I wasn't showing in hand at this show, there is only really one show a year that we can show him in hand. We know we have our cards stacked against us in Hunter, so we just use it as a schooling session more then anything for our Jumper class. I rarely place in Hunter, but I did place in Hunter Eq (which is shocking because my Eq is horrible) in this show.
I had the mane roll in, because, I thought damn - its a clydesdale, so lets go all dressed up instead of little braids (which I hate doing). I was going to do the roll without the picks, but then my coach and friends saw them in the truck and loved them - plus the bottom one, ensured I wasn't jumping ahead of him.
There is total discrimination against us, but now that I understand it - I've learned to deal with it, which is why we usually show in Jumper classes only now. There is no flat knee action happening here! I haven't gotten used to the nasty statements I occassionally hear from other competitors and spectators, but I understand that a judge would have a hard time placing us in this kind of show.
He's 18hh, and I'm 5'0, so I am rather small, and have become very barn blind to his height, as I see him as rather short.
Painted Ride - if you lived close by I'd let you ride him. I've had one lady request to ride him as part of her Bucket List, and we arranged for that. She thought she was just going to be lead lined, but my coach was there, and we had her ride on her own, walk, trot, canter and warm him up for me for my lesson.
He loves to jump, he's the one that started it all by jumping out of his paddocks and jumping over anything he could find, so I figured I might as well let him do what he wishes. When we go out there, you can feel him fire up and get all excited as soon as he see's the standards out. This was definitely me fullfilling his wishes, as I had never wanted to jump prior to this... now we are both addicted.
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