August 12th VF Jumper Show

Yet another jumper show. I got there early to get Carino in the warm up before it got crazy since he can feed off of the commotion. I was able to get a good start and then I walked him for a few minutes. Some more horses came in and a few minutes later I picked him back up..and he began the bolt/spook nonsense. When a horse came cantering by him he did it and then he would not take his eyes off the kids who decided to run around the woods right next to the ring..(great idea!?) so finally their mom realized my horse was having a melt down after 10 min. and they all got out of the woods...So I let him and I chill for a min. I picked him back up did some more walk trot canter to get him back since we lost everything we just did. I then began to jump him and every jump was spot on perfect. When the lower level jumping started I went down to watch to learn the course and watch how the course rode. Before my class I hopped him over the vertical and oxer one more time and still pretty perfect...but a little jazzed after.. We waited for our turn and went in. This was his first time jumping a whole course at 2'6 without jumping the course at a lower height before. We picked up the canter and it was so relaxed! Which made me so confident because I wouldn't have a mad man pulling me around! We come up the long approach to the nice inviting vertical with that great canter and urrrrrrrrr! goes the brakes. Took me by complete shock and I was furious. So I turned around and kicked him over it. Came to the second..same thing...my temper began to rise..so I gave him a boot and made him go on. Did bending line to 3 great, one stride good, and then flew out the shoulder and slammed on the brakes to barrels at 6 which he has never had a problem with. Got him over that and then jumped the super scary skinny on the hard tern spot on perfect...(HUH?) jumped 8 fine, then if i remember correctly I pretty much galloped him over the last line and made him have no choice but to GO! and get over it. The whole time there was no crazy running around canter. listening to when I asked him to comeback or open..but just slammed on the brakes when he felt like it...So me with my demand of perfection was not a happy camper...
We then go in for our 2'9 course and he did this absolutely spot on perfect. Listened so well and was so relaxed. We then did our jump off and when I asked for speed or a bigger stride he did it and only when I asked...couldn't ask for anything better. Well, we did end up tied for first but we had another jump off..and I got greedy got sloppy with my line to the skinny which caused me a rail. If I didn't get that rail we both would of still been tied for first since we had the same jump off time AGAIN!