I'm Exhausted...

CWell I slept for 13 hours so you could say I was pretty exhausted after yesterday. I had to groom and saddle to JI for T9. I rode fast Eddie and he was very full of himself. There were a few bucks involved but nothing huge. For batons we worked on synchronization so not much happened there. I had my one hour off and got food that went to circus horse tryouts at 11. I am unable to get on my myself so I don't think I will make it this year. We got to try around the world that it is so awkward riding backwards on the horses neck hahaha. I think I will still go to tryouts next week just for practice. Then at 12 I got to practice with red ropes!!! I have been waiting for this for two years I was so excited. Then that one was white ropes and I just practiced specialties. I had Chey for Royal and we rode three drills. We got to line up in the white and run into the volunteer. So much fun! We also got to ride to our drill music!!!!! I was so happy!!! I was 2-8, GOA 1 point, and 2-7. Chey was so much better with her leads today. Our drills were OK but they could have the better. Overall still a very good ride. I had Dusty for liberty and that was OK she's pretty lazy so I rode with Spurs. We rode our drill with ground poles and half jumps I called the second drill. I did not take off my bridle because Dusty was more responsive with it. Then for vaulting my partner and I successfully did all the tricks for both drills except I was not able to get into one leg hang but still a huge improvement. Her horse did amazing. I also found out we might be costuming for Royal next week!!! And I'm also going to ride in Easter parade because in Red division anybody can do it if they want to. I can't wait!!!

First Ride as Royalty!!!

Wow... yesterday was my first day as a Royal Ranger and man was it a blast. I took advantage of not having training and JI'd for J1, J2, and J3. I groomed Chief and rode him for my first class, my baby boy Stretch second, and Patrick for the third. It was JGE tryouts today so it was pretty boring but they really needed us to help keep some of the horses out on the rail. Then I had a little bit before my meeting at 12. We got bags of goodies decorated with the royal flag and customized bandannas. A few older riders came and welcomed us onto the team. I was so freaking excited!!!! We talked about expectations; no officers, no drama, one big family. Costume pieces, etc. My instructors said we weren't going to ride with flags this week but be prepared to next week.  It took the whole hour so I couldn't watch my teammates on nighthorse :( I watched the beginning of Crimson to see the girls who moved up. I don't think it really hit me that I was on Royal until I went to sign out my horse with my new teammates. I was surprised to find I still had Chey!!! She was in a class so I got to wait at the gate. Then off I went. I started to get really anxious and just tried to match my breathing with Chey's. For warm ups I rode with my trainer! It was super fun and everyone did great! Before our first drill and at the end of the ride we high five as many teammates as we can reach. Then we lined up our first drill. I was P2 (GPA 4). The caller yelled, "Ladies! WHO WE BE!?" and I finally got to yell," ROYALTY!!!!" I got so many chills lol. Our first drill actually went well. It was so different fro nighthorse because everyone was actually confident in where they were and where they were going. There was hardly any of the hesitation that I'd grown used to. We lined up a second drill and I was 3-6. 1 away from the outside of propeller!!!! Omg Royal has the biggest propeller with 34 riders instead of 28 and man do they haul! It was great! I hope one day to be on the outside. We were only supposed to get through two drills but we had time for a third!!! I got to be 1-2 for this drill. Riding team is so much fun but point isn't horrible because they are really involved in Flag unlike Kaleidoscope. Overall they weren't bad drills but we need to guide a little more to make the transitions easier and cleaner. Chey did amazing and it was nice having a familiar horse. I cannot wait until next weekend. After a few times the drill came back to me fairly quickly. I'm so proud to be Royalty and I nearly cried during the ride because of how kind and supportive everyone was. It blew me away. I unsaddled Chey and headed home :)

MOVE UPS!!!!!

I GOT THE CALL THIS EVENING!!!! I'M NOW A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL RANGERS!!!!! I'm so happy!!!!! I cried when I got the call. I've always wanted to be on this team. It doesn't feel real that I will be riding on the team that I have been watching for the past two years. Now I have to relearn Flag but it's so going to be worth it. I can't wait for the first drill when the caller yells WHO WE BE!? and I'll get to yell ROYALTY!!! I'm so ready!!! Pink Ranger training is up next probably in a few weeks. AHHHHHH I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE I'M A ROYAL RANGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crimson took 12
Royal took 7
That leaves Nighthorse with 37 girls who are gonna do fantastic!!!!

Circus Horse and Flags

So Saturday went really well I had my first of three circus horse tryouts and I actually surprised myself with how well I did. Training was good I got hundred percent on my kaleidoscope final and 99 overall and 100% percent of my diagrams!!! For Nighthorse we rode with flags. I got one of the ugly maroon ones lol. I had Chey and rode C01 and 1-4. I almost forgot to pick up my points lol. Chey can be really stubborn about her right lead but we started figuring out each other and I'm beginning to learn her cues. Our last two kaleidoscope drills weren't horrible, it was fun doing Crimson's salute with flags. And I'm sure move ups will be happening here soon. Then my vaulting partner was sick so I rode with someone else. Liberty was amazing! I had Chahootie and she was perfect and we finally got to work on some more jumps!!!! I got to call the drill again but we ended halfway through so I'll get to call again in two weeks.

Ride and Kaleidoscope Final

So on Saturday I started out with training and we took our final for kaleidoscope. It really easy so I'm hoping that's a good sign. Then we talked about horse health and basic veternairy care. Afterwards I signed out my horse and I had Chey again. It seems to me that she will be my new horse to carry me for right now. The ride actually wasn't too horrible I got to be 1-5 (OUTSIDE OF PROPELLER!) and AM(1). I was so excited to finally get to ride outside of propeller. And the drill actually went fairly smooth until points in but other than that it was really OK the second drill was pretty boring for me because I was American but it's an important role and I was excited to ride it. I got hit with a giant dirt clumps during double thread though it was pretty funny. Chey was much better about picking up her right lead so I think I'm starting to figure out her cues. I didn't JI so I could film my friends graduating to Percisionettes. Then I stayed until six and film my friends trick class at five. Pretty good day and we will be riding with flags for the first time next week!!!

Long Day 1/30

My day started really early with grooming at 7 am. I had Jericho for Liberty!!!!! I was super excited but we were in the white. We had just started warm ups when White Steppes gave us the VOLUNTEER!!!!!! I HAD JERICHO IN THE VOLUNTEER!!! It was soooooo much fun but Jericho had a lot of kick in him but it was fun :) Then diagramming went well. I got a 91% on Quiz 3 so I was pretty disappointed in myself. I flipped two wings in the star. We walked through and rode P5 in GPA 1 and 2-1. Then we went over our homework assignment on cost to own a horse as well as got a lecture from the director on the horses legs and the importance of leads. It was extremely interesting and I really enjoyed it. Then batons we just practiced a little and celebrated our instructors birthday. I went to sign out my horse, it was so weird having the horses back at the outdoor arenas again. I had Chey! I was actually super excited. She's such an amazing little horse. It was a super fun ride, I got to lead a bunch in 1st four so that was fun! Our second drill got really missed up with points in but overall not to bad. I think we will start riding with Flags shortly. For ropes I practiced my normal tricks and then learned a few combinations of old tricks. After ropes I had Vaulting. My partner and I tried another horse out but he started limping shortly after so I hopped on with another rider who's partner was gone. It was my first time ever riding with someone else. It was weird but a nice challenge. For JI I had Hunter and man was he fired up today. Getting on took at least 5 min. Then Sonny bucked a rider off and they asked a JI to ride him. I volunteered so we gave the girl Daktari and that JI took Hunter. I hopped on Sonny and the instructors told me to get some work out of him. So I loped him around and he only offered a buck when he felt cornered. Which was difficult because we were helping the Tenderfeet lope so we boxed them in. Then we unsaddled and I helped the girl with Daktari. I helped unsaddle a few extra liberty horses and watched WL4 and unsaddled Dakota for them at the end because the rider left. I was super tired by the end of the day. 12 hours takes it out of you lol. Sadly I do believe my time with Stretch has come to an end. I'm really gonna miss the big toddler and he taught me a lot. I wouldn't have wanted to spend the last 3 months with any other horse. Hopefully I'll have a new assigned horse soon.