She has continued to be a sweetie and everyone who has had to handle her sings her praises. Last week our barn manager even told me that if I didn't buy her, she would. We all just love Zoe that much.
Zoe was placed with a small group of mares this past week and seems to have integrated fairly well. She is a little nervous, and definitely not the alpha, but the other horses out there haven't kicked or bitten her; the alpha does run her around a bit, but eventually lets Zoe be. And there is an upside to the running - Zoe is beginning to lose some of her fat and is starting to tone up a little.
I have lost some of my fear while riding Zoe - or at least am more confident that I can manage her at a walk. And a walk is all we have done. I planned to take her up to a trot yesterday, but after a 6+ mile walk earlier in the morning I was already sore; my hips just couldn't take much more! E rode her out in the arena, though, and had a great time. She said that Zoe has a powerful stride and can be quite fast. Hmmmmm......
Fair update: So we survived and there was only one spat of tears this year. And they were quite justified, too. The judging was very strict (no grade inflation this year!) and our motto became "red is the new blue!" The judges would have whole classes with no blues, or with only one or two, and then would decline to hand out Grand/Reserve Champion ribbons. It was unbelievably tough. And disappointing to the children. E managed 4 reds, 1 white (She forgot the pattern, so really deserved the white. But the pattern she did was quite lovely!), and 1 blue. The blue was in Hunter/Hack - the jumping class, so it makes sense that she would get a blue in it. That's what she and Monte have really focused on this past year.
E and Monte participated in the open English show on the Saturday of the fair. This was a hard day for them. In the English Equitation class, the judge asked for the riders to drop their stirrups and post around the arena. E managed to do this - not perfectly, but pass-ibly. The upset came when riders were placed that did not do the skill and she did not get a ribbon at all, even though she had done what was asked. Several people came up to her saying that she really should have been placed over at least 2 of the other competitors. The only reason I can think she wasn't is that the judge was remembering previous rides E had had that were not so stellar and was not basing the current class on the current ride only. So unfair, really. But there's nothing to be done once the judge has made her decision.
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