Valley Reiners May 1st and 2nd 2010

For this horse show I felt like I was going into it completely  prepared. All riding standards were set I knew which days I wanted to clean tack which days I was going to bathe and braid. None of this worked out... I felt very disorganized but was saved from a lot of help from a certain someone. She gave me a white show pad a fleece pad to sit on top. A beautiful $500 show jacket to use for the show. I had to leave the grounds and come back and when I did my horse horse was braided very nicely. I thanked these people but I really don't think they know how much I am thankful.... They went way out of there way to help me ! May 1st I entered two classes English Equitation and English pleasure. English Equitation I felt very disorganized because last minute I found out we were doing a pattern instead of just being on the rail. I thought that class was went horrible but I placed a 6th. Out of 8 or 9 riders. Second class was English Pleasure. The class went better, my horse was bending well but was a little fast and wouldn't slow down to a walk when I needed him too. So we placed 6th in that class too. Not too bad for the first show of the season.

May 2nd was starting off not as well. The first flat class I entered, Amigo was just a speed demon he wouldn't listen to my aids at all. It didn't help that I was sore from the day before. So we didn't place in that class. I felt that I needed to enter another flat before I went on to the Hunter Hack. The fun jumping class. 

I dismounted got somebody to hold my horse and ran to pay for another class. I believe it was called open show hack. Amigo was still fairly fast but I placed 5th and the judge gave me some tips. She said she loved my horse he moves well and she would want to ride him it was just the whole half halting issue I needed to take care of which I was doing. 

So then came the hunter hack I was riding against two people I knew and the other I was just getting to know from being at the show for two days. I was given a tip before I started as a reminder for Amigo to pick up his right lead after the jump. It really did help. We went over the cross rail he picked up the right lead we did this jumper turn I don't know why then we headed to the vertical. After the jumping we went around the ring Amigo was super well behaved.  Maybe it's just he hates flat work I don't know. Ha ha. That was our last class for the two day show and we placed the red ribbon. I was very proud. So today he has the day off. When I brought him home he was going to be pastured with a bunch of girlies. He acted like a stud even though he's been gelded for the past 6 years. He got the girls all excited and they ran around for a good half hour.  The first show of the season was a very successful one. Good job my boy you've done me proud !