Thoroughbred Celebration Time!

Well Thursday was the start of the Thoroughbred Celebration show! 

I had made plans to leave the barn by 12 PM. Considering I still needed to pack; I got to the barn around 11 AM and packed up the trailer. As I went out into the fields to get Halo and Indy, Forrest was the first to meet me. He once again gave me that look which I promptly told him that if he wanted to go he shouldn't have tried to take an extended vacation. He came over to me and started nibbling/eating my jacket and using his nose to push me around. Clearly he wasn't happy with what was going on. He had watched me pack the trailer and such and he knows what that means, but I wasn't there to get him.

I quickly got Halo and Indy while Forrest pouted as I walked away.

                We Arrived!!!

Since I was familiar with how Indy would load I decided to load Halo first.  Well she also decided she wasn't too sure if she wanted to leave either. It had been nearly two years since she traveled  Well after some convincing and yummy mints Halo followed me on the trailer. She happily munched on Hay as I brought Indy in behind her. By 1 PM we were off! Okay so I was definitely an hour off my original leaving time, but hey I was happy I got both horses on and we were on our way!

Settled in their stalls

We got to the Virginia Horse Center and I got everyone settled. Both were quite confused and they must have had a serious bonding conversation on the trailer because one could not leave without the other calling. But my trainer came down and we got them both schooling. Halo had an adventure in the indoor seeing the decorated jumps for the first time, the bleachers, and the covered tables. After taking everything in, she hacked around and jumped like she had been doing it her whole life. Indy, coming out of retirement, had seen these things before. The last time he was in an indoor was in 2005! But he took to it and settled quickly enough.

Indy proudly displaying his OTTB heritage 

                   and his homemade sign

Friday was the first morning of the three day show. I helped some friends get their horses ready and watched some beautiful rounds in the warm-up ring. Finally it was our time. My trainer came down for the day so she rode Halo and I was on Indy. We schooled them about 2 hours prior to the show and both were ready to go. Our first class was the T.I.P Walk/Trot class. Halo was beautiful and hacked around the ring like a seasoned show horse, this being her first time! Indy on the other hand, the one that’s been there done that, decided he wanted to RACE around the ring. He had his head held high and blatantly ignoring my leg and hands. But I have to give it to the old man; he was moving along with the rest of them.

Indy and Halo walking before the class started

Indy did not get a call back, but Halo did! The class had a total of 55 horses in which they had to split the class into two classes! Halo did wonderfully, but by the time the horses had to stand for the judge she was ready to find her friend. We were so pleased with her and it was only her first class! Next was the Blue Ridge Charities Hunter Hack.

      

Halo strutting herself in her first class!

Now this hack class starts out with the horses jumping a 2’ line. This time the fences were decorated with brush and hunter gates. Halo had only been schooling small cross rails and plain white poles! But my trainer went before Indy and I and she trotted in and canter out of the line like a pro! Indy was next. He started off with a wonderful hunter canter, but when we came around the turn and he saw the fences it was over…he was back in the jumper ring 10 years ago forwardly cantering down the line!

  

Overall the horses did wonderful on Friday and we couldn't have been more pleased or impressed with the horses.

 Indy and I patiently waiting in the lineup

Saturday started off early. My trainer had suggested the night before since Indy had so much in him to take him in a 2’3 class. Internally I was panicking before it even happened. It had been 6 years since I had jumped a course that had fences that were decorated with greenery, gates, etc. It had been 6 years since I had jumped him over and oxer none the less….

Hacking in the pleasure class

Luckily I had some great friends there to help me and give me some pointers. Indy schooled over the vertical no problem, when the oxer came up I was really nervous but it was all or nothing. Of course like the good boy he was he went over it no question asked. So off to the in-gate we went. I watched my friend go before me and saw her horse do beautiful lead changes and find her spots. Then it occurred to me…. I haven’t done a lead change, have no idea if he remembers them or can still even DO them. Oh great…if I was ever gonna wing it…this was the moment…

Oh wait is that and oxer...Old man still has moves

Well we went in and Indy couldn't have been more perfect. We didn't have the best rhythm to the first fence so he trotted it but we nailed our distances to all the other fences and it was like he’d never stopped showing. It was also the most fun he and I had together since he returned home with me. Let’s just say I definitely had the biggest grin on my face!

The flat classes went well, no ribbons, but Indy calmed down enough to actually get some long and low moments in there on a loopy rein. Halo had the day off since she was so good the day before we wanted her first experience to be a good one. Sadly I had to leave to go home Saturday night and I missed Sunday. But I had a great time at the show and couldn't have been more proud. The horses were happy to be back at home in their field as well.

Nothing like taking the old man who hadn't been ridden in 2 years and the green bean who had only been schooling for 2 months to their first show!!