Still it was a day on my horse and what could you do but laugh. He couldn't toss me or persuade me to give-up so his creative juices really got going and we put in an interesting performance to say the least.
The real last show of the year I planned to miss due to a conflict, until it was rained out and postponed. I decided to enter Bandon to jump and the very next day in practice we had a wreck. Heading to an oxer Bandon's front legs didn't clear the second pole and it fell perfectly in our landing path. As one of his front feet came down on the pole, he went down and my boot grazed the ground. He recovered and seemed no worse for the wear. We set poles went back and jumped it again before either of us could come up with a good reason not to.
Two days later, he refused every jump. Timid and not acting himself at all, I checked him again for soundess and came back with no reason for it, he'd just lost his wings.
At the show, I entered low rails first hoping to find his confidence. He came in the arena timid and slow. Each round he improved until the very last course he was driving full speed even at the panel.
We placed in every jumping class and won the Equitation medal. I came home with a better horse than I'd hauled in.
But even that wasn't my favorite part.
Leaning against him as he grazed by my side while high jumpers tore around the ring full speed, sitting on him with a totally slack rein while he rattled his nose at a pony dressed like a reindeer, leaving the ring from each round on a loose rein with a supple back, those are the things made my year.
10 months ago I'd left this show site with two broken halters, a busted rope, rope burned hands and blistered feet, both of us soaked with sweat and exhausted from the ordeal just to "be on site", I'm pretty sure I cried most of the way home and told a close friend I was a class A fool to think I could pull this off. He had big spooks and blow-ups if he saw another horse doing anything more than walking, never standing still he circled with endless pacing, and my personal favorite rearing in-hand. With all of it he made me better and I did the same for him.
We came from there to now and we're going to do a hell of a lot more. Watch and see, Conyers we're coming back in 2015...
Thank you, those that follow this blog and friends in general, for all your support this year. You've seen me through the rants, deaths, births, and successes over the years. The letters I get from you all drive me when I lose heart. I hope you tear into your own 2015 for all it's worth.
1 comment:
Is this out at Rivermont Farm? It's such a gorgeous farm and the shows are wonderful.
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