I ride and compete as an amateur in the jumpers. I have 4 horses that are my world and I spend every free minute I have riding and/or showing. I struggle to balance the horses with working full time but I wouldn't change any of it for the world!
Living in FL I am used to the passing rain showers we frequently get in the summer time, but this year has been a little much. This week we have had rain every evening. It seems to time itself perfectly for when I get home from work. So not much riding for me this week.
This week I finally gelded Cotton my mini pony.
He turned 4 years old this week so it was a little past due! He got his wolf teeth out and will also be a solid citizen as a gelding. Not that he was ever anything else but there is no reason to have another stallion in this world.
I did get to work Ketel on the lunge line one evening. I decided to throw him for a loop and put some little barrels out. I do this sort of thing in my jump pasture too. Whatever stuff I can find that might spook my horses I put it out. It helps desensitize them especially in the sport of show jumping where there is no schooling in the ring prior to showing. Currently I have some huge tires out there that I occasionally move around. Anyway, back to Ketel. As soon as he saw the barrels he danced around and snorted. But what I love about him is he is so curious. Instead of running away he ran to them to investigate.
I didn't realize so much time had passed since my last post. Last I posted I was busy getting Poppy and Tank ready to go show in Ocala. That was a hectic week. That Thursday I had to work so when I got home at 5:30pm I had to ride both horses, feed, clean stalls, hook up the trailer, and then pack the trailer for the show. Needless to say I was in the barn until about 10 or 11 that night. Then Friday morning I got up at 4:45 am to feed, bathe my grey horse and leave by 6:30am. I got to the show in plenty of time to get unloaded and get the horses settled. Both showed late morning in the 1meter. Friday went fine. Poppy was great and Tank was a litte wild and full of himself. It had been a long time since he had shown and it showed. Saturday Poppy did a High Adult (1.10m) class and layed down a super nice round (3rd place and won 75 bucks woohoo). Tank did a couple 1m classes again and was much better in his second round. He needed to get back in the groove! Sunday Tank did the 1m open stakes class. He had a great clear round then in the jump off he and my trainer had a miss communication and missed their inside turn (oops). Still good enough for 6th in a large class. I did the High Adult Classic with Poppy and the course was tough for a greenie like her. The third jump was an in and out (oxer to vertical) off a short turn on the outside rail. I got her there a tad long and she looked hard and stopped. On the second try I got a better distance and really had to push her through. When she gets worried like that she over jumps and hangs in the air which make it tough to get out of the combo. She braved it and finished the course beautifully. Mileage, mileage, mileage for that one... I was very happy with both horses and am itching to get back in the show ring with Poppy! I was the last class with Poppy which mean getting home late. Uhg Monday was rough....
Then the rains came. It litterally rained everyday until Saturday, preventing me from riding. It has been so miserable here between the rain and heat. Now Ketel isn't sweating. I think it has to do with this weather. I am going to keep an eye on him and if he doesn't get better I will have to call the vet and see what she thinks.
Tomorrow is supposed to be 94 with high humidity. I hate that for the horses. I decided I am going to do bran mash in the morning for breakfast. Two years ago on our first hot as hell day of the summer Poppy stopped drinking water and got colicy. She was fine but I want to be proactive. Everyone will be inside under their fans but it still gets unbearable.
I am home for the next couple of weeks then off to show in NC. I am seeing everyone posting about showing in Atlanta this weekend and I am so jealous. I wish my trainer was going but then again showing once a month is about all I have the energy for. I don't know how I used to do it every weekend. Oh yea, I was muuuch younger and only had one horse!!
Poppy after a bath at the show
Tank resting up before his class.
And lastly, here is the video of Tank in the Stakes class:
