To show or not

[lucky seven]

Congrats on your first ribbon! I enjoyed reading about your experience. I don't live anywhere near where there is a show, also don't own a trailer. Would like to give my boy the experience. I was on the fence on whether or not to sell him because of his atttitude toward me but decided to keep him. We still have alot of issues to resolve but I am having fun working with him. It was uplifiting to see him run to me when he saw his halter in my hand the other day.

 

[Sandee]

Congrats on your first attempt at showing, Marsha. I'm sure he'll be fine. If he wasn't used to jumping and went at the jumps cold that may have been a large part of the problem. You should work him on low jumps at home until he's comfortable and then raise them. In Hunter the jumps are never over 24" (well in AMHR) and if he jumps at all he should be able to go that high with no difficulty. I know that my stallion (he's only 32") used to refuse any jump over 18" until his confidence was built up by practice. It also helped him to watch ( and then get in the line) of others practicing at a show.

I'm a real Show -NUT but I say hang in there and keep trying.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Congrats on your first attempt at showing, Marsha. I'm sure he'll be fine. If he wasn't used to jumping and went at the jumps cold that may have been a large part of the problem. You should work him on low jumps at home until he's comfortable and then raise them. In Hunter the jumps are never over 24" (well in AMHR) and if he jumps at all he should be able to go that high with no difficulty. I know that my stallion (he's only 32") used to refuse any jump over 18" until his confidence was built up by practice. It also helped him to watch ( and then get in the line) of others practicing at a show.

I'm a real Show -NUT but I say hang in there and keep trying.

We practiced those jumps at home and he is very comfortable with the height. He is long-legged so 24" was a piece of cake. That wasnt' the problem. It was mental. I am mostly disappointed that we didn't get to do the driving classes. Being in the arena with the other horses, I think his mental state would have been all right. But everything happens for a purpose, and I'm sure this was no exception.

The support from other exhibitors and show staff was fantastic. They even allowed me to transfer the show fees for the scratched classes to the next show if I desire.

Also, he is permanently measured now. The measuring steward was very painstaking to help me set Dusty up well to measure properly. I got 35.5 at home but now he is permantently 34.75.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

From the way you wrote it, I too was thinking the problem lay in not having proper warmup or training. It sounds like he had the training but maybe not the warmup? They need to be taken out of their stalls, walked, I do lateral work in-hand and some stretching once they've loosened up, then some trotting and small practice jumps. I'm so sorry he came up lame though! Despite my obsessive tendencies, the fact is most minis don't get any more warmup than being pulled out of their stalls and taken over a single practice fence and they do fine so it's a real bummer that he hurt himself.

On the plus side though, now he's had his first exposure to that crazy show atmosphere and you got a great picture out of it! You look STUNNING, very put together and chic. Love it!

Seriously wish I could dress that well for show.

Leia

 

[Marsha Cassada]

From the way you wrote it, I too was thinking the problem lay in not having proper warmup or training. It sounds like he had the training but maybe not the warmup? They need to be taken out of their stalls, walked, I do lateral work in-hand and some stretching once they've loosened up, then some trotting and small practice jumps. I'm so sorry he came up lame though! Despite my obsessive tendencies, the fact is most minis don't get any more warmup than being pulled out of their stalls and taken over a single practice fence and they do fine so it's a real bummer that he hurt himself.

On the plus side though, now he's had his first exposure to that crazy show atmosphere and you got a great picture out of it! You look STUNNING, very put together and chic. Love it!

Seriously wish I could dress that well for show.

Leia

Thanks for the positive comments, everyone!

We had several hours before our first class and did spend time working in-hand. We did some work, back to the stall to rest, then more work. Even a little lunging. It was during this time that I had the "gut feeling" that he was not mentally ready for the class.

Life's little adventures! I dismantled all the jumps when I got home and stored them away.

 

[a mini dream come true]

omg!! Love the the pic of you and Dusty.

Although your fist show didn't turn out the way you had hoped at least you got out there and tried. We learn from our adventures and sometimes the first step is the scariest with a lot of unknowns. Of course none of mine are near ready for even the first attempt.

I am so glad to be able to put a face to a name

. I can't wait to meet you one day. Dusty is just beautiful