From Holly:
Well I am fresh off a solid run at Richland Park, and for those of you who have never been there, the place is AMAZING! Let me back up and fill you in on what Screwball (aka Stewie) and I have been up to. Basically, it is lessons with Oded and Katie, traveling all over the place, packing and re-packing my suitcase, and somehow managing a personal life and business! Many of the short listed riders and I went to the Culpeper jumper show after a few days of dressage/sj lessons in Middleburg. We met up with Katie there who walked courses, warmed all of us up, and watched us in the ring. I absolutely LOVE Katie because there is no room for silly mistakes. She is a perfectionist, and when she says do six in a line, she means six! Katie has also changed my position a bit by having me sit lighter in the saddle and making it a priority to come to the jumps more in control. It definitely has worked to my benefit that she really likes Stewie, but she does not allow him to come sideways through the turns. (A Stewie speciality I might add) Anyway, Culpeper went great and I was pumped for Richland!
Oded has some super ideas for Stewie and I, and our lessons have been going well. Before my test, Oded, Mark and I agreed that I needed to really ride through any tension I may encounter in the ring. Oded said, "use today as a school and push him very forward throughout the test." I thought, hold on, I am at Richland, not a schooling show! Although I want nothing more than to only improve my scores, I was willing to give it a try. I will admit the test felt rushed and quick, but Stewie was very obedient. Both Oded and Mark were happy with my efforts, but being the competitor that I am, I was disappointed with my score. The new ideas are great, but I am going to focus on those points this winter, and at SPHT ( I am doing a CT) and the AEC's, I am going get back into my comfort zone.
After dressage was over and I quit sulking, I was so excited to tackle the xc course! I knew I was going to go quick because I wanted a good round with speed before I had to do it at the AEC'c. And of course my amazing little horse did not disappoint!!! He jumped his heart out and skipped around the big track well inside the time. Jumping Stewie around an advanced track is honestly one of the most thrilling things I do. His foot work, turning abilities, and speed are almost dangerous. I feel like a teenager with the keys to the fastest sports car on the planet. I wish everyone could experience what I get to ride xc, it is so thrilling!
Show jumping went well too. Stewie was a jumping bean and should have been clean if his idiot mother had steadied for the 5 strides between fences 5 and 6. As I came out of the ring Katie said, "I said that was a STEADY FIVE!!! That was totally your fault!" Again, she is a very disciplined coach, and was completely right about it being my mistake. Although we did not finish as high up in the placings as I had hoped, Stewie came out of the competition great, and his trot up and his quick USEF vet check Sunday afternoon went perfect. It is now to SPHT for a combined test, then the AEC's. Stewie and I cannot wait to rock it in GA!
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