Our First Horse Show | Serenity Creek Schooling Show

Buckle your seatbelt guys, this post may get a little sappy.

Diesel and I completed a huge milestone this past weekend – our first horse show together! My trainer and I loaded up some horses early Saturday morning and trailered into a cute little farm in Monroe, GA named Serenity Creek Equestrian Center to attend one of their schooling shows. I have to say – it was one of the best-run schooling shows I have been to in a while. The staff was so nice and welcoming, the arena was well groomed, and the ribbons were super nice for such a small show!

Since it was Diesel’s first time having a non-pro ride at a show, my first show riding in three years, and our first time showing together, we decided to take it easy and set ourselves up for success by entering the adult beginner division and green horse division. I also decided to keep my goals for this show small: don’t fall off and give my horse the best ride I can possibly give him. That’s it.

Our classes actually went extremely well! We had some great moments where everything seemed to fall into place and all of the things we have been working on in lessons seemed to click for me. In those moments, the connection was there, he was relaxed and focused, and I was actually riding both sides of my horse instead of resorting to my inside rein like an idiot. Not only were there some really quality moments, but Dies also behaved like a complete gentleman! He was on his best behavior despite some of the other horses’ shenanigans ringside and some very scary speakers by the judge’s booth. I honestly just can’t put into words how proud of him I am!

Is there room for improvement? Absolutely! First and foremost, I have got to get back in shape and lose all of the extra “fluffiness” I have gained while in college. I am actually embarrassed by how chunky I have gotten. 😞 Not cool, Ashlyn. Secondly, I need to work on maintaining my connection with him throughout the entire ride to keep him focused on me rather than letting his attention wander. And lastly, I need to continue working on achieving quieter, softer transitions by timing my half halts better and supporting him with my leg and seat. However, it is all a work in progress and for our first show together, I was very pleased with how he behaved and how I rode! I felt as though I was an active rider rather than a passenger, which was a huge win for me! I couldn’t have asked for a better first time out!

Although placings weren’t even in the forefront of my mind for this show, we ended up doing extremely well for our first show together! In the adult beginner division, we ended up placing second in every class out of six earning us a reserve champion ribbon. That alone had me glowing with pride, but when we went into the green horse division and pulled out a first, second, and third, I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Two reserve champions at our first show together? No way! I was beyond thrilled!

All smiles with my perfect pony! (PC: Serenity Creek Equestrian Center)

Even though it was just a few flat classes at a small show, I came out of the arena feeling as though we had just won the $1M Grand Prix! I was that proud of my sweet boy and all that he has accomplished in the last few months! Actual tears may have been shed, and that is not an exaggeration!

Not only was he fantastic for me, but he was also perfect for my trainer in the schooling hunter division. He was such a good boy and behaved wonderfully despite the stifling summer heat. He and my trainer also ended up champion of the division with a first, second, and fourth with my trainer’s sale pony close behind in reserve. Overall, it was a fantastic show for us! I hope there will be many more shows in our future!

The best boy! (PC: Serenity Creek Equestrian Center)

PC: Serenity Creek Equestrian Center

My trainer’s sale pony killing it! (PC: Serenity Creek Equestrian Center)

As I’m sitting here writing this post, I am just overflowing with pride and love for Dies and gratitude for everything that my amazing trainer and parents have done for me and him throughout this journey of ours so far! My trainer has put so much hard work into both of us, and I honestly can’t thank her enough for that. And my parents, gosh, they have sacrificed so much to make owning this horse a possibility for me. I am beyond thankful!

 

 

 

Equifit ImpacTeq Half Pad | Product Review

It’s no secret that I am a saddle pad lover and hoarder. Despite my love for saddle pads, I am not a big collector of half pads. The only half pad I have ever owned up until now was a ThinLine as my custom saddle never needed any extra padding. But with Diablo getting older and not as fit as he used to be, his saddle has gotten a tad too wide for him. While I start to rebuild his topline and get him back in shape, a half pad will help fill in the gaps between him and the saddle to help it fit him better in the meantime. Plus, it definitely wouldn’t hurt to have a nice half pad for my trainer to use when she rides Diesel in her saddle. It’s a win-win situation. 😉

In my search for a good half pad, my curiosity got the best of me when I saw an Equifit half pad for sale on a Facebook group for a really good price. I just had to try it out!

I am a huge fan of Equifit’s line of protective boots. Their T-Foam EXP2 Open Front Boots have been a staple in my tack trunk for the past four years. Yes, that’s right, they have held up to weekly wear and tear for four years and are still going strong. Since I love their open front boots so much, deciding to purchase one of their half pads was a no-brainer.

Diablo in his Equifits four years ago!

Diesel wearing the same pair of Equifits!

According to Equifit, the ImpacTeq Half Pad is “designed to absorb extreme impact” and “provides the ultimate protection for both horse and rider”. They also claim that the ImpacTeq Technology allows the pad to contour to the horse’s back to provide a custom fit while “an open-cell non-newtonian foam transforms from soft to rigid upon impact”.

The half pad itself comes in a variety of colors including black/black, black/brown, black/navy, black/green, black/red, and black/black ostrich. If you want to take the pad into the hunter ring, don’t worry, Equifit makes a fleece cover for it. The pad itself retails for around $259 and the cover retails for $86. While it is pricey, I do feel that you are paying for an excellent quality product.

The first thing I noticed about my Equifit ImpacTeq Half Pad in black/black ostrich was how sleek and simple the exterior of the pad was. I am the type of person that prefers my half pad to not stand out or clash with the saddle pad I choose to put under it. The black/black ostrich combination looks sleek and sophisticated and adds a bit of flair to the pad without becoming overbearing. It looks beautiful and doesn’t distract from the horse, which I love!

Not only does it look beautiful, but it fits my horse well! My biggest pet peeve when it comes to half pads are pads that lift the saddle way off of the horse’s back and cause it to perch atop the horse. I hate it with a fiery passion. When I first received the pad and pulled it out of the box, I was a little nervous that the thickness of the pad would do just that, but to my relief, it softened and contoured to my horse’s back allowing the saddle to rest as if the pad was not there. The pad seems a little stiff at first, but once it is on the horse, the horse’s body heat warms up the pad and softens the foam allowing for a more custom fit. I found that the exact same thing happens with their protective boots as well. If you are familiar with their boots, you know exactly how that feels.

While I didn’t notice any overly dramatic changes in Diablo’s movement, I did notice that he seemed a little looser through his back and warmed up a little quicker than he usually does without using the pad. He definitely seemed a little more comfortable than normal. The same thing can be said when I put it underneath my trainer’s saddle on Diesel. I can also say that I didn’t feel perched atop of my horse while riding in the pad. I actually felt that I maintained a close contact feel throughout the whole ride.

Peep the Equifit ImpacTeq Half Pad underneath my saddle

Diesel schooling in the Equifit ImpacTeq Half Pad

When the ride was over and I removed the pad, neither of them was overly sweaty underneath the pad which was a huge plus. It must be pretty breathable as Diablo has a tendency to sweat like a pig! He actually seemed quite cool despite the summer heat. Once off, all I did was wipe it down with a damp towel and it was good to go for the next ride. Plus, it has held up extremely well and looks brand new despite me buying it already used from its previous owner.

Overall, I can without a doubt say that Equifit’s ImpacTeq Half Pad is worth the money! If you are in the market for a half pad that is sleek, stylish, and has superb craftsmanship, definitely give this one a try!