Back to the Barrel Racing Arena

OH, the temptation was just too much to resist!  After our morning walk in the heat (82) and humidity,  we went back to the barrel racing event this afternoon.  I have to keep practicing taking pictures don’t I?  Sure I do!  But I still need lots of lessons.  I was going to use any excuse to go back! Since it was right here in my back yard, how could I resist? I could also get right up by the rails for a really close view.  I sure got my barrel racing fix this weekend! The park we are going to stay at out in AZ this winter has photography classes for free, and I am sure signing up for that one!!  Maybe I can finally learn how to take good pictures in low light.  Today was an open event for any age.  The cute little girls in cowboy boots riding beautiful horses is just so much fun to watch.  They control their animal with no fear!  What a fun way to grow up, riding horses.  All the riders accumulate points towards the national totals.  This weekend was sponsored by the Polk County Youth Rodeo Association.  I also had fun just wandering around petting some of the horses.  But not too close! I was leery of getting bitten or kicked.  I asked the owner first if the horse would let me pet it.  Like the Toby Keith song “I Should ‘a Been a Cowboy”,  I would loved to have been raised in the west.  But I belong to ‘GRITS’, Girls Raised in the South.  I am still proud of where I came from but just envy young people out west where there are wide open spaces, big sky country, and beautiful horses.  One picture below shows a horse with blue eyes!  I had not seen that before.  Notice, also, in the picture of me by the horse, I am not standing all that close!  I am going to call the arena office tomorrow and see if there is any other ‘cowboy stuff’ events before we leave.  When in Texas….

 

As we were leaving, we saw a young man holding a tiny little piglet.  It was so cute!!  Hey, this is the west. If you have a ranch and raise horses or cattle, why not raise any animal you want to!?  The little piglet was only 3 weeks old and a pet.  We were told that based on the way you feed them, they will only grow to about 30 lbs. and can even be potty trained!  That little piglet sure did not like being picked up and tried to bite as he was squealing at the top of his lungs!  So we had a fun weekend and always to when we come upon the unexpected.