Spring Schooling Horse Show

Our proud riders

It is the Spring Schooling Horse Show. Excitement hangs in the air. Children, parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts gather at the fence and watch their riders in the riding ring.

Ribbons adorn the bridles of our ever patient horses and ponies. Parents snap pictures proudly of their child’s accomplishments. Other riders hug each other and high five the winners. It is a moment suspended in time.
The last class of the show is the long awaited, Down and Out. Usually this is jumped by horses, but this is a growing year at Raise Your Dreams Farm and we have chosen to conduct this class on the two feet of our riders. They have been practicing each time they come, especially Timmy. He is up to three feet.

Check out Alena in the Down and Out Competition. Check out her huge cheering section!

Down and Out is when the rider (or in our case, the student) goes over a vertical. Each time they go over the jump, it is raised until it is either touched, falls down, or unable to clear it. In our Down and Out we have increased the incentive by giving half of the purse. There is nothing sweeter in a teenager’s pocket than some cold cash.

It is down to the last four jumpers. Timmy, Jacob, Jenna, and Emily are accomplished jumpers. Jacob and Timmy are best friends. Jenna and Emily are best friends too. They encourage each other. Then Emily falls into the jump. She is down. They pick her up.

Emily being picked up after falling in the Down and Out Class

Next up is Timmy, he crashes into it too. Jacob is trying to psyche himself up and he is encouraging the crowd to chant, “Jake! Jake! Jake!” He crashes into it.

Timmy showing his skills!

 

 

It is down to Jenna. If she jumps this, she will be the winner! She backs up for the final sprint. The crowd starts chanting for Jenna, changing their allegiance.

Jenna and her winning jump!

 

Jenna flies over it, her blonde hair swinging in the wind. Her beautiful face set in determination. She lands in perfect balance- she is the undisputed winner.

That’s when a parent walks over and tells me what she overheard.

“Timmy threw the competition. He wanted his best friend to win. I overheard him tell the others that he was going to purposely knock it down so that Jacob could win,” she placed her hand on my arm and smiled. “You have amazing students here!”

We have amazing students here. They are only out to do one thing- to make others look better than they do. They don’t want to win if it will help another that deserves a win. What an amazing place Raise Your Dreams Farm has become!

Hey can you help us out? Post your unwanted tack, clothing, riding apparel, etc. on the classified section on http://www.anythingforhorseandrider.com.  Thanks!  This site funds our little farm!