After MUCH contemplation.

(See “How did I know I’d find you in Self Help?” for details.)

I went to my next show on the Evil Twin.

I decided I HAD to make this partnership work………………or…………………quit.

but I’m Bad Eventer………….quitting just isn’t in me.

After a ton of prep, schooling, lessons, and hours in the saddle…….. since the “R” at the last show (see  “One Step forward Two steps back” for the details)….. we were ready to try and redeem ourselves.

Here’s a brief view of how it went.

WARM UP FOR DRESSAGE:

Coach: “Have you been drinking????”

Bad Eventer: “No………….why?”

Coach: “You just seem really relaxed!”

I don’t know if it was relaxation, or I was just resigned to my fate but………..

We had the most rideable obedient test EVER.

It was a definite Best Ever for the Evil Twin.

THEN, I got my score……..

Bad Eventer:

OH MY GOD!!!!! I got a ONE!!!!!!

I’ve gotten 3s in the past for a movement that included rearing and bucking!!! This included none of those……………A ONE, seriously??? Maybe they forgot the zero that was supposed to be after the one????

Moving on, moving on………..

After waking him up again………..

We jumped around stadium with one totally rider-error rail………..

That would be a HUGE improvement from the last time where we were jumping THROUGH fences instead of over them.

Cross country day arrived………..

and I decided to try one of those crazy anti-snoring strips for horses…..

The little warmblood doesn’t have the run in him like the thoroughbreds and I thought anything could help.

However, I think the Bad Eventer Groom will have to put the Flair strip on next time!!

Here’s the Bad Eventer Pre-XC Report.

I was in warm up, and TWO people just ahead of me fell off at Jump 4!

All the coaches present started mobilizing!!!! Instructions were being shouted from every corner.

“Don’t you do that!!”

“Watch that fence!!”

“I don’t care if he stops, don’t you FALL OFF!!!!”

Bad Eventer was DETERMINED……………and I got the best advice from my coach ever. (You know it takes a special coach to put up with BAD EVENTER.)

It went something like, “Every time he quits on you it’s because something bad just happened at the fence before. Don’t you let him do that!!! If it’s a bad fence, even if it’s your fault, you get onto him and say, “You take care of me!!!! That’s your job!!!” and make sure he’s more scared of you than the next fence!!”

I said, “Yes Ma’am!” and headed out of the start box. “You take care of me!”, became the encouragement before every fence.

And boy did that work.

He was the best, bravest most fantastic eventing pony ever. We went straight to, over and straight away from every jump. Here is the Bad Eventer Post-XC Report filmed right after cross country.

Other than the FAIL on the FLAIR STRIP application, it was a fantastic weekend.