Everything's Coming Up Roses...

Sunday was another show day for Molly. I can't say enough how cute our pony is! She just gets better and better. I really think she likes to horse show. She gets the cutest expression on her face and really ties to be on her best behavior. It has been great for Molly because it is giving her the confidence she needs to know that she can do this.





There were only 6 in the whole division this time - who knows - perhaps because there was just another show the week before, or because the weather prediction was kind of iffy all week, but there were 10 fewer kids this week. 6 is a good number, and, it was "good company" - meaning that the kids were mostly all about the same level so Molly really earned her ribbons. She ended up 2nd in the Eq, 4th in the Pleasure, 4th in the Figure 8 and 2nd over fences.

Overall, she was Reserve Champion which was huge for her. She was SO proud.

This is our first year in the mini's, but after only 3 shows I am already having a problem with it. I'm digging out my prizelist now as I type because I want to quote this correctly..."Rider's may not cross enter into any other class or division at the same show where they are required to canter". By definition, the division is called Mini Stirrup Walk/Trot Division. Can someone please tell me why kids are going in and cantering the entire cross rails course? I understand the kids who trot in and canter out the lines, trot in the corner and trot in and canter out the other line. Molly does that sometimes because she just likes to canter her jumps. I tell her that mini's should TROT everything. But these kids that go in with a courtesy circle then pick up a canter and proceed to canter the course I think are technically wrong. Also, if they are cantering this course, then move up to short stirrups where they expect you to canter! It REALLY annoys me - so much so that I am going to go to the next association meeting to try to get some clarification on this. It is not a matter that Molly can't do it, but I think this division was created for a reason and we need to maintain that reason so that the kids coming up will have a proper division in which to show. (I should have been a constitutional law attorney!)

Molly trotted in and cantered out, did a simple change onto the correct lead (phew!) at the end of the ring and cantered the entire last line - fortunately the strides all worked out or it could have been ugly! It really was a nice round even if it wasn't how we had schooled it.

Molly's new little show friend did not have as good as day - last week her pony wouldn't go - I mean just wouldn't go. He would stop and rear. This week she brought a different pony who cantered off with her after about 30 sec in the 1st class. I felt SO bad - I was wracking my brain " do I have an extra pony in the van?" I have an extra of almost everything so it was not crazy to wonder if I had stuck in an extra pony! Unfortunately, I did not - nor did I have a stronger bit that might work - I just wish I had something that might have been able to help her. She was a REALLY good sport and went back up and schooled the pony before they put him away. I hope they can work it out, because she really is a sweet little kid and it is nice to have a friend at shows!

We're off again on Saturday and then things will quiet down until June. I told Molly that for her birthday at the end of this month I would take her cross country schooling - that should be interesting!