Sunday, April 15, 2012

Dressage Show Rain-OUT

After my Kansas Work Trip mid-week, I was primed to work Splash Friday afternoon in preparation for the Rocking C Schooling show scheduled for Saturday.  I waited until the girls got finished with afternoon track so that we could ride together.  But then, a storm blew up in Claremore and it was raining by the time the girls got home.  Fooey.  I got Splash and saddled him up anyway but the girls vegged out watching TV inside.

With water pouring off my helmet and into Splash's eyes, we worked on canter departs and walk/walk transitions using the twisted wire snaffle.  Good News!  No dust in the arena!

Splash was a pretty good boy so we went to the trailer to un-tack.  Splash was SOAKED and so was I, but it was warmish so I decided a bath was in order.  Then, I gave Pico an iodine/vinegar bath for his blotchy hair coat.  By then it was dark so Sunny escaped water torture.  THEN..... the show was cancelled because of rain.

We received two waves of heavy rain in the early hours both Saturday and Sunday morning.  The Wild O Ranch arena was sloppy so no riding here.  I met my horsey friends for lunch on Saturday and took Splash with Sunny and Alaina to DiAmico Performance Horses' indoor arena and worked Splash while Alaina had a western/trail lesson Sunday afternoon.

Alaina worked Sunny on neck reining in small circles and on a head lowering cue.  Hard work for Alaina but Sunny never broke a sweat.  Splash and I worked on canter departs (all correct) and walk/walk transitions.  Splash is making very slow progress resisting the urge to jig when I collect at the walk.  While walking, I release and collect the reins and if Splash jigs, we back 10 feet as fast a possible (not all that fast since Splash is a Slug).  Square halts also need work - any suggestions for training good halts?

So, this week I will be able to join the YaYa Sisters at Rita's on Wednesday and the girls have a ride night on Thursday as well as a 4-H show next Sunday.  But the fly in my ointment is the state 4-H Horse Judging contest on Saturday so no riding for me next weekend. 

At least we have April Flowers from April Showers. 

No Rain - No Rainbow.

YaYa!

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