This weekend was the
Horse Expo Last year we missed it and didn't get a chance to go at all. This year we only went to the showcase Saturday night and the expo all day Sunday. I wish we'd gone to more, but it just wasn't in the cards, apparently.
The showcase Saturday night was pretty good. It went long, slightly over 3 hours, so we definitely got our money's worth. Unfortunately we got there a bit late and only caught the very end of
the California Cowgirls drill team. This kind of sucked cause honestly they are my favorite part. A mounted drill team is amazing to watch - I get all sorts of moved and stuff cause it just looks like so much fun. What I love about that team is not only how good they are (there is no way Sugar will canter, let alone gallop, anywhere near another horse, let alone in formation) but also that the age range of the team is so varied - everything from girls my age to (mostly) older women I'd put above 45. Gives me hope I might be able to do it some day.
There were also trick riders, mounted shooting, breed demonstrations (*yawn*, except the
Gypsy Vanner horse, I completely fell in love with those), disciplin demonstrations and short talks by famous clincians. Cindy, you might have loved the free style demo by Hilda Gurney, it was beautiful. And I've decided someday I will own a Gypsy Vanner - they are everything I like in a horse, paint, stocky, not too tall, beautiful mane, tail and feathered feet!
So then Sunday everything was pretty much winding down. I'd never heard of Chris Cox, an Australlian trainer, but his demo at the showcase was stunning. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to watch any of his clinics. However, I am a sucker for the trainers that like to ride bridleless - it doesn't get much better than that. He could do everything, and I mean everything from spins and sliding stops to beautiful half passes and even a piaf (sp??) with only his seat and legs, no bridle at all. I would love, love, love, love to get there someday. Not only with one of my horses, but just with me. To have that balance and control - wow. I know he's not nearly the first to do it, nor the last, but it was just gorgeous.
I did get to see some of the natural trainers I like, and was introducted to a new one,
GaWaNi Pony Boy. All I really saw him do was a demo and clinic on round pen ground work, most of which I am already familiar with. I've actually used this on Sugar and honestly, it totally works. What this guy did that was different was use a rope instead of a whip and he wanted the horse to turn to the inside. I like the rope beter because its easier to disengage/re-engage than a whip that you have to pick up or put down. And I love the turning to the inside - I always hated Sugar turning o the outside. Now I just need to get a round pen set up at Melissa's. If only they weren't totally expensive.
I also learned more about ttouch - which I'm very excited about. Specifically Linda Tellington-Jones spoke about things to do to help colic. This is very useful because Star (Melissa's horse) has already coliced on us twice.
I did get to watch a bit of Clinton Anderson. He's always highly entertaining. He's another Aussie and I could just listen to him forever. Plus he's not too hard on the eyes. A lot of what he says makes sense. His topic was advanced collection through suppleness, so its a bit beyond where I am at right now. As soon as Sugar is ready for under saddle again, I'll go back and watch his stuff again. Of course I understood everything, but I won't remember a lot of it by the end of summer.
So, combining all three of these I have a new plan for training. I'm excited and motivated and that's the best part of the entire weekend.
Today we had the horseshoer out. Star was terrible. *sigh* I'm going to have to work with her too. Sugar was pretty good, though stiff. However, I left before he was done. Honestly, this is the slowest shoer ever. He took two hours doing Star. Two hours! I have no idea how long he ended up taking with Sugar.
I did have a scary thing today - I was taking Mikaela down to her grandma's house and we went for a tumble. I think I stepped down from a tiny hill wrong and my ankle gave. I went down hard on my knee, which is all scraped, red and swollen at the moment still. No purple yet, but tomorrow it will be. Its really stiff and sore, though feeling a lot better after ice and ibuprofen. Of course Mikaela was fine - and falling with her in my arms has been one of my biggest fears. So now I know that if it happens, I can manage to make it so that only I get hurt, and she's unharmed, and that's a good thing.
The other funny thing was that this entire weekend was the Mikaela show. Everyone at the expo loved her, and any time she'd get really close to the horses she'd get all excited and wiggle like there was no tomorrow.
Wow this has been long. I think I'm done now. Good times.