Loch Moy - Stadium

Shockingly, stadium was our strongest phase at this event. I sadly dont have any video yet...but do have lots of photos to share!

I went into stadium way more anxious with how we went around our other two events this year. Here is the video from the second one...it doesnt look nearly as bad as it felt: Tillie flinging herself over the fences, pulling downhill and just not very adjustable.

Tillie walked into warm up with a much calmer head on her shoulders then dressage. LEAPS and bounds better even then the event from the video above where we had cantering sideways and backwards happening in warm up. I'm surprised I didnt get a yellow card honestly.

Fence #1 at Loch Moy

But she warmed up so nicely and was half halting off my seat only. We hit our stride pretty quickly and I jumped the cross trail once, the vertical twice off both lead canters and the oxer a few times because we had a few funny distances but the last two tries were lovely. I even threw in P's exercise of stopping before turning after and BARELY needed any hand at all!

WHEW!

Fence #2 - ignore my equitation, BUT LOOK AT THOSE KNEES!!! This photo makes me sigh out in relief that Tillie cant jump properly because she clearly can. Both legs are evenly pushing off, her withers are higher and she has a nice bascule.

So we waited patiently for our turn and I got more and more nervous watching the pair just before us leaping and bucking around the ring, thinking "Oh god, this could possibly be what we look like next."

Cantering around to the line for fence #3 and 4

But I started singing and before I knew it found myself over fence 1, giggling over fence 2 and putting in NINE strides between the line of fence 3 and 4 (which the photographers didnt get) that Brita and most other competitors did in 6 or 7. Thats right folks, my horse can collect!

Fence #5, bending line to 6

Fence #6 - Love the tail flick! 

**Side note** I know this stadium was not the smoothest or prettiest round, but the fact that I could adjust and add strides without yanking on her was just amazing**

After this line was a 5 stride bending line which was the hairiest part of our course...I saw a few different approaches to striding on this one and we ended up getting 6 because Tillie came in a bit hot and the most unbalanced to fence 5.

Fence #7

Fence 7 was a single square oxer which we got a bit deep to, but Tillie said no problem!

Fence 8 had an A and B and walked as a 3 stride line which is exactly what we got...but just before 8A, I has to half halt fairly hard to ask Tillie to wait so we didnt get too deep to A and only get 2 strides to B and not have enough time to land and finish at #10 (which sort of rode like an awkward bending line).

Here is the sequence to 8B where I ride a bit defensively to prep for the finish:

Me thinking holy shit this feels like shes flying

Look how tight she is in her hind end...she was not anywhere near touching the fences...

Another tail flick one! 

Then we turned for home, which many people seemed to have a bit of trouble since the jump was angled oddly towards the perimeter I think. Tillie says, no problems here!

Oh there is the left bend I was missing in dressage

Holy moly it is so apparent here my collapsing right, sitting left issue. 

Ears up ready for more!