Flash's debut -- and Mingus, too

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susanne

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This is a tale of the error of my ways...a story of woeful ill-preparedness...and a big apology to my horses. This is an object lesson: do not live your life as I do!

The week started out great, though busy. To begin, we took advantage of connections with the St. Helens Chronicle and got a small article on minis at the county fair, with photos of Jimmy Dolittle and Mingus. We didn't tell them, though, as it would most certainly go to their heads!

I was excited knowing that Liz was coming...and I was still hoping that Nancy (Equusize), Leia (hobbyhorse) and Shari (Shari) would also be bringing their steeds. The only cloud (or lack of clouds) on the horizon was the weather forecast -- 105 degrees...a hot day anywhere, but devastating for us in the temperate northwest, where 90+ is intolerable. Living this close to the ocean, I take any forecast with a grain of salt, so I chose to believe they were wrong.

Well...I was wrong. Friday morning, the day before the show, started out hot and just kept getting hotter.

As is typical, due to my work schedule, most of our show prep had to wait until last minute. I had clipped Flash's head and planned to blend it into his neck, but the contrast was just too great. So Friday morning, I clipped his neck, thinking I could blend it as I went, or keep on going if that didn't work. Unfortunately, our clippers didn't like the heat any better than we did and kept overheating. Flash was hot and cranky, and I always base my decisions on the good of the horse, so I stopped.

Flash's previous trailer ride had been quite an ordeal, so Daryl had left his trailer at our place so we could practice. We began in the "cool of the morning" -- ha, ha. Keith was at work, so I was on my own. But Flash is an apt student, especially with clicker training, and after a bit of initial resistance, he put two front feet into the trailer, heard the click, saw his grain bucket and hay, and climbed right in. He enjoyed his breakfast there, giving him time to relax and enjoy the experience, then I took him out and tried it again. This time he stepped in with only a brief hesitation. We repeated this several times throughout the day, and soon Flash was loading like a pro.

I was in a quandary over bathtime...We do not have closed stalls...only a run-in barn without doors and a drylot. We have one summer sheet, and it was too hot for even that. So once I bathed them, I'd have a hard time keeping them clean. I decided that with Mingus' slick coat, I could bathe him the night before, let him dry thoroughly before returning him to their corral, and then vacuum him in the morning. Flash would have to be bathed first thing in the morning.

So I filled a huge tub with cold well water and let it warm in the sun and waited til dusk. Mingus has always hated baths...primarily the hose and the icy cold water, but with the oppressive heat and the luke warm water, he didn't just put up with it -- he loved it. Mingus is very communicative and expressed sheer pleasure each time the refreshing water ran over his body. I tied him out on the lawn to dry, worked Cowboy Magic into his mane and tail, and soon that magnificent Mingus coat was glistening in the moonlight, a truly glorious sight!

I briefly considered stalling Mingus in the trailer overnight, but he loves to lie down and the trailer isn't big enough for that, so I reluctantly turned him out into the corral. Naturally, the first thing he did was roll in the dust...sigh...

This was a bad omen...the night did not cool down in the least...I couldn't find my show jacket and nothing else was clean and appropriate...I washed the rest of my outfit and got everything ready and went to bed, but couldn't sleep...

When I got up the next morning, the sky was still dark due to an extremely overcast sky (combined with the heat -- feel my joy!)...too dark yet for Flash's bath. By the time I had enough light to see what I was doing, time was getting late and we had to race. I brought Flash out and lathered him up, thinking I was cleaning him thoroughly. Even unclipped, Flash's coat has the look of precious metal -- a rich, deep, shiny bronze. I scrubbed his body and legs, worked his mane and tail, carefully cleaned his face, and gave him his breakfast as he dried.

In the meantime, I asked Keith to vacuum Mingus. In the rush, I didn't supervise, but Keith said that the vacuuming was working great...I would later learn that his idea of "great" differed vastly from mine!

Daryl arrived and we hooked up the trailer. (Once again, I don't know how anyone can get along without a friend like Daryl -- he is the best!)

The horses loaded beautifully, not a bit of hesitation with either one, but I noticed Mingus' coat wasn't shiny. I ran a damp towel over him and planned on a thorough brushing once we arrived. Luckily, we found I had left my jacket in Daryl's van after the last show, so I had my trusty black show clothes. We headed down the road, with Thelonius munching on hay, blissfully unaware that his buddies were deserting him.

I had signed Flash up for the first two classes, Stallions (which he is for now) and Two and Under -- the first two classes of the morning. Once we had signed in, unloaded the horses, and gone through the vet check, I had five minutes to prepare Flash. Marie had the great foresight to bring her silver Western show halter in case he needed a bit more control, and I immediately learned that he did. He loudly announced to the world that Viewcrest Pastorius, tough dude stallion, had arrived! and then tried his best to put the move on Erin's Rosa (he has great taste in mares, I must say!). I quickly brushed out his mane and tail, slicked down his forelock, noting with disappointment that his coat was not lying flat and had not dried to its normal shine. I realized then that he must have had a dump truck load of dirt deep down in and that our pre-dawn bath had only touched the surface.

Mingus' classes were right after Flash's, so I asked Keith to halter him and get him ready, conveniently forgetting that Keith had never put on Mingus' new Shetland halter AND doesn't like the idea of ANY show products -- he thinks Mingus looks best straight out of the pasture...can you guess where this is going?

I heard a garbled, undistinguishable blast over the PA, and guessed that it was first call for stallions. I grabbed Flash and made for the gate...at least where the gate was last year...I made it halfway around the arena before realizing they were using a different gate -- the one closest to where we were parked. Mind you, it was 8:30 and already sweltering, and I was wearing black. Then I heard second call announced.

We rushed to the gate and the gate handler signaled me to go in, only to have the judge have us go back -- the gate person had jumped the gun. I've always wondered how Flash would show, as he is not a show off and spends most of his time leaning against me...my baby boy. Well, silly me...I got my answer. He was a ball of fire, screaming at the top of his lungs, anxious to break into a trot. He trotted beautifully, but when it came time to set up, he was simply too wound up and wanted to see the stallions behind him. He twirled and jumped until my hands cramped and my blood sugar dropped He did set up and gave his neck, but only for brief seconds, and not when the judge was near.

Needless to say, between the head and neck clip (especially bad in an open show) and his inability to stand still, he didn't place in either stallions or 2 and Under. But I was so proud of him; for his first social experience, he really did well. I can't say the same for me!

We made it back to the gate area where Keith and Daryl had Mingus ready to go in. Keith told me they had had to figure out how to put on the new halter and didn't have any time for grooming. Mingus' coat lacked it's patented shine due to his roll in the dust (the vacuuming hadn't been very successful after all), and I sorely wished that I had had time to re-bathe him. But it was showtime, and in they went to solid color geldings. Mingus stood and behaved perfectly, but it was a color class, and his greatest asset, his shine, was not to be seen. They placed 4th.

Next came pleasure geldings, and again Mingus preened and stretched beautifully, and received 2nd place.

We had a short break to relax and watch the mares compete, including Lark and Rosa, then came the mini class.

This class was a great representation of the Hwy 30 contingent -- Liz (Nootka), Erin (Moore Acres), Linda (LindaL), Keith and me. Daryl and Marie were there as powers behind the throne and cheerleaders, and Shari was on her way south from Rainier, arriving after the mini class.

By now the heat was approaching meltdown levels. We quickly lined up for our group photo (see Marie(Shortpig)'s thread), where Flash tried to show everyone what a stud he is and was quickly banished to the back row. After that, everyone quickly scattered to beat the heat.

I had promised Brandon I'd go on the Ferris Wheel with him, but we found that they wouldn't open for another hour, and it was far too hot to wait. We finally met up with Shari and family, and had a far-too-brief visit before heading to the trailers and taking off.

The minis definitely ruled at this show, despite a strong showing of beautiful full-size horses. We'll work at getting more mini classes in the future, including performance. All in all, a very fun day!

...and next time I'll show Flash as he deserves to be shown!

As a postscript, after we returned home and returned Mingus and Flash to their frantic buddy Thelonius, cooled ourselves off and took a good nap, we decided to treat ourselves dinner out. So we set the sprinkler to keep the horses cool and headed off for McMenamins' Cornelius Pass Roadhouse, with its beautiful open-timbered, rustic restaurant and woodsy outdoor seating. We discovered, however, that the restaurant lacks air conditioning, and the outdoor terrace had soaked up the day's heat, making our entire dinner miserable. Oh well...at least the food was great! We finally made it home, cranked the AC and the fans, and collapsed.
 
As Always Susanne I love reading what you write...is wonderful. Like I was really there.... and on time. :lol:

Sounds like every one did very well! :aktion033:
 
I was excited knowing that Liz was coming...and I was still hoping that Nancy (Equusize), Leia (hobbyhorse) and Shari (Shari) would also be bringing their steeds. The only cloud (or lack of clouds) on the horizon was the weather forecast -- 105 degrees...a hot day anywhere, but devastating for us in the temperate northwest, where 90+ is intolerable. Living this close to the ocean, I take any forecast with a grain of salt, so I chose to believe they were wrong.
Much though I would have enjoyed seeing you and Mingus again, about the only thing that can drag me down to Oregon with gas prices like they are now is a three day combined driving event. And since I also had to work, Kody is down with a virus, and unlike you I believed the weatherman...well...I wished you all luck! :lol: Maybe if they someday add driving classes....

Seriously between the (attempted) clipping, the (undone) bathing, the lack of overall last-minute prep time, and the screaming stallion thing you sound so much like me and Kody it isn't even funny. I'm doing better this year and gelding finally took care of the screaming (his, at least, I still do it quite frequently and with much feeling) but you gave me total flashbacks reading this. Thanks for the "lesson!" LOL

I'm still trying to get the ocean trip planned so we can have a much cooler getaway with all the Lil' Beginnings folks and no clipping required.
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Leia
 
BTW, lest anyone get the wrong idea, this is NOT what I mean by showing in natural coat!

gelding finally took care of the screaming (his, at least, I still do it quite frequently and with much feeling)
oh, Leia...it's cruel to make me laugh so hard in this heat! Too funny!!
 
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Oh, susanne, you exaggerate on your ill-preparedness, because if you were, I was! I didn't do anything other than clip heads w/a #10 and blend the #40/#50 into the muzzles, bathe and go w/my horses. I barely got hoof black on 'em though I DID manage to get some on my white trailer!

I saw horses I thought were TRULY dirty in there in the ring and I don't think either of yours were them b/c they were all over 14 hh at least! *LOL*

That palomino was so pretty, though.

Was nice to visit and I am sorry we didn't have more leisure time for afterward, but again I felt bad about the horses being locked up.

I WAS glad to get home and it was ONLY 93 degrees, BUT it was sunny, clear and relatively little humidity in comparison. Today has been a dream compared.

Hope you are all recuperated!

Liz
 
But you had fun, right? At least an experience or two...? LOL I do agree... the heat was unbearable.

I love reading your posts... you manage to be so vivid in your descriptions.

And I can't wait until I get to meet Mingus!

Kari
 
What a fun read. All of us who have shown can certainly relate. There is never enough time. and my horses always seem to look a bit unkept and ill groomed.
 

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