Pat’s new resolve this year was to teach something useful during each Savvy Demonstration. He waited until the last performance to teach flying lead changes. He and some of the students demonstrated the proper body position and drop to trot lead changes.
He asked the instructors to demonstrate flying lead changes over two barrels. Luckily, Pat set this up for Velvet to change leads from left to right. Jenny was relaxed as Velvet has been doing it flying lead changes in this direction over barrels at home. Jenny was last in line and she jumped over…and didn’t get the LEAD change!
Pat told her to do it again, he told her to ride faster and gave her a few instructions. Velvet jumped and didn’t get the lead change.
Now, the crowd was straining for Velvet to get the lead change. Pat said, “We are going to get this Missouri Fox Trotter to do a flying lead change!” He instructed Jenny again as she galloped around. The third time she got it . . to thunderous applause.
Three times Jenny got to ride Velvet jumping over a barrel. Jenny was so happy to soak in the attention of the entire crowd. (ha…Jenny is not a ham like Velvet!)
Before the flying leads episode, Pat had all the horses run around the arena again. This time Velvet stayed with the horse crowd. She never got separated from the group. She ran as fast as they did. When she wanted to come into the center, she came to Jenny and Sasha went to Tony. It was much smoother….but not as much FUN!
My performance with Velvet went great. I was fortunate that Jenny had warmed Velvet up for me every day. Velvet and I did ” Dressage Velvet, Reining horse Velvet and Jumper Velvet. Then we did it all over again after I took off the bridle and rode bridleless…even jumping over the barrel. My performance had lots of clapping…some of which I begged for…some of which I bribed the crowd by throwing peppermints during our entry. We rode with two other Supreme Trail Horses and even had some model horses in the arena during the last two performances.
June 2001 has been the best month of my LIFE!