MDHT Fall Starter #1 Pro Photos

Thanks, Emma, for alerting me to this sale - I'd overlooked the email!

When these went on sale and part of my purchase was guaranteed to help wounded warriors, I couldn't help but finally buy some pro prints from Loch Moy on Sept. 10. We competed in the elementary division (finishing second) and schooled BN XC for our first time.

I have so much to improve on still, but I also have so much to be grateful for. I trained this horse from the ground up all by myself, I ride alone 99% of the time, and I am very largely self-taught with all things jumping - that we went out and conquered this childhood dream thrills me beyond words.

His happy ears and attempts to pull my arms off in his sheer excitement (so evident in the photos) say it all! This is only the beginning 💙

He wasn't super impressed with the height, but that's okay!

He still looked super cute

I love that even though this round was so scrappy, he was there for me and powered through

Happy relaxed ears!

I hope he's always so tidy with his hind end.

Turn and burn...or something. Mostly just awkward AF

So consistent with his little knees <3

First competition bank! He absolutely charged to this which made me nervous lol

Grif was very proud of himself afterward and attempted to throttle up more gears than I was ready for... in due time buddy!

His left ear on my asking if we seriously have to slow it down a few notches

His right ear on my asking if we seriously have to slow it down a few notches. Yes, Grif, seriously.

Now his determined/annoyed ears because I'm holding him back so strongly...
Sorry for the total lack of release, dude, but we are not ready to gallop pell-mell around this course yet!

Still annoyed, but at least I gave him a nanometer release

This jump is actually an elementary fence (the only elem XC photo they had)and you can see how much more relaxed we
both are. This level is below what we school so I was happy to let him power through a little more.

My face notes my nerves here... Grif was foot-perfect though! He's such a good boy even when we disagree on pacing.

Looking down at Griffin and telling him good boy...though I should be looking up toward the next jump!
Look at his tidy hind end though