I rode Blondie in last night’s lesson. It was hot and humid, again. Kim and her new horse rode with us.

We started at the trot, and I really started wishing that I had remembered to put on my spurs. Blondie does not like the heat, and she was sluggish and not responding to my cues. M told me to gather up my reins in one hand, reach behind and give her a swat with the whip. I did as instructed, the horse scooted up, and then she was getting long and low in the bridle. I worked on trying to get her collected, keeping her energy, but getting her to step up. I just don’t understand how to get her collected without having her quit on me.

She picked up the correct canter lead the first time I asked, the first way of the ring. The second way, I didn’t get her set up properly, and she decided to poop right before I asked, so she ended up trotting halfway around the arena.

When the lesson started, Blondie picked her head up, and she felt really cute. As the lesson continued, she started getting tired and sweaty and started with the head shaking thing. Since I was hot and sweaty, too, I decided to save myself the aggravation of fighting over her head tossing and took her back to her stall for a sponge bath. Then we went outside and she ate some refreshing grass. She is rather picky about her choice of lawn, and after she ate down to the dirt, she made the funniest noise and smashed her nose into the ground, leaving little round indentations in her wake. It was bizarre. She also seems to enjoy eating leaves, favoring the ones still attached to twigs. Maybe she’s getting bored of her usual hay and grain.

I didn't get a chance to shoot very many pictures, and the ones of me were taken by Kim.  Most of the pictures are on my laptop, and I won't have time to copy them over until after the Ludington Show.  Here are few pics from the weekend, though,

Sammy and me stylin' before class

Jen getting ready with Blondie

This is the trainer that was injured on Friday.  She was over talking to M & D while D shoed one of her horses Saturday afternoon.  She was actually stepped on, several times, and not kicked  she thinks.  The horse spooked and took off toward a pick up truck that had the tailgate down, and was some place she did not want to be.  The saddle slipped when she tried to turn the horse, and she fell off in front of him.   She has a monster bruise on her arm, and there's a hoof print on her face.  She walked away without even getting a concussion!!!  Notice the ice bag clutched to her face.

This is Roxanne's horse, riding into the championship.  They were 3rd, if I remember correctly.

Saturday did not get off to a good start.  I woke up with a migraine!  I haven't had one in years, and as I writhed around in agony, I didn't think I would even be able to go to the horse show!  That would have really sucked, as I felt too awful to even think about driving home.  I wasn't really panicked because Leslie had volunteered to help Roxanne with her horse the night before, and when I asked M about entering Blondie in the in-hand class, she said she hadn't done the entry.  I told her she didn't have to bother, as I thought Blondie had worked really hard the night before, and she had two classes later in the evening.

Trying to ignore the stabbing pain in my head, I pulled on my shorts and went to scope out the free breakfast arrangements at the Quality Inn.  I wanted to take some pain relievers, but didn't want to do it on an empty stomach.  The complementary breakfast was the most pathetic I have seen, and was the only major disappointment with my stay.  I toasted an english muffin and shuffled back to my room.

After managing to choke down the muffin, I took some pain meds.  Then I went back to bed for an hour, and when I started getting upset to my stomach, I forced myself to get up, take a shower, and get moving.  I really needed some more food so I could take some stronger medication, and the scrambled egg roll up at the fairgrounds was calling my name.

At the fairgrounds, I ran into Abby and Laurie, who informed me that my horse had won the blue ribbon in the halter class (out of 3 entries).  Figures that she finally won something this year and I wasn't there.  I felt too crappy to care at that moment.  Abby rooted around in the medicine cabinet of their camper when she heard I wasn't feeling well and produced some Motrin.  Much better than the feeble junk I had taken earlier.  I went into the barn to drop my stuff off, had to explain my incapacity to everyone, and then went down to get some food, taking the new Previews with me so I'd have something to look at while I ate.

The food and the Motrin had me feeling better, and the Aleve I took about an hour later had me almost back to normal.  If anybody cares, that was about 3000 mg of pain relievers; by the time 5pm rolled around, and I had to start getting ready, I felt much, much better.

After breakfast, I went back to the barn, and Laurie asked if I wanted to go to Bob Evans.  I decided to go, figuring that I could at least get something to drink while they ate. I ended up getting raspberry crepes and fried corn meal mush.  After all of that, my stomach actually settled down.  Audie is always amusing to go to a restaurant with; she has no patience for social graces and blurts out the funniest stuff.  This trip to Bob Evans she left all of her teeth in her head, and so we didn't have any blood to make fun of.

The lead line class was during the afternoon session, and we had to race back for that due to the late arrival of our food.  We just made it back in time!  The boys didn't place very  high, but all seven of the little lead line riders looked so cute! I wish I could have started riding at that age!

Like the night before, the afternoon session raced by.  The judge didn't even let the riders canter an entire way around the arena before calling for the walk!  It was the weirdest show I'd ever been to - I think people got around the ring 3 times, each direction, max!  The classes lasted about 5 minutes each.  The afternoon session was over by 2:30!  It usually lasts until after 4.  No wonder she missed all of those horses blowing off their feet...

D asked if I wanted to drive Sammy in the Fine Harness class. I was little nervous about driving the four wheel buggy, but when they told me that I would probably be the only one in the class, I was quite excited to give it a try.  There wouldn't be anybody else in the ring to run over or collide with.  Yeah!  Who cares that I had only driven Sammy once before.

Jen was going to be riding Blondie again, and then I would be driving her.  The Show Pleasure Driving class was almost the last one, which was a bit of a bummer.  I hate waiting for the classes, because then I can't really relax, enjoy the show, and run around taking pictures.  Ludington should be good for that, though, because most of my classes are over by Saturday afternoon.  I need to stock up on pics for my lesson posts!

To kill some time before the evening session, I talked to Roxanne for a while, and then went and got some walking tacos with Kim.  Those are the tastiest treats!  I like showing at the Shiawassee fairgrounds just so I can get a walking taco!

Before I knew it, it was time for the evening session to begin.  The Fine Harness class was supposed to be the first, but because they had to split the Show Pleasure Championship into two classes, the Jr Exhibitors went first. 

D had me trot up and down the road in front of the arena.  I had Sammy too tight on the reins, because he won't go forward.  I was holding them on the same hole that I drive Blondie, but it must be too tight for Sammy.  I dropped back a hole and off he went. 

Then it was into the class!  It is really fun driving the four wheel buggy, and Sammy, too, but I need to practice turning!  As I was the only entry, I won a blue ribbon!  Yeah!  Then I finally was able to take a victory pass!  My first ever! 

Back at the barn, while I was telling Laurie about the class, Dean's sister Paula, and her husband, Bob, stopped by with Dave.  I haven't seen them in years! It was really nice to see them again!  Then they made fun of me because I didn't notice them on the rail during the class.  When I'm in the ring, I really don't notice anyone other than M and D.

Jen rode Blondie a few classes later, and was having an awesome ride; until Roxanne's horse threw a shoe!  Jen came to stand by D and me during the time out, and Blondie started her annoying whinnying.  Loudly.  D put his hand over her nose to make her stop.

After the shoe was replaced and the class got going again, Jen made sure that she had plenty of room before asking Blondie to canter.  She stepped off into a nice, easy canter.  For the second way, however, she bounced a few times before picking it up.  She didn't place again, while a horse that racked the entire time placed 5th.   The judge must have thought it was a 5-gaited class....

Jen rode Sammy 2 classes later, and she was the reserve champion in a class of 6.  Sammy looked really cute!

During my last class, Blondie was pretty tired, and she was a little sluggish.  This had one pro; she flat walked beautifully.  So well, in fact, and she behaved so nicely, that D thought I had won the class.  Our bane of existence wouldn't walk, and was hopping in the shafts.  I didn't see any of that, and after the class, D actually went to complain about the judge.  Many of the trainers weren't happy with her "unique" view of the classes, and the riders weren't happy with their abbreviated classes.    Maybe she wanted to get back to the hotel to watch something on tv....

I'll have some pics to post later.

Today was the start of the Crystal Horse Show.  I packed up my gear, loaded up my car, and headed off to the show, with a brief stop to check into the spankin' new Quality Inn in Durand.  I am very impressed with my stay so far.  The girl at the front desk was pleasant and extremely helpful.  Plus, the hotel is about as far from the fairgrounds as the Comstock Inn, and it's less expensive.  Think I'll be staying here for the shows for now on.

I was in the first class.  When I arrived, M said she had to go and enter me in the show, since we had our miscommunication issue.  While she was doing that, I was tracking down Mom and Dad, who had driven out to watch my class.  I also looked for Roxanne, since I was going to be helping her show one of her horses in hand on Saturday.  My parents also were finally able to meet her, after about 20 years of me hanging out with her anti social brother.  Go figure.

M called my cell phone and asked if I had brought my suit.  They decided to put me in a riding class. I haven't ridden Blondie in a while, as I have been driving her instead, and I admit that I was a little chicken about getting her around the ring.  I still said that I would ride her.

We were a little tight for time getting ready for my class.  I hate that!  D and Robert had Blondie hooked about 2 minutes before the class started.  We had plenty of time, but I still freak out about this every time.  I hopped in the buggy and trotted her back and forth about three times, and D said her head looked great, just do that in the ring.  Make sure that I have three distinct gaits - trot, road trot, and walk - and keep her head straight.  OK!

The class went very well.  I kept Blondie in her bridle, and she went straight along the rails.  She had a definite gear change at the trot.  The only thing that she didn't do was flat walk.  We were up against the bane of our existence, the lovely black horse that beats us every time out.  One of these days we're going to beat it!

Before the class, D mentioned that if I didn't feel comfortable with the idea of getting Blondie around the ring riding her, I could ask Jen if she would ride her.  Lo and behold, Jen happened to walk by just then!  I asked her if she wanted to ride her for me.  She said she'd love to.  Yeah!  Now I wouldn't have to sweat like a pig in the stifling humidity.  It was so humid!  By the time I came out of the driving class, I was drenched with sweat, and that was with a short sleeve shirt!  I didn't even want to think about how it would feel wearing a lined riding jacket!

After changing back into shorts, I grabbed my camera to get some shots of Kim on her new horse.  This did not turn out to be a good debut for them, as she ended up in the dirt during the warm up.  She wasn't hurt, other than a bruised butt.  While I was at dinner, I guess one of the trainers was kicked in the head and was rushed off to the hospital in an ambulance.  I think the humidity does things to the horses' tiny brains.

Jen hopped on Blondie in time for class 18.  They had a great warm up, but Blondie got a little excited when asked to canter.  She leap into it, instead of stepping gracefully into in.  Right in front of the judge. Both ways.  Argh!  She didn't even place.  Crud!  Jen did get her around the ring, and after the class, she said that she did not want to go by the cursed bleachers, that she has to use a lot of leg to get her by.

PS - I don't have to help Roxanne in the morning, which means that I can sleep in!!!  Yeah!!!

PSS - It's a good thing I didn't have to get up early, because I have a freakin' migraine this morning!

The group lesson on Wednesday was rather large, with Abby, Audie, Laurie, Amber, and myself. I rode Jimmy again, and after watching me struggle to get his head up,  M had Laurie adjust the German martingale to the first hole.  On the second hole, it was preventing him from raising his head.  After she adjusted it, he brought his head right up.  The con to the picture was I had less control over him, and had a terrible time getting him to stop.

After trotting and a terrible canter, where he picked up the incorrect lead, and then I couldn't get him to stop trotting, we played follow the leader.  I had to re-adjust the reins back to the second set of rings, because Jimmy would not stop.  We almost ran over Harley and Amber! 

After the lesson, I asked M about the show on Friday.  Both she and D were confused, because they thought I wasn't going to the Swartz Creek show! I don't know how that happened, because I signed the entry form and told them I wanted to go to that show for sure, because it isn't very expensive.  It was the Ludington show that I wasn't sure about.  M said not to worry, she would call and order another stall.  The show is expected to be light in the number of entries and it won't be a problem.  It's a good thing I asked about it, or I'd have gone up and not had a horse to show! In the future, I guess I will have to be doubly certain that they understand which shows I'm going to attend, and which ones I'm not!

On Monday, I rode Jimmy.   M was running a little behind, so my private lesson turned into a group lessen with Brooke and Amber.  Brooke rode Doc and Amber rode Harley.

It was a good lesson, and I had a nice ride.  Plus, it was an extra half hour because it was a group lesson.  Jimmy walked slowly for Jimmy, and I didn't pester him overly much about getting his head up, because it's just too frustrating on him.  M told me that I have to bump his head up, and then give him some leg to get him to lift his head, but I have to keep my posting the same so he doesn't speed up.  The next time I ride him I will utilize the methods she demonstrated.

Jimmy even cantered nicely. I remember when I used to be afraid to canter on him, because he always seemed to go so fast. I must be used to him now, because he didn't seem any faster than any other horse. He was certainly slower than Blondie.  He did try to pick up the incorrect lead the second way, but I shifted my weight and he swapped to the correct one. 

I have been so busy!! Sorry to the three people who actually read my blog! I am seriously late with last week’s lesson posts, so I’ll just batch them all up, and move along.

Lesson 2

The group lesson was pretty uneventful. Laurie, Audie, and Tina joined me in the arena. I rode Harley, and he wasn’t as stiff as he was on Monday. I felt so bad for him on Monday! He still has a hitch in his get along, but it wasn’t as pronounced.

After the usual trotting and cantering around, be worked on traffic exercises. Yes, yes, these are little exercises designed to help you maneuver in and out of traffic in the show ring. We started by trotting along the rail, and everyone trotting a circle at the same time. Then we moved on to slightly harder exercises; trotting figure eights using the entire arena. The trick here is to not run into another horse! I’m happy to report that despite the chaotic atmosphere, there were no collisions.

Lesson 3

The Friday lesson was on Blondie, with Tina riding Tuck. Blondie started with her head down, and fought the entire time about bringing it up. M told me give and take on the bridle, but every time I gave, she took advantage and dropped her head. I was getting really frustrated with her, because she didn’t behave like this before the break in lessons during the Morgan show.

She cantered very nicely for me, and even picked up the correct lead both times. Aside from bridling issues, she was even better behaved than Tuck, who was having fits because he was expected to canter. Even though he looks like a mule, he’s pretty cute.

While we were walking out, Blondie started with her annoying head shaking, so I thought it prudent to end the lesson before we got into a fight over it.

Harley was the lesson horse last night. Having not worked in a week, he was incredibly stiff and uncomfortable to ride. I was feeling a little sorry for him, but M told me to get after him because he was just putzing along. He did start to annoy me with his constant pulling in the bit.

We worked mainly on getting Harley moved up into his bridle, both at the trot and the canter. Because he was hanging on the bit, she had me trot shallow serpentines, and then practice jaw flexions. She said that I know how to sit on a horse, and now I need to learn how to get them to wear their bridle.

It was nice to be riding again after the week long break. The weather has really improved from the last lesson, too. From 95 to the mid 80s. It was so much more comfortable!

These posts are a little out of order this week.  The Sunday post should be up tomorrow.  It's been one of those weeks.

M called me prior to the lesson to ask if I would help her load some 2 year olds onto the trailer.  One hadn't even been in one, so she wasn't sure how that would go.  She also had to run out to Milford for a minute, so if I could get Harley tacked up, she would be back at the barn before 6.   I was the only lesson, as the others had moved to the cooler morning hours or canceled.  If this wasn't my last lesson for a week, I might have considered canceling, too. 

It was so hot in the barn!  I brushed the pathetically subdued Harley, who was even more listless than normal.  He was sweating just standing in his stall!  I was sweating by the time I had him ready!  M pulled up just as I was getting his bridle on, as promised.

We actually went to the outdoor arena, where there was a bit of a breeze and some shade.  It was so hot in the indoor arena you could barely take a breath!  We decided to use just half of the outdoor so M didn't have to yell so loud.

To give Harley a break, we worked mostly at a slow jog.  She had me take my feet out of the stirrups and sit the trot, and then post the rails.  I haven't ridden Harley in a while, and he was a lot bouncier than I remembered.  My balance has improved over the summer, and I only felt like I was going to teeter out of the saddle a couple of times. 

I lost a stirrup at the canter and instead of sucking it up, I stopped Harley and got it back.  Then he kept picking up the wrong lead when I asked for it again.  We didn't canter much with the heat. 

After the lesson, I left Harley tied in his stall to cool out.  He stood motionless, his head droopy from his activities.  I felt guilty for requesting all of his efforts! It was 95 degrees after all!Then I went to the other barn to help M with the babies.  Tina was there, too, thankfully.  Never having done this before, I wouldn't have been much help if she hadn't been there.

With Tina and M each leading one of the fillies, I was told to get a broom.  I came back with a push broom, and Tina told me that it wouldn't work.  Then I realized that I might be required to smack a horse with it, and was a little unhappy.  After retrieving the other broom, M told me to stand to the side of the first filly and cluck.  Watch so she didn't kick.  If she moved backwards, I was to give her a tap with the broom.

The first one loaded without too much difficulty.  The next filly wasn't quite so easy.  She had never been on a trailer before, and she was obviously terrified of the large gaping maw we expected her to step into.  I felt like a bully whacking at her with the broom.  I don't know what made her suddenly bolt onto the trailer; me growling like a rabid dog, or separation anxiety from her friend.

Not to be outdone, the chiropractor showed up to work on Dee Dee.  The mare was suffering from a sore back, and M was hoping than a visit from the friendly neighborhood equine chiropractor would sort her out for the horse show this weekend.  It was interesting to watch her work on the horse.  I wonder if it really helps? 

Last night, I was given two choices about which horse to ride: Wildchild or Zeb. This was a no brainer.

After tromping out to the pasture to get Zeb, I put him in Harley's stall to get him ready.  Because he is mentally unbalanced, he won't just stand in the aisle to get ready. No, sir.  He has to be put in a stall, where he is still a handful.  He kicks the wall and tries to bite, though he hasn't done that to me lately.  In fact, he was pretty mellow while I brushed him down and got him tacked up.  Living in the pasture has made him one dirty horse, and after brushing away forever, he was still filthy.  Yuck.

Out in the arena, M mentioned that he might be a little lame.  He and Wildchild had another altercation, and she kicked him on hind leg.  Then he bolted through the fence, again, breaking through the boards.  Wildchild is such a witch; she should stop picking on the boys in the pasture.

I hopped on, and the lesson began.  He bridled back without a fight, and stepped into a nice trot.  He was little lazy, but it might have been because of the heat.  I discovered during this lesson that Zeb is a fraidy cat.  Going the second way of the ring, he spooked at the sun spots by the back door.  But only going the second way.  He also nearly jumped out of his skin at a random noise near the back. 

I did have a problem transitioning to a walk from the trot, and M told me that I didn't have to bounce when I ask for the walk.  I can slow and lower my posting.  This never occurred to me, and now I feel kind of stupid about it.  I'll have to try it on Sunday.

While I sponged him down in the stall after the lesson, I had two revelations.  One is that sweat scrapers make wonderful butt whackers.  Zeb kept lifting his back leg to kick, and whacking him with a wet sponge did nothing to dissuade him.  Seeing the sweat scraper in the bucket, I held it in the other hand while I sponged him off, and when he lifted his leg again, I smacked him smartly on the butt.  I only had to do this once on each side, surprisingly enough.  And it's not even that I hit him that hard.  Maybe the satisfying whack scared him.  It empowered me! 

The second is that horses that live outside are dirty.  Filthy dirty.  As noted at the beginning of the lesson, no amount of brushing would rid the dirt from his hide.  Adding spongefuls of water created quite a bit of sweaty mud, which ended up on me when I scraped the foul liquid off.  At first I was a little upset because I had on my sleeping bear t-shirt, but I decided that it made such a nice riding shirt that a few mud stains wouldn't matter.