The Lightning Round

For installment three of our summer online horse show series I decided to set up a small cones course.  Cones are not only fun, but they are also a great way to practice steering as you have to actually make the prescribed turns, not just turn when it's convenient.  Cones are part of both Combined Driving Events and Pleasure Driving shows.

Frankie and I have only driven cones a few times and never an actual pattern, mostly just turning through whichever cones were "convenient" ;-).  I set up a simple course with easy, flowing turns and only a couple tougher lines or turns to challenge both of us.  I wanted it to be fun for Frankie, like a game, and to build his confidence.

We warmed up a few minutes and then got ready to start the video.  "I'm going to do the first trip around just slow and steady.  We'll go faster on the second round."  The first trip was...slow and steady.  I knew it was slow, but I was happy with how smoothly we'd driven.  "Okay, this time we'll go fast!"

Note to self...next time we do this only Stella gets to watch and Leslie and Derek have to video.  The rest of the peanut gallery with their barely disguised silent laughing and the out loud laughing...

"I'm giving it all I've got, Captain!"

"It's the pedal on the right!"

"Be careful!"

Despite my best efforts, the second round...was as excruciatingly slow as the first one.  Honestly, even I had to laugh.  Stella said we did a good job though, which...for a green horse, we really did.  It was just hilariously slow, especially for an ex-racehorse.  

"Let's try one more time.  Come on Frankie.  You can do it!"

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It still looks pretty slow, but it's waaaay faster then the earlier attempts ;-).