Up to Otaki for a ribbon day today. Unfortunately heaps of rain overnight at my place - so the horses were muddy! Tried to give them a bit of a cleanup without hosing too much (too cold) and then set off on our way. Coco was just doing baby classes so I got on her first. She was super timid today - took quite a long time to settle her into her warmup routine, but once we got that sorted she was quite happy. She jumped her first class (50cm) quite cute, but was a little distracted by the people outside the ring.
When we came back for her 60cm class it all fell to pieces a bit. She got a fright from a child biking at her with spokey dokeys on the wheels or something... and then just really lost the plot. She didn't really do anything bad - but it took a kind volunteer to lead her, plus someone behind her, plus a bit of luck to get her past the bike at all. Then when we went in for our round she just really wasn't feeling it at all. I can't complain about the jumping (she does that part great), but it was the 'everything else'. It's a bit of a shame, as she'd been getting braver... but I guess sometimes you take a step backward. At the same time, she got a fright at one point and turned to run and buck, and came back within just a few strides. So there are certainly big improvements - I just have to keep at it.
My 2 'greys' were on after a long (long!) break. I had Xev and Neo both in the 2 last classes in Ring1. I was really pleased with Xev - there were still a few deep spots or missed strides, but overall she is just feeling great again - that abscess is all healed up and the hoof nicely hardened again. So stoked with that.
They both got into the jumpoff for the AM5 class - and Neo won with a nice double clear. No ribbon for Xev as we took the very first rail in the jumpoff by taking it a bit too cheaply. Neo was pulling again, but I managed to do his rounds with the myler on the snaffle ring, so I'm glad about that.
Xev being cute, and Neo with one of his ribbons:
The last class of the day was a TableC, which Neo absolutely tore up - I was stoked with him! Even got a great angle where we approached really only seeing jumpstands (oops), but he is such an honest boy and came home clear and with a time that was about 10 seconds better than the next horse or pony (as they were running over the same track as us). Xev I just took around more sedately (as it was slippery and she doesn't have magic sticky feet like Neo), but I was stoked with how kindly she went, and she came home with 4th place in that class.
Absolutely tired as by the end of the day! Thanks to Swifty for coming out and taking pics, and to Nick for coming down to help me put the horses away and generally ensure I didn't fall asleep before getting back up to the house!
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