Daffodil All Arabian Spring Show - The Last Day Part 2

Part 1

It's always the last day of the Arabian horse show that this particular baby boomer begins to feel her age. For some reason it's always that last day that we seem to have early morning classes as well. The combination for me is "deadly." My fanny drags, my eyes droop and I usually have sores in my mouth from stress. It doesn't seem to matter how many days the horse show runs, two on up to eight, that last day really gets me.

The last day at Daffodil was no exception. I was thinking about tearing down and packing before we even rode the first class. My mind was focused on one thing and one thing only and that is getting "it" over with!
Sometimes I even think about scratching classes so I can get home sooner. I never do it.............but I think about it. It's a good thing Legs needed more ring time or I'd have done it this time. I was on my lips so to speak.

Legs was really tired too..........that's when that picture of me sitting on his back was taken. I went to his stall to tack him up and instead sat on him scratching his whithers. The horse was content to just sit there and soak up the attention. I think had that barn not been so noisy, I'd have probably laid right down next to him and taken a nap. As it was, I ended up feeling sorry for the horse letting him nap a bit longer.



Normally I school my horses at the break before the session they show in. By this Sunday we were all so tired I decided to fore go that schooling session. Legs had gotten past being excited around the other horses by mid afternoon the day before so I figured we didn't really need that schooling session.

What we really needed was to be working on getting the horse to get comfortable with the curb bit so he would resume going forward. Each ride got better but we still had a long way to go. It wasn't going to happen at this show and probably not the next. There was no point in making the horse so tired that he begins to think that horse shows aren't fun. That's the last thing I want to happen.




Like Rachel and Dandy, we had two championship classes on Sunday, one in the morning session while the other was mid afternoon. I did little schooling ahead of time, just enough to limber the horse up.

Angie brought those leggings in for me to try and I must admit to thinking those things should be sinful they felt so good. Although climbing into my smooth seat saddle, I wondered if they might not be just a bit slick but comfortable............oh so comfortable. I'll be ordering some of those leggings soon.

To be honest, I don't even remember what I did in those two championship classes as far as placings go. What I do remember is that each ride got a bit better. My last class of the show the horse was better rated and more responsive to steering. It wasn't a winning ride by any means but a huge improvement from the fire breathing dragon I'd dealt with on the first day.



As I rode into the line-up in the last class, Juan Stuckey was there grinning at me. He mentioned what a huge improvement he'd seen in such a short time and that I must be pleased. He was right about that, I was very pleased.

The horse had worked hard to give me what I wanted despite his concern about that bit. I had stayed true to my horse and ridden the horse I had instead of resorting to short cuts that would hurt us in the long ride.

It had been hard seeing trainers watching this stallion of mine closely. I could see their wheels turning and could only imagine what they were thinking. Mostly how they could do it better, I imagine but I didn't let it get under my skin. I stayed true to the horse. I haven't always been able to do that but I'm getting better at trusting my instinct. All in all it was a good horse show even if Legs and I only got a couple of ribbons.

Rachel and Dandy got a ribbon in every class. Rachel got the chance to hang out with kids her age and experience a horse show as part of a group that has fun. Here's hoping that helps her stay on track and keep with this horse thing. From here Rachel, Grandma and the Arabian horses are headed to Salem.

In the one picture is Angie riding toward the camera. I am riding away for the camera on Legs. In the background outside the ring is Dandy and the kids from the barn. Cody is there right next to Rachel.


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