COSTUMING + VOLUNTEER

Today was a great and okay day. Stampede had to groom, I got Billy #9. I was pretty excited for the ride because we were riding in the Volunteer Arena!!!! So it was SUPER icy and cold. Billy was amazing for grooming he just stood there. He has the personality of a giant puppy dog. Such a sweet heart. His feet were awful because they were frozen but I eventually got them done. We walked the horses down. Just being on the other side of the rail in there feels amazing! I can't even describe what it feels like. Typically only Red Division gets to ride in there so being in there felt amazing. I can't wait until next year when I move up. Billy has a bit of rail issues hahaha. He doesn't like to stay on the rail. He doesn't neck rein at all, he doesn't stop, and he makes giant circles. He is a total leg and body cue horse. We mostly did equitation work because everyone on our team needs it a lot. Billy isn't smooth but he's manageable. Pretty average gaits. We were doing a four's split at the rail and a halt ho was called by a rider. Our team stopped on a dime, I was impressed. We had a rider come off in the middle of us and she was unharmed. Yay!!! She got back on and we did a thread at a lope which was really fun! We loped in fours then she gave us numbers and we had to go line up in the four number we got. I was a 1. Totally at random I ended up as 2-1 again! OUTSIDE OF PROPELLER IN THE VOLUNTEER!!!! AHHHHHH! So we started our drill but only got through the the first 6/7 maneuvers. But we did propeller! I had to urge Billy on a bit but we turned it really well! Then is was over. Because of the long walk our ride was cut like 20 minutes short so that sucked a lot. I wouldn't say my team had a great ride but just okay. We had a lot of issues going on. So then I watched WesternaireForever in J2. She had Smooch, and I watched a bit of Varsity. Then it was time to diagram. We got settled and got Test #2 back...... My instructor came up to me and said,"Looks like someone forgot to study like last time." I was like oh no! I flipped my page over to a blue 100%!!!!!! I was so happy!!!!! HUGE improvement from the last test. Then it was catch up time. We had the class hour to study and anyone who had a 2 or 1 had that time to correct diagrams in class to pass training. I spent the time helping people with diagrams and explaining stuff to them. After class we lined up shortest to tallest. It was time to COSTUME! Stampede was my #1 choice for AAA and I am in LOVE with their costumes. First we got fitted to our shirts. They are long sleeve and silver. They have a light blue piece that goes over our shoulders and Velcros in the front. The shirts are nice and simple they Velcro up the front. They are pretty comfortable too. They also have cuffs that Velcro onto the shirt and around our wrist. They are very loose and stretchy so not as annoying as White Star's last year. The first shirt they gave me, a medium, fit so that was awesome. Then is was time for CHAPS!!!!! Our chaps have a blue strip in the front and Velcro around our waist. they are all black with a silver star on each leg. They have one strap that hooks behind our thigh/knee to hold the chaps down. My instructor wanted all our chaps to be a little long so they would kind of cover our feet when we rode. I got a size large. I felt soooo cool! I love them! It will be a little weird mounting in them though. Then we were free too go. Costuming is such a tease. You get the costumes and get all excited and don't get to wear them again until pictures in May.... grrrr. So then I watched Nighthorse ride and went home. Overall not a bad day.