[RunForIt]

or...does anyone have news of Cookiepony and Taco?! KBGeventer and Sonny?

[apachepony]

I'm anxiously awaiting results too!

[KBG Eventer]

Well, I had a long report, but then it said I was not signed in...

Saw Stacy and Taco before they warmed up for dressage and in cross country warm up. I do not know how they ended up, but they looked good!

I got a 29.5 in dressage, and we won on that score! I got a low point Pony Club medal and a platter for being low point junior Novice rider.

Our last three times jumping have been PERFECT...not even kidding. Both of us were amazing schooling most of the Flying Cross Training cross country course, at the Sharon Anthony clinic, and at our stadium lesson (set at Novice/Training heights) with Bill on Thursday. Why can't that quality work from both us show up at events?

We went double clear both phases! I stayed in the back seat, kept my leg on, and got er' done. Sonny helped me out since he is so good! I need some brakes though. He is running through my hand when I try to check brakes before a fence...so I can send him forward again to it. I have gotten so much better about not pulling right at the fence though...

So Bill is going to help me work on half halts, we might need a stronger bit, or possibly a brake tune up. I need something that can help me get him to listen when I check before a fence, but I also have to recognize that cross country is not going to be perfect...that is part of the fun...your horse helping you out but galloping on and jumping the next jump awesome!

[eventer12]

good job!! son bun is such a good boy! Are you doing PT Thanksgiving??

[CookiePony]

Taco is back!!!

This event we just entered BN on the advice of my instructor-- the purpose was just to find out how Taco and I work together in a competition situation without any reason to worry about the fences.

Well, I found out that he is an absolute JOY to ride at a show. I had a glimpse last weekend when we went to a schooling jumper show and he put in a lovely clean round. He just shows up ready to get it done.

My dressage warmup was good but when we got into the arena we lost a little bit of impulsion. Much of this was because of my tension. But we were accurate and he was so obedient and we got a 34.2, which put us second.

In stadium I had a pleasant round, but again I was tense and we were very slooooww... 8 seconds slow! I can see on the video how I really needed to add more zip to our round. It was hot and both of us were sluggish and in need of some giddyup. But again, Taco was a star and took care of me.

Today on XC was crazy fun! He came out of the start box all business and I knew we were going to have a good run. He was forward but rateable, even over fences that were ridiculously easy for him. It was such a privilege to look between his ears at the course flowing by. What a guy.

We wound up 3rd, even with our slow stadium round. Quite a nice result for a test run, and I'm thinking it bodes well for us going forward.

I know that when Annika got him he was very different from how he is now. The fact that he could go so well with little old me in the tack is a testament to her talent and skill. And the fact that he is eventing again at all is a tribute to her perseverance and love for her horses. Thank you for letting me borrow your wings, Annika.

[KBG Eventer]

Thanks Hannah! I can't go to PT anymore because my grandparents are driving down from upstate NY to visit...partly for Danielle's Grandparents Day at school. How is your little guy doing?

And that is awesome Stacy! From the little I saw, ya'll looked like a great team. Sorry if I cut you short on the way back from stadium...I was being a perfectionist and fuming a bit about our round. Are you going to any other events with him this year? It sounds like Novice is completely doable !

[CookiePony]

No worries KGB, it was nice to see you! I understand the perfectionism thing.

I am not sure if we are going out again this year or if we are going to do some dressage shows to improve our game in that department. Novice dressage is very competitive-- as evidenced by folks who score 29s. As much as I would love to experience XC again soon, I must be strategic.

Pics will not be up for a couple of weeks I was told because Shannon Brinkman was headed for a little event up north-- Fair Hill or somesuch.

[eponacowgirl]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...ibbontails.jpg

Our very own CookiePony, Sullivan'sLuck, (not sure if she has a COTH account) and FlyPony_74 sporting their sexy tails from the weekend!

[CookiePony]

Ugh, I should have brought different socks to change into... and those shorts are not flattering... but that is such a cute pic!

Here is one subk took of Taco after our stadium round:
http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/ph...Photo%3A101218

She also took a cute one of flypony74 but I will let her post it if she wants to.

[RunForIt]

http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/ph...Photo%3A101218

I LOVE this pic!!!!!! thank you subk!!!!!!! By the way, Taco is always classy, but you definitely hold your own, kid!

[subk]

I LOVE this pic!!!!!! thank you subk!!!!!!!

Gee, your welcome!

The one of flypony is even cuter--you need to talk her into posting it. He was licking and nibbling on her and it was obviously the general way of things between the two of them. One contented pony...

[annikak]

How wonderful to see CookiePony so happy and Taco doing what he loves to do....

[RunForIt]

How wonderful to see CookiePony so happy and Taco doing what he loves to do....

would not be, except for you, for many, MANY REASONS!!!! (And how is himself? )

[flypony74]

Alright, due to popular demand, here is Fly and her pony, taken by our very own subk...and yes, my horse is rotten. Over the course of the weekend, he stole someone's sandwich, got into a bag of someone else's potato chips, talked multiple people into feeding him horse cookies, and convinced a random person that he needed two large carrots. He is so bad!

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/m...4/DSC_8317.jpg

We had good and bad points to the weekend. I went in knowing that our dressage would be horrible....we've been in a bit of a training rut that kind of hit its lowest point last week, right before the event. I considered scratching, it was in no way something that would carry over as a safety issue for jumping, just embarrassing in the dressage ring. It was the worst test we've done but it wasn't just awful. I think we scored a 43-something, and I don't know where we were placed after dressage.

Stadium was decent. Had a few sticky fences that were probably rider error, but the course rode well and we had a double clear. A lot of folks were having time penalties but we managed to come in right on the optimum time. Must have been wheeled a little tight. I think that put us in 4th.

Stryder warmed up pretty good for x-c, and when we headed to the box he was fired up....he is learning his job. But he was surprisingly squirmy and distracted coming out of the box, and not "all business" like he was in KY last month. He was going like a greenie, but he still felt okay as long as I worked extra hard to keep him straight, and his galloping gears were good, so we trucked on. He got a little wiggly into 5, a little distracted by the sand road right before it, and when I tried to straighten him, he squirted out the other direction and we had a run out. So, I took a breath, told him to shake it off, re-presented, and we went on our merry way. Rest of the course rode great, and we finished under time. It was funny going through the water, as he locked on to the Novice jump/exit, and I had to pull him off of it hard. I know folks nearby must have heard me say, "no, Stryder, not THAT one!!"

We ended up in 7th. Not our best showing, but we had fun, and that is all that matters. I am the butt on the right in eponacowgirl's photo. We seem to make a spectacle of ourselves anywhere we go. Cookiepony is all worried about her socks, and I was saying "get my horse in the picture too so it'll make my butt look smaller!"

Cookiepony and Taco looked AWESOME. I thought Cookie's face was going to crack, she was smiling so much all weekend. Annikak, he is in GREAT hands!

KBG, I saw you run x-c, as I was walking my course when you came through. Saw you have to circle to regroup (that was a tough gallop down that hill...my guy got a little strong there, too), but that was smart riding. You guys looked great....you've really improved from the last time I saw you go at RG a few years ago. Good job!

[KBG Eventer]

Thanks for the compliment Kelly. I have gotten much better since when you saw me and Tyler at RG! I wish we were having as beautiful a round as I absolutely know we can do, but I am glad I did not look like a loose in the tack maniac or something...

Good job to you too! I saw you and Stryder warming up for cross country, and you both looked very calm and together .

[FlightCheck]

FlyPony, that looks like an advertisement in a magazine....

[FlightCheck]

and CookiePony...congrats (we want more details!) and give Taco a kiss from me!

[flypony74]

FlyPony, that looks like an advertisement in a magazine....

An advertisement for a carrot-flavored prosthetic arm?

[CookiePony]

Thanks FC, here are more pics (taken by pawsplus):
http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/ph...6&context=user
http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/ph...5&context=user
http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/ph...4&context=user

[RayRay]

Hi All. My daugher was supposed to ride Training level in the junior division (her horse's name is Grayboo), but we had to scratch Saturday morning when she woke up with 104 degree temperature. She was really looking forward to the cross country course - she's ridden the River Glen and Pine Top cross country courses 2 times each at training level and was looking forward to riding somewhere new. Did anyone ride the Training course and how did it ride? The 6a/b combo looked like it could be a challenge if you didn't have an honest horse (the striding looked awkward if you took them at an angle), and the big log to the ditch looked like it could catch some horses/riders off guard.

It was a disappointing (and expensive) weekend, as she also was going to ride my horse in BN so we lost entry on 2 horses! To top it off, we had a flat tire on the trailer on the way home to Alabama.

Oh well. This stuff happens...