Going out with a bang Pt 1 **VIDEO!!!**

I have been really bad, I haven't ridden as much as I need to.  My fitness?  Only up to 4 minutes of two point when I should be closer to 7 minutes.  Dressage?  Only a couple of times a week.  This whole moving business is sure throwing things into a tailspin.  We moved a large load of stuff over Labor Day weekend, which in itself was a comedy of errors as the brake lines broke on the van, we had to weld stuff to unload an engine from the truck and a 10 hour trip turned into 12.5.  One way.  Oy!  PLUS the entire week prior to Labor Day that I spent packing and not riding was for naught, nothing that I packed was sent to PA due to the issues.  ARGH!  A week of riding lost.

I did ride on Tuesday and Wednesday though and worked on dressage.  By Friday, when we barely were working on dressage, she was coming together nicely.  I rode her for 20 minutes after giving a lesson and she was really good!  Same when I rode Saturday night, we had a bit of a discussion when she was refusing to get off of my left leg but overall was very nice.  For someone who wasn't prepared, I would take it.

On Sunday we went to our last derby of the year, our last derby in MI.  There is one left in October but I won't be able to make it due to time and finances, so we might as well not prepare at all for this show.  Ha!  It didn't even feel like a show day!  K spent the night to save the driving and I didn't even bathe Mia (admittedly, it was only 42 degrees out Sunday morning) and washed only her socks.  Mia surprised all of us by, again, hopping right in the trailer.  Hmm, I will take it over her arguing about it!  We got to the show about the time I estimated and we meandered over to dressage and started warming up in the indoor arena.  I started to get concerned.

Bored mare is bored

Mia was being unusual.  As in....listening.  Listening to me.  ME!  I actually felt her over to make sure she didn't have a fever or anything, K said she was looking good so I just kept going.   It was interesting, when I asked, Mia just did it.  Here.  At a show.  In a strange arena.  Where was my horse?!?  I like this one instead!  We went to the outdoor warmup ring to await our turn and my horse came back as she spooked at some poles on the ground (of course she did) but then settled down and got right to work.  The ride before us was the only one I watched and it went really well, damn we had stiff competition.  The whistle blew and in we went.

Mia was remarkably straight in our entrance and turned nicely.  She was quite consistent in the bridle through our first circle and had a good rhythm.  Our first canter departure was a little bobbly but the canter was quite nice as I controlled just her shoulders, it just flowed together.  Our free walk was pretty good though she only really gave a great freewalk in the last quarter of the diagonal.  She didn't stretch as much as she could nor have fantastic march.  Her transition to trot was prompt and the circle was actually good, this is where it usually falls apart!  Her last canter transition was.... sassy... and it took until the first corner for me to get her back under control but the circle went well.  The only thing I really messed up was the last turn up the centerline, I was too far right but opted to stay straight instead of drifting over since it was already blown.  I came out of the ring very happy, this is probably the best test she has ever ridden!  The only argument she gave me was in the last canter transition and it was really minor.  That is real progress!!