Girls are notoriously horse-crazy. I know I was as a child. I collected plastic horses and ceramic horses, and the first stories I wrote were about horses. One of the stories won the Scholastic Writing Awards contest when I was 12, and created a writing monster. (smile)
I couldn’t have a horse of my own back then, but when I got old enough to work and earn some money, part of that money was spent at a riding stable. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to have three horses at different times in my life, and currently have my pal, Banjo.
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| I think he loves me, but it’s really the hay. |
Most girls outgrow this obsession with horses, but some of us don’t, and I imagine my neighbor, Haley, will be in that latter category. I welcome her as my Wednesday’s Guest today because I was so impressed with her hard work as she competed for Junior Miss Rodeo Queen for the Franklin County Sheriff Posse Rodeo held this past weekend.
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| Waiting for the judges decision |
Unfortunately, Haley did not win, but she did her best, and she sure sits a horse well. She is also a lovely young girl. She lives next door with her mother, sister, and grandmother, and they are really nice people who help me out a lot with my animals. It is so great to have neighbors like that!
When the family first moved in with their four horses, I remember seeing Haley jump up on the old mustang a few times and ride him with no saddle and no bridle; just hugging the horse’s neck and ambling along. Right then I knew that there was a special connection between this little slip of a girl and a horse.
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| Still waiting with her mother |
At the rodeo, I took the next three pictures after the decisions had been made and the awards given. The girls then took their horses back to the trailer area to be unsaddled. I thought the progression of expressions on Haley’s face was very telling.
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| I will not cry. |
Here comes pure determination.
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| I’ll get it next time. |
And finally:
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| Okay, I’m over it. |
It’s hard to handle disappointment with grace, but I think she did a fine job, and I was glad to be a part of all of this with Haley and her family. My kids and I were some of her sponsors, and we were so happy to do that and support her efforts. Looking forward to next year!
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Are you a horse lover? Do you like to sponsor young people for various activities and events?
Yep. There’s always next year :O)
You’re right Mac. Looking ahead to the next possibility is better than staying long in the disappointment.