Show Report: Part 1

This was a FUN show!  

Speedy G was very well behaved.  During both rides he fussed about a few things, but outside of the show ring he was awesome.  That was a good thing since he was NAUGHTY at the Ride-a-Test that we did two weeks ago. My dorky-let-it-all-hang-out-dude was back and just as relaxed as he usually is.  He was so relaxed that even though I had to park like a mile from the show rings, he stood at the trailer all by himself like he LIKED it. Good boy! 

I pulled out of my barn at 6:45 a.m. and pulled into the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center at 8:45.  I might have gotten a wee bit lost at one point.  My first ride was at 10:03 so I was feeling a little bit of pressure to check in, tack up, change, and warm up.  I walked around looking for the show office and when I couldn't find it, I decided I had better get dressed and warmed up and worry about checking in later.

I braided Speedy G's locks and quickly saddled him while he stood there like a pro.  I dressed quickly, but was a bit dismayed at how funky my show boots felt.  Um ... Could it be that I haven't even put them on since early November?  The dressage courts were quite a long hike from the parking area, so I bridled my boy and decided that walking the quarter mile might help my boots loosen up.  Ultimately I warmed them up sufficiently and forgot about them as I rode.  Note to self: put the boots on a little more frequently.

When I finally found the warm up arena, I was spotted quickly by the show manager who called me by name. Wow.  I was rather impressed.  She was uber-friendly and zipped over to the show office in her golf cart to retrieve my number.  She even pinned it to my saddle blanket for me.  Then she looked at my new bridle and told me the caveson needed to be raised.  She then started unbuckling and got to work.  Okey-dokey!  I genuinely wasn't offended.  It's brand new and she's a professional.  Raise it, I say! 

I can't say enough good things about this show.  The arenas were lovely.  The volunteers were extremely friendly.  The grounds were beautiful.  The judge was very encouraging.  The other competitors were very polite.  Speedy G expressed his typical "oh, crap!" about the other horses in the warm up, and THEIR riders apologized for scaring him.  Seriously?  How nice was that?   I am definitely going back for more.  Tomorrow I'll post our score sheets.  Today?  Here are some photos of the grounds.