So here we are again, show day. Not quite as early as last time, test is 45 min later! Considering he did not get his morning grass turn out (but had some hay and early breakfast instead), he was very good about spa time and braiding. Uncle Kanje was in the same boat so they probably commiserated together in the trailer.
Getting better at braiding, it was quick today. ALTHOUGH, the tack room would not let me in this morning and since we moved tack rooms not that long ago, I did not know where the key was. We have those code lock things on the tack rooms and they sometimes decide not to work at the worst moments. A fellow boarder, who was working that morning, lent me some elastics so I could at least start braiding and Kanje's mom opened it when she arrived. Crisis averted.
We arrived in good time and I started warming up with Amazing Coach giving me help on the sidelines. Super Husband took some pictures. He might have a future in photography since he seems to take better timed photos than some of the professionals. There have been no professional photographers at our events yet anyways. We are looking forward to when there are as they will probably be a bit clearer than the ones taken with my Iphone.
Mav looks good. I look good. He is reasonably relaxed. Until trailers start arriving and he wanted to watch what was happening. Fortunately, he did not melt-down and he stayed with me.
Into the ring we go. No sunspot issues today!
We had a slight issue at the first canter. There was lots of activity outside and he got very tight, trotted one step then back to canter. I was glad he went without drama since I had to put my leg on strongly! Just a few short months ago that would have led to the back end getting very light indeed.
A few more circles and diagonals, not shown. Then the big finish. Wait for it.... A 20m canter circle and final centerline. Not quite as square at the final halt but we are working on that. We work on a lot of things. Like sitting down, controlling my chicken wing t-rex arms, letting go without riding like a hunter rider, pushing his neck out, getting him off my inside leg, remembering the test, making the circle a circle and not a weird oval, using the corners, getting things done at letters, not forgetting the non-stretchy stretchy trot, walking with purpose, letting go in the walk, half halting enough, forward walk, forward transitions up and down... no wonder I am tired after a test!
I pulled this one from the video. The lighting is cool.
We were thrilled with a 70% score and his first ribbon! Yes, we did actually have competition. Lots of it in fact. We worked for this one.
Super Husband helped get him some water and then nuzzled with him a bit. I should probably be jealous but I am not. It made me happy to see them bonding. Miss H was very very special to him and he grieved deeply alongside me. I think he is starting to enjoy spending time with Mav and seeing him progress in the ring. He is much less pushy than Miss H and he is easier to handle on the ground so Super Husband gets to hold him sometimes even. I can see this becoming a lovely friendship involving one-sided cookie giving and holding for grass.
He returned home for his missed grass turn out and let me know he was both not tired and happy to be out.
At the end of the show they announced the placings. Since it was his first ribbon, and a first, I went back for it. Well worth the drive! He got to pose with it after trying to eat it initially. He is certainly learning to pose, which is good since I take a million pictures. Since I discovered Instagram posting, my photo game needs to be upped. I will never likely emerge as an influencer, but I do like sharing pictures. Too bad I was not using it much in the Miss H days as some of her thousands of photos would have made it there for sure. I will post some of those moving forward.
He did get to eat the cookies that went along with the test, he enjoyed those greatly!
Finally, in case you think we take ourselves too seriously with our fancy ribbons, you may be surprised to learn that we do not. This is fun. I enjoy Mav, I think he enjoys me, and together we will take over the world. One silly fly mask at a time.
