Lexington CDE

We're back home in hot, steamy Brenham after a fun-filled week in Kentucky.

Our trip started with just "the boys" being loaded into the big rig. Tina and Ready barely looked up from their grazing as we pulled out. I'd like to say they'll be missed but.....

The trip is long, boring, and except for a flat tire on the truck, uneventful. After two days on the trailer, we finally arrive at the Kentucky Horse Park. Our stalls aren't ready yet, so we spend the night turned out in round pens. I get to share a pen with Ruff and Tuff. Donovan and Antone share another. They like to pick on me, so I'm happy to make faces at them from a safe distance and standing behind Ruff and Tuff.

At noon on Monday, we're put in our stalls. The national champion 4-in-hand team is across the aisle from us. Tuff immediately starts talking smack, bragging that we can take them in the marathon. I, however, keep my mouth shut. They are, frankly, intimidating. Everything they own is matched and monogramed. Their carriages and harness top of the line. And their wardrobe! I have serious blanket envy. They wear more clothes in a day than I've worn my entire life. Day sheets, warmers, coolers, evening attire. I look down at my mud splattered turnout sheet and think - "Extreme Makeover, Horse Edition".

Because I am a marathon and cones specialist, I get the next couple of days off as Mike prepares for dressage. Antone has my spot as right leader. He's been doing a great job at home but seems a little on edge here at the show. He asks how I handle my show nerves but of course I have no idea what he means. The bigger the crowd, the better is my motto. While the rest of the team is out working, I get turnout time. I put on a show whenever I see a spectator. I'm perfecting my pivot/buck/sprint move.

On Wednesday, we get bathed and braided for vet check. I look fabulous. A crowd has gathered to watch which always makes me happy. I'm still not clear on the procedure, however.

I'm asked to trot away from the crowd. I don't like doing this and someone waves a whip towards me. What nerve! We turn and I happily trot back to the crowd who are obviously impressed with my style and flair. The team is all cleared to compete in dressage tomorrow.

I watch smuggly as the team is harnessed and hitched for dressage. Antone looks calm and I shout encouragement. I want him to do well. I don't want any part of dressage anymore. I wait for what seems an eternity for the team to return after dressage. Apparently, the ring is close to 30 minutes away from the stables which only adds to my impatience. Finally, they arrive looking neither pleased nor disappointed. Antone had a case of stage fright and couldn't keep his trot rhythm. They worked well as a team and had an adequate test. They are close to being able to score better, but as always, more work is needed.

With Dressage finally behind us, it's time to focus on the fun stuff! We're harnessed up for cones practice and I'm full of energy walking up to the practice field. The Horse Park is a beautiful place with lots to look at. We pass by some of the hazards and it makes me psyched for marathon day! We get to the practice field and it's amazing - absolutely huge, grassy and smooth. I can barely contain myself and have fun boucing around and practicing flying lead changes while the rest of the team boringly trots along. We get warmed up and then it's our turn on the cones course set up by Coach Peter. The first run through is pretty good. Spectators were amazed at my ability to get through the cones at seemingly impossible angles. Peter wanted Mike to work on setting the team up earlier and straighter, before each set of cones. We worked on that awhile. At the risk of making Mike a little bit mad, I have to say that one of my favorite quotes ever and the reason Peter is my favorite coach ever, happened during this training session. Mike kept saying Fred!, Fred!, as if I was doing something wrong. Peter says,"Not Fred!, Mike!" All I could think was, Ha!, I knew it all along! As if I could ever be to blame!
Finally, it's Marathon Day! We had a little scare with the rain, thinking that the course would be very muddy but the weather is great and the wind has helped dry the footing. We have new Zilco harness, our manes are braided in red, white, and blue, and we're looking good as we start out on section A. The cooler weather feels great for Team Texas and after the walk section, we arrive barely winded at the vet check. In fact, Ruff's temperature is so low that the vet rechecks it to make sure it wasn't a mistake! We head off to the hazards feeling fresh and confident. The first hazard is pretty tight and technical. Tuff must have been studying my moves because he leaps through an opening that I thought he was going to miss and we exit with a very respectable time. The first water hazard is next and since we all love getting our gators as wet as possible, we splash right in. Mike continues to drive well and the hazards go very smoothly. Another somewhat technical hazard 3, then "the mountain" at hazard 4. (Later, I heard that there was some good-natured ribbing from the crowd about us taking the side route like "little girls", instead of the steeper up-the-middle option.) We were blazing in hazard 5 but passed a gate and had to circle back to catch it. Hazard 6 was pretty straight-forward around some logs and then it was back through the water and up and down another hill in 7. It was all over before we knew it. This was Donovan's first marathon on a team and I have to say that he was pretty awesome! With all four of us doing our jobs, we were faster and smoother. We felt good about how we had done and although it was apparently a surprise to many, we weren't entirely shocked by our 3rd place finish.
Cones Day! We're in 5th place overall going into cones. I'm excited not to have Tina as a wheeler and am counting on Donovan. I always love having the crowd up close to the arena in cones and we're all feeling good about our chances. We start off well but things quickly fall apart after we're asked to come back from the canter. We can't seem to work together as a team and the balls start to fall. It's a disappointing run and it drops us to 7th place. I see more cones practice in our future.
All in all, it was a pretty good show. Donovan is qualified for WEG, marathon went very well, and we feel that our cones performance will be greatly improved with more practice.
Right now though, we're ready to get home to Texas!