Estes Park Show 2016

The Estes Park Horse Show was this past weekend, and while there are too many funny stories to retell them all, here is a smattering of the hilarity.

We'll start with Highboy.  He was so thoroughly overly excited when we arrived Friday that he couldn't possibly keep all four feet on the ground as I attempted to hand walk him around the show arenas.  I had to abort the mission and just put him back in his stall because I didn't have the interest or fortitude to wrestle with him as he insisted we rear and spar together at this fun new playground.  In between the overnight lip wrestling sessions over the stall wall, I suspect Monty talked to him and explained that you actually get to go do fun things at shows if you behave yourself, because Highboy was considerably better behaved the next morning. 

There was still an incredible amount of Highboy Nonsense, though, with plenty of running sideways, hopping up and down in the air, squealing, and even an attempt to jump out of the dressage arena (those little white fences look like cavalletti, do they not?).  During the middle of our first dressage test I was able to catch the leap out of the arena IN THE AIR, then somehow I redirected and we landed back inside and miraculously we weren't disqualified.  The kind and generous judge commented that Highboy is a "very athletic horse, needs practice on relaxation and regularity."  The second day's judge was equally magnanimous in her comments that Highboy was an "extremely complicated horse, very tactfully ridden."  As I entered the arena to begin my test, my friend Trisha quietly petitioned the spectators in the bleachers asking them all to say a little prayer for Kim and Highboy, so I guess it worked!

There was a prix caprilli class which Highboy and I entered.  This is a dressage test with jumps in it.  The judge's remarks for this test were along the lines of, "horse has clear jumping ability, dressage portions need to continue to be developed."  Appropriate in light of his cavorting and leaping around during his 20m canter circles. 

Highboy had to pay his dues later by being a seahorse in the costume class Saturday evening.  I was a mermaid complete with scaly leggings, green wig, seashell bra, and orange puffer fish.  A friend commented that Highboy was a saint, "stand still, pony, whist I affix this pool noodle to your face" but the truth won out that this was Highboy's opportunity to pay penance for his nonsense earlier in the day. 

My working student, Jasi, competed my pony Cosmo in the walk/trot dressage tests.  This was Jasi's first dressage show, and Cosmo's first time in Estes Park.  Jasi did a phenomenal job with little Cosmo, earning comments from the judges about what a nice balanced rider she is and what a beautiful partnership she has with her pony.  We did discover at the show that Cosmo's physique has changed enough that he needs a different saddle.  He was limping in the warmup Friday night, and to determine if the saddle was bothering him I removed it and then had Jasi trot him bareback.  She's has a great seat and is game to try anything, so she did it with him and miraculously we had a sound pony.  A friend was coming to groom and spectate Saturday and saved the day by bringing up a different saddle for us, so fortunately Jasi didn't have to ride bareback all weekend!

Jasi's idea for the costume class was to dress up as a jockey and racehorse.  It was very appropriate since they ride for my barn, and so many of mine are retired racehorses, and she even wore the Bit of Honey colors of black and yellow.  They had the cuteness factor going for them as well, and won the costume class by being audience favorites!

I was incredibly proud of Amy and her new mare Dakota this weekend, too.  In Amy's words this is how the show went for her:

"What an amazing weekend at the Estes Park Arabian and Open Dressage Show. This was my first show in 25 years, with a horse I've only had 3 months. Overcoming my fear of insecurity, low self confidence, judgement and thoughts of failure were a huge first step for me. After the last 12 years I've had 8 surgeries, chronic debilitating vertigo and been told that I shouldn't be riding with the old back injuries I have...but...I did it! I put myself out there with the support of some pretty amazing ladies from Bit of Honey Training and Kim Leonard. Dakota was a compete rock star and literally and figuratively carried me through the weekend. She tried her heart out and I put our relationship first in ways that I had never done in previous shows throughout my childhood. We came in third in the Dressage Trail (none of the obstacles we had done before), fourth in our open dressage intro level a test and had a great ride in our Western Dressage intro level test 2. Even though I'm overjoyed with the ribbons, I am the most proud of how much fun I had, the partnership with Dakota that strengthened and grew over the weekend, and the entire experience. Lots to work on for myself and Dakota in preparation for next year, but we took a first huge step this year and this is something I will never forget."

After going through over a thousand photos from this show, I learned that these two are not capable of taking a bad picture.  Here is just a small sample of the photogenic pair.

This year Joyce brought her two geldings again, Billy and Khreed.  It was a stretch year for Joyce because she showed Billy western and Khreed english.  They had a series of terrific rides, and were pleased to receive compliments from the judge on what a nice pair she and Billy were, despite Khreed being her main riding horse!  We were all impressed with Joyce's boundless energy and positive attitude about absolutely everything Estes.  

For the costume class, Joyce was Princess Fiona from the movie Shrek, and Billy was her dragon.

Dewey and Sara had a great showing this weekend as well.  I am currently leasing Dewey to Sara, and they are making great progress together.  Dewey handled the overnight horse show environment really well, with only a little silliness on the lungeline at the beginning of Saturday to remind us that he is only five years old.

Dewey and Sara dressed for the costume class as Big Bird and Elmo, complete with orange nose and feathered ensemble.  When he first arrived at Bit of Honey I clicker-trained Dewey, so now his default if he sees something strange is to touch it in case it earns him a treat.  Dressing for the costume class was a bit hurried, and so Dewey had a somewhat rushed introduction to his costume.  Sara and Kathy broached the issue with finesse, letting Dewey sniff it and then snurrfle it, earning himself handfuls of cookies in the process.  As a result, it took all of about a minute and a half to get the feathered sheet onto Dewey and get him out to the arena to greet his adoring public.

The fun classes on Saturday evening extended from our costumes all the way to include the egg and spoon race, toilet paper pairs, and the ride-a-buck class.  The color of the day seemed to be bright blue in honor of the Independence Day weekend, and it made for fun photos of the group.

Monty was so upset about his friends walking through the barn in costume that the toilet-paper pairs race was too scary for him to do.  So we just chased the toilet paper as it dangled from Jasi and Cosmo in that class.

It was my birthday weekend and the Bit of Honey Crew surprised me with a little birthday cake back at the trailers in the evening, I do love cake!

Carol and Shambhu did a great job, riding their first dressage tests well and receiving plenty of
positive feedback from the judge.  They even did the bareback dressage class!

Kim H. and Rain did a great job this weekend, too.  We don't often get to see photos of Kim because she is always behind the camera, working tirelessly as the Bit of Honey Paparazzi to document all of our adventures.  She took most of the photos this weekend, allowing this blog post to become the lengthy chronology it is.  We did capture a few good shots of Kim riding, though, and she and Rain certainly earned their ballerina tiaras!