First Cutting Show -- Ponoka

Well I made it home.  It sure was an exhausting weekend.  On Friday we headed out for a lesson and it went OK.  It was better than Tuesday but still not real good.  I am still having trouble getting her to back off my leg after we turn.  Doug said he would get on her on Sat and then we be ready for the show.

So we went back Saturday and I rode her on cows and it was a lot better, at least me knowing where to stop her.  But still having trouble with her getting off my leg without going faster.  And he was really pushing us to stay even with the cow cause it was a big pen.  Kept saying big pen.  And not knowing what it was like in Ponoka we didn't know what to think.  Doug got on her after me and rode her on the flag and got her listening to his leg pretty good and figured that would be good and she was ready to show.  It was kinda nice to watch him ride her cause I could see what she was doing and I think maybe now I can fix it.  I knew she was always crooked but now I realize she is dropping her inside shoulder in anticipation of the flag/cow turning.  Which is actually harder for them to make the turn.  Then after the lesson we were visiting and he says the pen is 175 feet wide!  Oh my!  We were all kinda  bit shocked at that cause that is massive.  And 400 feet long.  Wow!  They were trying to get them to cut it down some cause that is huge.  Most pens we cut in are between 80-100 feet wide.  And big herds too, 15 cuts before a herd change, usually only 10.  So that means 45 cows instead of 30.  Turns out they cut the pen down to about 125 which was better but still huge!

After our lesson we loaded the ponies and headed up to Ponoka cause we thought we had to be there at 9.  We dropped off the ponies and fed them and then headed to Chars aunts place for the night. She had supper for us and it was good.  We talked to Jessie Crandal (not sure on the spelliing) and he rode Dude for a month before he went to the Supreme and he showed him there so that was kinda cool.  Jessie also told us we dont have to have horses on the grounds till we show but we were kinda worried anyways that we would get in trouble from Doug, so in the morning we fed then went to Ponoka and got in a panic cause we were only in the fourth class. 

So we went back and got the horses ready and came back and we realized we panicked for nothing we still had like 4 hours before we got on.  Which was nice but we were pretty stressed.   We got to see Doug show a couple horses and that was nice and a few other people we are getting to recognize.  And this lady Lynn was awesome.  She has a horse at Doug's and she helped us a lot in knowing where stuff is and what to do and when to get ready.  Doug was turnbacking when he wasn't showing so he was always busy.  He came out a few times to let us know something, but mostly it was to make sure the horses were tired.

We got on a class and a half before ours and trotted and loped a little then walked quite a bit then lots more trotting.  It took a long time.  It was probably 2 hours from when we got on till we showed.  There was 15 in our class and Char was 12 and I was 14.  I asked Lynn's husband if he would video us and he said no problem.  But I didn't realize that my card was almost full so he got a little of Char then deleted some pics and got only my first cow. 

Char had a terrible run.  Dude wasn't listening to her leg and all and she picked up her hand lots cause she thought he would just leave the pen if she didn't.  She was pretty disappointed.  Its tough cause she really likes him but he is just not good enough.  And Doug told her afterwards she is too good a rider to deal with that.  So I don't know what she is gonna do she has to sell at least one horse before buying another one and may not buy till next spring.  Will be kinda sad we aren't showing together, but she said she will come anyways with me.

Then my turn.  I thought we were ready, Jessie was tired and she was stopping well before we went in.  We got in there and Doug was in one back corner and I think Brad Peterson in the other.  I walked in the herd and a red cow just kinda separated herself so that was the one I picked, after Doug pointed it out to me.  I was having trouble getting Jessie to go straight I could feel it especially to the right but she was ignoring my leg.  Brad was really good at letting me know when to quit the cow.  Then the second cow and that cow was a little faster and I think we didn't stop and turn so felt like we were chasing it.  Then I had 45 seconds left  (Brad told me, I don't think I could see the clock for looking)  and I went deep in the herd and a nice quiet cow came out and we probably had the best go on her.  Until the end, the cow went fast one way and we were behind and I would have lost it if Doug didn't stop it.  Thankfully the herd people were very helpful. 

All in all I felt pretty good about it.  I know we need to stop better and get her off my leg more.  But I got a score of 67 and Doug was happy with that and I was too.  I was just glad I cut cleanly and didn't fall off.  I didn't even know my score till after, I had to ask Char, lol.  I think part of the stopping problem was the ground.  Lots of people were having trouble stopping cause there was lots of dirt in the sand and it packed hard.  And since I was 14th in it was pretty well done.  Between every cattle change they worked the ground.  That was weird cause I dont ever remember a cutting where they work the ground that much.

I will have to put the video in later cause after we got home last night we were so exhausted and I forgot my camera in Chars truck so I will get it probably Tuesday cause the horses get a day off today.

Busy Week

This week has been more busy again. Over the weekend I rode Both Charlene's horse Dude as well as Jessie a couple times.  Dude is quite a bit different than Jessie, a lot more sensitive to my legs but it was a nice change. 

Then my Mom and Dad come out for a couple day and we had a real nice visit.  They don't get to come out much so its always nice when they can.

Then we went Tuesday and since we rode till they were pretty sweaty on Monday they stayed in the barn overnight.  And I am sure they were itchy so went out and rolled in the mud from the melting snow.  Dude has a blanket and it was covered in mud as well, eww.

Then on Wednesday I went down to Lethbridge and helped my friend move to a place in Vauxhall.  It looks like a nice place and she already has a job close by so that is hopefully where she will stay for a while.

Yesterday was the memorial for a good horse man.  And just a good man.  They guy who started both Bailey and Dinero for me passed away and so went up to that.  It was nice, they had a family graveside service then just a come and go for friends and it was nice to visit with other people who knew him.

Then afterwards took the horses and went to Greg's to work buffalo.  They are a lot different than cows, which I guess I knew but its been so long since we worked them it was a lot more obvious now.  They run a lot more and turn a lot less and its harder to read them.  But we got a few good turns and it was good practice.  And of course they were sweaty again and so they stayed in overnight last night as well, hope they aren't muddy today.

Today we are going down for a cow lesson as long as the snow holds off at least till we are done.  I also entered the clinic on march 17/18 and am pretty excited about that and we are tentatively going to the show next weekend (the 3rd) There is another clinic at the end of April we just found out about as well, not sure if we are going to that yet, but I think I would like to.  Its intructed by Geoff Hoar and should be good too.

Wednesday on Friday

Well we had a change of plans, which worked out well for me since I wasn't sure I wanted to show yet anyways.  Char headed to Regina this weekend and so we aren't working buffalo's this week or going to the show.

(Dude)

But she did ask me to ride Dude a couple times since she wont be riding for at least 6 days and thinks he needs to be kept in shape cause we do want to do lessons next week.  That should be kinda fun even though I never rode him before it will be neat to see how different he is from Jessie.

Hehe there are a couple dogs hanging around the barn too, one is a border collie and she is really friendly and more of a pet than anything which works there cause she has no desire to chase horses.  And then there is this other dog there not sure what kind he is, I think a jack russell mix of some sort.  He is really cute and makes me laugh everytime I go out there.

And on Saturday I am gonna ride with Lu so that will be kinda fun too, been a long time since I got to ride with her so I'm kinda excited to see how her horse is.  He is a nice looking bay and seems pretty quiet.

I took a couple short videos of the colt playing and he is quite athletic in the second video he is doing pretty cool moves, but the neatest part is the color of the hills behind him, it was so orange, I think it must have been the sun was setting on the other side and reflecting.

Cow Lesson and New Home

On Saturday I took Jessie back to Doug's and Char had a lesson on Dude if Doug was around.   He was so she worked cows and he worked the best for her he has in a long time.  She was pretty happy since Doug hadn't been riding him since she rode on Thursday.  I rode as well and wasn't planning on a lesson but he said it was probly a good idea and he thought she looked in better shape (which made me feel better cause I hadn't been riding very hard)

 So before I started he made me lope more, then back up and turn her.  I was having lots of trouble, she would back up no problem but then when I put my leg on to turn she just walked sideways and backwards.  Frustrating!!!  Then he said I didn't have my hand up her neck far enough, so sure enough I move my hand farther up and voila!  no problems in turning either way.  So then off to the cows.  And he asked me to make sure she stops when the cow stops.  And most of the time she does, but especially when we first start, she gets a little excited and needs to be reminded and I am not very good at that.  I almost got yelled at for not picking up on the reins hard enough.  And afterwards he said something about it and I told him I am not sure my timing is right and by the time I think of it she is already stopping.  And he said to do it anyways cause she is not stopping as hard as she should be and I won't wreck her by asking that. So that was good to know as well and now I have to remember that next time.

(the colt, he's supposed to grow to 16.2!)

We got a calf that was kinda quick and kept trying to push us into the herd but we kept it and I was pretty happy with that.  It went real fast and made some fast turns of which I am not very coordinated with yet but getting better at only using my legs and making sure to keep pressing her off the cow and go in a straight line.  Its so fun when it finally goes right.  But my legs were sure sore yesterday, thought I was working out but apparently not hard enough.

Afterwards we loaded up and headed down to Theresa's where we are gonna keep them for a while and Jessie and Dude get their own pen to share and a round bale all the time (which Jessie doesn't really need, but it will be OK)  They are next to a gelding and a young stud which worried me a little but the gelding won't let the colt anywhere near the adjoining fence (its kinda funny)  And so far so good they settled in just fine, checked out the place then went straight to eating.  Whew.  I know if you trailer horses together and get out at a strange place they are usually OK, but I don't really know Jessie that well so that was a relief they got along.

Then yesterday I went out and rode again in the arena down there.  Met the girl who owns the colt and she is a jumper.  The colt is an Oldenburg and he is getting gelded this month sometime.  I was glad to hear that.  She said she has no patience for a stud and no facility to keep him.  His one foot was a little turned out but he passed inspection as a foal just waiting to see how it grew up, but she isn't even gonna worry about it.  The gelding belongs to Lu and she was down there riding when we dropped them off so that was nice to see her out again. 

We had a pretty good ride, don't think Jessie is used to much straight riding cause at the lope if I try to push her back towards the wall with my inside leg she changes leads.  I figured out after like 5 tries that if I put both legs on but more on inside then she stays in lead and moves over.  So much to learn about the cues she knows that are different than my other horses. 
They were out shooting coyotes when I got there and the palomino and grey were bucking and playing and Jessie had her nose stuck in the bale, not a spooky one there, lol.  But after the ride when we turned them out, she was prancing around  and throwing her head like she wanted to just tear up the place but never did, just lots of rolling and prancing (all without my camera of course)

(Jessie :)

Oh and we were talking to Doug about his training one day and he said he rides out at least once a week, especially the young ones, gives them a break and they seem to come back better.  And if they don't make a cutter they are easier to sell later.  And they are all quiet well broke in the face cause its so much easier to get them working correctly.  We musta said or done something cause he said its changed a lot, he said no one ever touched the faces before, but that doesn't work as well now, so that was interesting to know as well.  Always hear so much and never really know what is true or not but he will pretty much tell us his opinion on anything we ask about.  Which I appreciate (mostly)

Moving On

On Wednesday I called up Linda and we headed down to Silver Sage with out ponies to go riding.  I took both Razz and Kali.  I rode Kali first and she was super lazy!  I dont know why she is so hard to get her tolope cause once she is loping she doesnt try to stop, so we just lope till I want to stop and then we go the other way and struggle again.  maybe I should just do lots of transitions and maybe I she would get better but I was exhausted enough after half hour.  So I switched saddles to Razz and she was the total opposite of Kali and I shoulda known cause when she lives in the corral she is kinda hot.  So she managed to walk about a lap then trot a couple then we loped for about a million (well felt like it anyways)  Then I asked her to stop and she was breathing pretty hard so we walked a lot of laps and visited with Linda and then we went to other direction.  I think all those people who tell me Shast has a lot of energy need to ride a horse like Razz casue they dont know what they are talking about till they really ride a horse with lots of energy.  Before we went riding there Linda asked if we could stop so she could take a couple pictures of some horses for sale so sure no problem, but if i realized we were gonna be there for 2 1/2 hours I woulda asked if she could do it another day.  What a long boring day to stand around and watch barrel horses.    But it was on the way so  that was handy at least. 

(weird clouds yesterday, they looked greyer than this)

I been slowly working Kali towards no blanket and since its been so nice here its worked really well, last night she had no blanket on and this morning doesnt look cold so thats a good sign.  She wore her winter blanket for a couple days then it got to be 15 on Wed so I took it off and she wore her light blanket that night and yesterday took it off and just left it off and she seems fine.  I really expected it to take longer but the weather is cooperating so well that I might just end up leaving her now.  It is supposed to be warm for another couple weeks, getting above freezing int he daytime, so she should be good.  Im glad cause I didnt want to have to put her in the pasture with a blanket on.

(Kinda looked tornadoey but wasnt)

Then yesterday Char had a lesson and Dougs and I went along cause she is still a little wary of driving at night and it was good, Dude is getting more responsive already.  Not so lazy in his turns and stopping straighter on the ends. 

(sunrise this morning, so peach)

And after the lesson we brought up a new horse for me and he asked what I was looking to spend and I said definitly no more than 12 and he says that is not a problem at all, he can easily find a horse for less than that.  So I am pretty excited again, i thought I wasnt gonna be cutting this year but it might all change.  He mentioned a mare that is pretty nice but said she was not straight in the front, but they want 8 for her said she is super broke and figured I would get along good with her.  I dont know how crooked but kinda wary about that.  He also said George Canyon had a nice gelding I would really like that was showed lots but not sure if he was for sale.   I didnt know if he meant the singer George Canyon but he said later it was and he used to ride there, how cool is that!  Said there was a lot of horses out there 7 or 8 or even up to 12 out there that just get kinda lost but are really broke and have been shown lots int he past and it would take no time to get them back so he is gonna ask around for me :)))  Now maybe I will get what I really want and can learn for real.

I looked at this gelding on Northern and emailed the girl about him and I will bring the paper to Doug on Saturnday when we go back and get his opinion on him, probly not as good as some he could pick out though.  He was talking about mostly ones with lots of earnings on them, so I kinda wanna wait to see what he comes up with.

Razz and Kali

On Friday I went over to the neighbors arena and rode Razz with Charlene cause we had planned a lesson with Doug for Saturday and I wanted to ride before the lesson.  I hadn't rode in almost 3 weeks and I felt so good to be back riding again.

In the arena was a heel o matic and Razz thought that was the scariest thing ever!!!  She wanted no part of it, but the problem was after we were in the arena is was right by the gate, lol so she had to.  I just ignored it and made her work and she sorta got over it. 

On Saturday we had our lesson on cows and I rode Razz firsta  and she was pretty good, I was a little confused cause he makes us do different things, but it made sense afterwards.  Then He asked if I wanted to ride Kali, so I thought I might as well since I never worked her on cows or the flag before.  And I can see what he means about her not being interested.  She worked really well when there was only one cow but when there was more than one she had no interest in chasing them.  I had to kick her really hard to get her to keep up with the cow.  Which is sooo odd cause outside she responds so well to the leg.  So I guess its the right decision but now I dont know what to do with her.

Afterwards we took Kali and Razz home and Charlene left Dude there for a month or two to get some refreshing and she is going to a show on Saturday in Claresholm.  She was not prepared for that, but she has a lesson on Thursday and Doug said he was going on Saturday so she is too. 

I have them in the corral so I can aclimatize Kali to not wearing a blanket anymore (I dont want to turn her out in pasture with 8 other horses with her blnket on, specially since she is the bottom of the totem pole in there)  So today I went out and opened the gate to the big corral and they sure made use of it.  I love it when they run around and play :)  It was getting dark but I got a couple videos of them out there.

I am thinking I will go down to Brooks to the Silver Sage this week and ride them down there, might as well since they are in the corral for a couple weeks..  I also told Char if she wants to ride while Dude is gone she can call me and I will bring them over and we can each ride one. 

Lesson and Shopping

On Thursday night Char was going for another lesson, so I thought I might as well take a horse too.  I went a little early and rode Shasta first, and she was good again although she sure gets distracted easy but not too hard to convince her to focus again.  Then I hooked up the trailer and tacked up Razz and so when Char got there we were ready to go.

We got there and as we were putting our bridles on I asked Char if Doug was laughing at my paint horse yet and she said maybe, but when he come out he wanted to buy her!  I hadn't even gotten on her yet!!  He said he always wanted a black and white paint horse to turnback on.  And she was prettier than Lorne's.  I was quite suprised thats for sure.  Of all this work I been trying to sell every other horse and the one I don't want to sell someone wants.

We warmed up then I did the flag first and he does things a little differently, when the flag stops he wants the horse to stop straight with thier head bent, or at least looking at the flag, and no backing up.  So that took a while to get her over, but it was coming.  And he wants her kinda angled towards the flag the whole time cause she has a bad habit of drifting off (which I knew).  Then Char had a turn and Dude was being a little lazy so Doug had the flag moving really fast to hurry him up.

Then we went again and she was getting better, but I think I was getting better so I was asking her better.  I knew I was a little nervous and so my cues were not as strong or as quick as they should have been.  And with doing something different, I had to think and sometimes when I get to thinking what my hands should do I forget I have legs and vice versa.  But I was pretty happy with her for being in a strange place and me being nervous.

Char went again and then Doug got on Dude and got him moving a little better. Its harder with him cause he knows he  is supposed to follow the flag so he gets lazy and the ends and starts turning before the flag moves.  Again we lots of times practiced backing up after we stopped. But he said the flag isn't moving so we shouldn't be either.  Makes sense when he says it that way.  Sometimes he moved the flag slowly at first so we could back a step or two before turning with it.  His flag is variable speed so it was kinda cool that way.

Then yesterday I got up early (for me anyways) and headed to Calgary with my sister and we went down to the Christmas craft sale in the round up centre and then to Cross Iron Mills mall, and then to Walmart in Airdrie.  I got a bunch of Christmas shopping done (and a couple items for myself, oops!)  and lots more ideas, so it was a long but productive day.  Today is K and K's Christmas party day and so we are heading in there and I have only plans to buy a neoprene and maybe a felt saddle pad if they have one.  But they usually bring a bunch of new stuff out so I guess we will have to see.  I really try not to buy stuff for myself before Christmas but since there are really no other horse people in my family I hardly ever get tack unless I ask for something specific.  And its so much easier when its stuff they know what it it (like halters, lol)

Lesson Update

Well Yesterday was a fun but full day and best of all I was still home by 5:30!  Char had a lesson planned with Doug at 2, and he said he would wait to work Kali on cows till I got there and so I was pretty excited to see her too! 

(Shasta at fence)

But first I got to Jardis a little earlier than Char cause she was getting off work and didnt want to be in a rush to hook up her trailer and tack up Dude.  So I caught Dude for her and then i had extra time and was gonna ride but not quite enough time for that, so I brushed Shasta and got a couple more pics of her.

(Really hard for her to stand still)

Then we headed down the road and he has an old cow in the pen he just calls her the babysitter and she just stays in the middle of the pen and keeps the other cows there.  Even when he chased in new cows or out cows, she just stands in the middle of the pen. She has been there forever and noone chases her so she just stays still.

(Char working cows)

Well Dude was first so Char worked him and Doug ahd a few things to say but overall he thought Dude looked pretty good.  I think Char was pretty excited and wants to go back more. 

(Pretty nice stop/turn)

Then was Kali, she was moving out better than I seen her before and she looked pretty good, but its hard to tell cause he didnt do a lot with her, just keep her with the cow and was pretty slow (which is good but boring to watch, lol)  I got a short video but I dint know when he was gonna do stuff so its okay.  I think she looked good, I was a little worried about her getting thin but not so much anymore :)

(aww shes so cute)

I liked the way he worked and super easy to talk to so now I got my brain thinking I might take Razz for some lessons, even on the flag, and see where that goes.  I need to get better anyways and if Char is going, we might as well travel together.

(sure watching a cow)

Then when we got back, I saw the sunset was pretty cool, so I got a shot of that too.