The Horse Show conclusion

You're probably wandering what the show looked like and if there was anyone else from our county in it. This is what it looked like. There were about six barns with stalls on the inside and out, six outdoor rings and two indoor rings. Waldren Arena, which was one of the indoor rings, was so big that about fifteen small shops were in it. The last thing about how it looked was that you could decorate your county's stalls and the club could win a prize. Our club's stalls were decorated in white and green. Also, the two other people that showed were a girl named S and a boy named R. They did great.

That was my favorite horse show I went to all last summer and I loved it. Ever though horse showing makes me really nervous, it's one of my favorite things to do. In conclusion, I can't wait until this year's Virginia State 4-H Horse Show.

The Horse Show Part II

The next morning when we got up I was almost too nervous to eat. I was so nervous because my Aunt and Grandma were coming to watch me show. The only bad thing about them coming to watch, was that it was my turn to do showmanship, and I did horrible. A little bit after I showed in showmanship it was time for me to show in a pleasure class and I did great in it because I got second out of twelve. Also, later that day I got third in that same pleasure class along with reserve champion for the division. V showed in the same kind of class except it was hunter and she didn't win anything. In the end that day was my favorite at the horse show.

The Horse Show

E won 1st place and a $15 walmart card in a school writing contest with this story.

Have you ever been to a horse show? I have. The one I went to was huge! It was called the Virginia State 4-H Horse Show. The show took place on September 20th through the 23rd last year at the Lexington Horse Center. Here's how it went.

The first thing we did was I caught my horse, Pep, which is short for Peponita Doc Bar. Then we loaded up the trailer and started off to the best horse show I have ever been too. After about two hours we finally got there and unloaded the trailer. I was really nervous because I thought Pep would be awful, but I was excited at the same time. When we got all unpacked I started to ride Pep, and after I got done with her she was sweating so much it looked like we had given her a bath. That night at 6:00 my sister, V, had to show her horse, Jessica, in a showmanship class, and I guess she did okay. To end the first day of the show, we had to go to bed in the freezing horse trailer.

Stay tuned for the next installment.

Out of the Dog House

Last week we found 2 dead baby goats. We thought coyotes had killed them but usually they would have eaten them, so we thought it unusual. Then Friday we had 3 killed in broad daylight near the barn where Emma had just been running around. We couldn't believe she would have done it but she was right there. Since then we've been keeping Emma chained or in her dog pen. Then yesterday on the way up the driveway I saw 2 dogs in the field and another dead goat. Emma was off the hook. We caught one of the dogs at a neighbor's house and I'm sure the other dog was their's too but couldn't prove it.

How could we believe something so bad from such a sweet dog.

Mission Organization

E decided to work on her room today. I think she's noticed that I watch too much HGTV because she wanted to do her own Mission Organization. These are the before.

I think she did a wonderful job. This is the after. The plant she bought at Lowe's today and that started the whole project. She has decided not to name this plant yet so she can see if it will actually live first. She is still mournig the loss of Sticks and Bud.

More Spring

We have another sign of spring in our yard. A camallia that I planted 4 years ago is finally blooming. It's had buds before or 1 bloom but the cold always seemed to hit it at the wrong time. This year it is a welcomed sight and makes me think that despite the call for snow tonight, spring might be on the way.

Results

Sorry, I forgot my camera so no pictures of the contest. I don't know how many teams either but there might have been more than the 16 jr. teams at the last contest. V was 8th in halter judging and 9th overall. The team place 2nd in halter, 4th in performance and 4th overall. I am counting this as a big success for the team. I'm thinking E must have marked a card wrong because from the placings she had in her notebook she was 1 point higher overall than V yet she didn't place overall.

Horse Judging

We have another horse judging contest on Saturday. This one should be larger than the last one. It's the Block and Bridle judging contest at Tech.

Class of Fresians at last contest.

Science Fair

E won 2nd place in the 5th grade science fair tonight. She got a $15 gift card to Walmart. The project was on which soil grew plants best; natural, baked for 30 min. or baked for 60 min. She did the project board by herself as evident by the UVA colors she picked. I just couldn't convince her otherwise.

Thunder

V worked with her show steer Thunder this weekend. He is much crazier than any of the others have been. It seems the more you work with him the worse he gets. We've heard about a product called Calf Calm that is suppose to have a mild seditive effect with no meat withdrawl. We are to the point of trying this and if it doesn't work we might not be able to show him. Does anyone want to buy some beef?

Flowers

This is one of my favorite parts of our yard. I love looking out at the red twig dogwood in the winter. I also like the daffodils blooming around my found scrap metal sculpture.

Rabbit

Well, we had to sell Rabbit the billy goat today. It is impossible to keep the billy seperate from the nannies, so to have any control over the breeding season, we can't keep the billy year round. Rabbit was a billy we raised from one of E's bottle raised babies, Tiger.I wasn't fast enough to capture Oreo's reaction to this inquisitive kid, but let me just say it reminds me of a joke about crossing a goat with a lion.(See Feb.8, 2008)

This little spotted one is one of the last ones born. I love her color pattern, it reminds me of an appaloosa.

HEN'S TEETH

Heifers in waiting.J is still feeding hay daily. The grass is starting to get a little greener but not growing yet. Hopefully, we'll have an early spring because "hay is scarce as hen's teeth" to quote J.

Basketball

E had her basketball awards Sunday. Her team ended the season winning the tournament championship. She got an award for most improved offensive player.

In honor of this award she has a sports joke.

What do you call a six-foot-tall basketball player?

Shortie.

Ag. Class

V says her favorite class is Ag. So far she has constructed a wooden tool box,and forged a hoof pick.

Spring?

Spring is trying to arrive.


V took these pictures in the yard today.

However, this was the weather yesterday. It seems to be trying very hard to keep spring at bay a little longer. The temperature went down into the teens and snow was blowing horizontal.

Heifers

J says these heifers are due soon.

This one (below) is the 1/2 sister (same cow) as V's show steer.

First Calf

Our fist calf has arrived, a black bull calf from a first calf heifer.

Goat pics

A few more baby goat pictures.

J is looking forward to calving season so we can take pictures of something else for a change.

This is what happens when there is no cinderblock around.

Joke from E.

What do you get when you cross a ghost and an elephant?

A big nothing.

Why did the elephant cross the road?

Because he didn't want to hear that last joke.

Horse Judging Contest

The contest had 5 halter and 4 performance classes. Our team placed 2nd in performance judging and 10th overall out of 16 junior teams. V and E did not place individually this time.

V (white coat) during close inspection of the stock horse class.

Team happy to be done.

L, this is the class I told you about. Official placing 1-2-4-3 with cuts of 4-2-1. (1 is on the far end).