Heirloom Equestrian Center Jolly Jumper Night

 The barn that hosts the show series Trainer M runs has a new trainer and he decided to have a low key Jolly Jumper Night last weekend. They encouraged everyone to come out in their finest ugly sweater and had the place totally decked out with Christmas decorations. While Cinder and I are very happy in the hunter ring, I couldn't pass up the chance to show. It also helped that the show started at noon and had a flat fee including a stall.

Trainer M and Cin

I might have had a little mental breakdown in my lesson two days before the show, as one does. I was just way too in my head and overthinking everything. God bless Cinder for not giving a shit about her mom giving her very mixed signals and pulling out at almost every jump. Trainer M rides Cinder on Fridays, and asked if I could make it out to the barn to watch her ride/get on for a mini lesson. I was able to leave work early and watching M ride really helped. I was able to get on and only have one minor panic about a distance instead of melting down over every distance the day before. 

The "presents" were point values for the gambler's choice class

When we got to the show we took the horses in for hand walk to see the giant Christmas tree in the arena. None of the horses cared at all about it. I got Cinder tacked up for Trainer M to school and despite walking around the arena an hour before, and you know showing at this venue three times this year and twice last year, Cinder was convinced the far end of the ring was terrifying. She pulled some lovely spin/rear moves and I was very, very glad M had gotten on her first. They did manage to work through it and M rode her in the first 0.70m class. Cinder did spook a few times, once at the far end and then again at a banner on the wall that she had already passed multiple times. 

After M's round I was supposed to get on and do the other two 0.70m classes, but another of Trainer M's client's horse was having a meltdown and M stayed in the ring to help them through it. This horse has some major show PTSD from a previous owner and does a lot better with another horse (particularly mares) in the ring with him. So Cinder was his emotional support mare. Things were a bit hectic at the back gate since Trainer M had 4 out of the 6 horses in the 0.70s, and they were looking for people to go but the others were still learning their course. I told M to ride in the second round, an optimum time class, and if the spooking was gone I'd take her in the final class. Cinder was much better behaved in the second round and M took a tight inside turn and won the class. 

Supposedly one of the teens at the show was tacking actual pics, so maybe we'll get those later this week and you can see those instead of blurry screenshots

I got on and furiously tried to learn my course. The first two rounds were the same course, but the third was a jump off and a totally different course. I hadn't wanted to confuse myself with learning two jumper courses at once, and then had to scramble to learn the second course. The first two thirds of the course went fine, I was a little tentative and not quite trusting that Cinder wouldn't spook and we were very slow, but coming to an outside line I lost my nerve. The line walked in six and a half, M had told us to do a waiting seven, but when she rode it with Cinder they got eight. And of course I had been watching other horses get anywhere from a five to a nine in the line so I was totally fucked on how many strides it was supposed to be. It didn't help that were jumping it directly towards the "scary corner". I ended up circling before the second fence and then trotting it. We landed on the wrong lead and I panicked again that we couldn't jump on the wrong lead (we totally could have, the turn to the next fence wasn't tight at all) and then trotted the next fence. We did manage to canter the last fence and somehow ended up 4th in the class. I'm mad at myself for not trusting my horse more, but very happy that Cinder was able to pull it together and was foot perfect after her initial silliness. I think we just need more show miles with Winter Cinder to help get over my nerves. 

Winter Cinder

 Cinder is very much a cold weather horse. She's so much more animated and forward once the temps drop below 55. The past few weeks have been a bit challenging and anxiety inducing, for me, in how to manage her. It doesn't help that I didn't ride last year from Thanksgiving-early February so I don't have the memory of Winter Cinder to fall back on. 

We were cantering when this lovely sun spot appeared. She tried to jump it and spin sideways at the same time. I had to grab my martingale to hang on. 

Lunging before getting on has become our go to, especially after a day off. She just need to buck and play for a bit, but won't in turnout because the ground is so wet and muddy, so on the line (or for a free lunge if the arenas open) she goes to play. Even Trainer M lunged her one day when Cinder tried to rear and spin as she was tightening her girth after getting on. 

Thankfully the liverpool was no big deal and she jumped it without a second thought

Cinder has been great to ride, post lunging. She's forward without being too forward (for the most part), and I haven't had to wear my spurs or carry a whip. She has had a couple moments of silliness, mainly when another horse spooks and she feeds of of them. We had one lesson with Maya and her leasee, and when we went to canter Maya took off and Cinder took off after her. We then had to canter one at a time. 

Gratuitous pic of Peebs looking adorable

I will give Cinder points in that she might be spicy and needs to play before going to work under saddle, but once you're working she's really good. In the past when she's worked up or spicy she has almost a manic feel to her once you get in the tack, like her brain is zooming at 100mph. She really hasn't had that feeling this winter yet and I'm hoping it doesn't make an appearance.