Cob Jockey

Connor has this problem where once we do XC ("WHEE, FUN!") the Dressage rides immediately following go from bad (Tuesday on my own this week), to okay (trainer ride on Wednesday), to 'robot horse will obey but not really be interested in your reindeer games' (my lesson last night).

This beautiful example of bad riding and a checked out horse is from two years ago.

He'll get over it, I just have to get him interested in Dressage again.  Quickly.  He was heavy last night, (Dressage ride, my choice.  I purposely came out in Dressage tack so she didn't even have the option of popping us over a fence.)  She's going to put a light trainer ride on him in the field to work on the heaviness this morning, since that made a huge difference two weeks ago, and then haul him to the HHP, where I'll meet them after work.

More of this, less of that.

I'm not too worried - he brings his A game to shows by virtue of being A) amped up and B) overwhelmed by stimuli, which makes him tune more in to me.  It's the opposite of what you'd expect him to do at a show, but gift horses, etc.

So, ride at the HHP tonight, then I will do all of the trimming and tail bathing I completely forgot to do earlier this week for some reason (the more I show, the less I freak out about showing, which in some ways is not good), then walk my XC course, then clean two sets of tack, then find all of my show clothes (please be clean and not in a ball at the bottom of my garment bag...) and get some sleep before 8:00am Dressage and 3:58pm XC on Saturday, and TBD Show Jumping on Sunday.  Here we go!