Oh. My. Gosh.

Y'all, I can't even express how proud I am of my horse. He is a ROCKSTAR!!! After he won his first blue ribbon on the flat last week, he didn't get ridden MUCH this week. Rain, rain, and more rain. So, Thursday and Friday were his only 'work' days, and Thursday wasn't *great. We were attempting to work on our Janet homework, and he was just RESISTING. He does NOT like to bend ... yet. He will, I'll get him there!:D So, I've been working his neck like crazy, bend, bend, bend. It's starting to get MUCH better. Been working on my outside rein connection and letting go with the inside, and it's really starting to work. He doesn't feel so stiff through the turns anymore. I've had a trot pole in front of a tall crossrail, and we've been working on trotting slowly to the base. Also set canter poles on either side of a 2'6 oxer, and been working on that too.

Yesterday, shipped him to Patchwork to prepare for the show today. He flatted GREAT! Felt soft and supple:) Janet saw and commented:) Trotted over a small brick wall to warm up, and fab! Jumped him around the entire course, which was BRAND NEW. He'd NEVER jumped it; and he was amazing. No peeks, no stop and leaps, just confidence. Jumped him a few times, then let my kid that lessoned on him the other night get on and jump him around. He looked so great; his knees are looking GREAT! His shoulder is starting to rotate properly now, so I think the trotting to the base is starting to pay off. He was picture perfect with my girl, so off to 'bed' he went.

Today, got in the warmup before the rain. Which maybe wasn't so great. Because the footing was absolutely perfect for him. My girl warmed him up for me, and they rocked. Not a single peek or head shake. Put him up, started the show about an hour and a half later, and let me tell you ... he BABYSAT his first rider. She was very obviously quite novice, and maybe reaching a little to be in the 2'6, but Tiki didn't put a hoof wrong. I almost cried, lol. And the footing was AWFUL. Sloppy, slippery, full of puddles:( It WAS safe; the horses were just adding because of all the puddles and then sliding into short spots at the fences. Tiki didn't bat an eye; just trucked around like a star. Added him into the 2', and MY kid had him! She's never sat on him, but I knew she'd do great. And she did; 2nd! She LOVED him, yay!:) For the flat, he was used twice, and his first kid missed a lead or something, but the 2nd one won! Yay!! So, another blue for my Muffin Man. It was such a GREAT education for him this weekend. These shows are really accomplishing my goals of getting a little mileage on him. SO GRATEFUL for my friend Nicole ... she warmed up horses, worked her tail off, and then announced for our show. I'm very lucky to have a great set of friends; it's a nice feeling.:):) Oh, and we were Champions again. Sorry eveyone else;)