Well, 3 day ranch was a productive show. Overall I thought it was a great confidence booster and I am so thankful to have attended this show before making the way down to Galway Downs Three Day Event next weekend.
I was lucky enough to get a ride down to 3 Day Ranch with a friend Jennifer on Thursday night. After pulling a restless horse off the trailer and putting her away for the night. I woke up on Friday morning to take Ginger out twice, once to get out the jitters and tightness from the 9 hours of traveling from the day before and the last for our dressage test. Before I could even get Ginger out of her stall, she escaped and continued to parade around the barn passaging, snorting, and kicking out at me as I was chasing her around the barn to catch her. Wild thing she was I figured I should get on and get all this out to try and stop a potential explosion during our dressage test. She was great to ride and I felt ready for our dressage test. We later competed and finished fourth in our division on a 32.8 only 0.8 behind the leader. I tried more than anything to get a relaxed test, which I believe we accomplished.
The next day was cross country. Fearing rainfall, I got on a little too early and it was probably a good thing considering I nearly had an unplanned dismount when Ginger spun out from underneath of me when a horse came at us head on in the warm up. After riding out the Ginger's jitters, mine set in. I knew I needed a clean round considering we had a tough go at Twin Rivers a couple weeks ago. I head out on course riding each fence for what it was and getting her to the next. It was not an easy course to say the least. As one of the last horses on course, I got some deeper footing than I expected and had to go a bit slower than I intended and had to swallow some time penalties by allowing Ginger to add some strides in the combinations, but sure enough we came out clean. That was all I wanted and after catching my breath I felt relief and happy. Gosh what an exciting sport.
Stadium jumping was on Sunday and I must say this has become one of my favorite and best phases for Ginger and I. After losing a CCI*, a little of a year ago because of my show jumping, I have really worked on this phase and I can truly say I really enjoy this phase. True to our practice, Ginger jumped a double clean round and I had so much fun. We finished fifth for the weekend, and I couldn't feel more prepared for the CIC** next weekend.
Next weekend is the Galway Downs Three Day Event, an international competition in Temecula, California. This will be my first two star, the biggest event I have yet to compete in, and also the first international event I will ride in representing Puerto Rico. Today Ginger and I galloped, our second to last gallop before we head down to Temecula. I had to hold Ginger back. At the last set, I thought she would be begging to stop, but before I knew it she pulled the reins out of my hands, pricked her ears to the top of the hill, and she took off. She feels great and despite all the rain the footing was good. We are buckling down the next few days and focusing for the show. I want all my practice to pay off, ride my heart out, and do my very best next weekend.
Until then, thanks for reading!
PS For pictures from 3 Day Ranch, click on the following link.
https://www.capturedmomentphoto.com/cgi-bin/store/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Equestrian/Horse_Trials_Combined_Training/3_Day_Ranch_(Hemet,CA)/2011_March/Ballingowan_Ginger_(23)
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