Congress Conquered

We have returned from the Congress...and I'm tired..as I'm sure my showmanshippers are. We did have a finalist in the Novice Am Showmanship who got just a touch nervous at the end of her pattern on the 2nd go.
None of the patterns this year were "out there" with outlandish things like squares last year...that was ODD... the patterns were challenging w/o being outlandish...in the next few days (as I DIG the patterns out), I'll go over the weak spots I watched many exhibitors make in the two patterns that we did (novice and select)...
Until then...keep practicing!

Prepping for your BIG day

Back in "my" day we didn't get patterns weeks before to practice...as luck would have it, we had them the night before...and well, we practiced, but we didn't practice our horses into the ground. We didn't drill the pattern over and over again, we ran the pattern once and figured out our weak spots. Then we practiced that part of the pattern until it became 2nd nature...then we'd put the pattern back together again to see if we "really" had it, and usually there was another part that needed some polishing, so we'd practice JUST THAT part. And after we had it "perfected" and ran a perfect pattern, we'd mix up the pattern a little bit so our horses didn't anticipate that pattern. This way they were fresh for the next day.

Then we went and TRIED to get a good night's sleep...nerves always seemed to get the better of me the night before. Counting sheep never worked, so I put my insomnia to work. I thought about my perfect pattern, over and over and over and over again. I visualized myself walking into the arena, totally dressed, everything perfect and I ran that perfect pattern step by step in my mind, over and over and over again.

Ya know it worked...I've got the buckles to prove it (wink!)

Congress Patterns are Posted!

Ok, first things first...Congress patterns are posted! You can download them for free from http://www.horseshowpatterns.com/ just follow the Congress symbols.

I know I have been neglecting this poor blog lately...I'm sorry, it's futurity season and we've been on the road and something has to give...LOL...anyway, right now my focus is shifting towards Congress and getting our Congress horses to prime AT Congress. We'll be gone from October 10 through 25th...so needless to say, this blog will be REALLY quiet during that time.

I do not plan on going over the Congress patterns until Congress is OVER (some things need to remain with me for my clients best interest, but I promise I will share when it's all over!). I will give you a few insider tips on preparing yourself and your horse for your "big" day...whether that's Congress, the World's, the National's, County/State Fair...whatever the "big" day is for you and your horse. I'll post this in the next few days. Until then, keep practicing!

The Quarter Horse Congress

Whether you are attending congress or just wishfully thinking, you can see all the patterns on line even BEFORE Congress starts. They will be available October 1st! You can find them on horse show patterns website http://www.horseshowpatterns.com/
These are always great for practicing!

Pattern 30, Novice

Findings:

• Walk briskly from cone 1 to cone 2. Leave yourself enough room to pivot at cone 2 before you set up from cone 1.
• Stop with your hip in line with the judge and the cone (this is where my students had a hard time with, they needed to stop with their hip on that invisible line from the cone to the judge). Typically it was 3 steps when their body passed the judge to where hip placement was.
• Do not over or under spin and trot straight to judge.
• Back approximately 5 steps (one horse length).
• Walk to judge, leaving yourself enough to room for the pivot after inspection.
• Set up (under 3 seconds), perform inspection, upon dismissal, perform 270.
• Glance at judge and trot straight away.

Pattern 29, Novice

Findings:

• It's important that you start in line with the judge (and if you're the first to go in the pattern and the judge is not standing there, to make sure you have enough room at cone 1 so when you stop and pivot at cone 2, you don't run over it!)
• Trot from cone 1 to cone 2, stopping with your horse's nose at 2, perform your 360, looking up at the judge towards the end of your turn so that you don't over or under pivot.
• Walk from cone 2 to cone 3, picking up the trot at cone 3 (make sure you are asking your horse to trot off with you BEFORE you get to cone 3, so you aren't late in your trot off).
• Stop with your horse directly in front of the judge (1 1/2 arms length away).
• After dismissal, back 5 steps, pivot 90 (you may have to pull your horse slightly forward so that it doesn't pivot on the incorrect foot) and walk away.
  

Pattern 28, Advanced

Findings:

• Start with a brisk trot, you will need this because as you begin turning horse to trot to cone 3, they will automatically want to slow down and possibly walk.
• Slow to a walk, making it a smooth transition, do not stop, practice until it becomes automatic for both you and your horse.
• Walk a tight circle around the cone, making sure you are looking up and for the judge for your trot off approach.
• Make sure you stop your horse in front of the judge, at 1 1/2 arms length away, back straight and walk back, again stopping 1 1/2 arms length away.
• Upon dismissal make sure your horse is paying attention to you so you don't catch your horse sleeping and off guard for your 270...spin, a quick glance at the judge and trot straight away.