December Story Contest

True Story: Showing for Life
By: Katie and Bravery
Age: 11

    One day I, Katie, walked up to the indoor arena and I asked my trainer whom I was riding.  I thought I was going to ride Lilac, the welsh pony I used to ride.  I didn't have Bravery yet, so I rode lesson horses.  My instructor said Scarlet was going to ride Lilac, instead of Sunrise, I was going to ride a 15 hh paint mare named Luxury's Seacrew.  Her barn name is Lux.  I was nervous because Lilac was only 12.3 hh.  Lux was big.  I didn't have paddock boots at the time, or a helmet.  So I borrowed a helmet and replaced my tennis shoes with a pair of paddock boots and I slipped on a pair of black half chaps over my jeans.  I remember I was wearing a hot pink shirt and dark wash jeans. I just turned seven a few days before and I got a pink flower shaped crop that had sparkles on it from my grandma, along with a helmet that didn't fit.  I walked into the indoor arena and I saw my friends and their lesson horses, including my sister, Scarlet, on Lilac.  We are twins.  She had her helmet that fit and the crop that matched mine.  She also had on riding breeches and paddock boots with her new pair of half chaps that she got from our parents.  I got a few breyer horses and a breyer barn.  I picked up the posting trot when my instructor told me to. 

"Change your diagonal, Katie.” she said.  I quickly did.  We trotted around and then we cantered.  It was time to jump.  My instructor told us to two points over a few poles at the trot.  Then, if we knew how to jump, we would trot over small cross rails.  (I now can jump three feet). 
"Okay, Katie you will go first.  I want you to do the green pole to the white pole then the blue and halt." I did the course. 
"Very good Katie, next time you will do the red cross rail to the black cross rail and halt," She said,” Scarlet, same thing that Katie did".
     

We went on and after we jumped and we were walking on the rail my instructor told me that I was ready to show on Saturday.  I was going to do lead line class and the two-walk trot class.  I told my mom and my instructor talked to her about it.  I was going to ride Lux.  Scarlet was going to do lead line and walk trot lead line.  We both were SOOOO excited.  It was a small show for stable riders and boarders only.  We went to the tack shop that day and I bought jodhpurs, paddock boots, garter straps, a rat catcher, show coat, black gloves, a black crop, and an Aegis helmet.  It was the one that has velvet on it, but it is still a helmet good for lessons.  Scarlet got the same thing, except no boots or helmet.  I was excited, but nervous, even though it was a small show, it was still judged.
      
Saturday morning came fast.  I put on my new show clothes and my mom did my garter straps and adjusted my helmet.  I had my hair in two braids and scarlet did too.  We both walked up to the stable and waited after we mounted to get the led ropes attached for lead line.  I was nervous.
         
"And last but not least, in sixth place is number 108, Luxury's Seacrew, ridden by Katie." The announcer said.  Great. Just what I needed.  A last place ribbon.  Sixth.  That was green, my least favorite color.  Scarlet got second, that was red.  Time for walk trot.
   
I heard the announcer say Scarlet came in first for walk trot lead-line.  I was special.  I had not helper.  I was in a higher class.  I walked, then trotted, then I sat the trot.  There were six people in my class, I got fifth, that meant pink, my favorite color.  I had one more class, walk trot poles. we would walk around once over a set of poles then trot the same set of poles three times.  I heard my number be called.  I walked the coarse, then I picked up the correct diagonal at the posting trot.  I did it three times.  then, it was Lily's turn, she ALWAYS WINS BLUE IN WALK TROT!!!!!!!!!  I watched her carefully, she was on the wrong diagonal.  She came in sixth, then the announcer was almost about to say second place, when I was ready to grab the red ribbon, I was SOOO happy, second place!

But, she said a girl named Charlotte got second, I got...FIRST!!!!!!!!!!! I was SOOOOO happy!   A blue ribbon!  I was a champion.  I won a trophy, and I won reserve champion! I was victorious. I really showed!