O'Connor Camp Day 6

Sorry this is so late; it’s been crazy coming home!
Wes got picked up at 3pm yesterday and we got home around 1am- but had to wait up for the shipper to bring Wes home which ended up being like 5am-ish. Sometime after that I slept for a little bit.
Yesterday morning wasn't any less crazy than any other part of the day. Karen and Amy were supposed to ride their test for Hong Kong at 7am. So everyone got to the horse center an hour early so we could all watch. Something came up and they didn't ride until almost 8.
It was really good to watch them basically have a lesson. It’s funny how they were being told to correct the same things that they were telling us to all week. We all went down and sat next to the truck and could hear everything they were being told- it was really cool. It’s good to know that even at the Olympic level it’s the same basic things that can go wrong when riding- obv on a different level, but still.
So after Karen and Amy rode some of us went over to the jumping ring and helped David and Cathy set up the course for later. Then those of us who were up there (there were more up by now) walked the course we were to do with David. He talked about how a two or three stride IS a two or a three stride where as when you get up to 4 and 5 strides your able to add a stride or even take one out. He explained how that if you do add a stride it’s important that you make up the few seconds else where in the course- which could be a simple as just changing a line between fences to shorten the distance. Most of us had never thought that much about a stadium course.
Then starting with the 4th group we all went up to ride the course. I stayed up to help with jumps. (I will forever be jump crew...) Karen, Cathy and Amy did a rotation on warming people up- the warm up ring was set up just like it would be at an event just with out the cross rail because David thinks its stupid. After you warmed up with someone you were sent up to the ring and rode over the course with David. Then you talked with who ever warmed you up and went back and did the course again with some revisions. As we worked from the fourth group up to the first the jumps went up.
I got up there and Karen warmed me up. Before hand- for some reason we had to make fun of the way Boston kids talk-- wicked pissa and all that fun stuff. Warm up was good and we agreed that the short spot was a much better decision than the long for Wesman. So we went up to do the course. It was alright until the 9th jump which we knocked down which wasn’t horrible but it was also the 12th jump. Karen and Amy were yelling at me to shorten and wait while David put the rail back-- I tried my best but I couldn't shorten that much! So I circled--and got yelled at for it-- so then Karen and Amy decided that I should just go and run David over who was still standing at the jump... So I rode forward 'cause I like to think I do what I'm told. And when I was ohhh about 2 strides away David kicked the rail down... I jumped it anyway- which I guess was good... So I got to go back and jump the last few again (I had a beautiful 4 1/2 strides in a line previous to hitting the rail.) This time I was allowed to jump the last jump for real!! It was great.
So when everyone was done riding we cooled out and went over to lunch- for the last time. We ate and then each group had to do a presentation on what they learned this week. Our group did Goldilocks and the Three Bears REMIX! It was wicked funny- and we got to make fun of everyone at the same time (only group that took at shot at Amy-- winners!) The other groups did funny stuff too- one did "O'Connor Idol", another made fun of their horses and all the crazy problems they came with- it was great.
After we all did our "presentations" Karen and David got up to talk for a little bit before everyone went their separate ways. They mentioned that pretty much everyone got so much better during the week as did their horses. Then Karen tried to drag Max up to do something but she refused. Sooo apparently Max won a butt load of stuff at like Jersey Fresh or something for being the best groom ever. Among all the stuff she won was this wheelie saddle grooming cart thinger that she named Hannibal ('cause it’s freaking huge). Since they all have more than enough stuff like that she decided to give it away. And in honor of Max and her amazingness it was to be given to the person who had the best "horse management" around the barn and kind of the best over all presentation (pretty much HM and tack and turnout- pony club yay!). So wicked cool- I won Hannibal. Then they did another award? for most improved. This one I think would be wicked hard to pick a winner since every horse and rider changed so much over the week. The winner of this one got a custom cross country vest from one of their sponsors-sweet! Aaaand this girl Carli- who was my best friend there- won it! Wicked cool.
Then we said our goodbyes and everyone was gone by 2pm. If it went on for another week... or month... or year... I would SO do it. It was great!

-Caroline