The Good Part (along with an 'Incident' :) )

Rogo was so amazing at the show. He was upset for about 5 minutes Fri. night when I took him out to do his arena ride - there were horses and trailers coming and going everywhere and this was all completly new to him. Then that was it. He was fine for the rest of the weekend. He even stopped calling to Savanah by late Sat.

He seemed to be very calm and interested in everything and loved being fussed over. He stood stock still for 45 minutes to be braided (another first) and was just generally happy and sweet. It was his first time in a warm up ring (he's only been ridden with one other horse in with him before), first time in a line up, etc., etc.

He got lots of positive feedback from people at the show and the judge commented on both tests that he was a 'nice horse' - a first for me!

There was one incident. My biggest fear re his performance was that he'd jump out of the arena. Most of our practice has been in a fenced arena or indoor, so all I could do to prepare him for the dressage ring was lay out some cavelleti and ask him to stay inside them, which he did. Rogo was doing walk trot for his first show, and test B was scheduled first. He went through the first 3/4 of the test really well and I was so happy as I felt him listening and responding to my aids in this completely new environment. Yippeee! Then suddenly, with no warning or pulling as he was heading to his last circle, he hopped sideways out of the ring! My worst fear! It's too painful to describe in detail :) I thought I'd die of embarrassment.

Anyway, it turns out that the judge had forgiven another green horse the day before when he should have been eliminated from walk trot so he told me to finish the test and he actually marked and placed us - 62.38 and second place :) As I said, the ride until then had been quite good. He got second place in his next class too (stayed in the ring that time)  - all in all a successful first show. I could have asked for more, and he had more to give, but I thought it was most important that he have a good first show experience (and not learn to leave the ring lol).

Now to get down to work on all that we learned. Here are some pictures: