Dude has a rider

I finally found my soulmate, hence I've been busy for awhile. But the best part is that he rides Dude and they have clicked. Will post pics when I get my camera issues straightened out.

Horse-Eating Hole

Matty and I were out for a Sunday morning leg stretcher when we came upon a puddle. There was scrub on both sides of the gravel and dirt road, so we went in. Immediately we were in SWIM! mode. Matt stayed calm. He found footing with his back legs and got us up the side. What a guy. He saved me. I love him.

I Got a Point in Reining

The scores came out for the show this weekend. I had not been listening to the scores at the show since I broke the pattern, but I thought I heard my name. When the updated points came out yesterday I found the judge had placed me (last) and given me a point. Sweet! It seems she placed everyone in the class so we got points. Reining is not counting toward year end points this year because we have just added it at our club, but it is nice that they keep score anyway. I might win a feed bucket or a fly mask at the banquet. Those feed buckets and scoops and all come in handy!

LHSA 7/25/09

We had our local show at a big arena about an hour away. It was great to have the indoor arena in this HEAT. The warmup arena was in the sun, though and I could tell Matt was not doing so well, so I put him away and got Queenie ready for reining. LOL. This was the first time I have loped her since we parted ways the other day. We did fine. She loped calmly in both directions. My plan was to just get her out there for reining and keep her calm. It was pattern number 1, so we loped down to the far end. She went a reasonable speed, However, to lope back to the gate we came in was a different story - barrel horse! She won't circle or spin to the left. End of story. I had to stop and just calm her down. We started the left circle at the trot on purpose. She wouldn't finish the circle. What's with the left side business? I guess I will have to teach her to go left. We finally got the lope going again and may have changed leads. I only tried for one circle each way and went around and did my stop. I gestured "Ta-da" to "demonstrate completion of the pattern." The announcer was laughing when she announced the next number. I went by and saw her later, she's the club president, also. She said the lady judge thoroughly enjoyed my "free style reining" and said now she had seen it all. LOL. It was good to put another arena ride on Queenie and good for me to go through it all with her. She is really a sweet horse, just confused at times and apparently very stiff to the left.

Matt and I had the best. day. ever. in timed events. First we ran a great quad pattern, I almost cued him too soon for the first pole, but other than that it was perfect. I LOVE my new saddle. I have to remember to not touch the reins until I'm ready to turn the first pole as he takes an movement as his cue to turn. I have to trust him to slow down enough and to make the turn. The new saddle is so comfortable and it feels like I've never really ridden before because it is so good. It fits Matt, great, too. On Queenie, it kicks up at the back, but on Matt it sets just right. Stake race went just as successfully. Wow, did he turn that far stake fast and close. Pole bending was not the greatest. It never is. He slowed too much, but picked back up his lope weaving the poles, but we knocked over the end pole. Coming back he broke stride again, but ran home fairly well. It was good for us, as we only knocked down one pole. Novice barrels – we got 22.5 seconds! A record for us. He really slowed down after the first barrel and it took me a seeming eternity to get up the tail of the reins and spank him. I forgot the gaming reins so I had my split reins, which was handy for spanking with. I was full on turning and spanking going from barrel 2 to barrel 3. This is a far cry from hanging onto the horn with both hands a few weeks back. LOL. I wish I had a pic of my face turning barrel 3. I was shocked how fast and close to the barrel we were. I've got to stop looking at the barrel!

For barrels in my age group my luck did not hold. I remembered not to cue in any way and we came around barrel 1 well, but we hit barrel 2 and knocked it over. It was a real metal one and I had forgotten my shin guards so, "Ouch." I knew we were screwed, so I didn't really push it the rest of the way. We still turned barrel 3 pretty sharp. What a guy. I limped to the truck and put ice on my leg. I discovered some delicious cold fried chicken in the ice chest which I had packed and had a thigh and an ice cold diet coke while I iced my leg. I felt fine after that. Unsaddled and washed Matty and started packing up.

We had camped in an aisle as the arena owners weren't there to enforce stall purchase. Our club is small enough that there was plenty of room for every one to tie up in the aisles. I had my new saddle stand, folding chairs and even my box fan in the aisle.

E had some good rides on Queenie as well, loping and looking pretty. She will come along, although I watched and Queen Trick Taker will not turn left very well with E, either. And when Queen does not want to do something she "skitters" to the right. She doesn't take well to harsh correction, either. You have to calm down and show her what you want, I guess. She learns really fast, so I will make her walk circles to the left, getting smaller and smaller and working on flexibility. She trotted over poles pretty well at home the other day, so I have faith she will make a trail class horse and all-around solid citizen in the not too distant future.

I got compliments on the black saddle on Matty. I'm going to keep going with the black tack motif for him. Maybe with royal blue trim where trim is needed like on the blanket.

Don't Blame the Horse Till You Know the Whole Story

I fell off Queenie day before yesterday. It didn't hurt. Turns out she had lost a shoe and stumbled, throwing me off balance and then she jumpy-jumped out of fear. All was pretty calm and I got back on and rode home. But, I don't bounce like I used to. All my fault. I knew she was due for shoes - had already called the farrier! I just got in a hurry and didn't check or even pick her feet. I completely forgot about it. Haste makes waste. I caught myself with my left arm and its a little sore, but no harm done. I'm kind of glad because the last time I fell it was catastrophic, so it was good to have a little slide off with no harm done to take away the fear. Oh, and I also blame the Hereford Textan with its SLICK seat. I've gotten spoiled by my suede seats.

So, while its important to punish right away when the situation warrants it, I'm glad I didn't because it was not so much a bucking off as a pain, fear, startled by bad riding thing which I realized once I looked at her manicure-needing hoof.

I could tell she was a little puzzled. "Why you fall off, Granmaw? My foot hurts." Poor girl. And I learn every day. Don't wait to call the farrier unless you wish to court disaster.

Clinic and Show 7/11/09 and 7/12/09

Here's the pics:

Clinic and Show 7/11/09 and 7/12/09

The clinic was good, but no real cows there. There was a mechanical cow - which was a stuffed flying cow on the string who flew back and forth through the air. Matt got used to him after watching for quite awhile. At one point, the flying cow fell off his clothespins and everybody laughed and told the girl cutting it that she had killed it.

 

In trail class Matt and I had to jump a log over and over. All my bits are black and blue. Got finished using Matt at about 1:00 and put him away with water and a fan on him.

 

Got out Queenie. Lord, she wears me out. 15 minutes warming her up in the arena and I was done for. The heat had set in, too. We trotted forever in pleasure class; learning what an extended trot is for 45 minutes in extreme heat got to me.

Pretty soon, I put her up, got a chair and parked it by the rail to watch the rest of the class. I walked down and checked out the working cow horse clinic. No cows! They were mirroring each other.

 

I forgot how much I hate school, plus, heat exhaustion, plus the kids were whining to go to the hotel and swim. So we did. The lady at the front desk of the hotel asked me if I had a hard trip. I hated to tell her that I only arrive at check-in with dirt on my face and smelling like hell when I've been riding all morning. LOL.

 

The kids went to the pool. I showered and then slept on crisp white sheets on 4 fluffy feather pillows with the AC on full blast. I thought, "There is a God and he does love me!"

 

Arrived next morning fresh as a daisy! I got Ella to warm up the horses for me while I got stuff together - wearing my shorts and tank top! When they called my class I couldn't get in the bathroom, so I changed in Matt's stall!

Hope it is understood in showing like in the theatre, when costume changes necessitate semi-public nudity! I had on a major exercise bra that might as well be a tank top, anyway! In the theatre it is understood that you just look the other way if somebody is dressing backstage. That's why its such a big deal to get your own dressing room. I guess sports is the same way - with locker rooms.

 

Well, didn't I look spiffy! Black starched jeans, black starched long sleeve shirt with red decorations, dark oil boots, black saddle on Matt, red colors in blanket. Straw hat, contacts in, eye liner, lipstick, big smile. The show secretary did a double-take as she had seen me on arrival looking haggard! In 15 minutes, I was a soggy mess, but I tried.

 

I got in line for trail and did that on Matt. Not good. All we did right was the lope, the trot over poles, the raincoat. We had one refusal on the @#$%@ing log after all those practice jumps! There are lots of things to practice since its too hot now to go out for long rides - like sidepassing!

 

Cutting. OMG, super bad. The sun was behind the myriad little black calves. To Matt, they must have looked like a squirming black hole. I had even recruited cute cowboy holders among those waiting.

 

Matt. would. not. go. near. the. cows.

 

I tried about 5 times, but I didn't want to get in a fight with him and scatter the herd. He kept whirling around and trying to leave. Sad. I smiled and waved out after 5 or 6 tries to approach the herd. My cowboy friends were sad for me.

 

Matt was glad to get back to his stall. &*&^%%^%^#%$#%$-hole. Not his fault, but I did take him to team sorting and he was fine, there. Oh well.

 

Lesson: I have got to get around more cows!!!!!!! Idea: Rent part of cow pasture from man I know and put own cows there with his 2. He won't let me cut his because his wife says they are for beef and I will make them skinny.

 

RU Ready for some Queenie!

 

Despite her a.m. warm up, after 1 1/2 days in a stall, Queenie was ready to pour it on. I loped her some and she had a tiny bit of control. The best thing I learned in pleasure clinic was to just one-rein stop her when she goes too fast, rather than circle. Which is what Mugwump said all along, but I absorb more when I am actually riding.

Reining on Queenie for the first time was interesting at best, hair raising at worst. She was tossing her head and skittering to the side like she does when she is being stubborn. She forgot everything she and I had worked on when she went into the arena. I tried not to be nervous, but right before we went in I got a little thrill of fear thru me and I saw ears twitch when she felt that. She is sooo sensitive. She is so much like Dude. It started badly and got worse – sloppy spins, wop-sided circles that became a figure 8, fairly good run-downs and stops, head tossing all the while. Sheesh! I almost came off on the run around the end of the arena when she finally turned – because she turned alright. I felt air under my butt and it was out to one side. I still don't know how I didn't come off except the sheer force of momentum jerked me forward and back into the saddle. It happened so fast I was thinking "Almost fell off back there while I was doing the run down. LOL.

 

The funny part is we went right into pleasure about 20 minutes later after that and she was lovely. She gave me a soft jog and good transitions up to extended trot and lope, good stop, sloppy reverse. The sign said lope and I couldn't see the next one. When I could see it, it said "Extended lope." Uh oh. Any more extended and we would miss the barn entirely going back in. LOL. Decent down transition, stop and back. WTF? It was my best class of the day! I guess the big arena freaked her out and the little pen was better.

 

Done with Queenie, unsaddled, hosed and put her in her stall where she kicked and cried the rest of the afternoon whenever Matt was gone.

 

So, we finally get to WCH on Matt. The event I've been dreaming of since I first saw a video about it. The reason I dragged over to team sorting by myself on my free night. Etc. There's a little pattern first, jog, extended trot, lope, etc. Matt didn't go from one cone to the other. Straight arrow Matt went wonky on me. He was jigging. He wanted to run. We've been doing pattern no. 2 too many times in a row at shows. I'm not even finished when I see they've put the cow out. We headed for the cow and Matt caught sight of it and tried to get the hell out of Dodge again.

 

I kept heading him back to it. Bless the little cow, he bellowed and then took off running toward the opposite end, so I got Matty chasing him. That worked good to get Matty closer. I rounded him up from the far end and brought him back to box him where he came in and then forgot what I was doing and ran him down to the other end. I tried to box him and he got away from me again. So essentially, we chased him up and down the arena about 4 times and then I gave up. Here are some stills from the grainy movie E took with her camera.

Making Matty go up to the cow

 

 

Run, Forrest!

 

 

Whoo Hoo me and cow in same frame

Bye Bye, Cow