Yarra Yarra Day 1

Last weekend Cupid and I went to our first show of the year.  We did this show two years ago, and based on that I expected to have an early ride time and decided to take Cupid over on Saturday (about an hour drive) and stable overnight.  But as luck would have it, I was actually the last rider of the day, finishing at 4 (with my first ride at 3:15).  I decided to try the stabling anyways and see what difference that makes.  Plus my friend / barnmate was also going so it would be more fun not having to be there alone. 

So on Saturday afternoon I loaded up the trailer and headed over.  Overnight accommodations were in permanent stalls in a small empty barn.  I think it was a 12x12 stall, with a window he could stick his head out through and a door he could see through and also stick his head out.  The automatic waterers were not on.  I haven't had to hang a bucket for Cupid in a while, and last time I did he kept dumping it.  I was hoping maybe he's grown up a bit since then, but no he still enjoys dumping his bucket! 

Home away from home

I let Cupid settle in his stall for a bit, then tacked up.  The warm up ring was closed, but we could ride in the show arena, which was set in the covered arena.  The judge's table was up as well, so it was nice to let Cupid see everything though he seemed fine with it all.  I was the only one riding.  We walked around and trotted a few laps, then I put Cupid on a circle to get him bending and round.  We went through a few components of each test, then one of the tests entirely.  I was feeling pretty good, and happy we got to test out the arena.  I gave Cupid his dinner and headed home.

Testing out the show arena

Cupid had finished all his hay when I got there the next morning, so I gave him his breakfast and cleaned his stall.  The first few horses were just starting to warm up as I went to take Cupid for a walk.  As we got closer to the warm up arena Cupid got a little prance-y and excited.  I didn't want to get too close to the warm up ring because I didn't want to get anyone else's horse there excited (I wouldn't appreciate that if I was in the warm up!) so we headed the other direction and heard a horse kicking the wall in the ... what is it called like a hot walker thing inside a round pen?  Whatever it's called, that totally set Cupid off - his tail shot straight in the air, he couldn't keep his feet on the ground and he was just snorting and blowing.  I tried to do some in hand exercises to get his attention back, with some success.  Then I saw someone coming out of the round pen, so I went in there and let Cupid go.  And go he did!  Once he finally came back to his senses I did a little more in hand work, which he did without any more excitement so I took him back to his stall and let him relax and eat while I cleaned tack.

I did not know a horse could even bend like that

Shenanigans

Since I didn't need to get on until about 2:30 I had time to meet a friend for brunch, before coming back to walk Cupid, braid him, and tack up again.  At this point I wasn't sure if going a day early was going to help or hurt, because he was good when we first got there Saturday afternoon but pretty hyped up Sunday morning...