Rachel and Grandma and an Arabian Horse Getting to the Daffodil Arabian Spring Horse Show

Part 1 of Rachel and Grandma and the Arabian Horse

By the beginning of the third week of me (grandma) schooling the Arabian horse getting him ready for the Daffodil Arabian Spring Horse Show, it was like riding the former Dandy again. The Arabian horse was soft and his gaits were smooth and true. The horse's transitions both up and down were near flawless. While the horse still lacked the strength to maintain his frame for any length of time, that would come over time.

As the time went on Rachel was getting more and more comfortable with riding hunt seat. She loved the hand gallop and was even beginning to get the beautiful lofty trot that had intimidated her at first. But her last lesson before the show was stiff, tense and emotional. Crystal found out later Rachel was carrying the weight of the world, afraid that she might disappoint me at the horse show and that if she didn't do well, she wouldn't do right by Dandy and it would reflect on my business as an Arabian horse breeder.

So on the way to the show, Rachel and Grandma had a little talk about her expectations and mine. I assured her that the responsibility for the success or failure of my breeding business rests solely on my shoulders. I'm the one that makes the decisions and I can carry the weight. How people view my horses wouldn't be influenced by her performance in the show ring. It will be influenced by the quality and temperament of the horses.

Rachel needed to hear that no one was expecting her to go out there and not make mistakes. I assured her that I've had an assortment of embarrassing moments including many laps ridden on the wrong lead in my 15 years of showing and I expected her to have hers. I didn't really think there was much she could come up with that the people at the show hadn't seen me do already. It's enough for me that she is showing the first Arabian horse that I ever breed. I am so proud at how hard she has worked. All I expect is that she give it the best she has to give on any given day.

And what about Dandy? He expects Rachel to love him and there's certainly no question there.....

By the time we reached the Western Washington Fairgrounds in Puyallup, Rachel had relaxed. We had a good time as we unloaded the horses and the gear and got everything set up for the following day's classes. Crystal Baker met us there at 2 pm so that Rachel could have another lesson. This lesson went much better than the one the day before. Rachel was relaxed and having fun again and the horse was soft and willing, happy to be packing his kid around the ring.


To be continued...........

The Show.......


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