Living the Fantasy: 1st Horse Show

Can I just say that horse shows are:

Exciting

Exhausting

Demanding

Unappreciated

Draining

Crazy

Beautiful

Delightful

Artistic

Cold

Dirty

Time Consuming

Difficult

Rewarding

~~Horse Shows are down right FANTASTIC~~

How can I even begin to explain how they are? I tried to warn Jess and I think I failed miserably, and I know that he loved it. The rush, the hurry up and wait, the arena, the ribbons and trophies, the Judges, the other horse trainers, the caravaners, the set up, the break down, the clean up, the team work, the makeup (horses and people included), the praise, the GLORY.. All of this and more bombards you.

Setting up camp fri afternoon, that means spraying bleach in each box before laying down straw for bedding, then unloading 22 horses from trailers, then feeding and watering them. After they are confy we work on our tent (well Jess put up the tents) and help get things organized for our early start on day 1 of the show. Then dinner and in bed early since we are expected to get up and start readying the horses before the sun is even up at 5:oo... Oh and we have to make sure to feed then too, in the dark lol. Sat morning prep consists of putting in false tails to make the non purebreds look better (tehe) cleaning hooves and painting them black or clear depending on the horse and its pureness. Once the sun is up its time, finally, to begin prepping the horses. The mad rush begins!!!

I love every minute of these shows, you get to really show what you are made of as a trainer, applying makeup and getting the horses ready for the ring is indeed a skill. I also finally get to see all my hard work at the farm pay off when I see my horses in the show ring with a bright ribbon around their long skinny necks. Even if they dont win its great to see them strut their stuff and know I helped them to get there! Its extremely satisfying.

Tokoyo Joe~ Nana's baby boy, and a brat from head to toe!! He does tend to win a ton thought

The waiting room. There were times when Jess would stand here for horses to hold a horse for the show ring. the trade back and forth between the trainers was a tricky process, and all the while the sun was beating down on us.. Here you got to see the competition though, none as pretty as ours!

The judge's tents and the dreaded flags! I cant tell you how many of our first time babies to the show ring FREAKED OUT to see those flags flapping in the wind. Doyle ( the owner and head handler) actually lost one of the fillies in the show ring when she pulled back from him in fright...

Early morning and the trickery has begun. We make a 'kick me' sign and put it on the card holding on Scott's back. He is the kid in the background.. It was quite funny!