And 5 more to go! I got to the show barns at 6:30 got Lucy and the other horses that weren't showing that day fed (the 4-H horses showed today and their kids fed them at 6). Then I cleaned a couple of stalls before I brushed Lucy off and tacked up to go for a ride. Lucy was full of it yesterday, she even bucked on the lunge line but today I walked her over to the indoor then jumped right on. We had a 30-40 minute ride with a mix of different horses coming and going but usually about 5 in the ring at the same time. Shes going really nicely. The next couple of days will be busier as the rest of the horses came in this afternoon,
So by 8am I had ridden, cleaned Lucy and my self and was done! Tomorrow will be much of the same and I don't show until Wednesday am. Our biggest challenge will be to keep on top of our energy levels so that we both don't get to tired out.
Oh and I think I'll be able to take Lucy to another show in 2 weeks just waiting to hear back on if we got stalls!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Final show prep with Lucy,
So I managed to get a quick ride in on Saturday with Lucy, not a whole lot done but working around the poles set outside. On Tuesday when I went out after work she had thrown a shoe and was dead lame. *sigh*. Thankfully the farrier was only a couple of hours away, and was able to come the next day on his way home.
We had a little ride last night more just to get us both back in the saddle then we had a real workout tonight. I also got to the chiropractor on Wednesday and my hip was out of place. Suddenly I can sit square in the saddle again! So Lucy and I are both ready for the show now. Our ride tonight was awesome, I'm so happy with where she is at right now.
Although I'm really sad that next week is our last show together (for now) I am excited to start riding Oscar again and pushing my limits a little more. And D and I will start Chilly with me to *hopefully* have me riding her by January. I'm also hopeful that I'll get to ride Rusty maybe a couple of times this winter as well. Good things to focus on and to keep me from being too sad about Lucy. I mean its not like she's sold or moving away! Shes just having a baby :)
We had a little ride last night more just to get us both back in the saddle then we had a real workout tonight. I also got to the chiropractor on Wednesday and my hip was out of place. Suddenly I can sit square in the saddle again! So Lucy and I are both ready for the show now. Our ride tonight was awesome, I'm so happy with where she is at right now.
Although I'm really sad that next week is our last show together (for now) I am excited to start riding Oscar again and pushing my limits a little more. And D and I will start Chilly with me to *hopefully* have me riding her by January. I'm also hopeful that I'll get to ride Rusty maybe a couple of times this winter as well. Good things to focus on and to keep me from being too sad about Lucy. I mean its not like she's sold or moving away! Shes just having a baby :)
Friday, August 16, 2013
I'm not dead I promise!
C and D left last Sunday for a week long horse show, and I've been doing most of the chores for the 13 horses left at the barn. I do have someone doing the AM feeding and turnout but it still leaves me 8 stalls, and 4 horses to rotate though the smaller turnouts (Both studs and the babies (2) can't be left outside). Its been taking 2 hours exactly to do chores but it means that I leave my house at 6:30 get home for 10 minutes at 5, then gone to the barn until 7:45.
Since they've been gone, Chevy took the gate to the indoor off its hinges (thankfully I was only steps away when he did this and I was able to catch him before he got anywhere). I didn't realize it at the time but he was itching on the gate because he was in the beginnings of an allergy outbreak. By the time I got back to the barn 24 hours later he was an absolute mess, covered in hives. (Don't get me started on why it wasn't noticed by the AM person...). So he's on drugs, finally tonight he was *almost* back to normal.
One of the broodmares is getting picked on by the other mare she is out with but I can't separate them because then they cry for each other. And with no one in the barn full time I don't dare try another turn out buddies. It wasn't too bad (occasional bite mark) but then the smaller mare got kicked on Wednesday (upper shoulder) and had a huge swelling and hole (other mares feet are a mess, can't get a farrier near her and she will only let C and D work on her feet for 5 minutes at a time). Thankfully the cut was clean, I got it flushed out and doctored and today it's looking a lot better. Shes been sound on it the entire time thankfully.
Oh and then the Jack Russels....one is 12 the other is 7, the younger dog body checked the older dog (by accident!) and I thought she killed the old dog! Poor little S cried and cried, but when I found her a hot dog she cheered up enough to come running up the steps for it. Those dog's make me happy, they listen so well to me, and god knows if a Jack doesn't want to listen nothing can make them! But they've been very obedient for me all week.
Hopefully I'll get to ride this weekend and we'll be back on track for the show next weekend. Lucy actually came to the gate tonight when I was there, I think she's looking for my brushes ;) (Lucy lives outside most of the time, so shes' been having an extended vacation)
Since they've been gone, Chevy took the gate to the indoor off its hinges (thankfully I was only steps away when he did this and I was able to catch him before he got anywhere). I didn't realize it at the time but he was itching on the gate because he was in the beginnings of an allergy outbreak. By the time I got back to the barn 24 hours later he was an absolute mess, covered in hives. (Don't get me started on why it wasn't noticed by the AM person...). So he's on drugs, finally tonight he was *almost* back to normal.
One of the broodmares is getting picked on by the other mare she is out with but I can't separate them because then they cry for each other. And with no one in the barn full time I don't dare try another turn out buddies. It wasn't too bad (occasional bite mark) but then the smaller mare got kicked on Wednesday (upper shoulder) and had a huge swelling and hole (other mares feet are a mess, can't get a farrier near her and she will only let C and D work on her feet for 5 minutes at a time). Thankfully the cut was clean, I got it flushed out and doctored and today it's looking a lot better. Shes been sound on it the entire time thankfully.
Oh and then the Jack Russels....one is 12 the other is 7, the younger dog body checked the older dog (by accident!) and I thought she killed the old dog! Poor little S cried and cried, but when I found her a hot dog she cheered up enough to come running up the steps for it. Those dog's make me happy, they listen so well to me, and god knows if a Jack doesn't want to listen nothing can make them! But they've been very obedient for me all week.
Hopefully I'll get to ride this weekend and we'll be back on track for the show next weekend. Lucy actually came to the gate tonight when I was there, I think she's looking for my brushes ;) (Lucy lives outside most of the time, so shes' been having an extended vacation)
Saturday, August 10, 2013
August long weekend show part 2
I'm a looser and have no more photos. I seriously need a photographer to follow me around and record these moments at horseshows.
So we did halter and got 6th, it was ok but I'm not sure why none of the judges like her in halter. Heck her legs are amazing compared to Lucas' and he won a lot! Our showmanship was a write off after I forgot I was supposed to walk after our 180 instead of trot *sigh*
Our next class was english equitation, our pattern was good, our transitions were very accurate and we won the class! Lucy's first red ribbon in an english class. We also did the hunter under saddle class and Road Hack where we got second in both.
The afternoon classes started with trail which Lucy would have won but we destroyed the first cone, and got knocked down to 3rd. We got 3rd in our horsemanship class, and then a disappointing 5th in our pleasure class. Lucy was tired by this point and so was I and I didn't keep my legs on her enough and she broke at the jog. However at least at this show I was able to adjust her stride at the lope one handed and keep her going so things are improving.
The high light of the show was that we had earned enough points to win Reserve High Point Senior! This was my first all around reserve since I was diagnosed so it was a really happy moment for me, and I was so pleased with how far Lucy has come in 4 months.
C and D are away this week with some of the kids at a week long show, so I'm doing night chores this week. Next week will consist of riding every night, then 2 weeks from tomorrow we're off for mine and Lucy's last show a whole week at the local fair with 3 days of showing. It will be the first time I've gone since I was 17 so it should be fun!
So we did halter and got 6th, it was ok but I'm not sure why none of the judges like her in halter. Heck her legs are amazing compared to Lucas' and he won a lot! Our showmanship was a write off after I forgot I was supposed to walk after our 180 instead of trot *sigh*
Our next class was english equitation, our pattern was good, our transitions were very accurate and we won the class! Lucy's first red ribbon in an english class. We also did the hunter under saddle class and Road Hack where we got second in both.
The afternoon classes started with trail which Lucy would have won but we destroyed the first cone, and got knocked down to 3rd. We got 3rd in our horsemanship class, and then a disappointing 5th in our pleasure class. Lucy was tired by this point and so was I and I didn't keep my legs on her enough and she broke at the jog. However at least at this show I was able to adjust her stride at the lope one handed and keep her going so things are improving.
The high light of the show was that we had earned enough points to win Reserve High Point Senior! This was my first all around reserve since I was diagnosed so it was a really happy moment for me, and I was so pleased with how far Lucy has come in 4 months.
C and D are away this week with some of the kids at a week long show, so I'm doing night chores this week. Next week will consist of riding every night, then 2 weeks from tomorrow we're off for mine and Lucy's last show a whole week at the local fair with 3 days of showing. It will be the first time I've gone since I was 17 so it should be fun!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
August long weekend horse show part 1
Ok I'm not sure if I can fit this in one post, but we'll see.
On Friday we loaded up the trailer (and my new car!) and took off to the next provinces capital city, about a 3 hour drive away. It was a long slow drive but we ended up arriving around 11:30. Once we got our stalls set up, and tack out of the trailers/trucks it was time to go eat! Our show team takes eating seriously! So we went out for lunch and then visited the local tack store. I picked up an english show pad an a new solid black western show pad.
After lunch and shopping we went back to the show grounds. They are located right downtown, and are part of the local standard-breed track which always makes it interesting when trying to show a light horse who has never seen a trotter or pacer!
By this point there were more horses there so we tacked up and rode for about an hour and let the horses get used to the ring. Its an indoor much like the local skating rinks that are used for the county fairs and much like the first show's arena that I showed Lucy in.
The first day was to be the Appaloosa day, with classes held from halter to games being held all day. I rode in the morning and for a bit at lunch just to get her out of her stall. There was a plan for a battle of the breeds competition that night but no one had entered up until that point. Silly me said yes when pressured, and then spent the next 3 hours getting Lucy ready to show.
The classes were halter, english pleasure, western pleasure and 'mail route', a timed trail class.
So I don't know our placings for each class yet but I'll tell you how they went. Halter went good, Lucy stood square and well with her ears up lol. I had a team of people show up to help me do a tack change to english, boost me onto her back and send me into the ring. Sounds great right? NOPE!
Got Lucy into the arena and every time I tried to do more then sitting trot I had a brat of a pony underneath me! I knew my saddle was in the right place but she was NOT happy. I finally got her to canter one direction but the other direction only resulted in bucking! And me in the english saddle. Thank god for full seat breaches and the new balance I have! D was standing by the in-gate and as I went by him I cried 'I broke my pony!'. Well apparently it was loud enough for most everyone around to hear it, and those who didn't passed the word on.
However everyone there knew me and everything that has happened in the past 7 years, so when the class started, and Lucy magically began to behave herself they all cheered when she loped the bad direction without even a head toss!
We did figure out that we might have gotten the saddle too tight right before I got on, so when we did the tack change for western my friend walked her for a couple of minutes once she tightened the saddle while I got my chaps on.
Our western class was very good and Lucy was awesomely consistent. Then came our trail class, it was complicated, and everything was set at the minimum. We had to pick up 'mail' jog into a box 1 and 1/4 turn, jog out and over 6 poles, lope a pinwheel of 5 poles, weave though cones at a jog, over a raised pole, over the bridge jog to the gate, do the gate and then drop off the mail.
It was a difficult course for our first trail class but Lucy was a super star! I only wish someone had videoed it. I was so happy with her She even loped the pinwheel!
I don't know yet what our placings were in each class but we ended up 3rd over all. That's me and Lucy second from the left.
On Friday we loaded up the trailer (and my new car!) and took off to the next provinces capital city, about a 3 hour drive away. It was a long slow drive but we ended up arriving around 11:30. Once we got our stalls set up, and tack out of the trailers/trucks it was time to go eat! Our show team takes eating seriously! So we went out for lunch and then visited the local tack store. I picked up an english show pad an a new solid black western show pad.
After lunch and shopping we went back to the show grounds. They are located right downtown, and are part of the local standard-breed track which always makes it interesting when trying to show a light horse who has never seen a trotter or pacer!
By this point there were more horses there so we tacked up and rode for about an hour and let the horses get used to the ring. Its an indoor much like the local skating rinks that are used for the county fairs and much like the first show's arena that I showed Lucy in.
The first day was to be the Appaloosa day, with classes held from halter to games being held all day. I rode in the morning and for a bit at lunch just to get her out of her stall. There was a plan for a battle of the breeds competition that night but no one had entered up until that point. Silly me said yes when pressured, and then spent the next 3 hours getting Lucy ready to show.
The classes were halter, english pleasure, western pleasure and 'mail route', a timed trail class.
So I don't know our placings for each class yet but I'll tell you how they went. Halter went good, Lucy stood square and well with her ears up lol. I had a team of people show up to help me do a tack change to english, boost me onto her back and send me into the ring. Sounds great right? NOPE!
Got Lucy into the arena and every time I tried to do more then sitting trot I had a brat of a pony underneath me! I knew my saddle was in the right place but she was NOT happy. I finally got her to canter one direction but the other direction only resulted in bucking! And me in the english saddle. Thank god for full seat breaches and the new balance I have! D was standing by the in-gate and as I went by him I cried 'I broke my pony!'. Well apparently it was loud enough for most everyone around to hear it, and those who didn't passed the word on.
However everyone there knew me and everything that has happened in the past 7 years, so when the class started, and Lucy magically began to behave herself they all cheered when she loped the bad direction without even a head toss!
We did figure out that we might have gotten the saddle too tight right before I got on, so when we did the tack change for western my friend walked her for a couple of minutes once she tightened the saddle while I got my chaps on.
Our western class was very good and Lucy was awesomely consistent. Then came our trail class, it was complicated, and everything was set at the minimum. We had to pick up 'mail' jog into a box 1 and 1/4 turn, jog out and over 6 poles, lope a pinwheel of 5 poles, weave though cones at a jog, over a raised pole, over the bridge jog to the gate, do the gate and then drop off the mail.
It was a difficult course for our first trail class but Lucy was a super star! I only wish someone had videoed it. I was so happy with her She even loped the pinwheel!
I don't know yet what our placings were in each class but we ended up 3rd over all. That's me and Lucy second from the left.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)