# The Epic Tale of RubaiyateBandit's Not-So-Mighty Steeds! XD



## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

*This week's show schedule!*

This week, I have three shows I'm going to! That's a personal record! XD
I'll edit this post with results after each show, too. 

*Show Number One:* Labor Day Fun Show (Show Bill)
*Who's going:* Magic and 2-Pak; my friend is going to be riding Ruby, too.
*The classes *(just the ones I might enter):
1. Open Showmanship (Ruby, maybe Magic)
2. Open Horsemanship (Ruby, Magic)
3. Open Walk Trot (Ruby, Magic or 2-Pak)
4. Western Pleasure Ages 13-18 (Ruby)
5. Open Western Pleasure 19+ (Magic)
6. Egg & Spoon (Ruby, Magic)
7. Gambler's Elimination
8. Egg Toss
9. Poles 17+ (Ruby, Magic)
10. Boot Race
11. Rescue Race (???)
12. Barrels 17+ (Ruby, Magic)
13. Flag Race 17+ (Ruby, Magic, 2-Pak)
14. Plug 17+ (Ruby, Magic)
15. Ribbon Race (???)
16. Bloomer Race (???)
17. Ride a Buck (Ruby, Magic)

*Show Number Two:* Under-The-Lights Speed Show (Show Bill)
*Who's going:* Magic and 2-Pak; my friend is going to be riding Ruby, too.
*The classes *(just the ones I might enter):
1. Barrels 13 – 18 yrs (Ruby)
2. Barrels 19 yrs & Over (Magic)
3. Open Barrels (Ruby, Magic)
4. Flag Race 13 – 18 yrs (Ruby)
5. Flag Race 19 yrs & Over (Magic, 2-Pak)
6. Plug 13 – 18 yrs (Ruby)
7. Plug 19 yrs & Over (Magic)
8. Poles 13 – 18 yrs (Ruby)
9. Poles 19 yrs & Over (Magic)
10. Open Poles (Ruby, Magic)
11. Ground Poles 13 – 18 yrs (Ruby)
12. Open Keyhole (Ruby, maybe Magic)


*Show Number Three:* 2-Day Benefit show (Show Bill)
*Who's going:* Magic and 2-Pak; my friend is going to be riding Ruby, too.
*The classes *(just the ones I might enter):
_Saturday_: 
1. Open Horse Halter (Ruby, unless they decide she's a pony)
2. Showmanship 15+ (Ruby)
3. Walk Trot 15+ (Ruby, Magic or 2-Pak)
4. Egg & Spoon (Ruby, Magic)
5. Western Pleasure 15+ (Ruby, Magic)
6. Egg Toss (???)
7. Open Simon Says (???)
8. Wheel Barrel Race (???)
9. Open Bareback Walk Trot (Ruby, Magic)
10. Open Bareback Back to Back (???)

_Sunday_:
1. Barrels 18+ (Ruby, Magic)
2. Open Flag Race (Ruby, Magic, 2-Pak)
3. Plug 18+ (Ruby, Magic)
4. Egg Toss (???)
5. Open Ribbon Race (???)
6. Gamblers (???)
7. Open Dizzy Cowboy (???)
8. Open Keyhole (Ruby, maybe Magic)
9. Poles 18+ (Ruby, Magic)
10. Kotz Race (???)
11. Monkey in the Tree (???)


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

*Show Results!*

*Show Number One:* Labor Day Fun Show (Show Bill)
*Who's going:* Magic and 2-Pak; my friend is going to be riding Ruby, too.
*The classes *(just the ones I might enter):
1. Open Showmanship (Ruby, maybe Magic) -- didn't enter
2. Open Horsemanship (Ruby, Magic) - Ruby placed 5th; Magic wasn't entered
3. Open Walk Trot (Ruby, Magic or 2-Pak) - Didn't enter
4. Western Pleasure Ages 13-18 (Ruby) - Didn't enter
5. Open Western Pleasure 19+ (Magic) - Didn't enter
6. Egg & Spoon (Ruby, Magic) - Neither of us placed, but we were the only ones that didn't break our eggs! Ruby accidentally ate a little girl's egg, though, right before the show. 
7. Gambler's Elimination - Neither of us placed
8. Egg Toss - We got 6th place, but the placings with a prize only went up to fifth. :lol:
9. Poles 17+ (Ruby, Magic) - Neither of us placed, but everyone said Magic looked awesome. She popped herself in the nose with the last pole and made it wobble, too, but it didn't fall! :lol:
10. Boot Race - Neither of us placed... but I got kicked by another horse and had to use a ring steward as a crutch to get out of there before I even got my boot.
11. Rescue Race (Magic) -- We didn't place... We had an awesome plan for me to hop behind the saddle and let my friend (the one rescued) jump directly into the saddle because she had a hard time getting on behind me, but in the heat of the moment, we didn't get a chance to implement it. :?
12. Barrels 17+ (Ruby, Magic) -- Didn't place. But Magic ran a perfect 20 seconds! <3
13. Flag Race 17+ (Ruby, Magic, 2-Pak) - Didn't place. I missed the bucket dropping off the flag on Magic, and while 2-Pak completed the pattern, he got belligerent about running it. :-|
14. Plug 17+ (Ruby, Magic) - Neither placed, but Magic ran a good time again -- 10 seconds! I wasn't pushing her at all though, because I'd realized right before my run that her hoof was splitting, and I didn't want her making it worse.
15. Ribbon Race (???) -- Backed out because of Magic's hoof
16. Bloomer Race (???) -- Backed out because of Magic's hoof
17. Ride a Buck (Ruby, Tanner) - Ruby didn't place, and Tanner got fifth. 

I sprained my ankle on a grass-covered drainage pipe the night before the show, and Ruby's girth had cut into her belly, so we didn't enter the first few classes to take care of those. I did, however, get up at six in the morning (the show started at nine) and spent about and hour and a half working with 2-Pak, and guess what? I got him into a lope! He's still a bit wild about it, and hasn't quite figured out how to turn yet, but I'm so proud of him! <3
Also, my friend and I have come to the decision that she is just too big to be riding Ruby. Therefore, Ruby is now on a long vacation to let her belly heal up and everything, and after that -- only little kids will be able to ride her. I'm going to gentle Magic some more, and she can be the new 'novice rider horse' (under a very watchful eye).
Magic, too, is on a temporary hiatus from hard riding until I get the farrier out here and have him OK her again.... her front hooves were in horrid condition when we got her, and right now, our farrier has shoes on her with clips that help hold the hooves together, and I've been using a conditioner to help them heal up. Today, one of the cracks that had been starting to close up re-opened, and I'm pretty sure a new one showed up on her other hoof. :-(
I hope Tanner's saddle comes in soon; she was such a little sweetheart when I was barebacking her today! Everyone kept mistaking her for Magic, though.


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

I brought Tanner to the show yesterday, thinking "Hey, I can just bareback her around while my friend is warming up Magic!"
Well, I got to talking to another of my friends, Emilie, who was showing, and she happened to have a saddle that she thought would fit on Tanner... and lo and behold, it did!  She told me I could use it for the day, so I thought I'd go ahead and enter Tanner in the show as well. (Keep in mind, besides barebacking and a short trail-ride in an ill-fitting saddle, she hasn't been ridden in six years, much less done any speed events.)

*Show Number Two:* Under-The-Lights Speed Show (Show Bill)
*Who went:* Magic and Tanner
*The classes *(just the ones I might enter):
1. Barrels 19 yrs & Over (Magic, Tanner): Magic wasn't warmed up very well, and ran pretty badly compared to how she usually runs. Tanner surprised me and took off around the barrels on her own... she made _really _wide turns, but otherwise didn't do too bad. I think she ran 30 seconds.
3. Open Barrels (Magic, Tanner): Magic ran better this time, but still not her usual... I actually took her out afterwards and checked her over for any sores and such, she was so out of it. Then I took her in the warm up pen and she was back to her old self. :? Tanner tightened her corners a little more and ran 27 seconds this time around.
4. Flag Race 19 yrs & Over (Magic, Tanner): Magic still tries to turn the barrels and almost got us disqualified. :lol: I can't really recall the times either of them ran, but Tanner got fifth place.
5. Plug 19 yrs & Over (Magic, Tanner): Neither of them placed, but I think Magic ran about 10 seconds and Tanner ran 12.
6. Poles 19 yrs & Over (Magic, Tanner): Magic placed fifth and got a zillion compliments on how pretty she looks weaving around the poles. Tanner, surprisingly, didn't knock any poles down, but I took her in on the wrong lead and she didn't really seem to get what was going on. 
10. Open Poles (Magic, Tanner): Neither placed, but Tanner seemed to get a better hang of it and was bending a little more. I lost my stirrups about halfway through, and one of the other riders was teasing me about being brave and riding without them. :lol:

I already talked to Emilie, and she going to let me borrow her saddle for this weekend's show, too, so I'll be able to run Tanner again. I'm hoping to get up there early and maybe get some practice in, work on Tanner with bending and such, too. She's out of practice and needs some more muscle, but she seems to have a lot of potential to keep running!


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

*Show Number Three:* 2-Day Benefit show (Show Bill)
*Who's going:* Magic and Tanner
*The classes*:
_Saturday_: 
1. Open Horse Halter (Magic)
2. Showmanship 15+ (Magic)
3. Walk Trot 15+ (Magic)
4. Egg & Spoon (Tanner, Magic)
5. Western Pleasure 15+ (Magic)
6. Egg Toss
7. Open Simon Says (Magic, Tanner)
8. Open Bareback Walk Trot (Tanner)
9. Open Bareback Western Pleasure (Tanner)

_Sunday_:
1. Barrels 18+ (Magic, Tanner)
2. Open Flag Race (Magic, Tanner)
3. Plug 18+ (Magic, Tanner)
4. Egg Toss
5. Open Ribbon Race (Magic + Tanner)
6. Gamblers 
7. Open Dizzy Cowboy (Tanner)
8. Poles 18+ (Magic, Tanner)
9. Rescue Race (Magic)

This show was fun, but stressful because of an argument I've been having with a former friend who happened to be at the show. 
I learned to canter on Tanner, bareback, and so that's why I entered the two bareback classes the first day. 
The second day it was really hot, and towards the end of the show, I started talking about pulling out of all my remaining classes and just going home. I did actually pull out of one or two, and I wanted to pull out of rescue race, too, but the girl I was riding it with "was really looking forward to it." 
Magic and Tanner both ran 25 seconds on barrels -- Magic was in a ****y mood, and wouldn't listen to me at all (I think in part it was because it was so hot, and the other girl that was with me just wouldn't stop galloping her around in the warm up pens), so she didn't run her best, but still not bad. Tanner, on the other hand, broke her own record -- she shaved off two more seconds, and is getting so much better at turning! I had another friend, Emili (who's been running barrels awhile) ride her a bit in the warm up pen, and she said that Tanner's got the speed, she just needs to loosen up and build up her stamina. 
Since it was a fun show, we painted Tanner and Magic's manes, too -- I bought some cans of red and blue temporary hair dye. I braided up Tanner's mane so that each braid had one red, one white, and one blue strand, but after awhile, the red started rubbing off on her neck, and it looked kind of silly with her neck turning pink under the braids, so I undid all her braids and just left her mane loose, which still looked pretty neat. It stained my cotton reins pink though. XD Magic's mane had a chunk of her mane painted red, and a chunk painted blue, alternated with white chunks. The red parts had a blue stripe through it, and the blue had a red stripe through it. It looked really awesome. X3 At the start of the second day, they played the national anthem and had someone running around the arena with an American and an Iowa flag, and invited anyone to join the flag procession. My friend and I did on Magic and Tanner, and a bunch of people asked me if I'd painted them especially for that, since we were riding right behind the flag-runners. XD (I'll try to get pictures up later)


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## RubaiyateBandit (Jan 25, 2009)

Ah, I almost forgot!
Pictures of my girls and their painted manes -- I posted them in another thread, but there's not much harm in putting them here, too:

First is Magic, being shown in a halter class by my friend. As you can tell, Magic so enjoys her pleasure classes. 









Second up is Tanner -- I have no idea what class this is though. Maybe it's in the warm up pen... It's a little hard to see, but each braid in her mane has a red, white, and blue strand. But the fur on her neck started turning pink, so I took out the braids by Sunday and just let her mane loose with the red-white-blue streaks. (Excuse my pathetic riding posture... the saddle is a loaner that is seriously too huge for me... those stirrups are at their shortest setting!)




I think I forgot to mention it in the last post.... but Magic decided to be stupid while my friend was riding her toward the arena for our next class, and she (Magic, not my friend) ended up face planting into some dirt and splitting her lip open... there was blood dribbling from her mouth and everything, and I panicked and sent my friend running after the show vet and had a fellow competitor run in and tell the judge my horse is hurt, so neither of us are going to be in that class. I'm not sure if the message got garbled or the judge was just being nice, but she announced that the class was starting a little late, because I was having Magic checked out. Fortunately, it wasn't as bad as I'd initially thought... the show vet wiped away all the blood and got it to stop bleeding, and then he said she'd be fine to carry a bit, just put some ice on it and watch for infection the next few days.
Anyway, onto my point: Today at work a woman walked up to me and asked "So how is your horse? Is she still doing OK? Did she need stitches?" And at first I just sort of looked at her, and thought maybe she had me confused with someone else, when she suddenly said "I'm sorry, I was the judge at the benefit show. You own those two grey horses, right? One of them fell and cut her mouth."
I so love her; she's the best judge I've ever known.  I've never had a judge hold back a class like that, much less remember the horse and owner and take enough interest to ask about them later. On top of that, she's the only judge I've known that, on her first day of judging, said to everyone "Now if you ever want to know why you placed or didn't place, just talk to me; I take notes on every horse and rider!" and mean it. I once went to her after a Walk trot class and asked about how my performance was, because I never seemed to place in it, and on that particular day, I'd thought I'd done really well and had half a chance, and expected maybe a 5th place at least. She sat down with me over lunch and took the time to explain what she was looking for in the class, what I had done well, what I could use some work on, and she even pulled out some notes she had and told me I was getting better about holding the horse at a trot. (Apparently, I'd have placed about sixth or seventh if the placings had gone that high.) Another time, she was at my saddle club's speed show, and after the first two flag race classes, she actually stopped the show and called all flag racers into the arena, and held a mini flag racing demo, right there in the middle of the show. XD


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