I titled this blog “ A Whole Lotta Horse Show Firsts”, yes fellow grammar nazis - lotta. I’m nursing a pretty good horse show hangover and I can use incorrect grammar for literary effect if I want to. So sit down, stop your sputtering and just read.
This weekend the first show of the MEC (MN Equestrian Center in Winona) show series was held. We discussed this series last winter as we love showing at the MEC but decided that with the wedding we would save our money and just show SEMSCA again this year. We have young horses that still need a lot of work and didn’t feel they were up to competing at the level that this show draws in. But it was offered to us that I could work off some of our fees by announcing and Libby could show.
So this was a weekend of a lot of firsts for Libby and I, and not all of them so great. But as with anything in life, you have to take the good with the bad. For example, some of the good firsts were that it was Coupe’s first ever show and Ace’s first show at an indoor facility. You might think that doesn’t have challenges all it’s own. Ace and Coupe would disagree, which leads us to some of the bad firsts. Both decided that they couldn’t possibly be expected to go out and perform without their best friend forever at their side and had to throw their little temper tantrums and put their little hoof down. There was a lot of “no, I won’t go. Make me.” and a whole lot of screaming back to the barn for “save me, friend!!!!” But Libby isn’t one to say, “you don’t want to? Okay you don’t have to.” So I am not sure where they got the idea that was going to work. This led to another, not so great, first for Libby. Ace was such a knothead (trying to keep it family friendly) in his first riding class that he had to come into the center and watch the rest of the class from the center of shame (Libby’s more so than his). That was a first for Libby. Rearing through a showmanship pattern was also a first for Ace and Libby. At this point in the day, Libby pretty much would have given Ace to the first person with a $20 bill and a Dr. Pepper. But she’s not a quitter so we kept plugging away at the day.
Libby was pretty in love with Coupe on Saturday, despite his constant whinnying, and was very proud of his first placings. One in bareback walk trot and one in egg and spoon walk/trot. He brought home her only judged placings for the weekends and we know we have a lot of work to do with both Ace and Coupe! Sunday, Coupe moved to the shit list by adding another first to Libby’s list of firsts. Sunday was her first time ever getting dumped in a class. It was English equitation and at this point Coupe decided he had had enough of being away from his buddies. So he turned the far corner and decided to pick up speed and race to the gate. Libby checked him back and he gave a sign of his disgust by letting out a hop. Now, Libby expected him to hop and bolt for the gate. Coupe decided to hop and slam to a stiff legged stop. Libby kept going to the gate. So Libby got to experience the embarrassment of being an arena dart for the first time. The emergency dismount led to another first for Libby. Ever had the wind knocked out of you? Yeah - a not so much fun first experience. Coupe thought he was going to get to be done for the day, he was not so lucky. Thank you Aimee for making sure he learned that being a dick doesn’t earn you a free pass and a lunch. (At least not in horse show land with a barn full of riders capable of kicking your butt.)
That leads us to another first. Libby got to experience finishing a show where everything hurts a little and some things hurt a whole lot. But I’m extremely proud of her. It reminded me a little of the time her sister asked her if she was going to “cowgirl up or just lay there and bleed” - Sophie was maybe 4 at the time. Libby definitely cowgirled up. She missed one class and was back in the saddle for western. She still rode both horses and she and Coupe even pulled out a placing in walk/trot western horsemanship. Pretty impressive considering I’m sure she felt more like curling around the horn and slumping than worrying about having good equitation.
This weekend wasn’t all about near disasters and horses needing brain transplants. This was our first time stalling with some amazing new friends. I even found a couple people addicted to LulaRoe as I am. Like I told them “I have found my people”.
It was also my first time ever announcing. I was extremely nervous! But I found out it wasn’t as hard as I thought. It was actually even fun. I had my moments where I forgot to shut off the mic. Personal favorite was when I had it on and turned around to find Mallory in my stuff and yelled at her. Over the loudspeaker. I was also trying to multitask and take pictures of Libby while announcing so shared my camera noises with the entire facility a few times. Apologies. I massacred a few names but I figure Liberty has been Liberta and Lebetary so, at least I got right the names that are actual words. We all make mistakes right? I don’t expect announcers to get Kiehne right so people can’t expect me to get names that aren’t Smith and Jones right either. Just saying… My biggest fear was leaving it on when I went to the bathroom, apparently that has been done, so it’s a win that I avoided that catastrophe. All in all, I had a blast and had a great ring crew and judges to work with. We had a lot of laughs, especially by games when a lot of us were all a little at the slap happy stage anyway. Sorry, gate crew that I didn’t get your names. But I promise to never forget your help and your sense of humor.
And probably the highlight of Libby’s weekend, it was her first time riding Lilly, a game horse she borrowed from our friend Mallory. Libby had her heart set on gaming this weekend and mentioned it to Mallory. Mallory had just the horse for her to run. And incidentally, it was a first for Lilly too as it was her first time ever being gamed with someone other than Mallory. Despite never having practiced together, the two of them did amazing. Their times were almost always in the top two for their age group and the smile on Libby’s face was so fun to see.
We had our ups and downs this past weekend, but like I said - you have to take the good with the bad. But there is no such thing as a bad horse show. All horse shows are the best way to spend your hobby time. Thanks to everyone who helped us out and our crazy ponies. Here’s hoping that we got the first show nonsense out of the way and we can look forward to better rides ahead.
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