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.

Clinic and Show Prep

I'm finally getting to go to a clinic with actual (and mechanical) cows! I'm so excited. Since its been so hot, I am taking Queenie (7 yr old mare) as well as Matt (23 year old gelding). Yesterday afternoon, it was surprisingly cool, so I took Matt out for an easy workout, planning to take Queenie this a.m. Matt was good. I figured out one reason he used to balk at the gate to the big pasture was because, duh, its a gate, which he associates with barrel running. Yesterday he went through the gate after one pop with the rein tails and started loping. LOL. "It not a barrels, Matty, silly."

I think I know the answer to this quandary, because it makes the most sense. Has Matt slowed down, or I have I gotten better at riding his lope? I'm staying with him completely and not banging his poor old back at all. I don't even reach for the horn with him anymore. Good old Matty has taught the umpteenth hundred person to lope. I wonder how many more? My grandchildren, I can only hope! Anyway, it wouldn't make sense that he has slowed down, so it must be me. I can't wait to run barrels on him again next time. But not this weekend.

This morning, we had a roundup, but more on that later. This morning I actually got my daughter to get out of bed and come ride. I saddled Queenie for her and she started going around the yard. I figured to take Matty along for a walk. Poor Matty, He just went last night. But we only walked. One tiny lope at this place that is nice and flat. It was hot. I would have died without my hat.

E couldn't get Queenie to lope in the yard. I tried to explain that once the death trot has begun the transition to the lope is much harder and get her to slow down first. I got on and showoed her. Queenie was being fractious this morning. My daughter got her to lope in the yard and then we went for the hot walk. There was deep mud, so it was a workout for them, just walking through that.

Of course Dude has to enter the picture. When we got back I got my daughter to wash and put Matt away while I changed the stirrups to take Queenie back out. Somehow, at the gate, Dude escaped. Matt followed. I tried to chase Dude down with Queenie and to herd him back. He evaded and ran farther away - just onto Mr. Bob's nice grass lot, but still, not coming home. So much for the roundup. I headed back to get a bucket of feed. Meanwhile, my daughter got Matt and brought him back and dude followed. Then, I went out and gave Queenie a couple or 3 good lopes. She is slowing down, too. I can stay with her pretty well, but I hold the horn. We worked on transitions. She will do okay in WP, I hope. She does best with "Ho" and then pull for her stop. She pulls her back legs under and snorts when she stops fast. Its so cute. I hope I get a good clean stop on her in reining.

I don't know what she will do with a cows. She has probably worked cows before, as she seems to have a good western foundation, but she is a teeny bit skittish around new things, so if a cow runs at her she may freak. We "fishtailed" once coming around the lake in a slick spot and I stayed on, so I think I can sit whatever she hands out - I hope.

I haven't ridden anybody in the Hereford Tex Tan. I guess I will try it on Matty around the yard and see if I like it. I have the little Royal King for Queenie and my behind fits in it pretty good. We rode in our synthetics today.

I'm getting excited about riding Dude again one day. Because of my improvement, I think I will be able to handle him. We will see.

Mugwumps Picked my Story for Wordy Wednesday!

http://mugwumpchronicles.blogspot.com/2009/04/redsmom-wordy-wednesday.html

I'm so excited and honored that one of my favorite bloggers and storytellers, Mugwump, picked a little email story I sent her to publish for "Wordy Wednesday." Its all about Matty and the first time I showed him and our first time in reining.

Whoot! Another show coming Saturday.