Busting At The Seams

It was another big weekend of barrel racing for Frosty and...

I'm so stinking proud of my buckskin dum-dum. Busting at the seams proud!!

Two weeks ago, Frosty started out clocking 18.0's at this arena, but in his last run, he jumped up to a 17.2. I was pretty tickled with that.

I was hoping that we would come back and be able to achieve a low 17 second run right off the bat and  gain a little more time over the weekend. But I guess Frosty had other plans...

His first run out, he ran a 16.8...with a big toe stub stumble at 1st. He came back in the jackpot race and ran a 16.6. That picked us up a little check. Outside of the stumble behind the 1st barrel (Which I believe I cause by dropping my hand to Frosty's neck), both runs were just as pretty as could be. My lord, Frosty runs a pretty pattern and his turns...Oh, I just LOVE his turns!!!

The weather over the weekend was less than ideal. The wind blew all day on Saturday. Geez it was miserable. The wind went down over the night, but then the rain set in. So Sunday morning dawned a whole lot cooler and wet. By the time I got Frosty warmed up, we were soaked and I wasn't feeling real confident. If Frosty still had any inclination to blow up on the pattern, this was the perfect weather for it. But I was determined I wasn't going to let that thought affect the way we were going to make our run. To calm my fears, I went and sat between 2 high level Pro girls and conversed with them until my name was called.

Frosty walked into the gate, found the 1st barrel and blasted off. I guess he figured out how to leave! LOL.

He was a little ratey before the 1st barrel, but I steadied him between my hands and he ran into his pocket and just inhaled the 1st turn. Feeling Frosty suck into a turn like that makes me giggle out loud...every.single.time and then I just keep talking to him through the whole run. It surprised me the 1st time I found myself talking to Frosty during his run and it still kind of surprises me when I hear myself doing it. It's actually a good thing. You can't talk if you aren't breathing, so I guess that means I am breathing when Frosty is running. LMAO!!

The other surprising thing is, while I struggled with Moon around the 2nd barrel, I have no such problems with Frosty. If anything our 2nd barrel is our strongest turn. We just bail into it. Frosty runs right to his pocket and when I feel him start to rate, I just pitch the reins to him and go to asking for more speed. Frosty snapped out of his 2nd turn, so quick, he came out running directly for the 3rd barrel. We were about 2 strides out and Frosty was still in too far, so I pushed my inside hand forward and over about an inch and wouldn't you know, Frosty just moved over as smooth and willingly as you could as for. I didn't even have to touch the outside rein. That was all I needed to do, Frosty inhaled the 3rd barrel and ran for home.

He clocked a 16.5!!

I tell ya what, having a horse jump up a full second and a half in just those few runs....And still maintain his darned near perfect pattern...

Yeaahhhh!!! (multiple fist pumps!!!)

That run was good enough for a big fat check!!

So where is he running now, in comparison to the 'big boys'.... 1.5 seconds off. And I'm talking about some t.o.u.g.h. competition. Pro-level horses, NOT local jackpot winners. A new arena record was set on Sunday and Frosty ran 1.5 seconds off of that!!

Yeaaaahhhh!!! (multiple fist pumps AGAIN!)

How freakin' awesome is that?!?!?!

He's coming on!! My big, buckskin, dum-dum is coming ON!!! And you want to know the best part?

He's F.U.N!! OMG! He is so much F.U.N to make a run on!!