First Horse Show of the Season...

The weekend after we were home from Wisconsin Dells and after I finished my socks.. Bree was invited to show with my most favorite horse trainer (specifically pleasure horses) in the whole world!

Back in the fall, Bree and I took my friend, Stacy, (not "vet" stacey - but trainer stacy- notice the difference in the spellings of their name.. LOL) - to a sale in Veedersburg, IN (just across the IL line from Danville, IL). I have been to other sales with Stacy and she just has this "knack" - for lack of better word - of picking out young diamonds in the rough (horses that is) - She has done it many times and makes them into these phenomenal, wonderful western and english pleasure horses!

Well, there was this Appaloosa. He was a youngster - probably 3 or 4, poor thing had been hauled probably from sale to sale. He was SKINNY with a capital SKINNY, he was beat up from being trailered, and he was spotted! (Stacy has a soft spot for Appaloosas). He was sweet, kind and she just saw a light in him that no one else noticed. She liked the way he "moved", she liked the way he "carried" himself. She just "liked" him. She bought him for nearly nothing. That was in September.

In the fall and into the winter she worked with him some, but mainly gave him some needed and deserved TLC and lots of food. She STILL liked him!

Towards the end of April this year, she started training him and working with him and took him to a show or two just to see how he would react, get him worldly, and in general give him a test ride. She liked him even more!

So, she asked if Bree would like to show him in June. Well, that's like asking if a horse likes apples. OF COURSE!!!!

Since we have not shown WP and EP (western and english pleasure) in several years - Stacy fit Bree up with all her show needs: Chaps, shirt, saddle, english attire right down to the boots - Stacy is a "wee" thing and Bree fit into all her goods nicely. Bree practiced with Kelo for several days before the show and the day of the show she practiced some more...

And... And... Introducing Bree and Kelo

This is Bree and Kelo riding in the Youth class to which she WON the class! It was so cool. She won a payout of $8.40 for her placing - which even paid for her class. Don't they look good together?

I love this picture of them walking out to get their prize after winning the class - the way she is looking at Kelo just sums up what a fantastic job Stacy has done with him and what a great horse he is..


And can you say "happy kid" - this was toward the end of the day - she did NOT want to get down.. LOL! She asked repeatedly if we could "buy" him... Smart kid!

The next 2 classes are English classes. She took 2nd in both (behind an Arabian who goes more typically english - which is ok)

Look at the nice extension in his legs - can you say "wow"! For a 3 or 4 year old, not cared for diamond in the rough... "wow"!

Look at the little effort it takes to ride him.

And a gratitious shot of the super person who made all this possible - Miss Stacy...



Thanks Stacy for a great show and more in the future!!!!