Well… that was embarrassing. Henry has been so good all year that I suppose we were due for a clunker, but when we throw in a clunker, we REALLY throw in a clunker. I’m not really sure what was up with him this weekend, he was just kind of pissy in general and not himself. If he was a mare I’d swear he was in heat, but alas he is not, so I’m at a loss. I’m having the vet out this week just to make sure there’s nothing physically wrong.
He warmed up for dressage really well. Like, REALLY well. He was moving great and our connection was great, and he was actually fairly uphill for once. Impulsion is magical. We were the very first horse to go for dressage and it was quite a bit colder that morning than it has been, so I figured that had something to do with it.
When we went over to the the dressage arena we’d just barely started to trot around when the judge rang the bell, so we weren’t even able to make a full lap of the arena before we went in. And as soon as he stepped foot in the ring, he took one look at the gazebo and the videographer and decided that he was super tense and kind of wild, and that I could take this dressage bullshit and shove it where the sun don’t shine. The first half of the test was an effort of trying to keep him IN the ring (I’m not shitting you, he hit a post with his foot and knocked down a length of the plastic chain. It was all I could do to keep him from ducking out at A.) and at the correct gait.
By the end of the test he finally started to settle and we got a few good movements, but in general he was just lit up and not very rideable. We ended up with a much deserved 40, our worst score ever. Although funnily enough everyone else on their green horses had a pretty similar morning, because after dressage we were actually tied for 4th. What a shitshow that was. Somehow we still managed to get some good transition scores, an 8 for the halt, and a 7 for gaits though. I’ll take the charity.
Stadium wasn’t any better. In fact, it was much worse. Again he warmed up really well, and when we went in, we jumped fence 1 fine, had a good approach to 2 but he was just diving down onto his shoulder at the base, so we had a rail there. After that, everything just went all to hell. He pulled me past pretty much every distance, got super flat, and tapped or knocked down pretty much everything.
At the two stride he landed so far into the line that we baaaaaaaarely fit in a second stride, and he popped straight up in the air over the out, almost tossing me right over his shoulder. I had to monkey climb my way back into the saddle, and since I was now at an impossible approach to the next fence, I had no choice but to circle.
Myself and my trainer only remember two rails but they had me down as having pulled three (that ain’t even worth trying to protest) plus my circle and a time fault. OUCH. OUUUUCCCHHH. We dropped from 4th to dead last.
I have no idea what the hell THAT was, but I’d like to never repeat it. I’ve never had such a bad round on that horse, and he’s never been so unrideable ever. Mortifying. I couldn’t find anything physically wrong with him and he was eating and drinking normally, so I just left him alone and decided to see how he felt the next day before XC.
Did I mention the XC course was the biggest, most technical course we’ve ever taken on? Yep, there’s that. I’m sure anyone who saw my stadium was like “This chick is going to DIE on XC”… because that’s totally what I would have thought too.
breedrideevent.com 
Yeah pretty much well dressed. Yay that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Winning at well dressed, oh horses.
LikeLike
Oh Henny.
But damn did you look good doing it! Love the coat and bonnet
LikeLike
Haha, sounds like it wasn’t the best weekend for horse shows all around. Props for looking good though!
LikeLike
You guys definitely looked good – but ugh. We all have those days, but even knowing that, it’s still the worst, WTF feeling ever. I hope XC was much better!
LikeLike
You and Henry look fabulous. Sorry to hear it was a rough weekend. Here’s to hoping that the vet find some ouchy spot, or that it was just a bad day. Is that a new dressage saddle I spy? 🙂
LikeLike
I borrowed my trainer’s Dev. LOVED her saddle, it was so easy to keep my leg in the right spot. Henry moved great in it too.
LikeLike
Yay for being able to borrow awesome saddles. Did you end up selling yours?
LikeLike
Yep!
LikeLike
Yay!!
LikeLike
Oof! That sucks – we had a similar disaster on XC this weekend, only of the out-of-control-galloping-and-refusing variety. Horses are why I drink…
LikeLike
I can’t let you go places without me. 😉
LikeLike
Apparently not. This is your fault somehow.
LikeLike
i was WONDERING WHERE YOUR Partner in crime was. OBVIOUSLY that was it 🙂
LikeLike
That’s so weird that he warmed up well and then lost his mind when you went in the ring! SPOILER ALERT: at least XC was good. That’s the important part, right?
LikeLike
it is! Although racking up 17 penalties in stadium is not even a little bit ok.
LikeLike
so admittedly i looked up your scores yesterday and was pretty surprised – Henry is such a stadium pro! poor timing for an off day buddy! looking forward to hearing how he felt on xc tho – and hopefully he’s back to his normal perky self asap!
LikeLike
I was pretty surprised too, honestly. He’s sensitive and all, but he’s generally pretty consistent. That was a disaster of epic proportions, over a pretty small and simple course.
LikeLike
hopefully he only has one of those kind of days in a million and wont happen any time soon again! I can’t stand the stress of seeing stuff on instagram like that LOL (YES it is all about me 🙂
LikeLike
tell Bobby not to abandon me anymore
LikeLike
Your halt is awesome. And your matching jumping outfit is perfect. Shame about the attitude. I hope nothing’s wrong.
LikeLike
I don’t believe you. I won’t believe you. Henny is perfect at all times.
LikeLike
That’s gonna have to be modified to 99% of the time instead of all times.
LikeLike
Yuck! No fun!
LikeLike
Horses keep us humble!
LikeLike