Suzie's Journal

I have to say, Ed is just blowing my mind lately. I believe I mentioned in the last post how I would be riding him for 1.5-2 hours a day just because it would take upwards of an hour to get him to settle enough that I could actually school him effectively. My trainer thought it was just because he was feeling so good since he was so fit. She had seen it in other horses that do eventually settle into their new job. Well, she was right.

Ed is now my dressage super star. Now, straight...

SuZQuzie

This weekend I'm going up to Twin Rivers Ranch for a Cross Training Derby with Eddie. He has been a bit of a pistol lately (yesterday I rode him for a solid two hours and he was still ready for more), but he was alot better today. It's mostly transitions - he will just resist threw them sometimes. Though his stretchy trot and free walk are doing ton better.

I had my first dressage lesson on Penny today. She was surprisingly really, really good for being my crazy hot Thoroughbred...

SuZQuzie

A week after the event I can finally write about it. Sorry to all those that we waiting patiently.

Dressage went okay... Ed was pretty darn fresh. If it wasn't 112*F+, I would have lunged him for sure, but I didn't want to tucker him out too much before even starting the event. I definitely learned my lesson: lunge before EVERY dressage round. We ended up with a 42 which I don't think is bad for a first dressage test ever on a jumper, but I feel that we could have done alot better....

SuZQuzie

Everyone is happy and fed here in Solvang, CA. Eddie is doing just fine with the heat so far, despite it being 105*F for the drive up and at the event grounds. He looks so snazzy with his mane all braided and no more whiskers.

Tomorrow morning I have to get up nice and event to feed, muck, and bathe Ed before our dressage test at 10:36am. I feel really good about it, though I think I'll go memorize it some more.

Wish me luck!

SuZQuzie

Learning how to be an eventer in 6 days is tough work. My trainer and I went down to Galway Downs to school Ed. Man, was he good. I definitely felt the mental "oh dear, these jumps are solid, I must be super duper extraordinarily precise or else Ed and I are going to have a rotational fall - I've seen the pictures!" But, after a while, I realize picking and picking to a distance was extremely counter productive and I started to ride like a cross country course should be ridden....

SuZQuzie