Last Day before Last Horse Show of the Season

Yup, Lefty is THAT excited. 

Well, once he gets to the fairgrounds this morning, he'll probably display a bit more adrenalin.  

There's a horse show today, and Lefty's gonna be working hard in six classes with his sidekick Terra.

Since Terra's now in school, and it's an open horse show, I offered to help out and bathe Lefty yesterday afternoon.  

In 4-H shows participants are expected to do all their own work, while at open shows, it's okay and usually the norm to get a little help from friends. 

After all, Terra will be working hard enough today to make sure her horse is all spiffed up for his first class, which is showmanship.  Then, she'll be riding him in the other five.

Lefty's buddy Dusty will be at the show too. He'll have Barbara, Laurie and Emma riding and showing him throughout the day. 

Emma will have experienced had two straight days of very exciting moments in her life:  cheering for her first-ever American football game and riding in her first-ever American horse show. 

As an aside, within the past couple of hours, Annie has ridden her very first engineered elephant at her geocaching event in Nantes, France.

Last night's activities were held at the school Jules Verne attended.  So, life ain't too bad for her over in France. 

Meanwhile, back here, it should be a fun day all the way around for everyone involved riding horses.  When the day is all over, Lefty and Dusty will get to go out to their respective pastures and be a regular horses for the rest of the fall.  

Anyway, if you like horses and would like to see them in action, drop on by the fairgrounds any time today.  

English riding classes are in the morning and Western-style are in the afternoon. 

Off to the show.  Happy Saturday.  

The cart and manure pick will get a workout today. 

I didn't use all this stuff while bathing Lefty yesterday, but it's nice to have it handy, and some will get used today. 

Lefty can munch on his hay while waiting for his classes. 

Terra will wear at least two of those hats today.  She'll ride in the "red hat, pink shirt" class, and she'll probably wear the Western hat in her other classes. 

Tack and changing room of the trailer.  

A little glitz on the show halter. 

The green rope will help us get Lefty home at the end of the show.

Whenever Lefty comes home from a ride, he won't walk into the trailer until he sees the green rope.

We never have to use it.  Once he sees it in Terra's hand, he instantly climbs aboard. 

Pickup and trailer.  Not fancy, but it works. 

After his bath, Lefty wears these cover-up items so we can try to keep him as clean as possible overnight. 

Lefty's hooves have been sanded, and when we get to the fairgrounds, Terra will spruce them up with some clear polish. 

Horses like their hay and oats, and people avoid starving to death with all the munchies and concession stand goodies.