OFQHA Ranch Show 8/31/2024

 Did I mention we've been busy?? Last weekend I loaded up both ponies and hit the road for Ohio. This trip had two purposes: to show Pyro at the Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Association (OFQHA) Ranch Show and get Missy in to see my best friend Sam, OSU equine vet extraordinaire, for a lameness evaluation and treatment. Had I ridden Pyro western in a while? No, but I got one practice ride in western tack (using skills Kate Little taught us) and decided it was good enough.

He makes a darn cute western pony

It was one of the hottest days of the summer when I had to trailer them 4 hours, but I hosed them down before loading, kept the trailer moving until sunset when it started to cool off, and arrived safely at the fairgrounds. 

Soggy, cool ponies

Pyro's fancy stall sign!

Pyro has seen and worked cows before, but not frequently, so I signed him up for the most inviting cow class (green boxing), the pattern classes (trail, ranchmanship, and green reining), and the rail class (ranch riding, your basic walk/trot/lope). 

Neither Pyro nor Missy were super driven to finish their grain, but were eating hay and drinking water as usual while enjoying their fans, so I wasn't too concerned.

It was a wear pink for breast cancer awareness show, and I was so blessed to get to show with these wonderful friends!

As the show was preparing to start with cutting classes, the cows wouldn't settle. By 9am, prior to being worked, the cattle were so hot and stressed that they were open-mouthed panting. For the sake of the animals, the show directors made the executive decision to cancel the cow classes that day. I didn't hear a single complaint. Everyone wanted what was best for the cattle. 

So, with that we turned our attention to the pattern classes that are held in the grassy "infield", trail and ranchmanship. Since I was a kid in 4H, trail class has always been a favorite of mine. I enjoyed having a handy horse who could work gates, back around obstacles, and sidepass over poles with confidence. (It didn't hurt that I could often win that class on my trusty leased horses.) I've trained a lot of these obstacles with Pyro, but we had never had the opportunity to compete in a trail class together. I wasn't sure how he would handle being out in the field by himself, but he stayed mentally with me the whole course.

Walk over poles (didn't touch any)

Walk over bridge (dropped his head and walked over with no hesitation)

Rope the dummy (he was very patient while I took 2 attempts)

Lope left lead into the chute (we had to correct our lead)

180 turn in the chute, then work the gate

Trot a serpentine

Drag a log (I don't think I've EVER asked him to drag something)

Dismount and pick up the right front (he decided to scratch his face and nearly lay down, I was cracking up)

I was pretty blown away by how confident and easy he felt in this class! He even took new things like dragging a log in stride, giving it a look that said, "well THAT'S weird... but okay". If a horse could shrug, I swear he would've. Not to mention I was laughing through the class and ENJOYING him. With a smile on my face and feeling proud of my young horse, we immediately started into our ranchmanship pattern. I think this is a super fun class, and it combines components of reining (circles of various sizes/speeds, spins, stops, backing, lead changes) with elements of a trail class (loping over and sidepassing logs).  We got a little fast and unbalanced in the canter (something we're working on at home), but he did everything I asked. 

I really appreciated how careful he was loping through the poles.

Doing our slow, careful spins

Big and fast circle

Sidepassing the pole

Trotting out

We managed to place 8th in a very large class with a lovely run, even though I made the executive decision to substitute a simple change for the prescribed flying change. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised by how well Pyro handled the new setting and out of the ordinary asks. 

Credit: Sorrel B Photography

Credit: Sorrel B Photography

The last pattern class was reining, which is held in the arena. We had some time before our run, so I took him back to his stall for some water, a bite of hay, and the chance to cool off under his fan. He ate and was nice and cool... but started having thumps, a hiccup that is due to an electrolyte imbalance. It WAS hot and sweaty weather, and he hadn't gotten his full ration of electrolytes for the day when he didn't finish breakfast. Thankfully, I've learned to travel with tubes of electrolyte paste for him, so he got a dose which encouraged him to drink deeply. We headed out just in time for our green reining class.

As we waited our turn, it started sprinkling... and as we entered the ring the sky opened up on us. 

Credit: Sorrel B Photography

Pyro handled the rain (which he's not used to working in) like a champ and completed his very first reining pattern (EVER) to earn us 6th place in another large class! In spite of the conditions, as well as my reins becoming very slippery, he remained willing to try what I was asking. To say I was happy with him is an understatement. 

Still smiling

Of course, as soon as we were done, the rain stopped. We technically still had the ranch riding (rail) class yet to do... but I decided I'm an adult, it didn't sound fun, he was already a rock star, and we didn't have to do it!

When you take a dressage horse in the reining pen

We ended our show on that good note, cheered on my friends, and safely trailered across Ohio for our next pit stop. 

I'm so thankful for how well these two load and trailer now that I know they need short trailer ties to keep them from looking back over their shoulders.

My baby horse has grown up and is now my fun adventure companion. Missy seemed content to just chill with her hay under a fan and soak up the retired life while Pyro stepped up to the challenge. I'm so thankful I didn't give up on this colt (he was a menace as a youngster!), and that we've grown together into a partnership. I look forward to our future adventures!