Wolfie Goes to Sleep Away Camp!

We just finished our first 2 day show. This was a near by one in Plantation FL as practice for a circuit starting in Palm Beach in April. We shipped in Friday night and got in a good schooling in a new ring for us….. The event had sold out stalls and tent was brought in for temporary stalls ! He did not spook at all at the tent. I estimate there were about 140 or so horses there.

Wolfie settled very quickly and we went into the larger arena and schooled over some fences. I did not want to poop him out but I wanted him to be settled. Due to work circumstances (dang that day job!) we did not get a ride in on Thursday nor Friday till we arrived at the show. There also is no turnout at the show and I knew that would make him a bit antsy as he is used to quite a bit.

Saturday we did the 2’6″ Child / Adult Amateur hunters …. a warm up, 2 over fences classes and a flat. There were a lot of people in the division… and I was pleased that we got a second in one OF class and a 6th out of 12 on the flat. We would have placed better but the ring had gotten flooded and this big Percheron came flying up behind him splashing all the way and he scooted a little.

He did not like the water at the show grounds so I brought him about 8 gallons from the home supply on Sat AM which he drank during the day…… and I went back and brought him more around 7PM. I was concerned that he was not drinking enough and did not want him to get dehydrated…. It is warming up here – mid-80s and very dry…..He drank his home water with relish so I brought him more on Sunday.

Today (Sunday) we did basically the same set of classes – but both of us were tired. We placed 6th again in one OF class, 3rd in the US (again about 12 in there) and …. on a lark I went into the flat equitation class to give him more flat class experience since we need more seasoning there and we won! I will not tell you how long it has been since I did an equitation class….!

For the US class we had to be in a light hunter frame…. moving long and low…. and the way the show runs these two classes follow each other so after the US you take the rail for the start of the Eq. He went right into a frame gave me a really nice sit trot and very clean transitions all around. There was a trot to canter and canter to trot thrown in along with the sit trot.

My trainer was pleased as was I…..

My plans for the circuit in PB is to do an 2’6″ Adult Amateur Hunter division on Saturday and the Adult Amateur Eq division on Sunday. It will be 3-4 classes each day. I know he can do higher but as we have pushed a little this year to get to this level I want to give us time to get perfect before we move up any further. He is doing 2’9 – 3′ at home. If he gets blasé about the 2’6 I may have to reconsider so we’ll see.

Of course I was certain he was exhausted today…. and I felt a little bad that we had worked him so hard… so I got him home and turned him out… he did a very relaxed roll….. got up and did a victory lap at a slow canter around the pasture before he settled into grazing!

Now the only bad news here is that Josh was in GA doing the National Auto Cross event so I have no pictures to send!

Next show is first weekend in April…. hope we get some good photos there for a better update.
My best to all …

Laurie