Woodsmith Farm

The venue was spectacular, the people were  so nice, the competition became friends - who could ask for more.   This was a great show.

On Friday Rachel and I took on the ADT with Bella and Ritza.  We had a blast and Rachel did a great job on the hazards as always as she made the twisting and turning look effortless.  The carriage dog class with all of the kids and dogs was a hoot! 

On Saturday it was Emma and Romeo's turn to shine.

So after basically 2 years of standing in a field, Emma was pulled out of retirement for this show.  For those of you who have not owned a draft horse, they really are wonderful.  If I could clone Emma over and over again in all sorts of body types, I would have the perfect horse.  I know everyone thinks this about their horse, but she really is a gem.  OK, maybe Ms. Meg owned by Susan Walker is a close second - note, she is a Percheron cross I believe.

So Emma and I with a lot of help from TJ turned out on Saturday spit shined and looking spify.  The AM classes went well and we collected 3 blue ribbons in turnout, timed obstacles and reinsmanship.  As I was headed toward the arena to do the pick your route, I decided to snap my hat elastic over my chin.  Damn if the elastic didn't pop off my thumb and snap right across both open eyes. I was totally blinded which is disorienting and I was trying to stop Emma but during a moment of getting my eyes open I could see I was actually pulling her backwards, so I stopped pulling and just held my eyes.  Mike Lyon walked up and could see I was distressed and stood with me for a few minutes as I tried to get my sight back. My eyes just kept on watering and hurting like crazy.  After a few minutes I thought I was OK and I continued on to the arena where I stopped again in pain because opening my eyes was agonizing.

A lady took a hold of Emma and I got off the carriage as I tried to pull it together to make it in the class.  Sherry completed her course and I was next.  They held the class for a few minutes and TJ went to grab sunglasses as I thought that would help.  Kate Freeman gave me her sunglasses and sure enough I could see with them on so off I went into the class, half blind and having to remember my pick your own route class.  I guess I remembered it, because we managed to get all of our cones in good time.  I gave Kate her glasses back...thank you Kate, thank you judge and thank you to everyone else for being patient with me...and off to Town and Country I went.  My eyes were still smarting terribly, so I put on TJ's sunglasses and made it through the Town and Country class with no problems and with a good  time.  I was glad for Saturday's showing to be over with so I could rest my poor elastic zinged eyes.

I was a little self absorbed because of my eye situation, but I did manage to watch a few of Rachel's classes and she did really well.  Romeo is quite the guy.  I have a new respect for the Gypsy breed after hanging out with him for the weekend.

On Saturday night there was a dinner at Jimmy and Tempe Chancellor's house.  Their barn was spectacular with old wood trusses and wonderful woodwork.

Pic from CommericalAppeal.com

So on Sunday, I was puffy eyed and feeling sluggish so I did not get Emma going as early as I should have and as a result she was spunky in her classes.  She kept cantering in place and jigging in the quick warm up which is not normally a good sign if I expect to have a totally obedient horse.  She was ready to go during the working horse class and wouldn't stand quietly and chomped on her bit the whole time.  Sherry's horse was rock solid and calm and she deservedly took the blue.  Emma continued her impatience through the Magnolia drive where she jigged and wanted to trot.  I was behind Sherry's who had a much larger carriage and could not go very fast, otherwise I am pretty sure we would have zoomed along as if we were in a CDE.  The trail was windy and narrow and would have been a blast at a good trot...oh yeah, this is a pleasure show and not a CDE.  Funny that my 1700 lb draft wanted to go zoom, zoom.

Overall the show was great.  Thank you to all of the support team that it took to get us there and to keep us on time to our classes.  Many, many thanks to TJ and to the show organizers for everything!! I hope we can return next year.

 more Nashoba Carriage Classic photos