The Show Must Go On

Or rather, the shows are going on!  Show season is just about ready to start here in the PNW and I had tentatively planned for our first one to be April 21-22.  With the move and my less than ideal mental/emotional state, I kinda put show plans on the back burner. But once the ponies settled in and I started getting my routine down at the new barn, I realized I do really want to show and there's no reason we can't be ready by mid-April.

I've jumped Peebs a few times at the new barn and did some work over ground poles as well.  At my old barn I could leave fences up in the outdoor pretty much all the time but since NB only has an indoor, they have to be taken down after each use.  So that's limited how much and what I jump, but so far, I've found that I'm more definite in what we school when I have to set it fresh every time. I don't get lazy and leave the same course up for weeks. 

I had my first lesson at NB on Saturday and it was one of the best lessons I've had in a long while.  We didn't do anything groundbreaking, just an outside line and a single diagonal. We focused on our flat working coming into the line and it made a huge difference.  Peebs was much more adjustable and balanced when he was in front of my leg and connected. I could sit up and let him flow down the line instead of trying to hold him; he'd land straight and on the correct lead so I didn't have to worry about a lead change afterwards.  We actually quit about 10 minutes early because he was being so good and trainer and I didn't want to push it.

So I feel ready and confident (at the moment, I'm sure that will change because horses) sending in our entry for the show in April.  We're moving up to the 2' hunters/eq and will also do two 2' medal classes.  This show also has an 18" hunter derby, but it's at the end of the show on Sunday and I'm not sure how much energy Peebs, or I, will have so I'm still going back and forth about pre-entering it. On one had, HUNTER DERBY, but entry fees and energy.....it's a tough choice.

Settling In

Tomorrow will be two weeks since we moved to the new barn. I think I've settled into our new rhythm and routine.  While everyone at the new barn has been super nice and welcoming, it was definitely a major adjustment for me.  Side note: when moving out of barn that you've been in for 11yrs, don't schedule it for the day before your period starts because not only will you have all the feelings about leaving, you'll also have all the hormones. 0/10 don't recommend.

I've been on either partial or self care with my horses for 13 years.  New Barn is full care and I'm having a hard time giving up the control of my ponies care.  NB doesn't bed their stalls as deeply as I would like, but its ok.  The ponies are doing great, and every other aspect of the barn is awesome.  They feed what I ask them to feed, they clean stalls twice a day, they give out treats and love on the ponies. I just feel like a helicopter parent dropping their kid off at their first day of kindergarten.  I'm know I'll grow to love it, but it will be an adjustment.  And all the hormones and feelings don't help any either.

Hi!!! Let's be friends!

When we first moved in they had a corner of the arena blocked off to house their goats with a buck they were breeding them too. Predictably Peebs was in love with the goats and wanted to be their new best friend.  Cinder didn't really care about them; she just liked eating their hay. During our first ride Peebs was pretty sure he had to focus on the goats more than anything else, but since the goats left he's been fine. Out the back of the arena you can see the pastures, and the neighbor's cows so sometimes the cows are very interesting to look at as well.  I can't even imagine what Peebs is going to do when he can get turned out in the pasture next to them.

Other neighbor's pond and field

NB is still under construction, like they got my two stalls ready for me to move in and that was it.  They've got another couple of stalls done and this weekend some of the other horses are moving in. They have another small barn on the property and are going to be turning that into the broodmare barn. MG's (barn owner) yearling filly is arriving Sunday afternoon/night, so Cinder will have a playmate. I'm super excited for her to have another baby to grow up with, and for MG and I to navigate baby horse training waters together. Neither one of us has had babies before, so it might be the blind leading the blind.

I still need to work out details for having my trainer come in and give lessons, but so far they seem super accommodating. MG used to event, but is thinking about doing more of the jumpers, so maybe she'll be interested in lessons as well, and hopefully I can have a show buddy again. The dressage rider/trainer in the barn jumps her horse for fun and has said she'd take a lesson with my trainer, and even take her horse to some of the smaller jumper shows as well.  And she offered to come and groom and be my cheering squad at shows for me if she doesn't take her horse.  It's been a long time since I've had someone from my barn offer that.  It's a great feeling to have that support and encouragement. At my old barn, they were happy for me when I showed, but never offered to come and help me or cheer me on unless I asked for help. I think I made a good choice in this place.