Boom goes to a horse show to see more horse/rider teams....ACK! He feels abused! Ha ha!

There was a horse show a couple of hours from here and Jessi, who is working with a yearling for the EMM was taking her horse.  I surprised her and showed up!  Hee hee!  Her Mom knew I was headed that direction, but Jessi didn't.  Jessi had her best friend Karli with her, and Karli didn't know either.  I love surprises like that!

This was Boom's first view of the arena....

And his first view of a horse that is uncomfortable being in the arena.  This little horse was full of it - just plain old feeling good!  I don't know that I wanted Boom to see that....

My friend Betty rode with me, that is her at the fence being my moral support.  Boom is watching closely....there is a rider/horse team and they are ponying another horse.  (We are in the practice arena)

This lady rode back and forth and we just watched a while, then we followed her.  There was another Western Pleasure horse we followed and that one was easy.  They walked - we walked behind.  They jog trotted - we walked behind.  They loped - we walked behind.  There is no speed difference to speak of.....

We turned around and YIKES!  Where did they all come from?

I lunged Boom while other horses rode around him.  If he was moving, he did pretty good, if we stood still he had HUGE issues with them going behind him. 
Look at this cute little pony.

Angela just pulled in with the girls....they don't know I am down there yet.

Angela and Karli bringing Kahlua the mustang to the practice ring to say hello.

Here is Boom, me, Angela and Valero, the EMM yearling.  He is going to be a big boy when he grows up!

Valero and Boom can't quite figure out what Jessi is doing.....

We are kind of in the corner, and Boom was fine until we had a couple other horses stopped to to talk to us, plus people standing around.  Then there were the ones who were riding quickly by behind him.  He had a moment of squatting down, shaking and I was afraid he was going to blast thru that fence, but he handled it.  Whew!  When you get bucked off, getting bucked off again is not the only issue with confidence.....I have a lot to work on.

Here is a group shot:  Jessi on her mustang Kahlua, Angela holding Valero, and me holding Boom.

Hmmmm, nice butt!

Jessi's best friend Karli was going to ride in her first show.  She was going to ride Kahlua.  Unfortunately I could not stay that late to watch them...but I hear they had a great time and Karli did wonderful!  :-)
Karli and Boom decompressing.....

Karli on Kahlua....

Valero and Boom having a pow-wow.  They rode together in the trailer home, and will be riding together to Lincoln, NE in September.

This was hilarious!  Valero was getting in trouble for nibbling on the fence.  He hung his head over very slowly and waited....no tug on the halter.....so he slowly turned his head and then started nibbling so nobody could see.  Um yeah, look at Angela peeking around him..... he really tricked her, didn't he?  Ha ha!

Valero and Jessi - he is a pretty boy!

An Iron Horse at the horse show....love it!

Sunday we went to another fun show that was a little bit closer to home.  I left Boom tied to the trailer while I went to the office to show my papers and pay admission. 

Walking around the show grounds......

People in chairs along the fence were a little unnerving to him.....

After all the halter classes were over (finally!) we stayed for the first riding class and hung out at the rail.  We left after this....we had been there 1 1/2 hrs and it was hot and boring.

Boom eating grass, watching stuff going on, while the girls sit in the shade.  They have the right idea!

The girls were playing on the railing and it scared him - so I had them do it more.  They were swinging and flipping all over the place!

Before the show started they had a rider carrying a flag.....

The show grounds are by the highway and we spent a lot of time over there.  He did not pay any attention to the traffic.  I let Tori (Brian's niece) walk Boom around.  If he got loose he would have had to come by me so I was not too worried.

Boom still isn't comfy around other people, so this was good for him.  Tori isn't afraid of him at all so that helps.

Madison is not as comfortable around the horses, but I can talk her into getting up to them once in a while.  She isn't comfortable with the jumpy scary parts...um, me neither.  :-)

Madison is relaxing once she realized Boom was more calm, and she was playing with his bangs.  Doesn't he look thrilled?  Ha ha!

I hosed him off after I got home - and he rolled - a lot!  He was a happy dirty horse again.  :-)

LOOK!  I am riding the barrel without getting bucked off!

LOOK!  No hands or feet!

And on a final note.....a sunrise and sunflower.

It was a long couple of days with the show stuff.  Anybody who knows me knows that taking a horse to a show isn't my thing, but it is a great training tool.....plus with Boom and his problem with other horses and riders, we really need to do this a lot!  I heard there is another one next weekend....guess we will be there.

Until later....Karen and Tripp who is glad he got to stay home!