Hope Givers Mentorship’s journey begins………..

Last weekend was a good weekend for Braydon and I, we went to Missouri Ranch Show in Jackson, MO. This was the first trip for Braydon and I and we had a lot of fun.  We put him to work all weekend at the show, working pushing cattle for the cow classes, setting up panels, running errands, letting people in and out of the arena, we still found time somehow to ride a  little bit.  On Friday night we saddled up and rode around together. This was Braydon’s first time of riding a young fresh horse in unfamiliar surroundings. Braydon did a really good job of listening to me as I told him what to do and when to do it to help this filly get settled in. 
At first it was a little confusing for both of them, but Braydon didn’t  quit, he kept listening to me and if he didn’t understand he asked me to explain it to him in a way he could understand. 
Sometimes he would repeat back to me what he thought I had said and I could either respond with a yes or a no and explain. 
We rode quite awhile Friday evening and things were working pretty well. Next morning after we helped set up for the trail class, since we weren’t competing in that class, we went and rode outside together.  The longer Braydon rode the more his confidence came up.  And the filly begin to settle and not be so sensitive to everything around.  Right before Braydon and I had worked together I played the cow and Braydon was the cow horse, I explained to him where he needed to position his horse to get a cow to stop going across the arena.  After he  kind of got the hang of it we went on and rode.  First class he showed in was the ranch cutting.  He rode in and cut out a cow, most all of the other contestants in that class had lost a cow, so I told him to go ahead and pen the cow even though he hadn’t actually got to work her as a cutting horse which she isn’t, she’s a 3 yr. old with a few months of riding on her, so rather than over expose both of them I had him to go ahead and pen the cow. I was real proud of him driving the cow down the arena, because he used the positioning techniques we had worked on the night before and he was doing a really good job and surprisingly enough that filly cowed up for him. I  think when she gets trained she will be a really good cutting horse. Unfortunately, the cow did get by him in the ranch cutting so he didn’t get a score. However, he and the filly did an outstanding job for both of their first time efforts.  This filly belongs  to my grandson, Trenton, who is 6 this year and he gave Braydon permission to ride her for him this year.  She is  by a son of Smart Little Lena and out of an own daughter of Hiadas Little Pep.  He showed again in the boxing class where he got to run a reining pattern and hold a cow at the fence, here  they did an outstanding job and they placed 4th. Braydon showed in several classes throughout the show and did well.  All in all it was a successful weekend. We are looking forward to the next show May 19thand 20th at Boone County fairgrounds in Columbia. Great Job Braydon!