Jump judging at Poplar Place Farm

What a day, spent at a great facility jump judging for prelim through beginner novice. Those prelim riders sure know their stuff and can ride. That fence was HUGE, and wide. Most of them rode it like it was a walk in the park, nothing out of stride. Amazing what those horses and riders can do.

Most of the training and novice level riders did well, only a few mishaps along the course. These are the riders that start making you a little nervous when they jump. Sometimes they are not fit enough to last the whole course and just get in tight at the last fence. A couple of falls in the novice division, nothing serious.

The beginner novice riders are the ones that really make you nervous. So many riders getting their horses in too deep to the base of the fence and the poor horse having to leap like a deer to make it over. I would guess there were 6 falls in this division, nothing serious until the last rider of the day. She fell at fence 3, had the EMS come out and carry her out. They didn't transport her off grounds but it was as a precaution. It seems that all riders who fall have to be checked out by the EMS by the end of the show. New rule put in place over the last couple of years, not a bad rule to have.

The day was long and hot but we got a coupon for reduced show fees or cross country schooling. And lunch out of the deal too. I love getting the coupon, make use of it very quickly I will. Poplar has a schooling show the first of July and then the end of July. Hopefully I will be able to get another one before then.

Supervising feeding, just to make sure that I do it correctly. Who could resist a face like that? Certainly not me, I gave him a handful of senior.

Megan on Rocker, we are trying to find Megan a horse of her own. In the meantime, she is riding everything in the barn. They had a great ride this afternoon, he is a hard one to get going. He is in his mid-20's and figures why should he.

Christian goofing off and Sawyer looking bored.

The wind blown look is back. This is what happens after a group of boys head to the creek. We use the air compressor to dry them off.

This is the turtle that Amanda, Brittany, Anna, Megan and Courtney saved on the way back to the barn from lunch. Our newest resident of the mare's pasture pond, hope he/she stays there and not on the road.

Our morning visitor. This lovely creature was causing a lot of havoc by laying right next to the fence. My dogs were raising the alert about him.

You can't really see what is happening very well. Charmer has his head under Buggs' tail, using his big brother to keep the flies off his ears.

This is Opus, our poster child for not doing drugs. He was kicked as a kitten and spent 6 weeks in a cast that covered his upper body. The vet wanted him to be kept quiet, so Teresa had to keep him sedated for those weeks. We think that the drugs messed with his brain, Opus will randomly just flop over and go to sleep. Will sleep under cars, looking like a dead cat. On his back with feet sticking straight up in the air. And he is not really to choosy about where he sleeps. Any slightly flat place will do.

Cool Buggs, he is so tolerating of what ever we do to him. I am so glad that have this horse.

Charmer trying to eat my sun hat. I was out in the big arena building jumps for the stadium course for the show. He was at first scared of my hat, ran off from me. So I started loving on Buggs, and Charmer was having none of that, he wanted his love too. Next thing I know I am close lined by my hat string. He has grabbed it and pulled, so I take it off. Sort of just have it on my head to see what he does. As you can tell from the photo he is no longer afraid of it.

My jump crew, sliding the nylon pole cover onto the nasty painted pole. You should have heard the comments made about this. Not things that I can write in a public g-rated forum.

Alex helping to feed the dogs. He is so helpful, always wanting to lend a hand. Sometimes the jobs are just too much for him, but we can't say anything. Like most children, he is fiercely adament that he is a big strong T-rex dinosaur and can do ANYTHING.