4-H

As of tonight, the 4-H horse season is officially upon us. Tonight we had the annual horse safety meeting for the horse project kids. It is a mandatory meeting if you want to show in 4-H in South Dakota. This was a good time to get the kids to fill out their goal sheets that I provided for them this year. I am changing the horse practice juuuusssstttt a little. You see...they have been providing the same practice routine for about the last 30 years. This I know because I was in 4-H for 10 years here in Mellette County. I have been out for 20 years. Last year I stepped in to help a little with the practices, but I didn't want to step on any toes so I just helped try to make the existing program a little more effective. This year I am changing the whole routine. No more will there be - Showmanship followed by Stock Seat followed by a few kids trying out the Trail course and a few kids running their horses repeatedly around the barrels(and making the same mistakes over and over)...
This year there is going to be Showmanship night, Horsemanship patterns night, Reining/Western Riding night and even an English night. This year my goal is to actually get some of these kids to move up a notch. Don't get me wrong...I like and respect the leaders that have kept this 4-H program going here. They are good horse people. But they are busy people and I am not so busy.
I was kind of nervous because I wasn't sure how this was all going to be received by the kids or their parents. I was extremely relieved to see that the kids were excited about it and quickly started filling out their goal sheets after I explained how the practices were going to work. I was totally surprised at the number of kids that wanted to learn to ride English. I contribute this to Megan. Last year, she was the only English rider and even the judge was astounded that there was someone showing English here. This year she is adding Jumping to her roster.
This is Megan and her beloved Strawberry at The State 4-H Horse Show last year...
This is me getting ready to show at the only show I got to participate in last year...
I think the judge just called my number...

Yep...Me and G beat 14 other mares in the Aged Mare Halter...

Not to shabby for the first time ever showing her in a halter class. She also won the Showmanship...but it was all down hill from there. It was about 112 degrees that day(I was dripping wet under that jacket and that was at 9am)and she went into mare mode when I saddled her and that was the end of our winning streak. Oh well...
You know I have said that my dogs go everywhere with me and just so you know - these boys are beyond spoiled when we travel. They get the entire folded down back seat of the pickup to themselves complete with folded comforter for padding and dog bed to snuggle into...
So why does Ute think he needs to nap on Megan's pillow?

And of course the ever serious Red Dog - Are we there yet?Are we there yet? Are we there yet?...