Who's Tired of Horse Show Pictures?

NOT ME!   J took E and me to the local saddle club show.  It was a church benefit for African missions.   They had added a new class, Ranch Horse Pleasure, which is a pattern class and E was looking forward to showing in it.  I took Otoelene to ride and Wrangler to show in halter, at least that was the plan at the start.   

 It ended up that the rocky ground in the ring was too much for Otoelene's tender rear hoof so she stayed on the side lines.  I then saddled up Wrangler to see what he would do.  When I took him to the ring to lunge him before the classes started, the show was on, at least for him.  Snorting, prancing, tail flipped over his back, rearing, bucking, kicking out, but I didn't lose control and after about 10 minutes it was like a switch had flipped and he was quite and lazy and not wanting to go.  I'm sure anyone that watched him warm up thought I was crazy to get on, and I think J had to walk away and not look, but Wrangler did fine. (I did hold on to the horn pretty tight for the first minute or so) But no more drama in the warm-up.

 So, off with the saddle and into the open halter class where we were 3rd out of 6.

 E showed Pep in a Youth Western pleasure class next.

 She has some issues with her hat,

 and again with the hat.  I keep telling her if she would just wear her helmet she wouldn't have to worry about the hat.

 She still managed to win the class.  Good job E and Pep.  J videoed the pattern class so no pictures there.  E did a great job against a local reining trainer and the group of horses that he brought and ended up 4th out of 9.

 I was going to take Wrangler in 5 and under Go As You Please but there weren't any other entries so I transferred to Open Go As You Please.  But first there was a benefit GAYP class where it was just ribbons and no pay back with all of the entry fees going to the charity. 19 horses were signed up for this class.

 That meant being in lots of crowds.  Wrangler handled it perfectly.  Unfortunately, they didn't place the class but gave everyone a ribbon which I didn't quite understand.  I can see handing out the special zebra ribbons (for Africa which were pretty cool) but you can still place the class.

 Anyway, we still had Open Western GAYP, which E and Pep were in too.  Wrangler did great.  There is no automatic pilot yet and he is very lazy and needs constant bumping but at this stage that is safer than taking off.  So at the end of the class the judge comes up to me and says how much she likes my horse and how great he looks and she can tell by his name what good breeding he has but....HE WENT TOO SLOW.  Can a western pleasure horse really go too slow?  She also said she thought he was tender footed, and yes of course he was because he was barefoot in a ring with a bunch of rocks.  So instead of winning the class like everyone else thought we would, we didn't place.

At least E and Pep got second.  And I certainly don't mind being beat by her.  I just love her pony tail and the light bouncing off Pep's bridle.  Maybe I need some bling like that.  So, even without a ribbon for the under saddle class, I am counting the show as a big success.  I couldn't have asked Wrangler to do any better.  Now we will have to step it up a notch and start cantering.  

Friday's Fences #98 ~ Foggy Morning

The fence picture is at the end.  But to start, I think we have had fog nearly every morning since the first part of August.  Does that mean it will snow until June?

 This morning J was trying to get in a cow/calf pair.  The calf was starting to get a little sick with a respiratory problem.  The cow was being very uncooperative.  J was not able to  get her up his usual way by just herding her calmly on foot.  The 4-wheeler didn't help either but he did manage to get her cut out of the herd and into a field by herself.

 So he resorted to trying the horses.  The original plan was for him to ride Hank and I would ride Otoelene.  I rode her last night and she was doing fine.  But of course, as soon as you need to do something, she was off again on that right hind with the reoccurring abscess.   The hoof wall has separated in a spot and I think it is allowing dirt to get up in there and cause more problems.  I clean it out and pack iodine soaked cotton in it but I think she will just need rear shoes like Brother.

So the new plan was for me to ride Hank and J would use the 4-wheeler.

This was the only picture I managed of the event.  It is a little difficult to ride, chase a cow and calf and capture it with a picture all at the same time.  Hank did he's job beautifully and the pair was caught and the calf treated.
For more Friday's Fences click HERE.

Back in Training

Brother was doing great with his training this spring but he then has been lame all summer.  Sometimes on one front leg, sometimes both and sometimes on three legs.  Last week I finally just decided to try shoes on him, it couldn't make him any worse than he already was.  And guess what?  He was sound in 3 days. 

 The whole world opened back up for J to train on him.  We rode him in the barn for 2 days and he was doing great, just not much of a steering wheel yet.  So today we took him outside.

 J did some ring work, walking and trotting.  He has been very good about keeping his head low.  (he is only 2 1/2 years old)

 Then I got on for some more trotting and cantering.  His lack of steering gets very noticeable the faster he goes.  But his trot and canter are very smooth.

 He just about picked up where we left off when he started being lame 3 months ago.

He's doing so well that J now wants to take him trail riding soon.  I was a little worn out though.  I rode Wrangler in the morning, then took Otoelene out with Brother, then worked on conditioning Hank in the evening.  It's only 3 weeks until the Kentucky Stampede ride that J is wanting to go on.  Jessica is in great shape but me and Hank still have a ways to go.  Looking at pictures of the location it doesn't look like it will be too rough.

Just Kit Sunday #23

3 Random Things

When I commented on my What's Blooming post and said "I did leave out my 7 butterfly bushes, but who hasn't seen one of those.", Fern Valley asked, What's a butterfly bush?

 Well, here is one of the 7.  I got the first one from my sister in NC.  It must volunteer from seed because I would get them coming up in multiple flower beds.  I transplanted several but now I either just pull them up or give them away.

 Butterflies seen to be highly attracted to the blooms and it blooms from June until frost.  I cut them back to the ground in very early spring otherwise they just get too big.

 E got a very nice rainbow picture yesterday from the back porch.

The goats were headed out this morning.  I liked the long line they were in.

Friday's Fences #97

E and Pep before loading on the trailer to go to State.  E was worried enough about Pep's soundness that she asked to wrap Pep's legs for the first time.  The horses haul so well in the slant load trailer that I usually don't bother with it anymore.
For more Friday's Fences click HERE.

New Horse, What?

We have just gotten rid of one and in comes another.  Thumper's new owner called today and said he was doing great.  He never even acted like he was anywhere new.  It's nice to get a good update on a sold horse.

 Meanwhile, another one has shown up here.  My sister's horse Wrangle wasn't working out for her so J and I went and picked him up today.

 He loaded fine, backed off the trailer fine, and did some free work in the round pen.  I decided to go ahead and start riding him too.  He is just a 3 year old and had about 60 days of training last year before my sister got him, then about 30 more last month.  I didn't do too much today, just walk and trot and lots of direction changing.  He did ok for our first lesson.

Then it was out to the barn lot so the other horses can get use to the idea of a new horse on the block.

State Show Results (lots of pictures)

Another successful State Show, which means we made it there and home in one piece.  It was 2 very long days of showing, but not nearly as hectic as when both V and E were showing.  V did come with Alex to watch on Saturday and I can't believe I didn't think to take their picture.  I guess it was because they weren't attached to a horse.  I have my priorities you know.  

 And this pair was the center of my universe for the weekend.  In her Western Pleasure Pony Sr. Rider 1st go, they looked really good.  Pep still has her problems, nose out and faster to the right at the lope than the left.  But we were still hopeful for 2nd.

 So E was a little disappointed to get 3rd.  First went to the very nice POA on this end.

 Then Pep and E, having to go 1st in a class of 39 in Working Western which is a pattern class, had a pretty good go.  Everything went well until the last maneuver, which was to counter canter to the right on the left lead.  She picked up the lead fine but didn't hold it through the turn.  Still, watching all of the others go, and seeing lots of mistakes and very few do everything right, we thought she had a good chance at a ribbon.  But alas, it was not to be.  This created quite a lot of disappointment but we'll get over it someday.

 Second day and Western Pleasure 2nd go.  This is in the always dreaded indoor arena.  It apparently makes Pep very nervous because it never fails that she needs to take a potty break, usually at the lope in front of the judge.  3rd again.

Then standing in line for her turn at the Trail Finals.  This was the only pattern she didn't have to go first in.  Because they work it in between other classes, the order is random.  

 E has always had trouble getting Pep to lope in a very small area and over poles but she some how managed for the class.  She made it over 2 before she broke and trotted the 3rd.

 The side pass apparently also made her nervous and Pep had to take another potty break right smack dab in the middle of it.

 I know the picture isn't good but I had to say that Pep did canter over the last 4 RAISED poles and didn't touch a one!  E ended up with 9th out of the original 52 that signed up for the class.  Only 20 were called back for the finals and only 10 got scores and weren't disqualified.  It's a very hard course.  (remember the picture 2 days ago)

 It's hard to believe but Pep did spend some time in her stall too.  The 4-Her's are suppose to do all of the work at the show.

 Anyone that has ever ridden in chaps knows it can be a little bit challenging bending your leg to get your foot in the stirrup.  E resorted to getting in a chair because she was tired of J launching her in the air.  This was for the Sr. Pony Horsemanship Class.  Yet another pattern where she went first.  And guess what place she got. Yes, 3rd again.  But that was high enough to qualify her for the Horsemanship Classic that night.

 I missed the 450 degree pivot in the class but caught her practicing it.  See Pep's tail flying out.  It is one thing she does very well.

 Would you believe they lined them up in numerical order.  This was the 4th different arena that they showed in.  It was the top 3 from 6 classes of Horsemanship including Juniors, Seniors, horses and ponies.  E did a very nice pattern and I had her at 5th or 6th.  Then they had a very long rail session with the top 15.  An hour after she did her pattern she walked out with 6th.  To her credit she beat the 2 that had beaten her in the first class earlier in the day.

 Then the finals of the Pony Pleasure Classic.  This was the top 5 from the Juniors and Seniors.  Can you see the color of the ribbon.  THIRD.

I think E was most proud of the trail and horsemanship classic ribbons.  She felt these required the most skill from the rider.  But to Pep's credit, it was the best she had done.  She was very consistent and calm good with her leads.  And she was sound!  We stripped the stall, loaded the trailer and were home by midnight. State Show 2013, in the record books now.

Just Kit Sunday #22

Just a couple of Kit Kat pictures as you await the final results of the State Show.  I'll work on that today and have it ready for tomorrow's blog.  

 I caught Kit napping on the grill.

It looks like he was waiting for his special supper.

Day One

We started then day getting up at 5:30 am.  E was the first to go in Senior Western Showmanship at 8.

Her show number is 2, so she is having to go first in all of her pattern classes.  There were 78 in the class.   She had a medium high score so we had to wait with baited breath for the other 77 to do their pattern.

Right at the end there were a series of higher scores that knocked her out of the placings.  She ended up 14th out of 78.  My pictures for Western pleasure first go, working western and trail preliminary are on my other camera so I post those details later.

Suffice it to say, she did qualify for the finals in Sr. Western Trail.  It was a nail biter.  She did the obstacles perfect but when she finished I saw that she still had her training whip on the saddle horn.  We were very worried the she could be disqualified for it.  We had to wait 7 hours until they posted the finalist to see that yes, she made the finals.

Now she just has to maneuver Pep through this.

What's Blooming

Not a whole lot.  

 Some of my phlox is continuing to bloom.  It give the fence along the drive a pop of color still.  

 My crape myrtles have done better this year than every before, even with the Japanese beetles eating a lot of the blooms.  A couple of years ago they were doing so poorly that I wrapped a chain around the one on the left and pulled it out with the truck.  It has since come back from a piece of root that was left.  I guess it wanted to be there after all.

 E's mum she got from the babysitter years ago is just about ready to pop.

 And if it weren't for my hydrangea

and zinnias there just wouldn't be much going on.  I did leave out my 7 butterfly bushes, but who hasn't seen one of those.