IF you weren't at the Plantation Field CIC International and HT you missed quite the weekend. The community really seems to have gathered together to provide an amazing event from a riders perspective and a spectators point of view. Although I was in the HT so I didnt get to enjoy it, the CIC riders had an amazing new arena to enjoy dressage and Show jumping on... thank you Iron Spring Farm for that very generous donation!
I competed the wonder mares, Sprite and Sabrina. Neither one received the gold but in my heart they are getting closer and closer to medals. Sabrina gave me a great dressage test, getting a 29.5 in her second Intermediate start! She is just getting better and better. The show jumping is her toughest phase and we rode on the grass hill, not suited to helping us! We had rails down, but I still feel her jumping style is so much improved, one day soon, clean rounds will be normal for her. Cross country day at Plantation was hair raising to say the least. For whatever reason, a coffin complex, that has been there forever, caused a lot of grief. Luckily everyone that fell ended up ok. I was one of the falls on Wonder Pony, Sprite. This was mentally tough for me to get past when I rode Sabrina and although she was being foot perfect everywhere, my mind got the best of me and I pulled her to a stop at the in of the coffin. After re-grouping mentally I gave it a second shot and she was so honest and wonderful. I cant fault this mare across the country.
Sprite was a bit more excited this event for dressage than our last time out, but she managed a pretty nice show jumping round on a course that was causing plenty of difficulty. Cross country day she was ready to go- for the first part of the course she had some great fences- until the coffin. Before the coffin was a big hedge in the woods, Sprite jumped this so nicely, then as we came out of the woods towards the coffin I thought we had a great line and set up - but in hindsight I think that she didnt see that there was things behind this vertical tall log (ditch, etc). As she jumed the log, she mustve seen the ditch and the front legs just didnt get up high enough. Luckily for my great air vest as I landed back first on the side of the ditch, I was safe. These vests are truely a must have. It's Monday as I'm writing this, two days after the fall and although a massage sounds great- I'm really ok. Its amazing.
Luckily Sprite is ok as well, she seems mostly dissapointed that she didnt get to finish her round, she LOVES to jump. I told her there's another xc run for her soon, but first we have some practicing to do!
Please enjoy these cool pictures taken courtesy of Steve Berkowitz.
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