Pony Tales
by Sandra Murphy
THE GRANDAUGHTER CHRONICLES:PART VI
P
O
N
A Taste of the Big League...
Y

mane and tail, and had a beautiful received 2 yellow ribbons, which the
T
I think I have made a strategic
blue cooler on over the saddle which owners let this child hold while Tara
mistake; I took my Granddaughter to
A
had been meticulously cleaned and returned to the ring for the Under
Thermal to watch Pony classes and
polished. The owners would take him Saddle. Even though there were lots
L Short Stirrup. One would think we
to the ring and patiently wait for the of ponies in the ring, this child had
E
had made a trip to the Olympics, and
little catch rider who would pilot him eyes for only one and she followed its
in her mind we probably did. As we
S
around the ring. every move, both directions and into
drove in the front gate it was all she
the lineup.
could do to stay in her seatbelt till
As the announcer started to pin the
we parked. Gabbering, laughing and
class, I think she stopped breathing,
talking a mile a minute about what
for she stood stone still. The First
she saw. “Oh Gramma, there are
Place award went to Shenanigans..
kids like me EVERYWHERE!”
HE WON. For all intents and
We rented the customary golf cart
purposes, so did this child on the
so we could toddle all over the place,
ground, or at least in her mind! A
at our leisure, and we settled in to really quick sprint, with me safely in
enjoy the day. We went through tow, to the back gate so she could
every barn on the property, and there be close to see the pony as it left
are a lot of them. We petted every the ring. Not wanting to bother the
pony there, with permission, and owners and riders, she pointed at him
she found a favorite. Shenanigans, and wiggled her finger as he came
owned by trainer Tommi Clark, out the gate. I promise you that as
stabled with John French, caught her the grooms put the cooler back on
eye and took her breath away. Shenanigans for the trip back to the
A small, grey, gelding with THE barn, the pony looked her straight in
most beautiful head possible on one the eye and held the gaze for a long
of those critters. A large dark eye to few minutes.
boot, and a disposition comparable A friend of my sister, a Trainer
to the best. He was friendly, there, gave the child a blue ribbon
inquisitive and allowed this small We stayed a safe distance away so as to take home, and I was not brave
child to rub his face, pet his nose and not to distract Tara Spencer, the rider, enough to tell her it was not THE
best of all, scratch him behind the and watched. She climbed aboard and blue ribbon. She smoothed it,
ears. He actually put his head down
I tell you, I felt my granddaughter caressed it and smelled it so many
into her lap and almost went to sleep,
get right on there with her. As Tara times I thought it would be worn out
as did she. Both of them mesmerized
warmed up the pony, so did this by the time we got home, but it was
with the moment.
small child. She took in every step, not. There was still enough of it left
When it came time for him to go
breathed every breath and felt the to find itself wrapped up in the hands
off to the ring, he went with this
freedom of flight over every warm of a child drifting off to sleep that
Grandmother and child following
up jump, even though she had not yet night. A child dreaming of THAT
behind as a respectful distance in
had the experience herself. pony and her riding it to the many
their golf cart. He was braided,
The pony competed and respectfully Blue ribbons for years to come.
“You cannot train a horse with shouts and then
expect it to answer a whisper”
26
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