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2025 Baby Palooza event dates: April 5, 2025, May 3, 2025, June 7, 2025, Sept 6, 2025, and Oct 4, 2025
Judges: 4-5-25 Jeff Michael, 5-3-25 Holly Linz, June TBD, Sept 6 Mike Feister and Oct 4 TBD
Start time: 10 am
Schooling is permitted prior to the start of the event.
All shows are weather permitting
Location: 4939 Mussetter Road
Ijamsville, Md 21754
Contact: Marj Smith
540-623-7366
email: [email protected]
Feature your weanling, yearling, two-year-old and up...even rescue horses. This is a progress and development series for young horses or un-rideable horses. Nontraditional classes for the growth and development for horses of all ages but with a focus on young stock.
Divisions:
Weanling
Yearling
2–3-year-olds
4–5-year-olds
6 and over (old enough to know better but not there yet)
Costs: $50
Class: New Format for 2025
This year we will be designing an obstacle course to be navigated in-hand that includes areas listed below. Each obstacle or task to be demonstrated will be based on everyday safe handling such as farrier preparation, vet prep, daily routine, getting ready for an event or show. We encourage you to come and school your horses on the course prior to the start of the event. There will be a warmup area with some items to practice with as well. Due to the time it will take to have the horses go through the course and receive feedback from the judge please allow yourself time to watch, learn and bond with your horse. Also, after everyone has gone through and has been scored you may stay and work on anything that you or your horse had trouble with. We are always around to offer advice, strategies or insight on what may help the horse be more confident.
1. Basic Handling:
You will demonstrate catching, haltering, leading, standing, brushing, handling feet, de-worming, vet preparation, distraction obstacles.
2. Advanced Handling:
You will demonstrate circles/lunging, figure 8, hindquarter yields, forequarter yields, backing up, walking forward with obstacles.
3. Show Prep:
You will demonstrate your horse's ability to be sprayed with fly spray, to be hosed off with water, to be steady around clippers, to load and unload in a trailer, and to have a sheet or cooler placed on them.
4. Pre-Ride checks:
You will demonstrate things that you would want to go well prior to riding a horse. i.e. standing at a mounting block, following the feel of a rope for say lateral flexion, a direct rein, or indirect rein. Show that your horse can move off a leg aid from the ground. The use of a stick or your hand is permitted. These are just some examples of tasks that could be asked.
5. The extreme challenge task:
There will be one challenge asked at each show that you may choose to attempt or pass on. This will be announced at the event. This task is bonus points only. If you try and fail its ok. If you try and succeed than congratulations!
Scoring and Observational Feedback:
This series is not about who is better at these things but to allow people to come and ask their horses to demonstrate to the best of their ability how they handle these tasks in an unfamiliar environment, around strange horses, sounds and activity. This series is designed to allow horses to have exposure to hopefully familiar tasks at home in a new environment without the human pressure of winning or being perfect. We will evaluate on a 1-10 scale. Feedback of needs work or ready to advance will be given along with unique ribbon categories such as the first person to say “he doesn’t do this at home” award or “wow that was extravagant” ribbon. This is a development opportunity to help better prepare young or inexperienced horses for life.
Who is this Series for?
This series is for people that have young horses that need exposure to new environments. It is for horses that are older but need a restart without the pressure of a horse show.
It is for people to come and socialize their horses and engage in a slightly structured activity.
It is for people that want to help develop a young horse, a rescue horse, a new to them horse, a horse that just needs a little more experience at any age.
It is for people that want to come challenge themselves in personal growth or just spend some time with their horse with other like-minded people.
To Register:
https://form.jotform.com/242136043691048
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
4939 Mussetter Road, Ijamsville, MD, United States, Maryland 21754
Tickets
