Great Day at the Equine Fair

Sorry its taken me so long to post about Saturday!

Anyway, in a nutshell it went great. I was soo proud of Daisy girl. She took everything in stride and seemed to really enjoy being out and about! I really have no idea how much 'out and about' she has had in her life but I don't think it has been much. Here are a few clues that tell me that:

1. Miniature mules pulling covered wagons are funny looking!
2. Anytime another horse got near her she had to look at them
3. In the arena with other horses she would walk suuuper slow when one was behind her or next to her
4. Clapping crowds sound kind of scary and she doesn't like it!
5. PA systems really get her attention
6. Galloping horses are kind of strange and definitely garner attention

So anyway! All those things got her attention but she barely popped her head up higher then normal and mainly just pricked her ears and looked. The clapping did get a bit of a skitter, lol, but nothing serious. This was of course at the end of our parade. But it wasn't anything hard enough to even think about unseating me.

There was so much going on! Lots of different breeds and kids and people everywhere! Three different wagons (1 with miniature mules, 1 with a beautiful friesian and 1 with miniature horses) a miniature donkey, three miniature horses, racking horses speed racking up and down the road, a TWH galloping flat out up and down the road, etc. All of it added up to a good bit of activity and she did really great with it. The worst thinkg oddly was the clapping! After lets say, four or five rounds of it though she finally stopped popping her head up and realized it was not something to be concerned with. So funny!

The actual reason we were there, the parade, was kind of disappointing. We were in there for maybe five minutes with about, hm, 8-10 other horses? And all we did was walk. They never did tell us to 'do our thing' so finally I did some trot right before we were supposed to head out. Daisy did really well besides getting us lapped by a few riders, lol, I could not get her past a plodding walk! I think she was trying to take in what the heck we were doing.

Let me back up and go through the whole day. Hopefully I won't bore everyone to tears!

So that morning I got all the rest of my stuff packed up. I drove over to the in laws and headed out to find Daisy while the husband hooked up the trailer. She of  course was out in the back pasture so I had to trot her almost all the way back to the gate so we wouldn't be late! By the time we got there my mom was there already (she was my buddy the whole day) and I tied her up to the trailer while we got the doors open etc and then loaded her up with no trouble at all, she just hopped right up in there. And we were off! We got to the show about 10 mins early even, and I unloaded her and tied her back up to the trailer. And she just stood there! I was afraid she would paw, dance, etc. I should have known she would be golden. She never once offered to pull on her halter or moved a bit the whole day! Even when I was in the trailer bumping around trying to get dressed twice.

So then when I was trying to straighten her out not long after we got there she stepped in a huge cow patty that had a whole colony of ANTS in it! (you can just see it in the photo) They swarmed up her hoof and fetlock in seconds while I screamed at my mom for the brush. I got most of them knocked off and we moved to the other side. The only thing she did was pick her hoof way up off the ground, poor girl!

So by this time I was starting to get nervous because I had less then an hour to tack her up, get to the arena (which was a ways from the trailers, across another pasture, you'll see in the video) and ride, come back, get her tack switched and myself dressed in my english stuff, and back to the arena! Not to mention braid her mane! Ack!!

So I got her western gear on and we headed down to the arena. She was golden, just going along with her head down, made me smile! She was a little slow and ploddy trying to look at stuff, but that was it. We got to the gate to the arena and I saw two people coming out of there and I thought, oh no, did they chase them out? I asked them about it and they said the man was just spraying down the covered part of the arena. See, it was a long arena with maybe a quarter or a little more covered with a cow shoot and boxes for roping at the far end. The rest was open and let me tell you muddy from all the rain a few days ago. So we decided to go on in and check out the part that wasn't getting hosed, which was what I was most concerned about. There were cows hemmed up in the far right corner that she took a good look at as we were coming from the trailer to the gate.

The gate was this wide affair with a cow chute you walk through and two metal bars on the ground. Daisy gave it a good look but didnt hesitate! We headed on in and trucked around for a bit, she offered a trot a few times, which is definitely unusual for her! But nothing crazy. She gave the cows a good look and some panels stacked up in the arena another good look, but went on past them with no difficulty! We walked a bit more and then did some trotting. Then I knew I wanted to get a few lope strides in so we attempted that but it was so durn muddy I barely got those few strides and abandoned it pretty quick. She didn't seem full of it so I didn't press it.

So at this time my watch was telling me I only had twenty minutes to get back and get us both dressed in our english gear so we headed on out of the arena and back to the trailer. I passed the mother headed to the porta potties on our way back, ugh, so I knew I wouldn't have much help. Thankfully she had set all my clothes and tack out for me already! I trotted on back to the trailer and stripped her of her western stuff, got english tack on, got her english reins on her bridle and left her tied up while I hopped in the trailer to change. (remind me not to choose the stall with POOP in it next time!) That was fun hopping on one leg with one in western boots and jeans and the other breeches trying to get my tall boots on so I don't step on the ground with a sock! Boy, a dressing room would have been handy! I did it though!

By this time my mama was back and she gave me my helmet and then also reminded me I hadn't braided Daisy's mane. CRAP! So I quickly determined that I should just head on down to the arena and attempt to braid it there if I had time. I grabbed a few rubber bands and headed back down there. And thankfully I did have time to hurriedly get it up. Theres a bit of it in the picture. It wasn't as nice as the day before but I got all of it in there with time to spare!

Speaking of that picture, you see my mom there messing with Daisy's bridle? Well apparently we got the left rein put on backwards and I realized this just minutes before we were supposed to go in the arena. But the nimble fingered mommy got it figured out for me with plenty of time.

So I got on up in my saddle and we sat a few minutes waiting for them to call the Quarter Horses in for our parade. I talked to a few people there at the gate who were really nice. You should have seen the looks I was getting in my helmet and coat etc. They don't see hunt seat riders round that part, like, EVER! Lol. But we looked so good I was not too self conscious! After I settled in the saddle and relaxed I thought, this is what we have been training for all week and I felt ready!

They finally called us in and I found out we were only going to ride in the covered part! It was a bit small for that many horses but we managed it! One horse in front of us decided he wanted no part of the arena so he started spinning and dodging right in front of us, eep, but thankfully didn't bother Daisy. His rider finally stepped off and lead him back out of the gate area. We made our entrance and got a nice clear spot as the second to last rider in. The cute little white mare behind us (roping/barrel horse = hot) was a faster stepper then us and I apologized to her rider and told her she could pass us if she wanted, lol, which she did a bit later. So we just cruised on around as they told of the breed and I finally decided to do our posting trot a bit right at the end. As we were going by the PA system (which she didn't really want to be by) they all started clapping which made Daisy jump a foot or so to the side and also go down to a walk. But my mom said we looked good! She had the video camera going but apparently it got switched to photo mode so no video, only a picture of our backs, boo!

So the rest of the day we just sort of chilled by the stands kind of near the gate while Daisy checked stuff out or took a nap. At one point I headed back to the trailer and swapped back to western (I couldn't wait to get back into my tank top and jeans!) and we came back to the stands. Daisy was so good about all the tack changes, never had a problem with any of it. Back at the stands my mom was loving the whole show, especially listening to the vet, farrier, and trainer talk. What was neat about it was each one brought God into their talks, loved it!

The mama decided to ride Daisy a bit at this point and I took her place on the bleachers. I warned her that she was uber lazy and didn't neck rein, but she still came back saying how lazy she was! ;) She got her to trot a few times and the last time she tripped so she said that was all she did of that (her hooves are long!) I also got to talk to the farrier about her hoof and he said it was just long and needed a trim, yeah! I got his card and will be calling him today to set up an appointment. He said he charges $40.00 for barefoot. This is about right for around here. What are yalls prices?

On a side note, Daisy really likes sun chips, who knew? She ate about half my bag! I told my mom if it isn't my child trying to eat my food, its my horse! Speaking of Chloe I decided to leave her with my awesome mother in law. I figured it was going to be a long day out in the sun and mom and I would be busy with Daisy, so I knew she would be happier at home. I missed the little booger though! I can't wait till she is older and more able to do things with me. I really would love to get her a tiny mini horse to ride around for her first few years of riding. I figure that thing can only hurt her so much, while a big horse has bigger hooves, bigger teeth and is just plain BIGGER, lol. If she takes a tumble off a mini its just that, a tumble. Not a fall! I figure we have another year before she will really want to be riding (maybe a little less) so maybe we can find her one by then.

Well around 1:15 or so we decided we had had enough sun and went back and loaded up. Daisy I think was ready to go home too because she loaded faster and easier then ever, lol, I basically just pointed and she was in there! I think she was also ready for some hay! Mom asked me if I wanted to drive and with a bit of nervousness I said yes. But it was not bad at all! Although it was definitely nerve wracking and I don't want to do it real often. I'm glad my husband is such a good trailer driver!

Back at the house I unloaded Daisy girl and put her back in her pasture. She immediately took off to go find her girlfriend, maybe to tell her about her strange day?? Most likely to go eat grass, ;)

Thats about it! A good day had by all and I really enjoyed spending time with my mom. Thanks for listening to my long tale!

Oh, and here is the video I put together! Until later!