First Horse Show

G has been taking riding lessons for 3 years now. Her passion for horses has only grown; even when she had to muck out stalls for lessons. This spring I talked with our 4-H leader to try to figure out a way we could make it so she could show. Actually, I started asking about M doing lead line with one of her daughters. M follows in G's red hair and passions for activity and animals. I thought that might be easier to make happen. Jennifer in her wisdom, said that it really wouldn't be fair to G and her hard work for M to show before G.


So we worked it out that M could do lead line with P Jennifer's oldest daughter on Fanny and G could do showmanship with Carly, Jennifer's second daughter's, T, horse.


Jennifer told M that she would be helping P with her horse for the show. Wow! did that make M happy. I think she asked everyday "When am I going to P's to help her with her horse?"


We managed to get a practice in at their house and one at the arena. We also had a mini practice and my girls got to help get the horses ready for the show (bath and brush).

Jennifer has been a horse-lady forever and a 4-H leader for a long time. She does a great job. Anyway, she has quite the collection of riding wear. So after the first practice we had a fashion show. Very fun. Sorry no pictures. Mary found a shirt to wear with her bright pink split skirt and T's helmet matches and fits. G found a black hat and jacket to wear with her black boots and khaki jeans...wow did show look grown up.


G has a hat that her grandfather bought out West and carried back on his lap in a cramped car in the late 1950's. She will wear it with pride, but the many years on the closet shelf has incurred some wear and tear. Mostly it needs reshaped. So before show season is over we will have that done.
G was so excited and nervous I don't think she slept well all week before the show. But it all paid off.


She put on her show clothes and was transformed from my little busy, rough and tumble girl to a sophisticated horse-lady. Wow. I barely recognized her. She carried herself with such confidence I rarely see in her. The only other place was the goat show ring last summer.


OK enough mommy ramble on to pictures:



No grandparents were able to come, but our church family was represented by the Schlitts from our small group. And our neighbor Mrs. Cooper brought her Granddaughter. G works for the Coopers feeding their mini horse (and a Morgan who was recently sold) and the cats and keeping the plants watered. What a treat to have them there.

Waiting for her class...kind of nervous.

My little and not so little cowgirls.

Showmanship is judged on how well the participant presents the horse, not at all on the horse. They have to do a pattern of sorts. The pattern was a little different for the levels for this show. G participated in the the walk-trot level; it is for beginners with only 1-2 years of show experience.

Her pattern was to walk to the judge, stop and set the horse while keeping the horse between her and the judge, then turn 90 degrees walk to a cone

Then turn and trot to the exit gate. Carly wasn't interested in going very fast. As they left the gate Jennifer had G make Carly do as she was told. Good learning for both girl and horse.

G got Carly to trot and went back to the trailer to let her rest. She almost missed her placing being called, but was brought to attention quickly enough to hear that she had earned first place!!! She said she teared up and didn't really believe it.

Great job G!!!

"Thank you Carly for being mostly good"

On the way to the ring. How P ended up alone with M and T and a horse I don't know, but they did great all the way to the other side of the arena.

Toes up, back straight.

In lead-line a small child usually 5-7 years old rides, but another experienced horseman is in control of the horse. They all get ribbons. It is a great learning experience.

They are led around the ring and have to change directions then line up to talk to the judge.

M had to answer a few questions for the judge. This judge was very patient and helpful with the little ones. M knew all the answers except she forgot the name of the horse. She said it was because she knew the mare had more than one name. Now she knows both. She also could answer a question she hadn't practiced and backed Franny up a step or two. In practicing for the show she had trouble remembering the color. Who has the color sorrel in their kindergarten crayon box?? So she kept repeating to herself, "sorrel, sorrel, sorrel," enough for her to remember and to drive her siblings nuts.

Happy with a job well done!

Showing off her ribbon. The white participation ribbon faded into to the lightly clouded sky. The weather couldn't have been better that day--partly sunny with a cool breeze.