A lot has gone on since my last post back in FEBRUARY! Lewis ran around the OP at Rocking Horse 2 in great form bringing home a 5th place. He went on to storm at Rocking Horse 3 at Intermediate rocking out a 4th place finish in tough company. He blew up the dressage board with a 33. I rode badly in the show jump and tagged down two rails. He was a rock star on xc and brought home just a few time penalties on a course that proved to cause some serious problems. I had gone into that weekend skeptical that I would be able to produce a clean round on xc or even get around. My final xc school only days before was somewhat disastrous to start. Lew dawg was dodging out at some simple questions and gave me some serious trouble at the double corners at Kyles. However in the end I got him through and apparently proved my point to him, as that pulled through to the weekend.
In March I trekked to Southern Pines II to attack the Intermediate there. Lewis got to ride in Megan Moore's very fancy "horse bus" and even got to be stabled next to Suzie Harrison's mare Frankie. Lewis spent the nights trying to tunnel into Frankie's stall... I spent them dwelling on the giant ditch and wall we had on course. I was HUGE. The whole track was big, technical and asked a lot of questions that you had to be committed to.
Lewis started the weekend by pulling a pretty good second hat trick and throwing down a 29 in the dressage. Good enough to put us near the top of the leader board. I had a good feel for the course when Saturday morning rolled around. To make a long story short, all hell broke loose on the Intermediate XC and I am truly thankful that I was in the final division to go out on course. There were a ton of falls, and eliminations at several different fences. One ramped table into the water caused more problems than was fair and was pulled off the course. I was happy I got to watch a few riders come through a few of the technical fences on course.
:Lewis smoked out of the box and by fence 2 it was quite apparent that I should have been in the Pelham (a bit I have reserved for fall competitions where he is really running off with me). I was exhausted by the time we got half way around the course and got a bit sloppy in my turn to the corners. I had a stupid glance off at the first one which woke me up a bit. I fixed my line and rode it where I should have the 2nd time and got through. The ditch n wall the waters coffin and turning bank questions were all cake for us. I let my confidence get the best of me toward the end of the course and again missed my line to a narrow turn. DOH! But I FINISHED. Which is better than most that started that day. Lewis was good and the mistakes I blame on my self. He came out on sunday and jumped a lovely show jumping course in front of a good crowd. I was proud of him holding his self together once he got into the arena (getting in the ring proved to be a bit of a problem... of Lewis).
CAKE
The corner on the second attempt!
A stellar SJ round
After Souther Pines I stayed on my plan and ran the OP at Spring Bay to bolster his confidence. He merrily worked away in the dressage arena and produced another 29! (THANK YOU REESE STANFIELD!!!) A little flat in the show jump and I lost my way on a very oddly laid out track causing us 8 faults) He was a star on XC and made the Prelim feel like a walk in the park. A 3rd place finish to a nice weekend. Viva also stepped up to the plate and WON her ON division! She was a champ!
Rolex has come and gone. I was lucky enough to create an "event camp" weekend for Lewis and I. I took advantage of Jan Byyny for two jump lessons and I pegged Kyle down for a lesson before he left town. Both had really encouraging things to say. It was great to get a new perspective from Jan and Kyle helped me push through some things we had worked on in Florida. My confidence was a little shaken from the mistakes I made at Southern Pines. I started to ride badly at home and was having a few issues with simple fences. I started to lack commitment to my jumps. This can be such a frustrating sport, the horses can pick up any outside stress in your life and they start to fret themselves. I finally picked myself out of the rut I was in and took the Rolex week as inspiration. Jan gave me permission to "have fear" and Kyle told me "quite frankly he (Lewis) just expects you to ride better... because he knows you can". Words of wisdom from both.
So I am staying the course. On my plan to hit the Advanced at Chatt Hills in May. Really, I wish I had 2 more weeks to feel ready. But right now Lewis feels awesome. I really pushed him Rolex week and he came out of it jumping soft and confident. Its now or never I feel like. almost 2 years ago I ran my only advanced and I feel like the silly run outs I have had at Intermediate aren't game changers... they better just remind me to ride better! I may have some similar problems at Advanced and i know the issue will always plague me but there is no way to get experience with out making mistakes. The biggest pull for the move up at Chatt Hills is that Kyle will be there! A COACH! What a novel idea. Anyone that hasn't had the pleasure of walking a course with him should. He is amazingly insightful and a walking comedian. I feel pretty good about my decision. I would love the opportunity to run a CIC*** in the fall.
I feel like I have been thrown some curve balls on this Journey with Lewis. But I am staying the course... I really think I have been sitting on more than an $1800 race track reject this whole time. There are big plans for him down the road and those plans have several stars after them.
Stay the Course,
Jenn
Lewis giving the advanced corner at Millbrook some air
