Driving trial last weekend with Jaimie

[Kendra]

With Hawk on his vet-mandated holiday (he's doing really well so far, and gets to start back into light work soon - fingers crossed he stays sound!) I pulled Miss James out of the pasture and started taking her to shows. The first driving trial, which was her first time ever doing that kind of driving, was in June and she did great, even placing second in Training Level! After that we had an AMHA show, where she was in Classic Pleasure and Senior Mares, and then this past weekend we were at another trial, this one with a photographer who had an option to buy a CD of all your photos, which of course I did!

Saturday morning Jaimie was VERY fresh! ;-) She's usually not quite so forward, but she is getting more and more energy as she gets fitter.

I know she's hollow and upside down here, but I can't help but like this picture, she's having a blast and her colour is so pretty!

Love how long her stride is here!

Starting to focus ...

Starting our test.

Working walk.

con't next post

 

[Kendra]

Halt at X - you can see there was some distraction going on in the warm up area, but considering Jaimie's focus issues, I thought she did a great job of paying attention to what we were doing.

On marathon.

She's starting to get into the fun of the marathon and the obstacles.

She placed second again at this trial, and I'm having a lot of fun watching Jaimie discovering new things and learning as she goes along. Thanks for looking!

 

[CZP1]

Congratulations! She is a cutey pie!! I love her color too. Sounds like you had a great time!

 

[drivin*me*buggy]

Kendra, she is so cute! I love her color

I am in a similar predicament as my Buck is 'off' so have been working my mare, Wish. Keep us updated as you two develop as a team.

Angie

 

[targetsmom]

Love the pictures and the commentary! Thanks for sharing. Looks like you both were having fun.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Sorry for viewing so many times without posting, I couldn't see the pictures here at work and didn't want to post from my cell phone where I could finally see the pictures!

She is GORGEOUS, what a stunning color! I don't think she's hollow in that first photo so much as animated- her hindquarters certainly aren't trailing and she's not stargazing.

Love, love, love her and am so excited to get to see CDE pictures.

I'm glad to hear Hawk is doing well with his recovery, I'll cross my fingers and hope the good news continues.

Leia

 

[Kendra]

Thanks for the comments everyone! I'll tell Miss James - she loves to be told that she's pretty, it's her favorite!

While I flubbed my helmet cam at this show, and have had trouble uploading the video from the Vermilion trial, I did just manage to upload the video of my friend's marathon, with his paint horse, if anyone is interested. The trails at this venue are AMAZING! Not sure you can see on the video, but there are cute little signs and animals all along the trails, they're so much fun to drive!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYd6wCR0jVc

 

[Kendra]

I got Jaimie's video from the Vermilion HDT to load!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrMExzJhFqI

 

[RhineStone]

Very cool video! What a great way to "introduce" mini drivers to the sport of CDE!

I loved the "duck" into the hole in the fence. I didn't get a chance to see the whole thing (got a phone call in the middle), but she seems to bend to the right nicely.

Myrna

 

[CZP1]

What a blast! My mini loves the long part of the HDT! Your little one is beautiful!!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Okay, those videos are just plain awesome!! I'm totally flashing back to my own competitions right now, and that forward feel in your hands as your horse gets really UP and figures out how to use their butt and topline on the trail as that Paint is doing. So. Much. Fun!!!

I gotta ask one question- is that Paint going Intermediate? I was surprised by the amount of cantering he was doing given that Section E in the States is trot-only for any horse below Intermediate level.

Leia

 

[Kendra]

I was so upset that I screwed up getting a video of last weekends marathon - the difference in Jaimie was amazing! She loved the trails, and is getting into the spirit of hazards. In Vermilion she got bored with the track and petered out.

I gotta ask one question- is that Paint going Intermediate? I was surprised by the amount of cantering he was doing given that Section E in the States is trot-only for any horse below Intermediate level.

This event was under the new rules, formatted by the Stonebridge club for the Alberta Equestrian Federation. Their idea is to encourage "grassroots" participation. Reggie (the paint) is going Level 5 of 6. I would classify it at upper Prelim/lower Intermediate, if that makes sense. Regardless, cantering between hazards was within the rules!

 

[Melinda Dean]

Thanks for taking me along! Loved watching the videos because they made me feel like I was right there.