Crescent Noseband and NAJYRC

The next day was jump lesson day and trial run for new piece of equipment #892: The Crescent or Combination Noseband. It's hard to describe, so if you are curious about what it looks like, I would google it. But it is made for horses who cross their jaw and pull down or forwards. It's not to be used with a bit that acts on the poll as that combination would be very severe. How exactly it accomplishes what it is mean to accomplish, I cannot tell you. BUT IT WORKS!!!! I've been riding in it ever since and it is great. It's so much easier for me to keep his head up. And the combination of it with keeping my hands pretty light and still and using them minimally for slowing down and turning has yielded a great result!

Thursday was the first day of competition for the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships at the KHP. Lauren was competing so the whole family was in Lexington, meaning I got to be in charge!! Haha. Or at least take care of the dogs and the chickens. But, Martha also volunteered me to be 'Bit Check' for the dressage on Thursday morning. Dressage started at 7. I needed to be there by 6:45. In Lexington. From Louisville. Could not go night before because I had to let the dogs and the chickens out in the morning. So, wonderful wonderful Rachel and I were up several HOURS before the crack of dawn tending to the animals and trucking it across Kentucky to make it to the horse park. Thankfully, it ended up being a nice, overcast day. I stuck my fingers in a lot of very expensive horses mouths and watched some great dressage and got a free hat out of the deal! It was cool, but I was SOO exhausted by the time we got back to the farm I literally could not hold my own head up.