Isabel's First Horse Show



One of Isabel's first lessons on Foxcene



I haven't had much time to blog as of late.  Things get really busy this time of year.  I wanted share some pictures and videos of Isabel's riding lessons and her first Horse Show. 

Isabel has been a horse lover for years.  Each year, when the kids spend part of their summer with their grandparents, Isabel gets her Auntie Cait to take her riding on Papa's horses.  Last summer she went to Horse Camp at the local Girl Scout resident camp.  Finally a month ago she started riding lessons.  She is learning Western Pleasure, but hopes to switch to English soon.

She was so excited to find out that her stable was hosting a Fall Festival Show for all the kids who participate with them.  They only hold two events per year, so the timing was perfect for her.

Isabel signed up to participate in three events or classes.  The first was "On the Rails Class" (I think that is what they were saying, lol), where she rode along the outside of the arena and had to follow verbal directions to walk, trot, lope, stop, and reverse.  They were judged on posture and I am not sure what else (hey, I am new to all of this).  She placed 5th out of 5 competitors in this event. 

Her next event was the "Pattern A Class".  For this event she had to memorize a pattern to ride around the arena.  She placed 2nd out of 6, and was not happy with the end of the pattern where she was suppose to back up her horse, instead her nearly 30 year old horse decided to turn.  Isabel still managed to get her to back up.

Her final event was "Ride-A-Buck".  This was a 'fun' event.  The girls had a buck ($) under their backside sticking out of the back of their saddles.  The objective was to keep your seat to keep the dollar in place, and the last one to loose their dollar won and got to keep the dollar.  No one lost their dollar.  They put the buck under their left knee next, still they all kept their dollar, so each girl won and went home a Buck richer.  All of the instructors also found a great tool for future lessons. ;)

After all of the regular events, the kids divided into groups and dressed their horses up for a costume contest.  Isabel's group, The Fillies, dressed Foxcene as a Unicorn Princess.  Poor thing!  She won first prize for her costume!

Every week Isabel counts down the day until her next lesson!  She is hoping to start English very soon and her main goal is jumping!