4H, Clinton Anderson random-ness

This year will be my fourth year in horse 4H.  I have ended up loving every year by the end and enjoy showing.  But what I really enjoy the most is when I get to work with and train the horses.  That is what makes working with horses fun for me.  The challenge of thinking like a horse and figuring out what I need to do to teach them something new, or do somehthing better.  While I may not be able to go through everything and tell you technically how to do each thing, I do know how to get a horse to move in different directions and it is fun for me.  I have a ton to learn but I think I am getting the hang of everything pretty fast.  I have been to a few Clinton Anderson Tour clinics and have learned so much from each of them.  The things I find stick with me the most are his one liners that make you giggle and/or think.  Like his "One hand for softness and control, two reins to die quickly"  Not only did it sound funny but I it helped me to remember that it is much easier and safer to stop a horse with one rein rather than two reins.  On top of that you won't start to create a hard mouth on your horse.  A few others  I like:
The more time you pick yourself up out of the sand the better your groundwork gets. (everytime you fall off the more you learn how important the grunt work really is.)
Do what you want kill me quickly. (talking about clenching up when you get nervous, pull your arms in, Do what you want, squeeze your legs, kill me quickly.)
I didn't hit him, he ran into the stick! (your horse cant come closer than the stick will allow so if it whacks him it is his own fault.)
Let them commit the crime first! (don't punish for what your horse hasn't done yet, you cant arrest a guy for standing outside a bank with a gun until he walks in and starts shooting)
These are the few that I could think of off the top of my head, there are a ton more.  But Clinton Anderson really is the king of idiot-proof horsemanship.  And listening and watching and reading his material has helped me improve my horsemanship so much over the past 4 years it is crazy!

Silver Spurs Horse Show, Boise, ID 2010, Part 3

Kelsie and I found a ton of arenas, but we didn't know which of them we could or could not ride in.  So, with a lot of prodding from my parents, we decided that after lunch we would go to the main desk and see if they could tell us which arenas we were allowed in. 
We had decided to bring sandwich stuff for lunches.  Mom made the sandwiches because she didn't want our horsey hands in her food.  Kelsie, Sam and I saw the arena that Kelsie and I would be showing in and decided to take a look while we were waiting.  It was huge.  They had split it into two arenas with room in the front of the building to line up and wait for your class.  They were working up the ground and setting up panels, in preperation for the show the next day.  We walked back to the car in awe and saw that it was  our turn to let mom know what we wanted on our sandwiches.  We were given our sandwiches and we tried to find a place to sit where our food wouldn't blow away, which is hard to do in Idaho.  We ended up sitting in the tack stall on the bales of hay.   We ate our sandwiches and then started off to the main office. 
We passed the wash racks on the way down to the office and Kelsie and I were in love.  We hadn't used them but they looked amaZING!  Sam pulled us away from the wash racks of our dreams and we finished walking up to the main desk.
We got up to the office and our fast walk turned into a sluggish crawl.  None of us really wanted to get up there or be first to talk.  Kelsie finally walked up and asked who we needed to talk to about where to sign up for the show the next day and which arenas were off limits.  We were told that they knew nothing about the show.  They only handled the stalls and horse park grounds and that all the arenas were open to ride in we just weren't allowed in the grassy area, as it was under construction.  We thanked her, turned and did a fast walk outta the office, glad to have that over with and done.  We walked back to the stalls trying to gather together a plan.  We decided on riding a bit to let the horses stretch their legs and to get used to the arenas.

Sam is such a good cousin!

Kelsie and Rainy.

We were tired of lunging.....So we agreed it was time to ride!

We teased mom about this one.  "I have something on my head?  What??"

Again, isn't Sam the BEST cousin you could have??

 When we were about done in the warm up arena we were told that the main arena was open to ride in.  We figured better to go in and find things the horses are scared of now rather than while we show.  So, we rode in the massive covered arena for a while.  It was the coolest arena I have EVER ridden in, in my ENTIRE life!  We finished up, our horses were sweaty, we were sweaty and it was time..........  We got to use the WASH RACKS!!!!!  =D

Silver Spurs Horse Show Boise, Idaho Part 1

This year I was informed of a big horse show in Boise, Idaho.  It was during our Church camp, and my sister's birthday.  Mom and dad decided that it would be a good experience for me and they said that we could go.  My best friend Kelsie and her brother decided to show as well and we were able to bring up my cousin Sam.  So, not only was I able to show my horse, but I would be with my two best friends.  I work for a lady who has been to the Idaho Horse Park, which is where the show was being held this year, and she was able to tell us a lot of information about the park.  She was going to join us and enter the Open Show on Sunday with a couple of her horses, but things happened and that wasn't possible.  So, going up, we had to figure things out on our own, which was an adventure in itself.  The first part of our little summertime fun starts with the packing.....

I wasn't prepared for this trip very far ahead of time.  This year, our 4H group has a few more English riders that usual.  So, I, of course, wanted to try English for myself.  I ended up liking it more than I thought I would and I was able to borrow or buy the things I needed to be able to show in English.  I ordered my English boots about a week ahead of time and had them shipped 3 day.  I ordered them in a size 8 (one size too big) and they had stretchy stuff in the back (hopefully to accomodate my big calves.)  I got them and...they were too small around my leg.  So we ordered a size 9 (2 sizes too big!!)  and they were still TIGHT!  I had to make them do though, because by now, the show was in 3 days and we had to be in Boise in 2 days.  I had to suck it up (literally) and wear the boots that were huge in the foot and tiny in the calf, or not show English.

The night before we had to leave for the show (Thursday the 10th), my cousin spent the night and I tried on all of my outfits (I had 3 of them) to make sure that I had everything and that I didn't forget anything. (HA!)  I tried on Engilsh first, which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  I had everything, boots, breeches, belt, shirt, jacket, collar, pin, helmet.  All good.  Hang that up and put a grabage bag over it.  Next, Western: Boots, jeans, belt, chaps, shirt, hat.  All good there too! Hang, and garbage sack it as well.  Next, was my showmanship/halter: Boots, Jeans, belt, shirt, hat, again all good!  Hang and cover it.  By this time, I had turned into the Carrie Underwood of horse shows!  If you have seen a concert you will understand, she had at least 10 outfit changes!!   Then it was time to pack my bag of regular clothes.  Extra jeans, tee-shirts, socks, underwear, and p.j.'s. With a lot of help from Sam, we got that done and I sat down to polish the show saddle and bridle that my boss let me borrow for the show.  When I got that done, took another check of the room, wrote down a quick list of what not to forget tomorrow. (Again HAHA!!)  By this time it was midight.

6:00 AM
"SAM!! Where are my glasses??!"  Half an hour later we finally found them and tried to get back on track.  We neeeded to have EVERYTHING loaded and be at Kelsie's to pick up her horses at 9 AM.  We dressed quickly, and bounded up the stairs to eat, get things loaded and the house cleaned up.  In two hours, Sam and I had folded 5 baskets of laundry, cleaned out a cooler, packed all the food and loaded up the trailer.  Here are most of the things we shoved, neatly into the trailer/van. 
Saddles (3), bridles (3), halters (3), brushes (too many), hoofpick (1), mane detangler, shampoo/conditioner, show clothes, hay, grain, wheelbarrow, hose, spray nozzel, hats (2), boots (3), and a big green tub of things that we might need.  Oh, and buckets, a couple buckets for grain and water.  Most importantly Silver, my wonderful horse!  We loaded up the minivan and headed off to pick up 2 more horses and drive to Boise.

Sunday Fun

A couple of Sundays ago my family and I  went out and rode some of our horses.  My horse, Silver, is an Arabian.  He has to be the best horse in the world! ;-)  I mean come on, how many horses put up with a 7 year old boy who wants to go fast, fast, fast all the time??

 See how Nate is urging him to go FASTER!!

Then he likes to do the daredevil stuff like no hands, OK, so I showed him how to do it... but see the rein is slipping?

   Notice the rein is now on the ground, I had to intervene and help bro get his rein back.
My sisters rode Sackett, Taylor's little ol' Quarter Horse.  I have found that most people prefer to ride Sackett to Silver and I still can not figure out why.....
I was able to get my dad on Silver and now I think he may be hooked and wants Silver to love him like Silver adores me but with that Arabian loyalty he won't....Sorry Dad.
Once family was done riding Taylor and I took over and we decide to goof off a bit and made the mistake of giving Kennedy the camera and she caught our antics on the camera.

I am happy to say that the day ended with a tired, happy family and no broken bones or blood or any other injuries.