back at it

Padame attended her third AQHA show of the season. Her first show was practice riding only. They continued working on overcoming Padames fears in the ring. We did not attend, it was held earlier in the season in MN.

I wrote about their second show earlier this month. It went well and progress was made. Our trainer showed Padame and Brad rode her in the practice ring. 

Brad is back at it and showed Padame for the first time! The third show was on Fathers Day weekend. He has not shown for four years. Since 9/2019. He planned on showing Cierra one more year, but in 2020 the whole world shut down. She retired early.

I am very proud of Brad!! Showing is a hard thing to do. It is even more intimidating at big breed level venue's. Especially on a young horse. Changing horses is hard too. We raised Cierra, he knows her very very well. Brad is building a partnership with Padame. It takes longer when horses live elsewhere. It will be fun watching them develop into a team!

making friends with a guy from Iowa

waiting, waiting (and waiting) SO MUCH waiting!

Friday's pattern was challenging

Brad's showing debut with Padame
(2:15 mins)

This big three day show was well attended. 247 classes! Stalls in both pavilions at the venue were full. There were people, horses, dogs (ton's of dogs, many owners breaking rules and letting them run loose), e-bikes, golf carts, kids on hover boards with flashing lights etc. It was a horse show circus!

Ranch classes were still small, with multiple new faces. Brad's class had 7 entered. If you watch the video's, you will notice area's need work. She wants to go! Brakes need to be softened. Doesn't matter. What matters is that they did it!! Brad is really enjoying his new girl. She is a good horse, with looks to boot. He received many compliments on her throughout the show.

Our trainer showed Padame in two classes. Same pattern as above. The open level class had 5 entries. She was two of them. I learned two horses are the max you can show in the same class. Padame was also shown in the open Western Working Rail class, with 6 entires. They call out gaits, so no pattern. Brad opted not to show that class. Padame will eventually also be shown in open & amateur Ranch Trail. When she is ready.

Friday was a LONG day for everyone! Especially the horses. I left the show the minute Brad got done and made the 50-ish minute drive home to do evening chores. Hours late. I was thankful our horses at home still had hay and were not hangry.

Sunday was a different story. Padame started her pattern with our trainer (open classes went first). The big bad tractor that raked the arena started up just as Padame got to the end of the scary arena. She had to face what was now a moving tractor, just a few feet away. Padame got scared, and it kind of went down hill after that. Nothing terrible happened. Padame is young and basically shut down. She stopped listening to her riders. It wasn't as visible in her first class. 

Sunday's pattern was much easier

I missed the entry part of Brad's pattern because, um, I was chatting. Whoops! The video starts after the extended trot entry to end of the arena. It was a bit scary. I thought we might be in for a rodeo (which apparently happened during a practice ride) or Brad would stop the pattern and walk Padame out. Instead he finished the pattern, the way he felt was best for his horse. Good job Brad!

quieter part of the pattern

(2:33 mins)

Padame was scratched from her third and final class (Western Ranch Rail) after our trainer said "she is not receiving information". Instead of forcing a tired young scared horse to show, like so many would do. Or leave. She simply took Padame into the practice pen and went back to work. It took around an hour of riding for her mind to come back. Of course, we stayed too.

Alllll those gobs of show people had long packed up and gone home. The pavilions were empty. Only the devoted ranch riders packing up remained. No clue why Ranch is treated like a red headed step child. Always last on the show bill.

It was stifling hot. After a long exhausting show weekend, there was our trainer. On Fathers Day, still working late. Talk about one step forward and two steps back. She said "this is like the MN show all over again". She didn't want to leave Padame thinking, getting scared at a show = going home. She did what was right for the horse and we are thankful for her.

A fellow participant commented to me on Friday, that they were really glad Padame ended up with Brad. She continues to be about a year behind mentally & physically. She is more like a four year old and needs time to mature at her own pace. Whatever rate that may be. No doubt Padame will get there. When she does ~ they are going to be a show stopper!