So, we were going to try for the next show in August.
This show series at a local farm is probably the best bang for your buck in getting show miles on your green horse or rider. They are super accomodating, and when I've taken students in the past I've really liked how they emphasize the schooling aspect of the show. They do three jump rounds per height division (only jumpers). For the first round, a clear round class, they are really good about letting the rider get around, even if they are having problems. If your horse stops and looks at every jump, you will probably still be able to finish the course, especially in the lower levels. The second class, which is an optmal time class, you might get to have a couple of extra stops that won't make you leave the ring, but the third class, which is a Table A (jump off only for the higher divisions) is run with the two stops and you are out rule. I really appreciate that they allow the rider who is maybe having some problems to have a chance to improve with each round .
The first time I took some students there, I was surprised to find that the jumps were all set up in quite a large grass field. I think that the trot poles and crossrail divisions had their course kept closer to the gate, but the rest of the divisions used the whole field.
So when I went the next year, I was disappointed to find that they were using a much smaller outdoor ring for their courses, which had a deep track around the edge from everyone riding along the fence. I hated it, and wouldn't have liked riding anything bigger than maybe 2'3" in there.
I didn't attend the following year, but kept an eye on their social media, and it appeared that they were still using the smaller ring. Which would be perfect for my baby horse for his first ride away from home! We weren't planning on going fast, and fences would keep us safely contained.
Oh, but this year, they went back to the big field. Which I discovered after a barn mate came back from the August show, which I didn't go to because I had barely managed to ride outside all summer, and that week I was so over the plagues of mosquitoes that made being outside this year so unbearable that I just couldn't get any enthusiasm up for going somewhere where I'd have to be standing on grass. Not to mention that I realized that I don't think I'd even ridden Stitch any faster than a walk outside of the arena. Last fall we only walked while we both recovered from injuries, and this summer it definitely didn't happen in the two rides we'd managed before the mosquito plague hit us.
Summer ended a couple of weeks ago in my neck of the woods, and the mosquitoes have mostly disappeared, so we've been able to get in a few rides outside, including in the grass arena. And proper rides, not just walking around on a loose rein, but actually some schooling. We also had a night earlier in the week where we set up a pole course in the outdoor sand ring to school over, left the ring and went for a walk, and then returned to trot around another course.
I was actually feeling prepared for this show. So off we went!
It was a very brisk morning. At my ride time, it was supposed to be 6 degrees celsius, feel like 3. For you non-celsius people, that's just a few degrees above freezing. I over packed a variety of warm clothing, and the thin pair of long underwear I had on under my breeches was just right.
There was a small problem when hitching up the trailer - I wasn't convinced that hitch was seated properly on the ball, and then when I couldn't get the key in to lock it in place, I really wasn't confident that it was in place, so I took a few more minutes than anticipated getting that sorted out, which put me behind schedule. By the time I grabbed Stitch from the field, gave him a quick free lunge in the arena, took a potty break (hoping to avoid the porta-potty at the show) and got him loaded we were 30 minutes behind schedule.
We arrived at about 8:50. The show, and the first flat class that I was supposed to be in, were to start at 9. I unloaded Stitch and my mom went over to the registration tent to get my number, and she came back and said that they were starting the flat classes late. Perfect!
Stitch stood quietly at the trailer while I tried to fairly quickly tack up. There were only two other trailers parked in the field, but no horses. He was looking around, but in a quiet way, so I was able to tack up and dress myself fairly quickly. For me at least!
The only snafu was after I had to take his bridle off because I thought I had put the browband on upside down after cleaning it (I hadn't) and it was at that moment that Stitch saw the goat that was in the middle of the field we were parked in, which turned him into a giraffe. It took a couple of minutes for me to get his head down enought that I could manage to get the bridle over his ears again.
I led him over to the area where we would be riding, and realized that the flat class was already underway. Oh well, it was my fault for being late. I was hoping to use that as my warm-up, so now would have to use the bigger field area where everyone congregates while waiting to go in the ring.
By the way, have I mentioned that this would be Stitch's first time being ridden away from home? And I had no idea what to expect from my horse?
You know what I didn't expect?
For this horse to just about perfect.
Stitch stood rock sold while I got on, using their too short mounting block, and then he continued to stand still while I put my stirrup back up to it's regular hole. Then he walked around the field on a light rein while the flat classes continued, didn't get phased by the baby pony that was on a lead and screaming for mom who was being ridden in the class, and didn't notice the long ears on the mule that was the only other one riding in that area with me.
Note the mule that we ride past.
I was kind of anticipating being able to get him into the large grass ring to school over the poles before the class actually started, but nope! After the second flat class, which was in the smaller ring that I didn't like, everyone moved over to the jump ring to get started.
Thus, a little over 15 minutes after I got on Stitch for his first ride somewhere other than home, he trotted into a big grass arena to start his first trot pole class.
I was so happy with him. Yes, I almost fell off at the very first "jump" when he suddenly stopped with his front feet over the poles. There were fake hedge filler boxes on the other side of the standards that I didn't even realize were there until we left the ring, and the open ends were facing the jump, so I'm pretty sure that's what he suddenly saw. Then he gave a cute little hop over jump #2, and came back to a walk for #3, which also had white filler boxes pulled to the side in front of the standards that he wasn't sure about. But after that he kind of figured it out, and went the rest of the way around with just a couple of glances.
For the second round, he had a bit more confidence, and thus was a bit more forward.
The third round, the Table A class, had 9 jumps in it, much to my dismay. I'm old, and neither of us is as fit as we should be. I totally admit that. So there were a couple of turns that I cut a bit so that I could get it done faster. Not gonna lie. We were both feeling like we had done enough that morning.
There were only 4 riders in my division, so it all went pretty quick.
Stitch stood quietly for ribbons after all of the classes were done. We got a clear round ribbon for the first class. Then, to my complete and utter shock, in his very first class, Stitch got a 1st place red ribbon!
I mean, there were only 4 riders, and it was an optimum time class, so it was a crap shoot as to what would win it, but baby horse deserved a red ribbon on that day!
For the last class, we got a third. Turns out it was a speed class, which I didn't know going in, or I would have cut my corners even more! Lol.
It also turned out that the lady on the mule I had been warming up with and casually chatting with, was someone I rode with 25+ years ago! When I came out after my first round, she said "I think I know you", and after exchanging names I realized that we rode together when she was a teenager and I had Farly. She was doing the division after me, so after I undressed Stitch at the trailer we went back to cheer her on. That was also good practice for him to just learn to hang out at ringside.
Then we loaded up, and were back at the barn around noon.
I was absolutely elated with my horse. He far exceeded my expectations. It was by no means about getting ribbons on this outing - although I won't deny that getting a red ribbon felt pretty good!
Stitch shipped quietly, arrived dry and not full of sweat, stood quietly by himself without being able to see other horses at the trailer to get tacked up, stood completely still for me to faff about getting on, walked around an open area while calmly taking in the sites, trotted away from the gate and horses into a big field after barely warming up, had a couple of green moments over the poles that were just a result of being unsure and cautious, walked calmly back to the gate after the round, and stood on a loose rein while I chatted in between rounds. I could not have expected him to do pretty well everything right on his first ride away from home, and yet he did.
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| Stitch noticed the alpaca's (llama's?) behind the trees on our way back to the trailer and wouldn't move for a couple of minutes. Thankfully, we were well done with our ride by this time! |
Yes, I would have liked him to be just one notch more in front of my leg. But that's a training and fitness issue, and I would far rather have him be quietly looking around and a bit slow than madly leaping and running and full of tension.
The only thing that I wasn't happy about for the day was my fashion choice. The shirt I was wearing is black and grey at home in indoor light. So I put a blue belt on to break up the otherwise monotone look I had going. Turns out the shirt becomes purplie-ish in sunlight. Which looked terrible with my blue belt. I'm quite annoyed by that and that will always be the first thing I see when I look back at the pictures from this day.
Do I think that this will always be Stitch's way of going when we are at somewhere new? I'm not that naive! But it sure makes me excited to start making some plans for the future!
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