My entire life with horses has been involved with endurance –
I started riding because I wanted to ride endurance and fell in love with this
amazing animal in the process. That being said the show world is very foreign
to me and much of it I simply do not understand. I see horses neck high head
tuck under but not really collected prancing around in circles with long toes
and high pads. I think my goodness how on earth do they keep them sound?
Today I watched the four and five year old Stallion and Mares
in halter. I watched in shock as they shook plastic bags screaming at them as
they entered the arena; they went in spirited for sure J The
bleachers are full with people standing watching and hollering at their horse
of choice. Standing next to me was the president of AHA, a local TV crew
interviewing some other important person I have never heard of and all around lots
of botox, silicon and plastic surgery for the eyes to view. After all this is Scottsdale, a very
interesting crowd indeed.
After that went over to the Equidome and watched the Championship
Amateur Owner to Ride over 40 in Hunt Seat and saw the first good idea! A poor
horse lost a shoe and the entire class stopped. They called in a steward and
farrier replaced the shoe and the class began again. Could you imagine if the
endurance ride stopped when a horse lost a shoe and waited for a farrier, lolJ
The Scottsdale Mounted Police did a demonstration using
there horses and if I could get my own horses half as trained and half as spook
free I would be ecstatic! Truly amazing work they do with the horses, banging
tires on them, rolling baby strollers under them with stiffed gorillas in the
baby seat and blowing noise makers. This was really cool to watch.
There are indeed some stunning creatures at the show and it
is an event worth seeing. There are more than 2500 horses at the event and over
$1 million dollars in prizes. My favorite spectacle is tomorrow evening –
At Liberty – rock music playing and Stallions running free to a roaring
crowd. These horses do not look terrified but seem to enjoy the crowd and love
showing off but who wouldn’t looking so divine!
Cheers,
Rusty
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