EDIT: MORE PICS from my first horse show!!!
SEE POST #9
:D Can you tell I'm super excited about the whole thing? Well, I am. :D I had my first horse show today, after riding since 2001. I rode my instructor's big fancy horse Calvin, show name "Holy Cow" He's a 9 year old 17.1 hh grey tb gelding that I've ridden I think 3 times total, but he's kind of easy once you get the hang of him. I've finally gotten the tall boots dilema sorted out. I have very long legs, and I wear size US 11 womens so finding anything that would fit, let alone in my price range was super hard. I ended up just doing what I always thought I'd do and buying a nice pair of half chaps and a cheap pair of black paddock boots (because my old ones were a size or two too small, I got them back when I started riding at age 11) turns out they look like tall boots from the ground. ;)
My parents showed up about 30 minutes after my over fences classes were done. Calvin was really on today even though the fences were tiny. He/we won 1st out of 12 in long stirrup working hunter O/F going to the left, 6/12 in the same thing going right lead (I'm dumb, he landed on the wrong lead and I wasn't sure so I didn't do anything and we went to the next fence on the wrong lead) and I got 3rd out of 12 for long stirrup equitation O/F.
As for flat, he was amazing and got 1st/ 12 for long stirrup working hunter U/S, I was kind of taken by surprise and didn't know what to do!
Equitation on the flat I didn't place.
Then Calvin won Champion hunter. He's so easy. He's for sale too, due to an old injury he needs to be worked every day and my trainer doesn't have time. I'd like to buy him but I can barely pay for my weekly lessons as it is.
I felt kind of bad actually walking around with all those ribbons because I won them on such a flashy, easy horse. I know if I saw someone in that position I'd be very jealous. Especially because I didn't even place in flat eq. Calvin did win me a total of $20 to a local tack store. Since I don't need any tack, I think I'll see if there's some freestyle dressage on DVD there.
As for finances, the whole show cost $270, that's about 136 pounds. My parents were going to pay up to $200 for my graduation present, but I needed a hunt coat, boots, and half chaps that look like field boots, so they payed for that and I had cheques from graduation presents from the rest of the family to pay them, so now I have the summer to pay my parents the $100 I owe them. Looks like no more horse shows this summer.
HERE is the photographer's proof gallery, Feel free to suggest one you like, because I'm trying to decide whether to buy one and if so, which.
My mom took some photos in our flat class and also my friend took a short video, I'll post them when they get them to me.
