I haven’t updated in awhile, mostly because things have been a bit slow, but now the fall eventing season is starting up, so expect more updates soon! I took Oh So to a dressage schooling show in Warrenton two weeks ago. It was an evening show and we rode about 9pm under the lights. We hadn’t done that since winter, so I knew he’d be a bit up. His first test was not quite tense, but not as good as he was in the warm up. We did First 2 and 3. I had one error in my free walk in the first test and we scored a 64%. The second test scored the same. I was happy with our leg yields, but I think our lengthened canter and trots lowered the scores in both tests. I thought I rode them well, but we only got 6’s on most. We also had a little miscommunication in the simple change on the diagonal where he picked up the same lead again. But this is why we did the show, now I feel ready for Loudoun next weekend.

Yesterday I went to a schooling show at Hunt Club Farm in Berryville. It was a long drive and they were taking people as they wanted to jump, so it took awhile longer then I’d hoped. Oh So didn’t really like me getting on and off, but it was good for him to deal with it. We did a warmup Novice round and then did two Training rounds. The courses were a lot smaller then regulation height, so I don’t think we got what we needed out of the experience, but I was able to slow things down in my mind and practice my position and pace in between fences. I had a small epiphany in my jump lesson on Friday where my trainer told me to think of arching my back as I came to the jumps. Lo and behold, my position over the jumps was better, my leg stayed relatively in place and my hips slid back in the air! She said I needed to learn to “equitate”. I started riding at a hunter/jumper barn, but I guess that foundation has somewhat been lost over the years.

Sam has been feeling pretty good lately. I’ve had some good flat lessons with him the last two weeks. He warms up like a 25-year-old school pony, but once we canter a bit, he feels pretty good. I’d like to get him out on a trail ride sometime soon with my mom. I’ve been thinking about going to Sky Meadows in Delaplane.

Last weekend I worked at Waredaca and wanted to go to the schooling day but it ended up being cancelled. I might head back up there on Tuesday to audit and report on a David O’Connor clinic for USEA. Today I’m headed to Difficult Run horse trials to work. It should be an easy day as long as we don’t get the thunderstorms they’re calling for!