Fun With The Frost-Man

Last month, N got to ride in his first horse riding competition ever!! It was exciting for all of us, hosted by the Holston Pony Club at a lovely local horse farm here called "Journey's End". N was thrilled to be able to ride the pony, Jack Frost, aka. "the Frost-Man", which he's trained on for the past year, and deeply loves. He's had two years of formal riding lessons under his belt now, before this, his first horse show, which he and Frosty did quite well in together.

I would like to once again publicly thank our beloved friend, and (most insistently) generous patron, Sarah, who is also the Mom of N's riding buddy, Ian, and the owner of Frosty. You may remember her from before, T's horse-fairy-God-mother, who has now struck again, making N's dreams of riding Frosty in a real show come true... she is such a blessing in our lives, for so many reasons and in such wonderful ways.

N took home 3 blue ribbons, 2 reds and one white AND he won GRAND CHAMPION of his riding division overall! We were thrilled with and for him. What a day it was! Here, N shall share with you about his day, in his own words.

Fun With the Frost-Man, a narration by N

It was a cold, wet morning and Ian and I felt rushed, as Miss Sarah pushed us on with "Get goin' and Hurry Up!" We had to wake up before 5:00 a.m. to eat breakfast, do the morning chores, feed the horses and load the horses up in the trailer. Then we had to get all situated with where our riding clothes were going in the trailer and truck. We had to hurry to be ready on time.

Once we got to the show, it was hard changing our clothes, because we had to take our clothes off in the cold weather, and then put our riding pants and suits on in the horse trailer. At least we weren't changing outside next to the horses, in the cold wind. It was exciting, and also a little freaky at the same time thinking about what kind of weather we would be showing in, and who would we be competing against. Ian and I were talking and hoping that we would at least get a second or third place ribbon. But when I figured out that I had placed higher than some grown-ups in my first class, I felt less nervous but more determined to try my best on the next classes that I had to compete in on the same day.

When I got my first ribbon, which was a first-place, I was really happy and wanted to know what Ian got. He got tied for second place. It was a jumping class, and I was very proud of Frosty, and surprised that he was being very good for me, because usually he's very excited and wanting to goof off alot. I was surprised that I had beat four grown-ups who had probably been showing much longer than I at dressage classes. I also won two more first places, two second places, one fourth and GRAND CHAMPION over all the classes of my division. I rode in two jumping classes, in which the courses were all different.

What helped me to remember the jumping courses was that I watched the people riding before me doing it, so I also saw what they were doing. I had to study the course sheet also, and I think that my going to AWANAs helped me to be able to memorize the course better. When I got in the arena, my mind just said the next step after each jump, like "Take a diagonal turn into the corner, and take the next jump, then take a really tight turn, and take the side jump..."

I also rode in the pole-bending class, barrel races, sit-the-trot, the trail riding class, and a sit-the-buck class, which was riding bare back, with a dollar-bill between my thigh and Frosty's back. was surprised when I got Grand Champion at the end of the show. I didn't think that I'd get it, but I knew that even if I didn't get the Grand Champion, I did really good just to get so many good places in those classes.

I am thankful for being able to ride Frosty at the show, and this coming winter. I love that Frosty is kinda like me... he's sparky, always wanting to go on an adventure, and whenever I ask him to gallop, he just jumps off on a really good start. When I ask him to stop or slow down, he still wants to keep going, but he obeys me. I just like hanging out with Frosty, and I don't really care what we're doing, as long as I'm spending time with him. We just fit together great, like pieces of a puzzle, even Miss Sarah says that. Sometimes when I just think of doing something, he does it, so it's like we're connected when I'm riding him, like we're a centuar.

Click here to see more pics from my Pony Club competition.