Due to horrendously high winds, I didn't make it to the NPS area 26 show. It was just far too windy to tow in. So instead, as a warm up for the season, I attended the Easter Extravaganza at Tall Trees arena in Davidstow.
I was feeling a little shakey about it as I hadn't taken Ruairi showing since last year, apart from the odd show jumping and dressage competition, it was quite a quiet winter for us. Morag came along as well, and I was determined to not let Ruairi have one of his "I'm a stallion (hes not!), let me at my lady friend!" moments....
Usually he doesn't take a huge amount of warming up due to his very laid back personality, but I took a different approach this time and worked him substantially before my first class.
Luckily he didn't buck and fart all the way around the arena, like he did at the start of the season last year. I managed to contain his 'enthusiasm' and got some lovely work out of him. He really kept his sparkle all day for me. Morag as per usual, was good as gold! I had booked two stables for the day and night and there was evening performances later on in the day. I then had a VERY cold sleep in the trailer to contend with.
Morag stood happily in her stable whilst Ruairi was doing his thing, and did a couple of inhand classes coming second in her first class. This little mare is so laid back! I'm really looking forward to backing her.
They both where put through to the evening performances, but I decided to concentrate on Ruairi rather than Morag as she was already falling asleep at the back of her box.
Surprisingly we achieved Novice Ridden Champion. The novice class was intended to be for horses and ponies that hadn't been placed at RIHS, HOYS etc. Dead chuffed with him! He stood up to the job all day and evening and kept his enthusiasm going. He did a fabulous show in the evening performance and just couldn't believe the difference in him since last year. Much stronger and happier :)
It was a really lovely show which was well organised. Hopefully they will continue to do it in the future.
I managed to hit the pillow at 11pm after mucking out, feeding the ponies and eating some really tasteless fish and chips from the chippy in town. Freezing cold night sleep, slept in my clothes and pj's... then onto the Grange in the morning for the NPS area 10 spring show.
My first class was at 8am (yawwwwwwn!). Ruairi went well, a bit of a dodgy canter transition on the left rein but other than that, I was pleased with him. Unfortunately not placed, but we got drowned by the Welsh Cobs (they where lovely!)
This was his first affiliated Open class, so I tried not to feel too disappointed, although difficult on limited sleep! Again, Morag wasn't the judges cup of tea, so we called it a day and took them home for a nice roll and dinner in their fields.
