I have a good time everywhere!

Dear Diary,

We went to another horse show last week. I had such a good time. There's always interesting things to see. Before we went, I got a bath.

Once we got there, Auntie Niki took me out for a nice run. Golly it felt good!

I love horse shows. I get a nice cushy stall and room service!

I tried to be a good horse on the trail course, but sometimes it was hard to do. They stuck lots of yummy plants around - what's a guy to do when he's hungry? MomToo tugged on my face and wouldn't let me eat, though. And the judges looked so friendly, I wanted to go over and talk to them. MomToo and Auntie Niki both said no.

Auntie Niki and I did really well. MomToo and I did some things well and some things not so well. Every time she asked me to turn around in the box, I got stuck. I wasn't moving fast enough and keeping my feet going, so my hurt foot would get stuck under my hip and make MomToo stop and push me to make my hip scoot over.

I guess we're gonna work on boxes at home now.

But we still had fun!

While we were there, Auntie Niki told MomToo that someone had asked if I was for sale. For SALE?!?!? I couldn't be for sale! MomToo and I still have to work on our boxes! I was a little nervous for a moment, but MomToo just laughed.

"His user's manual is way too big," she said, then petted me. "Snoop, your fate was sealed when I pulled you out of your mom. You're mine."

It was a good show.

Let's go!

 Dear Diary,

Humans are funny.

Auntie Niki and MomToo said we were going to a horse show. Auntie Niki shaved my legs yesterday, and today, MomToo took me to the washrack and gave me a big bath.

While I was getting my mane washed, I heard a noise. It was a truck. There was a moving box attached to it, and people were loading horses into the box. I didn't know the horses very well, but I whinnied to them.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"To the horse show," one of them said. "So long, Loser."

They had gone to the horse show and left me there!

MomToo led me to the cross-ties. She told me I could dry out in the sun. I didn't want to dry out in the sun. I wanted to go to the horse show. I got worried. Those horses were going and not taking me. I started to jump up and down in the cross-ties.

"Knock it off," MomToo told me, but I couldn't stop. I kept jumping. MomToo put my lead rope back on and made me walk into the barn aisle. We stood there for a long time -- almost forever. Then Auntie Niki came.

"So here's what's happening with Snoopy," MomToo said to Auntie Niki and told her about the trailer and the horses, and my whinnying and jumping.

Auntie Niki laughed. "He really wants to go to the horse show."

She took out the clippers and clipped my face and my bridle path. Then she told MomToo to put me in the cross-ties and she'd band my mane.

"You sure he'll be okay out there?" MomToo asked.

"Yes, the trailer's gone so he's probably over it."

She was right. The horses and the moving box had left, so I stood quietly and got my mane banded. Auntie Niki put my sleazie on me and led me back to the stall.

"Tomorrow, Snoopy," she said. "We'll go to the show tomorrow."

Silly humans. I wish they'd have told me that to begin with.

I done good

Dear Diary,

I've been back from the horse show for a couple of weeks now. I would have written before, but I have a cold in my nose right now. I don't feel sick, but yesterday I had a runny nose. Now it's just crusty. Doctor Brigid came out and looked at me and thumped on my ribs and put something in my tushie. It's a good thing she gives me cookies.

She told Two-Legged Mom I didn't have a fever and my lungs sounded clear and my throat didn't feel sore. Honest, she didn't have to thump me and stick things in my bottom - she could have just asked. After that, everyone smiled and left, but my lunch tasted different. Sandy, the horse who lives across from me, said she heard them talking about giving me "anty boddicks." If that's what's in my lunch, it sure tastes funny.

It was a smaller show than the last one and I wasn't so crazy here, but I still liked looking around at everything. I wore my Super Snoopy jammies, as usual.

On the first day, Auntie Niki rode me, then Two-Legged Mom rode me. I've now learned that after they ride me, they listen for a big voice to say my name and then a number. So on the first day, I heard I had a number 3 from both judges when Auntie Niki rode me, and when Two-Legged Mom rode me.

On the second day, I mostly slept. Two-Legged Mom got me out and rode me a little bit, then let me go back to sleep.

The third day, we were in the show again. This time, I heard I had a number 3 and 4 when Auntie Niki rode me, and a number 2 and 3 when Two-Legged Mom rode me. They both were happy.

Two-Legged Mom took me back to my stall and got me all undressed. I didn't have to wear my Super Snoopy jammies, either.

I was tired.

See you later!

Dear Diary,

I'm going to a horse show! Two-Legged Mom gave me a bath today. Don't I look clean? Then Auntie Niki clipped the long hairs on my face and the fuzz in my ears and the hair on my legs so I look sleeeeek.

Tomorrow we'll go into the moving box and the trees and the road will go sideways and I'll go up and down and when it stops, I'll be in Burbank.

I'll let you know how much fun I have when I get back.

Snoopy

A big show!

Dear Diary,

I went in the big moving box again, and when we stopped, I was at a horse show. I knew it was a horse show because I had my good jammies on. Two-Legged Mom said it was the Del Mar Nationals.

Three of my friends came with me - Bubba, Tommy, and Quest. When I first got there, I was calling to all the other horses in the barn. Auntie Niki and Two-Legged Mom kept telling me to be quiet, but I don't know how to do that, so I kept calling. After forever, they took me through the barn aisles for a walk.

When we got done walking, there was soft dirt to run in, so I ran. I ran a lot.

I liked running in the dirt. It was really soft.

The next day, we went to the arena. It was a long way from the barn and it was really big. I wanted to look around and run and play, but Auntie Niki said no. It was hard to do, but I did it. There were pretty colors everywhere and people walking up high, and yellow rolling boxes and lights and flapping noises and big, big voices.

Auntie Niki rode me all around the arena and made me be a good boy. Then Two-Legged Mom got on me and rode me all around the arena. I could tell she was nervous, but she still kept me from looking around. After awhile, I didn't care about looking anymore. There were sticks on the ground to go over. They're always more interesting.

The next day, Miss Tina and Auntie Niki took Tommy and Quest somewhere. I didn't know where, I only knew they were gone. I called and called, but they didn't answer. I got very worried and tried to get out of my stall, but it was locked tight. When Two-Legged Mom came, she fussed over me.

"You are so sweaty, Snoopy. Let's get your clothes off." She took off my jammies and took me out of my stall. I was so happy to be out, I relaxed. She put on my special boots and the long rope and took me back to the soft dirt. I ran. I felt better.

When we got back, she took a wet brush and cloth and cleaned me off, then sprayed me, then cleaned, then sprayed. I could tell she was upset about me being so sweaty. She was growling things under her breath that I couldn't understand, but I knew the words weren't happy words.

After forever, Tommy came back. Two-Legged Mom took his saddle off and put it on me. She was still growling, so I stood still and tried not to make her growl more. Quest came back with Miss Niki, and then Miss Niki started to fuss over me. Two-Legged Mom stopped growling.

We went to the big arena. I liked it there. There were lots of horses to be with. Miss Niki rode me over the important, pretty sticks. I know they're important because I'm the only horse going over them, and there are people in hats who watch me and nod, and make little scratches on their papers.

After Auntie Niki rode me, Two-Legged Mom rode me over the important sticks. The people in hats watched again.

We stayed in the big arena forever again, then I heard big voices, then everyone started patting me.

"Second under both judges in Green and First under both judges in Novice Amateur," they said. I don't know what that meant, but I went back to the barn and got a bath and an apple, so it must have been good.

The next day, we did mostly the same thing, except they didn't take Quest and Tommy away from me, so I wasn't sweaty. Auntie Niki rode me, then Two-Legged Mom. I was a little bad for Two-Legged Mom, and wanted to look at the people going by instead of listening to her. She pulled on my bridle and made me pay attentiona gain. Then my leg got kind of tired and I stopped loping over some sticks, so she had to push me again.

When the big voice had finished talking, I got second under both judges in Green and a second and third in Novice Amateur. Then the big voice said I was something called Circuit Champion, which was weird, because I think I'm a horse.

It made Two-Legged Mom happy, and I got another apple, so it was all good.

Cross your fingers

Snoopy and I are horse-show bound.

The last time I tried to show my big, black horse, he broke his left hind sesamoid bone two days before the show. It's Friday night, the show is Sunday, and so far we're still healthy.

The show is a one-day in Desert Hot Springs at the Willowbrook Riding Club. We'll haul in. Niki will show him in the green trail and I'll show him in novice amateur. Niki's been to these shows before and describes them as very low key, low stress. I'm trying to follow her lead.

But can I confess to a little stress? The last time I tried this, I literally broke my horse. In reality, I know there's a low probability of this happening again. In my head, however, anything's possible.

That Snoopy came back to soundness after the break is so wonderful, we consider him our miracle horse. For me to get into the arena with him, almost three years later, is amazing. I may be a little weepy on Sunday. I hope I can hold it in until after we complete the course.

That leaves the course. Niki says it won't be extremely difficult for the novice amateurs, and she is confident that I can move Snoopy around on it. I'm not certain if I can move him around and make it look pretty. I try to do things correctly, but in the show ring, I get hyper-focused on the course and getting it done, which throws pretty out the window. I'm also aware of the next person to go and hate taking too much time, so I rush everything.

There's a phrase singers and public speakers use: Don't bogart the mike. I have no idea where it came from, but it means not to hog the microphone and keep the other singers or speakers from their full turn.

On Sunday, I plan to take my time, take my full turn, and bogart the mike.

I was going to take a picture of Snoopy in the wash rack, getting ready for the big day, but I forgot. Instead, I'll leave you with this little ditty. It's worth the 7:21 minutes, trust me. And the horse reminds me of Snoopy during the carrot scene.



Enjoy.

Short but sweet.

This is a quick post, because all I really have to say is,

"lookLoOKLOOK!"

Uh-huh, that's right. I'm riding my horse. The black one. The broken one. I've had two rides on him now, under Niki's very watchful eye and he feels so good.

And tall. He feels really tall. I'm used to riding his mom, who is 15 hands when she has new shoes and stands up very straight. Snoopy is a solid 15.3, which means he's taller than I am.

He feels different than Frostie, too. Her jog (trot for you English riders) is very smooth, but mostly because she likes to shuffle her feet. His jog is very bouncy in a rhythmic way. You're on one of those slo-motion trampolines like you dream about, where you go way-far-up, then way-far-down, without the jolt of actually hitting top or bottom.

It's okay if you don't get it - I've tried to describe it to Tina and she doesn't get it either.

Their lopes (canters) have the same difference. They both give you the rocking horse feel, but Frostie's got a very sittable, shuffling lope; her son's lope is all slow legs and long hang time. Both feel good, neither feels the same.

Snoopy's left lead has always been his weakest. This is actually good, since my right leg is stronger and I can help him more with his left side. His injury has made him use his hip a little more than before, to compensate for a lack of flexibility in the ankle, which feels very pronounced on the left lead. As I loped him down the arena, I was aware of my seat shifting every four or five strides. It could have been due to riding in Niki's saddle, but it's definitely something I must fight against.

My next post will be in about a week or so - when I tell you all how the horse show went! Yes, Snoopy is going to his first horse show since the accident. Granted, he's not going in any classes, but he is going to travel to Burbank, hang out at the show, and be ridden in the warm-up trail. If you're in the area next weekend (April 28 - May 2), come on out to the L.A. Equestrian Center for the Hollywood Charity Horse Show and look me up.