To move forward sometimes you have to look back

If I have to make some sort of New Year's resolution for my blog it would be two fold:

*Blog more frequently/regularly.
*Set quarterly goals for Riley & I to hold us accountable.

I have a lot of inspiration for this thanks to all of you guys and I hope I can really give this blog the attention that it deserves this year (*for the record, fall/winter 2014, spring 2105 was a very rough time for me personally and many things fell by the wayside). I'm feeling energized and inspired so buckle up readers...

With that in mind, I feel as though I should use the only competitive experience we had in 2015 to help set the tone for the goals ahead. 2015 was a tough year for us competitively. We didn't really have a chance to get going with any regularity because of Riley's head-shaking. And, if I'm perfectly honest, things were looking a bit grim for any sort of future for him as a riding horse. Looking back, I believe that several things came into play that triggered his Head Shaking and this year I am planning to be extremely proactive in order to soften it's blow come spring time. Despite all of that, he remained very game to work with once we had the head shaking under control and he was more comfortable. I was able to keep up with my riding (having access to lots of OTTBs is a good thing) and we were able to get some traction in the fall. We figured it would be a good idea to round out the year with a starter trial the first week in November. At this point we had only jumped a couple of times (less than 5 times, including hopping over a few small xc jumps at a neighboring farm). Our flat work was strong enough and the jumping at the baby beginner novice level is not an issue so we just decided to go for it.



So we entered St. Augustine's Harvest Fest! If you've been reading this blog for long enough, you'll remember that St. Augustine is the very first event I ever took Riley to and at that point he had never schooled xc -- we were subsequently eliminated at fence 3 xc, but it was a fun event. So this event felt a little bit like redemption (and I was determined if anything to get around all three phases)!!! I don't know why, but this is the first time I've ever felt so relaxed going to a show. The SO drove me to the farm to meet Emily and I thought for sure I'd be all wound up and worried, but he has this intense calming effect on me (this was his first time seeing me show -- or jump!), we left on time without an issue and headed off to the familiar show grounds.

Mojo, stick with me kid... just jump all the jumps and they'll be super happy!

I'll try to keep the recap fairly concise (but with lots of photos)...

Dressage:
BN Eventing Test A -- our very first canter dressage test (gotta start somewhere right?). Riley warmed up really great and Emily had me work on lots of little transitions to help get him perky to the aids. So lots of walk a few steps, trot 12, walk 10, trot 20, etc and lots of changes of direction thrown in. It got him sharpened up pretty well and after several canter departs on successful leads, we mostly just hung out and walked around until we were ready to go. I was actually the MOST nervous about dressage because I doubt my skills on the flat to the point that it's a bit ridiculous. It felt like a VERY sloppy test to me, but considering for half the year we didn't have a ring and we only have a grass fenced area to ride in (no dressage court or letters to help out) our geometry was improved and we got all our transitions in the appropriate places. He had pulled a shoe the week prior while flatting in the grass so I was very reserved about pushing him too forward and that certainly counted against us (he even broke gait at the canter, but I corrected him). We scored a conservative 36.6 which I was shocked to receive! Two 7s on our 20 meter trot circles, a 7.5 on center line and an 8 for our halt. Our free walk really counted against us earning a 5 (something to work on for sure). Riley got 7.5 for gaits which I thought was quite generous because he felt pretty inconsistent, but I know he's actually a really nice mover. The judge commented "Some really nice work. Will become more consistently brilliant if you ride more assertively and actively forward".

We walked xc in between dressage and stadium and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't completely freaked out. Since it was their last fall event many (at least 6) fences were shared with BN and 15 total efforts including two places where you entered into the woods, a water jump, a bank and the black pipe of doom. All of the individual jumps weren't really a problem per se, but I have put the idea into my head that Riley is terrified of black pipes... I dunno, they are a bogey fence for a lot of people as I soon found out!

But first...

Waiting our turn, Riley is pumped.

Stadium:
I think for all the freaking out I did about xc I should have maybe given stadium a little more respect. However, Riley warmed up great and felt super game. The course was pretty easy and spread out so you had plenty of time to get your shit together if something went awry (ahem, like Riley taking off in between fences), there was only one related distance, a 4 stride line between jump 5-6 but I wasn't too worried about it. The second part of the line was a white oxer/flower box that Emily warned me Riley might look at but it was also small enough that I could stuff him over it if needed. It was probably the biggest thing on course and it was maybe 2'3"-2'6".

Here we go! (his expression!!!!)

He was jumping fine, if not a bit lazy. The second jump was a "minion" jumps (barrels painting to look like the Minions!) and I was certain that might take some persuasion to get over -- but it wasn't an issue. By the time we got around to 5 and 6 I thought we were home free... my game plan was to jump in, land and kick, so we had plenty of momentum to the spooky flower box... we landed from the first fence okay, I squeezed him forward but he sorta hesitated at the flower box, I booted him over and he jumped with all 4 feet at once, landing in a heap and popped me out of the tack! I landed with the reins in my hand and some guardian angel who just happened to be walking on that side of the ring asked me if I wanted a leg up (she also told me I was riding really well). I was back in the saddle before the ring steward got to us and I asked her if I could finish my round. I opted to jump the creepy fence again for good measure and finished my course without issue.

I had to wait a little while for XC as they were running a little behind which was good because I needed a serious pep talk. Emily (who was a nervous wreck after my stadium blip) tried her best to evaluate my mental state (which was wavering between ferocity and worried) and to give me all the encouragement she could and a plan of action headed out. Before I knew it we were being counted down in the start box...

Cross country: 
I managed to find a bunch of photos of most of the fences online (I was too focused on Emily beforehand to take any pics). So in no particular order...

Actually the second to last jump for us.

I was terrified of this feeder (on the left), I growled at Riley and he jumped it perfectly!

Water... small jump in on the right and either jump out or there's a little trail out (the left side of the photo) This is coming out of the woods.

This was elsewhere on course for us and jumped fine.

Better view of the water approach.

Feeder that I was so scared of.

Actually our first fence, where you made a 90 degree turn to the biggest fucking fence on the course (I also had the luxury of watching several horses refuse it)

This was the second fence on course and was heading into the woods.

Black Pipe-O-Doom

Not an issue

Bank up, ramp down. Banks are Riley's favorite... post to follow.

Hanging log coming out of woods

Nice and easy

Another view of the bank

This jump had dark red mums underneath of it and was perched on the top of a little hill on a downward approach. I was secondarily worried about this fence the most because it looked HUGE. Again, I growled and rode the tar out of it and Riley jumped it very well.

Emily's last bit of advice to me was that if there was a fence I was worried about to sit up and ride the shit out of it. So I did... and guess what? We had ONE refusal which was entirely my fault. Heading to the 2nd fence (the rolltop) I puttered out at the last second and let him turn away. As this was the same place we got eliminated a few years ago, I was not going to let it happen again, so a quick smack and re-approach and I stuffed his chunky butt over that thing. After that fence, everything else started to feel possible. Truthfully, out on xc is where our partnership really shines. With every jump we became more and more confident and he was really taking me to the fences for the last half of the course. I'm sure for any of the jump judges we must have been amusing because I congratulated Riley very loudly after every fence! As we came across the main field headed toward home, the only thing that stood in my way was the black pipe of doom. It wasn't big by any means, but I had it firmly settled in my mind that Riley was going to say NO. Instead, we jumped the fence before it beautifully and I kicked him forward at the pipe.

Beasting that thing!

I love Riley's ears in that photo because it's clear that I rode the ever loving shit out of it, and he's all, "Mom, I got this -- I don't understand what all the fuss is for".

We were eliminated after stadium, but I couldn't have been prouder for what we accomplished that day. Sometimes, the really successful days come from putting on your big girl pants and getting it done! I was beaming when we crossed the finish line and Riley strutted his way back to the trailer.

Afterward Emily told me that she was really worried about the course. Not that we weren't capable as a team, but that it was maxed out and while we did our course walk she kept down playing fences to put my mind at ease. I think a great trainer will hold your hand and get you to the brink of your comfort zone and know just when to let go to see if you can do it alone.

Being out there on XC after being rattled a bit in stadium got me doing some serious soul-searching about eventing. I knew that if I came back after cross country feeling even more rattled or scared that ultimately, maybe eventing was not for me. Instead, I finished feeling like my partnership with my horse is very real and our future together as eventers is promising. At the end of the day, we had very little prep and no show experience in the months leading up to this event, so to say that I am pleased that my horse "showed up for work" would be an understatement.

So before I make this post any longer than it needs to be, I'm going to start jotting down some goals for us, and I'll share them with you (and our game plan on how to achieve them) soon!