I am a terrible blogger....I know! I'm sorry but I have been soooo busy! I know, I know SHOCKER! Forgive me please. :) Also sorry if this post is a little jumbled as I go back in forth with Riley and May and explain how they did.
The race went.....ok. It is not my favorite arena by far. For some reason it has always been a 'bad luck' arena for me and my horses and as I learned at the race, a lot of people said the same. Interesting....
Its a nice facility and I have no complaints about that but for some reason Riley doesn't like it. Maybe its my mind set? Going into it thinking its bad luck is causing bad luck? Who knows! Either way on Saturday my run with Riley was terrible. It wasn't his fault. He went in and tried hard like he always does but I screwed him up on second. As we were coming off the second barrel I shifted my wight a little to far to the outside(as I figured out later) and Riley followed. He jumped off the barrel a couple feet before I finally got him straight and we headed for third. I was so shocked that I even said "Riley..!" when he did it. We ended up running a 17.4 and we were out of the money and the rest of the night I questioned myself. Coach told me it was fine, just to let it go and get my head back in the game for my run on May but I couldn't. I kept asking if it was because I had shifted my weight or had he spooked at something or just jumped off the barrel or was he trying to go out the chute or back to first?! Ten thousand questions flew through my head and by the end of the night I had a headache. I was so proud of Riley for going in and trying but so peeved at myself. Its kind of funny how I always tell the kids I help if they have a bad run not to worry! It's just one run and their next one will be better. Stuff happens. People make mistakes and horses will be horses. However I can never apply this to myself. I'm not sure why but like some people are I am VERY hard on myself when I screw up at a competition. I was sooo bothered that I couldn't get to sleep that night and than woke up at three in the morning nervous as hell and couldn't go back to sleep. I was also worried Riley was hurting and maybe that was his way of saying so? Can you tell I over analyze stuff just a little?! lol
My run that night on May was good. She went in like a champ and ran a 16.7 and placed! Pretty good for her. As I have said before she is still kind of new on the pattern and especially with competing and not near as seasoned so I'm very impressed with how far she has come in such a short period of time. In a little over a year she went from looking like a barrel to running decent, solid, 16s.
I have been continuing to ice her extensor tendon on that one back leg. It hasn't gotten any bigger or smaller and she is still sound as can be. Ive been really sure to wrap her good for our runs and to warm her up and cool her down really well. Ive also been cold hosing after all hard work still. She's been such a sport about it and is by far the best mare I've ever had. I wouldn't mind having a hundred more just like her!
The next day I cleared my mind and put my game face on. Riley came up in the pasture and I could tell he was ready to go. At the show grounds I warmed him up really good and than when I heard my name we headed into the chute. Right away I could tell Riley was on the money. He went into the chute very HOT but controlled. He was really hunting first barrel and when he found it, he locked in and was gone! He executed his ritual little rear and launched. First was flawless and second was....perfect! He cut around it as tight as he could and didn't miss a beat. On third barrel he slipped a little coming in but still managed to clock a 15.9. We placed and I was thrilled! I dismounted and pulled his boots to walk him and hose his legs and saw that he had clipped himself. Probably when he slipped or tripped at third barrel. It wasn't bad but I could see it was tender so I cleaned it really good and put a little medicine on it. I might have to start running him in bell boots if he starts clipping himself. That's the only time he has ever done it. After I cooled him out really good and hosed his legs I left him at the trailer to chill and munch on hay. I also gave him some candy canes for being so good!
May's run on Sunday wasn't as good as Saturday but she still did ok. We went wide into first and ran a 17.3 I think it was? I don't remember but ended up "placing" just out of the 4D and we got a gift bucket! Yay! lol She ran really hard the rest of the pattern. Its strange to me how she is my hotter horse but more controllable in the chute where Riley is my more laid back horse but deff more revved in the chute. He is never out of control but he is so seasoned that when he does his mini rear and launches I just let him rip! I make sure they both get in far enough to let their eyes adjust (outside light, inside arena darker) and than we're off!
All in all it was a pretty good weekend and I cant wait for the race tomorrow at my faaaavorite arena! Ill be sure to post afterwards how we do and I will give an update on Moosey later! Have a good day everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment