First show... sort of...

So today Lola and I went to our first show. It doesn't really count as our first show since we didn't really go to show. We just went for the experience of getting out and used to the commotion of the show grounds. Next week will be our real first show. This week was a pretend first show. Does that count?

So we got all dressed up in our western gear so that we could take advantage of the western show. I took her into one rail class for the experience. I picked a smaller class so that I wouldn't be in people's way and made sure it was an 18+ class so I wasn't going to be sharing the ring with kids, for my safety more than theirs! As any green and inexperienced horse, she thought the people lining the fence were freakish, the loud speakers were spewing out demons from hell, and there was an awful to look at! She did just fine.

She wasn't going to stay on the rail much without it being an issue, so I chose an inside track which not only allowed me to school her but to pass up all the western horses and their itty bitty tiny step strides! I looked like a freight train to them, I'm sure! So I looked around and there was not a snowflakes chance in hell that I would place, so I sort of said screw trying to make her jog when what I really want is to keep working on her really awesome trot. So we did a little of both, jog a bit then trot forward, then jog (break in to walk, oops,) trot again and so on. I probably looked out of control, and I was POSTING! For shame... I just wanted to make it a good schooling day. I could have dealt with that, but then I did the most shameful thing that you can do at a western show... I lost my hat! AND it hit Lola in the butt on its flight through the air! Loud straw hat hitting horse butt makes quite a sound... and sent Lola rocketing. I don't really blame her. I might start throwing hats at her every so often though. It gets a great reaction! She didn't buck or try to dump me though, and once we gathered ourselves back up, retrieved the hat, and remounted, everyone was lining up. It was a "whatever" moment in my life. She was a good girl. Thats why NEXT week is really our first show!

I did end up with a pictur of us hanging out by the arena afterwards. She was super calm about the show grounds. She was happy to be lead around and snack on the grass. But overall this is what Lola thinks of the announcer over the loud speakers:


Don't we all Lola, don't we all.