Last minute prep and ride times

Published on by Amanda C

Nothing like trying to cram all your prep for a move-up into the last week before show time! I’m not complaining one single bit, because I’m just beyond thrilled that it’s stopped raining and things are drying up. Henry’s been able to go out all week and the arenas no longer resemble lakes.

He’s equally thrilled to be back to work

Because it’s supposed to be hot and humid this weekend, I opted to cram more of my serious prep work into the beginning of the week and lighten his workload the last few days before show time. We had a dressage lesson Saturday, did conditioning work Sunday, jumped on Monday, then he had Tuesday off, an easier dressage ride last night, and gets today off, then we leave for the show tomorrow morning. For our jump school on Monday only half of the arena was dry, but it’s amazing how half of an arena feels like a gloriously huge space after a month of being surrounded by swamp. I set up a square oxer and a bigger vertical and made the best of our little area.

We were a little crooked, and it was hard to keep a consistent pace in the space, but Henry felt good considering we haven’t jumped in a while. I feel a little rusty, but hopefully he’s ready to go!

Last night’s dressage ride was really just to get him loosened up and thinking forward. At this point we’ve got whatever we’ve got, so there’s no point in trying to drill him now. I’ll be thrilled if he can continue being as relaxed for dressage at Texas Rose as he was at Greenwood and Corona. He was basically comatose last night!

They also posted ride times yesterday, and I’m very relieved to see that we’re running XC early on Sunday morning. Henry doesn’t handle heat very well and I was a bit concerned about having to do XC in the heat of the day on Saturday, so bullet dodged there. Of course, we have dressage and stadium in the heat of the day, but I can get him through those two phases a lot more easily. I spent the week sewing him an ice pack thingy that he can wear on his neck – a process that involved much cursing, blood, whining, and a burned finger. I figured if I made it I wouldn’t need it… obviously a sound strategy. I’m taking it anyway though because dammit I bled for that thing and he’s gonna use it.

TRridetimes

 

 

I hope you’re prepared for more epic course walk debauchery, because Bobby is coming along to this event too. And here’s a gross picture of his face, because he thought he was being funny by putting this on my phone. I get the last laugh by putting this on the internet.

Let that haunt your dreams for a while.

 

28 thoughts on “Last minute prep and ride times”

  9. I have to ask, how did sewing an ice pack result in a burned finger???

    Best of luck this weekend, my fingers are crossed for no rain/thunder/storms for both of our shows this weekend!

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  16. YAY! Good luck and have fun! Can’t wait to hear more about the neck ice pack, and looking forward to hilarious XC course walk photos. I think you should do a “Where’s Bobby?” theme where he’s hiding at/in/behind the jump except and you have to spot him.

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