Barrel Race Weekend

Recently, I went to a barrel race at our local arena. My horse isn't a barrel horse, he is a dressage horse who does a little jumping. However, I like him to be versatile, and we do barrels in our own, classical way. I'd practiced cantering barrels and bending around cones at home. It had been a year since Khanalee and I had been anywhere. When I first got to the park, Khanalee was on edge. I tacked up, went over to an area where I could warm him up some, as the DEMON TRACTOR was dragging the arena. He's been to this park many times over the 10 years I've had him. However, he was very uptight, and although going through our normal routine of walk-trot, trot-trot, transitions, he felt ready to blow. An ADDB went off in his head--Arabian Deficit Disorder Bomb. He started backing up, ignoring my leg, fixating on some small children who he thought were DEMONS FROM HELL. Then my husband, Max, drove up. We talked a little, and I told him I'd meet him at the trailer as I needed to sign up. I made Khanalee work a little more, but there was no way I was going to ask for a canter.

Now, this young lady is my new friend, Bailey, on her horse, Junior. Their trailer was parked by mine. We became friends, and I talked to her a little about dressage. I am always ready to spread the gospel of dressage. Bailey was a good rider. I enjoyed her company very much.