Cole puts in a great leap at Southern Pines
The winter season has wrapped up here and we're now well and truly in spring! Although it's kind of difficult to tell because my idea of spring is warm weather, occasional rain, lots of flowers, hay fever tablets, lots of grass and the odd baby horse/cow/sheep running around. No such luck so far! It's been cold and WET. I know I mentioned that in my last blog but it was WINTER then!
This is a six lane highway!
My two most recent competitions were at Southern Pines Advanced and The Fork CIC, both in NC. Southern Pines was miserable on all three days with the last day being the worst. It was also the event I do on my way back to Maryland for the summer. So, instead of being able to turn around and head south again, I headed north for my six hour drive home in the pouring rain. At approximately the three hour mark I was well and truly cursing and swearing at the rain for making the going so slow and at the other drivers for their lack of awareness that I had a FULL trailer of horses and two dogs. Not to mention the trailer with the rest of the horses behind and two of my wonderful helpers sandwiched in the car between us. Clearly my cursing and swearing didn't do any good as it started snowing! And I don't mean tiny, pretty flakes. I mean BLIZZARD snow! I stopped cursing and swearing and started praying pretty quickly! The six lane highway immediately became a skating rink and it was impossible to see the lanes. Stopping was not an option so we continued very slowly north. We made it home thankfully and I learnt a very important lesson about cursing and swearing at the rain!
Maybe the weather helped Cole's dressage test
Photo: Eventing Nation
Two weeks later however I forgot my lesson and was once again bemoaning the weather at The Fork. Fortunately I only suffered the rain for my advanced test and I actually think it helped me out quite a lot! It is the first time Cole has scored in the 30's. I'd love to credit my training with such a feat, but I actually think it was the rain that kept his head down!
Liberty at Southern Pines
This event (as well as Southern Pines) is a lead up for the Kentucky 4 star and the tracks are definitely built with that in mind. They are big, technical and require quite forward riding. My horses all jumped around very well and I feel they really gained a lot from each event. Cole added yet another clear show jumping and cross country to his advanced resume and feels really good heading to Jersey Fresh CCI 3 star in May. Liberty feels similarly well and will head either to Jersey with Cole or Bromont a few weeks later.
My next competition Fair Hill CIC this weekend with horses from 1 star to 3 star. I love Fair Hill and compete there several times a year. It reminds me a lot of SIEC.
Photos: Brant Gamma
