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Post by fillyderby on Dec 19, 2005 21:48:10 GMT -5
Shannon hopped off again, and raised the jumps anywhere from 2'6" to 3'6". Shannon hopped back on again, and cantered Perfection straight from a halt. They circled around a while, getting that perfect hunter stride in a heartbeat. Shannon aimed Perfection directly at the center of a 2'6" fence, which they soared over easily. Perfection went on with his smooth stride, and they cleared the rest of the mini-course easily, finishing with a 3'6" rolltop. Perfection's legs tucked over the fence with ease, looking picture perfect. Shannon gave Perfection a quick, single stroke with her glove, and slowed him to a walk.
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Post by daydreambeelievr on Dec 20, 2005 17:24:48 GMT -5
Holly waited for them to finish before letting Monte walk on. A few strides later, they picked up a canter. Monte was a bit fresh, his stride more open than usual, but Holly nearly invisibly corrected it and soon all was well. She guided him through a circle, making sure he bended correctly and didn't fall in. Then they halted, turned on the forehand, and struck off into a canter again. After another minute, she let him walk to catch his breath, and then cantered the 2'6" vertical. Monte found the spot with little help and swapped his lead, so Holly let him walk, not wanting to push him. She still had one more to ride, as well...
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Post by fillyderby on Dec 20, 2005 18:15:12 GMT -5
Shannon didn't mind proper etiquette to stop Perfection while Holly was jumping, keeping him walking forward. He was cooled, and Shannon walked him down to the barn and dismounted. She unbridled Perfection, who happily opened his mouth to let the bit out.
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Post by daydreambeelievr on Dec 20, 2005 18:45:09 GMT -5
Once she felt Monte was cooled out, Holly dismounted and led him back into the barn. A groom offered to untack him and Holly accepted. After unbuckling her chinstrap, she looked to Shannon. "Nice pony," she said with a slight smile, not expecting the compliment to be reciprocated.
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Post by fillyderby on Dec 20, 2005 18:49:06 GMT -5
"Oh, I know," Shannon replied to Holly. "He's the best of the best." Shannon put away Perfection and took out Aslan. Her young gelding snorted, curios about his new surroundings. Aslan was already groomed, so Shannon picked his hooves and started tacking him up.
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Post by daydreambeelievr on Dec 20, 2005 19:36:28 GMT -5
"You're welcome... " Holly just raised her eyebrows, glad she hadn't gotten her expectations up, and then went to get her other saddle out. She had a different set of tack for Lizzie since the two were built completely opposite. She set it by the mare's stall and quickly brushed her off. Then all she had to do was throw on a clean baby pad, half pad, and the rest of the tack. As an afterthought she added bell boots and polo wraps. Instead of heading back to the outdoor ring, she went to the indoor, not wanting to have to work around the other girl. She set a few jumps at 2'9" and several more to 3', and then mounted the red roan.
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Post by fillyderby on Dec 21, 2005 9:30:27 GMT -5
As it was darkening outside, Shannon went into the indoor as well. "Oh, thanks for setting up some jumps. You're a pretty handy stablehand." Shannon tightened Aslan's girth, because it was quite loose. The fleabitten gray gelding pinned his ears back, still sensitive to the girth. Shannon mounted quickly, before Aslan had a chance to get away. Aslan pranced to the side, in a perfect yet unwanted leg yeild.
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Post by daydreambeelievr on Dec 21, 2005 12:23:51 GMT -5
Holly didn't respond, instead she just nudged Lizzie into a trot. After one quick lap of the ring, she crossed her stirrups over the saddle and rode without them for twenty minutes. She then settled to a walk and observed the other two, a little annoyed over not having the ring to herself... there was more than one, after all...
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Post by fillyderby on Dec 21, 2005 16:01:53 GMT -5
"I hope you don't mind sharing a ring," Shannon started at Holly. "But I have to get more used to having green riders in the ring with me." Shannon brought her crop back and smacked Aslan on the butt, making him move forward. They trotted around for 10 minutes, circling and reversing frequently. Then, Shannon settled Aslan down to a walk. Half a lap around the ring, and Shannon gave him a firm aid for a canter, leaving no options to pick up the wrong lead. Aslan cantered smoothly, and Shannon pulled him in for a figure 8, giving him a small aid for a flying lead change.
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Post by daydreambeelievr on Dec 21, 2005 22:48:27 GMT -5
She was hopeless, Holly decided without responding. But to heck with it- she didn't feel like waiting around any longer than she needed to. She picked her stirrups back up and nudged the roan into a smooth canter, sitting the comfortable stride easily. In the corner she asked for a swap, and continued at a counter canter. It wasn't their best gait, but Lizzie could at least hold the lead while bent to the outside, which was good enough. They then walked and Holly surveyed the ring, trying to remember the strides. She rode a half turn at the trot and picked up a flowing canter at the corner, then rode the 2'6" diagonal in four strides. Lizzie landed on the correct lead and they continued to a 3' single oxer, meeting a long spot nicely. Holly collected the mare and kept going to the outside line, hesitating because she couldn't see the spot right from the corner. A moment of indecision, and then Holly pushed the mare up and took another long spot. She half halted on the landing and made the six strides easily, slowing to a walk at the corner.
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