Clipper showed in his first competition yesterday. It was a big deal for both of us since it was his first ever and my first since 1991. Also, back then I showed in a different discipline. This show was held at Clipper’s stable so it was a familiar place for both of us. We showed in the afternoon’s "long stirrup" division, which is a set of adult classes with lower jump heights than the regular adult amateur division. Short stirrup refers to beginner kids, usually on ponies but just as often on horses.
The day began as a bit windy and warm. Warm is good, windy is bad as the horses see "flying monsters", i.e. bags, leaves, etc. and can get a little or a lot nervous and jumpy. In the warm up ring, Clipper did his usual ducking and head tossing while I was trying to sort out two sets of reins, which are standard for the pelham bit he was wearing. I kept him trotting as I sorted and he settled fairly quickly. If he hadn’t settled, then the assistant trainer would have got on him and given him the what-for. To my pleasant surprise, Clipper was good despite a horse running around outside, a horse being lunged in the corner of the warm up arena, a kid on pony and several horses unloading a trailer at the east end of the arena. He looked but didn’t spook. After several rounds of vigorous trotting and cantering we settled into jumping the cross rail then the vertical. Perfect. He jumped it like an old pro but didn’t try to pull my arms out of their sockets.
By this time the arena was filling up with western riders who seemed like they wanted to run around so we left and let them have their arena. Then it was time to learn the first jumping course and stand outside the gate. And wait. And wait. And wait. And psyche myself out. Then it was time. Linda, a lady with whom I ride in lessons, went first. She jumped the wrong jump at the end so when it was my turn I reviewed the course quickly then went in. Clipper picked up the canter from the walk, went around to the left and jumped the first 2′ jump, turned right, spooked at the viewing stand, circled, spooked again, circled then cantered the line (two jumps in a row a set distance apart), the vertical on the diagonal, the other line, and finished on the correct jump. Whew! We were done for the moment. Three or four other riders went after I did. The announcer called the placings and we got a yellow third place ribbon.
Then it was time to raise the jumps a notch to 2′ 3". This time the jumps were not only a little higher but also in a different order. Linda went first again then it was my turn again. We cantered on the left, jumped the first diagonal jump, spooked at the viewing stand again, circled then jumped the line, jumped the vertical toward the corner, jumped the line, and finished on another diagonal. Whew! Done again until the equitation round. Again, three or four other riders went after I did. One lady apparently fell because I heard a collective groan from the crowd but I couldn’t see since I was back outside, nervously chatting with my neighbors. Then it was over and the announcer caled the placings again. Once again we got a yellow third place ribbon.
Our last "over fences" class was an equitation round where the rider is judged moreso than the horse. The jump sequence is in a more confusing order, which requires more bending, more jumping efforts and even a change in gait. This time one of the advanced riders went in this class as part of her warm up sequence. I rode in third, after Linda. This time we cantered to the right, took the first jump of a line, cantered a bend where unfortunately Clipper broke to a trot because I was using too much hand and not enough leg (darn it!), jumped the diagonal, turned left to jump the line, bend around the turn to the lattice jump to the vertical near the viewing stand, Clipper spooked yet again at the viewing stand but took the jump anyway, cantered over the next diagonal then broke to the trot on purpose to trot the last vertical. Whew! Done again. This time we placed fourth. Not only was it my worst ride but the advanced rider entered this class, which put me down a notch in the placing anyway. Apparently the several riders who placed behind me also had more trouble on this round. Well, it was more complicated.
And finally we did two flat classes as a group where first the horses are judged on movement at the different gaits, obedience, and general demeanor. Now, Clipper is not always the most obedient horse but he was very cooperative and got us a second in the hunter under saddle class. He can be quite a lovely mover when he wants to. We were beat out by a lovely "finished" gelding who was three times more expensive than Clipper. And finally our equitation class where the rider is judged moreso than the horse. We had to endure the dreaded sitting trot and Clipper has a very bumpy trot gait. The announcer asked for the transition from the working trot to the sitting trot when I happened to be right in front of the judge. First I had to sit without bouncing back out of the saddle then ask Clipper to slow down just a little so I could actually sit his trot, without having him break to the walk and without me flopping around too much in the saddle. Apparently I gave him just enough leg and hand so he knew what I was asking him to do. Again, we walked out of that class with a red second place ribbon.
Once we were out of the arena, I loosened Clipper’s girth, undid the curb chain under his chin and told him how proud I was of him to place well in every class in his first show. He had three big flakes of alfalfa waiting for him in his stall. He chomped while I gave him a good rub down and cooed on and on about what a good boy he was. After I cleaned my tack, one of the assistants came by to give me the reserve champion rosette for the long stirrup division! She told me that I had actually tied for the first place champion rosette but the judge gave it to the other rider since she was a visitor. Still, a tie for first and reserve champion rosette for our first show together. The rosette is on Clipper’s stall and he got a dozen carrots with his alfalfa.