Maine Equine Super Showdeo Versatility Trail Events

Today I took both Marie and Luke to the Maine Equine Super Showdeo. There were two different Versatility Trail Challenges being held. One put on by the MeQHA (Maine Quarter Horse Association) that was held on a course of 25 obstacle around the fairgrounds. The other was put on by the Ellis River Riders and was a course in the arena. It was a hot, humid day but thankfully was overcast and cloudy until later in the afternoon. 

The MeQHA event was to start at 8:00 am. I had to work Friday so didn't get home and to bed until 2:00 am. I had to be up at 5:00 am. Both Luke and Marie got a quick bath before heading out at 6:30 am. I arrived at the Topsham fairgrounds by 7:00 am. I unloaded Luke and Marie and got them settled tied to the trailer with plenty of hay and both were content. The event was a bit late starting as they had to wait for all the judges to show up. I decided to ride Marie first. Well, she was quite the naughty girl about leaving Luke. She fussed and called and fidgeted and was just very upset. Sigh. My friend Joanie had come to help me as and to watch and take pictures. Not long after another friend, Nancy showed and and later Bonnie came. Such good friends to come watch and support me! 

On the first obstacle Marie and I did, she had a bit of a melt down. We had to pick up a bucket that was sitting on the end of some concrete barriers and move it. It was a bright shiny stainless steel bucket with some rocks in it. This would not normally bother her but she was so upset about leaving Luke she just would not pay attention. When I picked up the bucket and the rocks rattled around, she freaked out. When I pulled her up to stop her from dancing around, she reared up! ACK, Marie NEVER rears! It was just a little one but still. I hung into the bucket and managed to finish the obstacle. After that, Marie got her head back together and she did well with the rest of the course. 

Then, it was a quick change with Joanie's help to settle Marie back at the trailer and to tack up Luke. When I left the trailer, Luke called quite a bit for Marie but he was a good boy and didn't make any fuss about it. Our first obstacle was to mount. Luke was good and stood nicely. Our 2nd obstacle was a "gate" made from jump standards and a rope. Luke was very good about this. 

Our next series of obstacles were to walk over some pool noodles, a bridge, some piece of reflective material and then through a box with plastic bottles and such in it. Luke was perfect with all this. 

Our next set of obstacles started out with the shiny metal bucket on the concrete barriers that we had to move. Luke went up to it, sniffed it, it rattled with the rocks and he was then all snorky about it. I was not able to get him to turn his side to the bucket so I could pick it up so I was not able to complete this obstacle. 

We then had to walk over a red tarp. Next was to walk over two boards stacked on top of each other. We had to stop after stepping over then and back up back over them. Luke did both great. The judge said Luke was the only equine all day that did not knock the boards over when stepping backwards over them. Then we had to walk through an inner tube. Luke walked through perfect. We then had to trot though some cones set in a row and then back though them. Luke did very well. I didn't do the best job of cuing him to back up but we managed . We then finished with another tarp. A blue one but this one had water on it. Luke was a little snorky with the water but he did cross the tarp after a few tries. 

Our next series of obstacles started with stepping over a plastic culvert pipe and side passing along it. Luke did this nicely. We then had to drag a bag. Luke wasn't thrilled with this but he did it. Then we had to do a "pulley" obstacle where we had to pick up a rope that was attached to some plastic jugs and pull it up and let it back down. Luke did great. Then backing through some poles, walking over a brush pile, and then go over a dirt bank. Luke handled all easily. 

Sidepassing over plastic culvert

Dragging garbage bag

                                   

                                     

Pulley obstacle

The last set of obstacles started with dragging a tarp. Luke was a bit worried about this and I ended up dropping the rope. We then had to walk through a tarp alley, between poles with hoses laying on the ground, over some car mats and by some pie plates and other glittery things hanging on a line. The last obstacle was a jump over half barrels.  Luke did this all just fine. There were quite a few riders in this event. I placed 4th with Marie and 5th with Luke. I was very pleased

We were done and Luke had done wonderful!!! I was very pleased with how we had managed being a new team together and all. When I was done with the course, I took a quick ride over to where Luke's owner, Kyle, was judging the pleasure show and gave him a shout. Then rode back to see when my division in the next event started and what the riding order was. I had entered the open division with both Luke and Marie. The novice division was going first so I had some time. I settled Luke back in with Marie at the trailer with hay and water and both were happy to be back together again. By this time Kyle had finished with his judging and came over to watch me ride Luke in the next event. Pressure was on! ACK! Bonnie went and got us something to eat and drink wonderful friend that she is. When it was time for my division to ride, we had a walk through of the course. It didn't seem too hard to remember the pattern and I felt I was as ready as I could be. I was fifth in the riding order with Luke and last with Marie. So, I got Luke tacked up and headed to the arena to wait my turn. Luke was really feeling the need to roll. After all, it had been nearly 9 hrs. at this point since he had last rolled. This is a long time to go without rolling for a mule! hahah. When I entered the event, I filled out the paper work the just "Luke" for Luke's name. When it was close to my time to ride, the announcer called my name but said she did not have the name of the horse I was riding. Hummmm, Anyway, Kyle quickly took the opportunity to run over to the announcer's booth to let them know that the horse I was riding was a mule and his name is Lukeatmyass. The announcer thought he was joking at first. It seems Kyle is well known for his keen sense of humor. 

Cindy on Luke with Kyle Smith

Unfortunately, my ride on Luke in the arena event did not go so well. The first obstacle was to release a rolled up banner along the fence line. I could not get Luke to turn sideways so I could release the rope. Then we had to back though some logs. Luke backs up very well and I'm not sure where I went so wrong other then I got nervous, started over doing my cues and pulling too much when I didn't need to pull at all and I messed up the backing. It was definitely my fault, not Luke. From there we had to take a proper lead canter depart and go  3/4 of the way around the arena. This Luke did just fine but I directed him the wrong way around a cone! RATS! Then we had to stop in a box marked out with 4 cones, I had to dismount, ground tie and check a back foot. He stopped and stood quiet while I dismounted but when I touched his back leg, he jumped like I'd given him a shock and went out of the box. Darn! I then had to lead him to a mounting block and mount from the wrong side. That was fine. From there it was on to two jump standards with pool noodles sticking out of them to be walked though. Luke wouldn't do it. Close but not quite. Then we had to pick up a rain coat hanging off a jump standard and side pass to another standard and place the coat there then on through a tarp alley. No problem with either of these obstacles. Then we had to drag a rope that had a string of coffee container on it, pull this to a cone, then let go of the rope and circle around and hop them over the line of containers. Luke boogered at pulling this and I dropped the rope. At this point I really lost my head and skipped two obstacles entirely. A small blue container that you had to get them to put both front feet in and stand for 5 seconds and a gate. I went right to the curtain which Luke hesitated at but did go through. Then there were two barrels with a plank between them with a rope loop on one end of the plank. You had to pick up one end of the plank and do a complete circle keeping the other end on a barrel. Luke was not bad about this but I cut in too close to the barrel and pushed the plank off. Then we had to trot though a wagon wheel formation of ground poles. This was fine and then there was a narrow weird bridge with bushes and a deer decoy. Luke stepped up on but then hopped off over the side. So, this course was less then a success and I was disqualified since I'd skipped two obstacles. I felt bad that I made so many mistakes with Kyle watching. I wanted to make him proud of our efforts. I wish he had been able to see Luke and I do the other course as that one went so well. 

A good photo of Luke and I cantering on the WRONG side of that orange cone! And you can see the small blue container that we had to get them to put two front feet into. This was one of the obstacles I missed with Luke. DUH! But my Marie did it. 

Luke was having no part of walking through the pool noodles. 

The coffee container drag, Luke and I just before he realized we were dragging something. 

The curtain. He went through this with just a moment of hesitation

The pivot. 

Once done, I brought Luke back to the trailer, gave him some water and settled him in with more hay. I tacked up Marie and headed back to the arena. Marie was once again not happy about leaving Luke but not bad about it like she had been in the morning. My ride on Marie went quite well. We released the banner and backed though the poles well. she took the correct lead for the canter, did the ground tie and mounting on the off side fine. She did not care for the pool noodles but I got her though before my 30 second time limit was up. Tarp alley was no problem and the coffee container drag went fine and I got her to put both feet in the blue container and stand. We did the gate but went just a split second over our 30 seconds. The curtain was no problem but the plank pivot on the barrels spooked her and the board got knocked off. Then the trot around the wagon wheel pattern ground poles was ok but she too stepped off the side of the last bridge. Overall it was a good ride. By this point I was very tired and hot so I did not stay for awards for this event. I quickly packed up with the help of Joanie and Nancy and headed home. Other than wishing I had not so badly messed up on my 2nd ride on Luke, it was a good day and both Luke and Marie were wonderful.