First Walk/Jog class

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day and my farrier was taking Sugar to a Western Pleasure show put on by a local saddle club, so we decided it would be a great idea to get Diamond off the farm and out into the real world.
We picked Diamond up at our barn and she had to get into the trailer all by herself. She has always had Sugar in the trailer first, so she was a little unsure about it for a second, and then she just hopped right in and scooted up to be tied and have the divider closed. We got to my farrier’s barn and loaded Sugar and all his tack and headed to the show.
We get there and meet up with TX and her mare. All the horses are tied to the trailers and standing very patiently. Diamond is looking all around her taking in the sights, she really seems to love experiencing new surroundings, and takes it all in stride.
I took Diamond into a smaller covered arena and began to work her on some ground work. The entire time, all three amigos are calling to each other, and Diamond doesn’t want to focus on me and what we are doing. After a few minor reminders that I am the one she needs to be worried about, she begins to listen perfectly. After not working with her for five weeks, it was almost like starting over at the beginning, and we had some tough moments, but finally got through it all. I tied her back to the trailer, gave her a good rub between the eyes, and a drink of water.
In the mean time, TX had been working her mare, and had discovered she was off on her back leg and couldn’t be shown – so she was bummed. This was to be her mare’s first show, and they had been practicing for a while now. I jokingly said “Well you can ride Diamond” and to our surprise, she said “yeah, I can, ok” and that is how Diamond wound up in her first show being ridden.
They call the Walk/Jog beginner horse class and a ton of riders enter the ring, around 20 or so, and TX walks Diamond in and mounts. They begin walking with the rest of the class; they make the first corner when Diamond spots the spectators in the stands and freezes. She won’t move an inch. TX tries flexing her right and left, tries to get her to walk in a circle, and nothing. Diamond is rooted to that spot, ears forward, watching the other horses, soaking in the entire situation. Sugar walks by, and I thought for sure Diamond would follow her, but no dice. The judge calls for a reverse direction, and TX does manage to get her turned around when Diamond sees me and Hubby standing by the fence and she walks over to us and stands in the corner for the rest of the class.
At the end of the class, they were leaving the arena when the judge and a ton of people came up to them to tell TX that she did an awesome job – she didn’t force Diamond to go with the class, she just let her stand there quietly soaking it all in, making it a positive experience for her.

Great Job TX and Diamond!!