Ally's Wellpride Journey - 6th installment
HELLO! Well, yesterday was awesome! Ally and I competed at Olney Farm
(Joppa, MD) in the BN division. The big test wasn't the event, it was the fact that she had been in the night before due to rain. I was prepared for a wild ride. What I got was a composed, focused, and patient mare! Who'd a thunk it??! I was already a little nervous about XC because she doesn't have hind shoes and parts of the course resembled
a slip and slide. But, let's start from the beginning.
She cleaned up beautifully and I attribute her coat condition to nothing
but the Fish! BEAUTIFUL! She loaded and munched her hay the whole way.
We got there and unloaded. She just hung out, eating grass and making
sure that no other horse around ate more than she did. Little
competitive that way. We warmed up for dressage (our weak part) and she
was awesome. I had allotted a little extra time due to being in the
night before. Not needed. She settled in nicely, was careful in the
mud (warm-up was in a grass field), and within 30 minutes (usually we
take 40 to relax) we headed off to the indoor for our test. The actual
test wasn't perfect (rain coming down, shadows, etc) but I had her
attention and, although excitable, focus. We won't tell you the score.
At some points our test resembled elephants doing ballet but as the
judge said "there were some nice moments, now start connecting them".
Enough said.
Off to stadium! Slick and quick. She paid attention, when I felt her
looking at something a slight leg on sent her over it. Before the
skittishness would have made us slide to a halt, examine, and possibly
run backwards (yes, even at that point I had hopes of her being an
eventer- I may be clinically crazy). We went clear, fast but clear.
Head over to cross country. This is where I think the Fish in her is
coming out the most. Puddles everywhere and we just pound through them.
She was focused and ready for work. She is definitely getting the hang
of it because now the start box keeper says GO! and Ally is gone-
sometimes forgetting I need to go too! She jumped clean and fast. Her
attention is definitely a million times better and she listens to me
even better WITH a softer bit in her mouth! Once again "Who'd a thunk
it?" I made her trot some of the course as it was slick and not timed
(optimum time was posted though). Our issue now is not focus,
attention, stress or craziness, it is making her understand that optimum
time does not mean how fast you get back to the trailer for the
carrots!!!!
She recovered wonderfully. Within 10-15 minutes of going through the
finish flags I had an untacked, sponged off mare who was breathing
normally and heart rate was good. She was back to being more concerned
about the grass intake. Her personality is so much more mellow and laid
back. The stress of life isn't affecting her like it used too. We are
even trail riding by ourselves! We wouldn't have made it out of the
driveway alone 4 months ago!
On a side note, I also have noticed that when she does get a little cut
or knick, she heals faster. No idea if this is related to the fish but
can't help but think so. If her body is using itself better, why
wouldn't it be. One of the other boarders at my barn is going to be
putting her gelding on the Fish and a client at work who has A circuit
hunters is switching her mare over to it.
Oh, we finished 5th at Olney so I was tickled pink (literally!) with
her!
