Day Three

Day Three
The final day of any CDE event everyone is rather burnt out. Since we were in second place, our time was about 11:30… Because you must use the same vehicle for cones as you do dressage, the Running Brook road cart was rolled out again. This time it sported great reflectors and a VERY securely fashioned dash. NO more Larry holding the dash up with his foot!!!
Larry had never driven DL in cones. I told Larry that she LOVED cones since we had practiced them in the back pasture several times. She loved the dodge and go of them being instantaneous answerable to the slightest change. DL loves a mental challenge.
For some reason, everything in cones ran REALLY late. Maybe the show officials had a little burn out also. Dawna Lisa when she is ‘going mode’ is not a patient girl. Larry warmed her up after her safety and vet check and then went to the practice area. DL and Larry flew around with Larry getting an eye for the huge difference of driving a two wheel. Larry then brought my pretty girl over to rest a bit with me heading her.
After what seemed like hours, the walkie talkie’s did their magic and we called down to the holding area. DL did her best to patient but we had a course change for ALL the cones. Luckily, they let Larry into the ring while the width was changed for all the cones. DL and Larry trotted around the outside as Larry waited for the bell. DL was ready and the halt and salute was the only slow thing. Thankfully the photographer captured both DL and Larry both before their go. Larry had a big Larry smile on his face.
DL and Larry wove their way through the course with great style. The end of the deal was a double clean in both time and NO balls down. This didn’t change our position in the big picture BUT I got to drive Dawna Lisa back to the barn while Larry stayed for the Dales pair.
It was really nice to have my girl back in my hands. She and I told stories via the lines in my hand. The story was “Mom, I have learned a great deal. I love this CDE thing.” I listened to her not knowing IF I can live up to her talents. While this might be a slight sadness on my behalf, I know that I have to grow and be at least as tenth as good as SHE is. What lessons we learn from our ponies when we entrust them to the right hands. Have no fear, I hope that Dawna Lisa and I have a bright future doing this stuff together. SHE is now worldly girl and I the ‘babe in the woods’ which I might note is a rather OLD babe. My somewhat haphazard decision to send Dawna Lisa to Larry’s all those months ago is perhaps best decision I have made since my decision to purchase my first Welsh all those years ago in 1977.