PHSC Show Mt Pleasant

We went to our final PHSC show in Mt Pleasant. The day was important for Brent to win the All Around Youth.

I wonder some days if he really wants it. Maybe we are the ones who want it for him. He went out in Showmanship and just half did the pattern. In the Youth Pleasure class, he could have had the winning ride. He started off looking great. Then half way through the class, he just quit riding and let the horse do whatever.

I am not really sure what the problem was. It could be that we have just done too much competition this summer. This the second one this week and we have rodeo finals on Monday. That is the reason my blog title is finding balance. I am not really good at balancing work, competition and down time. Down time is really hard for me. I need to be constantly doing something. However, I am sure that my kids would like more down time.

He still won Youth Pleasure for the year. So that is a good accomplishment. He tied for first in Youth Barrels for the year. He had a really nice run on Dasher. With a little work, Brent and Dasher could come together for an all around horse. We will see if we have him that long.

Mac was a completely different horse in Halter. He actually stood squared for Racheal. I am sure that made her feel better. He was still a run away in Pleasure but he looked better in Discipline on the Rail.

Mac is really fast. I thought he would be but today I really came to that realization. I was amazed watching him run barrels. Racheal just slow loped him because he is still learning. However, he has a lot of speed left. I just hope she will decide she has the ability to really run him.

She is struggling with her confidence. I am not sure why. Racheal is really an amazing rider. She has a really touch for training colts. However, she is not convinced she can compete with everyone else. One day when she really decides she can out ride and rope everyone, she will. There is no question. However, winning is much of a mental game as it is a physical one.

Cowboy Friends

On July 28, we went to the PHSC show in Richfield. We took Brent's best friend Shad. They both love horses, rodeo and roping. I have the cutest picture of them before the show against the rail on the race track. Aren't they the cutest cowboys!

They both had a really good show. We had problems with the wasps in the arena again. Sass was being really difficult with Coy. So we decided it was best for Brent to make do in the Youth Pleasure with Dee Dee. We had not even washed her.

So we hurried and put him on her and Brent and Shad went to warm their horses up. She had a really good warm up and was working pretty relaxed. We entered them in the show ring for their class.

I was not really paying a lot of attention to them getting started but then I looked up and Brent was off his horse walking down the arena. I wondered what could have happened. I ran out to the arena.

Apparently all of the people in the arena had stirred up a wasp's nest in the one corner of the arena. When Brent and his horse got there, they started attacking her. Horses are extremely sensitive to stings. She tried to rubBrent and the wasps off on the fence and then she tried to lay down with him. He just bailed off. It was the best thing he could do to not get hurt.

When I got up to her she was physically shaking. I had to rub her down and then just try to calm her. She finally settled and they sprayed that corner of the arena. Needless to say, she did not work like a pleasure horse but she did better than I thought she would. Brent ended up second in the class and Shad took third. The points will keep him first overall for the year. The pictures to the right are after their class.

We had awhile before their next classes. They had a blast running around the fairgrounds with their other friends Tate and Bowdee. They were roping, checking out the barns and race horses.

The competition in the youth speed events was tough. Shad, Brent, Bowdee and Tate have no fear in going fast on a horse. They all placed differently in each event. Shad placed first in Poles and Keyhole. Brent placed 3rd in Speed & Intelligence and 3rd in Keyhole. The kids beat the times of most of the adults. Everyone was commenting on how well they compete.