What A Wonderful Week It Has Been So Far

I tell ya-this has just been a fantastic week for us. Barrel Racings, Horse Shows and winning the contest from over at TrainWreck's wonderful blog. I love art work and feel very honored to receive the print she is sending my way. If you haven't been to her site yet-you have to check it out. TrainWreck is one talented photographer and artist.

Today was Megan's County 4-H Show. I am kicking myself-I started out the morning taking pictures and got busy, set the camera down and the next thing I know-the day is done and I only have a couple of pictures. Bad Mommy! Of course I was busy braiding manes, brushing tails, washing legs, wiping noses and giving last minute instructions. I think Megan is getting to the age where she likes it when I am showing my own horse-so I leave her the hell alone-LOL. She is such a professional little thing-that she doesn't really need my help-but hey-I'm the Momma-its my job to make sure those stray hairs are tucked away and the grass is out of Strawberry's mouth, etc, etc. Right?
Anyway...Megan and her Strawberry had a very good day. These two fit together like peas and carrots(as Forest Gump would say). She showed him in both English and Western Showmanship, E&W Horsemanship and Trail. He garnered her 3 purples; E&W Showmanship and Hunt Seat Equitation and 2 blues; Trail and Western Equitation.
Showmanship is all that I got pics of...



Rip, the blue roan horse grabbed her a blue in barrels and 2 reds; Western Riding and Pole Bending. Now I am going to defend the blue horse-He had NEVER seen either a WR pattern or been around the Poles before-EVER! But he and Megan just went out there and had some fun. Her barrel run was nice. I think she can let him ease into the next gear. He is consistent and really looks at the barrels. The WR was strictly for fun. it sucked. We laughed-but Meg said she liked doing it so it looks like we will be adding that to the list. Megan had the people in the grandstand laughing because when she was long trotting Rip through the pole pattern-we kept hearing these little Woo-Hoo's out of her. Rip is a large horse. A Very Large horse! He is or very nearly 16H and weighs in about 1400lbs, and we have taken all of the excess weight off of him. He is about as trim as he is ever going to get and still look good. I would never have considered starting him on poles until today.

My mom was there and I know she really wanted to tell me that Megan should not take Rip around the poles because she is always afraid that doing a bunch of different stuff in one day is going to confuse a horse. I roll my eyes at that. Rip is a solidly broke ranch horse and he is 12y/o. We are not talking about a green or young horse that might get rattled by too much in one day. So mom and I are sitting in the grandstands and mom's mouth is a little tight. I know she wants to say something about this but she is doing a good job of not opening her mouth. Megan comes into the arena at a long trot, heads down the pole pattern, sits down, lifts the rein and Rip whips around that end pole like he knows what he is doing. Mom and I look at each other like WHOA-that was cool. Megan and Rip proceed to weave through the poles like they had actually practiced this before, whip around the other end pole and back through. Megan was laughing so hard she almost forgot to finish her final turn and they long trotted out. I see the pole bending pattern coming into play in Rip's future!

Now the fun is over for awhile-its back to riding those other horses that have been getting neglected. Got to get more ready to take to some play days and horse shows-hehehe.