abbijay
Well-Known Member
Some of you on here may recall that I got my first "pony" years ago and he set me on the dressage path. Unfortunately he did his tendon last year and as a result has become a beautiful and much loved field ornament. He is now completely field sound and suitable for a spot of light hacking and I cried my eyes out when I was able to get back on board.
My twins are now at a riding school and pony club centre that ran a dressage competition during the school holidays. And I had a silly idea...
I didn't tell my kids and on the morning of the show I snuck off to "ride my other one" but 2 hours before their tests I reappeared at the house with the trailer on the back of my car and a rather special horse inside. Their reaction was like seeing the presents under the tree on Christmas morning.
We just had a lovely day out. I cried several times out of sheer motherly pride for all 3 of my "babies". For a horse that hadn't left his field since last November he dealt with it like the old pro that he is, tied to the trailer for hours while we attempted to get a field kept monster show ring acceptable and in strange surroundings with lots of excitement. When I took him home he was tired but it was obvious that his day out had cheered him just as much as the kids!
I have always told my children that it doesn't matter how you do as long as you try your best and get to take the best horse home but I was rather chuffed that the old man turned on the charm against the 12hh ponies and won the class for my daughter, not to mention that her twin brother took best turned out prize so I had 2 happy children that night.
An 18.1hh clydesdale shouldn't be the ideal mount for a pair of 7 year olds who had never trotted a 20m circle until that day and I know in proper lead rein you should only be attached to the noseband but we had so much fun! After all, isn't that what it's about?
My twins are now at a riding school and pony club centre that ran a dressage competition during the school holidays. And I had a silly idea...
I didn't tell my kids and on the morning of the show I snuck off to "ride my other one" but 2 hours before their tests I reappeared at the house with the trailer on the back of my car and a rather special horse inside. Their reaction was like seeing the presents under the tree on Christmas morning.
We just had a lovely day out. I cried several times out of sheer motherly pride for all 3 of my "babies". For a horse that hadn't left his field since last November he dealt with it like the old pro that he is, tied to the trailer for hours while we attempted to get a field kept monster show ring acceptable and in strange surroundings with lots of excitement. When I took him home he was tired but it was obvious that his day out had cheered him just as much as the kids!
I have always told my children that it doesn't matter how you do as long as you try your best and get to take the best horse home but I was rather chuffed that the old man turned on the charm against the 12hh ponies and won the class for my daughter, not to mention that her twin brother took best turned out prize so I had 2 happy children that night.
An 18.1hh clydesdale shouldn't be the ideal mount for a pair of 7 year olds who had never trotted a 20m circle until that day and I know in proper lead rein you should only be attached to the noseband but we had so much fun! After all, isn't that what it's about?
