On Wednesday we went to the Florida Horse Park for a wonderful opportunity to school all three phases. I only did dressage with Woody. I had some good quality work, but at the cost of some anxiety in the movements that are worth double.
So, on Thursday, I went for the movements worth double and didn’t worry as much about the extended trot (which is our nemesis).
There is always room for improvement in dressage, but I was VERY pleased with Woody’s work ethic in the ring. As for show jumping, my wonderful groom Anne Marie and I had a plan and we learned from Wellington not to mess with it. So she and I went with the programs which had been so successful this past fall season and IT WORKED! Also, a big thanks to Rocking Horse for adding a fabulous warm up for show jumping. It made a notable difference in the show jumping scores and saved many horses legs I’m sure.
He performed beautiful in dressage, despite a CRAZY horse being lunged during his test. Sounded like a fire breathing dragon, biking and carrying on. King Brian just pointed his toes a little extra in our medium trot.
Show jumping he was fabulous and saved me on the second last fence I COULD NOT see a distance and he just soared into the air leaving a stride out with scope to spare. I told him “good boy” before the last very big square oxer.
Then it was time for Woody’s cross country. We went at a fun pace and I promised him I wouldn’t interfere at the galloping fences. I also did fence #2 on a slight angle in order to gallop the straightest line to fence #3 which helped out double clear. Woody was as honest as the day is long!