Magic Naps

I've just returned from the Pebble Beach Dressage Show, my favorite horse show and favorite event of the summer! This was Willoughby's second show with me and I'm proud to say that it was quite an improvement over our last show in May.
I went down to the show last Wednesday so I could have two days of schooling with Ellen. We competed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. All of our tests went well. We had some baby bobbles in each test, except one, and areas that needed work, but overall the tests were consistently good. We had one fabulous test - one of the best tests I've ever ridden. It was our first level test 4 ride on Friday evening and the whole test was perfect in my book! We rode every single stride together and we're in each other's heads. It was the feeling of being one!! When we finished the trot portion of the test, I thought to myself that I would be so happy with just the trot work if the rest of the test didn't go well. But it kept on going well and by the time we did the last movement and went down centerline, I had a huge smile on my face! And we got a 68% on the test, our highest score yet!

I was also quite proud of the way that he handled himself. It was windy, cold, and foggy, and the arenas were very spooky. He got a little tense at times but he held it together and was very honest! It doesn't get spookier than Pebble Beach!

Pictured is Willoughby taking a magic nap. He took a nap everyday at the show, sometimes two naps! And he would lay all the way down with his head in the shavings, snoring and twitching like a dog sleeping. At first I was worried that he might have a tummy ache but with all the eating, drinking, and defecating, I put that worry to rest and learned that these magic naps were key to his success in the show ring!

Everyone else at the show did really well. Katey A. and Andy placed #1 in the first level stakes class, Katy P. and Wrivet kicked butt as usual, and unfortunately Odie got the flu and ended up scratching her rides. I'm sad that it's over but I'm glad to be out of the cold and foggy weather!