Wind Rider Challenge
Asia ("China Doll") and I are entered in the Wind Rider Challenge at the PA Horse Expo in February 22-24. This is a cross diciplinary challenge course and is hosted by clinicians Bob Jeffries and Suzanne Sheppard. The Patriot News is did an article on Sunday Feb 11. Go here to read- Patriot News story. It is too bad the photo that went with the article isn't posted on the web- it was a great picture on Asia bowing.
UPDATE: Having my horse at the PA Horse World Expo was a neat experience! I really wan't sure how she would handle the environment, but I decided that if I she were to be spookish she would do it with or without a bridle. If she were to be calm, our bridleless performance would be outstanding- if she were to be spookish, at least I would HAVE to sit up and ride properly and I wouldn't be in her face. SO the decision was made- we went in bridleless! Well, my horse never has liked other horses too close and right before we competed we were gathered in a little aisle with no space between horses and she was pretty upset about it! When we walked into the arena she saw the audience (the place was packed!) and was quite scared. OUr FIRST task was to halt right next to the wall- yes the big scarry wall where all the people were! I slowly worked my way up there. Asia wasn't too happy about it, but in slow motion we fianlly approached the wall. We than had to pick up a canter, canter down the arena wall, and than canter over a rail. Despite how scared she was, she picked up a nice balanced canter, stayed on the scary wall without me having to fight for it, and maintained tempo around the courner and over the rail. We than cantered a circle and went over a 2' jump. She was a little sticky coming to the jump and broke to a trot, but jumped it cleany and landed and halted well. She even lowered her head. Then we had to back a serpentine through barrels. At home this would be a laughably easy request, but Asia thought this whole scenario was already a lot to ask for and didn't want to even get NEAR the cow patterened barrels! She wasn't alone. Many otherwise calm horses spooked at these innocent props! First I just worked on getting Asia close to them. I then tried swinging her forehand away so she was facing away from them, ready to back through, but that was too much. Finally I decided to treat this more like schooling and less like a competition and I walked her forwards though them. Then we stood next to one with it beside her, When I felt her relax a little I than bakced her though and she immediatly figured it out ad back the rest of the serpentine nicely. Than Bob handed me a stick with a funnel taped t the top with a ball in it. The idea was to canter a circle holding the stick, and not dropping the ball. Again, at home this would be easy even riding one handed bridle-less, but she got a little fast and my confidence dropped. At that moment of distraction my ball fell...and popped my horse on the butt! She took off. Now, no one else knew I was being taken of with, so it wasn't too bad- but I sure knew it! I just left her go to where we needed to halt at and she did stop okay. Then we were to sidepass over an "L" made out of rails. Keeping mind I am bridle-less and just got done galloping semi out of controt. The side pass was PERFECT! Aisa always has been good at sidepassing, but to do it that well in that circumstance was incredible. I was so roud of her! Than we ran out of time so instead of doing the last task- a ring joust- I high tailed it for the finish line! The surprising part was that for the rest of the day and again on Sunday, people kept approaching me saying what a fanastic job I did!!! Even friends that know me and my horse and what we are capable of in a less wild environment realized how difficult the challenge was and congratualated my efforts.
My favorite part of the horse expo was riding in the evenings after the expo was over. Theater Equus was in the main arena and the clinicians were warming up in the Equine arena where I was riding. I rode with Josh Lyons, Lynn Palm, and Matt McLaughlin. In fact, I was talking to Josh about all the compliments I had after being ataken off with and he said he had a bridle-less performance gone bad, but no one knew it but him. He said he had more compliments for that performance than any other, and as far as he was concerned he was out of control! It made me feel pretty special to have a similar story as Josh Lyons!! (By the way if you ever get a chance to see him ride or teach0 taqke it!) Lynn Palm complimented my riding too (of course that was BEFORE the competition!) Over all, it was a neat experience.