Cob Jockey

Now for a break from the incessant saddle spam.  Part of getting my saddle was driving 5 hours to Wisconsin to hang out with Mary while she worked the CWD booth at an 'A' rated indoor hunter/jumper show.  AKA, I visited the land of Many Tiny Braids for the first time in my life.  It was an awesome experience.

This guy.  I want him.

Many Tiny Braids.

I thought I knew something about Hunter/Jumper shows, having been to big jumper shows and been friends with a lot of hunters.  But I still found myself asking lots of questions.

Q: "Why are they staying in the ring after a clear round?  I thought jump offs were always at the end."
A: "It depends on what "table" the show is following, and the rulebook."

Q: "Is that horse wearing two nosebands?"
A: "Yes"
Q: "Why?"
A: "...to keep its mouth shut."

Q: "Ringside coaching is allowed?"
A: "Yep!"

If you know Mary, you know this is totally her.  And it's working for her - she's one of their top sellers right now!

Something that was very cool was seeing my mom's old barn there.  She never showed rated, but she took lessons here with her best friend all through high school:


One of the things that caught my eye and fascinated me when I first got there and the hunter rounds were still going was the weak loin muscling and visible SI joint on most of the horses, at least in the classes I saw.  I live a pretty isolated equine life: I see one type of horse, that does one (well, three) thing(s), so the difference in musculature really interested me.

I asked Mary about it, and she said it was due to their jumping style, and that I wouldn't see that on the jumpers.  True enough, the jumpers had a lot more loin muscling.  It's not good or bad, just the way they are conditioned for what they do, and what they need to do their jobs well.  And these horses were good.

I like strong butts and I cannot lie.

This show had fake palm trees:


Tons of tiny dogs in sweaters:


And a giant Connor clone.  This guy walked into the ring and gave the Suspicious Spooky Ear to some fill plus a sideways step and I told Mary, "This guy's gonna go like Connor."  Not only did he act like him, he also jumped like him - except Connor's quicker and tidier with his front end these days.  Really nice horse:


There were also meeeeeellions of tiny girls in jods and unbuttoned show shirts giggling about being "puddle jumpers" and setting up jumper courses of brooms and chairs in storage areas to canter over horseless.  Very cute.

Overall it was a very cool experience and a lot of fun.   I could see myself enjoying the jumpers, but not the schedule - this 1 ring indoor show started at 8am and was still going at midnight when we left!  We eventers are in bed after a few margaritas by that time every night!

Other random photos:

Jump off

A Bannockburn Farm horse

Neat looking liver chestnut with a male rider

Grey from the first photo warming up.

Nice horse.

Warmup ring insanity!