Again, I have been slacking on getting things written down. Nothing since December is no bueno.
First update: Thermal. Went down there for Week 3, riding a borrowed horse whose owner rode him Week 2. Super awesome 6 yo named Sitation who at such a young age is already a total packer. Well, maybe not a total packer but he is getting close. He saved my butt a couple times, and is as honest as the day is long. We showed in the low adult/child modified division, which is 2'11" (.90). Thermal sets a HARD 2'11" though and when I first got there, I thought the height looked huge. However, by the end of the week I felt like if I had been there another week, I would have been fine bumping up to 3'1" (.95).
The gist of the show was this: Biggest show I have ever been to in my life in terms of sheer number of riders (at least 35 in every class), jumps, and actual showgrounds. Thermal is SO spread out-if you don't have a golf cart, bike, etc you are going to get really tired just hoofing it (heh) around on. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I am so grateful that I got to go. That being said...I don't plan on doing it again anytime soon. It was just way above me in terms of competitiveness and while I definitely feel prepared to do local shows here (and do well) it was just a bit much for me down there. After all, I don't have my own horse, I have only been riding 3 times a week on mainly a hunter type ride and my fitness is generally sucking. I think maybe I wasn't really prepared for just how many people were going to be there and how tough it was going to be. Basically, I think my money is better spent at local shows (based on my current skill level and situation), since what I paid for Thermal equals two full weeks of showing here. Its possible I will want to go back at some point when I have a different horse, but for right now I am perfectly happy being a spectator there next year!
BUT...on a more positive note, I didn't forget any of my courses and actually put in some really decent rides that I am happy with at a height that is pretty much considered a "move up" for me. After all, I've only shown around the 3' level on William, the big grey ISH. So I'm happy with the way things turned out on the riding front.
More updates: Arwen is getting REAAAAAALLLY close to her due date now! 340 days puts her around June 1, so at the 300 day mark when we have to start watching will be end of April. Holy cow! That is like a month away. Time has gone by really fast. She is starting to look very pregnant too. I've also started looking closer at stallions to use for her next one and even though I said no frozen...I think we're going to go with another frozen one. Only because she did end up catching and the vet now knows what he needs to do to get her pregnant (oxytocin protocol!). So hopefully this time around she catches the first time.
Anyway, the stallion we're 99% sure we're going with is Con Capilot. He's a lovely young stallion that I see quite frequently at the big shows and has been coming a long super nicely. Jumps in great form, and is also clean and fast. His rider has been having some pretty good successes on him this last year, and he does have some young-ish offspring on the ground who look like they have a lot of potential. Not to mention his bloodlines should match up with Arwen's really nicely (he is Contender-Pilot, with Ramiro a couple generations, all lines that are supposed to produce super jumpers with good personalities/brains in combination with her Alme blood), and he has great conformation that I think will compliment her as well. He is dark bay with a lot of chrome, so I imagine it would be a bay baby as well (like her current one will probably be). The breeders also say he passes on the chrome, so I hope it will be something flashy! (although healthy is first and foremost)
No comments:
Post a Comment