My first show! :D

Carri · 09-06-2008, 12:22 PM

Well, not my first ever, but my first since I started riding again. I showed as a kid, but it has been a looooongggg time! I have owned Opie for almost 2 yrs, and bought my boots and jacket last year to show, but kept talking myself out of showing him. I finally did it today!

I took Opie in the adult beginner walk trot this morning, and he was so wonderful, I am so proud of him! I was nervous, he acted up some in the warm up ring, he spooked and ran into another horse, and then seemed to think it was that horse's fault and tried to kick. In our class, though, he was PERFECT! We got 6th place, out of 8, so not great, but I was just happy he was so good, and I felt like we both did our best.

I also took him in another walk trot class in a different ring, thinking that since it was "just" walk trot it would not be serious riders, but they were very serious, and it was much more western than I am used to, even though it was technically an English class. We didn't get anything in that class, and I didn't expect to, but Opie was really well behaved!

Here are some pictures- Don't mind me too much, I am trying to lose weight, getting there slowly but surely.

Me in the my show outfit...

Right before our class...

In the ring...

Crookedblaze · 09-06-2008, 12:26 PM

Awww, congrats on your first show! You guys looked great! The first shows are always hard. What a good boy to behave!

snwflk · 09-06-2008, 12:31 PM

Oh you look so cute! And you looked good out there ! Congrats!

DackelMom · 09-06-2008, 12:46 PM

Great pics, you two look so good together, congrats on your 1st show!

Drafty · 09-06-2008, 12:50 PM

Congrats!!! You look GREAT. As far as the western-y English class, was it called "pleasure" by chance? Funny story for you about English "pleasure:"

My first show ever I was on a big, fast Thoroughbred that I'd been training. The moment I got on her back she became a monster at the show -- after being a perfect angel all day! We missed the first few classes that I thought I wanted to ride in because she was bucking and evading and being dumb and I was terrified to take her into the ring where other people would see her make a fool out of me.

By the end of the day I had her back under control and we decided to enter the very last class -- English "pleasure." I had NO idea what pleasure meant, but it was a very hot day so I threw my show clothes on at the very last second (I looked a mess haha!) and was told by my instructor moments before I entered the ring that my mare's martingale had to come off. I was like :

This is a VERY up-headed, fast, strong, HUGE Thoroughbred!!! We got into the ring and all went well for the walk. Then the judge asked for a trot and my mare spazzed out. She grabbed the bit in her mouth, dropped her head, and charged full speed ahead!!! At first I tried just going on the inside and passing all the other horses, but she just got faster and faster and we'd pass the slow horses with their noses dragging on the ground and their rider on the buckle as if they were going western. I did not have the strength to sit -- she was pulling so hard on the rein so I couldn't stop her let alone slow her down -- so with all my might (I was a young teen at the time) I yanked that mare into such a small circle that she nearly fell flat on her face. But getting her off balance worked and after that she paid attention to me and was PERFECT. I'm not sure if the judge saw our circle but it was sooo embarassing at the time. There I was with a horse that was VERY "English" (she wanted to jump the rail right out of that arena...

) and beat by a LOT by a bunch of western riders.

Being the last class of the day it was a HUGE class and I didn't expect to place. In the end I was just happy to have gotten out there and shown and survived.

Carri · 09-06-2008, 12:57 PM

Yes! It was called English Pleasure! Great story... Maybe we have now educated some folks who might have otherwise gone out and entered their very forward English horses unsuspectingly into these classes... I guess I should have been tipped off by the fact that they felt the need to describe it as "English" pleasure, as opposed to just pleasure...

BarnBum · 09-06-2008, 01:03 PM

Good for you !!! Its nice to put a "face" with a name on HT !!!

A J · 09-06-2008, 03:31 PM

Great job getting out there and showing Carri!

GAGIRL · 09-06-2008, 04:13 PM

Carri, as usual you two look great. Ya'll are a perfect match!!!

nomeanjean · 09-06-2008, 04:58 PM

You guys look great! The first one is always the hardest. Keep up the great work you two!

**gbarmranch** · 09-06-2008, 05:24 PM

I am smiling for you ear to ear..

You look awesome.. Way to go Carri - it will get easier for both of you as you do more of them..

I am so thrilled for you!! Woohoo!!!!

BklynCwgrl · 09-06-2008, 05:30 PM

Hey Carri good for you!!! I keep THINKING I oughtta do something...but never do!

DoBeSassy · 09-06-2008, 08:42 PM

Congrats on the *almost* frist show. We expect many more in the future

lady dumpling · 09-06-2008, 10:24 PM

Yay Carrie! You and Opie looked awespme Congratulatons.

SunnyKS · 09-06-2008, 10:39 PM

tuffsmom · 09-07-2008, 05:53 PM

Congrats. You two looked great.

country-mare · 09-07-2008, 06:12 PM

Carri,
you and Opie look great.
Congrats on your show, sounds like yall
had a great day.

Jade · 09-07-2008, 08:13 PM

Congrats Carri!!! It's so nice to see another mom getting back into showing too.

roberts617 · 09-07-2008, 08:17 PM

Way to go Carri!!!

kshnooks · 09-07-2008, 10:07 PM

you guys looks so schnazzy! I think you look great. Congrats on a successful first show!

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09-06-2008, 12:22 PM
Carri Bombproof Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Alpharetta, Georgia Posts: 10,086	My first show! :D Well, not my first ever, but my first since I started riding again. I showed as a kid, but it has been a looooongggg time! I have owned Opie for almost 2 yrs, and bought my boots and jacket last year to show, but kept talking myself out of showing him. I finally did it today! I took Opie in the adult beginner walk trot this morning, and he was so wonderful, I am so proud of him! I was nervous, he acted up some in the warm up ring, he spooked and ran into another horse, and then seemed to think it was that horse's fault and tried to kick. In our class, though, he was PERFECT! We got 6th place, out of 8, so not great, but I was just happy he was so good, and I felt like we both did our best. I also took him in another walk trot class in a different ring, thinking that since it was "just" walk trot it would not be serious riders, but they were very serious, and it was much more western than I am used to, even though it was technically an English class. We didn't get anything in that class, and I didn't expect to, but Opie was really well behaved! Here are some pictures- Don't mind me too much, I am trying to lose weight, getting there slowly but surely. Me in the my show outfit... Right before our class... In the ring... __________________

09-06-2008, 12:26 PM
Crookedblaze Started Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 2,458	Awww, congrats on your first show! You guys looked great! The first shows are always hard. What a good boy to behave! __________________ Owned by Rocketman, a 17 year old AQHA and Stormy, a 10 year old Peruvian Paso x Arab

09-06-2008, 12:31 PM
snwflk Yearling Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 614	Oh you look so cute! And you looked good out there ! Congrats! __________________ Suzie Q

09-06-2008, 12:46 PM
DackelMom Weanling Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Penn Valley, CA Posts: 403	Great pics, you two look so good together, congrats on your 1st show!

09-06-2008, 12:50 PM
Drafty Long Yearling Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,003	Congrats!!! You look GREAT. As far as the western-y English class, was it called "pleasure" by chance? Funny story for you about English "pleasure:" My first show ever I was on a big, fast Thoroughbred that I'd been training. The moment I got on her back she became a monster at the show -- after being a perfect angel all day! We missed the first few classes that I thought I wanted to ride in because she was bucking and evading and being dumb and I was terrified to take her into the ring where other people would see her make a fool out of me. By the end of the day I had her back under control and we decided to enter the very last class -- English "pleasure." I had NO idea what pleasure meant, but it was a very hot day so I threw my show clothes on at the very last second (I looked a mess haha!) and was told by my instructor moments before I entered the ring that my mare's martingale had to come off. I was like : This is a VERY up-headed, fast, strong, HUGE Thoroughbred!!! We got into the ring and all went well for the walk. Then the judge asked for a trot and my mare spazzed out. She grabbed the bit in her mouth, dropped her head, and charged full speed ahead!!! At first I tried just going on the inside and passing all the other horses, but she just got faster and faster and we'd pass the slow horses with their noses dragging on the ground and their rider on the buckle as if they were going western. I did not have the strength to sit -- she was pulling so hard on the rein so I couldn't stop her let alone slow her down -- so with all my might (I was a young teen at the time) I yanked that mare into such a small circle that she nearly fell flat on her face. But getting her off balance worked and after that she paid attention to me and was PERFECT. I'm not sure if the judge saw our circle but it was sooo embarassing at the time. There I was with a horse that was VERY "English" (she wanted to jump the rail right out of that arena... ) and beat by a LOT by a bunch of western riders. Being the last class of the day it was a HUGE class and I didn't expect to place. In the end I was just happy to have gotten out there and shown and survived. __________________ "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Mahatma Gandhi

09-06-2008, 12:57 PM
Carri Bombproof Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Alpharetta, Georgia Posts: 10,086	Yes! It was called English Pleasure! Great story... Maybe we have now educated some folks who might have otherwise gone out and entered their very forward English horses unsuspectingly into these classes... I guess I should have been tipped off by the fact that they felt the need to describe it as "English" pleasure, as opposed to just pleasure... __________________

09-06-2008, 01:03 PM
BarnBum Greenbroke Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sunshine State Posts: 3,611	Good for you !!! Its nice to put a "face" with a name on HT !!! __________________ Murphys Horse Law - A horse's misbehavior will be in direct proportion to the number of people who are watching !!

09-06-2008, 03:31 PM
A J Greenbroke Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Vallejo, CA Posts: 3,356	Great job getting out there and showing Carri! __________________ Try not, do. Do or do not. There is no try.

09-06-2008, 04:13 PM
GAGIRL Started Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: GEORGIA Posts: 2,158	Carri, as usual you two look great. Ya'll are a perfect match!!! __________________ GAGIRL

09-06-2008, 04:58 PM
nomeanjean Coming two Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 1,552	You guys look great! The first one is always the hardest. Keep up the great work you two! __________________ One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.

09-06-2008, 05:24 PM
gbarmranch Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,235	I am smiling for you ear to ear.. You look awesome.. Way to go Carri - it will get easier for both of you as you do more of them.. I am so thrilled for you!! Woohoo!!!! __________________ Quality Foundation Quarter Horses http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles. ~Author Unknown

09-06-2008, 08:42 PM
DoBeSassy Seasoned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 4,967	Congrats on the almost frist show. We expect many more in the future __________________ There is none so blind as she who will not see

09-06-2008, 10:24 PM
lady dumpling Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: alberta Posts: 852	Yay Carrie! You and Opie looked awespme Congratulatons. __________________ Good thing my horses can't post about MY vices!

09-06-2008, 10:39 PM
SunnyKS Greenbroke Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 3,463	__________________

09-07-2008, 05:53 PM
tuffsmom Seasoned Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 4,075	Congrats. You two looked great. __________________

09-07-2008, 06:12 PM
country-mare Long Yearling Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Fred, Texas Posts: 1,422	Carri, you and Opie look great. Congrats on your show, sounds like yall had a great day.

09-07-2008, 08:13 PM
Jade Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 702	Congrats Carri!!! It's so nice to see another mom getting back into showing too.

09-07-2008, 08:17 PM
roberts617 Seasoned Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Central Oklahoma Posts: 4,873	Way to go Carri!!! __________________ Never be too quick to criticize yourself. It's not fair to all the people who are dying to do it for you!!

09-07-2008, 10:07 PM
kshnooks Coming two Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 1,866	you guys looks so schnazzy! I think you look great. Congrats on a successful first show!