Could we redeem ourselves?

So at the February 15th show, we only came home with a feeble 4th place out of 4 classes. At the previous show we went home with reserve champion. So it was not acceptable.

Our main issue seemed to be the communication between the fences with caused most of the problem, so that's what we needed to fix the most. So I decided for the next 4 weeks, it'll only be flatwork.

For the first week it seemed to go very well. Starting having him stretch and come down onto the bit, then collect himself up. Carrying himself proved difficult but atleast he was trying, so I did not get upset. Happy, happy.

But the second week proved that I had my hopes up. We become increasingly fustrated with each other. Constantly waging wars, fighting and I was just not able to deal with it like I should have been able to. He would "lock up" on me (grabbing the bit) and run through my hands, circles proved to be ridiculous ovals that drifted too close up against the arena walls. I was losing my "fun" of riding, I began to dread going to the barn because it was always a fight when riding. Then, on the last ride when I took off the saddle, I noticed hairs twisted and the saddle pinching. So from then on I took away the saddle.

So week three of our supposed flatwork training, became bareback riding because I refused to ride in the ill-fitting saddle and didn't have funds for a new one at the time. That being said, two and a half weeks until it was the March 15th show.

OH JOY!

So I continued flatwork with him bareback. Now, I absolutely love bareback and ride better without a saddle (per the opinion of my coach) so there wasn't an issue. However, during the second ride he was being incredibly spooky/jumpy. I managed to sit all of them but as we were rounding one corner of the arena at a simple walk, a monster from outside shut a car door.
Now, when my horse spooks.. it's the kind that jumps a little or sidesteps. But that night Symbah pulled the infamous teleportation spook. I was sent into the dirt while my horse had disappeared beneath it and re-appeared near the other end of the arena! At that point I was in tears.
Everything I had been working for and doing was all unravelling, falling apart. I couldn't even read my horse anymore, we were so disconnected. I spent the next few days sulking. I didn't want to go to the barn, I didn't want to fight with him anymore.

I then made the decision that I would give it one more ride, a final ride, to decide if I should continue or if it was best to lease him off to someone who had the patience I obviously lacked.
Again, I rode bareback and put him through his paces like normal. Soft, supple, willing. It was like he knew. I even broke my "only flatwork for a month!" rule and popped him over a few crossrails bareback. I finally "connected" again, and let me tell you.. it's a feeling I don't want to lose ever again!

So on week 3, my mother and I went to a local tackshop. I brought in my old saddle and sold it to them in exchange for one of their new saddles. We paid the difference, received new stirrups and irons.. and went home.
The next day I tried the saddle on him. We had an issue with the girth size but I found one that fit him (since mine no longer did!) and tacked him up. However, I agreed to go on a trail ride with a boarder.

Note to anyone: It isn't the wisest to start breaking in a brand spankin' new saddle on a trail ride, which is the first since last fall. Somehow all went fine and we returned back. The saddle fits him like a glove and during flatwork he moved out so much nicer. Our transitions were better and I had a much happier horse!
So onto the final week. I had only a week to prepare for the March 15th show, making sure our communication was strong. I also finally had a fantastic lesson with my coach (it had been a long time) and I felt confident.

So then came show day..