Moon and I have a new best dressage score. At our last show we received a 25.

Several people commented to me afterwards how happy and relaxed Moon looked during our test. We then had a clean stadium and were feeling really good.

Cross country is always the challenge, and Moon stopped twice. So, we finished the show in 4th, but felt really good about the show. Our next show is this coming weekend, and I can't wait.

This week I have to pull Moon's mane, which isn't his favorite thing. We've been having great lessons, and the weather is perfect, not too hot yet. He moved to a new stall at the barn, with his own run, and still gets turned out into the large pasture for about half the day. He seems like a happy horse, which makes me a happy person!

Do any of you ever sleep in your trailers? And when I say that, I'm not talking about sleeping in the living quarters. I'm talking about sleeping in the back....

We have shows coming up, and our trainer has suggested we sleep in the back. Sure, it's pretty clean, we try to keep it as clean as possible. And there are shower facilities at the show. I've slept lots of places, and I'm trying to have an open mind, but I think I'd prefer just to bring my tent and sleep on the grass!

Or, maybe if I'm really, really lucky, PaPu, (my grandpa) will bring his camper trailer. He said he would consider it for a hug. Done!

Last weekend Moon and I went to a schooling show about an hour away. It was a great facility. They had a cross county course that we schooled when we got there, and then they did jumper rounds.

It was the perfect day for the horse show, about 75 degrees, with a little breeze. Moon and I jumped clean both rounds, and in the jump off. In the first round the first place guy beat us by 1 second!

Moon was so good and seemed to be having a great time! We have another schooling show this weekend. If Moon keeps jumping like he is we are going to have our best summer ever!

Saturday Moon and I had our first show of the season. We were on the road early and got to the show right on time. It was a little chilly, but at least it wasn't snowing!

After getting there pretty early we found out that our dressage ride time wasn't until 1:42. So, we had a little time to kill. I helped set up the jumping course and checked out the puppies someone had brought to the show to sell. (No, we didn't buy one, as cute as they were!)

We finally tacked up, and Moon was a little energetic after waiting around all morning, and stepped on my foot pretty hard. It took a couple of minutes of recovery after that before I could make myself put on my show boots. Anyway, we ended up with a score of 31 in dressage, it was our best test ever.
(My trainer told me I was allowed to gloat over the dressage test, so I guess in a way that's what I'm doing here!)

Jumping went pretty well, and despite having the best dressage score we dropped a few places and got fourth place overall. I was really proud of Moon, especially his dressage effort!

We had been in a dressage clinic the day before, and I think it really helped both of us.

Our next show is in June. I feel like we're off to a great start for the year!

Oh, and by the way, thank you richard, for buying the saddle. Happy riding!

So, here are the details about the show. Moon's dressage was the best he has ever done. All the dressage work has paid off. During our test there was some sort of weird parachute thing with a motor attached to it flying overhead. It made a lot of noise but Moon wasn't scared or distracted by it. The dressage was the best part of the show.

It was a really hot day, and as I tacked up for stadium I couldn't believe how hot it was getting. When we started our warm up Moon was bucking after every jump. I guess he wasn't in the mood for stadium, or was maybe just a little full of himself. Kestas helped me warm up, but Moon was having one of his moments, if he didn't buck after a warm up jump he took off. Our stadium was just ok. At least Moon didn't buck during it, but he did knock some rails and had one stop.

The next day was x-country. Moon usually loves x-country, and it's my favorite too. Again, it was really hot, almost too hot to be out on the course. We had four stops throughout the course. After we had finished the TB judge came over to me and told me that we had been eliminated. I guess the new rules this year only allow you four stops, not five. So, all in all it was a good show just for the experience we got. A lot of girls from our barn were eliminated for various reasons, but a couple of them did well and placed.

So, we're back, and I'm proud of Moon. On to the next show! (I'll post some show pictures when I get them.)

We got back from Rolex FEI World Cup last night. It was in Las Vegas. While we were there, we saw three events, two jumping and one freestyle dressage. All of the riders were amazing. The jumps were so big. Some of them were over the riders heads but, most of them were up to their necks. The horses were all amazing and pretty.

The first event we saw was Saturday afternoon. We saw 26 riders in that event. They opened the event with a Liberace impersonater. Let's just say we were happy when his performance was over so we could get to the horses! The course was extremley challenging and had many tight, fast, and tricky turns. Most of the jumps looked scary. During this event, one person fell off after a refusal.

After the main competition they had a contest between the Americans and the Europeans, (the hunters and the jumpers.) Each team had four riders and they dropped the lowest scores. It was meant to be fun and there were some funny moments. One rider forgot the course, and they played funny little music clips to accentuate what the horses were doing. Some of the riders rode pretty green horses for that event, which made it interesting.

Later that night, my friend and I saw freestyle dressage. The stadium where they held the event was packed. All of the riders had great rides and the horses were really amazing. They made everything look really easy.

The next day, we saw another jumping event. This time, the course was even more challenging and, the jumps looked even bigger. During the event, one rider fell off and there were about five refusals. The rider who fell off shocked everyone. Her horse landed a little rough after one jump and as she made her turn she went off. That surprised all of us.

It was a great event to see. The riders and horses were all so good. It made me want to get on Moon and do some jumping!

We also saw some of the sites in Vegas, but the World Cup was far more interesting than anything Vegas has to offer!

This event will be broadcast on Animal Planet on Saturday, May 12th. It's definately worth watching.

It's official. My birthday is coming up and we are going to the Rolex FEI World Cup Finals! I'm so excited! I've been dreaming of seeing this event for a long time!

Saturday was my first show this year. We got up early and traveled about an hour to the show. When we got there we unloaded and started tacking up. I was one of the first riders, so I did a warm up with my trainer.

Moon was so good. We did three classes, and got a second place, a first place and a third place, (in that order.)

It was a beautiful day, and all of us had a great show. Here are a few photos. I'll also post the show photographer's shots when I get them later this week.

Before the show Moon and I talked over our strategy. I guess it worked. He was really in the mood to jump!

We jumped all three rounds clean, and also went clean in the jump offs.

Right before the last round, we didn't have the best warm up, and I was a little worried about what he might do in the third round. But he was really good. I think he liked winning those ribbons.

Cool Slideshows

This weekend is the first show of the year. (It's actually a schooling show.) I hope Moon is ready, because I know I am!

To get ready I'm going to give Moon a bath tomorrow, bleach his boots, and pack my stuff in the trailer. I also have to clean my saddle.

Everyone wants to go to the first schooling show of the year because it's a good show to renew your skills. Everyone wanted to go but there wasn't enough room in the trailer, so I'm happy I'm going.

Tonight when I was taking these pictures Moon and I talked through our show strategy. I can't reveal it, because it's bad luck. I'll let you know if it works!

Although it's only a schooling show I'm still nervous. But I know Moon will be my little perfect angel.

Believe it or not I just barely got the pictures from my last show.

I guess I've learned a lot from each show I've been to. This show (Galway) was a little rough. When we got there and I unwrapped Moon he had a small cut in his leg. He was just a little bit off, his cut was obviously bothering him. Luckily the next day he was much better, but he just didn't seem like himself. He was tired and didn't have a lot of energy.

The second day we were there it was the day of the dressage tests. Moon was really good and did well in the test. Stadium was later that day. It was really rough. My pad slipped and was too far back. Moon just didn't seem up for stadium. He had no energy at all. I got two refusals, which is pretty unusual for Moon.

The third day was cross country, (Moon's favorite.) Something terrible happened that day on the cross country course. A competitor was killed when her horse flipped over a jump and landed on her. When we heard the news we were all shocked and so, so sad. Unfortunately I heard the news before I had to ride that day, and all of us who still had to ride where really nervous. Moon was perfect and we had no refusals--he got me through that hard day.

Anyone who has ever had to put on show boots and take them off knows it's not a pleasant experience.

Trying to pull them off yourself is impossible, and trying to get them on is also impossible, so I've devoloped an expert technique.

Actually, my friend taught it to me, and it sounds weird, but it really works.

Start by taking two plastic grocery bags and putting them over your zocks (thin riding socks).

It will feel like there's way too much plastic around your foot to ever fit in your boot, but believe me, using the bags is the trick.

All you have to do after wrapping the bags around each foot is stick your foot in the boot and pull. You don't even need boot pulls. Then, you just grab part of the plastic and pull it out.

When it's time to take your boots off just pull really hard, and if that doesn't work have people who like you around to pull them off for you.