double judged show

Yesterday we had a double judged show for our Northwest Ohio Driving Circuit. Unfortunately, I could not bring Shyloh since all the fees were doubled as well and we were only bringing one trailer. It was rather relaxing to visit and hang out and not have to worry about showing.

Jaime was taking Isaac to help prepare him for fair in a week and a half. Noah was showing his little Meatball. And Terry was showing Reba in the cart classes.

First up, Jaime had Isaac in Halter class. He placed first with both judges, then went on to win Halter Champion under both judges. How awesome is that?

He is a nice looking horse!

When Issac was brought into the ring for cart class, he began to act up. He started rearing and hopping and refusing to go forward. With a horse as big as him, it is easy to get intimidated by his baby tantrums. Luckily, Beth showed up and was able to walk Jaime through the tantrum and Issac straightened up. 

Isaac did very well during the class and ended up taking first and second. Later Jaime asked for feedback from the judge who gave them second and she said that Isaac was having baby brain. So, basically, he just needs more miles and to grow up a bit longer. I think he is going to be a forced to be reckoned with in the next couple years!

He has the nicest, floaty-est trot.

Terry took Reba in pleasure cart class and pleasure reinsmanship class. Reba did great and they took a first and second place for one class and a second and third for the other class. Her feedback was to work on lengthening the trot for the road gait, not speeding it up. 

Fancy!

It seems that everyone is getting fancy for the driving classes now. Even Bethany got all dressed up to take her mule, Millie, in the draft class.

More fancy

Noah showed his pony, Meatball. They were adorable together. Noah got his first blue ribbon on the riding class! It is hard to beat a cute kid on a cute pony, both decked out in English attire and tack! They also took home a third and a lot of fifths. Noah doesn't care what place he gets, he just has fun showing his pony.

Super cute

Beth brought Rambo to ride around on since she is working on making him a trail pony. He is really good for her and she even took him in a fun class, Splash and Dash! They took second! Wish I could have stayed to watch them, but we had to leave.

I also got to ride in the cart with Jessica and her Gypsy, Sairose. Youth riders need an adult to ride with them, so I said I would. I like riding with Jess and her mare, they are a great team. The only problem is the arena is very hard to drive in, really makes the horses work to pull the carts, and does not make for a very comfortable ride for the people.

As always, it was a fun time with friends and horses. And even though I am not taking Shy to fair, I am excited to support my barn and be a part of all the action.

Isaac and his Mini Me, Gracie

first show this year

What a weekend! We had our first show with the Northwest Ohio Driving Circuit (in which my horse no longer drives) and I think it was quite successful. I was so busy on show day I took a grand total of three photos, so I am borrowing photos that friends took. 

We loaded up the horses (seven total, plus three carts, four harness sets, five saddles, and a plethora of other necessary tack) and ended up taking two trailers and three trucks. No joke. We go big or go home. 

We left slightly behind schedule, but not as late a usual so we got to the show with time to spare to get horses ready and decorated for halter classes. While me and Shyloh didn't place in halter or showmanship, Shy and Lily got a fourth place! Even Shy's smile at the judge when we were setting up didn't seem to help our chances. Noah showed Meatball for the in-hand classes and got second place in showmanship! And Isaac took home a third in halter.

While we were waiting for the other participants to finish their patterns in showmanship, we could hear Tommy from the stands asking if it was his turn with Cwutch yet. So cute.

For in-hand trail, me and Shy had the best class we ever had. Shy performed every obstacle perfectly. I felt great coming out of that class and we placed second! Beth and Rambo took first place. 

While Shy did great with me, she gave Lily a little bit of trouble for her trail-in hand class. Now we know what we need to practice. 

For this show, I bit the bullet and did the riding class. I mounted Shy near the trailer and she gave me so much hell when I tried to get her to walk away. I almost gave up, but Beth walked me through it and got us to the ring. Once Shy saw Clutch in the ring, I had no more problems from her, my frustrating buddy sour horse. Shy was great during the class, it was walk/trot, but we only walked it since we haven't been working on trot and I wasn't comfortable with it in such a large arena. 

After we did the reverse, Shy thought it appropriate to stop right in front of the stands, spread her back legs, and pee. And not just any old pee, a five minute long pee that was gallons and gallons and gallons. Right in front for everyone to see and comment on. I kept saying, is she done yet and the unanimous response was nope, each time. Classy, Shy. 

Shy did great and even kept her composure when another rider got bucked off from a wasp that was bugging the horse. Luckily, the rider seemed okay and got back on. My only complaint from that class was that she kept playing with her bit and trying to eat the shanks when we were lined up. 

Lily was up next for lead line riding on Shy. And since Shy did so well during the riding class, I decided to sign up for the ridden trail class, just to see. . . Shy took all the obstacles very easily. We veered from the pattern on purpose (I let the judge know), but we did walk over the bridge and do a couple of the other obstacles. 

For the last lead line class, Lily rode Shy through the trail course. I held the lead line loose, and Lily worked her through each obstacle on her own. I only had to interfere once during the back up when Shy was crooked and I just scooted her rear end over. And they took first place! 

Our classes where over, since we weren't driving, but Terry was driving Reba in her first classes and Notch was being driven by Sierra. Sierra took a couple ribbons with Notch and Terry got a first and second place with Reba for driving. 

It was a really fun and busy show. Hidden Creek Draft Horses did well as a team. And I know what I really want to work on with Shy, trot and trail. I think we can do well! And Tommy said that maybe he will get some wibbons next time. 

last show of the year

Guess what today was? If you read the title of the post, you guessed it. . .the last show of the year. Shyloh was not about to let this show go through without a hitch. 

I got to the barn nice and early to pack up and load up. When I went to get Shy from her stall, she had pooped in her food bowl and knocked her water bucket off the wall and dumped it. Sweet. Let's start the day off feisty!

Angry eating. Shy even managed to fling the whole haynet off the trailer. 

We got to the show, got Shy all prepped, and waited for the first class. Halter mares. As we were waiting, we were standing under a tree. . .the same tree we always stand under while waiting. I reached up and picked a leaf off. Shy's eyes got all wide, like she has never seen a leaf being picked off a tree (which I know is untrue, she picks them off herself). So me, being me and thinking it is ridiculous for Shy to be acting like a moron with the tree, picked another leaf. This was just too much for Shy to handle and she backed/reared her way out of there. So unacceptable. Apparently, someone was watching me torture poor pony and taking photos. I'll add them when I see them.

Into halter class we went. We did our patterned through the wet sandy arena and parked ourselves behind the horse that went before us. After everyone did the pattern, the judge came to inspect each horse. Shy wanted no part of the judge walking behind her. We stood as they called out placings starting with fifth place. As they got to first, only Shy and Millie the mule (the awesome mule who has taken high point every show) were left. Since I have only placed once ever in halter, I knew it wasn't going to be us and was taken by shock as they announced our number for first place. Woot woot! Our first first!

Judges like big pony butts

Shy hates first place. She shook the ribbon off of her halter and stepped on it. Brat. 

We got to go into Championship Halter class against the second place mare, a Gypsy, Notch, and a haflinger gelding. The judge placed Notch and the Haflinger gelding first and second. Shy was not impressed by having to "show" again.

Go Hidden Creek Draft Horses!

Next up, showmanship. I only decided to enter that class because we were not driving so I thought it best to do it. Plus, it was not blistering hot out so we would not be baking in the sun. We did our pattern and Shy ended up with third place! We have never placed in showmanship before.

Ribbons are of no matter to this pony with a 'tude. 

In hand trail followed showmanship. I like the trail classes. This pattern was mailbox, bridge, walk over poles, trot over poles, back through a cones pattern, 360 in a box. Pretty simple. Shy had no problem at the mailbox, you know. . .the obstacle she would not go near last show. . .bridge fine, poles fine. But backing though those cones was another story. She flat out did not want to back. On one attempt, she knocked a cone down. A few attempts later, Shy was able to right the cone back up. Should have got bonus points for that. We ended up with a fifth place in trail.

Then came line driven reinsmanship. Basically, it is line driving the horse though a pattern. This was was walk to the cone, back four steps, trot to the second cone, fan left, trot in an arc back to the first cone, stop. I had plenty of time between classes to practice We did line driving all around the grounds. Shy was doing really good. The time came for the class and Shy refused to walk toward the class. She wanted to face the trailer. I would get her turned in the right direction and she would spin back to face the trailer. This went on for a good 15 minutes. We fought and fought and I was not going to let her win. Finally, as the last person in the class, we made it. And Shy spent the whole class trying to get back to the trailer. Our back up was a spin around to face the trailer. Our fans only purpose was so Shy could be facing in the direction of the trailer. So frustrating, because I know we can do this stuff and do it well, but I now have a horse that is trailer sour. 

After that class, there was no way I was letting Shy go to the trailer. She got to go stand, in her harness still, at the punishment post. Basically, a hitching post that is not near the trailer. She fought it at first, but once she was calm, I took her to the trailer and untacked her.  Oh and I forgot to mention her assault on me as we were waiting for that class to get set up. She kept hitting me in the arm with her bit. I swear it was on purpose. 

Not happy to be on the punishment hitching post. 

Like I said, Shy was not going to make this last show easy for me. But we had fun and got to see our friends and their ponies. Our show season is over and the Northwest Ohio Driving Circuit had a successful first year. Can't wait til next year, after our much deserved winter break.

Shy's I'm sorry, untie me and send me back to the trailer, my boys, and my hay face. 

second show photos

The second Northwest Ohio Driving Circuit show as so much fun. Even though I didn't bring Shy and we missed having Jaime and Kyle there, we had a great time. I got to ring steward with some great judges and I took a a ton of photos. Enjoy!

Mare Halter class line up

Rambo and Beth got Halter Reserve Champion

All the kids and their ponies stole the day!

Lining Alliecat up for Showmanship

Stinky was so good for the kids!

Cody and Burt in trail class

Mini horse, mini person. . . they made a cute team!

Even the smallest of kids could handle these awesome ponies.

Skylar and the Great Saint

Youth riding class

Maddie and Alliecat, love their colors!

This team won the Sportsmanship award.

Lead line class

Loved seeing the older kids helping the younger kids

Everyone had fun!

How cute is this?

I love that this Mule and her momma won High Point for the second time! They are amazing!

Ridden Trail, lead line

More ridden trail, lead line

Art and Beth

Mini driving!

Cody and Lady

More Art!

Driving Sariose

More mini driving

It was nice to see a light horse driving, they did great!

Alliecat being driven

We ended the day with some fun classes, like driven egg and spoon and crazy stakes. I love this circuit, the people are so supportive and so much fun. The next circuit show is not until August, but there are a couple other shows in between I hope to bring Shyloh to show. If not, expect a ton more photos, cause I'm going to the shows with or without horse!