I have to say last week, I was really jealous of people in Virginia. Dressage at Lexington was going off and I feel left behind.
I was sorely tempted to take Danzador there, and in fact had the paperwork completed, but there was a minor complication- I hadn't ridden the horse yet and didn't feel exactly comfortable hauling five hours with a complete and total unknown factor.
Hindsight is this: I'm happy making that decision, but it left me without a ride for one of my favorite shows.
I kept track of the results all weekend, and was living again vicariously through friends and fellow competitors. Reba made up for being out of the loop, winning her first horse trial on her dressage score of 24 and change. She's so far never been out of the ribbons and has been double clear on everything. The dressage scores keep going well too, nothing above a 35.
Instead of mourning a show, we threw ourselves into more training and conditioning.
Sinari is bearing the brunt of it, at least five days a week in the arena with two out on the hills working gallop and trot sets. The pony's fitness is light years from where it was two years ago. Even on hot days she's capable of doing a full 45 minute session (where I'm probably not as fit), her pir's are becoming much stronger and she's banging out two's regularly. This weekend we do more pi/pa work and hopefully get a base foundation in.
She's going to be under Lendon Gray for a day (poor timing on my part for not being able to do more than one schooling day). But anything for more eyes on the ground.
The boys are starting the deep part of their summer workout program, three days a week on hills, one in the pool and two in the arena.
Danzador is coming along quickly, he was a little immature when he stepped off that trailer, but he's starting to seriously use his hind end and create balance. He will never be a fast horse, or do anything above training level speed, but it's not the purpose to be eventing fit, the purpose at this point is to develop more forward and the gears that we'll need later on down the pike. His lateral work is the highlight of the entire thing and is really helping him ramp the balance up and keep him honest in the connection. I'm tickled with him.
Fritz is going with his owner about 90 percent of the time, I have to say I'm a tad disappointed but, the owner loves riding him (and he loves his mom) and is accomplishing a lot of things. I step on him when he needs a bit more direction. She reminds me a lot of where I was at when Sinari was four.
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