Learning to not give up

Well, we had our first horse show of the season last Saturday.  Weather was beautiful and the crowd was light, which was a good thing.  The day started early with everyone pitching in to load the supplies and horses on the trailer.  This show was all about the younger riders.  The riders ranged in age from 6 – 10.  The older girls went along to mentor and coach the younger ones.  It worked out beautifully.  It is amazing how I can give my daughter an instruction or suggestion on how to do something with the horse and she looks at me like I have no idea what I am talking about.  Then one of the older girls from the barn comes along and makes the same suggestion and it is met with a look of appreciation and admiration in the girls wisdom!  Such is the way at this age.

While warming up to show one of the younger riders took an easy spill off her pony.  It was more of a slide than a fall.  She was fine but shaken up and wanted to quit riding. Her father told her she had the choice.  But if she chose not to ride, he was loading up her pony in the trailer and taking her home.  Her coach (one of the older girls from the barn) encouraged her to stick it out and take it one class at a time.  She agreed and ended up placing first in the first class she rode!  She stayed for the next class and placed third.  She was confident once again and went on to ribbon in each class she rode!

Watching all this made me appreciate the horse all the more.  So many life lessons learned.  Imagine if she had given up.  Never knew the reward of perseverance and dusting your self off to try again.  She was so upset with her pony during warm ups and madly in love with him at the end of the show.  Imagine missing that…