This message is from: "Pat Holland" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> if you all see me in the trail class dropping the rope gate, or > having to trot the figure 8, i know that it will be a victory for us > regardless. last year i trotted the barrels, perhaps this year we will canter......... Laurie, Don't worry about dropping gates, breaking a canter or not retaining the canter.
I'll always remember a wonderful stallion shown at an Evaluation at Blue Earth many years ago. When he was going through the rope gate in the utility part of the advanced riding test he grabbed ahold of the rope and wouldn't let it go. Not at all out of meanness - but playfulness. The rider, his owner was literally having a "tug-of-war" with him. It was one of the most comical "opps" I've ever seen. We used that footage at a training seminar and none of us could come up with an answer to how to score it. Another time I presented three horses in the intro driving test and none would stand still. That footage was also shown over and over again in the training seminars - nothing like making a mistake - but seeing it over and over again and being shown to all the future evaluators - was certainly humbling. If there is one of you out there that has NEVER made a mistake in the show ring, I would like to meet you. When I was showing QH's in the 70's and we all wore the tight, custom fitted shirts.....while at the jog my bra strap broke on one side,.....imagine that picture.....I'm surprised the horse wasn't thrown off balance and trip. With humor, Pat
