Weekend Recap

Friday Night

Friday night was the rodeo. All I can say is thank god it’s over! When we got there I was a little surprised with how calm Max was. He was almost in a drug like state about everything that was going on. I took him into the arena and he didn’t even bat an eye at the bulls, cows, horses, people, etc. He was actually calmer than he was a few days prior in the same arena when it was empty. He was so calm that I honestly worried about getting the speed out of him for the performance.

Well that all changed after the grand entry! LMAO When we went in for that he woke up! We finally went in for our performance and it started out great. Then as I crossed my partner for the second X Max decided to go left instead of right and threw me off balance. I caught myself and pulled up where I was supposed to be but I would have loved to have killed him! I think the little shit did it on purpose. He knows the routine so he knows where he’s supposed to go. After his little “stunt” he was fine the rest of the performance.

When we went into the pinwheel I heard one of our riders yell “Tania lost her bridle”! I figured we’d pull up but Tania said to keep going until she couldn’t. Needless to say she ran the entire pattern without the bridle on. I’m not sure that the crowd noticed it though.

All-in-all it wasn’t a horrible performance but it definitely wasn’t a good one either. I think we looked better since we had an “equipment malfunction” than we would have had we ran it with no problems.

Sunday

Sunday was the first horse show of the year. I had hoped to work Sis on Saturday to try to slow her down but I didn’t have time so we went at it as we were. MIL didn’t show since it was a Sunday show so I rode Sis.

Chase decided to talk Abby in walk/trot. I was proud of him because he knows Abby won’t place (she’s too fast) so he’s finally getting off of the “I want to win a ribbon” mentality. I didn’t get to see his w/t performance because I was at the trailer trying to find the bridle I wanted for Sis (which we’d left at home). He had a HUGE class (there were a ton of people at the show) and I was told that he made it a w/t/c class but the judge must have missed the canter part because he somehow managed to place 4th.

Then it was our turn. I figured Sis would do ok in walk/trot because she seems to fall back into her trot well. The class was so large you hardly had room to move. We ended up placing 5th. I was in her face a lot (more of an English style contact) and I think she came behind the vertical a few times. Oh well. It was the first one of the year.

Then it was time for pleasure. I figured we were just going to go in for practice because her lope has been horrible lately (she needs to use that big ass she has instead of her front end). So this time I went in on a looser rein (why hold her back when I know we won’t do well). Her walk was slow as mud (almost annoying) and her trot was a bit faster than it was earlier. Her lope on her left lead wasn’t too bad (her head was up but she was slow). When we were asked to lope going to the right we were in a jam and when all of the horses picked up onto a lope I think Sis thought it was a drill team maneuver and wanted to catch up. I got her slowed down but we obviously need to work on that. Somehow, and I do mean somehow, we managed to place 2nd in WP. I can’t believe we placed at all but apparently either the other horses were much worse and I didn’t see it or the judge like Sis’s “forward” movement.

Then it was Chase’s turn for “mini” poles. Abby didn’t want to go to the end of the arena and Chase is going to loose his popper. He was too busy trying to whack her and not busy enough trying to steer her. He finally got her going and got through and I believe he placed 4th. I tried running Max in and let’s just say I have a few things to work on. :) Barrels with Max went much better. We got 2nd and we didn’t really get a bad time. Chase almost messed his pattern up but he corrected himself and got 2nd as well. Abby had her head down in that “I’m going to buck” way when they crossed the finish line so I wasn’t too thrilled with her.

Max

DH and I talked a lot about the horses while we were sitting waiting on classes and DH really wants a shorter/stalkier horse to rope off of. He doesn’t think Max will have the strength to do it. I don’t want him to sell Max because he’s grade and I’m afraid w/the market the way it is he could wind up in a bad spot. Then, the light bulb finally went off in my head and I told DH I’d keep Max and he could look for a new horse (instead of me looking for an new horse). It will be at least 2 years before Cat is ready to break and I’d love to prep Max to actually run barrels. I think if he got the pattern down he could fly! DH knows it will be a while before we can afford what he wants but I think it will be the best of both worlds.

Unfortunately for my sister we won’t be looking for that dead broke horse. She’ll have to learn to either ride Abby or one of the other horses.

Sunday Night

When we unloaded Abby out of the trailer she flew out so what did we do? LFR of course. She thought the fun show was hard well she was about to find out just how hard home life was! We did LFR until a) she was moving to the right off of halter pressure only (she has issues w/going to the right) and b) she was very humbled (dripping with sweat). Then, just for good measure I saddled her up with the English saddle, took her into the RP and rode her until I got a bit more of the “yes sir” attitude. I need to work with Chase but I also need to get my stuff together and start working w/Abby a little bit too.

There is roping practice at an arena close by and DH decided to take Max. Even if he does get a new horse (which will be a while) he needs the practice and Max is pretty cowy. He just went to score a few cows and I think he said Max did well for never doing it before. He said he tracked them well and DH even threw a rope off of him a few times. Poor guy had a long day (Max that is)! I think they are going to try to start going every Sunday (if DH is off of work) which will be good for both of them. DH needs his own thing to do w/the horses w/o me there to critique him.

We have a few things to work on w/Max this week and with Abby as well.

I should have tons of pictures tomorrow! I took some fun ones at the rodeo Sat. night and mom got some of the drill team. Until then………………