Cobblestone horse trial update

So, we did it!

Trailered out to friend's barn last night and schooled a little over their x-country course, Joy was terrible, just fizzy, spooky and unfocused, she eventually settled down and was ok but still very looky. I gave her a bath and put her in a pen at the barn for the night. Stayed over at my friend's place, which was fun, she is my eventing fairy godmother and has been amazingly supportive, helpful and kind.

Joy was a pain to load this morning, doing the setting back refusing to go in thing, very frustrating since she had been loading so nicely. But we really haven't trailered much recently so need to work on it again. She got to hang with her boyfriend Baxter (my friend's tall, dark and handsome TB) they are cute together.

My friend dressed me all spiffy for dressage, and made Joy look pretty, I guess even if mare-mare is being a tweak she can look cute!  Joy did better then I expected in dressage for how excited she was, I remembered my test and she listened fairly well, got mostly 5s and a few 6s. Judge said in the comments we are a nice pair but she needs to be more submissive to the bit and relaxed, which is what we have been working on, nice to know I am on the right track. Joy has been schooling really nicely at home so I hope next show she will be a little more relaxed and responsive. Joe surprised me and showed up right before I went in the ring, which was nice and I got some good pictures.

We had a big break between dressage and cross country so I got watch a lot and to help my friend, and Joy got some downtime, I am glad she ties well and doesn't mind being alone with her hay. My sweet friends bought me a fabulous embroidered saddle pad for cross country, it is purple with Joy's show name and it looks so great!

Cross country was a blast, she did awesome on most of the course. I missed the course walk the day before so just did a short one before dressage. I had one refusal at the second fence but she popped right over on the second try. We got through the rest really nicely, she needed lots of encouragement but was having fun. We had issues at the water jump, at the beginner novice level we just had to go though the water but she flat out refused so we got dismissed off the course, I was super bummed since I only had two jumps to go before we would have finished our first ever course.

So going to school cross country again tomorrow and school stadium, should be low pressure and fun.

going to pick black berries now :)