www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaP0t5IUnM

Have any of you seen this video? It’s been going around the barn for the last two weeks. The kids found it of course, but the adults have watched it just as many times as the kids (many, many times). In just the last week, it’s logged 50,000-plus additional views, bringing it to more than 600,000 views total in the past year.

I have to admit, the first few times I watched it I was slightly horrified, with the mom-meter pegging into the red zone. I don’t know what was more disturbing, listening to my daughter cackle with glee as this 6-year-old kid got dumped off his pony 25 times (“Wait for it—here comes the kid first, now you see Ed! Ahhh!), or wondering if this kid (Ross) was emotionally or physically scarred from the falls.

Then I read the note under the video. “PLEASE READ BEFORE WATCHING VIDEO.” Once I read the note, I was giggling too. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who stopped short before cackling at poor Ross getting the multiple toss treatment from Ed.

Ross’s mum was promptly harassed by concerned horse people and parents alike after uploading this video. The comments posted tell all—many too vitriolic and accusatory to mention. What I love is her attempt to thwart them all with her note (see below). The need for her to post this note shows our worst and best instincts at work.

Reading it allowed me to enjoy the video for what it is. I hope you can too. Cackle away!

“PLEASE READ BEFORE WATCHING VIDEO…..wonderful Ed, Ross’s last pony. He was naughty sometimes when we took him off lead rein. While he was bucking, Ross would say, ‘Look Nan! I’m like a cowboy!’ Just to let everyone know that Ross would not let Ed go. Ross started to outgrow Ed, and eventually allowed Ed to go to a loving home (sold as lead rein pony only), and Ed was going to be trained to pull a little cart. I did send Ed off to a trainer to be schooled for off lead rein….got his back checked out, no problems…. got saddler out….. no problems… got dentist out… no problems….. Ed was a lead rein pony, but Ross did not want to stop riding Ed but also did not want to be on lead rein anymore…. please remember I have hours and hours of film of Ross and Ed together and Ed being very good… this was 3 minutes of clips taken over a year….

Ed and Ross had a bond I have never seen before. Ross had dreams of riding Ed up the mountain…. he spent most of his time brushing Ed and telling him stories, and when Ross was riding Ed you could hear Ross singing to him…. Ross loved Ed for the friendship they had together. Ed taught Ross that they are animals with minds of there own and to expect the unexpected, and Ross did and is always prepared for anything…Ross always wore top range safety hat, body armour, safety stirrups, (did have to get a wider pair) and he had a soft landing on soft laid arena…”

Amen!

This article was first published on The Chronicle of the Horse website.

Each horse show season, if you’re lucky, you’ll witness a few golden moments. The short-stirrup rider at her first horse show winning a ribbon. The kid who never pins finally getting a blue ribbon. The junior in her last year of eligibility qualifying for the finals. These moments send a shiver up your spine and bring a tear to the eye. They’re all the more poignant when you know the kid, the family, the trainer or the horse involved.

I was lucky enough to witness a golden moment this past weekend at our local horse show, hosted at our home barn, Missy Ann Stables. I was working the in-gate, one of those jobs (like braiding) that I started doing in my teen years and find myself still doing at 40 (what is wrong with me?).

It’s a big step for a junior equitation rider to go from fence heights of 2’6”-2’9” to 3’-3’3”. Many riders on our local circuit have made the leap this year, some more successfully than others. I’ve talked to moms and dads who haven’t adjusted to the step up as well as their kids and mounts. A three-foot course is big. Suddenly, your kid is navigating in and outs, tight roll back turns and complicated tests—and this is the same kid who claims not to know how to make a bed or a sandwich.

On Saturday, one of the young riders who recently made this leap competed in the NEHC Junior Medal class. At the last Missy Ann Stables show in June, this rider went off course two classes in a row, leaving her trainer literally speechless. I tried not to laugh, but it was funny. It was just a few schooling jumping classes and completely out of character for this experienced rider. Hey, everyone has a day like that. The look of total disbelief on the trainer’s face killed me—I love this trainer and held back the chuckles as she searched for words.

Today, our young rider, Piper, was competing in the NEHC Junior Medal class for only the fourth or fifth time. Piper repeated the course back to her trainer, Ashley, multiple times before entering the ring. I heard the phrase, “one more time,” at least four times. Piper went in and had a really great trip. Her horse pulled a rail, so Ashley told her to go back to the trailer rather than hang around for the test.

The class was small, and when the judge relayed the test, the riders’ numbers and order of go over to me on the radio, Piper was on top, but no where to be seen. The trainer was yet again speechless, but not motionless, making a light-speed jaunt back to the trailer. Piper’s horse was untacked, but thankfully not in the middle of being bathed or unbraided, only by a few minutes.

In no time, Piper was back on and trotting back to the ring, as the other three riders completed their test. As her jacket was buttoned and boots dusted off, Piper repeated back to Ashley: “Canter fence 1, canter fence 4, trot fence 6, halt. Sitting trot out of the ring.”

One deep breath later, Piper was in the ring. There had to be 20 or so of us collectively holding our breath—friends, family and barnmates. Piper rode well under pressure and nailed the test. The other three rides were also solid, so no one was a sure bet to take the class.

The judge got on the radio and relayed the results. Piper won the class and in doing so, qualified for the New England Equitation Championships in Springfield, Mass., this fall.

This was a golden moment. There were tears—mom and rider, even the trainer teared up. I can’t deny that my own eyes filled and the hair on the back of my neck went up. Here was a kid who had worked hard, faced a challenge and performed wonderfully.

Our sport constantly forces kids to face challenges—even when they aren’t totally prepared. There will be times when the result isn’t what we hoped. But sometimes, it’s a golden moment. And when that happens, it’s a moment to be cherished and remembered.

It’s not atypical. Summer in Vermont is short. Winter is long. Riding outside is a precious gift, one that we lose in mid-November if we’re lucky. We won’t get to experience outdoor riding again until late April or early May.

But why does this fact make people feel like they must dismiss summer just as it begins to feel comfortable? Is it some kind of defense mechanism? I can see it coming: Someone will be discussing a recent horse show where the weather was hot, talk about how much they enjoyed eating out on the deck the other night, how they just booked a weekend at the beach for the end of next month…and then…they get the look. The look, followed by, “because, you know…”

And then I can’t let them finish. Dr. Evil has nothing on me. “Zip, zip, zip it. No! Don’t say it!” This is inevitably followed by, “But, but, but, you, it’s…….” I can’t even let the person finish the sentence. I will not hear it. I will cover my ears and scream, “lalalallalalalalalalalalalalI’mnotlisteningI’mnotlisteningI’mnotlistening.” I can even see this coming in people I don’t know very well, and I have slightly offended a few people in the last week by not allowing them to finish their sentences. I can’t help it.

Do you know what they all want to say? Here goes: “Summer is almost over.” “Before you know it, the leaves will start to turn.” “Winter will be here soon.” “I haven’t even had a chance to enjoy summer, and it’s almost over.”

ENOUGH!

IT’S NOT ALMOST OVER!!!!!

There are 28 days left in August. Four weeks. More time than most of us get for vacation in a year. Stop complaining and start enjoying. Not to mention that we’ll still have summer-like weather in September. Unless, of course, it snows.

Here are the things I can think of that I’ve done in just the last week with the express intention of enjoying summer:

• Drank a beer (OK, two) in front of the barn last night with good barn friends.
• Drank coffee on the deck on Saturday morning with my husband.
• Grazed a horse in the sunshine, taking the time to feel it on my face, arms and neck.
• Went to a horse show and appreciated the fact that I was not cold, it was not raining, and Vermont is a very, very beautiful place.
• Drank glasses of half-iced-tea-half-lemonade with lots of ice.
• Ate ice cream.
• Wore shorts.
• Sweated at the barn while doing chores, so much so, that it looked like I wet my pants.
• Went running outside.

Figure out what you’ve got to do to enjoy the season and DON’T EVEN TRY TO TELL ME THAT IT’S ALMOST OVER.

It’s not.

If you feel like you are suffering from this malaise, go out and do something that means “summer” to you. Report back—I’ll listen while you tell me all about it, and I promise to let you finish.

This article was originally published on The Chronicle of the Horse website.

The show was very well attended, and the weather was hot, but no rain. We were stabled in the recently renovated Upwey Barn. Even with temporary stalling placed throughout the grounds, there was a waiting list to get a stall for the show. What a great turnout!

Samantha and Mondavi did warm-ups on Friday, but the place to be on Friday was the Upwey wing, where the Team Jumper Challenge was underway. Teams of three or four riders competed against the clock for the fastest combined score.  There were three divisions (2’6”, 3’ and 3’6”), and one professional rider was permitted per team. There was prize money and more importantly, barn pride on the line. The students and trainers loved competing together as part of a team. I was impressed by the riding, as well as the coordinated fashions. Our barn wasn’t in contention this year but stay tuned for 2011. The event was followed by a lobster bake. Now that’s the way to horse show!

Saturday’s show day found Samantha and Mondavi in the equitation ring for the Novice division. When Samantha had finished warming up and came to the ring, she was (discreetly) in tears. I checked in, then left her alone. Why the tears? Her beloved trainer asked her for more. More effort. More focus. More hustle. Samantha thought she was giving all she had. She learned she had more to give.

As parents, you have to stand back and let the trainer push. So many parents can’t do this. There are many reasons, but they include the phenomenon known as “helicopter parenting.” In some cases, the parents may second guess the trainer. We trust Tara.

Later, I did soothe Samantha and reassured her that this was not personal; it was because Tara knew Samantha had it in her to do better. That’s a hard concept for a 12-year-old, but one that good coaches and trainers have always taught kids in many different sports.

Samantha went in the ring and had a beautiful course. She returned for the equitation on the flat, where she came out of the ring with a blue ribbon. She was second over fences. Fortunately for Samantha, this time there were blue and red ribbons to help her understand the link between the push and the results. Often, the result is just a better ride, with or without the ribbons. But we’ll save that lesson for another day.

We came home late Sunday, exhausted, dirty and happy.

This article was originally published on The Chronicle of the Horse website.

Rachel, sans head.

Recently returned from a horse show, I reviewed the pictures I had taken. I was planning to share them with the usual suspects: grandparents, friends, the owner of the horse we’re leasing, the parent of the other rider I had taken to the show, etc.

I downloaded the photos from the borrowed camera (a very nice Cannon) and was excited to view the results of four days of snapping away. I knew the results would be good, because the mom who owns this camera always comes back from horse shows with excellent pictures.

Hmmmm, OK, let’s see…Here’s one of Samantha in the temporary stall with Mondavi, here’s one of Rachel with Misty…their heads seem to be a little fuzzy. Here’s one of our trainer Tara from the back…but her hind end is all distorted…why don’t the pictures of me come out like that?  OK, beginner’s nerves, that’s all. I hadn’t become quite comfortable enough with a new camera, just working out the kinks.

(For a complete photo album of my flawed shots, click this link to Chronicle of the Horse).

OK, scrolling through, ah! Here are some pictures of the girls in the jumper ring. Yes! Here are a few good shots of Tara on the ground walking with the girls from the warm-up area to the show ring. This is one of my standard go-to shots and it looks great! Except, yeah, I already have about 62 of this exact same photo, just from different horse shows. Oh well, who’s counting?

OK, now we are into the good stuff! Here are Rachel and Misty in the jumper ring—nice! There they are on the landing, Rachel looking ahead to her next jump. Not too bad if I do say so myself! OK, the next one is Rachel and Misty about two strides after the jump. That’s OK, no worries. Next: ummmm…oh! There’s Rachel and Misty in the bottom of the picture frame, well you can’t really see the kid’s or the pony’s legs. For a second there I thought I had just taken a picture of a random trailer and the water tower in the background.

OK, more jumping pictures. Gee, there’s Misty’s face, and just her face, almost looking suspended in space, but I can also see the jump. No Rachel, or other body parts of the pony to speak of. There’s one of the pony’s hind end and tail going over the jump. Maybe if I put those two pictures together, I’ll have something to show Rachel’s mother. Oh, this one is nice, it’s a close up of Misty jumping, oh, but wait, Rachel’s head is not in the picture. Whoopsie!

The girls absconded with the camera, and one of them (they would not ‘fess up, which probably saved their little lives) took a truly excellent picture of me braiding Misty. The braids look quite nice. The back fat on the braider? Not so much.

I didn’t do a whole lot better taking pictures of my own kid. There are quite a few of Samantha and the Mo Man one stride before the jump and one stride after. Apparently this picture taking thing requires skills that I am lacking. There’s one in particular where it took me a full minute to figure out exactly what it was that I took a picture of…and then I finally spotted Mondavi’s nose in the far right corner. No laughing!

By the third day of the show I smartened up and took some nice candids. There we go! I talked to Rachel’s mom on the phone. She said, “I can’t wait to see the pictures,” in a sing-song voice. I said, “You’re breaking up, I’ll try you again later.”

Paging Jenna Leigh Teti. I am so busted!

Who needs the new iPhone? These 12-year-olds are happy to go to horse shows.

Our trip to Northampton, Mass., is over, and we’re back from the 24^th Annual Northeast Benefit Horse Show. The girls (Samantha and Rachel) started off their show week by competing in the “Hopeful Jumper” division. What a great name. These two 12-year-old girls couldn’t have been more thrilled to compete in the jumper ring. Many riders were feeling hopeful—there were 29 entries in each class.

The second class was power and speed. Samantha successfully remembered her course and jump-off without missing a beat. The girls both agreed that riding in polo shirts rather than show shirts and coats was awesome, especially since it was close to 90 degrees.

The next day was hunters, and both girls earned blue ribbons—Rachel in the pony hunter division and Samantha in the pre-children’s hunter. It’s always fun to see Rachel’s Misty, a rescued Mustang pony, win against pony brethren blessed by far cushier upbringings. Rachel’s mom cried when I called to tell her the news.

There were ribbons in the equitation divisions as well and many attempts to qualify for the Massachusetts Mini Medal. A few points were earned, but if we want to make it to the Massachusetts Medal Finals in October, we’ll need to schedule a few more trips to Massachusetts, which is just fine with Samantha and Rachel. Who knew there was a 2’6” mini-medal equitation final for the under 15 set? Unfortunately for my wallet, my kid now knows and has it on her radar.

I managed to survive the week without any additional poop incidents. Jenna Leigh Teti was the photographer on site. Her work is simply beautiful. Her trio of helpers was very entertaining. By the fourth day they were a bit punchy, wondering why horse show people seem to want the horse show day to drag on and on and on. Our days were blessedly short. Most nights we were back at the hotel by 7 p.m. and the girls were in the pool by 7:07 p.m.

Today, it’s back to work. Thankfully, it’s a good day to be in an air conditioned office. But I’d trade it for another day at a horse show in a heartbeat.

I couldn’t live in this barn, it’s cleaner that I am.

Greetings from Northampton, Mass. We’re here for the 24^th Annual Northeast Benefit Horse Show. This is Samantha and Mondavi’s first “A” rated show. The schedule is somewhat unusual—it’s a Monday-Friday horse show, leaving horse people in New England free to participate in “normal people” summer holiday-weekend activities.  That is, of course, assuming they can remember what normal people do on the weekend.

I’m very fortunate to have this entire week off work, and have in my care not one, but two horse show kids. I love it! It makes me feel cool when another mom trusts me with her kid for an extended field trip. (I know, I’m a geek.)

When we arrived from Vermont, the thermometer was pinned at 88 degrees, with nary a breeze. We found our assigned stalls, quickly unloaded our supplies and dumped bag upon bag of shavings into the stalls. My sneakers filled with crunchy, sweet-smelling shavings, mixing with the sweat. Excellent.

We prepared for warm-ups. In the process, I was schmeggied by both Misty and Mondavi with green stuff and brown stuff. After warm-ups, we bathed. So then I got wet. It was still really hot, and I was sweating profusely. I pretty much looked like I had wet my pants. Sorry, there’s no real graceful way to describe it. I noticed my fingernails were black.

As I walked around the show grounds in this state, I realized that the other mothers looked a little…cleaner. Hmmmm, what am I doing wrong? I saw quite a few teenage girls, clearly here to work as grooms. T-shirts, shorts and paddock boots, dirt and sweat running down their faces. That’s what I looked like too. Once a groom, always a groom.

Seeing these girls reminded me of all the years I worked as a groom. I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard in my life. Well, except when I worked jump crew for Gerry Briggs. I thought my spine was going to pop out of my mouth. I digress…

As we prepared to leave the barn for the night, my final task was to wrap Mondavi. This is my job because Samantha’s wrapping has not yet been approved for takeoff. She practices diligently, and hopeful this can become her job before the show season ends.

Bending down in this sweating state ain’t easy. As I huffed and puffed away, Mondavi decided he had to poop. Thanks, Mo Man. The horse has a sense of humor. Apparently, now that he’s been adopted by the Howell family, he feels a need to participate in the never-ending banter of potty-humor. He squeezed out a little extra “juice” which dripped all down the side of me and pooled in my hand. Sorry delicate readers, there’s no nice way to put it. In my weakened condition, I could not jump away fast enough to avoid the fountain of doom.

Everyone but me thought this was really funny! Yes, it’s awesome! Even better than the time my son projectile vomited in my face, and it filled my bra. Excellent!

I finally showered at 8 p.m. Luckily I packed a big bar of soap.

This article was originally posted on The Chronicle of the Horse website.

Planning a wedding isn’t all that different from planning a horse show. Photo courtesy of Ralph Aiswang.

What’s your favorite horse show? I bet you can tell me in five seconds flat. Why is it your favorite? Some of you will say it’s the food—the caramel apples at the New England Equitation Finals! Others might say Lake Placid because of the super intense grand prix, and the fact that there’s so much to do, see and eat in the lovely town. Or, maybe your favorite is HITS Ocala because you’re out of the cold and the food is good!

Whether it’s the footing or the nice shady spots, the permanent stalls or the funny announcer who gets everyone’s name wrong, everyone has a favorite horse show.

This weekend, our barn is hosting a two-day show. It’s part of the VHJA circuit. While we may not be on the top of anyone’s “favorite” list yet, we’re hoping to reach that distinction soon.

This is the second show ever held at Missy Ann Stables and the first time most of us involved have helped to plan a horse show. As we entered the final stretch—I (again) realized that my Emily Post day job trickles over to my horse life. At Emily Post, we’ve just released an entertaining book, “Great Get-Togethers.” The book is a great resource and confidence builder for the newbie or reluctant hostess.

Alas, there is no such guide for those of us planning a horse show. Hosting a horse show in many ways is a lot like hosting a big party, say a wedding reception. I spent one summer working on the updated edition of Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette. I swore I would hire a wedding planner when Samantha got married or pay her to elope. The amount of work and decision-making it takes to plan a wedding is mind-boggling. I’ve learned that planning a horse show is not much different.

Here are just a few similarities between planning a horse show and planning a wedding:

It takes a year to plan.

If you don’t start planning your wedding a year in advance, all the good reception sites are booked and your preferred house of worship may not even be available. If you don’t plan your horse show early enough, all of the good judges, announcers, secretaries and stewards are already booked. You’re not having a horse show, and certainly not one that’s going to end up on anyone’s “favorite” list, without these folks.

It takes a team.

Bridezilla quickly finds herself alone, without gleeful bridesmaids by her side to help her address envelopes, plan seating charts and keep track of RSVPs. A good horse show manager is organized and puts together a dedicated team of people each assigned to do specific tasks.

Plan for the comfort of your guests.

Many brides overlook this important fact when they think about their “dream wedding.” In the dream, guests are just accoutrements, there to fill out the landscape and of course, provide generous gifts from a variety of bizarre and expensive gift registries. In the land called reality, you need to plan your wedding and your horse show with the comfort of your guests in mind. For a horse show that means thinking about designing a prize list so that people don’t do one class in the morning and then wait around for five hours to finish their division. It also means setting up large enough areas for parking and warm-ups. And, of course, having a variety of good food available.

When the day comes, enjoy it.

Regardless of all the preparation, not everything will go according to plan. The bride may trip going down the aisle. Your Aunt Lucy may insist on doing the Macarena at your wedding reception. At the horse show, a judge may show up 20 minutes late, the weather may stink, the radios may only work intermittently—but with a little bit of luck, the day will be a success. Take the time to enjoy it.

Brides do have one advantage. Hopefully, they only plan one wedding. If horse show managers do it right, they’ll be planning more horse shows, the kind that people start to remember as their favorite.

This article originally appeared on The Chronicle of the Horse website.