Cob Jockey

While a ton of photos of 1-1 will wrap up this post below, I only have a few pictures of 1-2 from Harmony because the weather during my test wasn't exactly conducive to photo taking:


This was taken after I had already done my first test.  Most of that fell during my warmup.  Let me tell you, warming up with water dripping down the brim of your helmet in soaking wet clothes is not fun.

It was my first time showing in truly inclement weather, and I was desperate to keep my CWD from getting more wet than it had to.  Yes, I know leather can get wet and be fine, but seriously, I sold half my worldly possessions and rode bareback for 3 months in order to afford this magical piece of French leather.  I can't afford to replace it, so I am going to be stupid particular about taking care of it.

Old photo of the saddle cover in action

So I warmed up in the waterproof rideable CWD saddle cover, and the heavens opened up.  I was soaked through, and the cover was soaked as well, though not slippery at all.  I didn't think there was any way the saddle was dry under what felt like standing water under my butt, but when I pulled the cover off right as I went into the ring, it was dry as could be under there.  So, two thumbs up, CWD!

Such a well-designed object

1-2 was, as it has been most of the year, the second highest 1-2 of the day and maddeningly mediocre from my perspective.  We scored a 66.8%, with a terse judge writing mostly one-word comments that she wanted "more" from everything.

PC: My mom.

The thing is, I agree with her, and I specifically wanted to work on getting him on my aids at this show before championships in two weeks and score the 70% I know we're capable of at home, with my trainer.

This is Connor saying "Why are we doing this...why am I so wet..." PC: My mom

Since he wasn't tired at all after 1-2, I decided on a nice long warmup for 1-1 so I would have all the time in the world to try all the things I knew to get him straight and "switched on" so I could then give this judge "more."

We practice like we show: since there was standing water in the show ring, I made him do that in the warmup too.  Bonus: all the DQ's avoided the standing water like the plague, so we had the area to ourselves. PC: Connor's breeder, Lisa Brezina

Lisa's favorite photo of the day, just as the storm was moving out. PC: Lisa Brezina

Spoiler alert: It did not work.  PC for the rest of the photos in this post to Lisa Brezina, except where noted.



The thing I notice in all of these pictures (and noticed under saddle too, but could not fix) is that his withers are never straight.  He's leaning in the entire thing, which of course means he's both not straight and not on my aids.  And my position is enabling him.  This is not new.  But it's so annoying that I felt it every step of that test and could not fix it.


He still loves the stretchy trot:

 Motorcycling:

We practice in lakes because we show in lakes.  Former eventers FTW.

Good pony.

Bit check is always interesting with this horse, given his phobia of people walking straight up to him, but luckily he didn't take offense to this older gentleman.


I was pretty down after that test.  I knew I didn't get done what I wanted to get done, I knew it wasn't as good as it could be, I knew it was the fault of my poor position, and seeing the pictures that confirmed it made me sad.  I was grateful for them, this is where we are, but at the same time, I felt like a terrible rider for not being able to get my position sorted out enough or warm my horse up well enough to get him on my aids.  The score wasn't bad, 65% and 3rd of 3, but I was beating myself up over it.

FBR was supposed to be painting fence at the barn that day, but due to the rain, she got to come watch!

But not the pony.  He was a good boy.  What a trooper!

Being majestic between classes. PC: My mom