Mustang Saga

I left work a 1/2 hour early the other day to get to the Mustang Club meeting a 1/2 hour late.  I was so glad to be able to go!  We're planning an adoption in Spokane, I think I mentioned it already.  Just waiting on the BLM to come back and say for sure whether it's a go.  It'll be June 7-8.

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.

We'll have corrals, a round pen, and that's about it.  Maybe a wall tent, and the BLM's little pavillion.  We plan on putting out all kinds of info on our group, and our individual phone numbers in case anyone needs help with their new mustang. 

What could we do that would help draw people in?  We can't have a competition and we can't have vendors.  We're planning to find a clinician who will come and do a free gentling demo.  Also planning on showing off our mustangs doing trail challenge type obstacles.  I was kind of hoping we could do a silent auction fundraiser - but maybe we can't do that, I'm not sure.  Also maybe a raffle, but with Washington's gambling laws I think we can't call it a raffle.  And what about a pancake feed the morning of the adoption, or a dutch oven meal?

Do any of you have ideas?  Not just for things to do, but for trail course obstacles that aren't huge and bulky to move and that don't require fire or water.  It needs to be stuff that will impress people, but not too scary for the horses, I think.  Or I guess we could do scary stuff as long as everyone has warning ahead of time so they can practice.  No gunshots though, the poor wild ones wouldn't like that.  My first idea was a hoola hoop, and the task is to put your horse's front or hind feed in it and do a complete 360 without those feet leaving the circle.  Then I thought a hoola hoop would scare them if they got it caught on their heel, so probably just a soft rope in a loop (not tied), so it'll just drag if they catch it.

I have to work a short today (cross your fingers we don't get any emergencies!), then I might shave and stab my donkey.  I'm REALLY itching to ride my Bella too.  I think she'll be okay as long as we keep it slow and short.  Maybe we'll practice that hoola hoop trick.  :)  I'm thinking I want to try riding her without anything on her head too, but I'll just start by dropping the reins and riding with my seat.  I don't want to give up my reins completely for a while yet!