Sunday I ended up with a scratched class, as John showed up not feeling well in the warmup ring. He started pawing and fussing and looked like he was trying to lay down. In the end we think it was the heat and a tight girth that got him upset, (not colic) but I didn’t want to take any chances and risk it. So back to his stall he went. We have a few other classes coming up this week and hopefully some electrolytes and rest will do the trick. I swung by a number of times that evening and the next morning to peek in on him and he simply looked back at me and licked my hand - so all seemed back to normal.
I was disappointed we missed a ride together out in the Miller coliseum, but relieved he was okay ✅. John’s a fun ride, my elegant boy. And the class we were to be in still had over 20 entries, despite being one less without us. Always makes you wonder how we could have placed. I spent the evening hanging out, cheering on Terry for her class. We’re in the same division so it was a nice opportunity to see her ride in her class from the rail, versus being in the same class. She has a really nice new horsey this year and had a great ride. After the evening set of classes were over, we closed out the night talking over a 🍷glass of wine, appetizers and catching up on the latest news with Tami.
Monday the plan was to ride English. And while I used to almost exclusively ride English in the past, it’s been a year since we pulled out the English saddle and suit. I had packed my black suit with white tie and vest for a clean classic look. John got white ribbons in his mane. Together we looked like a tuxedo. Lol.
Mackenzie warmed John up. He started a little tight but in no time she had him looking good. So it was my turn to take a practice spin before the class. I climbed into the saddle and it felt weird to be in an English saddle, but good. I had enough suede in my jods to give me a grip, and the saddle is nice and wide with a deep seat, so I felt fairly secure. I had purchased this saddle last year (thanks Jared!) as an upgrade gift to myself.
Once I was seated, I backed up John and swung around and into the moving practice ring traffic. I walked the loop a few times and then Mack rode by and said I can flat walk him when I’m ready. No time like the present. I collected him and he went right to business. He’s a smooth operator and I felt comfortable in the saddle but my feet were floating a bit above the stirrups, so I pulled back into our barn’s area and Carol helped raise the stirrups up a hole. That was just enough to get me situated right. By that time, our class was called and off we went into the ring.
John felt good in the soft footing as I entered and went down the rail and into the curve. There would be 16 or 17 horses in the class so I slowed and then stopped to await everyone’s entry. When they closed the gate it was all business. John did his thing and I sat back and enjoyed it. Later Mariah said she could tell I knew I was having a good ride as I had a grin on my face the whole time. Well, he’s a lot to grin about, no matter the ribbon. And more than anything I was just so happy to be riding Mr Wick after him not feeling well the day before. When the ribbons were called we ended up 7th - so about in the middle. Terry got fifth or sixth — so we both got in the ribbons out of that big class. Yeah!
On Tuesday we rode western. It was another large class. As we entered the ring my ear piece went out. (I know!) All I heard was “take that line all the way down,” and then silence the rest of my class. So, I just rode and made my typical corrections etc. While I didn’t have real-time feedback during the class, I did think we had a decent ride. We had one little flub, but it was farther down the rail so I hoped we weren’t seen by a judge. When I pulled into the lineup, I slid up beside Julie. I winked at her and she laughed at me. While in the lineup we chatted and Marty took our photos. I gave her rabbit ears and Marty had us get closer and took a photo of the two of us together. I need to go find those photos. Shenanigans in the lineup.
Julie won that class and I got fourth. I was tickled, especially since I truly rode that class by myself without coaching. When I came out of the ring Mackenzie said I was the first black horse they picked, as 1st through 3rd were all white horses. Lol. I told her the ear piece was out and I couldn’t hear her and she was surprised because she said I had done everything she had said to do, right when she said it. Whoop! Maybe I am trained a lil now. 😂😂😂🙌
On Wednesday we switched to MGK. This would be our very first time English, ever. Jessica let me do a practice ride in the morning, so I met her up in the arena. She warmed up MGK and he looked good. By the time it was my turn, the tractor pulled into the arena to groom the footing so we had to move out the the practice ring. I climbed aboard MGK and felt a bit intimidated. He’s a big mover and the saddle felt slippery under my jeans. 💩 Jessica told me he was in a curb and would feel different. She wasn’t kidding! While I’m used to taking quite a bit of hold of him in western, now the bit did most of the work and I had to hold the reins still and with no pressure. Ughh, a last minute switcharoo on me 😂. I had been pumping myself up to really, really show up to ride aggressively today, and now everything changed. Okay I can do this (maybe).
I started up and he felt like a totally different horse I tried to do what Jessica coached me to do, and get my seat, and steer through other horses, and keep him going when a dog appeared through a door, and when we passed the scary victory photo area, and when my foot slipped off the left stirrup, and when the horses in front of us stopped, and when Jessica yelled I had to go all the way around perfectly without stopping or flubbing, and when I think I stopped anyways so I didn’t run into Ryan, and when he tripped a lil and my bad hands startled him, and even though I said I could do this I desperately knew it was going to all be a crazy mess. But then, I didn’t die. 🫣 And while I fear my hands will not be soft enough tonight, I will go back to my camper and practice this riding in my head again and again before tonight. I can do this!
MGK’s class was after the maiden preliminaries. (I’ll cover the maiden championship in a separate post.). We went back to the camper after the maiden and I got back into my English suit. I sat and reran the practice ride in my head a few more times and then put on my derby and walked over to the warm up. I watched a few classes and once MGK was brought through DQP, Jessica was there warming him up to get him ready for our class. He’s a big mover and looked good. Scott says MGK is the best horse we’ve ever had that is a true trail competitor-that I have the tool to do well. Now, it’s up to me not to screw this dang thing up. I can do this.
Once he was warmed up, I climbed up into the saddle, and team stonewall made sure my jod bells and spurs were set and my number was on. Jessica gave me a few key instructions. She noted she had adjusted the bit a little, so it may feel better than earlier to me. After going around the practice ring a few times, I agreed, not quite as sensitive as earlier. I just might be more likely to do this thing. Lol 😂
We lined up to go in and Jessica walked us up and released us into the ring. Plus, my entourage of Mack, Tami, Mariah, Carol and others from the barn family were with us! MGK collected and off we went. This time new batteries in my walkie-talkies ensured I would have Jessica’s company in my ear on this ride. Whew!
During our ride, Jessica asked me to move my hands up and closer. And I kept my leg on him with a bit of spur. He set himself on the bit nicely and I focused on balancing in that slippery saddle. lol. Oh! Please don’t fall off! I made the first way of the ring still in the saddle. MGK is big so I kept focusing on sitting up on him and I really tried to relax - but my mind was having none of that! On the reverse I tried to get a better seat before taking off down the rail. And pushed my feet down into the stirrups. Along the straight away I hit a sweet spot that I call MGK’s rubber-band man “feel” and for the first time I gained a little confidence that I was doing okay. Jessica continued to remind me to keep my hands up (note in western it’s the opposite-keep them down. 🤔🤦🏻♀️) and soft and to use the legs my mama gave me. After another lap around, it was line up time. For the record, I stayed in the saddle and I really didn’t have a major mistake. MGK seemed pretty consistent and all in all I think a good ride on his part. On mine, I felt kinda sloppy and I can do better. The judges honored us with a reserve ribbon! I’ll take a second place for our first ever English episode! 💁🏻♀️ I might even try this again as MGK was easier in my hands this way, just as Jessica had said. Note to self, ask for practice lessons back at barn in English every other time so I become comfortable.
