Pride and Prejudice

So I was at a show this last weekend with a student and her horse, both of which I've trained. Her horse, let me mention, is a purebred Arabian. This was the last of a series competitions and this horse and her owner were on POINT. No complaints everything is looking sharp. So far she and her horse are ranked 3rd overall in the series. So she begins her classes and the first few look good and she's placed decent, but then. THEN suddenly she starts to dip in the rankings.

Nothings changed, nothing is different, except that suddenly a couple of Paints and QH's and Appy's come in to the classes. No biggie right? WRONG-O. Now a couple of these horses were well deserving of their high places, but others were not. So why wasn't the Arab placing anymore? My student, obviously confused keeps asking what's going on and once I learn who the judge was it hits me. I've shown under this judge quite a few times with my Arabian and let me tell you. He will NOT hardly even LOOK toward an Arab... It was like we suddenly didn't exist. He'd glance over for a split second and that was it.

So my student asked me to take her horse in couple of classes so that she could sit back and watch. And sure enough the judge wouldn't look at us. I went into a bareback class and when the announcer called for 5 steps back, I was literally right behind the judge and he didn't even turn around. This was in a class of only like 5 or 6 horses! So for my next class I did many, many circles around the judge and put my self slightly to the inside of the rail staying near this one very nice Appy. Forcing the judge to have to look at me. To no avail... We did not place well. Even the spectators were commenting on why this mare wasn't placing when she had cleaned up so nicely at the other shows??? EVERYONE was baffled, so at the end of my last class, I dismounted and asked the judge for some advice on this mare. And his response was the biggest cop out response I've ever heard. He said "Keep her more steady..." Steady??? This mare is Steady Eddy!!!!! *Sigh* I'd rather he just told me that Stock horses rule and Arabs drool, because we all know that's what he was thinking...

In the end it was still another good experience for the mare and her owner. Although her owner was miffed, they still came out as 2nd overall in the show series, even with this slight little hitch... It was a great learning experience for them being greenies of how the system sometimes works. Plus they got to keep their Pride, despite the Prejudice...

Backies

OK, I know it's been awhile and I apologize, But I'm back! I had surgery on my jaw and was slightly out of it lol. New post coming out tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!