Finally Outside!!!!

So Colorado Stampede finally got to ride outside! I was so happy! For the ride I got Ashley #71. I was a little concerned because she is older but man that little mare surprised me! She just wanted to giddy up and go! I couldn't believe it. So we warmed up and it wasn't going well at all. Our instructors were kind of mad. We only have 5 rides left until our first show. We got flags and I had a red one. So we lined up our drill, and I got to be 2-1 again. I've been in that spot a lot lately but it's outside of propeller so I don't really mind. I love how we transition because the outside has to boogie! Ashley did sooooo good. So we had to start the drill over half way through cause it fell apart. We made it through one at a trot. So we shuffled the line up some but I was still at 2-1. But here was the twist... we were trying it at a lope. Oh boy. We came down the center in fours and the outside peeled back I was supposed to split and go to GPA 2 but Ashley veered right to GPA 4. I shouldered the flag but was unable to correct it safely so I ended up ridig 1-2. I was bummed I missed propeller. The rest of the drill was okay very obvious who didn't know the drill because they would slow down to a trot. For our first time it wasn't awful but it wasn't good. Considering we only have 5 rides until show. So then came the walk through. We are down to 6 fours so our second caller is 1-6. I got to walk this spot! I was really happy because I got to call the second half of the drill. It was a pretty good walk through. Then I was 2-6 for the last one and it was amazing! Something clicked and our timing was right we charged right through it. We got complimented!!! It was great actually doing something well. Hopefully we can carry it forward to the next ride. We also made some timing adjustments to avoid the problem I had. Not a bad day and I was so happy to finally lope :)

All Weather in an Hour - Specialties

So Saturday had some really funky weather going on lol. I got to Westernaires at about 9 which was really late for me but I decided to sleep a little for once. It was nice and sunny so my friends and I attempted to rope a little at 10 but it was super muddy! It sucked cause I was trying to teach them texas skip since they moved up to Red but it just wasn't cooperating. Then it started hailing on us. Then only 10 minutes later it was over. It looked like someone spilt a ton of Dippin Dots. Then it melted and turned everything to wet sloppy mud. I had costuming for ropes at 12:30 basically I put my vest on and left. It was just to make sure I didn't grow. Then I had batons at 1. We practiced around the worlds and then partner throws. We created a new part of our drill that will look awesome at Olympics :) It was my first practice with my new baton I'm learning double right now. We might get to play with fire next time! Immediately after was costuming for white vaulting. I bought my costume before I had even moved up because I found it super cheap and I got my partners for free from a friend. So my partner and I just had to do a fitting check and they both got approved!!! So we got done pretty quick. Mine is purple and my partners is lime greenThat gave us time to go get ready for our ride at 3. For White Vaukting we got Bingo. He was hmmmm interesting shall we say. He has a nice flat back and smooth trot so he was great for vaulting that way. But he was a little stubborn  and would try and crash into the waiting horses after Mariners cross. He threw a couple bucks too when my partner was standing in propeller. We managed to save it. I rode tricks for warm ups and base for the two drills. That's how we plan to do the first show and I'll do tricks for olympics. It was an okay ride. Then I ran to ropes. I had a conflict with WRP and BL2 so I went to ropes. It just wasn't my day. None of my tricks were working. I would've had Shoshone for Liberty so kind of glad I missed. Minus the weird weather it was a good day 

Good Day and Bad Day

So Saturday was a Base Team weekend so I had to groom at 7 with Colorado Stampede. I got Shoshone #126. I wasn't exactly thrilled. He likes to pull against the bit and his trot can be pretty rough. Plus we were in the White Arena... again. I got finished early. We had to ride warm ups standing in our stirrups. It was really painful. We rode with flags and I got a white flag. We actually got to do the drill this week! I rode 3-3 which was a really blah spot. We had like 4 halt ho's and people turn the wrong way a lot. We eventually made it through and lined up again. I got to ride 3-1 this time... much better :) I was one away from the outside of propeller so I got to lope a little which was a lot of fun. We did diagonal pass through like 3 times to get people to understand that the rail has to move faster! Eventually she said only one way to learn... do it at a lope. I was leading and Shoshone tried to kill us all because he hates going head on. It was fun doing a maneuver at a lope for once. Very scary though and it showed us how fast that transition happens. We put flags away and rode up to the water tanks. Then I watched White Star :) I also went to the office to sign up for the Junior Instructor class. They changed it so much this year and we had to fill out an application and you have to try out this year. Then Stampede met in the fort and did an activity where we had to do calf stretches in a line holding each other up. It was really hard. Then we did two walk throughs. I was 4-4 for the first one and 3-5 for the second one. They were okay spots we were just randomly placed. Then we went behind the seminar room for a team builder. We all had to say three things that made us unique and share them along with our greatest weakness and why we joined westernaires. It was really cool learning about my teammates and that we all want to become a closer team and start working together. Hopefully it shows next ride. That was my day!

New Classes!

So I had a conflict for BL2 and my first WV ride. I would have had Trinidad for Liberty so that was a huge bummer. For White Vaulting we had to groom. My partner and I got Casper #25. She was great for grooming. We rode at 9 so I had to sit around for awhile with nothing to do. We got to the White Arena and mounted up. I rode tricks for warm ups. It went pretty well :) We pulled into the center and got initiated into White Vaulting with the chicken dance. It was really fun. Then I switched to base rider for the two drills. We rode the butt vaulting positions it was really fun! The team was so kind and welcoming and it really made me ease into it more. At 11 was my first White Batons class. I definitely need to get used to the speed but it wasn't too bad! Mostly it was costuming. We tried on our skirts and they are really fun! Then I finally got to go to ropes at 1! We welcomed the new girls and started teaching them how to spin the big ropes. I worked on Texas Skip as well. Danielle also called me over to try butterfly with a slip honda. Basically I was the guinea pig for new red rope tricks lol. I stayed an extra half hour and practiced. Then I filmed a trick class. I also stayed and helped Blue Vaulting. I got to hop on Rebel bareback. It was a good day

One Final Call!!!!

So I just got another call welcoming me to WHITE BATONS!!!!! I am super excited :) I was one of three to move up
- Of course with all the happiness is some disappointment I did not move up in Liberty but honestly I am okay with that! I would rather be really confident and wait until September. Also I'll get to do a lot more jumping while my teammates are learning a drill :) Also I have a conflict with White Vaulting and Blue Liberty 2 so I won't be going to Liberty this week. SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!