Experience is a good thing...

Sunday, I used up all my birthday money to go to a show - could've done a couple of other things but I liked the idea of getting some more time in the ring and I had been invited to trek down to Oak Rise with Ashleigh and Amanda, so I bit the bullet of $12 a class and went.

I was excited to be going back and doing the w/t/c classes and I mentally prepped for it to be a long day. When we got there, I started to think that the economy was picking up, considering that the place was packed! There were trailers bumper to bumper taking up the whole place! We got scrunched between "Mack Hill Riding Acadamy" and another kid-oriented barn with an array of activity...

Sky did relatively well - much better feeling than last weekend at LRSS... at least I "felt" like I wasn't about to reach moc-ten at the lope but I think that had a lot to do with the work Lisa helped me with on Saturday.... so, we get into the Eq. class and it was 7 ppl, including Ashleigh and Tom (who showed with Lisa last year) - Tom and I were the only Western-ers... I was pretty excited to get the correct leads out of Sky and only be lapping Tom... at least being with a lot of English riders I didn't feel like I was riding a race horse when everyone else had an old farm-plug! We wound up placing 4th of 7... better than I figured.. the judge told me I corrected her too much... oh well.

So I worked hard to stop messing wtih her face and slow her down with my body and in Pleasure we managed 3 of 7 - the best we did all day! Not enough for a PAC point but good, just the same. I felt badly for Ashleigh b/c she got two 6ths but I thought she did well!

Then we waited - and waited - and waited... UHGGG - By the time that we got on for Disp. Rail etc. I was baked from the beating sun and so tired I had to muster the energy just to get back on! It was three classes in a row - Adult Disp. Rail - Western Pleasure & Open Pleasure horse 15 and under... it was a rough three classes - we placed 4 of 6 - 2 of 2 and 2 of 3... Not particularly good but overall for the lateness of the day, I thought we got around pretty well. The judge was picking on us quite a bit - he kept talking about how he's a blah, blah, blah western judge and he told me to change my bit and was picky about how my reins were held... by the fourth time he picked at me, I was done.. I wanted out of that ring BAD - I appreciated the feedback, but enough already! I was happy to go home.. especially after I heard I got 4 of 6 in Trail! WHAT?! We had done great in trail and I couldn't believe 3 ppl did better than me! That is the worst I've done in trail in a long time w/o seriously messing up...

Anyway, I didn't stick around (or, really, make A&A stick around) to collect my 4th place day end that I assumed I would get... I took my experience and got out of dodge.

Once home I was SOOOO tired... I got a little sun and a lot of experience... glad to get them both but I think I am done showing for a little bit - I am highly interested in some easy trail rides and some relaxing days hanging out... today I started tying my BIG quilt together and reading a book (that is until I got the call to get hay in but that is a summer-time necessity)...

Thanks to those who helped me prepare for the show, get to the show, and survive the trama that is the show... thanks to John, who I got to see there... nice to see you and am glad you are doing well. I will be sure to let you know how things are going.

Talk to you soon, guys... I am hoping to snag a spot in Hannah's trailer on Friday for a jaunt and hopefully will go with Betsy to Profile Falls Sunday.

C