AQHA World Show

It's been pretty quiet around Pecan Mill Ranch. We've been steadily training and hopefully steadily improving. I was ready for a little excitement, so was happy to see Mike loading up the big rig. Seems that we're headed to Oklahoma City and the AQHA World Show for an exhibition. This sounds too good to be true. No dressage. No arduous marathon. Just me showing off for an adoring crowd.
The USEF is putting on a presentation to promote the WEG and also to introduce some of the other equestrian disciplines to the Quarter Horse crowd. There will be representatives from 3-day eventing, show jumping, para-dressage, reining, and of course combined driving.
The A team (Ruff,Donovan,Tuff,Fabulous Fred) is loaded up to go. I'm full of questions but Tuff just glares at me, Donovan knows nothing, and Ruff patiently tries to answer but finally has enough and tells me to just wait and see.
After driving all day, we finally arrive at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. It's a huge complex with several arenas, hundreds of stalls, vendors of all types, and most importantly, lots of spectators. All of this is indoors and with the weather turning cold, it was very much appreciated.
Joanie Morris and Kathy Meyer from the USEF were at the stalls to welcome us. We also met Paul and Deryn Stewart - friends of Mike and Jerry who had generously agreed to help. The stalls were deeply bedded (obviously not prepared by a certain Scotsman I know) and comfortable. Most importantly, word of my wardrobe crisis must have reached the USEF, for waiting at our stalls were navy blue sheets embroidered in red with USA.
Once we were all settled in, we decided to take a test drive around the place. We toured the parking lots and main streets, waving to everyone we met. We wanted to try one of the arenas, but didn't want to scare any horses not used to seeing carriages. (We found out the next day however, that working cow horses are pretty difficult to spook. The only horse we had a little fun with was the prima donnaish dressage mare.)
On Friday Deryn braided us all up in red,white, and blue. We were to be first to go. We were to show the crowd how quick and agile we were by going around a couple of portable hazards. The announcer introduced us (only Mike by name, no mention of Fabulous Fred). The music started blaring "Born in the USA" and we breezed through the hazard, kicking up lots of dirt and getting the crowd cheering. Mike complained that he had to make mostly right turns because I wasn't paying close enough attention. All I can say is, have you ever tried to speed through a hazard while at the same time waving to the crowd? Our time in the main arena was over before we knew it and we headed back to the barn in order not to scare any of the other horses. We missed the other performances but heard they all did beautifully. We were unharnessed as Mike headed back to the arena to throw autographed t-shirts and sign photographs.
We did get a chance to see some of the working cow horses and I have to say, I could do that job! I could do that job, have lots of fun and look Fabulous doing it!

Lexington CDE

We're back home in hot, steamy Brenham after a fun-filled week in Kentucky.

Our trip started with just "the boys" being loaded into the big rig. Tina and Ready barely looked up from their grazing as we pulled out. I'd like to say they'll be missed but.....

The trip is long, boring, and except for a flat tire on the truck, uneventful. After two days on the trailer, we finally arrive at the Kentucky Horse Park. Our stalls aren't ready yet, so we spend the night turned out in round pens. I get to share a pen with Ruff and Tuff. Donovan and Antone share another. They like to pick on me, so I'm happy to make faces at them from a safe distance and standing behind Ruff and Tuff.

At noon on Monday, we're put in our stalls. The national champion 4-in-hand team is across the aisle from us. Tuff immediately starts talking smack, bragging that we can take them in the marathon. I, however, keep my mouth shut. They are, frankly, intimidating. Everything they own is matched and monogramed. Their carriages and harness top of the line. And their wardrobe! I have serious blanket envy. They wear more clothes in a day than I've worn my entire life. Day sheets, warmers, coolers, evening attire. I look down at my mud splattered turnout sheet and think - "Extreme Makeover, Horse Edition".

Because I am a marathon and cones specialist, I get the next couple of days off as Mike prepares for dressage. Antone has my spot as right leader. He's been doing a great job at home but seems a little on edge here at the show. He asks how I handle my show nerves but of course I have no idea what he means. The bigger the crowd, the better is my motto. While the rest of the team is out working, I get turnout time. I put on a show whenever I see a spectator. I'm perfecting my pivot/buck/sprint move.

On Wednesday, we get bathed and braided for vet check. I look fabulous. A crowd has gathered to watch which always makes me happy. I'm still not clear on the procedure, however.

I'm asked to trot away from the crowd. I don't like doing this and someone waves a whip towards me. What nerve! We turn and I happily trot back to the crowd who are obviously impressed with my style and flair. The team is all cleared to compete in dressage tomorrow.

I watch smuggly as the team is harnessed and hitched for dressage. Antone looks calm and I shout encouragement. I want him to do well. I don't want any part of dressage anymore. I wait for what seems an eternity for the team to return after dressage. Apparently, the ring is close to 30 minutes away from the stables which only adds to my impatience. Finally, they arrive looking neither pleased nor disappointed. Antone had a case of stage fright and couldn't keep his trot rhythm. They worked well as a team and had an adequate test. They are close to being able to score better, but as always, more work is needed.

With Dressage finally behind us, it's time to focus on the fun stuff! We're harnessed up for cones practice and I'm full of energy walking up to the practice field. The Horse Park is a beautiful place with lots to look at. We pass by some of the hazards and it makes me psyched for marathon day! We get to the practice field and it's amazing - absolutely huge, grassy and smooth. I can barely contain myself and have fun boucing around and practicing flying lead changes while the rest of the team boringly trots along. We get warmed up and then it's our turn on the cones course set up by Coach Peter. The first run through is pretty good. Spectators were amazed at my ability to get through the cones at seemingly impossible angles. Peter wanted Mike to work on setting the team up earlier and straighter, before each set of cones. We worked on that awhile. At the risk of making Mike a little bit mad, I have to say that one of my favorite quotes ever and the reason Peter is my favorite coach ever, happened during this training session. Mike kept saying Fred!, Fred!, as if I was doing something wrong. Peter says,"Not Fred!, Mike!" All I could think was, Ha!, I knew it all along! As if I could ever be to blame!
Finally, it's Marathon Day! We had a little scare with the rain, thinking that the course would be very muddy but the weather is great and the wind has helped dry the footing. We have new Zilco harness, our manes are braided in red, white, and blue, and we're looking good as we start out on section A. The cooler weather feels great for Team Texas and after the walk section, we arrive barely winded at the vet check. In fact, Ruff's temperature is so low that the vet rechecks it to make sure it wasn't a mistake! We head off to the hazards feeling fresh and confident. The first hazard is pretty tight and technical. Tuff must have been studying my moves because he leaps through an opening that I thought he was going to miss and we exit with a very respectable time. The first water hazard is next and since we all love getting our gators as wet as possible, we splash right in. Mike continues to drive well and the hazards go very smoothly. Another somewhat technical hazard 3, then "the mountain" at hazard 4. (Later, I heard that there was some good-natured ribbing from the crowd about us taking the side route like "little girls", instead of the steeper up-the-middle option.) We were blazing in hazard 5 but passed a gate and had to circle back to catch it. Hazard 6 was pretty straight-forward around some logs and then it was back through the water and up and down another hill in 7. It was all over before we knew it. This was Donovan's first marathon on a team and I have to say that he was pretty awesome! With all four of us doing our jobs, we were faster and smoother. We felt good about how we had done and although it was apparently a surprise to many, we weren't entirely shocked by our 3rd place finish.
Cones Day! We're in 5th place overall going into cones. I'm excited not to have Tina as a wheeler and am counting on Donovan. I always love having the crowd up close to the arena in cones and we're all feeling good about our chances. We start off well but things quickly fall apart after we're asked to come back from the canter. We can't seem to work together as a team and the balls start to fall. It's a disappointing run and it drops us to 7th place. I see more cones practice in our future.
All in all, it was a pretty good show. Donovan is qualified for WEG, marathon went very well, and we feel that our cones performance will be greatly improved with more practice.
Right now though, we're ready to get home to Texas!

The Summer of My Discontent

Thank goodness this summer is finally coming to an end. My euphoria at being crowned a "specialist" was quickly followed by the realization that Antone would be needing lots of practice with the "A" team in order to be ready for dressage. This meant that I was relegated to the "B" team with - you guessed it- Tina! I was to be the adult supervision in the lead with Tina. Now, if you know me at all, paying attention to anyone but myself is not my strong suit. This fact ended with disastrous consequences that I'll go into in a moment.
Ready and Taylor are the "B" team wheelers. Ready works only marginally more than Tina and Taylor does OK but is really a bit of a chicken at heart. I spent the summer trying to add a little flash to the team with decidedly negative results. So it was with less than optimal enthusiasm that I went out for marathon practice on the aforementioned disastrous day.
Here's how it went down. We're having an easy practice and Mike decides to go through a couple of hazards in the trees. I notice a couple of fans are there to watch, so I put on my game face and prepare to dazzle. Tina is clueless as usual, so I do my best to pull her around. However, there's one gate that is a very narrow opening between two trees. We round the corner and are supposed to go through this particular gate but Tina has other ideas. I'm not the biggest horse in the barn, and when Tina puts on the brakes, I can't do a thing. So, we back up and have another go at it. This time, Tina trots forward just enough to get herself through, but the carriage has no room to follow. It hits the tree and catapults gator Jerry. She lands badly and obviously needs medical care. We're quickly taken back to the barn and Mike whisks Jerry to the emergency room. Later, news gets back to us that she has a broken ankle. She'll be on crutches for awhile but we're all relieved that she will be alright.
With our trip to the Lexington CDE coming up, the timing of our accident is terrible. Jerry obviously cannot gator. We are all so used to her calming influence and ability to help Mike make any corrections needed while going full speed through a hazard. She will be greatly missed.
P.S. Hate mail directed towards Tina will not be accepted.
She's a bit clueless,yes. Intentionally destructive, no. She has issued an official apology which has been accepted by the team.

Ridden dressage

I've finally gotten my dressage rider back. Tina hogged her for months and months as Mike held out hope that she would be the "Terrific Tina" to my "Fabulous Fred". I think they've decided she's as terrific as she's going to get for right now. Ridden dressage is more fun than driven. I find it easier to focus when I have undivided attention. Besides, my rider always sneaks me cookies, gives me pats, and tells me how fabulous I am.

I had just started being ridden again, when my rider went on vacation. She assures me that she thought of me the entire time she was gone and even offered photographic proof.

First, there was the city that borrowed from my name.

Then, evidence that I'm famous far and wide.

And finally, in case you were wondering about the photo at the start of this post, views that are nearly as fabulous as I am.

Hot Clinic

We've just finished another clinic with Coach Peter. It's been brutally hot here with record setting afternoon temperatures of 104 degrees. This meant early morning and evening lessons with the middle of the day set aside for napping under the trees.
Peter quickly figured out why Texans wear those funny looking cowboy hats. Check out the picture. You can hardly tell he's German! I told you, I'm all about inclusion. Antone and Peter can both be honorary Texans.

The first day of the clinic is dressage practice. Someone forgot to tell Peter that I'm a cones and marathon specialist and I get put on the team with Ruff, Donovan, and Antone. I do my best to remind everyone why I don't do dressage. I look around for cones, and finding none proceed to daydream. My thoughts of fame and fortune keep getting interrupted by Mike's incessant commands though, and I'm glad when the lesson is over. I'm not really sure how the lesson went (wasn't paying close attention) but the other three horses practically drag me back to the barn and they're not being particularly friendly.
The next morning, Tuff is put in my spot next to Antone. (That's right, people! I'm a specialist!) They come back sometime later (I don't know how long. I was busy with hay) hot and tired but looking pleased with themselves. The same four are hooked up again in the evening. It looks like Antone is quickly improving and has earned a dressage spot.
The last morning of the clinic, I'm harnessed up. It's too hot for marathon, so I hope for cones practice. We head out towards the dressage field and I get a little panicky. It's only for warm-up, though and soon we head to the cones course.
Jerry, my personal videographer, is there to record my every fabulous move. Mike can watch it later and see the spots where he must get quicker to keep up with me.
The course is tight and challenging. I try to pick the route but Mike keeps insisting that he gets to choose. Ruff and Donovan do a good job. Antone surprises us all by mostly keeping up with me and working really hard. He's a pretty good partner and not nearly as bossy as Tuff. As long as he doesn't try to steal my thunder, I think he'll do.

The B Team

Today is team driving day. Occasionally I'm driven single. Mike reaffirms that I'm fabulous, secretly fantasizes about taking me to the singles world championships, then sighs and turns me back towards the barn.
Other times, I'm driven as a pair. My partners are usually Mr. "I can walk faster than any horse alive" Tuff, or Miss "I'd really not leave the barn, thank you!" Tina. It's all business with Tuff. I work way too hard and Tuff is not sufficiently impressed with my effort. Tina's a bit lazy and makes me look good. She keeps Mike busy calling her name. I used to think he kept saying "Fred!" so much to point me out to the crowd, but have since learned it's not a good thing. I've tried telling her, but she's in denial. I pay close attention to where we're going. Tina's been known to hit a thing or two. (I forgive but never forget.)
Anyway, it's team day. Ready and Donovan are led to the wheel. Tina and I are leaders, but I'm on the wrong side. Ruff and Tuff are in their stalls. My first thought is, "First the minis and now this. Mike really is losing it." My second thought is, "We're all gonna die!"
We've never done this without Tuff telling us all what to do and Ruff making sure that the carriage doesn't hit anything. I look anxiously at Tina. She's oblivious. I glance back at Ready and Donovan. They look slightly dazed and bewildered. I think the whites of my eyes might be showing. I try to calm down. That can't be a good look for me.
Off we go and we live to tell the tale. My fears were (uncharacteristically for me) exaggerated. Donovan steps up and does great. Ready, all about self-preservation, does her part. Tina, after a slow start, finally gets it in gear and gets to work. I, of course, am fabulous.
We head back to the barn. Ruff and Tuff smirk smugly in their stalls. I hope they're enjoying their break. I can only take so much stress. I need a massage. Where are those fans of mine?

I'm Special

Antone

I haven't written much about our training lately but we're still working hard. Ruff and Donovan are doing great in the wheel. We have much more power now and I'm free to be my fabulous self out front. Also, when Donovan came from Indiana, he brought a buddy with him. He's not a Texan either, (he even has a German accent) but I'm all about being inclusive. His name's Antone and he seems pretty cool.

Wait! Mike hooked him up next to Tuff, in my spot! I'm just left standing in my stall. Mike must notice that my famous twinkling eyes are looking hurt. Apparently, I'm a "marathon and cones specialist". That sounds pretty impressive. A fitting title for me. I'll let it slide. Antone can do dressage. I'm too special for that.