Thank you Emily for keeping tabs on me.

Today went well. It could have gone better, but I did finish () so I'm not allowed to complain.

I'll describe the course fairly quickly so that when I'm talking about things people aren't utterly confused.

Course:
#1: Log with hay bales underneath on flat.
#2: Curve to log pile with flowers.
#3: Uphill slightly to palisade on the hillside, then downhill.
#4: Skinny hay bale on the downhill.
#5: Log jump with rock garden in front.
#6abc: House 2.5 strides to coffin 2.5 strides to brick jump on the uphill.
#7: Raised barrels with a bending 8 strides to...
#8ab: Another raised barrel, then 3.5 strides to a moderate drop into water.
Gallop into a field, then downhill, then back up to...
#9ab: A small upbank bending in 2 strides to a small raised log on the uphill.
#10: Bold to a big trakehner. (There was a photographer there. *hint*)
#11: Easy gallop to a small fan.
Big gallop on the flat to...
#12: A big coop on a 30 degree downhill with a relatively sharp turn afterwards.
Big, long gallop on the flat to...
#13: A big table.
Up and out of the field, with a shallow downhill to...
#14: A small log into water bending to 3.5 strides to...
#15: Another small log of out water.
#16: Around a bend to a triangle jump (what's that called?) on a hill. Only one flat stride in front and same behind.
#17: Relax to an easy logpile on a slight uphill.
#18: Bending to a coop.
FINISH

Time Allowed: 5:11
Pace: 420 mpm
22 efforts

Ed was a bit strong in the warm-up arena, but both my trainer and I knew he would settle when he was out on the course by himself. But...

we were wrong.

He was walking fine on a loose rein as we waited for our start. I picked up my reins at 30 seconds. I tested my breaks (asked him to halt) and he was good. He responded well as I moved him right and left off my legs.

At 10 seconds, we were nearly at the box. At 3 we will in the box waiting to go when Ed started jigging. HUH? He has only done this once before and, that time, I asked him just to trot out of the box and then asked for the canter. At "go," we were off and my breaks were left somewhere back near the start box.

He got a little lookie at #1 but didn't back off as much as he should of. At #2 he was better, but still a bit quicker than the 400 mpm pace I wanted. In between #2 and #3 I kept my body up instead of allowing him like I had anticipated I would need to at this point. We got close again to the palisade.

At the hay bales, #4, he was a bit wiggly to the left, but he went over once he understood. The logs with the rock garden, #5, he was a bit close, but it had a far groundline so we were fine.

Then was the coffin which he does not like here (fine at Twin and Galway). He wanted to drive to the left, but I had my whip there and tapped him on his shoulder and he was good through it.

We were way too quick to the first log, so I really whoa-ed him to the next (counted 9 strides instead of 8). Then the water. Even being right there with my whip, he stopped. I circled at the trot and trotted him in and he was hesitant, though agreeable. He leaped into the water more so than I would have liked, but we were fine.

I allowed him down the hill to rebalance himself and he was good to the upbank bending in two to the log, #9.

He got a little strong and to the base at the big trakehner, but it felt like a good jump. This is the point where he finally began to settle into himself. My arms were glad.

He was good to the fan and we jumped it right out of stride. Then I allowed him to open up finally and he came back well to the big coop on the downhill. On the big long gallop, I allowed him (notice I'm saying allow not push?) to open up. He didn't come back as easily as he should of so I had to half-halt like mad (as in leaning back) to get where I wanted. He gave me a lovely jump over the table.

Another allowance up the hill, rebalance to the second water. I gave him a larger straight away than the track allowed for so he could get a good look at it. He was wiggly, but I really sat into him and tapped him on the shoulder with my whip and he went in, though it was pretty. Out and over the second water was fine.

The last three jumps were all great and then we proceeded to hand gallop across the finish. He was a bit tricky to pull up all the way, but he did.

Overall, I'm super proud of him. I'm realizing he knows what dressage day is and what cross country is. His enthusiasm for XC is rather surprising, though understandable.

I made time with a 5:08. I'm down to 10th now out of 16, but whatever. I'm so happy that Ed loves this new sport as much as I do. I just hope he can put on his show jumping hat on tonight so that he's ready for tomorrow.