CHAMPION!!!

Wilbur rocked his very first horse show! We'd been eagerly awaiting the KMT Tri-Valley Classic hosted at our home, Shiloh West. I'd taken him to the show in Livermore but just to hang and get a feel for the scene. It had been a few months and I was a little nervous to see how he'd react to new horses, trailers, and lots of activity around the ring!

We entered into the "pile of poles" walk/trot division (no flowers!!!) which consisted of 4 classes- 2 under saddle and 2 over poles. 

Before getting started we had the opportunity to walk the course. Trainer Amanda is wearing her sunhat, Abby, our awesome volunteer, is pretty in pink.....and then there's me. With a bunch of cuties all decked out in their show finest!

 Quite the age range! Me on the far right, a teen on the far left, and a small child with a "handler" giving her a helping hand.

 After a few near misses in the first class- the judge decided to split the large group in two. Whew. I almost ran a few kids over.

 Wilbur and I flying solo in the ring heading towards a pile of poles.

 Good boy Wilbur!

 Back at the barn grabbing a drink of water and looking at our blue ribbon!

 Wilbur was Champion of the whole division! 3 blues and a yellow! So proud of this guy!

Emma Cooke Horsemanship Clinic

Wilbur and I participated in the Emma Cooke Horsemanship clinic over the weekend. Two days for two hours a day we worked with Wilbur from the ground and a little bit from the saddle on something called "natural horsemanship." Emma mentored under Buck Brannaman aka the Horse Whisperer.
We didn't any any major breakthroughs but I did come away with more tools in my toolbelt and the goal to focus more on our groundwork.

Across the Pond

Look at what Nicole found at Harrods in London! Ariat across the pond! I would like to be shopping at Harrods on a Monday afternoon....and own a Harrods saddle pad....

Tiny Tumble

The barn is closed on Monday, no one is around, and I like to sneak Wilbur an extra flake of hay.
I had my first fall on him this past Saturday. We had been jumping a line of two fences- the first had a faux boulder off to the side and the second had a flower box off to the side. Each time we came through the line Kelly would move both a little closer to the middle of the fence.

I was so excited by our progress that I shouted to my friend (and coworker) Jen to "watch me jump." Total 5 year old move. By this time the boulder had moved directly to the middle of the fence.

Wilbur seems a bit slow at times but sure has an eye for distance and the second he realized that the boulder had made a three inch move he stopped and spun around. We really should make him a cutting horse! He went right, I went left, and I popped up to find him wandering out of the ring over towards Jen who must have looked like she had a treat.

No one was hurt and I was due for a fall. It's good to remind oneself that they're not that bad.
Then I hopped on and did the line twice more. With the silly boulder sitting three inches to the right of the middle.

My Sweet Boy

Hey Wilbs. Doncha know I love you? Can you take a break from your supper to hang out?