it was quite a show!

Well, we went to an open schooling show last weekend. It was the first time that we didn’t bring home any ribbons (really, it’s not that big of a deal). And I learned a little more about my partner!


The first thing that really stuck out was the typical Arabian-kid relationship (you know, that mentality of “Takin’ care of the kid. I’m just takin’ care of the kid…”). She would not stay in the warm-up ring for her junior rider. You see, JR (junior rider) doesn’t yet understand how to use her outside rein. She steers with a direct rein and bends Fancy Pony’s head and neck around until the pony can pop her shoulder out and ignore the direct rein. Regardless, Fancy Pony didn’t do anything dirty, and she did everything in her power to take care of the kid. In the warm-up, she allowed JR to steer her around all of the other horses. In the mad chaos, Fancy Pony was the picture of a packer pony – complete with her nose stuck straight out in front of her!

would anyone else like to 'squee' with me?

This was our first chance to show the Fancy Pony at an open show. She has been getting lots of dressage experience… And plenty of jumping… And she has proven perfectly confident and capable on a cross-country course… She needed quite a bit of reassurance as she cantered around with the other 20 horses in the ring, though! She just *knew* they were all ready to come after her! She was only perturbed at the canter, though…

My equitation pattern threw her for a loop. It called for a pretty tight turn in counter-canter. I knew this was asking quite a bit, but she pulled off the counter-canter just fine! It was switching back to regular canter that got us! Oh, and the halt at the end of the canter line. Oops!

I am a firm believer in setting the horse up for success. So, when it came to our hunter hack warm-up round, I trotted to the first fence rather than canter. Sure enough, she went through the line just fine, landed on the correct lead on the far side, and halted quietly. However, when we did it for real, she was on the wrong lead going in (I just could not convince her to switch back!). She took the long spot over the first fence. I was busy looking at the end of my line so that we rode it straight, then jumped ahead of her over the second fence. Instead of the nice 3 stride that we practiced, she needed to add a stride (because, of course, she took the long spot over the first fence). She is so forgiving. She jumped despite my horrible performance, landed on the wrong lead coming out, stayed on the wrong lead around the turn, didn’t halt until we were a horse’s length past our cone… BUT, she backed beautifully! *sigh*

We can blame that entire performance on the rider.

We still got a pretty picture!

eventually, we'll get my hands out of my lap and under my face...

The show ran long and late.  I finally scratched our last three classes and headed home.  I was tired, my pony was tired...  Everyone was ready to be done and it seemed like every class was being divided into multiple groups.  But we did get to try one ride western.  Well, sort of western...  I ran out of time and will to fight with my chaps...

I guess we know how she feels about western, now...

She ain't perfect, but she gives everything she has!  What more can you ask for?