Horse Dayz: Victory!!!!!!

FIRST PLACE BABY!

Zan and I placed first in our English Equitation class at the Blue Denim 4H Horse Show! This time, all of our classes were canter calsses (!!!), and we placed in three of our four. Our other two ribbons were fourth and third place - third in halter (I think...) and fourth in showmanship (I think...). Fun stuff!

During halter and showmanship, Zan WOULD NOT STAND STILL. He fidgeted, tried to rub up against me, neighed, shuffled his feet, etc. We still placed well, though. The judge said that Zan was an excellent representation of the Morgan horse breed. Pete and Taylor didn't place in that class - they got 7th place, and the judge only gives ribbons up to 6th place. Oh, well. They did well, and I'm proud of them.

In Showmanship, we did the exact thing that we did in halter. We simply walk to and set up at the first cone, walked to second cone, set up, trotted to third cone, stopped, set up, and then walked to the lineup. This time, the judge placed me 4th out of 4. I wasn't too happy with that, but it was still a placing. We've never been too good at patterns, anyways; it's simply not my thing. The judge yelled at me to keep Zan set up and jerk on him until he stood still. I'm guessing that Zan's fidgeting is why we placed so low. Erica thinks I deserved a higher placing. In Showmanship, Pete and Taylor got 3rd. Madison and Sonny didn't do halter and showmanship. ='( They haven't practiced much, though, so I guess it's all alright in the end. ;)

While we were getting out ponies re-haltered and tied to the trailer, Erica (who was helping Taylor), Taylor and I heard this huge thuuuuuuunkk coming from the other side of the trailer, where Sonny was tied. Suddenly, Erica goes, "Oh, shoot." Next thing I see is Sonny, halterless, walking away from us. The people parked next to us grabbed a halter as Erica grabbed Sonny. We got him re-haltered and tied to the trailer, safe and sound. He'd completely ripped apart his nylon halter. The metal clip on the halter was twisted and mutilated, too. It was pretty interesting.

We had a long, long, LONG break after that, before our riding classes. During the 30 minute break (there were no classes going on), Taylor, Madison and I saddled up and went to the warm-up ring / round pen (it's just an oblong round pen set up on a hill). We passed a horse that was rearing, kicking, and pawing around. It was tied to its trailer, and was throwing a hissy fit. Gotta be glad Zan, Pete, and Sonny don't do that.

Anyways, we got to the round pen and got riding. We had to share the 'arena' with a girl riding a pretty, elegant grey Arabian. Pretty horse, but it was a bit temperamental, by the looks of things, if you know what I mean. ;) I got Tarzan to walk and trot quietly for me. He moved slowly, quietly, and lowered his head at command. He bent around my leg and was a very, very good boy. He didn't even try and stop or take off. Thatta boy!

We soon moved to the real arena, so that we could get warmed up in there. I cantered Zan his good way, and he did excellent. We only had to circle twice that time, and then he settled down and was a very, very good boy. We reversed directions and I trotted him his bad way. He did well, but was a bit fast. I tried to canter him, but he took the wrong lead and it took five or six tries before he actually picked it up correctly. Shortly after that, we had to exit the ring; it was time for classes to begin.

The first class was English Pleasure. Zan took the correct lead both times (with a little effort) and we had to do lots of circling. Our trots weren't that bad, but we did sort of fall apart when we had to go from a canter to a trot and then to a walk. ='( Sad face. The judge said he was disappointed in the class, though Madison and Taylor (who sat out the cantering part of the class, just going into the middle of the arena to stay) did well. Zan and I didn't place in that class, and I was mad. Hard core mad. I also was sad - I felt like I wanted to cry.

In our next class - English Equitation - we did well. I got his trot slowed down quite a bit, but I couldn't stop being mad. I tried to smile, but I couldn't make my mouth form the shape of a smile. I was so, so, SO unbelievably mad about the last class that I didn't know what to do with my madness. When we were asked to canter Zan's good way, he did well. I circled once and then we were fine. His bad way though, he picked up the wrong lead. I didn't care anymore. I gave up. I stopped fighting him and went down to a trot to line up facing our ring steward. It took at least five minutes for the judge to stop critiquing our class and tell us the placings. First place goes to.... me!

My first thought was: ARE YOU CRAZY? Is there something WRONG with you? Are you mentally ILL?

But no, there was no mistake. The judge said that even though we had the wrong lead, I was the best rider in the class. I was pleased. Oh, oh so pleased. It wasn't hard to smile now. I was shocked, happy, and relieved all at once. Shocked that we'd won. Happy that I now had won my first first place ribbon from riding Zan. Relieved that Erica couldn't yell at me for being mad, sad, unfocused at the beginning of the ride.

We went back to Victory and unloaded everything. Mom brought Madison, Taylor, Erica and I 32 oz. slushies from Speedway gas station.

Mom took me back to the fairgrounds to watch Sam ride in her classes with Pepper. Sam and another girl - Carly Jefferson - were both riding Sam's grandpa's horses. Carly rode Rambo, who was the 30-year-old chestnut gelding that Sam rode last year. I got some pictures: