The Start Of Something New

Dargenzio(:

Okay, so I guess I should start by saying that I decided to make this blog so I could recap on all of my great adventures, years down the road. Anyway, I'm Danielle & I'm an eventer in USEA's Area 3. I just got a new horse about three weeks ago & he is already showing to be a very promising prospect. Dargenzio is a 4 year old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Cantango, & out of a Juventus mare. I was a little skeptical about him when I first got him, because he was very green... but there was also something that made me have to have him. We just got back from our first show at the Escambia County Equestrian Center, in Pensacola, FL. This was Dargenzio's first show & it was fabulous! I am beyond impressed with how well Dargenzio cleaned up his act for this show. We got to the show grounds around noon on Friday & he was a complete mess. Anything moving... or not moving, was beyond scary. But that's a typical four year old for you. I rode for almost three hours on Friday, just getting him used to everything! And I am so thankful I stayed on his back with everything that he was doing. Most of our ride was full of keeping his mind busy & WORK. We went into Saturday with very low expectations, & we really just wanted to get around. We did way more than that! I decided to enter him in the 2 ft. Open Hunter & he was phenomenal. Our first round was great... No squirming, no questions, no looking & most importantly, he listened to ME for once! I was so proud of him & got really excited for our second round because I knew it would be 100% better... I guess I was a little too excited because I went in & went off course. But hey, the one jump we did get to do was great :D

Dargenzio's first... over exaggerated jump in the Open Hunter class.
Photo Credits to Justine Chase!

 Dargenzio was beyond exhausted so he got to sleep for the rest of the day... & that is exactly what he did. When we got back to his stall, he got bathed off & then put into his stall with a ton of hay. He stood in the same place, up against the stall wall, for five hours straight. There was no waking him up either. On Sunday, I had a different horse. We were only in warm up for about 45 minutes before my trainer said we were ready to go into our first jumper class. Okay, so I was a little nervous but my horse acted like he had done it his whole life. Lets keep in mind, the horse has never cantered a course before but he went around perfectly. He even threw out some lead changes... Don't really know where he got those from since we've never taught them to him, but eh, I'll take it. We took a rail due to rider error, but the course was great otherwise. I feel like we both left the show with a ton more confidence than what we went in with, & I am so proud of him. He has the next three days off because he worked so hard(;

All smiles after our jumper class!