Spanish Mustang at Sunborn Schooling Show

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By Jennifer Klitzke

Every time I drive to a show, I seem to under estimate how long it takes me to get there. This time I was prepared with MapQuest, my GPS, and I left two-and-a-half hours before our first class to take the 39-mile trip. Although it was dark and rainy, the weatherman promised clear skies by the time of our first class.

A half hour into my drive I knew I was in trouble when MapQuest sent me 25 miles North instead of East. Then my GPS told me I was in another state as the storm winds pushed my trailer side to side. Was I really meant to be at this show? Or was this just some test in perseverance?

I resorted back to MapQuest which took me too far West and then too far South. After two-and-a-half hours of white-knuckle driving in wind and rain I was about to give up. Then I phoned the facility, and they got me back on track.

My poor Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend (Indy) took a three-hour trailer ride before we tacked up with only five minutes to warm up and memorize our courses.  The people were gracious, kind and understanding. The judge let me school Indy over a few jumps before we took our turn, and just as the weatherman promised, the sun broke through the clouds.

Last year at Sunborn Stables, Indy and I rode our first jumping course over ground rails. This year we were jumping 18″ cross rails and two-foot verticals. Plus moving from Intro Level to Training Level Test Three.

Indy is such a good sport. He jumped every fence placed before him including our first double oxer. We placed fourth and fifth in our jumping classes and hustled off to the trail obstacle course. We weaved through the cones, rode up to the rain jacket, traveled toward the hill when Indy abruptly stopped. He had to go potty. Spectators got a chuckle out of that, but the poor boy had been cooped up in the trailer for three hours and he never had a chance!

Back to the course we climbed the hill, deposited the rain jacket, descended a rather steep hill, walked through the lilly pad, frog hoppin’ pond, and over to a broom and ball. We had to bat the ball from one station to another and concluded our course by walking across a flapping plastic tarp. Indy took first place.

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Now a three hour wait until our Training Level Test Three class. I put Indy in the trailer for a break and watched a few Training Level tests. Several Friesians, warmbloods, and a Lipizzaner were ridden by well-schooled riders in consistent and well-connected frames. I listened to how the judge scored each movement.

Then it was our turn. I tacked Indy up 30 minutes before our ride. The storm had left the outdoor exercise arena under water, so we were given four minutes before our test to warm up in the indoor arena. Indy and I gave it our all and scored a 60% for sixth place. I’m just glad we toughed it out and made it to the show after all.

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Now if I could only find my way home in an hour of sunshine instead of three windy hours in a storm!

 

Video: Spanish Mustang jumps two-foot vertical

 

Video: Spanish Mustang hammin’ it up in the water obstacle

 

Video: Spanish Mustang riding Training Level Test Three