Jen came over after work, and found Ransom and I warming up in the arena. I'd skipped lunging on side reins, since I wasn't 100% sure I'd be doing that at the show. If highly crowded, there wasn't much point in adding a lunging horse into the chaos.
We rode mostly on the low arena circle, all three gaits. Ransom was being his normal pre-show butthead. He was fighting some transitions, and tossing his head way more than I would've normally accepted. Maybe he felt my anxious stress about the show, maybe he was distracted or stiff, who knows. As the transitions improved, I quit asking for ask many, and focused on steady but forward.
We rode through TL3 to close out, and it was successful. Not the prettiest thing in the world. But I had made a decision about TL3 - I was going to be riding it last of last of two days' show, and I wasn't expecting perfection. In absolutely no way did I expect to pin high in TL3. It was our first out with it, and at best, I wouldn't get the "idjit bell" rang on me for going off the test. Ransom would be sore after riding three classes Saturday, and three already Sunday. By the fourth on Sunday, there was no point in fighting for high collection, big forward, or easy transitions. I just wanted to get it Over with, and see what else we needed to work on.
Jen stayed around to help with Ransom's bath, which went well. I decided he would get a light touch up clipping, but not until Saturday morning. With Ransom in his paddock with water, hay, grain, and a light sheet, we fed the other boys, and she headed on home.
Much to do, I got the housework done, and the kids that were staying behind mostly settled. I got to bed later than I wanted, but with so much to accomplish, I wasn't too surprised. I was heading out alone Saturday morning, meeting Jen on the way. No R to help us along this weekend, and it felt nearly overwhelming, all the things that needed doing.
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