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Jul. 30th, 2006 08:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
which_chickI spent all yesterday at the fair. Saturday is trail class and timed events at the fair, so that's what I watched. I didn't take my horses to the fair because showing at the fair is only for kids in 4-H. The whole point of 4-H is to give kids the chance to learn the skills and whatnot that come from working with their own animals and becoming better shepherds or dairy farmers or beef finishers or horsepeople or whatever by actually doing the day-to-day skills.
With horses, in 4-H, it is not supposed to be about winning ribbons. It is not about your matching silver bridle, breastcoller, and saddle. It is not about your three hundred dollar HobbyHorse show outfit. It is not about the professionally-trained horse that your parents bought and your trainer keeps tuned up and show-ready for you. It is not about your twenty thousand dollar Sundowner trailer with living quarters. If you think that's what 4-H horse and pony is all about, you're dead wrong. (A great deal of the time, it is possible to win blue ribbons by spending a sufficient amount of money for a horse, trainer, show outfits, lessons, and so forth... but that's not how it is SUPPOSED to work.)
Today, I'd like you to meet Brittany (that's the girl) and Tahoe (that's the pony), Reserve High Point Hunter and Reserve High Point Game Pony. Every damn thing that Tahoe does, Brittany taught him to do. Every damn thing. If he has a skill, she put it there. They got reserve high point in two unrelated disciplines... yes, reserve, but it *was* Tahoe's first year showing. He'll improve with practice. I expect them to shine like diamonds next year.
With horses, in 4-H, it is not supposed to be about winning ribbons. It is not about your matching silver bridle, breastcoller, and saddle. It is not about your three hundred dollar HobbyHorse show outfit. It is not about the professionally-trained horse that your parents bought and your trainer keeps tuned up and show-ready for you. It is not about your twenty thousand dollar Sundowner trailer with living quarters. If you think that's what 4-H horse and pony is all about, you're dead wrong. (A great deal of the time, it is possible to win blue ribbons by spending a sufficient amount of money for a horse, trainer, show outfits, lessons, and so forth... but that's not how it is SUPPOSED to work.)
Today, I'd like you to meet Brittany (that's the girl) and Tahoe (that's the pony), Reserve High Point Hunter and Reserve High Point Game Pony. Every damn thing that Tahoe does, Brittany taught him to do. Every damn thing. If he has a skill, she put it there. They got reserve high point in two unrelated disciplines... yes, reserve, but it *was* Tahoe's first year showing. He'll improve with practice. I expect them to shine like diamonds next year.
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no subject
Date: 2006-07-30 12:42 pm (UTC)Unfortunately, sometimes the judges *also* miss the point of events like 4-H Horse and Pony, which just makes you want to slap them...(or me anyway, I shouldn't presume to speak about what it makes you want to do :) ).