Show!

Well, we survived... barely :)

Gia freaked out as soon as we got to the show, and literally DIDN'T STOP freaking out ALL DAY. Seriously. When my shipper came to pick us up at 3:00 in the afternoon, even SHE mentioned how bad Gia was freaking out. She basically threw herself in circles, whinnying like a banshee for EIGHT HOURS... except for about half an hour where a fellow competitor took pity on us and let us use one of her stalls.

I was too dumb to reserve a stall and by the time we got there, they had none left-- a mistake I WILL NOT make again. We kind of holed up in a corner, doing our best to hang on to a screaming, jigging, pawing beast. Trust me, putting hoof polish on her was a nightmare, and switching from halter to bridle and back again (without having her break free and hightail it out of the barn) was a carefully planned, lightning-fast mission.

Luckily, thank god, the classes were not judged on behaviour!

I had a good look around at our competition... it was quite busy, lots of entries, and some super-nice horses. But I was pleased to see that we fit in quite well... I was afraid we'd be ratty-looking, but Gia was gleaming and lovely. I looked like a pink-haired drowned rat because of the rain, but at least the horse looked good!

All in all we did really well! We got a 2nd and 3rd in our dressage type classes, and a 3rd and 4th in our hunter type classes. I was happy to see that the classes were placing pretty much exactly how I thought they would, which meant that my eye for conformation is not as bad as I thought it was. In every class, we placed just below the fancy (and, I'm sure, expensive) warmbloods. Most of them were offspring of a particular stallion, and I was so impressed with them that I'll have to look up the stallion himself. Not that I have any intention of breeding... but if I DID, lol...

Anyway, the show was tough but great. I can't wait to do it again in the fall. I'm so proud of my beautiful girl!

Pics... not many, unfortunately, my husband was only able to stay for one class. But here you go!

In our little corner...





Walking through the barns, trying to keep a psychotic Gia calm



In lineup... setting up!





Being judged



I am so glad to be home, and I'm sure Gia is too! I'm going to sleep well tonight, with the help of some ibuprofen to help my poor sore knees... spending a whole day walking in circles on concrete is murder on the joints!