Exciting New 2009!!! Looking back....

[Miniequine]

Do you have a moment or experience at a show or with your horse

that brings goose bumps or lump in your throat of joy when you think about??

I have a few.. one of them....

I took my mare Semi to the Julep cup, to show in halter.

She gets off the trailer.. flagging her tail and being herself..

Peas laughed and said, you should put her in Liberty... so we did.

She went in that ring, all 29" of her and flagged her tail and did this HUGE

animated trot all over.. LOL then... went right over to the Judges box,

head up high, breathing hard... and blew and snorted and stood there

to have her halter put on. It was amazing! AND she did it again at

the East Coast Championship Show. Gets me everytime I think about it

and she won both times LOL Such a precious little mare.

Another.. My stallion Little John,, was pretty mean to me in the ring. He just

HATED it and would strike and bite and kick.. being my very first halter horse..

needless to say,, I didn't think a whole lot of showing... LOL (he is fine at home)

I took him in this huge halter class, like 27 horses.. nervous,, just knowing he would try to get me... and with that many horses.. we would be in there for a long time.....

I was spring loaded.. just knew it was coming any second....

He was PERFECT, stood there with his ears up, never moved.... and won the class.

You could have knocked me over with a feather. I was So proud of him.

I called home,, to tell my family what the ornery boy just did,, but eveytime I tried

to speak,, I started crying....

(He was retired shortly after.. LOL went right back to his tricks...)

Please share your amazing experiences!

[SIZE=18pt]Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/SIZE]

~Sandy

edited for spelling... opp's

 

[Taylor Jo]

I was out cleaning my barn one day and I was standing there cleaning my mares stall and I looked over and this is what I saw. I stood there in AWE as my mare BATHED my lab Sammy. It's a ritual she does on a daily basis now. But, I'm still in awe of it each time she does it. I've never seen a horse do that. She licks and nips him and sometimes they chase each other around the stall as if playing together and then they'll stop and she'll groom him. Sometimes, he's LAYS down and she'll lick his belly all over or she'll lick him from head to toe, just depends on how he's standing or laying. This was like the 2nd day it happened. Now he goes in the stall. It just amazes me. TJ

 

[Riverdance]

I took my patten leather black yearling colt to the AMHA World show this year: Riverdance Scouts Black Tie Affair. I had quite a few trainers and even judges tell me I should enter him in a class that I did not plan on entering him in.

I broke down and paid the $70 entry fee and found there were 20 beautiful horses in the class with about 11 trainers. As the placings were called, I watched as trainer after trainer was called up. All I could think of is what a waste of $70, especially when money was tight for me. I did not see one judge put my number down. As Reserve World Champion was called, in my mind I was thinking about how quick I could walk out of the class, as it was being taped.

Well, all of the sudden they announced AMHA World Champion and my horse's number and his name was called.

I covered my mounth in disbelief and started to cry. It was, and still is, the best moment ever, plus--- I got my AMHA world Champion Jacket Too!!!

This was a colt that I was especially fond of, such a sweet boy and he seemed to love me too. He was sold before this class, and I got to call his new owner to let them know they now had a World Champion. Affair is now in an especially nice home and being oh so spoiled, but I do miss him so!!

 

[targetsmom]

Good thread--

I can think of a couple.

Our mare Ruby wasn't shown until this year as we didn't think she was "show quality". But we trained her to drive, and my husband (a very green driver) wanted to show her in driving at our Pinto shows, where I would be showing our mare "Princess". I figured it would be a good idea to take her to another show first so her very first show experience wouldn't be in a driving class with a very green driver (as oppsed to me, who is only "green"). So I took her to a non-rated show where most of the members also do A and/or R shows, so lots of experience and good competition. I was very nervous warming up, and almost backed out a few times. But I made it into the ring and through the class. And when they announced that Ruby had won, I actually thought it was a joke!! But she did earn it. My husband showed her the next week and didn't win, but had a very positive experience. Ruby then went on to win halter obstacle and hunter at her next 2 shows. She will be back next year.

At the last Pinto show of the season, our stallion Buckshot needed 7 points for his Pinto Championship (150 points total) and Princess needed 7 points in driving for an ROM (35 points total) and 17 points in trail for her ROE (175 points total). The 17 points was almost an impossibility because in order to get those points, she needed 2 firsts and a second in a class of around 12-13 minis, almost any of which could win (including Ruby and Buckshot). When they announced the placings for the trail class, I almost couldn't believe it - she had done it!! Buckshot and Ruby also placed and got points, and Buckshot and Princess also got the other points they needed. Princess was High Point mini of the show for the third time (out of 4 shows) and pretty much locked up High Point mini for the year, although it is not official yet.

But shortly after the last show, our minis did something to give us even more pleasure. We had a 4-H group over and had them meet the minis and then help us set up a trail course. We let Buckhot demonstrate how each obstacle was to be done and then put him back. We then let the kids pick ANY of our other minis, including the broodmares, to negotiate the course. Watching the fun the kids (and the minis) were having gave us more pleasure than the showing. One of the kids was a brand new member with very little horse experience. We are hoping to do more of that in 2009, with other types of groups.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

My best moment with my minis this year wasn't at a show and came about because of the heartbreaking loss of one of my mares. I lost Lady when Dyna was only 9 days old and I kept her in a unfinished room in my basement because it was too cold to go outside every 2 hours all night long. I developed a deep attachment to Dyna while sitting with her alone in a dark and quiet house each night but my very best experience was the night about 3 weeks into it that I dragged myself groggily down stairs to feed this hungry little creature and found her curled up with our tabby cat. They both just blinked at me and then stood, stretched and the moment was passed. But I still see in my mind that lonely foal and the big tough tom cat curled up together in the straw and get a lump in my throat over the kindness animals can show each other. There were much more luxurious places in the house that Roscoe could have (and usually did) slept but he choose instead to offer companionship and warmth to a creature who needed it. Still makes me choke up.

 

[mgranch]

Mine is not very exciting but it meant the world to me. My little mare Lily who I tried to get in foal for years with no luck I put in cart this past summer. Well, she is really small and everyone said she couldn't do it. Well we drove all summer and my goal was to show her in one local show before winter. We made it and we drove in our show even though we placed last I cried when we left the arena she did it for me!!

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

My goals have been to one day send a horse to Western Regionals and then one to Worlds. Well I was lucky enough to send my new colt to regionals this last year with the help of Gallery Training and my daughter Hilary.

There was nothing like that phone call telling me he got 6th in 30-32" yearling stallions and 5th in ammy junior stallions level one!!!! I did all the working, feeding clipping and everything but hauling and showing. So I was very proud of him!!!!!!

 

[Miniequine]

OH MY... I have read all these... I'm totally choked up.

Thank you for sharing your moments

These amazing little horses DO bring so much joy.

~Sandy

 

[SampleMM]

A few weeks ago, my new Billy Idol colt ran out of his stall and into the open paddock with several mares. All of my horses are very sweet but my favorite mare is Morning Mist. She is normally super friendly and outgoing. Imagine my surprise when she cornered "Little Hawk" and started kicking him for all she was worth. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, came my bay gelding Buddy to the rescue. He put himself in front of Little Hawk and took all those kicks to save this little colt he doesn't even know. I was so shocked. I cried for along time at the true heroism Buddy had shown.

 

[BopNDoc]

My most moving moment was when we finally hooked our stallion up to cart for the first time (for us). He was amazing! We've owned him for several years but never got around to getting a cart, he was at one time driven regularly, even shown. But we finally got a cart earlier this year and hooked him up. He pulled like he'd been doing it all along. Heck he even acted like he LOVED it!! Told minimomnc (we bought him from her) that I fell in love with him all over again!!! Not a big aahh moment for some but huge for me!

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

As many of you know we had a pretty 'tough' year this year with the horses, one of the 2008 colts gave us a scare by colicing and having to be taken into the OSU clinic, and then the heartbreaking ordeal with Lexi, the pintaloosa mare we lost, which by far, has to be the hardest thing I've gone through with the horses

Have to say that after what we went through with her, and the other two losses the past 3 years, including my first mare Star who was "MY" girl, we had that special bond that I didn't think I'd ever have with another horse and losing her I had a HUGE whole in my heart.. I was feeling "down and out", my heart ached and I was beginning to question myself "why do this?"

But I think these little ones can tell when we're feeling down, doesn't matter how crappy/upset/angry I feel, all I have to do is go out and spend some quiet time with my boys and/or girls and all the negative/clutter seems to fade away..

I decided that if I/we were going to stick in this, we were going to do it right, improve our breeding stock, explore more things to enjoy with them (driving, maybe showing etc), but most of all keep our hearts in it, and always remember that with every loss or bad thing our heart my break or weaken, but there's always the arrival of a new foal, a new bond or just one of these special moments that strengthens our love 10 times over..

Looking back over the past year I would have to say that, for me, the "lump in your throat, tears in your eyes" moment would be when the trailer pulled into our driveway and I saw MY new boy for the first time.. With the decision to improve our breeding program it meant a new herdsire, and eventually new mares.. As some of you may recall I had posted an ad on the saleboard with what we were looking for in hopes of getting several different prospects to choose from and EVENTUALLY find "The One", little did I know that he would be in the 5-6th email I received.. I received an email from Chesa clear from Nebraska regarding a handsome lil black and white pinto, I knew who he was as I had drooled over him from the pictures she's posted on here and the pictures on Tami's website, but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to afford the shipping to get him here to Ohio and at first declined, but after a few more emails with Chesa and inquiries to several shipping companies, I guess fate was on my side, and faster than Chesa and I could blink (LOL

) he was on the trailer and on his way to Ohio.. Have to say that I was one nervous chick since I had never bought a horse sight unseen or used a shipper before.. The hauler pulled into our drive a little after 9 pm on a week night, and had nothing but good things to say about my boy (he had hauled Doc from Tami's to Chesa's as well, which was neat), opened up the trailer, slipped on his halter and handed me the lead and off jumped my gorgeous boy..

As we stood in the driveway admiring him, giving him scratches, I knelt down beside him and he stepped forward, putting his head over my shoulder, and right then and there I knew for sure I had found "The One", not necessarily "the one" as far as our program goes, though I do think he will help get us out and noticed, but THE ONE to help heal my broken heart.. I can't begin to describe how he makes me feel, I just absolutely love him, I can sit and watch him run, buck and prance around the pasture all day.. Just today he was out playing, would jump straight up in the air, all four feet off the ground and let out a high pitched squeel before high tailing it across the pasture, the big goof ball

And last night we had a few deer visitors which got him all riled up, head high, chest out, tail up over his back and his high steppin' trot before stopping and watching them before snorting and doing it all over again.. There's definitely no dull moment with him

 

[Jill]

It has been a "big" year here for us in horses. The highlights:

• Having our first home bred foals born here -- DunIT's "kids", Ducky and Passion
• Watching our beautiful Cover Girl being born in Erica's barn, and seeing Erica hold up a big sign saying "FILLY"
• Watching Destiny win BIG at the Nationals
• Having Destiny home here for the first time and finding out how easy he is to love

Honestly, some of this year has been better than I could have dared dream. Any of us who own horses are so blessed and sometimes the rewards can be almost overwhelming.

 

[kaykay]

My most tear filled moment was the night Patches foaled. This mare is so close to mine and my sons heart and we waited years to breed her because I was so scared something would go wrong (and we needed a stallion that could get the job done) As she got closer to foaling I was so on edge and worried. She finally went into labor and sure enough something was wrong. I was on the ground with her and saw only one front leg. My heart was pounding. I ran in the house and got hubby and we ran back out. I kept trying to find the other leg but couldnt find it. Patches was in so much pain and it was killing me. I was bawling and trying to get a vet on the phone. Hubby said no way was he going to watch his wife and sons favorite mare die, so he went back in to find the other leg. Patches kicked him and sent him flying against the wall. (cam watchers saw all of this) at this point we turned the camera to the ceiling and hubby went to work again. This time he found the leg and kept pulling until he got the foal out. Dale the foal was fine and Patches was fine. I am forever greatful to my husband for saving my mare and foal

I almost couldnt stop crying from relief.

My big moment of 2008 was bringing Feature home. I have drooled over his picture for years and never dreamed one day he might be mine. Just never thought it possible. I remember getting him home after a very long hard drive and seeing him in the stall and just hugging him and crying. He literally is a dream come true.

Kay

 

[ClickMini]

In 2008, my most moving moment with horses was when Ally and I won the Beavercreek CDE training level division. I have had a pretty tough year in a LOT of respects, not with my horses necessarily, but with other aspects of my life. There was so much turmoil going on during the June and July time frame, life was more or less kind of awful. I ALMOST didn't go to Beavercreek, I had already missed Happ's and forfeited my entry... I went back and forth all day, having a complete anxiety attack. Finally I said to myself, just get in that truck and DRIVE. So I loaded up my girl, and off we went...we arrived so late to the site, which luckily Leia was there to help me. But not before I had taken a wrong turn and had to back up my trailer about 1/4 mile in pitch black with no backup light on my trailer. I settled in sometime after midnight.

I would say that I had NO expectations for this CDE, none at all. I just wanted to get out of my life for a weekend. And my beautiful Ally came through for me with flying colors. She was AMAZING. We had the most incredible drives, from dressage, to cones (perfection!!!), to marathon. That in itself would have been enough, but we ended up walking away with the top placing in everything we were eligible for! It was our very first time to even be in the placings in a CDE, so I was totally blown away. It was just magical, and I have to kiss that pretty face every day to thank her for what she does for me!

I am pretty sure that life doesn't get better than that depicted above. The purest joy, happiness, harmony, and tranquility. I would actually say this moment in time pretty much transcends the best moment of 2008, to being one of my best moments ever.

Thank you Ally girl, you own my heart now.

 

[MiLo Minis]

For me it was a CDE moment as well. Willie and I were the only Mini competing for the day so we were in the pony division and were getting a less than friendly welcome - comments such as "he'll never do it" and "she's crazy, she's gonna kill him" and "this cross country is hard enough on the ponies", were overheard. At the end of the dressage there was a bit of a buzz when "The Mini" came out with the second best score for the day. After cones the buzz got a little louder when "THE Mini" came out at the top! At our first hazard on the marathon we had a small gathering watching us. By the 3rd hazard we had a crowd watching us. There was a really big hill on the course and that is where Willie was supposed to die. One of the other pony competitors had asked permission to spring the hill and it was granted to the pony division. We hit the hill at a gallop and about halfway up Willie slowed to a trot. I said to him "you can do it buddy" and gave him a caress with my whip and he charged ahead. The lift I felt from him when I told him he could do it started the tears streaming and I couldn't see when we reached the top of the hill, where EVERYONE had gathered to see "the Mini" die. But I heard the chorus of "THE MINI made it! He is up the hill!" Willie not only won the pony division he was third place over ALL divisions, a fact I had difficulty grasping when my friend Liz tried to tell me. I thought she was saying we took 3rd place in our division on the marathon and I was just soooo happy to have finished in one piece I didn't care what place we took. He has my heart and always will.

 

[albahurst]

I can really relate to many of the posts -

my gelding protected our newborns

I was on the receiving end of that phone call about Affair winning his class at Worlds

having a horse's head on my shoulder when I was feeling down

a husband who saved my mare and foal

when my mare and I headed off to Pinto Worlds at the last minute and she won two classes and Reserve in one class- what a WOW moment for me!

But I think the most special times are when my horses and I are deep into a Myofascial Release treatment- there is a bond there I cannot explain to anyone.

Peggy

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Mine was in June at one of the Oklahoma shows. I ended up going by myself, Jane was doing an AMHA show, plus we had a mare due and someone HAD to stay home, and since the A show was closer she went home that night. It was one of those cool shows that was a set entry fee for all the classes you wanted, so I had stuck poor Sunny in everything from halter to driving. We had been chasing his Hall of Fame for FIVE years now- he needed TWO points. He had all his stakes wins, but those last two points were nowhere to be found. Then, he had injured his back last year so badly I didn't think he'd EVER place again with that scar.

So, we went in Model and he won! Then, we went in his halter class. There was a GORGEOUS fella in there, so I knew first wasn't mine. But, we DID place second under both judges! THEN, I saw that there were FOUR horses in the class- I honestly didn't realise the other two were in there until I turned around. My mind started turning then...... I went to the show office and asked if they had a rule book I could see (made their eyes really big until I told them it was nothing bad....

) and I checked- we got our two points!!!! Sunny got his Hall of Fame!!!! Our first one ever! And in halter!

My second one was teaching my filly to drive. She KNEW what to do. I had round penned her off and on, nothing really serious. Then I attached reins and off we went. She steered, stopped, turned- all the first time! A week or so later we put her in the EE cart and off I went- no problems! Our first homebred driving! She later went on to Nationals in the Futurity Roadster and didn't do well, here, that evening she was ill and just didn't have any oomph. I scratched her other class and let her alone. In Oct she redeemed herself with placings in her first Country Pleasure class and even came home with a Reserve Champion in the stakes!

Lucy

 

[shyhorse]

for me it was just geting my first mini horse home

 

[Leeana]

2008 was some what a year that just seemed to roll by, looking back im trying to think of something hugely significant that is really sticking out. This year was just one step closer to where i want to be, so just walking out to the barn and threw the pasture and seeing a few of the changes i made is nice, no where near where i would like to be but getting there one step at a time.

I've got some great goals for 2009, with going back to school and some other things i have planned im excited for them all

.

 

[wildoak]

I took a little homebred filly to R Nationals this year - she'd been shown enough to qualify, but no more. I don't think she'll end up as a B, but right now as a yearling she's over, which meant showing against all those tall gorgeous fillies. She took a top ten at Nationals with me, with very little preparation - made my show for me

. The filly has been special to me from the beginning for some reason, I love her personality & looks, and she just has that something extra. What makes it really special in retrospect now is that she is Artie's last foal - the mare who had major surgery this fall. I have my doubts that she will ever be able to carry a foal again, even if she survives this thing so having such a nice filly from her has really helped.

I had another great moment not long ago. My daughter & boyfriend were home over Thanksgiving, and brought up her two paint mares to ride. I threw a blanket on Shadow, my 30 yr old QH, and rode - slowly

- with them for a little while. We lost her the next morning, I had no way of knowing she was in distress then as she was such a stoic mare and always gave her all. Was great to have a final moment with her though - my daughter grew up on her back pretty much.

Jan