All in a days work.

The last thirty six hours have been a bit of a whirlwind.  After a midterm, handing in a 24 page paper, and a nine hour drive to Galway, I finally settled into the covers at 1am.  Needless to say, I was exhausted, but that didn't seem to calm my nerves.  I woke up bright and early at 6:15am and am just now feeling tired from the day's never yielding work.  After in barns and meeting a horse Ginger was broke with in Ireland and now is now competing with in the CIC** (strange kawinkadink), I finally rode her.  She felt great, to say the least.  Her gaits seemed so fluid and her lateral work was all just right.  Wow, it made me so excited for tomorrow; I am such a lucky girl to ride such a fantastic horse.  After the short ride with Derek diGrazia, my coach, I walked my horse back to the barn and braided her for the jog.  Jogging for an FEI event is a surprisingly nerving event.  The pressure and the tenseness in the air makes you question the soundness of every horse on the grounds.  But, despite my nerves, Ginger trotted sound and was accepted for the event, even without leaving any slobber stains on my white sweater.  Next and the last major event for the day, I walked the CIC** course with Derek and fellow Stillwater Farm riders.  The two star course looks exactly within Ginger and my capabilities, but it will be a challenge nonetheless.  A tricky water combination with four jumps lined up, a large drop to a corner, and a up bank then drop and to a chevron all keep running through my mind.  The water complex will definitely be the most complex we've done (I'll try and upload pictures tomorrow night) with a drop, three strides to a fish jump in the water, a bending four to an up bank, one stride to a heavily angled brush.  Glad we practiced so many gymnastics.  I feel excited, anxious and ready to show all the practice Ginger and I have been doing to prepare for this show tomorrow.  With that it is 9:31pm and the senseable side of me says, "Go to bed."  More to come tomorrow.  We will compete at 8:47am for dressage and 3:15pm for show jumping.  Follow us online at http://eventingscores.com/eventsr/galway/ht0411/ in the CIC** category.  Thanks for following.
Until next time,
Ginger and Lauren
PS The pictures below are from the jogs today.