What's Next..........Part 2

Normally after the regional championships I'd move right into the planning for my annual open house. However, this year there were some things in the way. There was the closing of entries for the Canadian National Horse Show, the C-Fair Charity Horse Show that I was to manage the end of July, the actual Canadian National Horse Show in August and the closing of entries for the US National Horse Show at the end of August........oh and did I forget to mention the new puppy? So right after regionals, I needed to shift gears and begin making some decisions as well as deal with the new puppy coming to live here.

First up was the question to take Gypcy to Canada or not for her three year old futurity. I was really on the fence about this. I'd spoken to Cheryl Fletcher in Salem at the Region 4 Championships and I was supposed to take the filly up to Silver Aspen for an evaluation. I'd also spoken to Dennis Wigren about this same thing and I was supposed to follow up with him for an evaluation as well but I was really dragging my feet.

To be honest, I'm not sure if Gypcy is really a halter filly. I'm pretty darn sure she'll make an amazing hunter pleasure horse, but halter leaves me with big questions. Those questions stem from her conformation. She's just not my idea of what a halter horse should be. HOWEVER, with that being said, I'll be the first to tell you I've been beaten by horses with conformation just like Gypcy's. Just because she's not my ideal doesn't mean she's not the ideal of others......some of those being judges so that's to be considered.

Then there was the question of her condition and her weight. I had started late in the spring beginning this process of getting this filly into shape. While Gypcy was looking better and better all the time, I wasn't sure if her condition would be at peak in time for the Royal Red.

Also there's the fact that going into Canada with horses requires some special things and sometimes to me, they seem daunting. They are just not in my normal train of thought in preparing for horse shows so somehow they take on this life of their own like some ghouls in the night. Especially on years like this where there are restrictions because of vesicular stomatitis which adds special needs. Keeping up with this stuff is a nightmare in my book. I don't know how the professionals keep track of all of it.

I did get my enhanced driver's license on my last birthday solely for the purpose of having proper identification to drive across the Canadian border and back for horse shows. So at least I had that part done. But there's a state issued health certificate along with the usual Coggins test that must be dealt with. And our state requires a brand inspection even though the horse may have NO brand, this inspection is a must...........so anyone thinking that NAIS won't be a big pain should consider the expense the current system has, with a national system it can only get worse.

Added to this was the fact we had someone planning to come see Louie. It was looking more and more like her only available time would interfere with my plans to take Gypcy and Legs to Canada to show. (Did I not mention that if I took Gypcy, I would take Legs. Afterall he was qualified for both national shows not just one.) Although there was probably more chance of Gypcy doing well in Canada than US because the classes are usually smaller and probably the same could be said of Legs. But by the time entries were ready to close, I'd made the decision to pass on the Royal Red mostly because of this preset appointment with this woman.

Looking back at this decision and the number of horses entered in Gypcy's class, I probably blew it. Only nine fillies showed which would have guaranteed Gypcy a part of the futurities purse I'd been paying into for years. Then there was the fact the woman looking at Louie didn't bother to show..........nor to cancel her appointment with Richard and me. I'm pretty sure that Canada would have been a lot more fun than that.

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




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