I'm still exhausted from the combined duties of farmsitting and horse trial yesterday, but I wanted to share our good news!

I've been working so hard to break the 40 barrier on our dressage score, it's been driving me NUTS.  The ring staff messed up my ride time yesterday morning too, so I was really ticked off and flustered and overall did not feel the test went well, too much tension, yuck.  But...we ended up with a 37.5 and we have ridden under this judge before so I was REALLY excited about that!

Stadium started not so great, we jumped THROUGH jump 3, the course was very tough, practically every turn was a rollback and your lines had to be VERY accurate.  I blew the line before 3 and was way too tense, but thank God Solo kept going.  I sat down and rode after that, rest of the course went great (they have very looky jumps there too, lots of designs).

XC of course, was a blast and I made us do all the hard options, including a bank up out of the water, two big ditches, and a drop.  That is our strong point and it was a blast to ride -- I like this farm in that she always makes her courses so you have to MOVE OUT to make the time, I hate trying to hold my horse back all the time, so it was nice and forward and gallopy.

AND WE ENDED UP IN FIRST PLACE IN OUR DIVISION!  We were the only people to go double clear XC and we only had 4 penalties on stadium from my mess-up.  I had to read the score sheet about 8 times before I believed it.  So we got an awesome ribbon and a blue bucket full of goodies!  It's the only blue we've ever won at an actual horse trial, so it was a really big deal for us!

The photographer does not have our pictures up yet, but it looks like she is busy uploading....I am impatient!

Solo Rocks!!  Congratulations!!  let us know when the pics are up.

 Way to go Solo!!  That's fantastic! Looking forward to seeing some pics.

That is so totally awesome :)  Congrats on your first blue ribbon at a big event!! I can't wait to see some pics.

OMG Solo! I am very excited for you both! Congrats!

 Woohoo! Way to go!  Those xc courses look like so much fun, but I sill haven't figured out how you guys are brave enough to do it!  Congrats!

That is just fantastic solo. I know what it's like to accomplish the little things. Take pride in your ribbons and I'm sure that there are to be many, many more now that you have the taste in your mouth.

Thanks everyone!  Next stop:  35.  That's my new score goal.  And the XC course is the best, LEAST scary part, how funny is that?

The photographer has uploaded up to 25 and we were 31, arrrgggggghhhhhh, I have been checking like every five minutes!

 Wahoo! That's awesome! Congratulations!! :) I can't wait to see pictures!!! :)

 CONGRATULATIONS!!

Thanks!

And our pictures are up!

http://www.ponyphotographer.com/view-your-pictures/albums/12724

Go here, click "Events", then click "FenRidge Farm Fall Horse Trials."  Click "View Album" and it will show you a gallery.  From the right hand most dropdown at the top (where it says by default "All Photos") you can select us, #31 and see our pictures. 

Do not ask me what I was doing with my hands in our dressage test.  I did not like that test and it was about 45 degrees, windy, and drizzly (hence my goofy earmuffs) and I was still all ticked about the start time mess up.

 Congrats. Its so exciting to get something for all your hard work. I plan on entering Malibu in a little one day trails november of next year. We will only do the walk/trot division but it's something to set as a goal for her and I. Lovely pictures. You two look like your having a great time.