Grazing

It's been really relaxing to slowly unpack this week and swing by to give Ells a good graze here and there. With Kelly at a show Emma has been giving her the training rides and has said she's just been fantastic! It's always nice to hear that the trainers really enjoy riding your horse.

Flat Class Photos from the KMT Show!

More photos from the show this weekend! From our flat classes!

She looks like quite the little devil in her right lead photo- evil!
As I was going through the Google Album Paul put together I came across a throwback- Luke and I showing at Foxton Farms in Indiana back in 2009. Such a sweet guy!

She is quite displeased

My sweet Luke!

Dads Looking Out for Daughters: Barn Drama

I had to laugh a little when my Dad sent a link to a WSJ article about Barn Drama. My coworker's father had sent her the same thing just a few hours earlier which she had shared with the team. Oh Dads.
If you haven't seen it- do read- it's a hoot!

Ellie grazed for a bit last night and then I came home to tackle the final project of the closet unpacking: Boots. I needed two glasses of wine and the second bedroom closet to make them feel remotely organized.

New Halter!

Little Ellie's new halter from Smartpak came yesterday and I couldn't wait to swing out to the barn to try it on. SP was doing one of their % off sales and it was time that Ellie got her own headgear- the Wilbur plate was confusing the new grooms.
It's a little snug. BUT I checked my SP account this morning and it's the same size and leather as the Wilbur halter which fits her perfectly. So I sent a note to the trainer asking her to keep an eye out for rubs and we'll cross our fingers for some quick stretch! Look at those lashes!

Ellie's First Show!

Ellie and I managed to make her show debut between packing and moving. And unpacking. Oh the unpacking.
KMT hosted their first show of the year at home which makes attending a no brainer!

We showed in the crossrail division which consisted of two back to back flat classes (Hunter & Eq) and three crossrail courses (Hunter, Eq, Medal).

With our right lead debacles I was much more nervous for our flat. I had the chance to see Emma schooling Ellie in the morning and she was able to get plenty of right leads. And actually I've figured out where I was going wrong- letting my right leg slide back and push her haunch rather than keeping it at the girth to push her shoulder.
Rather than fight with her in the schooling ring I decided to give my theory a whirl in the show ring and use those flat classes as warm ups.

Despite my new found knowledge we managed to canter past the judge twice on the left lead (but managed to fix- in the first class with a flying change and the second class with a simple). Needless to say- with 7 in the class we didn't get any ribbons in our flatwork.

On to crossrails where she jumped around like a champ! Our first course was going smoothly until the last line- a cantering 3 which we managed to trot in and canter out of in a 3.15- after which I said "whoops" really loudly. That might had played a roll in our fourth place finish.

The last two courses were great (we toned down that line and got a nice 4) and we ended up with second in both!

Super happy with her- she did exactly as I expected her to do- be a pill on the flat but do her job around the courses!
Nice work Ellie!
Note: video of our medal at the bottom!