IDS Show: Redemption Song

Spoiler alert: I have my well behaved Hampton back. :)

He hauled perfectly, and was perfect on Friday for schooling. I did give him a light lunge early Saturday morning to loosen his back, but only for about 10 minutes if that.

Our first test was 3-3 and it was a mistake-free test, clean changes and good rhythm. In my opinion it was still flat and down hill, but that is a struggle I will ALWAYS have with him. I was very pleased that 3-3 felt EASY. I never thought I would say that! The judge awarded us with a 67.9%. That is a personal best for me in 3-3.

Paul Wood photo

By the time I rode 2-3, I was exhausted from dealing with Royale for more than an hour. Hampton was tired, too. But even so we floated through the test with zero mistakes other than one transition where he tripped and went splat. Again, quite downhill and flat but still got a 69%. I will certainly take that any day of the week!

Paul Wood photo

Hampton never put a foot wrong. Never offered to back off to be naughty or anything but act like a perfect seasoned gentleman. It was a great confidence booster for both of us (he got SO MANY COOKIES and also some cranial-sacral release treatment after his second class). This show accomplished exactly what I hoped it would.

Hanging out ringside with Jen and Conner.
SUPERB side-eye, Conner.

I have to say to say it was incredibly refreshing to go in the ring and KNOW that I got this. Instead of showing at the level where we aren't quite confirmed and hoping for the best, I could march right in at 2-3 and 3-3 and have the confidence that we were not overfaced and could do these tests no problem. SO REFRESHING. And that is saying a lot about our progress because those tests are not exactly cakewalks!

... and as for Royale. Well, he is good boy but the gerbils in his brain fell off the wheel. I put on facebook that he was like riding a squirrel high on meth. He was wiggly. Weird in the contact. Avoiding my aids. Running away. Backing off. Running through his shoulders. All I could do was laugh and stay as quiet as I could.

I did get a 7 for rider position for being "quiet and tactful." So there is that.

His first class including lots of bucking in the canter, and a flubbed right lead canter. He started to charge down the last centerline so I floated his teeth once. Sorry not sorry. After that class I went back to the warm up and make him work more. By the second class I had fixed the right lead canter and had better contact. He managed a respectable 62% in Training 2. So I was pleased that he did settle and make improvement.

Jesus H. Christ, Royale. This is what happens when he starts to run off from my leg. So I close my fingers,
and squeeze him like toothpaste. Eventually he won't curl up like this. I hope.

His big thing is that when you put your leg on, he runs. That is not forward, that is running away from my leg and not allowed. What horses like him do is go really fast - making you THINK that they are so good and forward! - when in reality they are training you to take your leg off. No sir, not allowing it. So there were times when he was super curled, and times when he was a giraffe. Because guess what man, I am going to keep my leg on AND keep contact no matter what you do!!

He will come along. He is just green and ... a saddlebred.

Kelly and Fergie head to the ring, with help from hubby Paul who took
fantastic photos of me! Thanks Paul!!!

He is now home with me in KY so maybe Hampton and the herd will wear him out for me. hahaha.

So overall a really great show. Hampton won both his classes and Royale got a 4th and a 5th I think. Perfect weather and I got to watch both Kelly and Fergie, and Jen and Conner absolutely rock their classes too! Wait until you hear the score Jen got!!!! Sadly I did not get to hang out with them as much as I would have liked because I was literally riding for 2 hours straight.

Still having the vet out to give Hamp a look-see this week I hope. Will update on those results.

Other than that, back to work for both boys!