let showmanship prevail

ok, not to toot my own horn, but i am pretty kick ass at showmanship. granted i HATED the thought of leading my horse around a pattern when I first started as a youth, but it grew on me. I wish i had video of my showmanship patterns with my paint mare Belle..she was BAD ASS. I always got dirty looks when I showed up early for showmanship. don't hate. lol.

anyway, i am always forgetting how smart mustangs are. I give a "normal horse" about a solid month and a half to have showmanship down pat and start winning blues..i don't like going out with a half broke horse..embarrassing! It was too windy to ride again today, so i decided to work on our "in hand" since it is a portion of the show. I put my show halter on her along with a stud chain(just in case) and a normal lead rope attatched to the bottom. We walked over poles, the tarp, trotted out and stopped. she started to tune in and follow my body more than my voice commands.

I now some people like to "kiss" to their horse to make them trot in showmanship..i think this is dumb..do you kiss to make them jog while riding? no, you cluck, kissing is for loping..so why confuse them. I also don't understand the "shhh shhh" some trainers use to back them up..ugh. just say "back" damn it! judges don't give a rats ass how much noise you make..as long as you are crisp, clean and on time you WILL get a ribbon.

Back to my showmanship lesson.. I normally don't ask for pivots when first introducing showmanship unless the horse already has trotting and stopping down. Since Ruger is so damn smart I felt that asking her for one was appropriate. I raised my hand stepped into her and clucked...wouldn't you know she crossed her front feet, planted her right rear and stepped over! I walked her on, stopped, backed, then asked her for a whole turn...she gave it to me. I quit with that.

I also set up some jumps in the round pen and line drove her over them..she will clear a 2' jump from a walk. shit balls! good to know tho..lol.

It was a good day even though i had an angry post earlier...i like to vent to all of you! :)

haha doncha love it!

-Jenn