A tale of two pony-clubbers
This weekend our little local town is holding a gymkhana – the very first one our kids have ever been to. And seeing as how we have only actually attended Pony Club itself three times in total with them, our expectations for ribbons of any colour are quite low.
…
Actually I will just be happy to have our two line up reasonably kitted out and have the day finished with a few smiles and the minimum of tears.
Our children are two very different little people.
Violet is usually confident and strong-willed, but can be clingy with her Mum on occasion when the wheels begin to wobble.
Dash has a sometimes nervous personality, but when he finds his footing with something, it’s all guns blazing…
And so it is with Pony Club.
Violet and Rob Roy are a great match.
He is stubborn but once put in his place, is a terrific little fellow. However he nipped Violet a couple of weeks back and she lost her nerve with him a little. And he knows it. Horses are freakily psychic like that. They know if the person atop is worried about them and they can play up to it.
So Violet has been back on the lead with her little chestnut roly-poly Shetland. And as some of the other younger riders are also on leads, she hasn’t minded this ‘little kid’ set-up.
Of course, this means she also gets the attention of lots of burly men, so the incentive to get independent has not been great…
That was until two days ago.
I had convinced Violet to have a little practice ride while Dash and Mr Incredible were out in the paddock getting in a cow that needed some medical attention. She was procrastinating about climbing in the saddle when I mentioned the words ‘horse’ and ‘gymkhana’ and ‘competition’ in the same breath.
Oh my Lord.
…
A look came over that girl’s face (I imagine a bit similar to the one mentioned in this story) and suddenly… it’s all guns blazing! She climbed on top of that little pony, demanded I take the lead off the bridle, and kicked him into action. The look of surprise and shock on Rob Roy’s furry little face was priceless. He rolled his eyes and took off trotting, causing Violet to miss her stirrup and began sliding down one side of the saddle.
My heart was in my mouth and I thought:
Heaven help me, she’s going to get a buster and there goes her confidence in five seconds!
Apparently I don’t know my daughter terribly well.
…
As the pair jig-jogged haphazardly off around a gate I saw one little hand reach up for the pommel, grasp it and begin hauling her sliding body back up the side of the pony. By the time they had done a lap of the far yard and headed back towards this worried Mum, she was back on top and bobbing with the hugest grin on her face.
“I done it Mum! I showed him who’s Boss!”
Gobsmacked I silently pulled Rob Roy up, pushed Violet’s boot back into the stirrup, and went to put the lead back on. The reaction was instant:
“No way Mum. I don’t need that thing.
LET. ME. GO!!”
And off she went.
Bobbing and dimpling the whole way.
And over her shoulder she declared:
“I’m gonna win!!”
Talk about competitive…
I am not quite game to tell her she’ll have to be
back on the lead for the gymkhana.
On the other hand…
Dash adores just riding.
His issue is more knowing what to do in competition.
I know he looks like he’s paying attention to the instructor here.
I know he looks like he’s paying attention to the instructor here.
But he is listening as closely as his fabulous old steed, Lacey…
As long as 15 people have done the course before he has, he’s got half a chance of knowing where to go. That and his mother calling out instructions loudly from the sidelines.
He really doesn’t care too much.
As long as he’s almost cantering…
Trit-trot, trit-trot….
D’ya think he loves doing this stuff?
Wish us luck for Sunday please…
Trit-trot, trit-trot….
D’ya think he loves doing this stuff?
Wish us luck for Sunday please…
Methinks I’ll have earned my chardonnay by nightfall!!
14 Comments
jeanie
Definitely best of luck for Sunday!!
Leenie
Priceless post! Fun faces. Great photos. You go kids and horses! Best of luck. I was concerned, however, by the title of the post. Clubbing ponies? Is that like bashing in the heads of baby seals or something? Wheewww! Glad my goofy read was wrong.
Reddirt Woman
So Violet, too, is blessed with competitiveness.
You go, GIRL!
And Dash look so much more confident this year.
Love it!
Helen
Lydia
What a great post — best of luck to the kiddies this weekend!
Mom L
All the best to the babes – although I guess I can't call them that with all the confidence they are showing. Wait, uh, their MOM is Bush Babe, so they CAN be called babes! The pictures are truly priceless, and I wish I could have seen Rob Roy's face when Violet bested him!
Good luck from Nancy in Iowa
Danielle Michelle
Good luck!! My soon to be step-daughter is fighting the confidence issue with her pony right now and I'm going to tell her Violet's story since she wants to come and gather with us in a few weeks. Maybe is she see's another little girl on a pony in your pics and knows she needs to tell her sturdy mount 'who's boss' we'll be set to go!!!
d/iowa
best of luck this weekend! they are so cute!
Alison
Good luck for tomorrow!
I remember my first pony club gymkhana (as a child) – I kept getting kicked by other horses! It wasn't until the end of the day that someone told me the red ribbons on their tales meant the horse kicked…
Hope your fay is fun filled and incident free!
Anonymous
I find myself reading your blog more and more often, first post though. Really appreciate the photos, in addition to the writing.
P.S. Do all of y'all have such great hats?
Umm.. can't seem to post with my URL, it tells me that I have "illegal characters", sounds like an insult from a machine, 🙂 Maybe it will let me post as "anonymous".
Steve
Bush Babe
Steve – apologies for blogger being rude to you! And welcome to the comments section – gives me an enormous boost to have someone compliment my doodlings here. (I adore blogging!!!)
Alison – thanks sweetheart. We just got home, sunburned, exhausted and with quite a story to tell!
Diane – ta… and yes, I think so. Be weird if I didn't!!!
Danielle – oh yes definitely. Especially with ponies who have stubborn little personalities. It's kinda a saying in my family. "Are you the boss, or your horse?" and then: "Alright then, SHOW him who's boss!!"
Nancy – I take waaayyy too many photos already, but he DEFINITELY got a 'look' of shock. Like: "Heavens… I think she MEANS it this time!"
Lydia – thanks and thanks!!
Helen – you are spot on. My daughter is going to be something else in the competitive stakes(good or bad I'm not sure yet!!) and Dash is a new man aboard his Lacey…
Leenie – thanks! And HA HAH HAHA!! Responded to your observation on twitter… concerned I might have the RSPCA onto me!
Jeanie – I will talk to you tonight!!!
Bush Babe
PS Steve – the helmuts are mandatory for pony club (and pretty much any horse sport for kiddos in Australia). The one Dash is wearing has a removable brim to help with the sun protection. I always think he looks like a British explorer from the 1700s!!
rhubarbwhine
I am loving that gappy smile in the last shot. How typically kid-like is that? Gorgeous.
Anonymous
I'm wondering if those fine boots give the little woman an extra edge
Leslie
I've read your pony club post twice now, it's SO good!
Yes, Alessandro loves the attention. He posed for the pic and grinned at the word art. 🙂