July IDS Show

Some photos from our July IDS show.  Red was a superstar!  He was so calm and just took everything in stride.  Love this horse and what he has done for my confidence!

We went to a show!

So we went to the May IDS show - and just schooled.  I didn't think Red was quite ready for the show ring.  And he did super!  We even cantered!

He was perfect - never spooked, never got upset over anything.  I don't know what to do with this horse!  He did stop and stand stock still when they played the national anthem.

I am thinking we will enter a few classes for the July show.  Wish us luck!

So...I bought a Thoroughbred!  We adopted Iced Over from Friends of Ferdinand about 1 month ago.  I sold Fergie to friends of her breeder.  She is living the life with 2 young men riding her, mostly western.  I decided after 3 years that I needed to have fun again on a horse, not constantly be worrying about being dumped.

Iced Over is fantastic!  He is very forward which is a totally new experience for me but will stop politely when asked and tries so hard to do everything I ask.  I have taken him to several outings and he has handled it all beautifully.  I have gotten the chance to ride a few times in our outdoor arena and he was perfect.  No spook!

Will be sharing our adventures - here are some pics to get you started!

Wow - time has flown since I last posted!  Fergie turned 9 in April and we moved up to Training Level to compete this year.  Pics from May 2018 schooling show:

The connection at trot is coming along nicely.  Canter is still a work in progress.  But this mare has a canter/gallop gear!  She is sassy and fun and I am so enjoying her.

Transformation Tuesday

Inspired by the 'before & after' blog posts I have read the past few days!

Fergie - January 2016 Pre-Purchase Ride:

 

Fergie - November 2016  Lesson:

And more:

    February 2016  First Lesson:

November 2016 Lesson:

Hoping to keep the progress going thru the Indiana winter!

Show Catch-Up!

Fergie and I competed 3 shows together this season at Intro Level.

Show #1:  IDS Schooling Show in Edinburgh (July)
Intro A:  disqualified due to fall before test began!
Intro B: 63.125%, 3rd place

   

This was Fergie's first show...ever...and we had no idea how she would handle it.  Schooling Friday evening was interesting - we had little rears for the first time and a very tense, spooky, nervous pony on our hands.  Show day warm up was the same but we headed in to the show ring confident.  While circling the dressage court waiting for the judge to signal our entrance, some spectators began clapping for a competitor finishing up her test in the ring beside us.  Fergie exploded into bronco type bucks - I am told I made it thru 3 bucks and then Fergie's back feet came up over my head and I somersaulted over her head...landing on my head.  My first fall ever.  No pics - sorry!  

One hour later, we entered the ring for Intro test B and made it thru successfully - no one clapped :)

Show #2:  IDS Schooling Show in Noblesville (August)
Intro A: 64.063, 4th place
Intro B: 60.938, 3rd place

 

This show felt very much like the first one - new environment for Fergie and many scary distractions to deal with including almost not making it into the ring for the first test.  We persevered and received many nice comments from the judges.

Show #3:  IDS Championship / Schooling Show in Edinburgh (October)
Intro A: 65.313, 3rd place
Intro B:  62.5, 5th place

 

By this show, I had a better idea of how much time Fergie needed to school - lots more than Riva ever needed!  But my confidence was triple from the previous 2 shows.  We received my first ever '9' for our entry halt for Intro B and our highest score to date of 65% for Intro A.

Looking ahead to 2017 show season, would like to compete in 2 additional shows - April and May shows in Edinburgh.  Aiming for Intro C & Training Level test 1 to start the season.  We are schooling canter transitions and hope to have them show worthy by Spring.  Would also love to attend Forest Hills Farms Dressage Camp again in April!

Castleberry Cobs!  

  Castleberry's Fflying Duchess 'Fergie' & Jen's Castleberry's Contender 'Connor'

Noblesville Show - August 2016

Lesson Photos

Just adding some pics from our lesson last Saturday at FHF.  Alexis took a lesson on Riva - first lesson since dressage camp and since her time off for IRAP therapy on her knee.  JK could see much improvement, so that was encouraging!

Lesson on Fergie started a little rough - she was distracted by where Riva was and what she was doing.  But we got it turned around and worked on straightness, bending, balance in canter.  Went thru our 2 tests for the IDS show this coming weekend - first show for Miss Fergie and I!

 

As always, my husband was driver, groom, photographer - all with a smile!