We also attended our second show of the Florida season over at the Jim Brandon show grounds. We brought 4 horses over. Riley debuted at 3rd level, Rosie did some 1st and training levels, George did 2 PSGs and 4th level, and Petri did 4th level. It was an awesome show! 3 out of the 4 hit 70% and won their classes, but the other hit 69% and won his class too! Rosie was high point of the show with her Friday score of 74%, and then beat herself on Sunday with a 75%! Best thing about her was that I did not have to lunge her to death before riding! (As you can remember from the Derby she had some wild moments!) Riley was finally terrific on the last day, because as a stallion (he is totally behaved!!) but gets excited and enthusiastic around other new horses, so he was trying to play with everyone in the warm-up and not really concentrating. He is so cute about it though! He has one of the best temperaments I’ve ever dealt with; especially being a stallion he couldn’t be sweeter! But he was just into everyone’s business rather than being focused on what I was asking. But on the last day he shined, and got “exalting horse” from the judge! We were so proud! George was also great at the show! Getting his feet wet at more Prix St Georges, and winning a very big 4th level class! Petri, my ever-steady eddy, was also super in his classes and hit 70%. He is really developing and getting stronger, which is always so great to see and feel!

One of the big reasons I wanted to do this show was to get Riley out somewhere before the 10 Day Advanced Stallion Testing that he was partaking in. So starting on March 11th, Molly and I drove back and forth daily to Jupiter to ride and care for Riley at the testing! It was really fun! I think this is the wave of the future for stallion testings for older (over 4 yrs old) stallions because the venue is based on the regular trainer still riding the horse. It was a really great group of people and all the stallions passed, so it was all really worth it in the end! Riley was the top stallion of the testing so we were really proud! He got some amazing scores (9.3 on canter and 9 from test rider). He sure has blossomed this year and we are so excited that he will be standing at Hassler Dressage! You can visit Wendy Costello’s website www.ESDonavan.com to see more of the results and hear the news from Kent Island Sport Horses!

The end of March included a nice visit from my Mom, Candy, and my sister, Casey and her daughter Maddie! It was a little crazy getting enough time to see everyone with the stallion testing finishing up, but we had a nice time. Then my Dad flew down to help me drive my trailer back north. It was his first time doing a long haul with me, but he did a great job and I was able to catch a little nap on the way! I decided on the way down to Florida that that was the last time I drove 18 hours all myself. So he was a big help, and I was excited for him to see our new digs up north at Hasslers! Will talk more about that in next blog!!

We did have one last show before we packed up, and Katie Foster did her first Young Riders and Mary did some 4th level. Mary is getting closer every time to riding her horse in the show ring like she rides him out of the ring. That I think is the biggest challenge of showing, getting the exact horse you have in warm up or at home, down that centerline. Mary had a super last ride in the ring, and we both felt like she made some huge steps forward. Katie, last year, was the star of the junior tests everywhere she went. Top junior in the country, etc, so. . . coming into young riders we knew would be a big step, but what I am most proud of is this young ladies’ attitude. It is very difficult to be on top at one moment and then struggling the next, and she handles it all like a champion. Because again, it is not who you are when things are going great for you, it is who you are when you are being challenged, and Katie is mature way beyond her years, and character development for me trumps any score! So it’s also about commitment and persistence, she will be back on top one day, but she knows she has a super horse who needs time right now, as well as she has never ridden at this level either so they are learning together, and that takes time. When I was younger, all I ever heard was “you have time, all it takes is time. Just give it a little time” and oh man it annoyed me so much! I wanted it right then! But now as I am getting older, I finally get that important piece of giving it time! I mean isn’t patience one of the most important virtues in Dressage anyway?! Again something we all need more practice in! Hope you are all well! Til next time, happy riding!! J :)