I just love how she has a wee think but doesn't hold back. She's just lovely!

Well I thought I needed to keep this more updated and have fulfilled that today so I best get on with reading Moll Flanders, the next book in my Eighteenth Century Novel paper!

Signing Off,

Chelle x