I'm sure my non horse friends just skipped right over this entry, as they probably should because there is going to be a lot of shameless bragging about my horse, my daughter and my daughter's pony. So proud of all of them this weekend.
As people who know me can attest, I can get a little stressed out about arriving at the show, getting unpacked, horses ridden, washed, clipped, etc... But having great stall mates has turned all of this into more and more fun. And I've learned that they have my back. I can't remember the amount of times I heard Gabby say this weekend, "if you forgot it, I'm sure we have one you can use." She has no idea how much those few little words calm down the over anxious monster in me. Somehow we always managed to get it all done. One fun story from that night was about the wash rack. As others who have been to this show can attest, there gets to be a line waiting for space at the wash rack. A line at the wash rack puts the whole night behind for us because I will only clip a clean horse (saves on the blades to not clip through dirt). So we have to ride, then wash, then dry, then clip. I was done washing China and Libby was still riding Peach. I needed to go back for Joker, but I didn't want to lose my spot. Seeing a couple young ladies in the next wash stall just hanging out and waiting for their adult to wash their horse, I asked them to just tell anyone that showed up that I would be right back with another horse. I ran China back, grabbed Joker and ran back. I led him in the wash rack and these two girls popped around to tell me that "another lady is using this wash rack and will be right back." I gave them a big smile and told them that lady was me and thanked them for doing such a bang up (and super polite) job. Of course, they loved little Joker and we had a blast getting the little booger clean.
The next day the alarm went off at 4:00, but I'd been lying there away since 3:30. We arrived to warm up and then spruce up the ponies. In we went for showmanship. I cannot stress enough how anxious this class makes me. I literally do my mindful breathing in the warm up area trying to get my heart to stop feeling like it is going to pound out of my chest. I've watched video after video trying to see what I'm doing wrong (it's a lot, let me tell you). I have asked for help with teaching China to set up, pivot, trot off, back, pretty much every aspect of showmanship. I have practiced showmanship with my horse and without. (One of the videos talks about muscle memory.) But the truth of the matter is, you can prepare as much as you want, but with a 1200 flight animal, what can go wrong will go wrong. In our pattern on Saturday, it was the back. She backed like a wiggly fish, which meant I had to destroy the pivot in order to not step past the cone and break pattern. Oh and the horse before us peed in the inspection so we had a puddle to dodge on the way to the judge. I was shocked to get a placing in that class! Libby is still working with Joker and Peach and they both had good patterns for what they know, but no placing. English went well for all. I got two seconds with China and Libby was super proud of the ponies. Peach was off to the races and trotting like it was road gait so not her best class, but little Joker. Who couldn't be proud of the little guy with his 45 rides, all 51" of him going out against the big hunt horses? He held his own! Western was a blast. I love western. Last was bareback and egg and spoon. Combined with the junior riders. Those youths almost swept the bareback class and yes, Libby and Joker beat me. I did not place in either. Libby placed with both her ponies in bareback and Libby/Peach and won the egg and spoon class in a race off. You heard me. They lined the final two up and the first one to the other end with their egg would win. Libby and Peach made it the furthest. It was an early night to bed as soon as we got home. I think I fell asleep about 2 seconds after my head hit the pillow.
The alarm buzzed again the next morning and off we went to do it all again. New day = new goals. Libby was hoping that Joker would stop whinnying during the class, between classes, after the classes, pretty much whinnying all. the. time. I was hoping that we would have enough gas for English and patterns. Did I say patterns? Yeah - patterns for all the "pattern" type classes. And new patterns, that I had never seen or attempted before. I just didn't want to mess them up! I don't care if I place, I just don't want to look like a fool. I've had my fair share of experience with that one, especially when it comes to patterns. At one point Tim tells me, "Has China ever let you down before? Don't worry about her." I know he's right, but it doesn't stop me from worrying. Especially when she was decidedly more nervous all of sudden about standing and waiting for her pattern on Sunday. So thank you to Heidi for allowing me to go before you in the pattern. No thank you to the lady that replied "I'm going next, I've been waiting too." when I asked if I could please go next. I get that we are all nervous. Some of you are on dead broke quiet horses and not the 3 year old that is doing her impression of a hothead in the waiting area. But I digress.
Riding patterns went so well! So proud of the ponies and China. We only had one little brain fart on Sunday and for once it wasn't me! The pattern queen, aka Libby, forgot something in a showmanship pattern! And poor Peach was rocking the pattern too. We won't hold it against her though. Everyone makes mistakes. (Like she did in the English pattern the day before, but I didn't say that.) Libby was on a mission after that. She placed in every single one of her patterns after that. I do believe she even won the horsemanship class on her green broke 3 year old too. In fact, if I recall, her whooping and hollering after hearing her name announced and my cheering was part of what startled China before my horsemanship pattern. She earned it though.
China - horsemanship 4/29/18
China never ceases to amaze me. We did all the patterns and she never made a mistake. I did, but she didn't. Total operator error. We placed in all our pattern classes and all our rail work classes. In fact, the only class we didn't place in was egg and spoon because for some reason, I cannot do that stupid class! It isn't even China. She behaves perfectly. Why can't I balance the darn thing! Libby of course won the class. Again. And got 3rd with Joker. Obviously being good at egg and spoon isn't genetic. As much as I hate the class, she loves it.
Part of the way through Sunday, Gabby mentioned that she thought I might be in the running for high point. I am not good at the points thing and hadn't really given it much thought. I'm used to the kids being in the running for high point. I've never been high point anything. Ever. It wasn't something I even considered a possibility. We had a good day Saturday, but not an epic day. And I never pay attention to how anyone else in my classes is doing. I always just want to know how we did. So we decided to hang out and hear high points. I thought that there were 3 of us that were pretty close. So when the person that I thought won it was announced in second, my heart sank. But when my friend Cyndy, who was announcing, got a little choked up and told me to get my butt up there, I'm not going to lie, I cried. I'm very nearly crying again just thinking about it. That big bay mare that I didn't really want and almost sold, she got me my first ever high point. They say everything happens for a reason and couldn't be more right. I love the story of how China and I came together. There are big things in our future! I could not love the big lug more if my life depended on it. I've waited a long long time for a horse like her. Not just talented, but sweet and quiet at the same time. And pretty. I just love everything about her.
So I have my first high point belt buckle. Thank you China! And thanks to all of you who helped me get here with her. Thank you to Tim for not letting me sell her and for going with to pick her up on that crazy, what 4th or 5th date? Thank you Tim for not thinking us crazy to drive in a snow storm to pick up a yearling in a Perkins parking lot that had never been in a trailer before. (Okay - so we are crazy.) Thank you to Libby for giving me advice, suggestions, tips, etc... and always believing in us. Thank you to Gabby for all your help with showmanship, patterns and getting me in my classes on time. Thank you to everyone! Even those who took the time to say what a nice horse she is or how much you love her too. We didn't get here on our own. There were a lot of you helping and pushing us along the way. No thanks is enough. It may not be a Congress championship, over even a Champ Show trophy, but it feels like it to me. Huge life goal met!
Let's talk about some other amazing things this weekend. This wasn't a little show, everyone. This was a big show. Class sizes averaged around 15 - 17 horses and riders. Peach and Libby tied for 3rd place in high point just going off points. Because there was a two way tie for 2nd and a 2 way tie for 3rd, the tie breakers put her in 4th or 5th. So proud of Peachy Weachy and Libby! This was despite the fact that apparently on Friday morning sometime, Peach tried to slice her ear off. She ended up with a pretty good scrape all around the base of her ear. It was swollen and sensitive and right where the one eared headstall sat on her head. (of course) She wasn't at her best, but she was a trooper and kept on doing her thing.
Peach: Equitation 4/30/18
Last, but definitely not least, Joker. Yes, he whinnied a lot. But Libby and I remembered that it was his first show. His first ever class at a show, was a showmanship pattern. His first ever show and literally the first ever time he wore an English saddle. Or was ridden bareback. Not only did he tolerate it all, he won classes. With just around 45 rides he placed in PATTERNS. I'll see if I can upload and link the video of their English equitation pattern. And I will remind you, this was only the second time he was in an English saddle. He is as good minded as they come. Nothing bothered him all weekend, other than feeling kind of lonely. And as the weekend went on and he realized he was going to get to see his buddies again in just a few minutes, the whinnying died down to almost nothing. So proud of him. Also, side note - like I told Libby; if she got a dollar for every time someone commented on his cuteness, she would have had her 4 years of college paid for. He sure is a whole lot of cute in a little package. How did they finish you ask? They tied for high point reserve champion. So close! Wouldn't that have been fantastic? First show ever, 45 days of training, bring home a reserve high point? So proud of them!
Joker equitation pattern 4/29/18
Congrats to all on a great weekend and finally enjoying some warmer weather. It was an amazing weekend full of laughs, happy tears, the smell of horses and the support of friends. It doesn't get any better than that.
No comments:
Post a Comment