Show day 3 left all the riding to my trainer. They didn't offer a .80 meter this day, but they did offer a .90 meter in the big grand prix ring.
I did stick to my routine and lunged him when I first arrived in the morning. By day 3 Liam was really tired and pretty relaxed. He probably didn't even need a lunge, but I decided to stick with routine for him. We hand grazed by the ring till about 7:15am and then headed back to his stall and tacked up slowly.
Walked him over the ring and my trainer hopped on.
Liam walking around calmly on a loose rein
At this point I was able to get a good look at the ring. The jumps looked set at a solid .90 meter and there was some really fun looking jumps on the course. I knew Liam would be jumping hard. My trainer started warming up and Liam looked nice and relaxed. After a few minutes she had me come in the ring and set warm up jumps and Liam really was being great. We finished warming up and was able to head right into the ring.
The course was a power and speed round with 14 jumps total. With the first 8 being the power and last 6 being the speed round. The first jump was a solid square natural oxer with an 8 stride bending line to a very spooky stone wall lamp post oxer. Left roll back to a vertical 5 stride line to an vertical in and oxer out 1 stride combination. Right turn 90 degree to a very wide solid square blue oxer. Left turn to yellow and orange oxer 4 strides to another 1 stride vertical in and vertical out to a bending 6 stride line to a huge square yellow oxer. This ended the power part of the round.
Liam jumped the crap out of jump 1 and 2. Handled the left turn to the vertical 5 strides to the 1 stride in and out line like a champ. He was late on his change on the right bending 90 degree and got a little flat and had a rail at the blue oxer, bummer we aren't going to make it to the power round. What I am most proud of is how he handled the last combination line. He had to jump the big yellow and orange oxer and whoa in 4 strides to the vertical/vertical in and out, then bend in 6 strides to another huge oxer. He went through that combination like an old educated show horse. I am sure my trainer riding helped, but I couldn't of been more proud of my boy at this current moment.
Three years ago we were a fire breathing dragon to ride to now negotiating around a tricky hard course. Liam got many good boy pats and mints after that tough course.
I slowly packed up the trailer and took my boy home for some turnout and relaxation for 2 days to start week 2 four days later.
What a good boy! I'm glad that he did so well :)
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