Mud Ranch’s Real Dirt

Annie and I loaded up Cali this morning for a little event put on by my friend Dixie at our local arena.  I’m not sure what she called it, except a trail competition — it should be called the Extreme Cowgirl Race… well, unless a man happens to show up sometime.

Notice the new shirt Aunt Megan made her for her birthday!

I told Dixie that she never ceases to amaze me at her creativity in the ring and the events she puts on.  Keep in mind, she does it to raise funds for the arena up keep itself, and not for her own personal gain.

First you had to cross a bridge, then go around a water obstacle (kid’s blue plastic pool filled with blown up tubes and balls), then through this blue tarp curtain.

Here’s your diagram, if you choose to follow along.

This is Ashley riding Missy her quarter horse.  She also brought her arabian named Ginger whom you’ll see coming up. 

Missy did pretty well considering in the beginning her feet seemed like they were stuck in cement. 

Here’s “Truck” and Jessica crossing our bridge.  Dixie made sure that almost all the obstacles had poles or something around them so that the horse felt even more squeezed (something horses aren’t too keen on — they’re claustrophobic.)

Ack!  I forgot the ring in my diagram!… Oh well, I’m not drawing it again.  The object was to get both front hooves in the ring — they are two noodles duct taped together.

Truck was one of the few horses that didn’t mind the bubbles being blown at him.

Isn’t he a gorgeous handsome horse?  I really do like him and Jessica has done all his training — her secret?  She ponied him every where off her little arab gelding, Harley.  I like her little saying now, she has a Truck to pull her Harley.

Approaching the box — I believe he got both hooves up there once Jessica got off.  I really don’t know that anyone stood on the box with their rider on, but I could be mistaken about that.

Ashley on Ginger for their lope — another girl who has trained her own horse.  I believe Ginger is about 5 now.  Ashley received Ginger for free from a big arabian breeder in Southern California, the only condition was that Ashley had to catch her, get the halter on her, and halter break her (she was wild as a march hare.)  Ashley did just that and spent a full week at the facility working on it!  But now she has her little arabian and enjoys working with her all the time.  They’re quite a team!

Ashley and Ginger walking through the soda cans and the water bottles.  This was definitely a scary obstacle.

And Ginger was one of the very few horses who kicked the ball through the cones.

Cali and I went over the bridge just fine and put our hooves in the ring too — after much circling but not for the reason of a spook, just rather Cali wasn’t paying attention.  But we did it.

After a long drink in the “scary” pool with floaties, she moved on through the tarp curtain with just a little hestitation but not too bad.  This horse was the one that would find a tarp by our barn and pick it up in her teeth to scare all the other horses.  It was always very funny.  And yes, I’m riding with a flat nylon halter — I’ve got to get this horse some head gear!

Cali was not at all fond of the bubble machine.  I think it was more the noise it made rather than the bubbles, though she really didn’t like the bubbles touching her either.  We finally passed by when it stopped, and she did sniff it when it was quiet.

We went around and around the box while I was on her — she finally stepped up when I guided her, though I think we only got a point for one hoof and not two.

I did our walk through of the rest of the course, and dismounted for walking under the two noodles.  Then I remounted to go and try to kick the ball through the cones –

Kigers are so smart that you often have to tell them the objective of the game before they’ll cooperate.

“Oh, I see!  Put the ball through the cones.”

“Okay Cali that’ll do.”

“Okay THANK YOU Cali — that’s far enough!”

Yep, we are one of the very few other horses that pushed the ball through.  Silly girl.

We got second prize which was a pretty little red ribbon and these rhythm beads to attach in Cali’s mane!  Cool eh?

And of course, Annie had to ride the “neigh neigh” as soon as I was done.  She didn’t want to get off and we had our usual small cry when it was time to put the saddle away and load up to leave.  This is pure indoctorination as Hubby would call it — yes, I need someone else on my side when it involves horses.  Good thing I had a girl!

Photos of Cali and I are courtesy of “MeMa” Gross — thank you MeMa!