Laiko is AMAZING!

I am in love with my wonderful colt, Laiko, by Grecian Fire, out of our homebred Pop Music.

He has been one of my favorites from day one, but past experience has taught me that pretty foals don't always make beautiful show horses.  He seemed to have it all, a fabulous pedigree, flashy good looks, sweet tempered as the day is long, but would he have that "spark", that extra something in the show ring that makes everyone sit up and take notice?  Well, I think he does!

I have trained him myself from birth and he has always loved to learn.  When he had his ground training perfected, I spent a lot of time practicing it over and over and bathing and combing and brushing and getting out the hoof black and show sheen and just getting him ready for all the craziness the show circuit can bring.  Then when he turned 23 months old, I couldn't stand it for one more second, so I tacked him up and gingerly climbed on.  He didn't bat an eyelid!  I took it very easy that first month and we just worked on walking out and stopping.  He had it down very quickly and looked back up at me as if to say, "So, what else you got?"

So, the month he turned two I started working on turning.  He does seem to like turning left better than turning right but he will do each equally well as soon as he is asked.  Next we started backing and trotting, alternating those every day for a month or so.  Last thing we worked on was cantering, but before I started that, we did a lot of lunges and treadmill and hotwalker time, even some swimming, just getting all those muscles and stamina built up.  Worked like a charm and when I urged him out of that trot into a full blown canter, he was able to handle it physically, although it took a few weeks until he figured out exactly what I wanted of him.  And he handled distractions pretty well and just gave it his all until he had that down pat too. 

Finally, more exercise for a month and then I started training him to park out and flat walk and square trot for halter classes.  He was not sure what the heck was going on, but as always, was game to try anything.  Once he seemed to be getting a handle on what I wanted him to do, I would move on to the next thing.  He is a beginner after all and I just wanted him to do the task, not have a lot of finesse at it, at least not yet.  I mostly wanted him to have time to just relax a bit before the Futurity in Laaz.  So, this month, I tried him out in a couple of local shows, just to give him a feel for the ring and see how his scores were and if maybe we needed to work on anything else to get him ready.  Holy smokes, he blew me away!

His first show he scored 74 points and took the blue ribbon in the beginner halter class.  Then to make me even more proud, in his second show, he scored 78 points, took the blue ribbon and HPE!  I couldn't believe it.  I showed him myself, so I got to be the one standing there at his side to receive the ribbons and shake hands with the judges.  What a fabulous day! 

So, now we start grooming and shining and spit polishing for the Futurity.  I am so excited I can hardly sit still.  I have about a million things I need to get done and I have a nasty summer cold, but I am still walking on cloud nine.  Have I mentioned, I am in love with Laiko!