Second Time’s a Charm for Showing My Off-Track Thoroughbred

I’ll admit there was a moment or two of, “What did I get myself into? Why did I buy a green ex-racehorse?” at our first horse show at the end of May.

This was inspired by the fact I could not get my horse Knight to stand at the mounting block, he pranced around at the in-gate, and exhibited a horsey form of PTSD when the announcer spoke over the PA system. His eyes literally almost popped out of his head in cartoonish fashion while I watched my trainer ride him. You can read more about that experience here.

Four words to describe our second show experience: night and day difference! Or should I say, “Knight and day difference” when we showed at the same showgrounds this past weekend; it was like I had a different horse. I think he’s figuring it all out.

How can I tell he’s “getting” it? Here’s the rundown.

Evidence My Horse Is Getting the Hang of Showing

1. First, on Friday the schooling day, I got as much exercise as Knight did in the round pen. Let me explain: I did not have a lunge whip and my funny bay boy was L-A-Z-Y. I actually didn’t even have a lunge line, so I used what I think were long reins we found in the borrowed trailer–they had a snap on each end.

Since Mr. “Why Canter When you can Trot?” kept transitioning down, I had to try to flip the long end of the makeshift lunge line and cluck and run up after him to chase him forward.

Let’s just say there’s a reason some brilliant person invented a lunge whip.

Knight knew my awkward attempts to fling the free end of the line would not reach him and so he pretty much ignored me. At one point I flung the line so hard it ricocheted back and hit me with the snap end. Ouch. At the end of that time I regretted not having my cell phone to track my steps. I probably ran a mile.

When I rode him after my I’m-glad-no-one-saw-that lunge session, he was relaxed, fun, and tuned out all the other horses and riders schooling in the same arena.

2. The second piece of evidence that Knight was a different horse at this show was how he tricked me into thinking he was colicking.

Saturday morning when I arrived at his stall, he was lying down, legs folded neatly. His chin was resting on the shavings. My trainer and the other riders from my barn weren’t in sight. My heart skipped a beat, but I went into his stall thinking that would encourage him to stand. Instead he made little moaning sounds. I leaned down, put my hand on his hindquarters and urged him, “Get up! Come on. Up!” That didn’t do anything.

At this point I wondered how quickly we could get a vet out. I grabbed the halter and buckled it on his brown head and said, “Jesus, help me!” I tugged on the leadrope and he finally stood. I led him to the aisleway at which point my trainer walked in and I told her what happened. She said she noticed him lying down and checked him and he was fine, just relaxing.

My cell phone rang right after and I told my friend what had just happened and how my heart almost stopped and my quick prayer. She responded with the best Carrie Underwood allusion, “So you said, ‘Jesus, take the halter!’”

3. The third layer of evidence Knight is getting the hang of being at a horse show was we walked all over the grounds on a loose rein and even “escorted” another rider’s Thoroughbred mare who was in heat and very nervous about the new setting. Knight paused a split to look at the concessions stand, but moved past it with a little more leg. And when I mounted him during this horse show, I didn’t need anyone to hold him. I even hopped on one time while holding a water bottle. That’s progress!

Finally, at the first horse show Knight felt like a ticking time bomb and we only rode in one class because his mind was blown by the whole experience. This time around I rode in five different flat classes, both equitation and hunter. He was pretty good for a horse show newbie. We missed a lead a couple of times and he thundered like a freight train at the canter during one class (but my trainer actually said he didn’t look like he was running away–it was a good forward). Our transitions were sharper and more concise than at home.

By the end of the day Sunday he started his little nervous head flipping, breaking the connection, but it’s okay. My leg was probably tired, he was probably tired. I was very proud of my horse overall.

In case you’re wondering about the ribbons: Saturday we earned two seconds in equitation classes. Sunday we got three more ribbons for one eq and two hunter classes. Our placings Sunday weren’t stellar, and I can’t remember exactly because we merged our team’s ribbons. But it’s not about the ribbons, it’s about a benchmark for the training for Knight and me. And we now have an idea of the homework we need to do.

Comments: Have you ever had that, “What did I get myself into?” moment whether related to a horse or something else in life? Do share. 

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