It had been quite a while since my last show, long enough that my trailer tires were shaped to the ground. Thanks to my Dad, I was able to get everything in show shape to make it the AQHA show held in Pensacola a couple weeks ago. In the past, all I had to worry about was getting myself and my horse to the show, now I have two little girls that want to show too. This time however, Leah has aged out of the lead line class, she will have to bump up to the walk-trot class, and she wasn't ready for that yet. Laura still makes the 6 year old cut-off age, so she was all ready to show in the lead-line class.
Dad even broke out his hat for the show, doesn't he do his Texas roots proud?
Joe, official horse show photographer when I'm with the horses and kids.
The ultimate "horse show Mom", she thought she was officially done, but Laura got her back ringside.
Practicing with my little girl.
There is only one opportunity to get in the arena before the western classes, including Laura's class, so to get some riding in, I had to squeeze into their tiny saddle. I thought the hard part was going to be fitting in the seat, turns out getting my foot up to their shorty stirrups was the real challenge.
The showing part is fun, the waiting part, not so much.
Finally, Laura got her chance to warm up in the pen.
She kept telling me, "Mom, there's one of your friends, don't you want to go talk to them?" She was trying to get rid of me so she could walk around by herself. Do you see that sea of horses around her, there was no way I was letting her loose in there! That's half of my body in the edge of the picture, I got my exercise shadowing she and her sister as they took turns riding.
Apparently Cowboy Dad is a big draw with the girls.
It's show time!
I kept turning around to her and saying "Sit up, look ahead." She would be turned around looking out of the arena,oh the care free days of lead line!
The judges came up to each child, and here Tom McBeath is asking Laura what her horse's name is. She replied with a very lengthy answer, even telling him about his mom, Dixie, and how she was back at home in the barn. We were all giggling at how chatty she was, nice to know she's so comfortable in any situation.
Laura loved her prizes, especially the water gun. Seriously, giving a child a water gun while sitting on a horse might not be the best idea, luckily Rider is a saint when the kids are on his back.
My turn, Rider seemed to get a second wind after his calm performance with Laura. After quite a bit of lunging, followed by a warm-up we were ready for horsemanhsip.
Why does it look like we both might tip over to the side? At least I have a somewhat pleasant expression, I've been told I can get quite the glare going when I'm concentrating on my riding.
Wasn't our best go, but I was able to get him through a fairly decent pattern, not bad for only showing once a year, maybe.
Dad even broke out his hat for the show, doesn't he do his Texas roots proud?
Joe, official horse show photographer when I'm with the horses and kids.
The ultimate "horse show Mom", she thought she was officially done, but Laura got her back ringside.
Practicing with my little girl.
There is only one opportunity to get in the arena before the western classes, including Laura's class, so to get some riding in, I had to squeeze into their tiny saddle. I thought the hard part was going to be fitting in the seat, turns out getting my foot up to their shorty stirrups was the real challenge.
The showing part is fun, the waiting part, not so much.
Finally, Laura got her chance to warm up in the pen.
She kept telling me, "Mom, there's one of your friends, don't you want to go talk to them?" She was trying to get rid of me so she could walk around by herself. Do you see that sea of horses around her, there was no way I was letting her loose in there! That's half of my body in the edge of the picture, I got my exercise shadowing she and her sister as they took turns riding.
Apparently Cowboy Dad is a big draw with the girls.
It's show time!
I kept turning around to her and saying "Sit up, look ahead." She would be turned around looking out of the arena,oh the care free days of lead line!
The judges came up to each child, and here Tom McBeath is asking Laura what her horse's name is. She replied with a very lengthy answer, even telling him about his mom, Dixie, and how she was back at home in the barn. We were all giggling at how chatty she was, nice to know she's so comfortable in any situation.
Laura loved her prizes, especially the water gun. Seriously, giving a child a water gun while sitting on a horse might not be the best idea, luckily Rider is a saint when the kids are on his back.
My turn, Rider seemed to get a second wind after his calm performance with Laura. After quite a bit of lunging, followed by a warm-up we were ready for horsemanhsip.
Why does it look like we both might tip over to the side? At least I have a somewhat pleasant expression, I've been told I can get quite the glare going when I'm concentrating on my riding.
Wasn't our best go, but I was able to get him through a fairly decent pattern, not bad for only showing once a year, maybe.
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