Sunday, June 12, 2011

Saturday Fun, Sunday Run

Okay, so the Saturday fun post can wait...

Sunday it was back to barrel racing. I was really looking forward to running in this covered arena...Moon usually does really well inside. We ended up making a respectable run...considering...

The ground was so slick that several barrel racers pulled out after seeing how bad it was, several horses left limping from severe slips and near falls and there was one hellava wreck...

I opted to safety up and not push Moon. No ONE barrel race is worth injuring a horse when you know the ground is not good. As seems to be the case, we were actually sitting pretty good with an 18.7, one of the few times below 19 seconds and ONE horse managed to smoke a 17.55 in that slippery ground and moved everyone drastically. (shrugs) One day, I hope to be the person who does that. ;-) I'm still happy with Moon's run, if not super-fast...it was at least smooth and he kept his footing pretty good...

Miss Megan has decided she missed going to the events, so I took pity on her and gave her Spooks to ride. I thought they did awesome together, especially considering it is only his 4th trip out and Megan's 1st time running him...

I landed in between the $$ slots...again, but Megan picked up a check for 2nd in the 4D in the Youth division. I told Moon, he either has to run a little faster or a little slower and we'll pick up some $$ too. LOL...Preferably f.a.s.t.e.r....

To make the day even more fun, Mandie and Eric of ACountryCowgirl came over to watch and visit. It's really a shame we don't get to see more of each other...we live so close to each other...and yet so far, as I seldom have barrel racings in her neck of the woods and she doesn't have much time to come over this way.

Well, we'll try 'er again on Tuesday, at an arena we know has good ground....


12 comments:

Shirley said...

It looked a little slick around the third barrel. Question is, are you happy with your second barrel? It looked pretty good from here.

ACountryCowgirl said...

sooooooooooooooo glad I got to make it out:) always love getting to see ya. I will make it to more for sure:)

Mikey said...

Nice job girls! Love seeing the videos. Makes me want to get out and turn some!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Shirley-I am. I got over-eager and grabbed the outside rein before Moon even completed his 1st turn, which put me out of time with his stride between 1st and 2nd (my butt was slapping the saddle with every stride-LOL). I think Moon thought about not giving me his nose and lifting his inside shoulder right before we hit the turn, but he did give it and I thought he turned 2nd quite well for the ground conditions. A lot of horses were slipping all around that barrel and a lot of horses were setting up before the turn because of the light effects on the ground, but Moon rolled through in pretty good shape.

Rising Rainbow said...

It's good to see that Moon is coming together. Getting to the 18s is a big deal and then with slippery footing, impressive.

Funder said...

I wouldn't wish to be the rider with the 17.55 on slippery ground. Either she doesn't have very good control of her horse or she just doesn't care much about him... like you said, no one race is worth an injury. :-/

So what's the in-between the money thing? First and third get checks? Or there's some slower division? I know I always pop up and ask the ignorant questions and I hope you don't mind! :)

Laura said...

Getting under 19sec. seems pretty good, considering the bad footing. Nice the Meg came out with you to run Spooks too...

Michelle said...

It is sooo frustrating to pay money and take time to go to a race (either to school or run) and have bad ground! WTH?! Don't these people know what kind of events they're going to hold at their facilities (and don't the organizers check the facilities before setting up a race?) Ooohhh...makes me burn. Too many unnecessary injuries from that sort of thing. Anyway, I'm glad you both did well despite everything.

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

That's a very valid point Michelle. Having a rodeo background, I don't get upset...just use caution. I will say, that last year they held this barrel racing in the rodeo arena at the same fairgrounds and the ground was bad, that is why they moved it to the covered arena this year, which is mainly a show arena.

The ground looked fantastic and felt really good, but it sure wasn't the right type of dirt to hold up to barrel racing. There was no 'grip' when the horses dug in. They watered the hell out of it and drug it to within an inch of it's life several times.

It's times like these that you really notice the difference between rodeo and NBHA (and other strictly barrel racing associations). The girls that rodeo and have horses that they rodeo on, just ride it the best they can and the barrel association only girls f.r.e.a.k. out...as do their horses when they try to hold them back.

cdncowgirl said...

It looked like Moon slipped a bit a second but other than that it looked pretty good... and you mentioned you were out of time with Moon on the way to 2nd but to me it looked like you really rode him TO the barrel (even if you were out of time lol)

Noticed that Spooks was gaping quite a bit at each barrel. What bit is he running in?

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

A smooth, O-ring snaffle. I noticed him doing it too. Figured Meg was just riding a little heavy-handed. I made darn sure to impress on her to keep him stood up around those turns because of the ground. We'll see how they do tonight.

Cut-N-Jump said...

Looks like you are coming along nicely, even though the footing isn't wonderful. Kat & I had a bit of that same thing to deal with over the weekend too.

Thing about unfavorable conditions- the horses need to learn to work in them, no matter what they are. No matter what your chosen sport, no matter where or how much we travel to compete- we are bound to hit a competition where things are just for total sh!t any way you look at it.

Bad cattle, crappy footing, poor planning, judges with no clue, timers (electric or stopwatch) that don't work..., high winds, I think we can all come up with things we would rather not deal with, but like Michelle said, you paid your money and came to compete... Some of these things the showgrounds and management has control over- others they don't and nobody does.

I agree with you 1,000% Not ONE competition is worth it to ruin your horse. Those who push it in times like this are in it to win it and the horse be damned. "Win at all costs" is usually a high price paid by the horse.