OHC Indoor Eventing: Show Day

When Trainer A suggested we take Cinder to the indoor eventing show, I knew it was a mix of stadium and xc fences inside, and I also thought there would be a dressage test. But nope, just jumping. The show required all entries to do at least 2 rounds, at either the same level or different levels. If you were showing more than once at the same level on the same day (we only showed on Saturday) only the first round would count for placings.  So Cinder was signed up for two intro (2') rounds.

Fence 1, the only stadium fence. All photos bought from Steve Storm Photography

After feeding the horses Saturday morning A, the kids, and I set out to walk the course. Two of the kids were doing intro and the third was doing an intro and a beginner novice round and the course was the same for both with the BN fences being next to the intro ones. The course was a lot of singles with long lines between them, with only one awkward bending line. Scoring was based on optimum time which we didn't even bother to look at. 

The stroller approached the fence as Cinder was cantering up to it and A said she thought Cinder would spook at it, but nope she didn't care

We had posted ride times, but the ring crew didn't stick to it. Two of the girls went early and A was supposed to do her rounds with Cinder later in the order, and the third girl was supposed to do her intro round right after. A talked with the ring steward and got the ok to move Cinder up so that way she could focus on her, and then put her away and focus on warming up the girl. Luckily there was a bit of a lull when we pulled Cinder out and there was only two other horses warming up. Cinder warmed up well, only having one bobble when A had me put a vertical up two holes. Cinder didn't pay attention and hit the pole pretty hard. But when they came back around she cleared it easily. 

Cinder's first round was really, really nice. She got a funny distance to fence three, a tiny log. I think she just didn't really see/focus on it and had to hop awkwardly over it. It was the in fence of the bending line, and the coop above was the out. It obviously didn't affect the out fence at all. She did tend to get a little off balance and swap leads, but A just kept riding her forward through it and the cross canter didn't seem to affect the round at all. 

      

 

The second round wasn't as smooth. Cinder started locking onto the BN fences. A said it felt like she was saying "We did the small stuff, now we do the big stuff." She got a little wiggly to a couple fences but, at least from watching, it never looked like she was going to refuse. She did get an awkward distance to the little coop in the bending line, but she's able to figure out what to do with her feet pretty well. 

The photographer sent me this one for free

Cinder ended up with a 1.06 time for her first round and a 2nd place in the senior intro division, out of 16. Optimum time ended up being 1.12 so she was six seconds fast. Her round didn't look fast to me, and A didn't make any super tight turns.  We had left before scores were announced but one of A's friends works nearby and is going to pick up ribbons for us.  I'm really, really happy with how the show went, and how Cinder handled everything. She was a total champ and behaved better than some of the more seasoned horses. A is giving her an easy week this week, and sent me pics of Cinder hacking down the road while A's dogs run around her.