So, while waiting - since we couldn't get ahold of Erica - we gathered our saddles, bridles, saddle pads, girths, tack boxes, and helmets and put them all up near Erica's appt so that when she arrived, we could throw it in the trailer and head to the workshop. Taylor, Madison and I brushed our horses,... and brushed... and brushed... and brushed some more. Time slowly - ever so slowly - ticked by: 6 o'clock, 6:15, 6:25, 6:30, 6:45, 7 o'clock. Well, when 7 o'clock rolled around, Erica finally called back. By then, even Eric had called me, asking if I'd heard from Erica. Erica told us that she just got out of clinical's (nursing school... blech) and to work on halter somewhere. I explained to her that Carla was riding Rainmaker in the arena with Kristen (the other Kristen) and Mona, so we couldn't use the arena. The outdoor arena was icky, so Erica told us to go out in back where the trailers were to practice halter.
By the time we got out there, Dad (who was going to meet me at the fairgrounds to be at the workshop) had arrived at the barn per my instructions and Kim and I were 'teaching' halter. Eric got to the barn and chatted with Dad until Erica arrived, wearing a white shirt. The first thing she said? "Do you like how you can see my black bra through my white shirt?" That's nice and pleasant, Erica. =) We continued practicing halter and showmanship for a few minutes, then told our parents (at least, Dad, Eric, and Kristen) to leave. We went back into the barn with our ponies and saddled up!
I warmed up, and then Erica set out a jump. Zan just didn't want to go over that jump at a walk, so I tried at the trot. He knocked down the jump every. Single. Time. It was frustrating, quite frankly. But when I asked him to go over them at the canter, he went over perfectly, not once knocking them down. My boy jumps; good thing, too, because I entered him in a jumping class for County! That's going to be very interesting. XD
Taylor and Pete also jumped. They did simply awesome. I don't doubt it that they will get at least 3rd or 4th in their class at County, depending on a) how many people are in the class, b) how good said people are, and c) how pretty some of the other horses are. I'm sorry, but Pete is fat, lazy, and not that attractive; if the class comes down to who looks the best, I wouldn't doubt that Pete would be in the 'least attractive' bunch. Sorry, those of you who think Pete is the most gorgeous horse in the world and that he's better and more beautiful than some of the other horses out there. Take Rico - a horse owned by Stuart Four Farms, Inc. - for example. Now, that is a pretty horse.
That right there is Alex Leach riding Rico, with Rico's owner, Bruce Stewart (owner of Stewart Four Farms, Inc.). Not the best shot of Rico ever. If SFF show up at the Noblesville show this weekend, I'll be sure to take a more attractive picture of Rico. Even though they're a total menace in the show ring (Rico + trying to jump = wild horse racing around the ring like a racehorse, plowing over and sometimes through jumps), he's a very kind and easygoing horse otherwise. Now, Opi, Bruce's horse, is hard-core menace. Opi is just plain scary, not even a controlled scary like Rico is. I think I've mentioned this before. In fact, I'm 99% sure I have. Anyways, back to Thursday.
After jumping a bit, we hung out and chilled. Tossed some water bottles at people, etc. The only things that bothered me about the day was a) Zan kept tripping before the jumps and b) Zan has been pooping wayyy too much lately. Today (I know this is jumping ahead a post, but still, it's worth mentioning), Zan pooped five times inside and two times outside. Maybe he ate some Taco Bell? Ha. I don't think so.
When I took Zan over to his new stall (Tommy's old stall, next to Rascal, because his stall and the hay stall are flooded), I didn't even need to use a halter or lead rope. He just followed me around, letting me be the leader. It was nice. I think we have something very, very special going on that no one ever - okay, maybe it's just plain rare - has with their horse. No, it's not as strong or as special as Emmy and I's bond, but - still. You get it.
On a little side note, Taco has been moved to Emmy's old stall. According to Madre Frazee, it's time to move on from Emmy's death and move some things around so that Taco - the 'people person' horse - is in the center of things like he likes to be. Emmy's death was, actually, six months ago last Tuesday. The funny thing is, Emmy died on a Tuesday, and last Tuesday was the first time since her death that the 22nd of the month has fallen on a Tuesday. Hmm. A special coincidence?
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