Marley's First Horse Show

Like promised I would have lots to share with you all. I wanted to do a special post for our first show with pictures. I have so many and only picked out a few and it was hard to do that! Saturday am came really quickly with only about 3 hours of sleep but we where ready to have some fun and try our first horse show being we where already at the fair anyway. I grabbed some of my old show clothes and prayed that they still fit! (found a stretchy shirt that did and matched Marley really good). We only entered 3 classes being both of us were abit groggy. Our first was a halter class, second was lead line with my littlest one, and last was a Western pleasure class. Marley was very good about everything that was going on, from the cheering crowds to the loud announcer. Before the class I had to talk to the judge about what type of horse Marley was and what they looked for in that breed. He had never seen or heard of a Curly before so Marley was his first. I wish I was with the program a little bit more and printed out the sheet we can give to judges at the shows. I entered him in the light horse breed classes being I knew we wouldn't have a snowballs chance with the stock horses. We went up against and arab and a saddlebred. We placed 3rd out of 3 and I think that was his lack of knowledge of the breed. But that is ok, we where out there for the fun and the experience of the whole show environment and Marley was wonderful as always. I had to ride him in a curb bit and he did really well with it but I still think he prefers his snaffle as I do as well, cause I can 2 hand :) Lane had my fuzzy reins with him in lead line (they are really easy for him to hold onto with his little hands and to top it off soft and fun) As well with this class we got 6th out of 6 kids. He had a great time, I had a great time so it was a win all day for us regardless of the placings. While waiting for my pleasure class Lane wanted to ride again and was upset I wouldn't let him up, he started trying to climb up Marley's front legs! He even crawled under him, hung from my saddle straps you name it, he was bound and determined to get up! A few folks walked by and couldn't believe that a horse could be that tolerant and stand that still for all the monkeying around Lane was doing. (Took that opportunity again to talk about the breed!) After our classes where done I put on my curly horse shirt and strutted it around the rest of the fairgrounds that day with pride. I took Marley back out after I had changed and put my tack away and hosed him off. A young lady came up to me and had seen the curly mane, said he was just beautiful, and asked about what breed he was. She said she don't dare get to close cause she was allergic to horses but loved to own one. I had encouraged her to come up and pet Marley after telling her about how they are good with people that have allergies to horses. She was in heaven instantly. I gave her the curly horse country website address and told her to go on there and read more about them as well as look at horses that are for sale. I can almost guarantee that she went home that evening and that was the first thing she did. She was so excited that she would be able to enjoy them too!

I am very proud of Marley, for all that he has done, is doing, and how good of a horse he really is. Showing that a Curly Horse is all that and more, has a heart a gold, and a wonderful personality. So after his hard work he is going to get a few days off. Hopefully now we can get some good trail riding in and camping with Larry as well :)

Marley & Dana
OK won't let me put pictures on this one so I might have to start another one