Mohave County Fair... we did it!

It wasn't all pretty, but Taffy successfully competed barefoot at the 2010 Mohave County Fair Open Horse Show...

English Pleasure... 4th of 5 (oops wrong lead for a stride or two)
English Equitation... 3rd of 5 (oops forgot to button up the shirt), we did get the correct leads :)

Trail- that's a long story... too tired to share it now... we did finish the course and placed 6th, not dead last, but close.

Western Pleasure- 11 horses, we were not in the top 6
Western Equitation- 4th of 8... I think... It was a pattern with two counter lead lopes. first one was fine. Second we had to try and try to get it, but get it we did. Taffy did a really nice fast back at the end.

My goal was to compete barefoot- and not get hurt... We succeeded :)
I did place #1 in Trail with my former horse, and also won the Grand Champion award in Trail. Woo hoo!!!

We weren't last....

I got the results from the Trail class in Chino Valley!!!! We were 3rd :) Not last, as I suspected..... the results showed 5 horses. So we were right in the middle. I got the patterns for this weekend's show today. Wow- counter lead circles in eq and many challenges in trail. LONG outside course. I know Taffy is a good girl at shows,,, but the trail class is out near the carnival... and it is held in the afternoon after the carnival gets going. We'll just take what comes and do our best. I'm hoping the judge will allow the hoof boots since it's an outside course.

It's my old horse's new owner's first show... it will be exciting for her. And me- watching her!! I get to ride Honey in trail again. She'll be a good girl. We'll have fun.

good workout

Took Taffy and my daughter's pony to friend's arena- Pony was a bit bratty- but no wrecks...

Taffy can canter nice and slowly and collected--- I am learning how to collect her. Friend rode her for me to show me how she looked nicely collected and how to drive her hind legs up with leg and then ask for headset- releasing when it's right. She was gorgeous and the jog was lovely. Rode with boots after she picked up a little rock that stuck in the middle of her RF frog. Still riding with shorter shanked curb and leather curb strap- better fit for us for the time being. I love how cute she looks with her head where it belongs- vertical face and even neck--- and draped reins :)

Trim adjustment and mud puddles

Decided to balance the fores yesterday- lowered the lateral heel to match the medial on the LF. lowered and angled the heels on all, to approximate the collateral groove angle. Lowered the quarters to sole- still seeing stress ripples in the quarters on the fores. Refreshed breakover on both fores and happy to see thicker walls across the toes. No obvious separation at the white line on the bottom, just slight toe flare remains on bottom 1/3 of fores.

On our way to my longe area, there was a nice mud puddle courtesy of the drip system on our trees. She walked through several times- still wants to come over on me some to get around it, but is trusting me more. Still comes right up to me for her scratches or hand licks.

Did some experimenting with voice commands on the longe- tone, register, timing. She will have to adjust to my voice but if I can approximate the voice that trained her, it will make things easier in the transition.

I had left her boots off all day Saturday after the ride, and this was Sunday morning after a trim adjustment- she was short striding the RF at the canter. She got the boots back on!!!

Today we plan to practice in our friend's arena again- our last arena workout before Sunday. I now have confidence that Taffy knows what to do in the ring, and settles into her work nicely. Before the Chino Valley show I had not ridden or worked her every day, just a few times a week, and not much loping. So we entered walk trot- and I was pleased with her demeanor and presence. This show will be all 3 gaits. At least her lope is easy to sit! I thought I was all over the place but when I looked at the video (see last week's posts) it didn't appear as bad as it felt- didn't look bad at all, at least to me...

Another comfortable ride

Another pic from our 1st show. This is not the way to do Trail- my hand is way high, too much leg and Taffy is stressed, but I like the Piaffe effect- She really can sit down and engage the HQ!

This morning Taffy had some water training... I took it slow and easy and other than a couple sideways leaps she did great! Even stepped one hind foot in the last time through.... This is fair trail class warm up!

Since her feet were wet, I removed the boots to ride in the wash. She was ouchy over gravel but comfortable on the smooth surfaces- asphalt, smooth dirt, sidewalks... And just fine in the deep gravelly wash. We worked on patience- she really likes to GO when we're out. I started out in the bitless, then bridled her from the saddle with the bit... good girl Taffy!

I changed to a shorter shanked curb bit with a leather curb strap- I am not light enough in the hands for the longer shanked bit with curb chain. I asked her to lower her head and back and pivot and sidepass one step at a time- it's getting better. I tried the leg wiggle cue for headset- I think she knows that. I lightly cued with the reins and waved my legs in and out slightly- she responded nicely. She also gave me lots of nice whoas with me exhaling strongly before saying WHOA. I think she likes advance notice ;)

Now, I am still wondering where her "Relax" button is.... She sometimes gets into a chewy fit of nerves- tries to chew the reins and bit shank... when she wants to go and I say Whoa :) This is when we ride out alone. She doesn't get like this much with a group.

Hooves- RF great, LF lateral outgrowing the medial, heel and quarters- and she needs a breakover adjustment. Hinds are chipping slightly so a new mustang roll is in order. Hind bars are a bit long- beginning to lay over sole. Needs new fore breakover... boots and pads for turnout is still giving the best results. Today was the first completely non-booted outside ride.... Happy mama...

Oh boy Oh boy Happy day! VIDEO!

If you haven't seen the previous post about our first show, there are PICS!!

Took Taffy to a friend's arena again today. Boy was she full of herself! I let her go in the arena for a few minutes and she took off like a shot- I've never seen her take off like that before! Thus far she is in front boots (has been in boots with pads for turnout since the show on Sunday.)... I began working her in draw reins- and snaffle reins- no curb chain on. Ok at walk and trot, but boy she wanted to run at the canter-so I let her out a notch and she did a rodeo bronc impression haha. Once I got her slowed down I dismounted and took her to the round pen. She raced around like she had endless energy! I forget she's only 6 sometimes, and that her hoof pain has kept a lid on her energy for a while. She bobbled, and I suspected rocks in the boots, so I removed them (full of dirt and pebbles). After about 5 minutes of running and extended trots both ways around the pen, she stopped by the gate as if to say OK, I'm settled down now! So she was, and we had a nice workout in the arena- 100% barehoof. No bobbling! The arena was freshly disked, so the footing was nice and deep. Here, see for yourself! (no, she is not on bute or any other pain masker) We are having a conversation about headset- we aren't quite in agreement yet! Now, ride more ride more and get some fat back on her... I don't like to see ribs :(

And here's another one... might make you dizzy....

A fun day- First show together

Sunday the 5th of September- a friend offered to have us join her for a trip to the Yavapai college High Plains Adventure horse show in Chino Valley. I dolled up Taffy and we loaded up at 445 am.

Taffy loaded and traveled like a pro- ate and drank well the entire time. She whinnied twice when we got there and then quieted right down.

We entered showmanship- placed 2nd of 3 (beat by a mini!!)

Halter mares we placed 4th of 6... I know she's not halter material, but just wanted to try for fun.

Our friend rode well in her classes, and placed 1st in both rail classes (no competition but she rode well regardless!).

I didn't want to push Taffy much, so we rode Walk-trot equitation and pleasure. 5th of 5 in eq, and 4th of 6 in pleasure. The judge preferred the english horses over the western and gaited, which were all in together in the walk/trot/jog classes.

I was pleased with her obedience and smoothness. He commented on Taffy's soreness- it was slight, and I couldn't feel it except when she stumbled a little (which the judge saw). So I put on the hoof boots for Trail- the trail judge approved them.

Trail was a trial, we have to practice our finesse and fine tune our communication!!! She wasn't naughty, I just overcued her. We did complete all obstacles without any knocks. We left before results were announced, but I was pleased with our round anyway!

Looking forward to the county fair show Sept. 19- this time walk trot canter... got out the drawreins today to encourage proper headset. Had a good workout this evening-in boots, on a search for a missing model rocket we had launched earlier today (found it!!!). Taffy is strong in the canter- outside. More arena practice needed... She was very forward tonight... the curb chain bounced off one side and she was still a good girl. Gotta add rubber bands to the curb hooks (myler correction D with hooks- Ss tack dot com sells it). Got mine on eBay :)

I'm planning to work her daily now, till Fair. That means 4:30 AM most days! Oh goody.

About the same...

Taffy is still very comfortable in boots, ouchy over the frog/heel on rocks bare. Time to soak again. We practice a little show stuff in a friend's arena the other day. She was great- but I got nervous by the gate and so did she. Sigh. She is finding places to scrape herself- a small hind leg scrape is the latest. I am pleased she rode perfectly in my 2h straight trailer to the friend's house. I am going to try her out on the soft dirt again after soaking and see if she's up to going for a ride to a show this Sunday. A friend has invited me to bring her along.

Today was spa day- got all her whiskers and ears and bridle path clipped. She was a really good girl for all that. Mane shortened :( I like it long but the rubbed out spot now blends into the shortened mane, so it will grow out together... Will band for Sunday if we show. I'm thinking this is a warm up for the Fair show... Will enter novice classes since I'm a novice on such a finely trained horse!