We're back! Horsexpo was an amazing time this year.

It was good to visit with old Horsexpo friends from across the country.

So many people stopped by to say hello and to all of you who did and are reading this- I love you all- it was so good to see you all! I can't put into words adequately the thanks I feel towards Phil and Adrienne Eichenberger, Christine Harlan, Steve and Dan Buckner and Angela Adams for their help in setting up my compulsory course for me. It was a complicated course and they did it all in a minute! Good job! Thanks to Sally, Phil and Adrienne and Shannon for helping out at the booth and at Hubble's stall.

The crew at the Grace Foundation were amazing! I felt like a queen! Anything I needed or wanted... they were there with a smile and were jumping at the opportunity to be of help. Dave was an amazing machine... what an absolute sweetheart of a man! And Lisa too- just an absolute doll... Margie was such a support and Sheree too. And Linda - you rock! You did it! Dr. Mike took care of watching over Hubble's health... Horsexpo was exhausting enough but if I would have had to have cleaned Hubble's stall I think it would have been the icing on the cake... Thank you to the girls who dutifully cleaned it for me!!! The judges gave of themselves and their time... The food was muchly appreciated as it kept my energy level where it needed to be. Thank you, thank you, thank you all!

I was grateful to The Grace Foundation of Northern California and Beth for having the vision to attempt this event and for the opportunity their HELP Rescue Me Trainer's Showcase afforded me. We benefited mutually and the best part is that Hubble benefited. I adopted him! He's my guy...

The other trainers that I got to meet and spend a little bit of time with were wonderful and supportive of each other. Thank you to you guys! Stacey and Mary Beth, I enjoyed our little routine at the Thursday night program. You guys rock!

If Hubble could read or understand I would say a special thank you to him too... He really tried his heart out for me. He was such a trooper at Horsexpo with all the new sights and sounds. I actually think he liked the attention and he genuinely seemed interested at times in what it was all about. I even saw a playful side to him I have not seen to date. We're growing together...

Finally a special thanks top my M.O.M. = Marketing & Operations Manager, my mother Rhonda! Without her help my task would be all the more difficult. Her loving support has meant the world to me!

We didn't win the Trainer's Showcase Competition but I couldn't have asked for a more perfect compulsory routine. Hubble performed in 40 mile per hour wind gusts without a care. He was his usual quiet, calm self. For those of you who didn't catch it- it was amazing! He began with wearing a saddle and bridle, I threw a yellow rain slicker over his saddle (which blew off and wrapped around his legs just before beginning our routine- he didn't really care). We began by carrying the American flag over over cavaletti and across a "bridge". I handed the flag off to my M.O.M., removed his slicker, had him walk over it as it tried to blow away, got on a bicycle and led him with a loose lead line while I rode it over to a blue barrel where I laid down the bicycle and picked up an umbrella. I opened the umbrella and proceeded over to some poles laid out in a zig-zag fashion. We walked in between the poles and then backed out quietly with head down and straight; Hubble neatly picked up his feet as he backed- not dragging them. Then I had him step his front feet into the pole pathway and proceeded to side pass him down the zig-zag pattern without touching a pole. We entered the pole pathway and stepped over some tall logs I had laid out across it to a mounting block. At the mounting block I took a pool noodle and moved it between his front and hind legs, over his hip and head and then threw it under his belly. I then picked up some fly spray and sprayed him all over- I kind of came up on his face fast because the announcer interrupted my concentration with a 30 second announcement but he didn't move his feet- just his head away. I then picked up a pellet gun and fired it from my hip. He didn't even flinch. Good boy! I mounted the mounting block and had him bring his hip to me by pointing my finger at it, I leaned over the saddle and flapped the stirrups. Then I got off and ground tied him and walked around and picked up all four feet. I then had Hubble bring his head to the ground while I knelt and made it appear I was praying. I finished up by cradling his head in my arms against my chest. As I walked away I applauded him- the crowd cheered and clapped along. All the while he was ho-hum about it all. This horse has an amazing mind! God blessed us with a perfect routine! The other judge's routine he had to perform the day before was flawless as well. He never spooked or objected to anything I asked of him nor took a misstep. This all from a horse I did not know would be ready to go to Horsexpo the week before.

Hubble has been showing me he was ready to ride. I would have started him last week but we were at Expo. So first thing this morning I rode Hubble!!! He didn't even care. He just kinda looked at me like "it's about time". He was his typical laid back, ho hum, self. He really enjoys being out and being worked. Plans are to continue to work Hubble over the next 50 days to see where we would have ended up had we gotten the full 70 days to work together. If you recall I only got 20 days on him due to health issues caused by his desperate condition when he was rescued from Three Strikes ranch. It is impossible to know for certain any rescue horse's condition internally. It was no fault of the Grace Foundation that Hubble was having issues. They did their part well. Hubble needed a lot of help, obviously, and it was fortuitous that he picked me because rehabilitation happens to be one of my fortays.
I invite you to follow along as I document Hubble's progress. At the end of the 50 days, I plan to celebrate by holding an open barn/demonstration clinic where Hubble will perform! ... All will be invited- stay tuned for further information.