WEF Day 12

WAIT A MINUTE.  What happened to Day 11 you (ever so numerous in number) faithful readers might ask?  Day 11 was filled with conference calls, spreadsheets, powerpoints, project plans, and demo scripts.  Not to mention a fun filled expedition to the dry cleaners and grocery store.  As much as I would love to tell you about how I got lost (again) going to the dry cleaners, or how I tried to kill myself while pulling out in front of a bus by accident while trying to get un-lost, I assume this would lead to a very boring blog indeed.  Moving right along to Day 12.

Day 12 also dawned with some exciting spreadsheets and powerpoints, but also included fun ventures in horseland, so we’ll start there.

My original plan was to head to the barn late in the afternoon, but around 10, Matt texted me and said “if you get here before 2, you can get in the international ring, can you make it happen?”  Can I make it happen?  Um, yes I will make that happen.  At this point you might be asking yourself, “why in the world does she need to get in the international ring?”  She’s an ammy hunter rider, only riders on a first name basis with the world of riding like Beezie, Kent, and Reed need to get into the international ring.  Alas, this is the case except during the “Hunter Spectacular” week in WEF.  Also defined as “torture me with having to ride in the international, classics, and an even wonkier show schedule than normal” week. 

So I abandoned all of my enthralling spreadsheets and presentations (that would need to be completed late that evening) to head to the show.  

Once again, I arrived to this cuteepatootee.  I swear it’s a different picture than last time.  If DC is not good for anything else, he’s good for one’s ego.  Whenever I show up at the barn he rolls nickers too me constantly, what I consider his very own form of purring in happiness to see my shining face.  That or he knows the minion has arrived with treats, you pick.  

I get on and we head to the show grounds for our hack in the international (!!) and school.  Upon approaching the entrance, I somewhat felt like a shark from jaws, except the arena might eat us instead of vice versa.

Nu Nuh

Nuh Nuh

Nuh nu nu!!

The arena was set up with no jumps and probably 30-40 horses all hacking in different directions.  It was kind of like an ant farm for horses, but with less organization.  He actually hacked beautifully in there, very relaxed, light, and attentive to me instead of everything else.  I did take the opportunity to SHOW him that the astroworld would be set up in here at a later date.

Fair warning I believe.  

We then decided to school in the Grand Hunter.  The way schooling is set up, you pick your ring based on the size of the jumps, not based on the ring you’ll be showing in.  This is because any given day you might be in any given ring.  Unfortunately for me, Grand Hunter was set up for high performance.  This means 3’9 (+?).  This also means I’m officially shaking in my boots.  We chose Grand Hunter as that was where all of the mischief from the previous week took place, jump height be damned.  That was Matt’s view anyway.  Me?  I was just praying.  

We warmed up in the warm up ring, and then proceeded to the arena.  Matt dropped a single for me to do, which was actually quite nice off both leads.  Then he wanted me to do the single to the outside.  I did the single nicely, jumped into the outside a bit soft and with a left bulge in the shoulder.  At that moment I looked down at that oxer and said to my self NFW.  I try not to cuss in my blog, google it.  So I pulled out.  Note.  Matt HATES when you pull out of lines.  He says calmly “try again.” 

I jump in again, this time apply leg and  have a crooked horse that is all “no we go the other way.”  To which Matt says “THAT IS WHY WE DO NOT PULL OUT OF LINES.” Less calmly.  Super.

He asks me politely and with as much restraint as possible if I would like him to take the oxer down.  I answer “Yes please.”  Also can be thought of as “LORD IT’S HUGE PLEASE MAKE IT SMALLER.”  We go back to the line and jump it beautifully.  He puts the oxer back up and wants me to put a course together.  Single, outside, inside.  It was really good, it was also terrifying.  I’ve jumped many jumps well bigger than that, but not on this horse, and not with what I felt like is very limited experience for us together.  

What I learned is that DC is one helluva scopey animal.  He cracked his back and flipped his hind end over both of those ginorm oxers and really jumped the LIVING SHIT out of them (ok excuse my language).  He took it all in stride and was super happy to be in there JUMPING THE BIGGEY JUMPEEEEYYYYYS.  I’m glad he has so much confidence.  

After our school, I headed back to the condo for more workey workey workey.  But, I got to finish the night with a fun girl’s evening at Mellow Mushroom pizza place playing an awesome game of trivia.  We were in first place through all of the rounds until the final jeopardy question took us down to 4^th.  Apparently we know nothing about the Academy Awards.