Northeast and Maine Mini shows

[Enchantress]

First I just want to say I'll never do that again. Ever. Especially when I'm sick. LOL Let's start by saying I sprained my ankle a couple months back chasing my pony who'd decided to get loose. That gets better and here comes the rain. Then a few of the horses reacted to their 1st set of shots, then the 2nd set, and then "I" get sick. *sigh*. It was just not a good past couple months. So after being up until midnight trying to get horses ready for the Northeast Mini show, 3 am came way too early. Then we drove 4 hours to the Townsends and it was HOT! I had a front row view of Fabio as we were parked right in front or right behind him, whichever way you look at it. I had 2 horses that were way to fat and 2 that are a little unmuscular, but I was going anyway! I kept getting sharp pains in my ankle and almost had to have Hillary show for me, but thankfully it wasn't happening when I actually had to go into the ring. I got one ribbon that wasn't by default..a 4th in the multi colour with my short fat little mare. It was the first show for 3 of my 4 horses and I am SOOOO proud of them..you'd have thought they'd been doing it for years. In fact, it was only the 2nd time? they'd ever left "home" I think, the first time being when I bought them and had them shipped up. So I was certainly very proud of the way they behaved. I definitely didn't get the "bad yearling colt" award. YAY!!! My goal was to go and have a safe show, so overall I'm very pleased. Here's my stallion.

Stallion

Probably a good thing it's only a head shot since he's a pork chop with legs.

And the rest of the gang. There's the chunky silver dapple pinto mare on the left, and my black colt and his dam on the trailer. They were ROASTING in the sun and I felt bad for them. On the right is my friend's horse who went along for the ride but didn't show. Of course, my mare was in heat and was teasing him ALL day, poor guy. We got some really cute pics of him laying down resting his head on the ramp of the trailer we'll have to post when we get them.

Everyone else

Many thanks to Hillary and Sarah for helping me out so much. It was definitely appreciated!

HUGE thanks to Targetsmom for showing my little porky pony in the mares class too! I hope she somewhat behaved! Here's a pic of the yearling Tracy (bit-o-blue) took last weekend that came out pretty good. It was his 2-3 time setting up.

We got home at 10:45-11 pm and just went right to bed because we were POOPED!

So Sunday. Where to even BEGIN! I knew it was going to be a bad day right off. I didn't get to bathe horses Saturday for the show on Sunday and was going to just try to get by with Miracle Groom, but after touching them...EWW. So I woke up on time. Off to a great start! Then I was trying to dry my hair and everything cut out. Great. Tripped a fuse. I have NO idea how to reset it..where it is..ANYTHING. Figures. So poor Hillary didn't even get to take a shower. (sorry!) Then I was fishing around for deodorant and felt something start to fall out of the cabinet and CRASH. Whew! Bathroom smells like a cheap you know what. So did I. OUCH. Yep, stepped on a piece of glass. OK, now it's time to start thinking about just staying home..or at least leaving the horses home and just watching.

Also, we had already left one of Hillary's horses home because he was being such a pig Friday night before we even loaded them to come to my house.

So I finally get to bathing..each of us took a horse and we did 3 sets of baths (6 horses). I ended up pretty wet and I already had my show clothes on. *sigh* We'd planned on leaving around 6 since the show started at 9 and it's about a 2 hr drive. Of course, we're usually running 15 min late anyway so I had accounted for that. Well, baths are done and it's 6:30. Great..we can still do ok. Hmm...hadn't really thought about how to pack 2 mares/foals and 5 other adults onto my trailer. Of course, neither mare wants to let anyone close to her baby. We put a blankie up in front of my mare and she was fine. Great! Load on 2 more mares and 2 more stallions for me..doing ok...load on her stallion and my 2 yr old did not want anything to do with him. AHHHHHHH. We move a couple horses around. Ok..it's working..quick let's get in the trailer and go! Shut the trailer door and BANG SQUEAL BANG. Ut oh! One of my guys somehow turned around in the trailer and got a cut on his nose. So he stayed home even though he wasn't really the "problem child". Pack them all back in...off we go! It's 7:30. Now, show starts at 9 and it's about a 2 hr drive. Hmmm. Memorial Day weekend too, no less. We tried to see if we could get someone to check in for us and get our numbers to save that time.

Well, we pulled in at 9:10. Of course, the girls we needed for our first class were on the wrong end of the trailer so everyone had to come out (mare and foal and 2 boys), but we made it and had just enough time to grab numbers and get into the ring. A HUGE THANK YOU TO SARAH AND DAD AND KIM!!!!!!!!! for helping us get the horses semi-ready to be shown. I would have liked to have the time to have them better groomed, but they weren't completely objectionable and we definitely couldn't have done it without them. If anyone wants to know who I was..I was the one hacking up a lung. hehe. Too much running and I'm still a little sick. Of course, my mare wouldn't trot

: The judge thought it was because she wasn't used to having the chain (I actually had worked her with it) but my guess is that she's not used to being alone and I was being just horrible and asking her to trot AWAY from her buddies in a big new scary place. Mares..I tell ya! And thanks to Missy for showing Swirl for me. Nothing like getting handed a mare you've never seen before a few seconds before a class. I'm glad she was good for you! My girls got a 3rd and 4th in their class. Hillary's was being very uncooperative. hehe. She looked great, but was NOT behaving herself too well since her baby was outside the ring.

I had my little colt in the suckling/weanling class. Of course, he wouldn't trot, but he did stand pretty well..long enough for the judge to get a pretty good look. I thought I was stupid bringing him since he's only 3 weeks old, but he was GREAT! Only reared a couple times too. :-x I had my work make a cute little show halter for him and it even fit! Thanks to Kim for bringing momma in with him. He ended up with a 2nd. I took my 2 yr old colt into the 2 + over stallions and he came out with a second. OMG HE SHOWED SO WELL! I had honestly only worked with him 3-4 times previously and he set up like a pro and really showed well. It was funny. Mr. Crutchfield was doing an awesome job going over every horse and critiquing for the audience so I kinda let him fall asleep a little, and all I had to do was jiggle the chain a little and he was back "on". He was too thin for the judges liking. Here's a picture Tracy took last weekend.

Then I signed one of my mares up for jumping since she jumped outside the ring ok. She refused the first jump and then I knocked it over with my knee. DUH!

Poor Hillary ended up with her eye all swollen and red. Jen had her mare decide she really didn't feel like driving. And I think it was Mark that was having problems with his chin chain on the stallion? It was a rough day, but I'm sure we all learned lots and overall had a good time!

Again, thank you to everyone this weekend for all the help! Was great to meet some new people, see some old friends and get back out there! Wish I had more time to help out Kim (which was the PLAN) but instead she ended up helping me out tremendously. Lee Crutchfield was the most informative, friendly judge/clinician I've had the pleasure of meeting and I learned a TON. Now, if we could just get him back every weekend for one of those shows/clinics......lol

Now, to see how much better I can have them in time for Mini-Rama in a couple weeks. AHHHHHH!

 

[Millstone Farm]

Hey Enchantress-

That sounds like a normal time to get ready to show day in my life!

Jenifer

 

[yankee_minis]

That was a horrible start to the day! lol I read the whole thing and felt very sorry for you!!

I saw a picture someone took of you in the ring and you are coughing!

Thanks again for the help beforehand with Feather and at the shows with Sarah!

Tracy

 

[Joyce]

Enchantress, did I get to hand you a ribbon in the show on Saturday? Sure wished I had known you were there to really have said hello. Sorry you weren't feeling good and I agree it was rather warm and I got sunburned handing out the ribbons. But it was a great day so am not complaining.

Joyce L

 

[Enchantress]

Joyce, I'm sure you handed me a ribbon or two. I was the only one in the yearlings 30-32 and sr mares 28-30 and was 2nd in the sr mares 32-34 and 3rd in sr stallions 28-30 (I think that was the class he was in!)

I had on bright pink jacket for the yearling colt and 32-34 mares. Couldn't miss me!

Oh yeah, so I almost didn't MAKE it to the AMHA show either. I had Rabies and Coggins done on the 15th and Coggins just was not coming back. The vet was ever so kind as to personally deliver them to me at 6 pm on Friday (we left 3 am Sat morning). Whew!

And I was wearing a black tank top under the pink jacket. The first time I went to put it on I ripped some of the stitching on the strap so my bra (purple) kept sticking out right along with my tattoo. *sigh* Oh well..it kinda matched the bright pink coat! Hopefully the judges didn't really notice :-x

This was me with my yearling.

Icebreaker

Tracy, Sarah was a HUGE help and I might have to kidnap her and bring her to some more shows with me.

:

I definitely learned my lesson not to try two shows like that again. It really is just too much. I'll stick to the multi-day shows in the same place!

 

[Joyce]

Ok, now I remember seeing you as I remembered the jacket and the horse. Sorry, we couldn't have talked but at least I know who you are now and you know me. We'll meet again someday I'm sure. Sorry, you were sick. Glad you enjoyed the show and the Clinic the following day. Yes, Lee Crutchfield is a very nice person, I enjoyed talking and working with him.

Joyce L