Sunday, February 17, 2013

February 16th - 11:59pm

What. A. Day.
It's a late night with Martin's birthday party (his birthday was Friday and friends/family were invited to stay after the open house) but wanted to take some time to write a post about my crazy day.
Started off the morning like usual on the horses that aren't in the auction. Justinian and Picaro. Then Cor Lit, Montana and Puccini for a light hack to stretch their legs. Then it was onto the finishing touches before clients were to arrive for the first open house! Making sure the barn was clean, horses spotless and everything organized. Which, weirdly enough, is one of my favorite things to do. I love the final half crazed moments when everything finally comes together. As long as it comes together. If it doesn't, I hate it as much as anyone. But today, it did!
Quick lunch then onto bringing out horses for clients. The way it is set up, anyone can come to the farm at 2:00 and request to see a horse. Or horses. We'll pull them out and show them in hand to whoever is interested. Once we finish with that, then those horses are shown briefly in the free jump and finally brought out to go undersaddle. At that point either Martin can show them over fences or a client can get on and jump them a bit. Today they wanted to see Nacar, Puccini, Uxmal, Orly, Quantum, Quarz, Quarial and Casia. Everyone jumped incredibly in the free jump. Easy to handle, did their jobs and were just fantastic. After they came back out and continued to bring it by being rock stars under saddle.
But, the craziest part for me was that I actually shows Nacar and Puccini over fences for everyone. I was warming horses up for Martin so I was riding them till the horse before was finished them then switching. We do that quite often with lessons, schooling, shows, whatever so not unusual. But when I went to get off Nacar Martin was like "Do you want to jump him?" Im not sure what my face looked like but he was like that is a yes or no question, do you want to jump him. I made the snap decision to just do it. And it actually went really well! Not perfect but considering how I was a year ago about showing horses to people, it was incredible. We just did one jump that the guys kept building up so not a bunch still the fact I was able to do it was super exciting! Finished at 3'-3'3" or so. Got off and was on cloud 9 for pulling it off. A few horses later I was on Puccini and got the same question. Now Puccini is not Nacar. I've been riding Nacar for about a month shorter than he's actually been broke. I know him about as well as I know a horse I personally own. At this point I think I've been on him as much if not more than Martin. So jumping him, while stressful due outside circumstances, is not overly nerve wracking because I just know him. Puccini is one that I had been on inconsistently until recently and one I have not jumped a ton. Poles a lot, little stuff sometimes but definitely not like Nacar. I could barely ride him when I got here. Just had no idea how. But with the confidence boost off Nacar I again decided to just go for it. Since Puccini is an older horse he needed to be shown around a real course at a decent height. Not the simple, inviting jump on the diagional. The whole thing is a bit of a blur but jumped the course once. Did a 7 in the 6 from over woahing but made it out of the two stride after. Then the jumps were put up to 3'-3'3" (don't think anything hit 3'6" but maybe). Did the course again, fixed the striding and got it done! Photos after showed my position left a bit to be desired but honestly, I'll take it! Just have to keep in mind that when I'm nervous I tend to let my leg get infront of me. Have to work on keeping it back under me more.
When I got off Puccini I was literally shaking from the rush. When I say I could not have done that a year ago I am not joking in the slightest. Horse shows, clients and all that would reduce me to a nervous (probably crying) wreck. I would just freak. Totally loose it. But today, I didn't. After when I brought out the last of the horses some of the clients I know (Mono and some others) were super complimentry and kind. I know it wasn't perfect and there was a lot I would have changed but sometimes, it's just nice to take the compliment, smile and know it's all paying off.

Photo of me on Baral Nacar. And Camilla somehow found peanut butter and brought me some! Yay!



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