I love my horse

I am a lucky girl. For reals. Out of all the men in my life (and there are a few), they are all pretty good guys.

Brion got my truck starting semi-consistently this past week (yay!) so he gets a gold star and brownie points.

And, since the diesel is running again that must mean it's time for Bubba-horse to leave the house.

I had two options on Saturday. A breast cancer benefit open horse show (translation for non-horse people: no competition in the speed classes and no check when I win) 5 miles down the road and an NBHA (translation: a little more competition and a chance at a check) an hour away.

I showed up to the open show about 11. They had a great turnout and pink on everybody. Bubba and I even wore pink. I decided it would be better for both us just to lope him through at the open show and skip the NBHA. The Bubba is out of shape and hasn't been ran in almost a year and I wasn't thrilled to put more diesel in the truck. This is the part of the story where I look like a responsible horse owner.

So, while waiting for the other classes to end, I started talking (shocker) to a friend of mine. I call her Curly. She's starting to really get into barrel racing after doing open shows and pleasure for a few years and passes up no opportunity to go to the barrel races and meet people. It's all about who you know in the horse world.

Through the course of our conversation, she kept asking if I was going to Quincy. And I kept saying no.

"Bubba's out of shape."

"I don't want to put more diesel in the truck."

"I don't want to be gone from home that long."

"Call them and enter me. We'll leave after your class."

I'm a sucker. The pull, she is strong within me!

Luckily for me, the NBHA started late and we had just enough time to pay my fee, saddle and warm up before they were calling our number.

This is the part where I love my horse.

Now, Bubba and I haven't done this in a while. But, for some reason, I was not as nervous as I have been in the past. Bubba warmed up great (a little heavy on the bit but that's typical pre-run Bubba) and before you knew it, it was our turn.

We've never been to this pen before. It's deep ground, tight between the first two and a million years to the third barrel. Seriously, it was in another zip code. You had to go down a chute thing to get to the gate and as I rode Bubba over there, he just knew what that chute meant. Never been there before and he tensed and up and got just a little on the muscle, ready to go!

I love my horse. 11 months away and he remembers.

I held him to the first barrel (him switching leads every jump because I was holding him). Nice turn though he did try to fire a little soon (inside hand over the barrel kept him lined up). He spent days around 2^nd and 3^rd, grunting like a pig in that deep dirt, and flew home. Ran a 19.02. With a fast time of a 17.2, we were .2 too fast for the 4D and pretty far down the 3D ladder.

Not bad for an elephant masquerading as a horse.

I might also already be scouting the next barrel race… I gots the fever again.

The next 5 weekends are booked (out of town wedding, mud bog, NBHA World, FSU vs. North Carolina, FSU vs. Clemson) so look out November 20! I need a barrel race!

Otherwise I'll just have to go to Turkey Run the week after. O darn. ;)

I love my horse.