The World of Showing

[Beth]

She's 12 going on 23.

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

or 32

[snowshoehair]

So, with next weekend's 3 Phase Event coming up, I was reminiscing about The Stud Duck's last year's performance.

Remember this?
http://www.threephaseevent.org/HeartWar ... titors.htm

You can still find pictures of Gina and The Duck here and there on the website:
http://www.threephaseevent.org/

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

T 6 and counting - I think - Farrier missing in action - tack to clean - horses to bathe and clip - gotta figure out that whole braiding thing - YIKES!!!!

[snowshoehair]

Well, here's a good video on tail braiding:

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-plait-a-horses-tail

She explains it very well... and I don't think you have to braid all the way down like she did. Others incorporate colored yarn and stuff, but their directions are harder to follow. And I think I'd use some sort of hair product instead of the egg white

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

oh thank you!!! will give this a try!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

ok - I think I can do that - found a video on mane braiding - the Duckster will have to have a double braid (his luxorious locks and all - sigh)

Princess should be a snap!!

[snowshoehair]

Here's another one... it gives you a better close up of her hands working and I see she leaves the loop instead of sewing it together like the other gal did.

http://www.howtodothings.com/video/how- ... orses-tail

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

That was a much better video - and they had how to braid the mane as well - very COOL! - now to practice!!!

[Beth]

Pics of Hayley and Joe at Heritage Park HT 2010. They placed 5th overall in the BN junior division - BUT had the second lowest dressage penalty score of the entire event - a 21! (unfortunately, the photographer left to shoot XC just before Hayley rode). That score was the talk of the event...We were Very proud of Joe, he finished in the ribbons on only his second HT...
http://merrickstudios.morephotos.com/mp ... ntid=48035

[Beth]

Here's the pics from the same HT last year when Hayley won the BN junior divison on Cosmo - we're hopeful to start her again next year. I had Dr. Randy check her reactive ulcer points again and she was still reactive, but not nearly as bad...2 more weeks off spa treatment for her...keep fingers crossed..
http://merrickstudios.morephotos.com/mp ... o&groupid= 0&bw=false&sep=false&ckw=false

[snowshoehair]

They look great together Beth... and I love that profile shot of Gorgeous Joe!

Congrats to everyone!

[IMustBeCrazy]

Those are great pics. Maybe they will hold Penny over for a bit

[Rowdy]

We agree, the pictures are super. You could frame them...

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

Ok Beth - I'm not biased or anything and while Cosmo is GORGEOUS AND TALENTED and she and Hayley are wonderful - I AM SO STINKING PROUD OF MY BOY JOE I COULD JUST SPIT!!!

can anyone order those photos? I sooo want the one of them dashing through that water obstacle!!!

TO TEAM HAYLEY AND JOE!!

and get well Miss Cosmo

[Beth]

We are planning on ordering either some prints or the DVD if we can't decide which prints. I like the one galloping in the water - I'll get one of Cosmo in the water too and frame them together.

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

oh that would be incredible framed like that Beth! You give my boy Joe a big kiss from me and say WELL DONE!

And I'm thinking maybe we need to send MOM a digital camera so we can see pics of Joe dancing in the dressage ring!!

[Beth]

Mom is a really lousy photographer/videographer. I get too distracted with the here and now so don't save it well for posterity. I would not have been able to film that dressage test, I was standing there watching with my jaw dropped
Hayley has placed the test paper on the refrigerator in a place of honor next to Misty's 28. The judge was raving about him to my friend Cindy (she's on the board of the association that puts on the event) after the show that day saying he just "marched" through the entire test. The only little mistake he made was not stopping square at the end of the test - he got a 6 on that. He got a couple of 7's and all the rest were 8 and 9's. We've worked really hard with Joe the past several months and its paying off. He'll be ready for me to try my hand maybe next year if Cosmo comes back like we're hoping. I always wanted to take something through the dressage levels, maybe I'll have a chance now and maybe I'll even try a little eventing as well...

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

well we'll just have to enlist someone else then to film him doing his "dressagey dancing" test then He sounds like he has found himself and enjoying it! I look forward to hearing more of his accomplishments and Hayley's too!

[Beth]

Its usually Ed's job, but he's been in Louisiana for the past 2 weeks directing the oil mop-up...

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

Wow - kudos to Ed!

[Beth]

He deserves kudos - esp. having BP and the Feds trying to run the show. He pretty much thinks they are mostly clueless

[Rowdy]

He does have a point--all they care about is who to blame!!! (Especially feds and politians...)

[snowshoehair]

From the Anchorage Daily News today...."First Alaskans qualify for equestrian event"

http://www.adn.com/2010/07/31/1390248/3 ... alify.html

WOO HOO.... GO ALASKA!!!

[IMustBeCrazy]

That is great. Will watch for their names in the results! Hmmm, horse trailer behind a motor home??? Getting ideas here

[Beth]

Hayley and Joe's stadium run at Feather Creek HT in OK this past weekend. Joe went clean for the first time,but was basically a basket case the whole weekend.

http://www.onetulsa.com/professionalpho ... index.html

Here's the XC run - Joe had only one stop on course - the best he's done. His dressage was not his best. He was a bundle of nerves. They ended up finishing 14th, but they finished. Cosmo is coming out of mothbolls and Joe is getting a break. I'm not sure if eventing is his cup of tea - way too much going on for him...he had major sensory overload this time around.

http://www.onetulsa.com/professionalpho ... index.html

[Rowdy]

There are some great shots in those sets!

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

THe Duckster had a similar experience this spring Poor Joe - He's still my boy though!!! LOVE THAT HORSE!

[Beth]

Joe couldn't deal with all the activity in warm-ups. He was actually better when it was his turn to go. He got sideswiped by a loose horse in the XC warm-up on Sunday and nearly came unglued. He did the XC course with time penalties for speed. They ran at a preliminary pace but it was a beginner novice division. But it was basically keep him moving forward or he would sit and spin. I even started him on Ulcer-guard at the show because he was soooo anxious. Hayley handled it very well - he was not easy AND he practically dismantled the inside of Cindy's trailer on the way home. He pretty much killed the canvas hay manger, destroyed the padded bumper on the chest bar and pawed the bale of hay that was under his hay manger back under his legs and pee'd all over it... . The long ride and strange surroundings were just too much for him I guess. He's been off since we got home on Sun. nite, but he's still not himself yet. Poor boy, he's just too sensitive, I guess...

[Mr. Midnight's Mom]

Poor baby - yes - he is the sensitive artistic type. Can't blame him - here he is - having developed a strong sense of responsibility and decorum - and a loose horse sideswipes him - I can totally understand - give him a BIG kiss from me and TWO BIG hugs

Poor baby.