P O N Y
T A L E S
Pony Tales THE GRANDAUGHTER CHRONICLES C
a new dimension when it comes to ten year old children (almost eleven if you ask her!). It sounds like a term used in putting something together and in the case of my grand- daughter, she is the master at “putting things together”. Being a single grandparent and raising a child in this won-
haracter building, by the nature of the term, takes on
derful, crazy world of horses that jump, I am beginning to find out who the teacher is and who the student is. She surprises me at just about every turn and I have to say, this one quite entertained me. Children have a way of teaching us immensely valuable lessons if we listen, and I did. We spend a lot of time at the shows just enjoying the very
smell of horses, especially in competition. Understanding she is too young to have a “job” does not seem to be a de- terrent to her. As we sat on the grass at the Blenheim shows this spring she announced that in order to be a “character” she now had a job. I asked her what she thought that meant and she replied with this story and explanation: Janet Fall, our illustrious Grand Prix back gate person and
now technical advisor too many of the “AA” horse shows, is also a “trash picker” according to my granddaughter. When she attached that term to Janet it was said in such a manner and with such respect that I thought Janet could easily be the next recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, at least in the eyes of this child. While I sit on the bleachers and watch the victory gallop
for a Grand Prix, my granddaughter always plants herself at the very back gate so she can watch her idols come in and out of the ring. As one class wrapped up, Janet stepped
GARDINER SHOWJUMPING
younger one looking to understand what they were doing. Following Janet’s answer that the money goes to help horse- man in need, the comment about building character was tossed in to the discussion. The explanation was that we all take our lives and build our “house” and it’s up to us what kind of house we will build. The “character building” pro- cess will determine what kind of personal house you chose and picking up recyclables is a good way to understand how to build character……doing something for someone else and the only pay is the gratitude of those in need. We now spend hours together looking for cans and bot-
tles so she can bring them to Janet. The fun part of this for me is having the character building discussions with her in our travels, discussions I would possibly never have had if it were not for Janet. It’s more than picking up recyclables, it is more than donating the time…it is the heart of a giver be- ing passed on to the heart of a child building her future. We are lucky to have Janet and I certainly hope she knows that! In more ways than one, she has built a fabulous personal “house” for herself and is one of the biggest “characters” in our sport!
from the back gate booth, immediately started picking up plastic bottles and aluminum cans and putting them in the garbage bag she always has at the ready. Pretty soon she was not alone in her quest; there were two of them - two ladies, decades apart in age, circling the ring in search of treasures. Somewhere along the line there was a question from the
Damian Gardiner
MEMBER OF IRISH OLYMPIC TEAM & WINNER OF 175 GRAND PRIXS
Jenny Carbonari
GRAND PRIX RIDER
Now Welcoming Clients AT OUR NEW SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATION
Damian Gardiner 406.260.1856
Jenny Carbonari 406.250.1823
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