Show Season for the Non Rider
Ever since I got into eventing I've spent the summers competing. My very first event was a few weeks after I started my first lease. After that I crammed as many events as possible into my limited free time.
My second show season was just as busy. I started with a new ride that involved a lot of... lets say... relationship counseling. And ice. A lot of ice.
We're still suffering through #pinkygate2016 (this Sunday marks SEVEN WEEKS since I broke it). The pins are out and I'm going to physical therapy. Did you know there are special PTs that only do hands? Because hands are the most fidgety little shits ever. The extension exercises are hilarious; I'm concentrating so hard and my finger barely looks like it's moving at all.
Hopefully though, I'll get to ride on SATURDAY! We'll see if I remember how to do it.
In the meantime, I jump judged for the first time. It was a blast! I loved being part of the group behind the scenes. I actually would love to be a TD. How do you even get into that? I should've sought her out after.
I was at Fair Hill's spring event, jump judging the Training and Intermediate riders. We had a great day, no falls or anything terrible which was a huge relief. It has been raining like billio up here in Area II and while the footing was holding up great it was definitely a little sloppy. My Intermediate jump was a bank with a huge ditch in front of it, up and down a mound and to a chevron. Most people coasted right through it, although I did have one person retire at the B element and see a couple of dicey rides through.
After a quick change came the Training riders. The show was actually running ahead almost the whole day. My Training jump was a simple but large brush coop in the tree line and the ground kind of fell away on landing. Most horses galloped right up to it fine, although I had three or four slam on the breaks. I ended up spending most of my day hopping in and out of my car to stomp divots every four or five riders. I also became besties with the grounds person who had all the stone dust, as he frequently stopped by with buckets and the tractor to make sure it was holding up okay. Even through over sixty rides it was still very rideable as the last pair went by.
I thought I would take lots of pictures and video but jump judging is surprisingly busy especially when the weather is crap!
I will say I noticed, particularly with the training level riders, is how difficult it was to jump out of stride for some of the horses. So many people chipped, or got really long shots into it, or the horse was not listening and ran past the distance. Luckily I have a steeplechase horse. If he came to me knowing anything it was how to jump out of a gallop.
This weekend I'm not going to be jump judging but I'll still be at Flora Lea Farm helping out a fantastic photographer that I admire the absolute crap out of. Check out her work here, or go to her Facebook page. In my opinion she's the best horse show photographer I've ever seen. When I get married she needs to be the photographer. I'm really excited she's willing to let me tag along, I hope I do her clients justice!!
Finally (or maybe this should've come first?) I went to the Fair Hill starter trial in the beginning of the month to watch my barn compete. They totally kicked butt, I don't think anyone got worse than third with most people winning their class! Kickass. I may have ruined that with a bit of baby Runkle antics so maybe it's better I didn't go ;) And I met up with Emma from Fraidy Cat Eventing! I'm totally obsessed with her horse, you guys. She's flawless and she knows it and all I wanted to do was smush her little face. If you have the chance to meet her (both of them!) I definitely recommend it but don't expect a lot of fanfare from Isabelle as she's way too cool for that.
So yes, I am still broken and grounded. But I'm having more fun than I thought I would!
My second show season was just as busy. I started with a new ride that involved a lot of... lets say... relationship counseling. And ice. A lot of ice.
We're still suffering through #pinkygate2016 (this Sunday marks SEVEN WEEKS since I broke it). The pins are out and I'm going to physical therapy. Did you know there are special PTs that only do hands? Because hands are the most fidgety little shits ever. The extension exercises are hilarious; I'm concentrating so hard and my finger barely looks like it's moving at all.
 |
| The magic of modern medicine. |
In the meantime, I jump judged for the first time. It was a blast! I loved being part of the group behind the scenes. I actually would love to be a TD. How do you even get into that? I should've sought her out after.
I was at Fair Hill's spring event, jump judging the Training and Intermediate riders. We had a great day, no falls or anything terrible which was a huge relief. It has been raining like billio up here in Area II and while the footing was holding up great it was definitely a little sloppy. My Intermediate jump was a bank with a huge ditch in front of it, up and down a mound and to a chevron. Most people coasted right through it, although I did have one person retire at the B element and see a couple of dicey rides through.
After a quick change came the Training riders. The show was actually running ahead almost the whole day. My Training jump was a simple but large brush coop in the tree line and the ground kind of fell away on landing. Most horses galloped right up to it fine, although I had three or four slam on the breaks. I ended up spending most of my day hopping in and out of my car to stomp divots every four or five riders. I also became besties with the grounds person who had all the stone dust, as he frequently stopped by with buckets and the tractor to make sure it was holding up okay. Even through over sixty rides it was still very rideable as the last pair went by.
 |
| Get the stone dust out. |
I will say I noticed, particularly with the training level riders, is how difficult it was to jump out of stride for some of the horses. So many people chipped, or got really long shots into it, or the horse was not listening and ran past the distance. Luckily I have a steeplechase horse. If he came to me knowing anything it was how to jump out of a gallop.
This weekend I'm not going to be jump judging but I'll still be at Flora Lea Farm helping out a fantastic photographer that I admire the absolute crap out of. Check out her work here, or go to her Facebook page. In my opinion she's the best horse show photographer I've ever seen. When I get married she needs to be the photographer. I'm really excited she's willing to let me tag along, I hope I do her clients justice!!
 |
| Some of her handiwork. |
Finally (or maybe this should've come first?) I went to the Fair Hill starter trial in the beginning of the month to watch my barn compete. They totally kicked butt, I don't think anyone got worse than third with most people winning their class! Kickass. I may have ruined that with a bit of baby Runkle antics so maybe it's better I didn't go ;) And I met up with Emma from Fraidy Cat Eventing! I'm totally obsessed with her horse, you guys. She's flawless and she knows it and all I wanted to do was smush her little face. If you have the chance to meet her (both of them!) I definitely recommend it but don't expect a lot of fanfare from Isabelle as she's way too cool for that.
 |
| She totally hated me. |
I hope getting back in the saddle this weekend goes well :)
ReplyDeletethank you! i do too. it woudlbe really bad form if i got bucked off day 1 :P
DeleteAt some point can't you just chop the pinky off? How vital is it really?
ReplyDeletei dont know!!! apparently its the keystone of the whole hand or some nonsense. next time no surgery, just amputation.
DeleteI'm with Amanda. I'm pretty sure I would have chopped that digit off by now. Fingers crossed for riding!
ReplyDeletei hate it so much its the stupidest finger i have. i need to do a post about my PT appointments becaue they are hilariously uneventful
Deletecan Runkle plz teach isabel how to jump out of stride? or jump at all?!?! lolz i kid, i kid... sorta. anyway glad the pinkie is healing, even if it is at a glacial pace. yay for riding soooooon!!!!
ReplyDeleteHAHA man... i wish you couldve seen our earlier jump lessons. they were PAINFUL and so awkward I thought we'd never get it. its actually too bad im injured, the day i fell off I was definitely having one of my best jump lessons ever. he was like shhhh shuttup mom I GOT THIS.
Delete