In January we had our year end awards ceremony for our 2015 show season. I was so impressed with how well Dazzle had done, and how our hard work had paid off. A, who had shown Dazzle in some of the approved walk/trot classes and they had also done very well.
We finished with a 1st in AQHA halter. I could have cried at this one. I had really stressed about this class all, as I had never shown halter before! We never really did to bad in any of the classes and I knew that we would likely place in the top three, but I never expected 1st!
We also got 1st in Palamino halter, but there was not near as much competition in this class!
Now I am bias, but I do think Dazzle is a super handsome horse. The hardest thing for me has been getting used to the halter horse judging. I love performance horses, and I had a tough time thinking of Dazzle as something that people strive to breed for. But his personality is definitely the best!
When it came to riding I wasn't expecting much at all. We placed 1st in Palomino Hunter Under Saddle. Again, while there were always horses in the classes with us, I wasn't surprised with this placing.
I also got 1st in Hunt Seat Equitation, 2nd in Bareback Equitation, 2nd in Hunt Seat Pleasure 19 and over, 3rd in Hunt Seat Pleasure, and 2nd in Walk/ Trot equitation. I am forgetting a couple of placings, but overall I was very pleased with how our year ended.
A and Dazzle also did very well. A didn't show in all of the shows during the year, so I think she was pleased to be getting an award. They did awesome!
I keep getting the question... are you going to show Dazzle again for 2016? I'm not. I didn't particularly love riding him in shows, Sure, I came out of it a much better and more affective rider. And I am sure that he would be awesome this year now that he has it all figured out. But the truth is... He was never bred to be a riding horse... he will always be a halter horse, and this works against him every ride. He will never be able to progress in the show ring, and I really want to show one of my horses this year so I keep growing as well. But no worries! I am still able to see and work with Dazzle everyday!
So my plan had been to show Addie, and I worked towards this for a few weeks before realizing that she is just not going to be ready. Addie has a reputation as being a bit explosive at the canter, and that hasn't changed even though she is 18 this year. I DO want to show her but maybe it will have to be next year. My year is already looking to be so busy, I knew it wouldn't be fair for her or I to expect to do well.
So Pepsi is my next choice! And I am going to make myself do this! I am also going to dip my toes into Western Pleasure with her. And I am going to help A, who is going to show a horse we both work with this year. She is going to show Rascal in hunt seat (walk/trot) and Halter.
He used to be a roping horse, so we have had quite the challenge getting his head down, but he is coming along. I'm looking forward to this year.
This last few weeks has been vet filled! I always hate when that happens, because it seems to be one thing after another.
At work one of our horses has been diagnosed with Navicular, and she already has DSLD. Poor girl was pretty sore, but we have her in a full set of shoes, and on pain management and she is as happy as she could be. That was pretty disappointing to us though.
Dazzle this week actually had a pretty sever Tying Up episode. No one was with him when it happened, but when we found him he was dripping sweat and could barely walk. We had the vet out, he was giving something to make him feel better, but he struggled to walk for a few days. He seems to finally be feeling better and we hope that it was an isolated incident since we have never seen him have an episode before.
Rascal also had to have a hock injection, which was not really a stressful thing for me, but he hates it because it means he had to be stall confined for a few days.
And another one of the horses had to have a neurological exam, since she does have some obvious symptoms. Turns out a lot of her problem is age and arthritis in her neck. She has no clue she is limited though!
My own horses all had their vaccinations and teeth done this week. So I gave them most of the week off, and then we had some snow so that bought them a few more days. =]
