Today I spent the most of the day with Sarah from
Eventing in Color at the April Horse Trials in the Fresno Horse Park. She was showing not far from where I live, like she had done last year, so I came to watch and hang out with her. This time, I watched two of her classes, dressage and cross country, which was fun. We hung out and talked in between.
I arrived just in time to watch her dressage class and part of the one before it. I took pictures in both her classes. She and Bohemian looked nice in the dressage ring. At the end, I came over to say hi. It was nice to meet her again! After the class Bohemian had a quick exam from the vet(I'll let her tell the story) and we walked to Bohemian's stall, which was in a newly painted barn nearby the show office. While she untacked, I fed Bohemian treats for being a good boy.
In between the dressage class and the cross country several hours later, both Sarah and I talked about all kinds of horse things, including eventing and some of the shows and clinics she has been doing lately. I told her a little about the horses I ride in lessons, Reno and Ginger. We also talked about OTTBs, and how they often do well at eventing, particularly cross country. Bohemian loves cross country. Sarah's trainer trains a lot of OTTBs for eventing, and since I want to do eventing I think one of the horse's she trains would be a nice horse to have. I've been saving for a horse and Meghan thinks I'm ready to start looking. Another thing we talked about was the food Bohemian eats since we had been talking about types of hay and I was interest in what he eats in addition to hay.
When it was almost time for cross country, I helped Sarah get Bohemian ready by brushing out his mane and tail. Sarah tacked him, and we got a picture together before the warmup and ride. By that time her trainer, Laurie, was there, so Sarah mounted and rode to the warmup ring. I followed with Laurie. I watched Sarah's warmup with Laurie, my parents, and another woman Laurie knows. The warmup area, which is not far from the four dressage rings, is huge, so there was plenty of room for people to warmup their horses. Sarah jumped him over a few fences toward the end of the warmup before she was called to the starting box. My parents and I headed to a vantage point where we could see most of the course. I took some
pictures, but I didn't get any close up ones.
Sarah and Bohemian looked fantastic! They finished the course in good time. It was fun to watch, and Bohemian really seemed to love his job. I went over to tell Sarah that she had looked great, then went back to the Bohemian's stall with her. She untacked and brushed him, and I gave him lots of treats because he had done so well. She then took him to a nearby pad to hose him off. I got a few pictures of Bohemian when he was being washed, and even got a couple nice faceshots. He had his ears forward in one! After placing a cooler on Hemie, Sarah let me lead her horse back to his stall. She gave him a flake of hay to eat after I put him in his stall.
My parents and I talked to Laurie a bit before we left. I am almost done with a book I've been writing that I hope to sell to earn money for a horse, in addition to doing some work with my friends. Laurie is very supportive of me and likes that I am ready to work hard for a horse. Both she and Sarah thinks it cool that I want to do eventing. Maybe someday we'll compete at the same, except in different levels. That'd be very cool. Not long after that, I wished Sarah luck for tomorrow and went home. Before leaving my parents and I stopped by one of the tack vendors to take a look at some some very fancy saddles, just for fun. Then we went home. I have lot's of pics from today and will upload some once I get them off the camera.
The book I'm writing is nearly through the editing phase. Then I'll get a proof, have the foreword written, and it will be ready to be published! My goal is to have it out at the beginning of summer, or hopefully even sooner. It is about Triple Crown winners, suiting because I want an OTTB, though that is not the most important thing. Some of the money will go to my horse fund and some will go
LOPE, a racehorse adoption center I've been following that is located in Texas. I let you know when it comes out.
