Horse Crazy and Crazy Horses

I didn't update last week, but when we showed up for Alli's riding lesson last Sunday, a surprise awaited us.  Athena, one of the big beautiful mares at the barn, had her little filly just 12 hours before we showed up!  I won't even start in with the fact that she was due in early June and managed to have her baby a few weeks early and was up and asking for her grain a few hours later...

Isn't she adorable?  They are still working on her barn name, but her show name is Forever Young.  I'm seriously obsessed with her, and so jealous of the time Alli is going to get to spend with her at horse camp in 2 weeks!

So fast forward a week, and Alli had a horse show this past Sunday.  Alli loves the horse shows.  They aren't serious A shows, they are just supposed to be fun, easy shows for less experienced riders (or less experienced horses) to get the whole show atmosphere - traveling to a new barn, meeting new people and ponies, riding in a different ring.  Sunday was extremely windy, which isn't a good mix with a flight animal like a horse, and they moved the show to an outside pasture.  I commented to Ryan before Alli even entered the ring that I didn't like the whole feeling.  I preferred her in the nice, structured indoor ring at this barn, especially given the wind.

And then, it happened.  Three horses in the pasture next to the outdoor ring took off bucking and running, and Alli's little pony Tater Tot decided he would join them.  One big buck, and Alli hung on, but the second one sent her over his head.  He then tore around the "ring" while 39 weeks pregnant Mama beat everyone else out to the middle of the field to check on Alli.  She was snubbing a little bit and rubbing her shoulder with tears in her eyes, but all the while she watched Tater Tot ripping around the arena, bucking and snorting.  It was a little scary for a minute, he got tangled in his reins.  But he finally stopped and shook his head - like "What's everyone freaking out about?"

I was most worried about Alli.  Once I confirmed that she wasn't hurt (thank goodness Tater is such a shorty) and that he hadn't stepped on her, I was so afraid her confidence was going to be shaken.  Fortunately, Miss Diane (the owner of Alli's barn) and Miss Sally (Alli's trainer) knew exactly what to do.  Diane insisted that the show move to the indoor ring, and Sally took Alli over to the round pen to watch her lunge Tater to get all of his kinks out.  Then an older rider hopped on him and rode him around the indoor ring.

My little girl was pretty quiet through the whole thing, just watching everything unfold and rubbing that shoulder, but when the time came, she mounted back up and took charge of that little pony once again. I seriously was bursting with pride.  There was zero hesitation.  She was confident, she was successful (two firsts and two seconds!), and she wasn't afraid at all.

So we welcomed her to the "Real Rider" club - which means you have to fall to be a true horsewoman.  I asked her to ask Miss Sally how many times she had fallen off and she said "This month?"  Then we loaded Alli up, who was her usual chatty self, and she joked about how Tater had told the other ponies "You think that's bucking?? Watch this!!" when he threw her off.  And then we talked about how sorry he looked, especially after he got lunged and then had a 120 lb person on his back instead of little 50 lb Alli.  I could not be prouder of her - I had been so afraid that the first fall would be the one that ruined this whole wonderful riding experience.  But she took it in stride...literally.  That's my girl!!

Needless to say, she also got a few treats for her bravery, including some new pool toys.  We are absolutely loving being a block away from our neighborhood pool.  We've been there all three days it's been open.  It's really going to be a great summer!