June 20th - 7:55pm

What a crazy day! Started in the barn at 5:00. Left with 6 horses in tow at 6:15. Rode all 6 at Equus then packed everything back up to be home by 11:00 for lessons with Mono. The show was really just open schooling but it was exactly what I needed. Did Herodes and Lion at 3' and 3'6" which was fun but showed a lot of places where I need work. Primarially with pace. Either not having enough or running in an attempt to find my correct pace. At 3' they're both good enough horses to compensate and cart us both over it when I mess up. At 3'6", I need to ride a bit. But we survived and had some stellar moments right in with our "I hope Martin didn't just see that" moments. I'm still pretty novice-y at 3'6" having only done it with one horse who is a total rockstar that I knew inside and out after 7 years with him. So regardless of what David might have to say about poles coming down, I am happy with today. Obviously I would have loved to magically ride far better, gotten all my distances, carried the right pace throughout and left all the poles up but thats for another day. All the rounds today are on video as well and Ive asked Martin to go over them with me sometime this week. Thinking it will help to have him point out what needs to change so I can see it for myself. We've got another horse show Friday and maybe another Sunday though so it might end up being pushed to next week.
After the show we shot home to get Benito and Puccini ready for the lessons with Mono. Both were were very good and hopefully will stay very good for the upcoming shows. A quick lunch then onto leading and tying lessons with some of the foals. Group #1 was a dream despute being three foals. Group #2 was only two foals but one was the creature that was incredibly difficult about the halter origionally. And he's still anti-halter. Though at this point Id bet he's one of those that's just kind of anti-everything. Praying he comes around or at least I'm not the primary one working with him.
After foal handling Martin gave me a jumping lesson on Nixon which pretty well. Started to get big step in controlled frame intead of big step as apart of long and stung out. Not sure why thats so complicated for me but it is. If Im going to figure it out anywhere it will be here thought. Can test, tweak and work different ideas and feels out on each horse I ride. And ten rides is maybe what Id get in a week at home. Here its one day. Such an amazing way to learn to ride! Another full day tomorrow of riding, foal handling and getting things together for the show Friday!