The Rising Champion

chapter 5

       I put on my Tucci tall boots and GPA first lady quickly, since I already tacked up Sampson. When I was ready I got Jesus to give me a leg up and the team and I walked to the ring with our trainer behind us on her first year green horse she had to school also while the grooms would set jumps for us to lightly school over. It was semi crowed but they assigned schooling times so it didn't get to busy.

     After walking a couple laps letting him look around, I picked up a trot immediately making him go into a nice working frame really engaging his hind end and keeping his focus, since he was so young it was sometime difficult especially in a setting like this. I worked in circling and stuff like that whatever I needed to keep him focused so he doesn't panick about what's going on around him and freak out. After trotting several laps each direction I picked up his left lead canter and cantered around avoiding people coming off of jumps or just going in the different direction. I collected him to a walk then changed directions asking for the right lead canter.

     I just untacked Sampson and packed his feet and wrapped his, he was so good for our schooling tonight! I think we actually had a shot at being a real threat to our competition! I brushed him and made sure he was cool down enough before I put him back in his stall with his blanket. It was 12:45am and I was exhausted and we had to be up again at 3:30 for our 4:15am schooling slot in the morning but at least I could sleep all the way up to 5:30pm tomorrow after our schooling since the children's jumper challenge was the night class the course walk wasn't til 6pm!

    We got back to the hotel I immediately changed into sweat pants and a hoodie and fell asleep. I set my alarm for 3:25 am so i had some time to wake up and give myself a motivational talk to actually get out if bed! But as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out.

3:30am   The dreading beeping sound rang through the early morning air. But I got myself out of bed and made sure everyone else was awake and attempting to get out of bed. I pulled on a pair of gray tailored sportsmans schooling breeches a green sweated with a white scarf and put my team jacket on. I brushed my hair and braided it to the side and then put on my Sperry's, I grabbed my back pack and phone then sat in the living room waiting for everyone else.

4:00am   We left the hotel at 3:45 and got to the horse show at 3:53 so we quickly groomed and tacked up and horse and went to lightly hack our horses just so they loosened up and got one more time in the ring before they showed!

  5:30am:   After our schooling I just groomed Sampson put his blanket back on and put him in his stall. I put all my tack away and I would clean it and give Sampson a bath later after we went back to the hotel to sleep until it was actually a reasonable hour to be awake! When we were all done we went back to sleep and get ready for Steve and Melissa to show in the children's hunters at 1:00.

12:42:    "Hey Kate, Kate wake up we have to go back to the show to watch Steve and Melissa show" said Joe and Olivia I opened my eyes "what time is it?" "12:42, we have to go we'll miss them".  I jumped out if bed lucky I was still in my riding clothes and we ran out to our scooters and zoomed to the show we got there at 12:57 and ran literally sprinting into the stands. As we sat down Melissa was walking into the ring. She had a decent round but only got a 75 because she had ate lead change but she made the cut off so that's good! We watched about 8 more horses go then Joe was the last out of 30 horses and then they had their handy round! Joe walked in looking for handsome in his show clothes and his horse was stunning definitely had a chance of winning if he put in solid clean rounds, and that he did he scored a 93 and he won that class! Now he had to get ready for his handy class and he was first to go in that since he won the last class and Melissa got 6th which was pretty good since their were 30 horses!

2:30pm: The Handy round was starting now. We just got done eating lunch since that were setting for the Handy. I ate a really good Caesar salad and a Dr.Pepper, Olivia had chicken fingers and fries with a Sprite, and Joe had a cheeseburger and Coke! I still had to clean all my tack and give Sampson a bath but I would do that after Joe and Melissa were done showing then I would go back to the hotel and shower and get ready.

4:00pm: Joe and Melissa were done showing Melissa was 1st and Joe got 2nd. But now I was giving Sampson a bath! Lucky he just stood there so I didn't have to make someone come hold him for me. I jut got done hosing him off then I tied him in his stall with a cooler on so he couldn't roll. I got my saddle, show bridle, running martingale, CWD leather belly gaurd girth, equifit boots,  saddle pads, and his bonnet that matched my show coat. I cleaned everything super well and when I was done it was 4:30 so I had an hour to go relax and get ready before I had to be back here for my course walk.