3 video links to portions of AF Derby

Fence 3, naughtiness, and 4:
http://www.vimeo.com/3329293

Bell and trot to start:
http://www.vimeo.com/3329258

Overview of course:
http://www.vimeo.com/3329242

Final FPEC pictures - I'm so excited!

Horse in turnout, friendly Willig and me, and Willig looking shrimpy next to his neighbor.

Another shot of indoor arena and barn

Outdoor arena & pasture

This is just a tiny part of the pasture and only part of the outdoor arena.

FPEC - some turnouts and relaxed Willig

FPEC - indoor arena and barn and Merc's stall

The only picture of us at the Derby

The rest were videos, and T is working on his "horse show helper video" skills.

New barn - Forest Park Equestrian Center

This weekend Willig and Mercury moved to Forest Park Equestrian Center. It is much more convenient to my house and appears to be very well run and maintained. This was after a stop off at Aspen Farms' first derby of the year (jumping only) where Willig placed, as best we can tell, second to last - being only slightly better than a horse who got his rider off. However, for Willig, with the amount of riding and jumping I have done (twice since mid-December, and oh, twice since mid-December), and his tiny little brain (sometimes), I was very, very pleased with how well he did. Jonathan let us have a minute trotting around the jumps before he rang the bell, so Willig jumped and spooked at everything, but once we started the course and started working, he jumped each jump just fine. I think because the course was a what I am coming to recognize as a typical Jonathan twisty curvy course, Willig had to listen very closely to me. Also, with very little cantering, we were close to optimum time (2:31, and we were at 2:36, if I'm remembering correctly).
So yesterday was kind of stressful for him - he got up - had to ride at a show (and Merc had to stand tied to the trailer), had to jump, ride in the trailer again, get turned out at a strange place in the strange yellow sunshine, then get put away in a strange barn. So he started screaming, and since the caretakers sleep in the barn, I marched him outside and we did almost an hour and a half of lunging: first just to get the nervous willies out, then whenever he tried to scream, then whenever he acted up. Twice we went back in the barn, twice he screamed in his stall, and twice we went back out and lunged again. So the third time in, he looked at me, looked around and made a little, teeny "neeeghh?" and I said "NO" and then he stayed quiet (until seconds before we left). When we went out today, he was standing just as calm and quiet and friendly and relaxed as could be in a turnout, then tonight, he was just hanging out in his stall.
I'm so glad we got in, and I am so excited now about riding and training. The facility is amazing - the arenas are huge, and I can't wait for summer to hack him out on the gently rolling hills and trails - and the owner has jumps and cavelleti set up so I can ride them too!!!
I am super, super psyched.