It takes awhile to get a horse or poney back in good conformation if the hooves are let go, in sand country hooves dident wear like on hard ground.
As a Kid my folks would take us kids to Stock Judgeing contests, once in awhile some for cattle, for entertainment learning and networking.
Cattle/Horse Judgeing events were useally in the spring after calving but before cattle went to pasture, or after haying season but before school started.
You learned allot about horse flesh as you were competeing aginst others as individuals or teams in class's like kids, juniors/teens and adults, judgeing class's with 4-6 horses, some the bigger compititions had halter class in a big ropeing arena others were in portable pens, horses set loose in there, you rank them horses on supplied judgeing cards listing ther faults and good points there were 4 -8 classes in a day with a useally a BBQ&Beans lunch break, the team's or individual's that most closely matched panel judges were awarded points and ranked, the highest points winner's received a Trophy or Belt Buckle sometimes a rosette ribbon and other prizes like a new stock saddle, & other tack sometimes a gift certificate to western wear store or vet supply, some they drew like a door prize for attending.
Some events hosted demonstarations by different businesses some on trimming hooves (vet supply), trailering horses(trailer dealer), behaviour modification (cribbing and halter pulling, hard mouth) basic horse wisper stuff, other of stuff of
interest to ranch wives that dident compete.
Useally everyone went home with something, always a learning experence, met some great folks that way.
