Spring Horse Trials at the Ark

HoofClix Photography

Today had its highs and lows. The highs: Leo's jumping; our partnership when jumping; galloping cross country with Leo. The lows: there is only one. Our dressage test.

The owners of the Ark intended to develop a zoo, but its more of a petting zoo. There are camels, zebras, huge turkeys, foxes, peacocks, pigs, goats, lots of weird exotic small animals, doves and other birds. The list goes on and on. It's a whole different type of atmosphere because there is always something screaming or howling or making some odd noise. Some horses go right to work; not Leo. He was extremely distracted, tense and resistant. It was disappointing because we did come to a dressage show here in January and he put in a couple of good tests.

We rode our test in a ring next to the peacocks and the turkeys. I'm impressed so many horses put in good tests! Our test was ugly to say the least. But all you can do is put it behind you and move on.

So we moved onto jumping and it was fantastic! Ashley let me ride in her Vega mono flap jumping saddle in my lesson earlier in the week and she loaned it to me again. My position is leagues better in this saddle. I never realized just how much a saddle can influence your position! My saddle is a Prestige, but for whatever reason, it's harder for me to maintain my jumping position in it. Leo and I got a couple of deep distances and half strides on our course, but overall it was a huge improvement over Sporting Days. I never lost my reins; we didn't have any rails. I was really happy with the round.

Cross country was great too! We went clear and inside the time. This novice course was 400 mpm; lots of riders had time faults. It rained like crazy overnight and in the morning and we slipped several times throughout the course, but he jumped great. We're much more confident at the combinations now. There was a little bank drop 4 steady strides to a fence. We did a lovely forward 3 strides. At the barn complex, we nailed the forward 3 strides between the tables. We left out a stride here and there at the galloping fences, but overall it was easy :) Everything at novice is looking small so I'm excited to move up to training!

Some of Leo's friends from today: