Northeast Benefit Horse Show                            [back]

I love horse shows. That is why I spent a whole week in Massachusetts at a horse show. There were many things to do at the horse show. There were four classes for me to ride in. Two of them were equitation and the other two were pleasure. Riding horses was my favorite thing to do there.

I was in a class called walk trot. Walk trot is when you walk and then make your horse go faster to trot. You have to know your diagonals and do sitting trot. Sitting trot is when you sit on the saddle and trot, but you cannot bounce, and you have to keep your fingers closed and your heels down. There was  a lot of competition. I did so well in the pleasure class I got a champion ribbon and a mug with horse's head painted on it. My other three classes were effortless. I got two fifths and a second.

My adult friend owns a large camper, so she brought it and parked it on the show grounds. The show grounds were so big. It had a racetrack and the horse show rings were inside the racetrack. We got to ride our horses on the racetrack. My mom, Valerie and I stayed in the camper at the horse show. All of the kids from Mystic Valley Hunt Club loved to go to the camper and have some snacks and fun.

A few people brought their bikes. I was one of them. When it rained we had to go through the muddy water. I was going so fast my bike tires threw some muddy water into the air and onto my clothes, so I had a big line of mud going up my back. We rented a golf cart and that was great for the adults, and we kids had a great time on it too.

One day during the horse show there was a lightning storm. The horses were a little bit frightened, but us kids were screaming. After we calmed down we saw our friends walking in the storm with coffee and snacks in their hands so we all helped them. When I was looking out of the barn right in front of my eyes was a lightning streak. I did not scream, but I almost ran for my life. After the storm was over the horse show was back on and it was very muddy.

Then the day came when we had to leave. When we left it was the hardest time to leave. I sure hope one day we can go back and do it again. That was the best and only whole week horse show I ever went to.

Paige

October 2005