Skywatch Friday - Season 5, Episode 3

Late afternoon sun behind the clouds

 

Wordless Wednesday - Rosie in the Creek

The Western Horses do English

Zip and Rooster (and Jet as well) came from out somewhere out west (they are called Mexican Mustangs) and are definitely Western broke horses - they neck rein, work on indirect pressure, move off your legs and seat.  It makes them really awesome gymkhana and trail horses.  Every once in a while we like switch it up.  It's good for all of our horses to be versatile and able to go from the show ring to a bareback trail ride.

In this part of the country, the Mexican Mustangs are called Cockroaches (or Cucarachas).  No idea where the name came from but more than one person has looked at Zip or Rooster and said, "hey, that's a cockroach" - including the vet.  Someone that we know that shows gymkhanas in the area makes a point of seeking out these well broke horses and uses them for gaming.  He even has shirts for his farm which read "Nothing runs like a Cockroach".  I tend to agree - I think they are awesome!!

Round Up Here She Comes!

We had our barn inspection for 4H yesterday and T handed in her project book.  She has officially met all of the requirements and is eligible to show for county Roundup August 6th!

It's insanely hot here with temps over 100 so we are in pure survival mode for the horses - checking the big water tub and filling twice a day, fans on in the shed, and pretty much just letting them be.

Wordless Wednesday - Patriotic

Champion x 2!

T did awesome at Saturday's Buxmont show. We brought Zip and Rooster since T was going to do the opening ceremony carrying the American flag on Rooster. A friend wanted to also carry a flag so the two of them came up with a game plan and in about 5 minutes had a routine for the opening ceremony which went off without a hitch.  The two riders did a great job.  T decided to run Rooster in all 7 classes since he was there.  Rooster had only been to one other smaller show and she hadn't practiced any patterns with him.  What a great night!  T finished as Grand Champion on Zip and as Reserve Champion on Rooster.  Both horses finished and placed in all 7 classes.  All that hard work and time in the saddle is definitely paying off.

I didn't take many pics since it was very dry and dusty which made getting good pics almost impossible.

Opening Ceremony

Sunday Stills - People

This week's Sunday Stills Challenge is People.  Since it seems that all we do these days is horse shows, I decided to use a pic of my friend's daughter at one of the 4H shows.  These are the pony hunter riders lined up for the judge.

View other Challenge participants here

Progress

Rocky is coming along amazingly well.  Sometimes I can't even believe it's the same horse, even though I saw him every day.  What a difference!

These were taken last weekend

Horse show at Buxmont Riding Club today, hopefully trail riding tomorrow, the vet is coming Monday to work on teeth.  Busy, busy...

Skywatch Friday - Season 5, Episode 1

 A mockingbird on the weather vane of the show booth at last Saturday's 4H show

 

Wordless Wednesday - Lathered

July 9th 4H Show

Saturday was the last pointed 4H show for this year.  T and Zip did awesome - Reserve Champion in the Gaming Division.  And she had the fastest time in the Fastest Lap class they did for fun.  It was very sunny and hot and Zip was fired up.  I am so proud of T for all of the hard work she has done with Zip!!

Poles - 2nd Place

Keyhole - 3rd place

Barrels - 1st Place

Hoop the Barrel - 1st Place

Flag Race - *fail* Zip knocked the 2nd barrel down

Fastest Lap

Weekend Recap

1We had a busy horse filled weekend.  Saturday was a 4H show.  T and Zip did awesome and finished as Reserve Champion in their division.  I have lots of photos to edit and then will do a separate post.  Sunday morning my friend Jeanine and I hauled down to the Orange Trail in Green Lane Park.  It's about 2 miles away and is mostly a shaded trail which we definitely needed since it was so hot.  This was the first time that Jeanine had hauled her horse for a trail ride (he's a retired show horse and had only been on the trails twice at the farm) but he did great.  Both horses were very good and it was a really fun ride.  We were back before lunch and it was quite a scorcher.

In the high grass at the equestrian campground

Coming back to the trailers

In the sunshine

Looking towards the trail across the street

Sunday Stills Challenge - the Letter "F"

This week's Sunday Stills Challenge is the Letter F.  I wracked my brain all week trying to think of something and then a little tiny frog (or it might be a toad but I'm sticking with frog and I really can't tell the difference anyway) crossed my path at the 4H show on Saturday.

View other Challenge participants here.

BLAH

Today is the fifth straight day of temperatures above 90 degrees F, for the umpteenth time since spring. The horses spend most of the day huddled in the shed under the fans nose to tail, only venturing out for water breaks and to graze at night. That being said they are still inhaling the yummy hay. The humans are not enjoying the high temps and high humidity. We move a lot slower in the heat.

We have the last 4H pointed show on Saturday. T is riding Zip and we are hauling a friend's pony for English classes. I planned a low key trail ride for Sunday AM before it gets too hot. Other than that, not much going on.

Wordless Wednesday - Mini Baby

Schooling Maccabee

Maccabee is turning into quite the little all around pony.  T trail rides him often and she messes around in the ring with him as well.  He is quite the personality - always the first one to greet you in the field but with just a hint of the devil in his eye :)  He pretty much defines easy keeper.  T has been working patterns with him and she is teaching him how to neck rein.

He's a fun pony to have around

Driving Horse Sale

Off very early this morning for the driving horse sale at New Holland.  Tack sale starts at 7 AM which means we need to leave the farm at 6.  Hoping to take lots of pics.