Red Hills Horse Trials, Dressage

After a 2 1/2 hour drive from Grayton Beach, we arrived at our motel in Tallahassee, not far from the Red Hills Horse Trials. The trials were canceled last year because of lack of entrants due to a slow economy. The trials were re-instated this year and quickly made it to the top of Joan's to-do list. These trials are the first qualifier for the American Equestrian Team that will enter the World Cup Eventing. There are also many Canadian entrants.

I didn't realize that horse people often have dogs with them at shows like this. Above is a magnificent large older dog [ great Dane? ] with style and panache. He probably stood higher than a yard and looked down upon all the other dogs, large ones included.

Dressage has often been described as watching grass grow. It was Jan's first time at a dressage show and she brought lots of humour to the spectator process...

These were two of the Canadians competing. Tomorrow they'll be in the Cross-Country and Sunday, they will compete in Stadium Jumping. Their combined score of all three disciplines will determine their position in the competition. The American competitors are also competing for place on the American Team.

While the grass was growing, I walked over to tomorrows' cross-country course and saw the jumps. All jumps are made new for this Horse Trials. They'll be broken down after the show, and stored for possible future use.

Many jumps are named after the animal or other thing that the jump is made of. Here's one made of a large Armadillo.

Next is a recently cut log, probably a few hundred years old.

This is a table jump, the horse ends up on a higher level.

It would seem that this year, large cut logs pieces are the order of the day. They are quite substantial and likely immovable.

Here they built a ramp [about 5 feet] up to this tree branch so they could have it as jump. [Double-click on any image you want enlarged.]

Here's another large log with the previously mentioned ramp in the background.

Below is the other side of that 'branch' jump, the limb is called 'Big Bend'.

Virginia Live Oaks do have large branches don't they.

Here's a confusing look at a few water-jumps. If you see the numbers, the horses will be jumping away from the camera, otherwise, they will jump towards the camera. Maybe tomorrow I'll have some pictures made at these jumps...

A little further to the right, you can see the space between the first jump into the water and next the jump out of the water.

This is another water challenge where the jump is in the middle of this small pond. Should be interesting tomorrow!

Next is a large sculpture of a squirrel where the body is one jump and the tail is another jump. #3 is a jump over the body.

#5 is the tail jump.

The title jump, well into the course, but close to where the shuttle bus will drop people off tomorrow.

Here are a few people examining the three starting ' welcome ' jumps.

Some of the jumps are just spooky. How would you feel galloping towards this area, there's a jump right in the middle.

Our motel is a few miles away, and I thought you'd enjoy seeing our neighbour's truck.

and a close-up of the rear window.

No comment...

Non-sequitur? Maybe.

With luck, tomorrow should see some jumping photos here if we get back to Grayton in decent time. Otherwise, the next day.