state fair 2010

state fair.
what to say... so many words and emotions.
ghetto.
po-dunk stalls.
terrible arena.
hot.
dusty.
people watching galore.
loud.
strollers everywhere, just waiting to scare bambi...
but SOOOO worth it :)
one of my best shows ever!! and the perfect way to end my "youth 14-17" career.
it was my last show that i was able to show as a youth rider, and it ended in the best way possible.

the week started out rough, and after a couple major meltdowns, i just wanted to ride my horses back to the barn in herriman and call it quits...thursday, i had a two hour lesson on bambi that was brutal. she was naughty, it was hot, we were both dripping and my hands were all blistered from the reins. i was loosing hope...but knew i had to keep going. it's been a long, long road with her. she has serious stress issues, but were slowly overcoming them. and i couldn't be more proud of her. she is making the best effort possible and i absolutely love her for that.

you may not know...but bambi was a rescue horse. my old trainer, wendy rescued her when she was young, from a man who was neglecting her, because of financial issues. (whatever, cruel is the only word that comes to my mind in that situation, not BS financial issues)
wendy trained her a little but couldn't afford the board on her at the time, so she went home to wendy's house and got fat in a pasture (along with ripping out her tail on a chain link fence, hence the short tail ;)
finally, she took her back to the barn and my good friend lizzy, started to ride her. bambi was a wild ride for her, ran off with her, bucked her off, and a whole other set of issues but started to come around, and won a couple shows on her.. eventually, a lady named donna (a pathological liar and just plain crazy person) came along and wanted to buy her. in the end, it was a bad match, donna took her to another stable and whatever happened between then and when wendy got her back, wasn't good. wendy finally asked to buy her back after a year because of some rumors she had heard about bambi and the way she was being treated.
donna agreed, and bambi came back a mess. she was stressed out, defensive, and skittish, it took a whole group of people just to get her from the trailer to her stall in the barn.

wendy took her back to her house and let her chill out...eventually, a girl named lexie came along, and its been a happy thing ever since. ha ha from then on, you all know the rest of the saga.
bambi has a lot of underlying issues that were dealing with. mainly, just being defensive and having her own agenda...bambi's way or the highway...(that's what she would like to think at least)
after all the tears, fights, and anger, i am so proud of her. i wouldn't trade her for anything. she has taught me so much and made me a better rider as well as a better person. she is constantly making me laugh, and is such a drama queen, but I LOVE THAT ABOUT HER. (most of the time at least) she always puts a smile on my face, comforts me when i'm crying in her stall, and knows all my secrets.

i love you Abi Tanni Bask.

sorry, got side tracked... but on that note.... the state fair was a lot for her. overwhelming, hot and the stalls just did not fit to her standards. but she and i both stuck it out and achieved everything we had came to do at that show.
we had 4 classes. (but one equitation class was just a school class for me, meaning i wasn't getting judged)
hunter pleasure 14-17 : third place
hunter pleasure 14-17 championship: reserve champion
hunter pleauser 14-17 novice: first place

i came out sobbing on my third place, because i could not believe i had actually placed. i've had show after show, with no placing and never feeling to great about my ride.
she was flawless, stayed calm, and i definitely overcame some of my issues in the show ring. we finally just came together, both stopped worrying and had a good time.
my parents and trainer have been telling me to just enjoy it and have fun, all along and finally it clicked with me yesterday. i stopped worrying about the ribbons, judge, and what people would think of me, gave it up, stopped worrying, and just rode my horse. it was amazing.

RESERVE CHAMPION

as for storm, he was my good boy, just as always. 

he put up with a lot, got hot and tired, but kept going. 

trooper/my noble steed

:)

western pleasure 14-17: second place

western pleasure championship: reserve champion

western equitation 14-17: second place

western equitation 14-17 championship: third place

storm has definitely made me a better ride as well, gives me a challenge but always knows just what

do to. he came into my life for a reason, and i couldn't be more happier with him.

come to think of it, bambi and storm both came into my life when i seem to need them the most. 

:)

it's amazing the power that horses have and i am so blessed to have them in my life and have the opportunity to ride, show, and enjoy there presence in my life. 

thanks to muzz, dad, priscilla, candice, and most of all my ponies <3

THANKS PRISCILLA

having a moment

<3 <3 <3

goodbye youth...hello amateur.