Lessons, Practice, and More Lessons… February 10, 2009

 

Hi there!  Boy has there been a lot going on.  I have not even had time to write about the last show!  With another show quickly approaching I thought it was about time to get together with my mom and start filling you in on our progress.

 

The January show was great.  We had a big surprise for everyone… Lisa decided to see how I would do with Ritchie in Schooling Pony 2′6 instead of the 2′ classes.  Boy was that a learning experience.  Ritchie really took good care of me.  We did really well and I got all of my lead changes but I added a stride in one line of each round.  I got a 5th over fences and then we hacked fantastic and ended up with a 2nd in the hack.  I was pretty happy but not quite sure what happened in my over fences classes.  I did not really understand that even though it felt good and looked good I could do poorly if I added a stride.  Lisa explained I really had to pick up the pace and then gave me another cool surprise.  She felt that I had been doing so well that I was a bit to advanced for short stirrup and that is was time for me to move up so she decided to enter me in the Children’s Pony division.  Children’s Pony is still 2′ like short stirrup but it requires me to get the pony hunter pace and strides. 

 

On Saturday we got ready for the Children’s Pony classes and again I had what I “thought” were good rounds.  They felt really good with the same pace all the way around and really straight lines.  When it came time for the ribbons I placed 6th and 7th out of 8.  What happened?  So that night Lisa and my mom really laid it out to me about the strides and how you have got to get the right strides to get ribbons.  They explained that missing the strides is just as bad as missing a lead change and I know that is really bad.  So on Sunday, with a new understanding of my new division, I stepped up my game… guess what… I got all my strides perfect and was smiling the whole way around the ring!  Lisa was right because when it came time for the ribbons we got to jog in 2nd and 3rd.  Oh yeah, in Raleigh the Children’s Pony division jogs.  I had never jogged before.  You are called in the ring and have to run across the ring while making your pony trot.  The judge is looking to make sure your pony is sound and not lame.  It felt really good to jog in the front of the line instead of the back.   Ritchie took 2nd in the under saddle and we left the show feeling like I sure learned a lot. 

 

After the show was over I got to hang out with my friend Carly.  She is really fun and I like to look for her when we get to the show.  She rides a small pony named Willie and they do the small pony division.

 

Carly, me, and the doggies

Once the show weekend was over it was back to practicing.  Here in North Carolina we have been getting a lot of rainy weather and just when I was ready to get back to riding 5-6 days a week the rain set in.  I went an entire week with only one ride.  That was when my mom and Lisa made a decision.  It was time to move Ritchie to a barn close to my mom’s job and that has an indoor ring.  I really did not want to move him since I will see less of my friends Alyssa and Alyson at the other barn but I know that in order to keep up I have to ride more.   The new place allows me to ride everyday after school and is only a couple of miles from Lisa so she is able to pick me up and help me get out to ride daily. 

Since the last time I posted I also went to see Harold at Solo Show Stables for a lesson.  Harold and Jenn left last week for Florida so I will not see them again until the middle of March.  Harold worked with me on planning out difficult courses and challenged me by asking me to adjust my strides by adding and taking out strides through out a course.  It was pretty tough but Ritchie and I did well.

 

Lisa has been very on top of my riding as well and sees me twice a week to work with me.  One lesson is a flat only and the other is my jumping lesson.  I have been learning so much and can not wait until the next show in two weeks. 

 

I do have some Skittles news as well… Skittles is back in North Carolina!  Holly moved her farm and lost some of her riders.  Since she really did not have anyone to ride him she brought him back home!  I thought I would never see him again when we left South Carolina in September.  I could not wait until we got to the barn that day.  As soon as we pulled in the drive I started to look for him.  Across the field I spotted all that white and asked my dad to stop the car.  I ran through the field as fast as I could.  Skittles looked happy to see me and I hugged him as hard as I could.  But guess what happened while he was gone…. he shrunk!!!  No, not really, but I did grow.  When my mom saw him she said that I would have never made it through this season with him. 

 

My mom and I talked about it and decided that Skittles should just retire from showing.  I won a lot of ribbons with him and learned a lot of things but he is so little and I do not want him going far from me again.  So, my mom found a great home for Skittles right down the road from her job.  He will be living with Autumn and Summer.  They are two little girls who are looking for a little pony to live on their farm that they can play with and take care of.  He will love it and the best part is I will get to see him any time I want. 

 

Well, I think you all are all caught up now.  Don’t forget we will be showing in Raleigh on Feb. 20-22.  I will have a new update and photos then!  Be sure to check back soon!