Saturday, 9/4/2021
Arrival at Ava, Missouri during thunderstorm travel. I hit a deceptive body of standing water and had to wrestle my truck to stay on the pavement. No rain when we arrived. Hot hot. Tried to clean out stall and had a “can’t get enough O2” breathing episode. Thankfully Apryl’s trailer was cool by then and I sat there until I could breathe again. Jenny took over getting Fancy in the stall. Mike, Apryl’s husband, unhooked trailer and got out the 3 bags of bedding. After a while I could breathe better.
Came outside and sat while everything done. Then the gang sat around and caught up on stories. Before the member supper, a huge storm came in. Thankfully it was over just in time for the supper. I had a wonderful steak at the MFTHBA membership dinner. Oh my!
Jenny took over all stall duties for Fancy so I wouldn’t go through more no-breathing episodes with pounding heartbeat again..
We got back. Jenny was going to ride Fancy, but storm was returning. Wet was the word for Saturday. It rained off and on all night. No rain expected from 6 AM Sunday.
Sunday Show Day 9/5/2021
Open Western Pleasure no canter and Amateur Western Pleasure classes. Jenny gave Fancy her bath and she had time to dry out. Jenny groomed her when dry and saddled her. Tony came, riding his horse, and lead Fancy to the showgrounds. This is called ponying. He ponied around the warm up and versatility arena to get her used to everything and calmed down. Jenny got on and rode her around. There were three classes before mine when I got to ride her around.
Stories, stories! Susan blunder. I entered a class after the gate closed. No placing. The person next to me was placed, but then they discovered she had not entered (signed up) for the class. It was an Open Walk / Trot class. I was waiting for an amateur Walk/Trot. Whoops! No such class exists. Amazingly, there is a rule about not being considered a participant if after the entry gate closes. I made the gate person open the gate and Fancy and I had a great great ride. I had fun!
Now it is time for Amateur Western Pleasure, will canter. JR and Fancy are stalled next to each other and they have taken trailer rides together in the past. They get along well. Too well now! Fancy now looks upon the confident experienced JR as her leader. JR is in this class. Fancy and I follow them into the arena. About once around, JR was too slow for Fancy’s gait. We pulled out to pass him. She would not pass him in the arena. We got along side of JR, doing our perfect gait, and suddenly she pinned her ears back and nearly came to a stop. This is not good during a judged class. I tried again with same horrible outcome. This is The World Show!
I yelled at Apryl to go faster. Sadly in a horse show, your best friend will not obey. I took Fancy deep around the corners while JR and Apryl went the shorter route. After a few moments, JR got further ahead and other horses passed me. Fancy lost track of JR and we resumed her “good gait. There were more than 10 riders in the class, so I assumed the judge had seen the slow down gaffs and we were out of the placing. Imagine my surprise when Fancy and I were announced to win a white ribbon for fifth place! Oh Boy! A high honor for the World Show! Fancy and I left the arena at a ribbon pumping canter!
Show Day One ended and I was still alive. Apryl rinsed both JR and Fancy. We fed the horses and I collapsed for a nice long nap and rest. After I recovered, Apryl and I went to the horse show and we got great horse show food. Apryl bought a beautiful new saddle pad to go with her purple boots, and clothes. Jenny cleaned Fancy’s stall and I went to bed. Still alive! First day done.