E started Saturday with the finals in the Sr. Hunter Trail Class. 17 of the original 76 made it to the finals and only 7 completed the course for a placing. This was Hank's first real trail class. They set it up in 1/2 of a small indoor ring making the obstacles very close together adding to the difficulty for a big horse.
It started with walking over poles with other poles crossed on top, then over a bridge.
Then a sharp left turn and stopping with the back feet between 2 close poles and then side passing out to the right while keeping the back feet between the poles.
Trotting over poles with the last one elevated.
Serpentine backing around cones confined between 2 poles. (they started out on this one well but then fell apart 1/2 way through.)
Then from a stop pick up the canter and go across 4 poles in a lane between other poles,
to come to a stop inside a box and do a 360 degree turn without stepping outside the box.
Open and shut the gate now with decorations hanging off of it, and over 2 more poles. E did a great job guiding Hank through the course and Hank did great trying to do everything. They ended up with 6th place. You can tell a good trail horse when you see one.
They had a few bobbles in hunter pleasure 2nd go (wrong lead) and got 10th.
Then the class E was dreading, Equitation. They had to do a pattern that involved 2 diagonal changes, a long sitting trot (Hank's trot is IMPOSSIBLE to sit) cantering around a cone, stopping, 360 turn on the hindquarter and backing. This is judged on the riders seat/hands and leg position and ability to perform the pattern accurately. E did the pattern great but couldn't hid the fact that she has only been doing hunter for 3 days. She had some issues with her hands and of course the
bouncing I mean sitting trot. They did manage to trot away with 8th out of 15.
Not too bad for the last minute substitution. It was so last minute that I didn't even have time to make a new stall sign. Plus, I didn't even have a decent picture of E on Hank.
And E's highest ribbon came in the photography contest, 2nd in the At Liberty category.
Now we can start dreaming about next year.
Update on Pep. She had an abscess finally bust out on her rear hoof. She's getting better now.
6 comments:
Good to hear the abcess popped, they always feel so much better after that. And i think she did a real good job on Hank! Pretty amazing to do that in such a short amount of time.
Very suspenseful telling of the trail class. I was holding my breath and I know you were K. Wow that was rough. E - great job and great adaptability. Excellent showing by both E and Hank with no notice or prep. I like the picture of E with Hank at the stall. 2nd place in the photo contest - nice job.
GREAT pictures! You can see the two of them communicating on the course. Good job to both of them - very few horse and rider teams could achieve what they did in such a short time! :)
It looks like E did a fabulous job on Hank! I know it can be a real challenge to switch horses at the last minute when you work so hard all year on a different one. That's a true testament of her riding ability.
Hank is a really nice horse, they are elegant together!
That looks like a fabulous course, I have never seen trotting poles arranged like that. Something to try out methinks.
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