Winter Sports

Fri Dec 30, 2005

Well, I played in the snow today after all! TRAIL RIDE! Huzzah! Figured I'd
better grab the chance before the 8" of new snow arrives tonight/tomorrow!
Quzqo's more than happy to go...not a lick of barn sourness now, he WANTS to
go/do/be someplace other than round and round the indoor arena!

The temps have dropped today, so all the gooshy rotting snow from earlier this
week firmed up nicely, hard enough to support a horse. My trail riding friend
with the crabby TWH mare came along, and we had a pretty good time basically
following the snowmobile trails in the neighboring woods. The conditions were
horrible for snowmobiling, so wasn't worried about meeting any (and we didn't)

Wasn't much to look at, the woods weren't the least bit pretty (just grey), it
was cold and cloudy, but it was nice to be out anyway! Leela the Dalmatian came
along as well, and she was the most interesting part, the way she was bombing
around in total doggy ecstasy of being able to RUN and JUMP and SNIFF and POOP
and PEE, hooray!

This week I'd begun the process of teaching Quzqo to bow (eh, it's winter, need
something to do), and first step is to get him to raise his foreleg on command.
I only worked with him a few minutes on Wednesday, basically tapping his heel
twice with the butt of my dressage whip, and whenever he moved that foot, he got
a treat and a click of the clicker. By the end of the session he was 50/50
raising the foot back/straight up, and pawing outwards. At least he was doing
it!

BUT, today, the little shit saw me holding the whip with the butt end down, and
even before I got it near his heel, he started pawing with his left foot! (no,
no reward, because I didn't tell him too). THEN the little Einstein starts
pawing with his RIGHT foot...LOL, no, that didn't work. Then I tapped him twice,
and he pawed twice, LOL! Hm, maybe we can go the Clever Hans route...the Amazing
Calculatin' Quzqo!

The poor horse was doing EVERYthing to get a treat...he was trying to bop the
whip handle with his nose, he was pawing left and right and even side-passing
(all while tied to a post), LOL! What a goof! I had to hide the whip and get him
to settle down so I could brush him for gosh sakes!

I'll have him doing cartwheels and painting masterpieces by Spring at this rate!

A Kwazy Quzqo Christmas

Mon Dec 26, 2005

Hey, I survived Christmas Eve with (most) my family! The whole experience
reminded me WHY I hate Christmas the holiday, why I didn't want to hold a live
show ever again, and the interesting physiological effects of stress on the
body!

It's no wonder the most often-muttered phrase to myself was "What an ass-pain!"

But I guess it was all worth it if everybody had fun, right?

First was the effort of trying to clean the barn's viewing room. Let's just say
it wasn't a hoot, sweeping up feces (dog? cat? small child???), throwing out
cat-chewed foodstuffs, and gathering up deer-blood soaked sheets of cardboard.
But hey, the price was right (free!)

Didn't even try to make the place overly Christmassy---you'd need a whole troup
of strong men with stepladders for that. Half the overhead lights didn't work,
so much for my plan to use the "living room" section with the big comfy chairs
and couches...not in total darkness, be a little hard to open presents!

Moving tables, benches, furniture, setting up the tree, spreading tablecloths,
getting the food ready, drinks, table settings (well, paper plates & plastic
cutlery)...I realize now in retrospect that I did TOO MUCH! Most the cookies
didn't even get touched, I could have saved a lot of time and effort by not
bothering. I'll try to be charitable and say at least each family group brought
something to the meal...if you count a box of Triscuits and a can of
spray-cheese a contribution.

My one niece and her family didn't come, nobody thought to mention it, and it's
too bad, because that family is the worst off and I'm sure the kids would have
been delighted to get a pony ride. But my other niece and her 5 kids came, and
my nephew and his wife and 2 yr old boy came, along with both my brothers and
the sister-in-law. A good showing anyway.

The meal went well, everybody liked my deer balls I made, except the brother who
killed the deer, he still won't touch anything with venison in it, LOL...even
got my little 3 yr old grand-niece to eat one, which she enjoyed (and when she's
in her teens and turns her nose up at venison, we can say "but you liked it when
you were three!", lol)

Course for ME the highlight was the pony rides! Bob, the barn owner, was nice
enough to let me borrow one of the pony saddles, so the kids would at least have
a saddle their size (with a horn for grabbing onto!) Tried to have an ORDERLY
pony ride with everybody drawing numbers, but after the first kid, that went to
crap as you can imagine. First up was the 18 month old boy, Aiden, and although
he sat like a bag of potatoes, his mom kept ahold of his pants waist and the kid
had THE biggest grin on his face!

Quzqo of course was PERFECT, although a bit bewildered (he was actually dozing
when I got him out of his stall), and little Aiden cried and cried when his ride
was done!

Can't remember who went next or with who or what...every kid got to ride, alone
and in pairs. My Nephew's son, Joey, had never been on a horse (he's about 2-1/2
yrs old) and that kid sat up straight and secure, grinning away, he had ahold of
the reins, no sissy horn-grabbing for HIM! I was impressed! He did NOT want to
get off, and started crying and sobbing and wailing as his mother had to
forcibly pry his fingers one-by-one off of the reins, LOL!

My grand-nephew, G.J., who is 8, got to ride solo (so did his younger sister,
Celine, both lead-line veterans), and G.J. apparently remembered the last time
he got to ride Quzqo, he got to TROT...so the kid waited until he had
Quzqo waaaay down at the far end of the arena behind the round pen, (so we
couldn't SEE him very well), and apparently cued Quzqo for a trot!

Well, little did Mr. GJ know that I'd been working with Quzqo all fall on his
cantering, and right now Quzqo thinks that if you sit the trot for any reason,
that means...CANTER! Yep, out from behind the round pen comes Quzqo CANTERING
with GJ leaning far forward with his arms up in the air and about half a mile of
loose reins flopping around, BWAHAHAAAA! My Niece SCREAMED "SON OF A BITCH!"
(lol) and as Quzqo and GJ went cantering by us, she was SCREAMING at the top of
her lungs to "PULL THE REINS! PULL THE REINS!!!" (a little side note: Heidi has
issues with runaway horses, because the last two times she ever rode Tezlu, he,
er, ran off with her, the first time throwing her into a fence that warranted a
trip to the E.R.)

We needn't have worried...the saving grace was that kid's saddle that was just
the right size to wedge GJ's butt securely, and that it WAS Quzqo, who cantered
RIGHT across the arena to the far corner and stopped...which is also the closest
point to his STALL!

Careful what you wish for, GJ, you might get it, heh heh! "Go faster"...okay!

My Nephew's wife rode last, she loves horses and hadn't ridden in years, and
didn't mind squeezing into the kid's saddle (she's thin enough to fit, grrr),
and she walked Quzqo around a bit, having a helluva time steering him, heehee!
Okay, I did have the reins hooked to the bottom ring of his halter, so it worked
like a bosal, but she had her hands waaaay up high and was trying to
neck-rein...nuh-uh, he doesn't know what that means, so it was funny. Whenever
Quzqo got confused, he'd ignore whatever rider was on his back and come back to
wherever I was standing, BWAHAHA! "Save me!!!"

Well, little Joey was crying for Mama, and got away from his daddy and went
running across the arena RIGHT for the horse and Mama...Daddy caught him up, and
went to Mama, and meant to hand the kid up so they could ride double... but
little Joey was SCREAMING and WAILING and BAWLING...Soon as my nephew raised
that kid up, Quzqo JUMPED sideways, LOL! Nuh Uh, don't want that noisy thing
near me!! So much for that idea!

At least the evening ended with no injuries, just a passel of amazingly FILTHY
children, snrk...hey, I swept the floor, I didn't mop it! I said in the
invitation to wear old clothes, heh heh!

And Quzqo got a BIG basket filled with apples and carrots for his effort! And
probably a newfound gratitude that he's owned by ME, and not somebody with lots
of small children!

Above is a pic of the youngest girl, "Faith" riding Cusco, with her big
brother, GJ, leading. You tell me they won't remember this for a long, long
time!

Reportedly she and her mommy were in the ladies' bathroom at the barn, and she
saw a framed photo of a white Arabian running in the snow, and according to her
mom (my niece), she piped up "That Quzqo's sure stylin'!" LOL!

Autumn Is For Trail Riding!

Sun Oct 30, 2005

Well, I'm over the bronchitis, so it's time to beat on the horse some more!!

We're facing a deadline now...only three more weekends of trail riding until firearm deer season...last weekend was THE prime peak period for fall colors, but it rained (and I was downstate). I did take him (and Leela the Dal) out last Sunday, despite the cold and clouds, and it was BEAUTIFUL in the woods...the leaves were covering the ground, and still in the trees...it was like being in a massive golden cathedral!! Quzqo was actually enthused about going for a trail ride too...it'd been 2 weeks since he'd been ANYwhere, so I think he was glad to GO and DO!

That was LAST weekend though. This is THIS weekend...and apparently one trail ride a month is HIS idea of a good time, not every week! Yesterday (Saturday) was GORGEOUS, temps in the 50's, blue sky, sun, but 20 mph sustained winds pretty much ripped the leaves off the trees, and only served to whip the tree branches around, scaring little Arabians! I'd wondered if it was a good idea to take him for a trail ride after not working him all week, without lunging him, considering when I did that nearly a year ago to the day, I ended up in the Emergency Room and still suffer back pain, LOL! But, you know me! I did it anyway!

Leela came with us, so that helped...he likes dogs along for company, and thankfully he wasn't a Nut..and I knew better than to ask him for a canter within 5 minutes of leaving the barn! We had a few "discussions" about whether we should turn back and head home at the edge of the property....at the top of the hill...going down the dirt road...crossing the paved road...on the trail on the other side...on the other dirt road (many discussions there)...Poor Leela figured she'd be safest if she just stayed around 10-20 feet behind the horse at all times, so when he suddenly stopped and started to spin and rear, she'd be out of the way, LOL! But thanks to Mr. Whip and The Spur Twins, I got Quzqo turned the right direction again and we made it to the end of the dirt road before *I* said it was time to turn around...but not until he stopped nicely, backed, and THEN we turned around, thank you very much!

He was happier heading home, until we were going through some thick woods...I admit I was daydreaming about who knows what when suddenly with NO warning Quzqo BOLTED forward at a canter...my head snapped back as I hauled back on the reins...I saw blue sky and the horse's head up over me for a split second before getting upright again and miraculously the horse slowed back to a walk. Don't know WHAT scared him, unless he was daydreaming as well and suddenly noticed the Dog behind him. He gave a couple more leaps forward like that on the way
home...I think it was the wind that helped frazzle his nerves, LOL. The poor dog just wanted to stay out of the way!!

We went out again today, with a friend who trailered over. Not nearly as exciting, but as pleasant. Another beautiful day weather-wise, and Leela came along again. We went a lot further (that dog is SO zonked out right now, LOL), did a bit of brush-poppin' and trespassing, met a couple of truckloads of rednecks on a 2-track, but they were nice enough to slow down and not run over the dog.

Next Sunday the barn is organizing a Poker Run trail ride to benefit a boarder whose horse got into a trailer-related accident and needed $2000+ worth of surgery down at MSU, so that'll be fun! Fun, win prizes, and it's for a good cause, looking forward to it!!

Double The Grain, Double The Fun!

Sun Oct 9, 2005

Well, it's been nearly 2 weeks now that Quzqo's been enjoying (and how) DOUBLE grain rations (trying to fatten him up for winter, he was SO skinny I was shocked and worried!!). Last weekend he was Mr. Draggy Butt, but this weekend, Hoowheee, combined double grain with cool Fall weather, and we had a trail ride that was ALMOST Tezluesque in its activity level!

A bunch of us ladies went trail blazing hither and yon, we had NO idea where we were going, we'd see a two-track and take it, went through some lovely hardwoods...Fall colors are nowhere near their peak yet (late!), but it was pretty all the same. Never did stumble across anyone's meth lab in the woods, or someone's marijuana growing operation, thank goodness, although we did find a rather nice end table!

Let's just say Mr. Quzqo was steppin' out! We got to running up a sandy hill, the little bugger grabbed the non-existant bit in his mouth and RAN, head high, wouldn't slow down for love nor money...okay, he did slow down for love, only because we caught up to this Paint mare he's in love with, LOL! Big brown butt blocking the trail will slow any horse! I didn't mind, I had my super-secure trail saddle, I wasn't going anywhere, LOL!

Was a good ride...on the way back Quzqo was in the LEAD most of the way! There's an unusual occurance! Got a lot of high-powered trotting in, the kind where it's easier to just stand in the stirrups! My friend on the Paint (the same lady who took us to horse shows this past summer, she trailered in for the day) even commented how lovely he looked with his nostrils flaring and tail held high, as we blew past her on the trail, LOL! The little shit even JUMPED a log and took off, frightening the other horses behind us, LOL! Yep, very reminiscent of Tezlu, only without the pulling and blind terror!

Coos is gaining a bit of weight, or else his fur is getting thicker....once he gets back up to where I can't SEE his ribs through his heavy fur, I'll cut his grain back...besides, by then, it'll be firearm deer season and I won't be trail riding that much, then the snow will come and that'll be the end of that.

Learning To Side-Pass

Fri Sep 9, 2005

We've begun our training! By next Spring Quzqo will be able to side pass so sweet, we'll be able to do trail classes!!!

Started Wednesday, but I didn't have any carrots for clicker-treats, so I pretty much just annoyed him by pushing my hand into his side and trying to make him move, LOL! Got a few sideways steps (both front and back at the same time) and made sure to praise him to the moon for it!

Today I had carrots for clicker treats, and he LOVES clicker-training (treats!)...we did one session before I rode him and got a few good side-steps (I was happy if he just took ONE step)...he caught on quicker with the clicker I think!

Nice uneventful trail ride around the property with BillyBob the Corgi...LOL, we got trotting Quzqo 's usual trot along the fenceline...and Billy was AHEAD of us!!!! Quzqo can be outrun by a CORGI! What does THAT tell ya???? Jeeze Louise!

Once we got back to the barn and untacked, we tried side-passing again, and dayum if he didn't step sideways SO sweet with minimal pressure from my hand!!!! Both directions!!! Oh, you bet we're going to work on this for a week or two...I'm so pleased with Himself! He was pleased with the carrots, LOL!

The Chic of Araby

Sun Sep 4, 2005

A good California friend was so good as to let me borrow one of her real genuine Arabian halters for Himself to wear to the horse show this weekend!! It made quite a splash, and he got a LOT of complements with it!! It also had the added benefit of occupying Him before the class as he tried to eat the tassels.


Ain't he PURDY!!!????

He showed VERY well for me with it today (Sunday) (I chickened out yesterday and used his American halter), and the judges even gave me some pointers on how to pose him (I had been posing him with his one hind leg too far back, which made his hips uneven...never noticed that!)

It was a fun show...not a Fun Show, but a fun show...held at the barn where I board. And like last month (well, late July) they RAN OUT OF ROSETTES!! And gave out the colored squares of cardboard that you could exchange for tack/etc. RRRGH!

I did manage to get ONE red rosette to commemorate Quzqo's 2nd placing in his Saturday halter class...we were again beaten by that Paint/Shire cross at the barn. There was another LOVELY chestnut Arabian in our class with a beautiful neck (but not as purdy a head as Coos)...after judging, one judge walked up to the woman and said "I've got some bad news for you..." and proceeded to inform her that her short-sleeved shirt was not allowed in a halter class, and therefore she'd been disqualified from the class!!! Whaaaa??? She argued that it's allowed at Arabian Shows (it is??? News to ME), but the judges weren't buying it and she was FUBAR.

So, I will never know if Quzqo truly would have placed 2nd out of 3, or would have been 3rd out of 3. But since that woman had also shaved off the horse's EYELASHES...I've no sympathy for her.

That woman brought a couple of Arabians to show, she had a VERY nice gelding she showed in the English classes...Huntseat, complete with French Braid and braided tail, and little diamonds combed into the horse's butt (I used to do checkerboards on Tezlu's butt...can't do that stuff with Quzqo...it doesn't show!)...and she did quite well, placing in all her classes. We talked a little bit later as I was waiting for a class, and she expressed sadistic glee in the fact she was able to BEAT those professional trainers on their stock horses, LOL. But considering she shows at Class "A" Arabian shows...not that much of an achievement. Now if *I* was able to beat them...that'd be something.

No, I almost changed Quzqo's name to Ibn Ben Lastplace...we showed Novice, and placed 3rd out of 3 in Equitation (I must suck as a rider!), we didn't place at all in the Novice Step-Up (cantering...which he had a lot of trouble doing, which is why we didn't place...7th out of 7!) And 3rd out of 3 in Huntseat Pleasure. GRRRGH! Only bright spot of the day was the wonderful steak BBQ after the show!

I was so discouraged after yesterday that today I decided to take it easy, and just do the halter, then go for a trail ride! As it turned out, I got 3 other people to come along on the ride...one teenage girl was SO burnt out from showing (her gelding, too), she jumped at the chance for a relaxing ride! The other two ladies were showing Western, but they had about 2-3 hours to kill while the English and trail classes went on, and rather than trot their horses in circles in the back field trying to warm them up...they agreed a 90-minute trail ride might be more fun! And it was...perfectly peaceful and uneventful ride, and more fun for me than doing those nasty English Pleasure classes again! (and cheaper, at $8/class!!!!)(double-judged).

And...as you can see by the 2nd picture...GRAND CHAMPION PLEASURE TYPE HALTER!!! WHOOOOHOOOOO!!!


Okay...he was the only one entered today in the whole show. LOL! Yesterday there were 8 horses/ponies in the Pleasure Division, today, just Himself (the Paint/Shire cross stayed in his stall). But hey, we don't need to broadcast that fact. The showholder even gave me a blue rosette because she figured he also deserved Reserve Grand, "because we like you" LOL! (and two stoopid cardboard squares). Okay, she's also the barn owner's wife, but still, ha!

After I was done at the barn today, I cashed in my stoopid cardboard squares (four yellow, one red, two blue) for a stiff mud brush, a metal curry comb/shedding blade, and a mane comb. Eh, might sell 'em at my yard sale next weekend, LOL, get some of that money back!

Let's Go Berry Picking!

Sun Aug 28, 2005

BIG horseshow at the fairgrounds this weekend...we didn't go! Glad of it, too...I'm just not THAT into it. It's fun, but it's not everything. Plus the fact the horse was a filthy mess and hadn't really been ridden in days!

Instead he and I went for a trail ride! It was obvious they left him out in the pasture all night...untouched food in his stall, and he was a walking zombie-horse! (He never seems to sleep well out in the field). No complaints here, I was glad of it...didn't need to lunge him before hand!

BEAUTIFUL weather today, high in the low 70's, bright sunny sky, a good breeze to keep the flies away. And what hit me later was the fact that I was totally relaxed about the whole thing! A few weeks ago my heart would have been in my throat as we headed out, worrying he might try something. Somewhere along the way I think we have "clicked" and have finally become comfortable with each other, so that neither of us had to worry!!

Rode with the bitless bridle, which he obviously loves (compared to how he acted with the bit earlier this week)...and since we went out alone instead of with a group, I could get him into nice trotting and cantering segments without any problems (plus it seems the ladies I ride with like to WALK the whole route...no real complaints there, beats wanting to rampage like wild people, but it's hard on my butt!!). We went through the woods behind the elementary school, didn't get lost this time. Sometime in the past week and a half a strong wind came through and blew some saplings over the trail, right at horse-chest-height, so I got off and moved them, and was DEEELIGHTED that I was able to get back on FROM THE GROUND! WhooHOO (this has been a bugaboo with me for years, and now that I have a horse that's 6" shorter than the previous one, there's NO reason I shouldn't be able to do that!!). Quzqo even stood halfway still for me (he was busy defoliating a nearby maple sapling).

We even walked alongside a paved road (no traffic luckily), down a dirt road with some of the scariest poor white trash dwellings in Michigan (MAJOR scary), and then trotted and cantered down the length of the road and back again! It's nice to have a tired horse, LOL!

But the crowning achievement (in my book) came on our way back through some woods that had been logged years ago...the brambles sprang up, and at long last, this year, they bore big, fat, HUGE BLACKBERRIES! YUM! I'd been eyeing them for weeks, but didn't know how Quzqo would feel about stopping in the middle of nowhere...Tezlu used to go apeshit, and prance/dance/fuss/fidgit if I stopped to pick berries...he'd want to GoGoGoGoGO!!! But those berries were too much to resist, so we stopped, I got off, and Quzqo discovered that young blackberry leaves are edible and apparently delicous! LOL! So, while I picked berries, he picked blackberry leaves and had a grand time of it! I gave him some berries which he promptly spat out (Tezlu loved blackberries...who knew!), LOL! If I was bent down picking particularly large berries from the inner/under branches of the brambles, I'd feel this big slobbery muzzle press against my back or shoulders, like "what ARE you doing down there?" But at no time did he fuss or spook or do one single naughty thing! I ended up with about a PINT of blackberries (yeah, I brought a padded container to carry them back in), and an Angel Horse to boot!

He got a full-blown bath for his trouble when we got back (with soap and everything!), and gets to spend a relaxing and safe night in his comfy stall. See if he has any more energy tomorrow!

Yeah, I think I'll keep that horse!

A Horse With Two Behinds

Mon Aug 15, 2005

Actually, multiple horses with two assholes apiece!

Yep, survived yesterday's wild and woolly trail ride! Wasn't the usual posse (the ones on the Midnight Ride through the Woods last Wednesday), but a different circle of folks I don't usually associate with. The woman who organized it has been "off" for 8 months due to being pregnant and giving birth and recovering therefrom, so this was her and her horse's first trail ride since last Fall! The next lady in the group, I've mentioned her before: she rides a PSYCHO Arabian mare that she calls "Quzqo's Twin", which I'm beginning to be insulted by, because her mare is a total nutjob, and Quzqo's much prettier and now has GAZILLIONS more fleabites than that mare...the woman is as psycho as her horse, has no equitation skills, and enjoys riding in sandals, flip flops, or like yesterday, no-heeled slip-on loafers..

Next in our happy band of travellers is the woman who killed Tab the colicking TB, on her new fresh-off-the-track TB Mare, "Tesla"...wearing heeled street boots and no helmet, and her henpecked husband, on his retarded QH, "Ducks"...he was stylishly attired in running shoes, shorts, and no shirt. I was hoping the deer flies would be out in full force that day, heh heh. Believe me, him with no shirt was repellent enough.

Finally, a sane person, my friend with the Paint mare, she'd officially left the barn last week, but trailered in for the day just for this trail ride, she was bored riding by herself at her house, LOL!

Started out okay, I rode Quzqo with his bitless bridle (just gotta tempt Fate I think). Was pretty uneventful for the first hour or so, we even did some trotting and cantering on a nice wide dirt road. The Psycho Arabian ("Chickadee") was WAAAAY ahead of us...reminded me so much of Tezlu, but Tez wasn't THAT crazy, even on a bad day...head high, back hollowed, tail wringing, cantering in place while her idiot rider sawed on the reins and rode English with her feet sticking out in FRONT of her...have never seen an English seat quite like that, maybe it was the no-heeled slip-on loafers that did it. The Husband on the QH, with his heavy-handed horsemanship, had HIS horse all wound up into a ball about to explode, every hundred yards or so they'd have a "disagreement" (Ducks would decide we'd gone far enough and try to turn back), which involved rearing, spinning, and usually being cantered in circles all over the road. Tesla the TB would also have occasional issues, kicking at anything that got too close to her rear, and her murderous rider would spin her in circles, or go cantering or galloping off ahead of the pack without warning.

Making it more interesting, the ex-pregnant lady's horse, "Leroy" was in love with "Chickadee", so when Chickadee went tearing off ahead of the pack, Leroy would pitch a fit, which included prancing in place, ducking his head, spinning, and trying to buck...his rider was TERRIFIED out of her gourd, and through the whole ride Sandy (the woman with the paint) and I pretty much baby-sat her, telling her when to turn Leroy into a circle to get him moving so he couldn't start to pitch a fit...she had a curb bit on him, and was using both hands to pull...which didn't help the situation any...add into that she'd continuously hunch forward in fear AND was wearing running shoes...ARRRRGH! (she DID have a helmet on...I'll give her that much). We were all aware she had a newborn baby at home and couldn't afford to get herself injured...part of the problem was Chickadee's rider who would keep tearing off ahead of the group, which would get Leroy upset, being separated from his love interest, and then he'd pitch his fits...couldn't get it through Chick's rider that she should TRY to stay near for Leroy's benefit (and his rider). Nope...talkin' self-centered jerks here.

The married couple pretty much were on their own personal trail ride, for all the consideration they didn't show...just suddenly TEARING off down the road, which of course upsets the other horses, who also want to tear off with them, then they'd come TEARING back (remember how the woman TORE around the indoor arena with Tab just minutes before his fatal colic attack?). The husband would start to smoke these small CIGARS on the trail...AAGH! The stink was obnoxious enough, we won't even get into the FIRE DANGER, Hellooooo??? Yeah, I love going out into the forests to smell stinky cigars! Wear a shirt next time if you don't want to get bug bites (he said the cigar was his mosquito repellent...yeah, right)

The consensus among us three poky folks was that we didn't care to ever go riding with that couple again...when we finally turned back, they rode on ahead at a fast canter/hand gallop, went over a hill, and haven't seen them since! When we finally got back to the barn, their horses were turned out, had NOT been hosed off or washed down...u-huh...tells me a lot right there.

Fortunately nobody got hurt, nobody got dumped, the ex-pregnant lady is now very shaken up by her horse's bad behavior (er, could we have maybe LUNGED the beast before riding him??), the broad with the Crazy Ayrab was totally oblivious to how her behavior had possibly endangered her friend...the ex-pregnant lady thanked Sandy and myself for sticking with her and helping her out, she was truly terrified near to tears at a couple of points there, poor thing. Been there, done that!

For the record, once again, Quzqo was the BEST-behaved horse on the ride!! Even the Paint mare had a major spook-fit when a little birdie flew out of a tree, lol, but Quzqo was golden! We had a couple of disagreements about whether he should be allowed to run to catch up to the crowd after he stopped for a pee-break (I won the argument, for the record), only after he settled down to a petulant walk, did I get him into a trot, we trotted the 1/4 mile or so to catch up, he started slowing, so I spurred him and MADE him trot right on past and waaaay up the road, even making him canter, not what he expected...he wanted to trot, catch up, then dawdle along behind the Paint until he lagged behind and had to trot to catch up again. Got a lot of complements on how well he behaved, even a resentment-filled comment from the nut on the Crazy Ayrab. IMO, it's not the horse's fault most times, it's the loose nut behind the wheel.

Quzqo Dumps a Rider

Sat Aug 13, 2005

This afternoon my niece brought out her SIX children for Pony Rides...okay, the one boy is only a year old, so he didn't get a ride, but the other FIVE did. Hey, Quzqo got an entire bag of peeled and washed baby carrots for his trouble, he wasn't suffering, LOL!

Used my trail saddle and the bitless bridle, my niece was VERY worried about THAT...she's used to dealing with Tezlu (he threw her into a fence once, sent her to the hospital), but I rode Quzqo first, and put on a demonstration for her on how nice he is with it. Truth be told, that's the first time I've cantered him with the bitless bridle, LOL, I'm happy to report he did GREAT (phew!). Then she allowed the oldest kid, a boy, around 8, to ride. Of course he didn't want to be lead around like a little kid, and since he's ridden both Quzqo AND Tezlu before, we just let him go. He did okay for a boy, Quzqo pretty much ignored him, LOL...he had big fat sneakers on (do they still call them sneakers? probably not) so Quzqo could ignore any kicks to his side. But they did okay once the boy got the hang of it, even did a little trotting (what little he could get Quzqo to DO, heh heh). Kid rides like a sack of potatoes, but he had fun, and wasn't as enthused about "going fast" after he trotted Quzqo a few minutes. Quzqo is VERY bouncy, and when you're a kid who can't even reach the stirrups....not real comfortable, heh heh.

Then the oldest daughter (6) rode, she's a little pro, sits a horse like she'd been doing it forever, VERY confident and doesn't take crap from any ole Horse, she had Quzqo dancing to her tune pretty quickly, even with the reins hanging and uneven lengths ...she even got him to go across the ground poles and through the (empty) water obstacle. She tried a little trotting but he wouldn't move for her, so we put him on a lunge line (so she wouldn't have to worry about steering)...she got him into a trot, and was bouncing around like a ball on his back, when suddenly she just bounced right off his right side to the ground! Very slow-motion, he was stopped before she hit the (very soft sandy) ground! His forehoof landed nearly ON her little leg (I'm sure it was within an inch or two!), phew, but she was totally unscathed, and nope, no crying or hysterics, in fact she jumped up with a grin on her face and said "I'm gettin' back on!!" And she did!

Her mom and dad about died of heart failure, but they survived as well. AND she was wearing a helmet...gotta add that!

Then it was pretty much the other tiny tots who got led around, and my niece took a turn...I felt bad for Quzqo...she'd gained a bit since she got married, and she barely fit in the saddle, but he even trotted for her...she tried posting and got the right diagonal, not bad for not having done it in 10 years or so! But he wore her right out within 5 minutes. We couldn't get her husband to ride, he's afraid of horses, even little short slow ones that a 6 year old can bully, ha!

So, we've got our Lead Line crew lined up for the barn show on Labor Day weekend, we figured maybe the 6 yr old could even go into the "Walk Only" class, and put the 4 yr old into Lead Line! If I can get him to the fun show Wednesday night, we'll do leadline then as well.

Tomorrow another group of wild middle-aged ladies are heading out on a trail ride, but we're leaving at Noon. Should be interesting... Quzqo's older twin, "Chickadee" (fleabit Arabian mare who acts more like Tezlu than Tezlu ever did) will be along. I'm sure I'll have an interesting report then...one way or another!

Separated at Birth??

Thu Aug 11, 2005

Went to the county fair tonight, and I found Quzqo's twin!!!!




In case anybody wondered why I named him after a Llama, BWAHAHA!!!

A Trail Ride By Moonlight

Thu Aug 11, 2005

Went out on a trail ride last night with three other middle-aged ladies from the barn, and SOMEhow we ended up way out in the woods at sunset...anybody realize how friggin' DARK it gets IN the woods? All those leaves blocking any light left in the sky? Couldn't see the damned trail, could barely see the TREES, could barely see the woman in front of me on a dark TWH...I just say thank God for horses' superior night vision, because Quzqo performed like a trooper, in fact, he tripped less in the dark than in the light, probably because he knew he HAD to look where he was going, LOL!

Did not appreciate it when the woman leading the ride took off at a trot, which of course meant the other horses also had to run...nothing QUITE like the feeling of riding a crazy animal through the woods in the DARK! Arrrgh! Thankfully no low branches took me out!

Saw lots of deer (before it got too dark to see anything), and it was amazing how QUIET the woods are at that hour...no car noises, no birds, no wind, just total silence...spooky!

By the time we got back to the hayfields behind the barn it was 9:45, the moon was high in the sky, and the car headlights on the road below were actually kind of pretty. Quzqo behaved perfectly wonderful, not a spook or misstep the whole time! Was quite pleasant, that final few hundred yards back to the barn, out under the stars and the moon and all, the dark shapes of horses in the pastures whuffling at us as we went by...

Might have to do that again soon...er, without the trotting through the woods part of course!

That bitless bridle works pretty good!

Going Bitless

Sun Aug 7, 2005

No horse show today (thank goodness), but ended up taking Quzqo on a nice long trail ride with the resident trainer at the barn. I WAS going to go out by myself and head West, but she was going to go on a ride, ponying a gorgeous lacy-framed overo gelding she's training, and heading East to the lake. Sounds like fun to me!

Today I had the treeless Bob Marshall on Coos (because it's so hot, I didn't want him to have to tote a lot), and my new "New Spirit" Bitless Bridle that arrived the other day offa eBay. I did take him on a short test drive Friday evening with it, and he did pretty good once he figured out what it meant (pressure in new spots, no bit, etc). So today we went on a real ride.

He was still tired from yesterday, poor lad, so that was a plus. We did some riding along a busy county road, not a spook or flinch, the trainer had more fun leading the 3 yr old Paint along the road...luckily it was only for 1/4 mile or so before we cut off onto a residential road. Quzqo was FASCINATED by a guy on a riding lawnmower...I swear, Quzqo's feet were moving forward with his head still pointing backwards, keeping an eye on that guy, LOL!

Had a bit of equine stress when we walked down a two-track alongside a big fenced pasture full of rambunctious young TWHs, they were running back and forth along the fenceline with us... Quzqo has issues with horses charging towards him (gee, wonder why), but once I got the trainer's big QH & the Paint between us and the youngsters in the pasture, he relaxed a bit.

Into the wonderful deep piny and oak-y woods thereabouts, the locals had carved out a fun, interesting winding up-and-down and round and round trail through the state forest there, really kept a horse on his toes (all 4 of them)! Quzqo did SO good, and was so responsive to the bridle, and very relaxed. I was thrilled when he'd bolt forward to play catch-up, pressure
with the bridle got his attention and slowed him right back down to where I wanted him. No head-tossing, no fussing...he got so relaxed he began to walk along the trail with his nose practically on the ground, sniffing along like the biggest bloodhound in the world!

We ended up at a trail campground on a lakeshore (small weedy inland lake, good for fishing and not much else), but since it's a horse camp, they had big horse-access areas to the water. Deb, the trainer, wanted to see if the Paint would go into the water, he hadn't done that yet...eventually she was able to lead him in, and while the horse she rode got a drink, the Paint stood up to his knees & kind of crowded into the QH for security.

Quzqo wanted no part of the water (no surprise there), and after a couple of Drama Queen attempts to go the opposite direction, surprised me by turning and walking right up to the edge of the water, gave it a sniff or two, then walked right in! Frankly it scared me a bit, I once saw a man on a QH at that very watering spot, go further out and hit a deep hole, both he AND his horse went under! (they were all right, but I have a fear of being under water, so...)...Coos kept heading out until he was knee-deep (granted his knees aren't very tall), and the little booger started pawing and SPLASHING away, got Deb and her QH soaked, LOL! He'd plunge his face into the water and flabble it around with his lips, then paw some more, BIG splashing flailing horse legs, Oh, he had a GRAND time! Yeah, well, I also know (and have seen) horses will do that cute splashing with the foot thing right before they LIE DOWN in the water, and no thank you! Deb got some photos of him being adorable in the deep water though (that woman has a digital camera with her at all times, I swear!)...hope I get to see what they looked like, LOL!

Reluctantly we left the water, I was very pleased...Tezlu wouldn't go NEAR that water, maybe get a hoof in or two wet, but that was his limits (although one trail ride he did cross a swift-flowing river that came up past his belly!). Uneventful ride back to the barn, but again, I was impressed at how calm and relaxed he was with that bridle. At no time did I feel he was
fighting me or stressed. And after he stuck his face in the lake, I was happy it was biothane, LOL! Who cares if it gets wet! And when we got back to the barn and I removed it, NO hair loss to the nose! Hooray!

This week is the county fair, so the barn will be deserted all week. I'm going to see if I can organize some evening trail rides for the ADULTS with horses there, LOL! Will be kinda nice!

The Surprise Horse Show Adventure

Sun Aug 7, 2005

Wasn't planning on it, but yesterday Quzqo and I ended up going to an all-day open horse show about 50 miles NE of here! We were invited along Friday night, and since I have a will of wet linguini, I agreed to go! NEVER mind I've barely ridden the horse all week, NEVER mind he hasn't had a bath in 2 weeks, never mind he had 1/4" long whiskers and all my show clothes
still hadn't been washed (saw no reason to hurry with that task...) Nothing like agreeing to go to a horse show 12 hours before departure time, yahoo!!!

Was easy to trim the whiskers and bridlepath, and happily he wasn't too dirty, having been caught outside in a day of heavy rains Thursday, and being left out in the pasture overnight (not being able to lay down in dirty bedding in his stall on a poop pile or such). Using that logic, after riding Friday night, I turned Himself back out to the pasture, so he'd stay clean and hopefully be tired the next day (he never sleeps well when he's left outside, lol)

As for the not having ridden in a week...well...we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, heh heh!

Got to the barn the next morning around 6 a.m. (GAAH!), figuring I'd have to hike out into the 30 acre pasture to catch the horse, happily he was walking down towards the gate/water just as I was walking out to get him, so didn't have to go far at all! He got to enjoy a hearty breakfast (which was actually his dinner from the previous night that he didn't get to eat since
he was outside in 30 acres of grass instead), and come loading time, he was in a pretty good mood! Every time he gets better and better at getting into the trailer...first he has to put on a little Drama Queen token protest, usually just planting his feet and refusing to move...then I have to back him up a few steps, fwapping him with the lead rope, then we try again and he walks right in. Totally ritualistic by now, just trying to prove a point I think, LOL, silly boy.

We ended up in the bustling burg of Kalkaska, Michigan (population 102 I think, used to be a total redneck town, before the oil boom of the 1980's, now it's back to being a redneck town), at their tiny run down fairgrounds. The horse show was the official county fair horse show, which they hold BEFORE the actual fair...I was hoping the fair would be on, so I could look
at exhibits and eat junk food after my classes, but no such luck, place was empty except for the horse show.

Which was basically, a piece of crap. Everyone I heard agreed...I swear, I'd NEVER been to such a crappy horse show, real or model! They had ONE working water spigot for the whole fairgrounds, which was centrally located, but still a wretched hike when you're weighted down with filled water buckets. The water to the wash racks was shut off, so you couldn't do any last-minute horse-bathing or touch-ups. NO bathrooms, just two porta-pots, one of which hadn't been pumped, and baby, it was filling up fast, and NO amount of tasteful dark blue water could mask what was heaped UP in that thing! GAAAH! (I envied the horses which could poop and pee right where they were standing). Food concessions were negligible, and from the looks of the high school Booster trailer it was run from, I wasn't going to take the risk.

The arena was quite nice, good clay-limestone-sand footing, good sized, and they had a nice warm-up ring. The judge was a nice woman who appreciated Arabians and Morgans...there were a fair amount of Morgans, beautiful Saddleseat types...but as usual, the show was dominated by Paints and QHs. Not an App to be seen, only two Arabians, and a mule.

Like the previous shows, we stuck to halter and the Novice classes. There were three in Quzqo's halter...a beautiful Morgan gelding (HUGE thing!), Quzqo, and a lovely chestnut Arabian. Quzqo had set up beautifully for me in practice before the class...you guessed it...once we were in the ring, he DELIBERATELY (I know it was deliberate, he had a glint in his eye) splayed
his legs every which way and would not stand still, kept sneaking forwards or backwards or sideways, I don't think I got him into anything close to a proper Arabian set-up once!! GRRGH...revenge for me moussing his forelock, I know that's what it was! I was happily surprised that we took 2nd place though!! Not last, LOL (course the chestnut Arabian, which took 3rd, had the rattiest tail I've ever seen, like it'd been chewed off, poor thing...)

Which meant we got to go into the showback for Champion...had no chance in hell at that of course, it was won by a magnificent (ho hum) dappled palomino Morgan stallion...phew! But of course for that, Quzqo set up perfectly for me and stood like a rock...Hm.

Had plenty of time to do warm ups at lunch, since it dawned on me I could warm him up in my halter clothes, didn't HAVE to change into the English garb right then and there...he worked quite nice for me, but VERY sluggish and, well, tired, LOL...at least he didn't try to run off at any point, too sleepy and worn out from camping in the pasture, heh heh.

Didn't bother doing Huntseat Equitation, past performances have told me that I'm either not very good or it's hard to be good with a horse that acts like Quzqo, so saved myself $4 there. That also gave me more time to change clothes, relax, have a snack, braid up the horse's mane, etc. We did do Novice Huntseat Pleasure 19/over, thankfully walk/trot, (GLAD I'm not nervous about going into the arena any more, took long enough for that to wear off!).. Quzqo did VERY well, other than me having to continuously urge him forward at both the walk and trot...I know if I didn't keep after him, he'd have coasted to a standstill all on his own. A few times I did get him into a lovely wonderful floating balanced trot, once at least I KNOW the judge was looking right at us when he did it...which is why we placed FIRST!! WhooHOOO!! (4 entries, but still...).

A few classes later we went into the Novice Step-Up, which is an open Novice class but with cantering...like the last show, I was the oldest entrant, since the other women from my Novice class were too chicken (or else didn't want to compete against kids...I have no such qualms, heh heh). There were 8 or so in this group, including our barn owner's 5 yr old granddaughter ...yep, competing against kindergartners, that's me! Quzqo did fine at the walk, and trot, but they wanted the canter from a trot...I slowed him down to a walk before realizing what I did, and had a heck of a time getting him into a canter from the walk (we CAN do it, but usually when he's more energetic), once he got going he did VERY well, nice and balanced. Going the other direction he went right into the canter, but then decided to VEER across the arena (but NOT near the judge this time, LOL)...took a lot of spur and rein to get him back to the rail, once he got into the softer footing he slowed right down into a sweeeet balanced canter! We then trotted into the lineup, and he backed VERY good (for Quzqo). Long story short, we placed THIRD out of 8! And I know for a fact the two girls who beat us have been showing for years, and the first placer has a lovely mature professionaly trained QH...u-huh. For the record, we did beat Bob's granddaughter, heh heh.

Would have been a really fun, cool day, except...as we found out AFTER we'd paid our entry fees...there were NO RIBBONS! NONE! Not even for the leadline kiddies! Nothing!!! The show decided to pay out cash premiums, but ONLY if the class had more than 4 entries...under 4 entries, you got NOTHING! The Novice Classes got little novice-type paper vouchers they could turn in for cash at the office...which meant for our great First Place victory in Novice EP, I got a stupid inkjet-printed slip of paper for one effing DOLLAR! That was it. Got NOTHING for the halter class, and NOTHING for the Step-up, because the two Step-up classes had notations in the classlist that there were no premiums for them. The classlist also stated "Awards to 6th
place"...didn't say "placings" to 6th, it stated AWARDS. O, you bet there was much griping about that...there were a lot of kids there (and adult novices) who did good and got NOTHING to show for it!

Okay, sure, the big Professional Trainers might prefer money to more useless ribbons, but there were at most 10 people there who might have rooms full of ribbons and not want any more. I wager the other 30+ folks would have still appreciated SOMEthing to show for all their hard work and money spent. Gas is $2.47/gallon for regular around here, and a pick-up or SUV takes a LOT of gas to haul a loaded horse trailer 50 miles one way...GRR.

My show companion, who showed in the Western novice classes, was equally PO'd...she'd only had the mare for 8 weeks and was definitely after ribbons..we aren't active in the regional club, so we don't give a crap about the points earned (like the Big Names were)...c'mon, for $4/class they couldn't at least use leftover flats from last year's fair or something?? Our local fair holds a benefit fun show every month, and they have beautiful rosettes to 6th in every class, for the same $4/class.

Let's just say that the lack of any awards really put a kibosh on the whole experience. I wouldn't have awakened at 4 a.m. and gone through all that work for one lousy piece of ink-jet printed paper! I do plan to write a letter to the show organizers, and my companion has already decided she's never attending a show there again, even if they DO have ribbons. Coming from a die-hard shower, that's pretty harsh.

Yeah yeah, "it's for fun"...bullcrap, it's $12 down the crapper, plus gas and time...I could have had "fun" by sleeping in and going for a trail ride. I am pleased Quzqo did so well but still...I'd have been more pleased to be able to hang a first, second and third place ribbon on his Door of Fame at the barn.

Another Quzqo Portrait

Tue Jul 26, 2005

Done by myself of Himself, using Prismacolor pencils with a little gold leaf thrown in.

Big Horseshow Weekend

Sun Jul 24, 2005

Well, I guess I can say he IS improving...slowly and surely!

GOOD horse show Saturday, they had a monster turnout at the barn, I've no clue how many horses, but the pasture near the outdoor arena was jammed with rigs and trailers and campers, every stall in the barn was occupied, even all the temporary ones. The place was awash in groomed and nice-smelling horsies!

I had Quzqo groomed to the nines, right down to the horse face make-up and hair mousse on his mane, forelock and tailhead (to keep those flyaway hairs under control)((I called it "Coos Mousse"). Ready for his Halter class!

Was some drama before the halter though, turns out the judges were certified assholes, and had the entrants pissed off halfway through the first Showmanship class! There was a male judge and a female judge...the man had a MAJOR attitude...he seemed to have forgotten that the entrants were paying HIS salary, not the other way around. He'd posted these amazingly complex showmanship patterns (you needed a good education in mathematics to get all those pivots he required). Mind, the kids (and adults) around here are used to straightforward, to the point showmanship: walk horse halfway to judge, perform some sort of pivot, back three steps, set up, inspection, then trot off to the line up. This guy (and the woman) had some convoluted choreography that involved 270 degree pivots, zig-zags, backing here, pivoting there...the first four entrants totally screwed it up, so he put his foot down and explained concisely to the remaining entrants EXACTLY what he was looking for, which turned out to be DIFFERENT than his posted pattern!...and then wouldn't allow the first four a re-do, and of course they either didn't place or placed low. UNfortunately for the judge, one of those screwed-over entrants was my farrier's daughter, LOL! My farrier was just a tiny bit bigger than the male judge (and he was no lightweight himself!) had a little conversation with the judge, but the judge wouldn't back down, and those four kids were SOL.

By 9 a.m. the judge already had a reputation that traveled through the show of being mean, rude, brusque, intolerant, and soon got the name of "The Show Nazi" (No Ribbons for YOU!). One young girl I talked to by the Showmanship patterns was absolutely TERRIFIED of the prospect of doing her ridden class, she was sure he was going to drag her off her horse and punch her out if she screwed up! I'd add a "lol" here except it didn't seem that far from the truth!

I wasn't worried, I was carrying my whip, I could blind him if he tried anything, LOL! Turns out there were two of us for "Pleasure Type Geldings", and the fellow was very pleasant to me at the in-gate, and admonished me to "show that Arabian in the free-spirited trot that is his nature"...er...okay...I thought we did quite well, Quzqo set up for me SO nice, and was obsessed with my whip handle so he stretched and pricked his ears and stood so nice...the woman judged asked me how old he was, and turns out she is "into" Egyptian Arabians...course I thought I had the class sussed, because the other entry was that Paint/Shire cross (the one that almost crushed us earlier in the week). ..but, I guess "Touche'" was the better specimen, because he took first, Quzqo 2nd under both judges. GRRRGH. I was a little torqued off, considering my horse was clean enough to eat off of, his hooves were gleaming, his whiskers trimmed, he smelled of fragrant horse makeup and hair mousse, and was the prettiest horse in the WORLD! No, they liked Touche' better, even though he had manure stains on his knees, they hadn't trimmed anything on him, with big whiskers hanging off his face and big hairy ears.

The Champ and Reserve went to ponies, so at least I have that consolation...although in the showback, the lady judge asked me how old my "mare" was! LOL! Good memory, that one.

Guess my horse sucks...here I thought he was a nice example, but guess I'm wrong...should have shown him as a mare!

The lady judge made one of the little girls with a pony cry, because she told her she wasn't allowed to show her pony in a snaffle bridle with a bright purple ribbon browband...the girl was VERY upset, because she was wearing a matching helmet, and it WAS cute...sheesh, cut her some slack, woman!

On to the ridden classes...the judges didn't WANT to wait 45 minutes for lunch, so by the time I got Quzqo tacked up, and myself changed into my show clothes (no, I don't wear breeches in halter!), they were clearing the arena of the lunchtime warmup riders! I had NO warmup time! No practice time, nothing! Oh, I had about 45 minutes to cool my heels while the other Equitation classes went on (the Show Nazi was pissed that he couldn't force the Novices to perform a pattern with cantering...his idea of a Novice was different than the show association's), so I had to try to warm up Quzqo in the field...he was VERY, er, um, "enthusiastic", and totally ignoring me, he wanted to go to his pasture! We ended up doing small bending circles near the arena, got him supple if nothing else (and it was nothing else)

Novice Huntseat Equitation, 19/over, 4 entrants. Quzqo was...well...Quzqo . We just did rail work, no pattern at all (goody!), Quzqo was more high-headed than I'd EVER seen him...but other than that I thought he did well...he trotted nice and forward, slowed to a walk, wouldn't back for love nor money, turned around nice, trotted nice and forward with his nose in the air, slowed to a walk, and didn't veer towards the gate. While we were waiting to exit, the woman judge came up to me, put her hand on my knee, and told me "This isn't Dressage; this isn't Saddleseat. That whip is much too long. I didn't count it against you, but either use a crop or nothing at all". I thanked her for her input, and slashed her across the face, she clutched her eyes that spurt blood like crushed tomatoes...er, wait, no...I thanked her and rode out of the ring (LOL). Well, that's a first..yes, I ride with a Dressage whip, but I don't USE it, I just have to carry it so Himself behaves! There was only one class between then and my next class, no time to go to the barn, so I just dropped the whip by a fence and figured well, I'll ride without it, he's moving nicely when other horses move, so...I might not need it.

We placed 4th out of 4 under both judges for Equitation...LOL. I'd hate to think what we'd have done if she DID penalize me for the whip...

Next class was "Novice Step-up Class", which is Open to all ages, and involves cantering. Yeah, I was a little nervous, but the On Deck area filled with equally nervous Novices (of which I was the oldest!)...my Lord, the barn owner's 4 yr old granddaughter was in my class! LOL, pathetic...but I noticed with some smugness the other three adult ladies who were in my Novice walk/trot Equitation didn't have the nerve to do the "Step Up"! Harrumph! I just hoped we didn't kill any children!

First direction, Quzqo did...um...okay...other than the SUDDEN VEERING AWAY TOWARDS THE OUT GATE! The little shit, every time we got to the corner the furthest from the gate, he'd try to VEER away, cutting corners, cutting across the arena...he ignored my legs, ignored my heels, ignored the spurs (round ball spurs, lest you think I'm abusing the lad). BUT, when they called for the canter, he just oozed into a VERY sweet, balanced (albeit fast compared to the 7 Quarter Horses in the arena with us) canter! I was proud of him...no running off, grabbing the bit, going ape! He still wouldn't back, but I think I got the 5 required steps out of him (took a while). The other direction went okay until they called for the canter, he started out nice until we got to the stretch of fence directly opposite the out gate...the little shit VEERED suddenly to the right and ran RIGHT across the arena, we missed the man judge by a few feet (flashback to Tezlu's showing days), and a well-placed kick got Quzqo back on the rail...GRR...I know what we need to work on!

No lecture from the judge, and I'm HAPPY to say that Quzqo placed 5th out of 8 under one of the judges, and no placing from the other. I'm ASSUMING the Arabian-loving lady judge gave us the placing...the one we DIDN'Tt almost trample to death!

Last class of our day was Novice Huntseat Pleasure, 19/over...walk/trot, heh heh. Quzqo did better...I had dumped my dressage whip and found my shorter riding crop with no lash...guess the lady judge liked THAT better...and maybe she noticed that Quzqo , er, um, behaved a bit better when I did ride with a whip...nice forward motion, no veering, no nonsense, and he even
backed a tiny bit better! We got a 4th and a 2nd!!! (out of 4) WhooHoo!! I'm keepin' that 2nd place!

Today was another day, with lovely severe thunderstorms in the early morning hours that flooded the arena! Believe me, after yesterday's DUST, the mud was welcome! They held the morning classes in the indoor arena (Showmanship, Halter, Lead Line), give the outdoor arena time to drain and de-liquify a bit. The bad weather scared off a lot of entrants, so, Quzqo WON his halter class...of course he was the only entrant, *sigh*. We got our clock cleaned in the Showback, beaten by an OUTSTANDING pony stud...he was small, so he might have been a Shetland (what do I know)...phew...no contest there. BUT, Quzqo now has a(nother) Reserve Championship rosette!! If only the show staff hadn't forgotten and LEFT THE RIBBONS OUTSIDE ALL NIGHT IN THE RAIN! LOL, yes, soaked through, I hung it on his stall and the center fell out! No, no replacements (technically I should have gotten TWO rosettes, since it was a double-judged show, but more on the ribbon shortage later)

At least this time I had time to get him tacked up (because I didn't change into riding togs, I rode in my black jeans and already had my shirt and coat on) and into the arena with the rest of the riders. He started out high-headed and horrible, but as we rode, working on transitions which REALLY helped him focus and settle down (trot five steps, walk five, trot eight, walk three, stop, back, canter 5, trot ten, etc, etc, keep 'em guessing)...that, and the soft wet dirt sucked his energy right out of him, LOL! After half an hour he was slow, calm, rounded, and kept stopping on his own. I was wearing my own personal sauna, GAAAH! Humidity had to be around
99.9999%, thank goodness for the cloud cover.

Different judges today, I got no lectures, but I used my shorter crop just in case. In the Equitation Quzqo did VERY well (I thought), but I guess *I* suck, because again we got 4th out of 4 entries. :-P----

For the Step-up class, I think I counted 12 entrants this time (Bob's 4 yr old granddaughter again, but none of the women from the Novice 19/over class, wimps!). Quzqo did VERY well the first direction, his canter has SO improved (considering 1 yr ago he couldn't canter with a rider at all!). We had to keep dodging around the slow-assed QHs clogging our way with their huge rumps...I swear, the whole landscape was a rolling sea of big brown butt cheeks!! As luck would have it, they called for the walk from the canter JUST as we were approaching the Out gate, so I had Noooo problem slowing Quzqo down, LOL (probably not a good thing to encourage). The other direction went well until they called for the canter...despite his faults, Quzqo is SO good about picking up his correct leads...I saw plenty of highly-trained showhorses taking wrong leads during the day (probably too highly-trained!).

We were cantering so nice, and up ahead was Bob's granddaughter on her big wide-load chestnut QH...I shifted Quzqo a little to the right...and he VEERS off across the damned arena again, heading for the OUTGATE! Again the judges had to jump out of the way (why do they keep
standing there? Stand in the middle or something!), and I got him back on the rail...we came around again, and there's ANOTHER damned QH in our way...I try to move to the inside and Quzqo VEERS off to the right heading for the out gate! Thankfully they called for a walk and the end of the class right then. Hm. We need to work on that.

No placing under Judge "A", but 6th place from Judge "B"!!!!! Out of 12, that ain't bad!!!

Finally, the last class of the show for us, the Huntseat Pleasure, Novice 19/0ver. Same ladies from earlier. We did all right I think...screwed up the Back-5-Steps, but what else is new. Quzqo had a lovely floating ground-eating trot (but not fast or out of control), his head was lower (not
low, not sky-high either), I got my diagonals right...after the class the judges had us line up, which was something new...and one by one they talked to each of us...the first woman, whose big-assed QH was nearly black with sweat, they admonished to give the horse a rest, don't work him so hard, he shouldn't be that soaked with sweat from head to toe...the woman blathered
about how hot it is (er, it's cloudy, in the low 80's, not that bad). The next lady received general complements...me, they asked if I did a lot of Endurance Riding! BWAHAHAHAAAA! No, I explained this was Quzqo's 4th show (actually it's his 5th real show, but I forgot), and that he's a
rescue...they were impressed and repeatedly told me to keep up the good work, and they hoped to see him do even better next year! (aw, gawrsh! guess they don't mind getting run over occasionally). The woman on my right was on a big-assed Paint horse, and although the judges spoke quietly, from what I gathered they saw the horse was limping throughout the whole class, and that they would have given her first and 2nd place except that she rode an obviously lame horse, which they thought was cruelty...the woman said she was riding the horse in the field and felt him step on something like a rock and he probably has a stone bruise, and she didn't think it would matter...after all, she's a Dressage rider...(???)...well, the judges didn't buy it, and basically disqualified her!

Which meant Quzqo and I got 3rd out of 3 from both judges!

Heh heh...when I was leading Quzqo back to the barn, I saw the Dressage Queen SOBBING to her friend how she'd been disqualified! Give me a break! This woman was an adult, not some 19 yr old! Ha, and I call my horse a Drama Queen!

That's it for this weekend. Since the showholders apparently forgot to ORDER RIBBONS, they had a severe rosette shortage...since they didn't have dates printed on the ribbons, they were using leftovers from last year, but by mid-afternoon yesterday they'd run out of Blues (except some they'd hoarded away for today's leadline class). Instead they incorporated a system where
you'd get a square of cardboard...blue, red, yellow, white, BLACK (they couldn't find pink), green. Each placing then had a monetary value, and could be redeemed at "Bob's Tack Store", which they had set up near the show ring. They had everything from mane combs ($1) to Western neoprene cinches ($18)...kind of a neat idea, although at first I wasn't keen on the idea.
I'm a novice, I WANT pretty ribbons to hang on my tack cupboard door, dammit! But by this afternoon, I had a big fistful of, well, last place ribbons, nothing to be real proud of, and since I had two blue pieces of cardboard from today's halter class...I ended up with $11.50 worth of credit (I'm keeping the rosettes that were actual achievements, i.e. I beat someone else to get them, LOL)..bought a lovely PURPLE feed bucket and a red lead rope...what the hey.

How To Kill Your Horse

Fri Jul 22, 2005

Had a semi-lovely afternoon at the barn, fussing over Quzqo, making him the Ultimate Purdy Boy for the horse show at the barn tomorrow...he was pretty obnoxious, fussing and wiggling and pawing and intent on goobering up the back of my head (that's a strange sensation, a sloppy moist horse muzzle pressing down on your head as you're bent over trimming fetlocks) (think I'd better take a shower and wash my hair tonight)

While I was fussing over Himself, one of the boarders was saddling up her horse across the arena...he's a huge ex-racehorse named "Tab" for short. They arrived at the barn last fall, and she'd been working with the barn's trainer, taking riding lessons, and having the trainer work on with the horse. The woman has always been a...well.....abrasive bitch. I remember the first time I saw her, she came STORMING into the barn cussing a blue streak because the barn workers had put her horse out in the pasture! And her mousy husband trailing behind her ten feet behind (a safe distance?), not saying a word. Oh, poor thing, she had to walk out to the pasture and get her horse! Those "goddamned assholes" put him outside!

That horse spent the entire winter in his stall, coming out only when she showed up to ride him. When spring and summer came, she allowed "Tab" to go out, but ONLY at night, he still had to spend the days inside. I remember one lesson with the trainer, when Deb, the trainer, was riding the horse, he was nice and rounded, nice energetic trot, did what he was asked. When his owner rode him, his back was hollowed, his head was up, and she was sawing on the reins like she was rowing a boat. I believe the horse bucked her off shortly after, LOL, but she got back on and tormented the beast the rest of the evening.

Well, as I mentioned, she was saddling up Tab, I didn't pay her much notice, I was too busy searching for stray whiskers on Quzqo's nostrils (love those purple plastic nose shavers!!)...a few minutes passed, suddently Tab and his rider came GALLOPING into the barn FLYING down the length of the indoor arena and nearly slamming into the far wall! Scared the shit out of Quzqo, I'm lucky my feet were far enough away or he would have stomped me for sure! She spun around and trotted Tab back outside...I couldn't figure WHAT she was doing...if she wanted to practice galloping, the entire outdoor arena was free, and it's a lot bigger than the indoor, and not filled with tractors, sawdust trailers, and temporary stalls (for the horse show). A few minutes later they came back, GALLOPING FULL BORE down the length of the arena...turned around (I couldn't see because of the temporary stalls), and trotted back out. I was getting pretty annoyed...what an obnoxious bitch!

She came back into the barn, dismounted, and led Tab over to the counter by the door where the phone is...about 10 feet from where I had Quzqo tied...Tab was fussing and wiggling and dancing and pawing, he swung his rear around, I quickly untied Quzqo and backed him away, just missing being smacked by a huge TB ass. She smacked him in the shoulder and told him to
"focus"...gave up on trying to make a call, and led the horse back into the arena, and I assume untacked him...about 10 minutes later she was stomping around the arena, dragging Tab behind her...

I went outside to give Quzqo a sponge bath /touch-up with the whitening shampoo...he'd graze while I scrubbed those stubborn spots (O, I miss my brown horse!!)(but wouldn't trade Quzqo for one!)...came back in, was doing something else, I heard people talking, something about "colic" and "did anybody call the owner?" and "she's here"...they were trying to contact the vet, but couldn't for some reason (I think it was long distance and the kid doing the dialing didn't know about dialing a "1" first)...eventually here came Tab and his owner, dragging him along...oh, shit...Tab is colicing???

My friend with the Paint mare was there by then, and she confirmed it...you could see just the way he was moving....his stomach was tucked up, back hollowed, head up, moving stiffly...the woman started TROTTING him around...both my friend and I were kind of incredulous at THAT...I've dealt with enough colicy Arabians where I used to board and we NEVER trotted them, only walked them (and walked them and walked them and walked them), gave them a shot of Banamine, walk 'em til you get a fart and a poop. But the owner (I don't know her name, had no wish to learn it) was dragging that horse at a FAST walk, then a TROT, then a fast walk, then trotting...eventually one of the barn boys was following them with a rod with a rag tied at the end, shooing the horse along, keeping him moving. I had to take Quzqo back outside for more touch ups, when we came back inside, Tab was down...five people were yelling at him, hitting him, whipping him, dragging on his face...eventually they DID get him up, and were back
dragging him, hitting him on the butt with the rod...more than once his hindquarters started to buckle but they yanked and beat at him to keep him moving.

Had to take Quzqo outside to get his hooves dry so we could shave his pasterns, took him out back and walked past Tab's trailer...they had custom lettering on the front, "The Tabulator...Ex-Racehorse"...bitterly I thought they might have to change that to "The Tabulator, Ex-horse".

By the time we got back, that poor horse was soaking wet from nose to tail in sweat..."He's not used to the heat!" I heard the bitch owner say...(it'd been in the upper 70's today)...they never did get ahold of the regular barn vet, but luckily were able to get ahold of another vet whose office was just a few miles from the barn. By the time she showed up, Tab had fallen down again, and there was nothing they could do to get him up. The vet checked what she could, and conferred with the owner, who was crying by now (probably angry she'll have to change the lettering on her horse trailer)...I took Quzqo back outside (just couldn't get those brown spots to
clean up!) for more sponge-bath, but we were right outside the barn door, and I saw them shepherding the owner away...oh, shit.

After 5 minutes or so, I brought Quzqo back in, and they had put Tab down. They brought around the tractor with the bucket on the front, and Bob, the barn owner, told the guy which pasture he was to dig the hole in, and that Bob would bring the horse out. Call me hardened, heartless, cold, whatever, but it was interesting to watch. Never occured to me that they'd use the forklift on the barn tractor...made sense. God knows I've seen enough dead horses in my day, including my own, so it didn't bother me at all...Sandy, my friend, had taken her Paint to the back barn to finish banding her mane, she couldn't watch. Believe me, that dead horse was in lot better shape than he'd been 15 minutes early, writhing and rolling and kicking in AGONY because he had a stupid BITCH for an owner!

That's another thing...I don't feel the least bit sorry for that woman. Couldn't happen to a more deserving person. That horse had dropped around 200# over the Summer, she kept it in a stall (why? because it was getting fat with the free-choice hay or grazing?), she hit him, she yelled at
him...I think that horse is happier now.

I know Bob was rushing to get the dead horse out of his indoor arena, because people were arriving for the horse show tomorrow...can't look too good, having a dead horse blocking the temporary stalls...two women had to wait outside with their horses because Tab was blocking their assigned stalls.

Still kind of hard to believe...how a horse can go from galloping down an arena to dead in 2 hours. Makes you wonder. Makes ME wonder anyway.

And yes, I wish to HELL I had had the guts to speak up when they were trotting him around, but had to admit, that woman intimidated ME as well. Toss another thing into my pile of Life's Regrets.

But on a BRIGHTER note...yesterday morning one of the boarders' mare gave birth to an ADORABLE little filly! And the circle of life continues...albeit a bit backwards in this case.

"One child born to carry on, carry on..."

Quzqo's Perfect Show Record

Thu Jul 21, 2005

We went to the fun show at the fairgrounds last night, and Quzqo was his usual nigh-perfect Self! I'll give him this much, he's getting much better and more mellow about trailering...he only put on ONE Drama Queen "No, I don't THINK so" about getting into the trailer, but I just backed him up a few feet, then we tried again, and he stepped up and in (as opposed to LEAPING like a show jumper). At the fairgrounds he stepped out, instead of LEAPING like a show jumper. He even behaved himself at the fairgrounds. He's been there twice before, so I think he knows where he is, and isn't worried any longer...back in May he was wiggling all over, whinneying, pawing, being an idjit.

Got a wonderful surprise, mainly seeing an old friend from the barn where I used to board, gosh, I haven't seen her in 7 years or so! What's worse, her cute little daughter who used to ride in the kiddie classes atop their big QH mare is now **20**, and would be riding against ME in the "over 19" class! AAAGH! With the same laid-back QH who always did great at the shows, *sigh*. She (the horse) was Tezlu's girlfriend and she used to beat him at shows back then! LOL, we used to compete against each other in the NOVICE walk/trot classes in 1990!

Was a pretty crowded show, I think the largest class was 19 for the Novice Western Pleasure! They had 11 entries for the Lead Line...amazing! (and too cute for words!) I only took Quzqo into the Huntseat Pleasure, which had 9 in it. He did....okay. He was better about going into the ring (back in May he pitched a Fit at the in-gate, not wanting to go in), lovely trot, lovely transitions, didn't spook at the row of dumpsters at one end of the arena, picked up his correct leads...and proceeded to BOMB AROUND THE ARENA LIKE A CRAZY MAN!! LOL! Tried my darnedest to calm him down...relaxing my seat, sitting upright, cooing to him to be "eaaaaasy... eeeaaaasyyy", but didn't do much good...I was sort of in a dilemma, because I knew if I tried to collect him up with the reins, he'd slow down to a trot, I had to urge him with a spur a couple of times in the corners, but at least he made it all the way around the arena 3 times without breaking his gait or veering for the gate..which was GOOD because some damned kids had opened the OUT gate and left it open, we had a four-foot opening...but he was cantering on his right lead by that time, and the gate was to our left...or he might have veered for it (he did that to me in the warm-up ring later, but we were trotting). We cut off a Pro Trainer on a QH, I hope she heard my "Sorry!", LOL.

He slowed to a walk real nice when asked, turned like a pro, walked nice, picked up his right lead VERY nicely...and proceeded to BOMB AROUND THE ARENA LIKE A CRAZY MAN! Well, at least he can do it in both directions, LOL! However, halfway through the cantering phase I felt him round and actually relax and slow...and we got a few strides of a very nice civilized cantering (for an Arabian in a snaffle bit). Trot, line up, back...which he DID...for Quzqo, backing is an issue, but I'm happy he gave me the two steps he did...when I got him, he wouldn't even back from the ground, never mind with a rider!

Course we didn't place, thus his perfect show record of non-placing! I guess I should figure ANY improvement from a previous effort is a Blue Ribbon, and I have to remember this was his FOURTH 'big horse' class in his life, so...not so bad.

The horses from the Arabian Show Barn (where I used to board) were there...all the Class A National Champions...damn, they were BEAUTIFUL, *sigh*. Sleek, elegant, arched necks, silky manes, glossy...prancing and mincing and being so perfect...had to remind myself that they're also into their teens in age, been trained to the gills and beyond, and the English ones were wearing Kimberwickes, and the Western ones had curb bits the size of pipe wrenches. I'd mince and prance delicately if I had more hardware than Ace in my mouth too!

We got back to the barn around 10...today I hope to just go on a nice, no-nonsense trail ride in the State Forest...try out my new endurance saddle (need to drill some holes first!). Won't give a crap what his headset is, or what lead he takes, or on which diagonal I post!

Quzqo T. Naughtyhorse

Tue Jul 19, 2005

Okay, you Moms with sulky teenage boys, can you give me some advice here? I swear, last night Quzqo transformed into a pouty, sulky, petulant human teenager! Why? Because Mean Mom wouldn't let him eat hay in his stall and took him to the yucky boring dumb arena and was trying to make him do stuff!

He got to enjoy his evening grain, was adorable while being brushed, feasted on carrot chunks and got clicker-trained, but once the saddle was on him and we started for the door, he started drrrraaaaagggging along behind me like a dead weight, dawdling and procrastinating, stopping to sniff the ground, trying to get at the round bales, stopping to look at "something" far away, dragging his feet...I would have had better luck dragging one of those round bales down to the
arena!

Got on him without an argument (for once), had his draw reins on, he dropped his nose to the arena dirt, and would NOT raise it! He wouldn't walk, he wouldn't trot, he kept dropping his head right down to the dirt...nothing there, just sand...no amount of heels or spurs got him to move, a pop (to my boot) with the whip got him to shuffle a couple of steps before stopping and dropping his head. I got off and looked in his mouth, maybe the bit got under his tongue...nope, everything was fine! Draaaagged him back to the mounting block, got back on...down went the head, horse wouldn't move. He was POUTING!

Finally I hauled his head UP, popped HIM in the butt with the whip, and got him moving, and managed to get him walking around the arena at least. There were 4 other horses being worked, so it's not like he was alone! I could NOT get him into a trot! He wouldn't even walk faster, just totally ignored me (spurs and all), wouldn't back up, wouldn't turn, kept dropping his head (I wasn't even using the draw reins, they were just "there", I was using the snaffle rein entirely)...got him into a NICE trot along the rail until he decided to VEER to the right to the middle of the ring! He wasn't spooking, he just decided he wanted to go THAT way! Earned himself a multitude of small circles before returning to the rail...he pulled that around 5 times at various spots in the arena, at the trot AND canter! Little bastard, LOL!

Eventually I gave up, and we went on a trail ride around the perimeter of the farm, and he was fine, a bit draggy, but more enthused about THAT. What a nut!

Bad news for him...Tomorrow night is the fun show at the Fairgrounds, which means he gets to PRACTICE tonight, and no excuses this time! 'tis a sad testimony if he thinks he can get himself labeled "ring sour" after maybe 2 hours' total ring work in a two week period, LOL!

Shall I send him to his room and take away his X-box?

You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd

Sun Jul 10, 2005

And you can't show an Arabian at a Paint Horse Show!

Yep, what I THOUGHT was going to be that cool Arabian/Morgan Assn. show this weekend, turned out to be a Memorial Horse Show to benefit Cancer Research put on by a PAINT HORSE ranch!

Fish, meet desert!

LOL, I'm laughing about it NOW...30 hours ago I was near tears regretting the whole caper!!

Started out pretty good, at 6 A.friggin' M. in the morning! I think around 12 horses from the barn ended up going, happily Quzqo loaded like a champ into the 2-horse slant load stock trailer, and rode like a champ the hour drive downstate. That's where his Championship performance ended. Oh, everything went okay, considering...nice small town fairgrounds right in the middle of town, we parked inside the fence about 30 feet from a busy 5-lane highway, but Quzqo didn't mind one bit (except early evening when somebody's car backfired, that horse shot straight up in the air, as far as his tied lead would let him, LOL...he bounced around on the end of it like a balloon on a string until I got him calmed back down to Earth!). He'd even peed in the trailer, so when I opened the door, I was greeted by Lake Quzqo with a big island of shit in the middle! What a good boy! (Had to do something to occupy himself I guess)

Was surprised to see an aquaintance there, and found out later he was showing an adorable dark dark bay yearling filly (what's he got, ASBs? She had that look) About as big a fish out of water as Quzqo, considering the woman the show was memorializing was big into Paint horses, and 80% of the equine flesh in attendance were Paints! 18% were QHs, I saw one App, Three Arabians, two Morgans, a BLM Mustang, one Mini horse, & the ASB. Oh yes, and one TB (retired race horse from our barn). Everything else was Overo, Tovero, Tobiano, Sabino, Minimal Overo, Splash, WHEW! If you were into pinto coloration, you'd have loved that show!!

Well, despite his having spent the night in a sheet, Quzqo still managed to WALLOW and GRIND in great gobs of green manure ALL over himself, both sides, AND his face... I knew he was tired the previous night, but c'mon! Thankfully my trailering companion with an overo Paint mare, had some blue shampoo, so poor Quzqo got another bath on the fairgrounds. It was 75 degrees by 9 a.m., he had NO problems drying off in time for his first class, which was the Halter Jackpot. Since it was also double-judged, I had to pay double-fee to enter! $20, but I was SO confident in my good-lookin' boy. (he WAS gleaming, even his pasterns were shimmy silver in the sunlight, his crest and dock moussed so not one stray hair showed, clipped and buffed and polished and sweet-smelling and SO dapper in his new show halter...Phew!) There were 7 entries in the class...1 Arabian and 6 PAINTS (duuuuh). I'd been clicker-training him for weeks to get him to "target" to the handle of my whip, and he's gotten so good he didn't even need the apple hidden in my hand, or the clicker...I got him set up, and raised the whip, and he just snaked his head right out, ears pricked, up high and arched and held it and held it and held it, even cocking it slightly...I was SO proud of him...I hoped the judge noticed that the lead was totally slack (but not sloppy), demonstrating what a good, obedient horse he was, stretching everything he owned to flatten that topline and just ooze grace and beauty....

Yeah, we got nuttin'. But, they only placed to third (cash prizes), so that means the other 3 Paints got nuttin' as well. But I was proud he did so well, even though I'd pissed away $20 in the process (I reminded myself, "it's for a good cause...cancer esearch!")

Had about 45 minutes 'til his REAL Halter Class..."Pleasure Type Geldings" (no, no "Most Classic Arabian" class, *sigh*, though they did have a "Color Class" for the PAINTS!), so I let him enjoy some hay and relax by the trailer...then I discovered on his left buttock, a big long streak of unrinsed blue shampoo! AAAUGH! No, it wasn't blue any more, it'd soaked in, so it was just a long dark grey area, with lots of dust/dirt stuck to it...but it also could have been just part of his coat pattern, if you
weren't familiar with Quzqo's back buttock! Plus his buttock was facing West during the class, which meant when the judge was on that end of him, the sun would have been in his eyes, so I doubt they saw it...needless to say, Quzqo's left buttock got a quick sponge-off!

Watched the Pleasure Type Mare class, a lovely Morgan took the first, don't know what took 2nd because they dismissed the class, and later would announce the placings, using the entrant's name and number, not the horse, so you really had no idea who won what unless you knew the people...hated that method! There was a lovely bay rabicano Arabian mare in that class, but she got 3rd I believe...a Miniature Horse got 4th out of 4 (which had no business being in that class since they also had a Pony Halter class)

My friend's yearling won the Weanling/Yearling class, no surprise there...that was a gorgeous filly...dapples galore!

Finally Pleasure Type Gelding...with a whopping TWO entries...Cusco, and a bay Arabian gelding with, well, a pretty straight head and a big dip in the back and a big round butt (BubbleButt the Race Horse?). No, I'm not just being barn-blind, my old guy, Tezlu, with his skinny chest and rafter hips had better conformation that that thing...just that concave topline would
have kept me from showing it in Halter...he was being shown by a young teenage girl in a Western slinky top (blue with spangles), and neither she nor horse knew what they were doing. So, we trotted into the arena, I got Quzqo set right up, he stretched beautifully, better than before...but started to get fussy and bored, and started cocking his hind leg...I'd get
him set up again, he'd move his front leg..I put it back, he'd decide to look over to the left...and cock a hind leg, I'd get him set right up again, finally he got bored with bugging me and posed VERY nicely for a good long stretch...meanwhile the other girl's horse was all over the place, switching his tail, back hollowed, head up high, legs everywhere...

The judges dismissed us from the arena, to await the placings...didn't have to wait long. Judge "A" placed Quzqo FIRST (out of two, BFD), but Judge "B" placed the bubble-butt first and Quzqo Second! GRRRRGH! The sun must have been in his eyes, or else he likes teenage girls (she wasn't buxom either)...more likely he didn't give a crap about stupid Arabs and felt sorry for the kid so gave her a blue because that other broad probably has big bucks to have such a fancy horse and get-up and knows what she's doing and probably has a spare room full of trophies, so give the kid a blue ribbon, what the hell, who cares, this is a PAINT horse show!

Well, at least we got two rosettes (a rather morbid design I thought, with two black streamers...I know the woman who died was the showholder's sister, but how about something a little more optimistic???), and got to go into the Championship Showback! Which took place a few minutes later... Quzqo did WONDERFUL...he showed his little self like never before, plenty of "Look at MEEEE! I'm PRETTY!"...Ibn Bubble Butt was all over the place like before...unfortunately the Showback also included my friend and his yearling which stretched right out and stood so nice, and another woman with the Morgan from the Mare's class (technically there should have been another mare, but who knows where she went, I didn't care!). Of course, the woman with the Morgan took the Champ, my friend took the Reserve, Quzqo and Ibn Ben Bubble got naught...but when I saw they didn't have proper Championship rosettes for prizes (just handed out a regular Blue for the Champ, Red for the Reserve),
I felt better! Cripes, they couldn't at least get tri-colored rosettes? Or they couldn't figure out how to include the BLACK streamers into them?

Quzqo did good though...Halter is his forte'...fortunately a mere 13 days from now is the two-day double-judged show at the barn, so we can try again! And hopefully they won't have a pair of fat old cowboys judging!

UNfortunately about 10 minutes later they had a 30 minute break for lunch, so the arena instantly filled with riders warming up their horses...I had to change clothes, braid up the horse, tack up the horse...get ON the horse...GAAAH! I made it to the arena with TWO minutes to go before they chased everyone out...at least I got to ride him around half the arena, past the announcer's stand...he was very calm about the whole thing, very ho-hum (he spent half the morning yawning). Our first class was English Equitation 35/over, had quite a wait...tried doing some warm-up circles, bending, flexing, little bit of trotting back and forth, he seemed fine, mellow, not spooky or gawking in the least. My biggest problem was I was TERRIFIED, LOL. Not keen on taking a horse into a strange arena for the first time and having to canter him...why O why didn't I lie and enter him in Novice! The woman we rode down with was smart, she DID sign up for the Novice WP & Western Horsemanship, never mind she's shown Morgans for eons... she figures her horse is a novice (4 yrs old), so that counts. U-huh...

Class finally came, the judge had the entrants enter at a walk and find a place on the rail. Quzqo followed the other horses in and figured it was a trail ride, so when the horse in front of us went way ahead and stopped, I tried to stop him a good distance behind...oh, no, he wanted to follow THAT horse...and started to yank and pull and throw his head around and try to
sneak up to the other horse...I walked him in a tight circle, JUST as we're facing the wrong direction, the announcer goes "TROT!" and the class starts trotting! I quick whisk the horse 180 degrees and get him into a NICE posting trot...we've been working on that long enough, he'd better be good at it by now!!

Doing quite well, we start to pass the other horses...there
were 7 in the class...6 Paints and QHs and one Arabian. They call for a Walk, he slowed right down..."Canter"! Well, it took a little bit of heel but I got him into a pretty, um, er, energetic canter...we passed more horses, cut across the end of the arena, came down the straightaway towards the gates and he STOPS! "Hey, the gates! We're done! Let's go home!"

I get him BACK into a canter, we go maybe 1/4 of the arena and he slows down to a trot and walk...I stop him, and get him into a canter from a standstill...I tell ya, I'm about picking that horse up and carrying him!! We pass more horses, get to the end of the arena, he slows down to a trot, I get him back into the canter, then the announcer calls for a walk! THAT he could do. We reversed okay (big whoop), then the judge called for a sitting trot! ARRRGH...well, it's Equitation, right? They judge the rider, not the horse.... Quzqo has never done a sitting-speed trot in his life...I tried to get him into a slow (for him) trot and by God I SAT that thing!!! We were passing all those middle aged women on their stock horses but I was sitting, dammit!! Mercifully they called for a posting trot and THAT I could do, LOL...couldn't we just trot and walk??? Please? Nope..."Canter"!

Luckily Quzqo's right lead is his better one, and he got into a nice (for him) canter...we still passed the other horses, I know we lapped that one tobiano at least twice during the class, LOL! He got near the gates and slowed to a trot and veered to the left. (to the gate)...I KICKED him with my outside heel and got his butt back into a canter and I held that horse in the gait by sheer will power!! My thighs must be made of iron by now! Then they called for a walk, halt on the rail, back three steps (he did, hoorah!!!) (He didn't know how to back up when I got him, so I'm proud of that), line up. I parked him near the gate so we could slink out quickly.

Needless to say we didn't place, but Judge "A" did give me an "Honorable Mention", BWAHAHA! Thank you, judge, I needed that!

$8 down the crapper...but, "it's for a good cause...cancer research!".

What a contrast to showing my old guy, Tezlu...I couldn't get him to slow down at the canter! We'd usually end up doing a hand gallop long AFTER they called for the next gait. I stopped showing him after we almost ran over a judge, LOL!

So I spent the next hour or so moping and disgusted and disappointed and frustrated, and having to deal with perpetually cheery good sports from the barn who would tell me "It's all in fun, isn't it?" "Have a good time, that's what's important" "At least you're making the effort, that's what counts". SHADDAP! You guys have ribbons! Your horses have remote controls
embedded in the pommel of their saddles, with a button for "canter" and "back up", and are big fat stock horses that my horse can walk faster than they can canter! Your horses cost thousands of dollars and have had more education than I have! I'll admit, my dread was that I've got another unshowable Tezlu on my hands, and I WAS so looking forward to being able to
show him...granted he's good at Halter, and is a wonderful person for a horse, but still...

I figured I'd adopt my Equilocity frame of mind..."I paid my money, dammit, I'll make them LOOK at my horse!!!" I just warned the other ladies to give me lots of room, and I can't be responsible for their safety, LOL! English Pleasure, 35/over, here we come!

The class came, I muttered under my breath "It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home..." and into the arena we walked... this time I took him to the left and we found a stop on the rail away from the other horses (no "trail ride" mentality this time!) He started to fuss and twist and suddenly stops...and PEES! Why not! What the hell!! Can't be much worse!! Thus relieved, he started to fuss again, and I was again trying to circle him...AGAIN I was pointing the wrong way when the damned announcer said "Trot". ARRRGH! (Y'know, NORMALLY, when the horses have all entered the ring, the announcer says "This is your class" which lets the rider know that it's about to start...grr). I saw the horse in front of us trotting towards us, I get him turned around and off we go!

Now THIS time I know his tricks, and know about the lure of the out gate, and I'm ready! They called for the canter, I get him right into a nice hand gallop (BWAHHAHA! I don't CARE either!!! Outta my way!!!)...I WAS trying to slow him down, but the new surroundings, all the other cantering horses (8 entries), if I pulled on the reins, he'd throw his head up and speed up, if I tried dropping my weight and leaning back, he'd speed up, if I tried releasing the rein pressure and tensing my tush, he'd speed up...before he'd try to slow down by the gates, and earn a heel to the ribs, and he'd speed up again...we finally got into his "normal" canter, which meant we kept to the inside and passed on the left. They called for a walk...not a problem. Reverse, walk, stop on the rail, back up 3 steps...no problem there! I couldn't breathe, my legs were in agony, and my mouth felt like it was full of cotton, but no problem! "Canter"...Awaaay we go! Yeeahaaa! Outta the way, slowpokes!!! Now for the record, he was doing his normal Quzqo canter, which, I imagine if compared to other Arabians, is pretty normal speed...balanced, ground-covering, animated...able to blow past a cantering Paint horse like it was standing still! "Walk and line up". So we did.

No placing, but at least I had company with one other poor sap this time. But we did it, we did it BETTER (he didn't stop or slow), he picked up the correct lead every time (Even ole Tezlu wouldn't do that!)...so I'll chalk it up to experience...and another $8 down the crapper...("it's for a good cause...cancer research!")

Thank God it was over!! I couldn't WAIT to get OFF that horse (Now I know why the Endurance Riders call that certain condition "Monkey Butt"), get OUT of those clothes, and find some SHADE!!! 3+ hours on horseback in 87 degree sunshine is a bit much! Yes, I tended to Himself as well, he drank two buckets of water and settled down to his hay bag. I got to kill 6 more hours while my companion showed her mare in the Western classes (the NOVICE Western Classes, Grrrr...where she did pretty good, considering it was the mare's first show). The windshield of the truck was well-bedecked in ribbons, and at least the lone BLUE one was Quzqo's!!

Now, ole Tezlu was a pretty self-assured old fellow...you could take him to a show, leave him tied to a trailer with a haynet, and go do something else for hours. You'd come back, find the haynet empty and him standing there with a foot cocked, and that beloved guileless look on his face (He had a big wide white blaze that gave him this innocent dumb look...fooled a LOT of people).

Not so, His Highness Emperor Kuzco.

"Helloooo, Earth to Human. *I* seem to be OUT OF HAY!"

"A-HEM! Why are you over THERE, when *I* am over HERE???"

"This water is warm! I demand fresh, COOL clean water!"

"Pay attention to MEEEEEE!"

If he'd emptied his haybag and scrounged every scrap on the ground, he'd start pawing and digging, if the water was gone, he'd start pawing at the bucket, then look up at me like "WELL????" LOL...Like the obedient slave I am, I'd go get him some more, and at least I got an appreciative nicker...course I had to hold the bucket up for him to take his dainty sips. When the hay ran out, he'd start pawing and jigging around, so I'd take him for a walk around the fairgrounds...he wanted to be involved, that was obvious! Even when he did settle down, he'd face the highway and watch the cars go by, or watch the people at the gas station across the highway, it was pretty neat that he was so "into" everything! Of course, that's probably his first real "away" horse show experience tied to a trailer all day, so who knows (the 2 day show we did last year, we'd rented stalls, so he had a comfy box stall to relax in between classes).

The show FINALLY got over around 8:30 at night! GAAAH! The temperature had plummeted from 90 degrees to a brisk 78, I'd been on my feet for about 14 hours (well, that's counting sitting in the saddle)(but not counting riding in the truck), all I'd had to eat was one hot dog and some potato chips...the horses were crabby and whiny, I was whiny, my companion tripped on her chaps and took a header, LOL (she's fine). Around 8 Quzqo started getting "clingy", and would ooze over to where I was sitting and sort of rest his muzzle on my head or shoulder, LOL! Yep, Arabians ARE "people horses"!

Came loading time and "Sienna" the Paint mare got into the trailer first...I started to lead Quzqo in and he stopped, his nostrils flared, and suddenly Sienna let loose a cannon spray of pee! AAAGH! Jump back!!! LOL! She peed for the first time all day, long and hard, all over the floor of the trailer (I had cleaned it out that morning, so Quzqo's pee had dried up long ago). THEN she took a big stinky dump in the midst of it...and Quzqo would go NO where NEAR the thing! He did NOT want into the trailer, and I can tell you, it was pretty thick in there, LOL!! Coos had a look like "Ewww! Mare Pee!!!"...but, "Make the wrong thing hard, the right thing easy"...he got a little bit of backing up & round&round, then we'd try the trailer again...got his front feet in, he just couldn't make the back ones step that high up, so he hopped out, banging his head on the roof, which almost slipped his halter off his head! No good, that! Round and round and back up back up, try it again, I got into the trailer, tugged the lead, I saw him rock back on his haunches, and the little shit JUMPED into the trailer! LOL! Literally taking flight! What a good boy!!

Got back to the barn around 10:30 p.m....Walking Dead time...even though Himself had scarfed down around 5 flakes of crappy 1st cutting hay during the day, he still wanted two more for dinner...can't imagine where he puts it all!

I didn't return to the show today, though it looks like about everybody else from the barn did...good for them, it got OVER 90 degrees today, LOL...better them than me! I did ride Quzqo (he still likes me, amazing!) this afternoon, in the indoor (shady) arena, and I'd dug out my old draw reins from Tezlu's day, and introduced him to them. It took about a minute, maybe two, for him to understand about draw reins, but once he got the idea that he's supposed to lower his head and tuck his chin to rein pressure, not raise his head sky-high and make faces...I got on him and rode him maybe 20 minutes...I had to use barely ANY pressure to get him to drop his head, and of course, immediately released the pressure when he did...he figured it out
SO quickly it's scary...I'd been avoiding using draw reins because I had some goofy idea of avoiding "abuse" with him, not using anything "artificial", not even a curb bit or kimberwicke, but I think now I realize if they're used as learning tools, they can be a good thing...and he's SO damned smart, who knows, maybe in 13 days, he'll be a different horse!

And thus is our tale told.