September 30, 2008 – Second show

Rory was pretty good at the show. Didn't do as well as I'd hoped, but at this point there is a big size discrepency between him and the others. All but one were weaned, and the one that wasn't is older than Rory too.

Despite that he placed fourth in the CSH Foal (out of six foals) and fourth in the Open Foal (out of eight foals). In the CSH National Foal Championship he received Second Premium status with a score of 73. He tied points-wise with the fifth place foal, but the judge put Rory last. She did make a point of thanking me (twice!) for bringing out such a young foal, and commented that it is difficult to show the young foals as the older ones do have the advantage.

In the first class as we were starting our jog Rory jumped up and kicked out at me catching me across my thigh. But he connected with his tendon, not hoof and it hurt him more than me.  He limped a few steps afterwards and didn't try it again. He did nip at me a few times. I'm going to have to get him to do that at home so I can scare the idea out of him.

He didn't lie down this time, but only because I wouldn't let him. When he finally decided he wanted to lie down we only had a minute or so before the next class and I didn't want to have to drag him back up again.

September 25, 2008 – More practice



Checking out the empty feed buckets



Rory got wormed again this week, and then promptly dumped his grain bucket all over the place.  He's just not that into grain yet.

I went out and groomed him last night and then did some walking and trotting in hand. Mum and the other mare and foal followed us around which made for some interesting action when we turned around. He does jump and canter and try to run off, but is very good about stopping when he reaches the end of the lead. I gave him lots of scritches as well, even after he dumped his grain bucket again.

He's still growing quickly. The crown on his halter is now out to the third hole without being huge (maybe my leather halter will fit him now).

I faxed in his entry into the breeder's show this weekend, and the CSH National Foal Championship. We'll see if he looks like a premium foal this weekend. I think he's still looking good, but I admit to being a lot biased. Everyone hope for a rain-free day for us on Sunday.

August 25, 2008 – Show time!

Saturday was the breeders show. Friday night I braided his mum. I had debated bathing them that evening, but in the end didn't. I was glad I hadn't as Rory was sleeping on a pee spot when I went in to braid mum. He got up and bothered me a bit for scratches and attention, but he didn't nibble on me, steal yarn, or anything like that. He did chew on mum's lead chain and try to bite the spray bottle of water a few times. I sprayed him. I hit his nose and he backed off and I thought "Maybe that wasn't a good idea" but later he came back and I sprayed his side, bum, back and belly and he didn't care one bit. Later on he was nibbling on the head and I sprayed water into his mouth - he came back for more.

In the morning I braided him. I started at his withers and worked my way up his neck. He was munching on the hay while I worked and was good. When I got about halfway I had to put his halter on and tie him (looped lead through stall bars) so I could finish. The hardest part was bumping the teeny tiny braids. He wiggled a bit of course, but was good.

Then it was bath time. I didn't have anyone to help, so I tied mum at the wash rack and bathed her one handed while I held Rory's lead in the other. Soaped, scrubbed and then rinsed. While I was spraying the soap off I sprayed Rory's feet, then back to mum, then his feet up to his knees, then mum. When I did his side he didn't mind, so I went all over his sides, back, bum and legs before working up his neck. He was really good. I scrubbed him with his new wash mitt and rinsed him off. It's hard to scrape the excess water off baby sized horses. I used my hand a good bit.

After the bath we went for a little walk while a stall was cleaned. Rory wanted to run and play and just get out. I put them in the stall while I got everything else ready. I had to drive the trailer myself. It was the other trailer - the step up - and he followed mum up just fine. His last foot slipped off the rubber bumper and he scrambled a bit, but it didn't bother him.

At the show we brushed the hay dust off them and did a little practice trot. Rory bounced a bit. The first class was the CSH Foal of 2008 with two entries. The other foal's pro handler beat us. I didn't get Rory stood up very well and he didn't want to stand still while the judge was looking at him. The trot wasn't bad, but not as good as he is at home. His breeder told him he was robbed, and I protested that we couldn't start that way and we should tell him that he needs to stand better and trot properly if he's going to win.

Because we were second in the Foal, we got invited back for Junior Champion. Before then Rory's breeder gave me some tips and I tried using the grass trick to keep Rory still and occupied. We didn't place in the Junior Champion, but I did get him stood up better and right after they announced the winners the judge took another look at Rory and made a note on her clipboard.

We went back to the trailer for a bit and I wandered around with Rory, jogging here and there (he cantered and bounced too). He slipped once and limped, and held his left hing leg up for a few steps. He was fine a minute later, and bounced again but with a bit more caution.

There were four foals in the Open Foal of 2008 class - including the foal that won the CSH class. Rory won. He stood nicely (kept me busy finding grass and getting his legs set and all) and trotted well. I was glad to see the judge had the confidence to change her previous placings and didn't feel she had to repeat the order. The conformation:movement percentages were slightly different between the two classes, so that may have helped too. The pro handler went to help get another foal to trot and when he came back he almost came to Rory. He was laughing about it and said "I'd take him. I'd take them both."

We got invited back for the Open Junior Champion, so we had to hang around and wait for the Yearling class to go. Rory was tired after all his effort and decided to lie down. He nibbled on the grass he could reach, rolled over and went to sleep. I had to wake him up for the Junior Champion class - which the yearlings won (1,2). He did a very nice trot in that class.

After that we headed for home. Rory hopped on the trailer without the slip this time. Once there I put them in their stall for a bit, hoping he'd lie down for the rest of his nap (and make it easy for me to take his braids out). He did, and I did get them out. I took mum's braids out too, and then put her and Rory out. I tacked the ribbons onto the front of his stall.

I really think he's going to go dark chestnut - maybe as dark as "brown" (think Ward Mclain's Sapphire). He's got quite the raccoon look just now, and his ears are quite dark too. Too cute! The dark hairs are showing through the foal coat in places and giving him a bit of a dirty look on his bum. I hope he stays dark - not that it matters one bit, but I think he'd be really striking with the dark contrast against his whites. Plus I could put red on him without commiting a fashion sin.

August 18, 2008 – Planning his first show

The foals are finally starting to play with each other. Rory would prefer to play tag, while the other foal prefers wrestling. Rory is holding his own though. He's getting to be a better wrestler and even chested the other foal's hindquarters last night and sent him staggering a couple of steps. His smaller size doesn't seem to be a handicap. They typically wrestle for a bit, then Rory runs like a mad thing around the paddock for a minute before coming back near the other foal. Sometimes the other foal chases for the first dash across the paddock, but mostly he waits until Rory stops before going over and starting the wrestling phase again.

We did a little jog practice on Friday night - he's so cute. He was super good too. I put his entry in for next Saturday's breeders show. It will be fun. I expect he will be a handful to braid. He was a good boy while I was working on his mum's mane to get it to braiding fitness. He came and saw me, but didn't bite or be a real pest. I scratched him a bit when he came. It was early/midafternoon so their nap time anyway which probably helped.

His dark raccoon eyes are getting bigger and he has a distinct ring of the bright chestnut hair close to his eyes. The grey colour on the back of his ears may be mostly skin shining through sparse hairs, but the black hair on his hocks still has me puzzled.