Katie got all cleaned up for today’s show. It was her first time going to one since last summer. Needless to say, she was a bit hyper. The in-hand trail course was more advanced than usual, since people had complained it was too easy last year.
Katie could do it all at home. But at the show, she felt obligated to snort, toss her head and prance. Because it was the kind of show where you accrue points, all exhibitors had to wear a hat. Yes, there is logic to that. It is called proper Western or English attire. Which must be worn even if you are just taking your mini in trail class.
Not having shown seriously in many years, I just set a hat on my head. This is a major mistake.
We were flying through the trot pole formation when my hat began shifting. My hat acheived lift off, and Katie simultaneously did as well. I remembered then that I was supposed to pin the hat to my hair with bobby pins.
Too late. Katie jumped the ground pole for a major point deduction and her level of pranciness revved up two notches now that a dangerous and life-threatening hat was somewhere behind her on the trail course.
As distance from the hat increased, her performance got better and we finished the rest of it well- pivoting 90 degrees, sidepassing down a log, crossing a bridge and trotting cones and heading in a straight line for the exit markers.
We finished third in a large class. Katie’s more well-behaved pasturemate, Gypsy, placed second. It was a good finish, and next time I will wear a helmet with a chin strap instead of a hat!
Tags: horse, horse show, miniature horse, musing
