First horse show in USA

Yesterday I had my very first horse show in the USA. For some who don't know me I moved from the Netherlands 3.5 years ago to KY. We entered in the Halter class, gaited and non gaited class and Western pleasure, gaited and non gaited class.
I don't show because I am a nervous wreck. I just can't handle people watching me riding. But I was like...hmm if I want to promote my wonderful horses and the Curly Horses overall I have to get out there and do it. So I took my good boys Blue Eyed Jake (gaited) and Warrior Freedom (Non gaited).
The problem is Jake is gaited but he doesn't know it yet ;-) and me I have never rode a gaited horse in my life before so we are both exploring and searching. I will get a couple of strides and then we loose it, so we are on the right track. But hey what the heck it is practicing experience.
Freedom doesn't lope without a bucking serenade so that's not good either so I decided just enter and trot a little faster during the lope ;-)

First Halter non gaited with Freedom...wow he did so good he just walked around like a full trained halter horse. HOWEVER the judge probably had never seen a curly horse before and must have been thinking what a rugged looking quarter horse who is badly groomed. Freedom does look somewhat like a quarter only with spiral manes and a shorter tail. So no place..
Right after, the gaited class, so I had to literately run to the trailer get Jake run back to the arena and the gate was closed. We still where allowed in. So Jake proudly walked around with his micro curl summer  coat...again the judge didn't even took the time to look at him during the line up. I was so aggravated by that. I thought he could at least pretend he was looking at us.

Warrior Freedom, halter non gaited

Good Boy Freedom ♥

Then western please non gaited. I got Freedom a nice new bridle he looked so handsome I was so proud.
And then the big surprise, he jogged wooheee main quarter horse would be jealous. His head nice and low relaxed and I had a grin form ear to ear. We didn't lope I could feel him getting tense and ready for his explosion so I just did an extended trot. We place 4..out of 4 hahaha.

Jake was up for the western please Gaited class. 23!! entries. All these well oiled gaited Tennessee walking horses, Paso Fino's, Saddlebreds, what ever breeds....and here comes Jake the Curly. First Flat walk....then running walk. Jake looks around all the horses flying by, he hears Freedom screaming from the trailer. He looks up again when a huge painted TWH horse come "running" by and there goes Jake in his head ( I thought I could actually hear him think...I CAN DO THAT) and there we went around and around in a perfect running walk. WOW was I proud of my Curly Jake. This time NOW we got the attention of the judge, you could see him think like hey look at that big Curly and even during the line up he actually took the time to look at him FINALLY.
We didn't get placed, but that was totally understandably with so many very experienced entries. But at least we got some attention now.

Blue eyed Jake, Gaited halter class

Are you riding a CURLY HORSE?

MIEP MIEP....here goes Jake running walk

handsome Jake

Many people came to my trailer where the horses where and asked about the Curly horses and also during warm up other riders would come up what kind of horses they where. One lady asked "Is this one of those woolly horses"? I  almost busted out laughing. I remember back in the Netherlands somebody once asked me if my horse ( Gypsy Vanner) was crossed with a Holstein cow YES that was a serious question.

I am sexy and I know it

Such good boys

I put up banners at the concession stand where people bought food and drinks, so that was a good spot for promotion.

Conclusion I am over my fear of showing because of the VERY well behavior of my two boys. They stood happy at the trailer nibbling on their hay. Yes they where screaming but I was not having a problem with that because they still listened very well to me. No craziness just relaxed and that gave me so much confidence.
Good experience for all three of us and good Curly Promotion.

Thank you for reading the RAC blog.

Marion Huurman, Hidden Cave Ranch, KY