Redemption!

We all gathered up to go to the Western Horse Expo in Sacramento California this morning. A bunch of us from my local Horsemen's Club caravanned up and headed off early. I always love this event. Not only do you have lots of shopping, there are clinics, and sales, and artwork and drinking and food! Whoo! What more could a girl ask for? 

My favorite clinician was there- Tim Kimura. Tim 'the Trail man' Kimura that is- he designs trail courses for the AQHA and the Palomino World and APHA World shows. The man knows 'board' as he calls them. 

He had three young girls and really broke horses to go over the poles at a trot and a lope. As he did he explained what to look at, where you want your horse to place his feet, what he looks for as a judge, and what he hopes to accomplish with his courses. Man my head was swimming with all the information he was giving out- all in 45 minutes. He told us it is about approach,departure,cadence over poles and follow through. He explained that the space between the poles- what he calls the ladder- is where you want to look AS you go over the poles- not ahead as I had been taught. He explained that to keep your horse going over the boards and not dropping a hind foot, you need to look -at the trot, two ladders ahead, at the lope three ladders ahead and at the walk one ladder ahead. To sit UP and as you go over the pole to 'rock back' on your pockets to slow your horse down, all of this is opposite to what I have been doing. I know it is all subjective, but heck- I'm gonna try it.( If I can ever get Desi back into the frame of mind where he can work!) 

Speaking of which- Lil Mama got on and just rode him into the ground yesterday- it was a lovely sight! (Is that wrong? - NAH!) 

I always said I couldn't afford to send my horse to a trainer- so I just built my own! You rock Lil Mama!~

PS: This is the fifth straight year in a row that I've gone to the WSHE and brought someone who bought a new saddle. I'm goin' for a personal best now!