July 28th and 29th, 2012

Saturday: Got out to the show and turned Libby out in one of the paddocks we had rented.  Then went up to watch one of the little girls show her pony, and get out of the heat! She did awesome, champion of the crossrails division, so I went to check on Libby.  When I got out to the paddock she was fairly sweaty, so I decided to bring her in.  Well when I looked at her halter, I noticed that it was PADLOCKED to the fence.  I got really nervous, thinking that someone had done this as a joke.  I called my trainer, who called the office, and found out that someone from the staff had indeed locked her in the paddock.  I don’t understand why they did it, but I was pretty upset.  If Libby had been running around like an idiot, I wouldn’t have been able to get her, very dangerous in my opinion. 

After we finally found someone to unlock the padlock, I hosed her off, stuck her in her stall with the fan on full blast and went to check on out class at the ring.  We had hours to go.  Our trainer had another greenie, Superfly, that she was riding in the same division, so she decided to bump us down to a 2′ class, the “Hopeful Hunter” so she could help us, and fully focus on us.  Fine by me, this is really just our first show, so as long as I survive, I’m happy.

After waiting a while, and dropping the pup off at the house, we started to get ready.  I was feeling really nervous, and my trainer could tell, but Libby felt good and lazy.  We warmed up, she felt awesome, and went into the ring for the flat class.  Well wouldn’t you know this was the largest flat class of the whole show.  Not exaggerating.  There were 9 other horses in the ring.  And like I had spoken about in my last post, no one knows ring etiquette.  So we start of at the trot, and Libby felt a bit up, but not bad for her first flat class.   Then the canter came.  We picked it right up, and were going nicely down the long side, until some girl on her little paint pony cut us off, bad.  I had to trot, but quickly picked up the canter again, in the hopes the judge didn’t see anything.  I was so angry for the rest of the class.  I mean come on, look before you turn people.  Lined up in the center, and the girl came up next to me and actually apologized to me, since it was such a bad cut off.  I told her it was alright, and felt better that she apologized, but I was still a little miffed.  Amazingly I still got a second in the flat, yay!

Onto our over fences classes.  Got Libby warmed up over fences, and she felt awesome.  We did our warm up, and oh boy was she lazy.  I kept thinking I was getting her to the fence, but was definitely going to slow.  The whole time I could hear my trainer clucking at me when I would pass by.  But I felt fast! Oh well.  She was such a good girl, I was very happy.  We didn’t place that well, a fourth and a fifth, but I didn’t care.  She was such a good girl, and she really took care of me.

Sunday: Got out to the show, and realized that things would probably be going a lot faster then Saturday.  Turned Libby out, and stayed by the paddock the whole time, to make sure no one locked her in.  Brought her in hosed her down and went to check the ring.  They sad we had about an hour until our class.  So I slowly started getting ready, and the sky slowly started getting blacker.  Yep, the skied opened up, complete with thunder and lightening.  But since we were in a covered ring, our class continued.  Got up on Libby and had to go straight into the flat.  Well the storm had gotten to Libby and me, we were both frazzled and the flat class didn’t help.  They had turned on fans in the covered ring that were huge and made loud buzzing sounds that she was sure were horse eating monsters.  And then a spectator in the stand kept taking pictures of the horses going by, with a camera with a very bright flash.  Awesome.  And to top it off, immediately when I got into the ring, and “trainer” (I use the term very loosely) trotted their horse right up our butts.  This basically set of the whole flat class.  A lot of holding her together, if you know what I mean.

 Well after that was over, and I got a second again (YAY!) we went out to school in the warm up ring. Libby was UP, very up, and building.  We had to switch bits, from the slow twist loose ring to the pelham, since I had absolutely no control.  Got the new bit, and we went up to the ring.  Did my first class and I was crawling.  I just couldn’t seem to let go of her, and she wasn’t liking it.  My nerves were shot, and I just balled up.  Came out of the ring, and immediately started feeling down on myself.  The second class went worse, I botched up my course terribly.  Got in and my nerves took over.  I went up to the first fence, and for some reason started to ask Libby for a lead change.  Don’t ask because I don’t know why.  Since I was crawling and wouldn’t let her go, she obviously didn’t get it, and I in a hurry decided the next fence was the diagnol.  Right when I jumped it I realized I went off course, which is abnormal for me.  I was so upset when I got out of the ring, my confidence was no where to be found.  But I still had one more course to do.  My last course was a bit better, but still not good.  I was holding, and not keeping leg on, and she broke in two places.  Ugh.  I can ride so much better then this.  I was so frustrated with myself.  I did so much better yesterday, and couldn’t understand how I could get so frazzled.  We ended up getting two fourths, even with going off course (?) but I was so upset with myself, I honestly wanted to throw those ribbons out.  Of course I didn’t, it was still our first show together, and my first show in years. 

My trainer was just saying that its fine, don’t beat myself up about it, I just need to practice more.  But the thing is, I can’t keep Libby an hour away anymore.  Its just not practical for me, and I want to be able to ride her more.  But we never went to see the other farm, and I after her other customer, who lives in Palatka said very boldly that she wouldn’t follow, and that she would turn out my trainers prized horse (which she owns) out in a field with her herd at home, our trainer probably decided not to.  Which sucks.  Libby has come so far with her already that I really want to stay with her, but I can’t make this drive anymore.  And even worse, there arent any good places, as you’ve all been told over and over, so I don’t know what I’m going to do 😦

Overall it was a good show.  I survived, and Libby was generally good.  And we got some ribbons, not blue ones, but ribbons none the less! I don’t have photos, and only have video of Saturday, but when I get them I’ll definitely show them to you all!!