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.