Redemption!

The nearly two weeks since our last show passed uneventfully, as we prepared for the schooling show which was today.  Cupid saw the chiropractor (actually I did too, I try to go about every month or other month.)  I had a few more rides with the Equicube, which seems to be helping with some of my bad habits - I'll have to write about that more in detail.

Our goals for today were to keep Cupid relaxed, and for me to sit up.  My trainer wanted me to get to the showground early and lunge Cupid, and also get on him a bit earlier.  Luckily this show is only about a half an hour away, and my first ride time was 11:20 so it was a relaxed morning.  When we got there Cupid was a bit more distracted coming off the trailer, looking around and not digging into his hay net like he usually does.  But he well behaved on the lunge line.  I did about 3 minutes walk and trot each direction without side reins, then put them on and did about 5 minutes trot and canter each direction.  Cupid did occasionally pick up a canter when I had only asked him for a trot, but also broke to a walk a few times too, and broke from the canter to trot.

We went back to the trailer and changed to get ready for our test, and met our trainer.  She kept our warm up fairly simple.  Since we had already lunged I only walked for a minute before getting Cupid trotting on a 20m circle.  He was a little quick so I changed my posting diagonal every few steps to settle him.  Then we did some 10m circles then into more of a medium trot.  We cantered on the circle both directions, a bit longer to the right (his stronger side).  He was being good, so we took a walk break around the arena letting Cupid see everything.  Luckily there wasn't really anything he found spooky.  Then a few minutes before our test we went back into the trot and did some shoulder-ins.

The tests themselves were largely uneventful, though we did blow the left lead in our first test.  I'm not sure if Cupid was a bit tired after the longer warm-up, because he sometimes struggles with it when he's a bit tired.  Though he got it perfect every time on the lunge and warm up, and our second test.  I felt pretty good about the accuracy of the tests, and Cupid was far more relaxed this time.  I also felt improvement in my riding, specifically the sitting up straight.  It still falls apart a bit in the canter, but I am happy with the progress.  My tests weren't available yet when I left, I suspect most of the comments are along the lines of "could be rounder."  So that's what we'll continue working towards.

Much more relaxed trot, but yes, "could be rounder"

Ugh my elbows though!

Still leaning forward at the canter and his head and neck come up

Halt not quite square, but right at X

Stepping under nicely even though high-headed

Changing bend in our serpentine

More half seat at the canter

Medium walk

Free walk is our jam

Happy to be home

I didn't intend on wearing sunglasses.  Usually I wear contacts, but I just totally forgot this morning and left the house still wearing my glasses, which have the transition lenses!  So apologies to the judge and show organizers if that is a bit of a faux pas, it was not intentional!