Marathon day had ended well with no major disaster moments. Josh and I had survived and I had achieved just about everything I had wanted. BUT I still had cones looming before me. Notice I said looming before me NOT Dawna Lisa. I knew that Dawna Lisa loved cones. She loves the dodging and extended trot part. OK, this mare loves to go!
Larry walked the cones with me on Sunday morning. We talked long and hard about where you could make time and where you had to be careful. I must admit I was still feeling a little leery of driving a four wheel in cones. I had never done this before. GREAT just another thing I had never done before!
Once again, Dawna Lisa and I where haunted with the fact that things ran behind. THIS is not a good thing for Dawna Lisa. BUT I decided it was a great training moment. While Dawna Lisa and I had been haunted all week with a lack of standing still, I felt this was a good time for her to learn I was going to be hard noise about this. She had NO excuses not to stand quietly. We had become a ‘team’ and I was going to make sure that this team included her standing quietly!
I was very pleased that finally DL and I had worked it out. While Dawna Lisa was quietly standing, Larry walked over to us. Personally, I think that Larry just might have been overjoyed that Dawna Lisa was standing quietly. I can’t say I was overjoyed but I felt she was finally listening to me. I was happy that my moments of “Earth to Dawna Lisa” were over. Larry made the comment (which I totally agree with), that sometimes your best schooling moments are at an actual competition. Dawna Lisa and I had proved this.
I can’t say our cones ‘go’ was perfect. We had three balls down and I KNOW that all of our balls down were from the rear of the carriage. BUT I drove the course well under time and Dawna Lisa had a blast doing her marvelous extended trot. I felt great that I never looked down to see IF I made it through the cones. This is a major feat. Larry said I looked totally focused and DL and I did a great job. I guess this was the soothing words I needed for having three balls down.
Larry offer to ride back with me to barn after cones. I kind of chuckled and said “Larry, I think Dawna Lisa and I have finally got it together. I think we can drive the distance back to the barn.”
As we took our time to go back to the barn together, I know I talked liked some addled old lady to Dawna Lisa. I told her how much I had enjoyed our time together and what a great pony she was. She loved stretching her neck out and doing her big swing walk happy to have us together again (I think). I thought about how much I had learned in a mere week. I thought about how much I have learned in the past thirty years of breeding Welsh. I thought about how I might just have been one of the only competitors that actually breed the pony they drove. I thought about HOW proud I was of Dawna Lisa. I thought of how lucky I am to have found the perfect trainer for my dear pony and I.
I found it hard to leave Black Prong. Back at the barn, I groomed her well and once again, she gave me one of her special hugs. Dawna Lisa gulped down nearly a two pound bag of carrots. I felt very odd to be leaving this dear mare after all she had given me so much.
The drive back to the Tampa airport went faster than I thought it would. I can’t say that was true of the flight home, the drunk behind me on the flight or the wasted time picking up luggage at nearly midnight. BUT I was home and could share the joy of all the events with my dear husband. What a trooper he had been caring for my ponies and puppy at home.
SO, what is the prognosis? I think that Dawna Lisa and I have found a sport that we can do together and really enjoy. I think I have to get better at the driving thing for CDE’s. I think that this goal is doable and one that we can enjoy. I know that there will be many challenges in the future. BUT most important, I think we have a future. Yours, Claudia
Larry walked the cones with me on Sunday morning. We talked long and hard about where you could make time and where you had to be careful. I must admit I was still feeling a little leery of driving a four wheel in cones. I had never done this before. GREAT just another thing I had never done before!
Once again, Dawna Lisa and I where haunted with the fact that things ran behind. THIS is not a good thing for Dawna Lisa. BUT I decided it was a great training moment. While Dawna Lisa and I had been haunted all week with a lack of standing still, I felt this was a good time for her to learn I was going to be hard noise about this. She had NO excuses not to stand quietly. We had become a ‘team’ and I was going to make sure that this team included her standing quietly!
I was very pleased that finally DL and I had worked it out. While Dawna Lisa was quietly standing, Larry walked over to us. Personally, I think that Larry just might have been overjoyed that Dawna Lisa was standing quietly. I can’t say I was overjoyed but I felt she was finally listening to me. I was happy that my moments of “Earth to Dawna Lisa” were over. Larry made the comment (which I totally agree with), that sometimes your best schooling moments are at an actual competition. Dawna Lisa and I had proved this.
I can’t say our cones ‘go’ was perfect. We had three balls down and I KNOW that all of our balls down were from the rear of the carriage. BUT I drove the course well under time and Dawna Lisa had a blast doing her marvelous extended trot. I felt great that I never looked down to see IF I made it through the cones. This is a major feat. Larry said I looked totally focused and DL and I did a great job. I guess this was the soothing words I needed for having three balls down.
Larry offer to ride back with me to barn after cones. I kind of chuckled and said “Larry, I think Dawna Lisa and I have finally got it together. I think we can drive the distance back to the barn.”
As we took our time to go back to the barn together, I know I talked liked some addled old lady to Dawna Lisa. I told her how much I had enjoyed our time together and what a great pony she was. She loved stretching her neck out and doing her big swing walk happy to have us together again (I think). I thought about how much I had learned in a mere week. I thought about how much I have learned in the past thirty years of breeding Welsh. I thought about how I might just have been one of the only competitors that actually breed the pony they drove. I thought about HOW proud I was of Dawna Lisa. I thought of how lucky I am to have found the perfect trainer for my dear pony and I.
I found it hard to leave Black Prong. Back at the barn, I groomed her well and once again, she gave me one of her special hugs. Dawna Lisa gulped down nearly a two pound bag of carrots. I felt very odd to be leaving this dear mare after all she had given me so much.
The drive back to the Tampa airport went faster than I thought it would. I can’t say that was true of the flight home, the drunk behind me on the flight or the wasted time picking up luggage at nearly midnight. BUT I was home and could share the joy of all the events with my dear husband. What a trooper he had been caring for my ponies and puppy at home.
SO, what is the prognosis? I think that Dawna Lisa and I have found a sport that we can do together and really enjoy. I think I have to get better at the driving thing for CDE’s. I think that this goal is doable and one that we can enjoy. I know that there will be many challenges in the future. BUT most important, I think we have a future. Yours, Claudia
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