HITS - Take Two

Butterball and I went to play at HITS this past week, keeping to the ideas set out for happy horse and happy person. 

Wednesday we signed up for the open 80 with the idea that this should feel so easy. And to one of us it did (hint, it wasn't me). 

In the warm up PW had me focusing on keeping his shoulders up and in line as we turned the corner to our fence. I kinda sorta forgot about that during the whole course. Fortunately pony pants pinged right over things so we got to do the jump off. During which I remembered to ride a bit more. My friend who was watching said at times she had no idea where I was going based on my riding. Same. It's like my brain was so squirrely just getting the numbers right that I completely didn't ride between the fences. But Butterball happily jumped from wherever we ended up. 

We ended up with a 6th place in the class. Not too bad out of 22, especially when the only time I even thought about going quickly was between the last two fences of the jump off when there was a relatively long distance. 

I was chatting with my friend afterwards who made a switch from eventing to jumpers several years ago. We decided eventing show jump courses are a halfway point between hunter courses and jumper courses. Which is apparently taking my brain quite some time to come to terms with. 

Looking ridiculously cute waiting to get tacked up 

Mowing down the clover patches 

I worked all day Thursday, but was back at the show on Friday. 

Golden pony in the golden morning light, headed to the trailer

I drove down there (without music because the truck computer chip died and after replacing a hose and getting the brakes done, the truck is on $ rations) thinking about how I was going to ride. 

• 50% of my weight in my stirrups since on Wednesday I had been defaulting to either getting behind him and driving, which he hates, or tipping forward 
• Using my outside aids to bring him around the turns
• Using my inside leg to lift his barrel up to the outside aids
• Straight to every. single. fence. 

And OMG guys. I did those things. PW said it was the best course he's seen me jump at a show. We were both delighted. It was actually a really fun course and PERFECT for focusing on the turns and getting him straight to each fence. And he jumped so much better than he had on Wednesday because I was getting him straight and not letting his shoulders fall in or out through the turns. Other than the couple of cross cantering moments, I really wouldn't have changed anything. The first one was me not asking for the change, the second one between fences 8 and 9 was me thinking I was turning left and then realizing the jump was to the right.

Saturday was another jump off round. 

I came a little under powered to the first few fences. But Butterball was happy to leave the ground from a gappy spot when it came up. It would've felt a bit smoother if the canter had more energy though. 

I was pleased with our jump off round and could've even done an inside turn between 6&7. 

Bareback hack to the barn from where I stop the trailer. This pony is worth his weight in gold. 

He flipped between sides at least three times. Most delighted by wallowing. 

Sunday morning we moved up to the 90s again. We were the first class to go with a table 2.c. course. This is power and speed except if you have faults in the first half you don't get to do the second half. I was told this is so on the classic day they can get people through the non-classic courses faster. I didn't bother signing up for the classic because our best placing in our 3 courses at 80 was 6th, so we certainly weren't going quick enough to be in the money at any height. 

I got to warm up at 750 for the 8 AM start, and we were the only horse in the ring; it was a delightful warm up by myself. I only had to be told not to shove him at the fence once in warm up. The steward was getting a bit irritated by the time we were headed into the ring as the first pair at 8:09. I'm not sure where everyone else was TBH. Unfortunately we only got to do half the course because we were two seconds too slow. It was really smooth and lovely other than the first fence though, so I'm not mad about it. It also fit with the point we've been making to Butterball: go in, do your job well, and then you get to be done. After I watched the video I told PW I was switching to hunters. He told me I wasn't going that slowly. I did take a long time on my turns as I approached two of the oxers though which could easily be the two seconds. Since we were focusing on straight and steady the whole week, I didn't want to risk getting him crooked and only giving him a stride or two to notice the fence. 

Overall a more successful venture into jumper land than our December trip. And a successful first show barefoot. I gotta admit I watched his trot circle in this last video multiple times. He moves so beautifully without shoes. 

Photo by ESI. They took some beautiful pictures and it was hard to choose, but I have been spoiled by photo prices from Lisa Madren and Xpress Foto