Allow me to set the stage. It was HOT. I don't mean it was warm or a little uncomfortable, it was downright hot. My friend Stacey had a reading of 104 degrees on her truck's thermometer as we left the showgrounds around 1:30 PM. Misery.
Michele and I, though, braved the heat. We loaded up our ponies around 9 AM and headed south to Tryon. It's always a blast to ride places with Michele because she's so easy to talk to. We talked about Rebecca Farm, how to open your seat to encourage lateral movements from your horse, movies that are playing at Cinebar...fun times. We got to FENCE and parked by the barns (near the wash areas), opened up the trailer doors to let in some air, then went to check in. I've discovered that this helps Obe. If I leave her on the trailer with doors open, she gets a chance to rest, look around and decide it's not so bad. Once we got our numbers, we pulled the girls off the trailer, tacked up and hopped on.
The show organizers were smart...they put warm-up in the covered arena. Typically, you ride in warm-up longer (and harder) than you do in the show ring, so it's a good idea to put it in a cooler location. I can handle warming up for 30 minutes in a covered arena, then sucking it up and showing in the blazing sun for about 8 minutes. No problem. Stacey was warming up her new horse, Mitchell. Michele wanted to pop over a few of the warm up jumps, which were down at the end of the arena. So, I poked around on Obe, working her through her initial stickiness and protesting. She did well...she was a bit looky, but I'll forgive that since the covered arena creates some interesting shadows. I then followed Michele over to the jump ring and watched her do a round at Novice height. Stacey's dressage ride was in the very next ring, so we sat and watched that, too. Obe was awesome, allowing the other horses to leave without dancing or jigging. I think the heat helped with that a bit, too!
Stacey's ride was the last one in the short court arena. Once the judge and scribe left, Michele and I went in and played around a bit. This is where Obe started to get a little sticky again...after all, she had to keep an eye on Adora and where she was at all times. Michele just hacked around the arena while I got Obe inside the dressage arena and worked a bit. After a few circles and work on lateral stuff, she sighed and got to work. I love discovering little tools that help, and shoulder-in is THE lateral movement to use with Obe when she's being sticky. I have to remember to keep the trot energy moving through my knees so I don't lock up. Once I'm there for her, she engages and settles. So, I exited the arena, let Michele go in and practice a test, then worked on canter stuff at the end of the larger arena. Obe was soft, responsive, and fantastic! So, I quit, walked her out of the arena on the buckle and waited for Michele and Stacey. I love the fact that she'll just stand and wait patiently now. Again, the heat probably helped with that - she was begging to stand still - but, it's a nice way to just chill with my pony and let her know that all is right with the world.
The three of us took our horses across the street to the xc area. FENCE is a great facility, but I HATE crossing the street there. First, it's on a curve, so you never know when a car is coming. Second, you have to walk up the street a little ways to get the entry gate, and you walk under the Interstate...so, two over passes above you with cars zooming across WHOMP-WHOMP! WHOMP-WHOMP! Obe is most comfortable following, so we hung out in the back of our little line of three, and she marched right through like it was no big deal. Love her.
This is part of the xc course at FENCE.
We hacked around a bit around a few of the trails at FENCE, and Obe was so brave when a couple rounded a corner facing us and their off-leash boxer came bounding up to us. We halted, of course, and just waited for the incredibly apologetic owner to get her dog under control. Michele looked over her shoulder and said, "Relax your butt cheeks." I smiled, because I needed to do just that! I was so tense, scared that Obe was going to either lash out at the dog and kill it or bolt off into the next county. She stood very still, her ears flicking around, while the boxer sniffed at her legs and her (beautiful) tail. I was so proud of my girl! 
This is a cuter version of the dog that took its life into its own hands by sniffing Obe's tail.
Back at the trailers, I sponged her down (she was foamy) and gave her ginger snaps. It was fan-freakin'-tastic!
Maybe, just maybe, my pony is learning to trust me even more. :)
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