Sporting Days - Chance of Romance's First Training Level!

Yesterday Kali ( Chance of Romance) did her first training level event and I was very pleased with how she finished we left her twin sister the fire breathing red mare at home! Considering I spent Friday night bunkered down in the house with three dogs, two cats, twelve horses, a donkey, and of course a pig wondering if I was going to survive the night of tornadoes coming my way, I wasn't feeling like going to an event Saturday Morning. But I but my game face on and off to sporting days we went. 

The dressage was quite good for this little mare. I just got her about 6 months ago and before she came to me she was basically teaching someone beginner lessons so I am super happy with her progress. She scored a 35 in the dressage which put us tied for 9th but only a couple of points out of first. I think Boyd was winning on his lovely new Quinn horse on a 31.4 so we were right up there. Her trot work has been much improved and she handled the canter work well considering we were basically riding in quicksand once you got in the dressage arena. She has a long way to go, but we are on the right track. We had two showjumps down but they were "green" rails as I like to call them. She tends to start  a little behind the leg so I was sure to come out strong making sure we had a forward canter once we got in the ring. She jumped the two combinations well and the course was much more rythmical and smooth then I have had in the past. 

Cross country is obviously this mare's specialty. She was GREAT! The course was much more beefed up at all the levels then it was in February so a true test at every level but still very inviting. The training level had a log into the water and then a log out which a couple people seemed to be having problems with. We also had a pretty decent corner fence and a big ditch to a skinner rolltop. Kali came out of the start box and stepped right up to the plate. She peaked a little bit at the water but responded as soon as a put my leg on and jumped great. I find it so rewarding to bring along the youngsters. I remember last summer when I got her I took me over 2.5 hours to get her feet wet the first time... now we are jumping preliminary sized drops into water! Overall it was a successful 1st training level and her 4th event ever. Many thanks to everyone at sporting days for being getting everything off and running with the weather and working on the footing! Kali's plan is to run the training at Southern Pines II and then another one or two to prepare for the training three day in May at Heart of Carolina. I really believe that the classic format will teach the mare a lot about jumping out of stride and help her to gain a lot of confidence. 

In other news, Murphy is back in work which he decided today would be the day, he was really suppose to start full flatwork and jumping tomorrow but instead he decided to buck me off in the field today and have a nice little gallop back to the barn. Mind you this is a very far distance at the Gibbes. So I think if he looks good tomorrow he will head to Southern Pines to run the Intermediate and then move up the advanced at Fairhill. I have a couple new horses in for sale and have also sold two in the past week! It's been busy but always entertaining. Congratulations to Kim Severson's Groom, Liz on her purchase of Chance of Fortune ( the best baby horse ever) and Julie Gibbes and her new horse Brickland Super Eight! I can't wait to see what these young guys do in the next couple years!