April showers

In my March recap post, I talked about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb.

I was not complaining. The last year has been filled with lions. I was happy to have an easier month. I was hoping for a lot more easy days, a lot more sheep.

Well, April brought me a kangaroo. That almost counts, right?

The month started normally enough, with an April Fool's Day birthday celebration for my father-in-law.

A couple days later, we welcomed a new dog into our extended family.

I went to work, rode Winslow and made a bridle for IMTM.

It was a nice, normal, sheeplike month.

Then it wasn't.

Even though I knew it was coming, I took Darcy's death really hard. She was such an important part of my my family and my life for over fourteen years. It's been a really hard adjustment.

Fortunately, I've had a lot of support.

I wish I could say things have gotten easier, but right now Ryan, who also had a birthday this month...

and I are in California, 

visiting Mom

and trying to deal with some of the fallout from the fire.

not ours, fortunately

It's going okay.

But it's a lot.

So much for sheep, right?

For all the sadness and turmoil April has delivered, there has been one significant silver lining.

I am ready for April to be over. Please bring on  a whole bunch of May sheep flowers!

Lovely Rita

Tuesday was the biennial inventory day at work. I was in the back of the store, scanning fly spray bottles, when I heard a commotion by the front entrance. Because I did not want to lose my place, I ignored it until I heard someone say, "Where's Jennifer? She needs to see this!" 

Hmmm.

I finished my row, carefully marked my spot and walked over to the the entryway where a crowd had assembled.

I saw a customer holding an animal.

I could not believe me eyes. It was a kangaroo!

Everyone else was petting her, so I dove right in.

Day made.

Someone asked if she could come out of her pouch. Her owners were happy to oblige.

She was wearing a diaper!

She hopped all over the store.

It was amazing.

Then it got even better.

We all got to hold the kangaroo!

Since I know you're wondering, Rita is an eight month old red kangaroo.

She was born in Texas and has been with her current owners for three weeks.

You do not need a license to own a red kangaroo in Colorado.

Although she was in Parker on Tuesday, Rita lives in Western Colorado at a mental health and drug rehab center that specializes in equine and kangaroo therapy.

I did not know kangaroo therapy was a thing, but now I am believer.

Inventory is a long, hard, not very fun process, but because of Rita, that was also one of the best days ever!

Slow dance

Let's say you're a first time performance shower, and this is your first performance entry: a jogging Western Pleasure horse decked out in silver tack.

You spent a lot of money on this, so of course you want to show it in something other than just Western Pleasure. 

How about Western Trail? After all, that's exactly the same tack and doll. Just slide a couple poles under there and... Hmmm. 

It doesn't really look like he's actually going to make it through.

In fact, this happens in the real world, but it's not exactly desirable.

There's a real temptation to slide an extra pole in there. It looks so right, but it's also so very wrong.

Here's why: One of the main purposes of trot poles is to create a more active trot. They  encourage the horse to use their hindquarters and "track up".  The hind feet should step into the prints left by the forefeet.

Basically, it's the opposite of a Western Pleasure jog.

As an experienced performance shower, I know this. Instead of forcing a round peg into a square hole, I pivot. As a rule, I don't show my slow jogging Western Pleasure horse over poles.

Literally, anything but poles.

If I was going to show him over poles, however, it would be a single pole set up like this.

Or this.

Here's a diagram that might be helpful.

This is a perfect example of one of the essential skills of performance showing: learning how to work with the horse you have. 

Pole dance

Live show trail classes are filled with poles entries, and for good reason.

Poles are the ultimate easy prop. Simply buy a dowel, cut it to size and add a little stain or paint. Anyone can make them.

But showing them properly? That's a whole different story. Make no mistake, for such an "easy" obstacle, poles can be tricky.

photo courtesy of Lauren Mauldin

But not at the walk. 

The walk is one foot between each pole. That's as straightforward as it gets.

The trots is where things starts to get complicated.

This is correct. The poles should be placed between the forelegs and between the hind legs, not between the forelegs and hind legs.

Don't be fooled by funny angles and different phases of the gait. This...

is not this! 

On to the canter!

photo by Jennifer Scott

The correct placement here is the exact opposite of the trot.

I find it helpful to remember that when you're cantering, the pole is essentially a very small jump.

photo by Jennifer Scott

This...

equates to this...

and this!

Poles are hard, but I hope this makes them just a little bit easier.

Thank you to Lauren, Jenn and Olive for their help with the photos. If you have any questions, post them in the comment section!