First show of the season! Horses! *Pics, dialup friendly*

[Stormhorse23]

Well, my first show of the season went very well. Stormy hasn't done poles since last july so we did pretty badly. We WON Flags and got forth in barrels. Forth isn't too bad considering in our warm-up run, she didn't see the barrel (she is blind) and slightly grazed it and totally freaked out... but hey, first show in a while aint bad! I won $10.50!

Here is my girl, Stormy in her blanket and slinky. They didn't keep her clean, just warm!. She looks even huger than she usually does...
http://i29.tinypic.com/2vt6x3b.jpg

Stormy and Abby, who was shown by a friend of mine. Poor girl...She kept hitting her head on things because she couldn't see

http://i30.tinypic.com/14ayl3d.jpg

 

[helmstead]

HA! Don't spend it all in one place, now!

CONGRATS on getting out there. How great that you have a blind horse and don't make her stand around in a paddock all day. Says a lot, too, that she'll trust you to run speed events and (did I read in another post?) jump.

 

[Stormhorse23]

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Yep, she jumps too. Just jumps a stick like it's six feet! Which is okay with me, because she knows when I say "Jump" she better jump! In speed events "turn" coupled with whatever side the rein is opposite means turn a certain way and "home" means run!

Thanks! Its great when people ask why her eyes look like that and I say "Oh, shes blind" they get this look on their face like Im absolutely crazy.

Ok, story time!
A professional was barrel racing there, too and around the third barrel, the girl just pushed the horse too much and it's head went down on the ground and the poor thing's back legs were everywhere! Then as soon as it's head comes back up, she whips it and makes it run home. I know that in contesting, you're gonna have a fall like that, but I'd be off the second I felt something was wrong. Making the horse run back?

Ok, now I'm done talking!

 

[sweetshoplady]

Congrats on doing so well and on a blind horse! That's like the movie Longshot (one of my favorites). She's gorgeous!

 

[Stormhorse23]

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Aww. Thank you!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

How fun! Was it just a fun show you went to?

I miss doing all the speed classes. My old mare was pretty good at speed, but never good enough to compete against the pros! We usually went to states though!

That's so cool that your mare is blind. You guys must have an incredible relationship for her to trust you so much!

 

[Stormhorse23]

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There were money prizes and professionals took their horses and took advantage of it. They must have had someone of every age group running the same dang horse through every possible class...i bet they took home $100 that day...

 

[justduckie]

Congrats on the placings! And on a blind horse. Wow!

She must love the heck out of you to do that for you.

It's funny, my mare is named Stormie. My husband asked me if this was a good name when we got her as a 6 month old, since it implies maybe some rough times, but she has been the best little mare. Though we did have some really rough times with her as a young horse. She tended to cut easily and had to be put out to pasture to let one really badly cut back leg heal.....for THREE years! She's nine now and is getting ready to do some endurance races this summer.

I hope your horse keeps doing well and don't let those pros get to you. You know what loving a horse really means and it doesn't mean winning a bunch of money. Just the fact that she will run the barrels means you are a much bigger winner than they will ever be.