Upendi's Progess

Only 27 days left in the journey of the extreme Mustang Makeover Nebraska. I have been working hard on the costumes, shirts, and props that I am going to be using. I have been working with Upendi on lunging, turning and trotting. We also attempted to go on the trail but it was a wee bit "jungly". But I know that he is alright with the trees.

After the horse show.

After the show we went back to the barn and grabbed Upendi and put him in the trailer with Honey Bunny. We drove up to the Army reserve unloaded him and walked him around.I tied him up to the trailer while I was getting it ready for him to get back in. He was excellent. I needed Bunny to be in the trailer with him because on sept. 18 we will go to linclon with the both of them for Arsarben. Looks like they are good to go with that.

Day 78

Over the last week I have been busy, busy, busy. School has started, I had a horse show and the days are numbered before the Mustang Makeover. On sunday I had  the Wolf brothers horse show at Skyline Ranches. I competed in every class for a chance to win high point. My sister also competed. First was showmanship 13 and under, my sister did this class. She didn't place but she did very good and it was her first time doing showmanship. The next class was showmanship 14 to 18 Honey Bunny and I placed 6th out of 9 people.

The nest class I did was english equitation and I placed 7 out of 7. We need to practice that. After that was English pleasure and I placed 6th again out of 7. After all of the english classed was Western horsemanship. We didn't place beacause I decided to trot instead of canter in the pattern. After horsemanship was western pleasure. We didn't place in western pleasure. After pleasure was Poles my sister competed in the speed events too.  I got forth in both poles and barrels. This was my first time getting in the teens. I got 19.85. My sister did good also she canter the whole thing for the first time and got 36 seconds. I didn't end up getting the high point but it was a good day any way.

Day 70 out of 105

Upendi has been good so far. We have been working on lunging and Thanks to Mark Lyon, I think Upendi finally gets it. Besides lunging we have been working on basics and stuff for finals. We even started on a outfit for us. 

This weekend I have a show, Wolf Brothers. This show is my favorite because it is free and you can win stuff from the Wolf Brothers store. It is at Skyline Ranches on Sunday and it starts at 9.

Day 60 out of 105

Today I worked on some basics then I put him in the round pen. I practiced what I would have to do with him for handling. As far as I am concerned he is good with that. Then I had to set up obstacles and other things that we were doing for finals. Every obstacle that I set up we accomplished including a simple cute on the first try. We also worked on our lunging and I was able to get him to go to all 3 gaits, no problem. I also stopped him and had him reverse directions. He was very good.

Day 59

Today was fun. I let him go in the round pen while I set up the Ultimate obstacle course to go through and it included stuff for finals. The course had a bridge, a gate, ground poles, and a square. Every time we went through it was different and he got better. We did stuff for finals today. Then after that we practiced one of the things that we are the worst at... lunging. I haven't gotten him to canter before on a lunge line so today it was a first. He now has two verbal cues he has to know. 

Day 58

Today we reviewed what we did yesterday. I did basic stuff with him and I practice for finals. I ground tied him today a he stayed. That was a big accomplishment.

Day 57

Today I worked on stuff for finals but I also worked on some new stuff. I tied him up in the arena to brush him, pick up his feet and stuff. Today I also ran Bunny around barrels so I had to spray her off.

Today is also the non horse part of the Sarpy County fair. The first thing we did when we got their was animal scramble, kids under 12 get to try to catch chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, and rabbits. If you check an animal you can keep it or sell it to the petting zoo. My brother didn't catch anything, my sister, Leslie, caught a gray bunny, and my sister, Jenna, caught a big, black Bunny. The black bunny went back to the petting zoo and the gray bunny came back with us to the barn. So now we have a Bunny named Claws. The next thing I did was the soaped pig. There is a soaped up pig and whoever can get it to the ground first wins. I really liked this and I want to do it nest year.

Day 52-56

I have lost track of time the Extreme Mustang Makeover is creeping up on me. I have not been very good with keeping my blog updated, sorry everyone. Well, the last couple of days we have worked mostly on stuff for finals. We have also been working on the basics like turning and backing. I gave Upendi and Bunny a day off on Tuesday because I went on a tour of my new school. 

Upendi Pictures

clipping him

Picture

Reserve Champion in Barrels.

Day 51

Today is Speed Day at the Sarpy county Fair. Last night I wrote on the car windows for Speed Day! The first thing we did was the grand entry. That is when every one in the show on speed day rides in a line around the arena and the stops in line. All of this is happening while they play the national anthem. The first event was poles. I got a purple in it and my time was 34.223. The next event was Barrels. I got reserve champion in barrels with a time of 21.201. YAY! My next event was flag race. Bunny was scared of the flag blowing in the wind so our time was 46.931. My next event was keyhole. We probably would have done a lot better if bunny hadn't had tried to go around the cones. Our time was 16.374 and we got a blue ribbon.

Getting Bunny ready.

Standing in line in the grand entry.

Waiting for the grand entry.

Waiting for the results.

My Reserve Champion Plaque and ribbon.

When I got home to the barn I worked with Upendi on jumping, lunging and showmanship. Also I loaded him up in the trailer and gave him a quick ride he was good.

Day 50 out of 105

Today was the show part of the Sarpy county fair. I was in Showmanship, Western Pleasure and English Pleasure. Since it was a 4-h Show I got a purple ribbon in Showmanship and blue

ribbons in English Pleasure and Western Pleasure. When We got home from the show I loaded Upendi Up in the trailer and then we gave him a ride around the barn. He was all good in the trailer and then When I unloaded him, he was great. When I unloaded him

I worked with him on basics. Then I got Bunny ready for SPEED DAY!!

Getting ready to go into the show ring for showmanship.

Purple ribbon in showmanship.

Before Western Pleasure.

Waiting for the judge to announce the scores.

Day 49

I am going to the Sarpy County Fair on Saturday and Sunday. So I rode Bunny and gave her a bath. I banded her and put a sleezy on her. I put her in a stall overnight so she wouldn't get muddy. After I was done with Bunny I worked on basics with Upendi.