Rachel and Grandma and Arabian Horses at Pacific Rim

The first post of the Rachel and Grandma and an Arabian Horse series was posted several months ago and documents Rachel's journey on her way to her dream of competing one day at the Arabian and Half Arabian US National Championship Show.

October 13 and 14 were the dates of the Pacific Rim Arabian Horse Show. It was held at The Trails in Olympia, Washington. This is normally a smaller show since it runs about the time all of the big barns are headed off to the US Nationals.

Because Rachel and Dandy didn't have much of a show season this year, due to Dandy's fall at the Daffodil Spring Arabian Horse Show, I decided it would probably be a good idea for Rachel and Grandma to go. Even though the facility's warm up ring is really small and Dandy can get claustrophobic in small warm ups, I figured the show would be small enough it wouldn't be a problem. Then I could get the chance to see how the lessons I was giving Rachel were paying off.

Since the show facility is an hour and a half from Grandma's house, I decided to ask Colleen and Ray if we could use their motor home. That way we could stay on the grounds and save me some commuting time and add to our sleep time. Horse shows are exhausting enough without a big connute time.

We decided to leave late on Friday so that Colleen could travel down with the motor home at the same time. She wasn't going to be able to stay at the horse show because she had to work the next day. Then Ray joined us. He levelled the motor home, hooked up the essentials and took Colleen back home with him.

Then Rachel and I were on our own. Colleen had stocked the motor home with food and Rachel was the designated cook. She knew where things were. Besides she's younger and better looking so I figured it was only fair.

By the time we got to the facility that night, moved the horses and equipment in and schooled Dandy, it was nearly eleven o'clock. Colleen and Ray headed for home and Rachel and I figured out our sleeping arrangements. The we headed for bed. With Rachel showing in halter, we had early morning classes.

I'm probably one of the lightest sleepers in the entire world. On top of that, I never sleep all that well when I'm not in my own bed. With that combination, I don't know why I thought I was going to get more sleep without the commute. I did get to sleep but Rachel had forgotten to turn off the water pump. Every time it cycled, it woke me up. It was a long, sleepless night.

Rachel set her alarm for six. Sometime during the night, I heard Rachel;s voice. I even thought she got up for a moment. Then she was back to sleep. Since she's been known to sleep through the alarm on occasion when she's supposed to be meeting me, I was worried that maybe she was doing it again. So I laid there in the darkness trying to figure out if I should be trying to sleep or get up. Finally I checked my watch. It was 4 am. There was now way I was getting back to sleep.

When the alarm finally did off, I was already dressed. I went out to feed the horses so they would get time to eat before their classes. I also needed to move our tack back into our tack room. There had been thefts at the previous year's show, even a locked tack room was unsafe. The thief's had climbed over the top and handed their loot over the wall to an accomplice.

I also went to the horse show office to take care of a problem on our entries. Colleen had entered Rachel and Hope in the halter championship class. However, that's a class that you can't just enter. You must receive a first or second in the qualifying class. Then you are required to show in the championship. If you don't show back in the championship, they can take your ribbon and your placing away from you and the horse. Also, you don't pay for halter championships because they are mandatory classes.

In performance classes, anyone can enter the championship. As long as you have entered, shown and been judged both ways of the ring at all the required gaits, the horse and rider are eligible to ride in the championship. (that means if you start the class but leave before it's concluded, you may be ineligible for the championship. If you have completed all the required gaits, even if you leave before the lineup, you can show back in the championship.) Performance championships have fees because they are elective.

Colleen had not only entered us (meaning Rachel and Hope) in the mares halter championship, she had paid for the class as well. The show secretary hadn't caught the error so Colleen had paid monies she should be refunded. Instead I just had them enter her in the most classic head class.

By the time I got back to the motor home, Rachel had breakfast ready. She fixed hash browns and eggs and they smelled great. Never mind that I've been on this low fat diet. I mean, it's a horse show, right??

Once we got done eating, Rachel got ready for her halter class. I went out to groom and tack up horses. Rachel had halter, and showmanship a couple of classes later. Then four classes after that I rode Dandy in the Purebred Western Pleasure AAOTR Sweepstakes Class. It was going to be a hectic morning.

To be continued.........

Visit Blog Village and vote daily for this blog Here They are now measuring the rankings by votes out, so if you find my blog on the site, please click that link too to improve my rankings. TY


Arabian horse arabian horses horses horse horse show