Show or No-Go?

So. On Sunday I was gearing up to leave the barn when the Barn Owner(s) (a husband and wife pair, although the wife does all the training and a majority of the feeding etc...) returned from a trail ride. I had brought a friend to the barn with me and I introduced him to the Barn Husband. We chatted for a while; all of the boarders were at the barn (60 degree weekends have a funny way of bringing them out of the wood-work!). I asked who was showing this season (we have 3 teenage boarders and 1 woman who rescued an ancient pony). He responded that everyone was going to be competing (I chuckled a little, because from what I've seen, not EVERYONE should be considering "showing off" any of their skills). Then he mentioned that everyone in the barn would probably be going to the local show on Easter Weekend. Even Me and Granite!

 This was news to me. Its not a training barn, I don't ride with or for the owners (I adore them, but I've always been a bit more on the independent side, preferring the occasional lesson or clinic and a majority of independent study). BUT, I don't have a trailer so if I were to show at this point, it would probably be with them. Now, you may be thinking (as I was), um, Granite isn't even under saddle and easter is the first week of April... Then he mentioned that Granite and I could do the halter class.

There is only 1 halter class per day. They have a Yearling, 2 yr old, and 3+ class. Granite will still technically be 2, but if you count like the Jockey Club does, he would be in with the big kids. Now this gets me thinking, how great would it be to get Granite out to a show! If they are taking the barn kids anyway, they probably won't charge me much to hitch a ride (the show grounds are approx 7 minutes from our barn), its a community show held annually, and class fees are $10, and its for charity. This would also give us the perfect opportunity to Spring Clean (read: bathe, bathe, bathe again, clip, mane pull, tail bang).

Then Competitive Rachel rears her ugly head and begins to think... Halter class?! I used to show Quarter Horses, for my entire High School Show career I showed Quarter Horses. I KNOW halter! I know that halter is judged on conformation and suitability. I also know my beautiful boy had a club foot. If they do consider him a 3+, I know he will be up against grown horses. My warmbloodish 16+ hand coming 3 year old is not quite 'put together' yet and would look foolish against grown horses. Finally, I know my horse moves not unlike an elephant. VERY SLLLOOOOWWWWLLLLYYYYY (FYI, I typed that slowly, just to emphasize my point). I seriously have to drag him along on his lead rope from the pasture. He is fine on a lunge, but a lead is an entirely different story. I really don't know how I could get him to trot off (yes, we will have to figure this out for our hunter classes eventually). To top it all off, he chews on anything he can get his lips around... i.e. his reins! So I will have a club footed, not developed, slowly lumbering rein chewer in competition with AQHA halter horses (its an open show run, in part, by a horseman's association that caters to the stock type horses). If you know ANYTHING about me, you know I hate to lose!

Then there is the part of me that says, 'Rachel, ten bucks isn't much to pay for a day of experience and exposure to new things for Granite, who cares if you don't place! Think of the experience and the pictures and the opportunity to wear your new field boots!" So... to show or not to show?? That is the question I pose to you?

  
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