Don't Call it a Comeback

Well Legacy reappeared this weekend. We ran Training and the Plantation Starter Trials and he smoked the competition. We pulled at 25.9 in dressage and were leading by 8 points. We didn't add a point to our score and ended on that to win the division. The dressage was good as usual, although we were on a crappy grass ring...I think the scoring was a bit generous but I'll take it. We had one of the lowest dressage scores of the day!! The stadium was straightforward and smaller than we've seen and he was fine. I didn't ride it terribly well...just didn't prepare for each jump and didn't map out my turns well when I walked the course. But we got through it without even a rub, so he didn't fault me for my less than stellar riding. Cross country was somewhat sticky, but nothing like he was a few months ago. He galloped at the fences with a purpose which was great to feel. I basically had to have him jump a log into the foundation from a standstill at fence #3 and then we had a really awkward approach to #4 thanks to the course designer. I'd say it was somewhat spooky b/c he didn't see the house he was to jump until about 2 strides out b/c it was around a corner, but at both of those questions, he hesitated but then went forward when I applied leg. We had 2 other sticky spots, one at a dead log on course, which for some reason he seems to balk at since he does the same thing at the log at Bucks County...must be something with his vision, and the other stickiness was at the water. We had to jump a small log into the water, about 6 strides out he sort of backed off, but I just clucked, squeezed and put my hands forward and he responded. So it was by no means a breeze on XC, but definitely a HUGE step in the right direction. I've never been so nervous...before stadium Seth was standing next to me and he could see my whole body was shaking. It was just that so much was riding on this performance. I had decided if he shut down like he did at Rubicon, Surefire, MD or NJ I was going to hang it up with him. Luckily, he acted nothing like that. We just need to build confidence and I've been there before with him, so I feel so relieved. No matter what happens, I'll always have a special connection with him b/c of all we've been through and how much I've learned from him. I don't know if he'll be the best horse I'll ever ride, but he's certainly given me a lot of great memories. So that's the end of the season for Legacy and I, it was a great way to end it all. The plan next year is just to have a solid year at Training and just play it by ear. We've got one more weekend with Hobbs at Rubicon and then winter break!