Monday, June 27, 2022

Fancy prance and future plans

 Got some video of Theo's last outing and have to say, he looks amazing.  Yes, I'm biased, but he looks amazing.


This is the Theo that has trainers offering money on the spot because they think he's perfect for their nervous adult ammies.  They also don't watch his warm ups so they don't know the truth.  

He has the best attitude in this test.  This is his fancy prance and he's happy to show his fancy prance.  He's also happy to halt and even happier to walk.  I can see why his canter/walk/canter is usually his highest scoring movement.  The first one got away from them but the second one is how he usually does them.  Trainer Z is talking about doing a series of them down center line in her freestyle.  Daaaaamn.  I believe this is his test that got him a 67% with 7s and 8s for his technical movements.  6.5 for the medium which is a pop the champagne win as far as we're concerned.  At least the judges are giving him points for trying.

Since he's got the scores he needs to qualify for his freestyle, he's taking July off as usual.  It hit 90's this weekend with high humidity and he is a puddle.  He'll probably remain a puddle until the summer heat settles in August.  Good time for technical stuff, bad time to show him off.  The plan for him right now is to get Trainer Z her bronze bar in freestyle.  Which means he'll have to go get his qualifying score for Third next year but that gives him another year to dial in those flying changes.

July is hot, miserable, and a good time to take a break from training.  It is also the time that a very special baby is due and I'm scheduled to go meet them.  Surprise surprise, there is a respected Welsh Cob breeder two hours away from me.  Fingers crossed for a little palomino colt but the color doesn't really matter.  Neither does the gender if I'm going to be honest.  I'll happily take a chestnut filly with flaxen mane and tail just like the dam so long as they are built like daddy (mommy also has plenty to add to the equation) and have both parents' fantastic temperament.

Quillane Authentic

The tough part may be choosing since there's a buckskin filly already running around that is pretty dang special.  Highly suspicious I'll be buying my first foal next month.  Whether it's the July foal or the pretty buckskin filly is really the question.  Don't worry, I'm bringing Trainer Z to keep my feet on the ground and my head out of the clouds.

Quillane Marqui

But Trainer Z has a weak spot for buckskin mares.  I did not know this.

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Third Level Pony

 I was so nervous sending Theo to a multi-day show with Trainer Z.  He's always been a handful and takes a lot of management to keep him from getting dangerous. He loves Trainer Z and they've worked out a great relationship all their own but he's different when he's in a stall for a couple days.  I didn't want anyone to get hurt.  I've been glued to my laptop and phone for days, worried about getting a bad phone call.

Apparently, I didn't need to worry.


Friday was an awesome warm up with Theo being a total gentleman except for one banner which he decided was evil.  Trainer Z figured that would get her a good canter extension so win?  We'll call that a win.  And I've definitely corrupted her with the colorful get ups.

Saturday was a lovely Second Level 3 test to get that qualifying score for their freestyle.  They needed a 63% and Theo delivered a 63.09% on their first try.  There was a rider error in the test so there were points left for them to pick up and Trainer Z was delighted with his performance.  She'd never experienced show Theo who is an absolute twit in the warm up and then sparkles when he hits center line.  It's something you can explain but until you feel the way he lifts his back and powers up as he enters, you don't quite understand.  Trainer Z now understands.  I don't know how it's possible that a horse can understand something like that, but he understands what a show ring is and loves to show off.  In warm up he'll flip you the middle finger and have little temper tantrums but when the sand box is all his, it's go time.


That was already a big victory.  They had the score they needed, they had the first show bugs out of the way.  Day two was just icing on the cake as far as I was concerned but Trainer Z wanted those points that were still on the table in the Second 3 test.  They went back in and got a 66.5% for second place in the open division for Second 3.  Ahhhhh!  I was so proud of them that I almost forgot he was also entered in Third 1 in case Trainer Z thought he was ready to give that a shot.

Apparently she thought he was ready because the scores popped up on my laptop.  60.3% in his Third level debut.  I'm so proud of them both!  His first show in years with a new rider and a new venue and he rocked it.  Absolutely rocked it.  I'm so excited, I just don't have words.  He's come a long way from the mutt school horse that struggled at Training Level.  Sending him off to Trainer Z was the best choice I could have made for him.