2014 Show Season Reflections

One of my biggest goals at the beginning of the year when I finally brought Bobby back into full work was to do everything in my power to set us up for a successful go at Training this year. However, I pretty quickly reevaluated not just that goal, but my actual desire to move up. I decided that if it happened, it happened, but in the meantime I was going to scrap my beautiful schedule and just do whatever sounded like fun.

And that's exactly what I did!

I'm not technologically advanced enough to make fun graphics, but I do love me some bullet points.

This year, Bobby and I did:

• 4 western events
• Barrels, keyhole, and trail at the barn show
• Poles, keyhole, and barrels at WRC
• Poles, keyhole, barrels, and handy horse at SVC
• Keyhole and barrels at the Benton Rodeo
• 3 dressage shows at First Level
• Champion at WRC in May
• Reserve Champion and High Point at Dalton in June
• Champion again at WRC in September
• 4 horse trials at Novice
• Average dressage score of 31.31
• One rail pulled in stadium
• One retirement in stadium
• One runout, two refusals on cross country

all of which made for a good ribbon haul!

Without a doubt, our biggest weakness was tension. The work at home did not carry over off property. We'd start schooling some second level movements, and then couldn't get through a leg yield at a show. We made huge improvements to our show jumping, but once in the ring at an event Bobby would revert to deer leaping and cantering in place.

"put your ears up for this cookie, bobby."
"ears....up? i don't understand."

I gained a few valuable insights this year:

• Dressage warm up needs to be longer and more focused. Not only that, but he has to go immediately into the ring without a walk break. He doesn't stay focused enough to stop working, walk, and then pick the trot back up to into the ring. 
• We need to do two million and a half jumping rounds off property next year. The forward, relaxed, big step he gives me at home disappears at a show. So we are definitely doing hunter and/or jumper shows next year. I don't care about the height--the height doesn't bother either one of us--it's the lack of forward, flowy relaxation that bothers us.
• Novice cross country is boring. Totes boring now. That. Is. AWESOME. Now to get that stupid fucking stadium under control so I can go be scared about Training cross country for a few years. 

official barn shirt picture didn't happen thanks to lack of posing skills

Overall, this was without a doubt our most successful year ever. Not only that though, it was also the most fun I've ever had showing. I love doing western events, and Bobby definitely enjoyed the change up from strict riding rules to "Run and turn really fast. It's okay that you don't really have brakes!" However, I also really like dressage (the horror, I know) and being able to concentrate on that for a large portion of the year was fun for me. Probably not quite so much for Bobby.

BUT.

The true success this year?

One hundred percent barefoot and sound for every single show this season with me being his trimmer. Where's my trophy?