Ginger the jumping bean
This must have been the LONGEST cross country day of my life. We arrived at the park prompt this morning at seven to get chores done and after walking the course by 8:45am, we were out of things to do until it was time for me to go at 2:18pm. The cross country course today was longer than any I have done before and the questions proved to ride well as long as the rider was staying attentive. I rode one combination at a time learning from the last and carrying that education to the next. At the six minute mark, with two more minutes left, Ginger started to get tired...
Read MoreDay one complete and onto cross country
An exciting first day met my hopes and goal for the past two shows, to finish first in the dressage competition. As planned, I took Ginger out first thing this morning to find that she was not as fresh as expected, so I completed our preview ride after fifteen minutes, headed back to the barn, and waited to get ready for the real deal. We warmed up twenty-five minutes before our test and she felt on, exactly what I was hoping for. Right before she went in I got her a little more expressive and took her in the ring to show what she had. She was great from the first step...
Read MoreOn to dressage!
Jogs and in-barn vet inspections went as planned. They were uneventful which was exactly what I was hoping for. Tomorrow at 9:12am Ginger and I will be entering the dressage ring to kick off our first CCI**. Yahoo! The test we will be completing in the dressage phase is a bit more complicated than the one I did at Galway Downs, but it is one that Ginger and I are ready for. Today I got the chance to walk the cross country course with Derek, my coach and course designer. Wow, it is long and there are a lot of big combinations (some of the combinations are from the...
Read MoreAnd We Are Off
I have spent the past two days here at Bea and Derek’s house and farm in Carmel Valley to get in some final practice and finishing touches before the weekend begins. Ginger was a bit of a hot tamale this morning our final jump school. The enthusiasm was welcomed and served to make a great final jump school before the show. When I was warming up this morning, I thought about the first time Ginger and I came for training at Stillwater Farms in January of 2009. At that point Ginger and I were trying to get through training level and were running into some difficulty...
Read MoreButterflies Already!
The past few days/week has been a bit of a whirlwind. With a microbiology midterm, three lab reports, and relentless hours at school, I have still somehow managed to ride Ginger everyday for an hour and a half as intended. It is exhausting and hilarious how it is possible to ride and be a full time student as a double major. When people ask me how I do it, I simply say the word sacrifice. For example, at this moment, I am updating my blog in the library at Fresno State with my breeches, boots, and spurs still on from the barn. I sacrifice make-up, a regular...
Read MoreOnto longer practices and pictures
Today was my first real ride back on Ginger. I rode her for an hour and a half like I will every day until the CCI**. Right before I got on, I realized how much more time I had to practice each part of my test and really practice each detail of my riding. The dressage test that we will ride in at Twin Rivers is harder in my opinion with turns on the haunches and more walk movements. I got access to photos from Galway Downs so I hope you all enjoy. Ginger and I are going to keep training and work our way into some more fitness and more accurate...
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