Saturday, October 16, 2010

BlueBonnet Expo - photo palooza



With 5 weeks under saddle, Manu prepares to wow the crowd.


We went to the Bluebonnet Horse Expo today - to shop for deals and see demos and clinics. All proceeds from the expo benefit the Bluebonnet Horse Rescue. Steph joined me and Sierra on the long trek to Austin, and let me tell you we will NEVER miss this event! We got some screaming deals - I found some riding pants and half chaps, a saddle blanket, a bosal/mecate set, all used, all in great shape, all ridiculously cheap.


Our shopping needs sated, and wallets lightened (for a good cause) we watched the demos. I'll post some photos over the next few days, here's one series to get you started.



The first demo was of trainers working with some of Bluebonnet's rescue horses. I was most struck by this trainer who didn't just get her horse, after five weeks, to accept a saddle. She got him doing complex Vaquero ballet.


Here's his arrival at the rescue photo.



His name is Manu (of Spurs fame). The trainer guessed he was a Arab Thoroughbred mix, although his paper work says Arab Quarter. He doesn't have much quarter, she said. Here's his adoption page at Bluebonnet.

Cyd, the trainer, said that she tries to find what a horse's gift is and she felt he had the right mix of gait and showmanship for this kind of training. She said she thinks he'll be excellent in competitive trail as well - very solid mind on this guy, who arrived at the rescue half starved.

The trainer's website is here: www.pfment.com


It was incredible to see them work. Here's two videos...







and...


9 comments:

Gail said...

What a wonderful cause.

Leah Fry said...

That event sounds like fun. I knew nothing about it, or I may have driven to Austin for it. Sounds like fun, though I don't need to be lightening my wallet these days.

morningbrayfarm said...

How AMAZING. Congrats on your successful shopping day too!

Fantastyk Voyager said...

He's looking good. I've never seen that Vaquero training- kind of like horsey pole dancing huh?

Susan said...

The whole thing seems pretty cool.

KatyM said...

I wish I could have made it to the Expo this year! We went last year, when we were still living there, and it was a lot of fun :)

Very cool videos!

Jeni said...

What a great event and cause!

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Impressive. You know, I've put it in the back of my mind that I want to desensitize the horses to having something dragging behind them like a log, but I could probably just use my son's pole vault poles. That way I don't have to worry about ropes.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

That's neat, but what's the purpose of that stick? Seems like it gets in the way more than anything. Beautiful horse, though.
Glad you had a great time and found some good bargains, too.

~Lisa