With showing being my main taste during summer months I find myself sat in the lorry at silly o clock most weekends and think to myself "why do I do it?". Dressage is much simpler. You get given a time for your test, if you're me you arrive an hour before, you do your tests and the pressures immediately off.
Showing is a whole different ball game. I often enter at least two, maybe three classes if I am out showing and usually that means being at the venue for at least 9am in the morning. Living in the middle of no where makes this ridiculously tricky and often I find that my alarm is going off at 4/5am most Sundays.
Before I went away for the week I attended another qualifier for Equifest. Although we gained our qualification at the beginning of the season I knew I needed to get Ceaser out a lot more after being put on hold for 3 weeks earlier on in the season due to him being poorly. So, off we set to a show not too far from us but still a good 50 minute drive in the lorry.
I find it frustrating that wherever you go they are always running behind schedule. I understand venues can't predict how many horses will turn up for each class, but running roughly two hours behind time is a little silly.
Anyway, so by this point Ceaser was bored, but he still behaved impeccably in the Family Horse class, did an immaculate show piece and was by far the best turned out pony in the class. Needless to say the only one who worked in a outline as well. He also took my child rider who I had picked (you needed both an adult and child rider) round super and gave her a lovely ride. Anyway, we were placed 2nd. I was a little annoyed as the child and adult placed 1st were not turned out correctly and the pony went round with his nose in the air. BUT, the lovely child riding the pony was so pleased to get that 1st place trophy that it brought a smile to my face knowing a little girl had just been made the happiest little girl on that show ground.
Next was ridden Veteran; again Ceaser went round lovely, producing a lovely show piece and showed that despite being 16 he really did not act like it. With 20 people in the class there was a lot of waiting around and it was lovely to see such a strong veteran class. All went super and showed no signs of stiffness to me. It was clear the judge had a tough decision, but why she decided to place a pony 1st that struck off on the wrong leg twice in canter is beyond me? 2nd place I strongly agreed with and we were 3rd. Again, I felt the lead-rein pony that came 2nd should have won, and we should have been 2nd. As I was walking out the ring I heard a lot of complaints coming from onlookers who also agreed the 1st placed shouldn't have won it and we should have been higher up. Ahh well, that's showing for you!
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Once I returned from my week away I decided to go showing on bank holiday Monday.
As soon as we arrived at the show I knew Ceaser was full of it. You can usually tell when it comes to tying him up and he is constantly whinnying and neighing at other horses. This comes with him spinning around and pawing at the ground. Then came the rain...
Despite having an hour to go until my class I thought it best to tack up and get in the indoor arena quickly because it was rapidly filling up. Needless to say I had a few bucks in the warm up but apart from that he was going quite nicely.
My class arrived (only half an hour later than scheduled) and the show piece felt good. He showed a lovely gallop and came back to a collected canter quite easily and quickly when asked. I do look at other horses when they're galloping and see how much of a struggle they are to bring back, so I am always thankful Ceaser is relatively easy. This must have shown as I was thrilled to win the class.
Next was Ridden Veteran straight after my first class. Despite usually doing very well in this class my forever-springing-surprises on me pony decided he would rear and nap when leaving the line up. Probably in objection to doing something straight after one class! I was told by the judge after doing my show piece he had gone the best and was turned out the best but unfortunately the rear cost him 1st place. I totally agreed with this and if we had have been placed higher up, would have been willing to hand it down to someone. I don't feel he deserved a higher place than 4th in this class and really do feel its refreshing to see judges judging the class PROPERLY and taking in to account manners as well as everything else.
Luckily in the ridden coloured I had had more time to warm up and he had had time to have a drink and some hay. This, again I feel showed and we were awarded 1st place. The 2nd placed pony looked very strong and it was lovely to be placed higher than someone that had been told "Trot and canter him around for half an hour to knacker him out before you go in the class so he behaves" by her dad in the warm up.It really amazes me how riders get away with this. I was told by a friend that at a show she had recently attended she had overheard a girl say "Put his curb chain really tight so he looks light to ride."
Show riders never fail to amaze me and I am lucky enough to be able to hold my hands up and say that all the work I do with Ceaser is my own work. I do not have to "put his curb really tight" to make him win a class and nor do I feel the need to "knacker him out" before a class so he wins.
To top the brilliant day off we were awarded Ridden Champions which I am absolutely thrilled with. It really showed that Ceaser had redeemed himself after his little 'episode' and makes all the hard work I put in seem worthwhile.
Whilst on this topic I would like to thank my lovely sponsors Global Herbs who are supplying me with the PollenEx supplement as part of their reward scheme I am on. Ceaser suffers during these summer months with the pollen and rape seed and Global Herbs are currently helping me a tremendous amount by providing me with PollenEx to stop Ceaser from head shaking. I really do recommend Global Herbs to anyone needing any time of supplement for their horses. Results are visible in just days of using their products.
Anyway, next week we have another showing show, so we shall see how that goes. I am hoping to get our and do some dressage very soon in the run up for the Petplan Area Festival finals I have qualified for.
