Hello Grass Ridge

I know everyone is eagerly awaiting the news of how we did in Sonoita over the weekend. Welllllllll....

Going down there I had a few ideas in place of things we need to work on but I figured they can wait until afterwards. It's not a good idea to be changing things right before a show or the day of. Things may not be going well or certainly not perfect, but change them at home when you have time to work on it or thru it and let the horse adjust to it before going to a show and expecting everything to have not only sunk in but to work.

 After the blowout speeds in the cones in Coolidge, I have decided I need to work on them in two ways. One I need to practice with them set as narrow as I can and I also need to practice with him going slow. As in walking only then some trotting. No getting jacked up and batshit crazy, just relaxed, controlled speed that we can use when necessary and leave it alone when it's not.

Another thing we need to work on is our dressage. We have never been on top or even close in the standings after our dressage tests. This is where it starts and if you can nail down a great score there, then the rest will help you hang onto it. We cannot have a mediocre test and hope to 'fix' it and move up, by smokin' 'em in the cones and the hazards. It just doesn't happen that way, hasn't all along and the future isn't looking too bright for it to change to our advantage any time soon. Hmpf! One of our biggest problems with this, is I can do it well in the lines, but when I get in the cart, it's like I lose my mind and forget everything we've worked on. I accept less and he delivers. Boy does THAT need to change...

When we got down there, it was like the theme for the day was to "Miss all of your turns."  Going down I-83, I missed the turn onto Curly Horse Road to get to the facility. Now it is only slightly before you get into town and there is a small hill in front of it, but it really didn't inhibit my view of the sign as I looked right at it and we sailed right on by......   I turned around and came back, made the turn and when we got to the host facility- wouldn't you know it? I did the same. damn. thing.

I looked right at all of the horse trailers and went past not just the first driveway, but also the barns and second driveway before we finally reached the third one so I could pull in, back the trailer out onto the street and turn around to go back.  Several people said they seen us go by, watched us turn around and were quite impressed with my backing skills. Some days I can put that little trailer anywhere- other days it seems like its a wonder I manage to go forward with it.  *eyeroll*

As per usual, I left Kat in the trailer and went to find the dressage and cones arenas. We had a little time before things were starting and once the first horse goes, you are S.O.L. and can't walk either test or course. I walked my test twice and figured I had it nailed down.  Then I went to walk the cones course. Looking at it on paper- it looked horribly tough and beyond challenging. Walking it in person was completely different. It flowed and had some nice easy turns to it with the exception of one, but even that wasn't all that bad or hard to do. The only person expecting to have any issue with it was Frank with his pair of Percheron crosses and they are gorgeous to watch. I walked it twice and stood back to draw my way through it in the air with my finger. I might have even walked it again, I don't remember, but it was good in my mind. So now it was time to go back and unload Kat so I could check in and get ready for the day.