Page 31 - SophiesPonyTalesJuly10C

CHAPTER 14 OUR FIRST DRIVING EVENT

Activity started early the morning of the asked a famous trainer how he could help me over-
event. Around dawn after being fed and loaded come my fear of other horses in a
into the trailer, we were off to the Big E Fair ring.
grounds in Springfield, Massachusetts. A judged He said, “She will probably never get over
activity at a horse show is called a class. We were her fear while in a ring with other horses and
signed up for four classes that day. The first one carts.” Sometimes bad experiences are held in
was dressage. The bell rang indicating it was time memory forever. Fortunately my carriage wreck
for us to enter the dressage arena. We had prac- years ago did not stop me from being hitched
ticed the dressage test movements for weeks. again. After being in show ring with other horses
Each movement in a dressage test is given a there was a need for me to calm down. We went
score of gone to ten. Five is adequate. We were into a large field nearby and walked to quiet my
given scores of three and four. The good thing was nerves. While out in the field, my whip sang to me.
that fear did not completely take over my My whip had read somewhere that every Morgan
mind. My muscles were tense resulting in my look- has its hymn. If your driver or rider finds the hymn
ing ready to run away, but that did not happen. My tune that is yours, using it can have a calming
driver spoke quietly saying over and over, “you’re effect. My whip had looked in a hymnbook and
ok”. That helped keep me from running away out found a tune named “Saint Gertrude”. That tune is
of the show ring. Everyone watching could see my a marching tune often sung to words that begin,
nervousness. “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war.”
The next class was called a pleasure class
but I was not feeling the pleasure. We were sup- He made up new words:
posed to look relaxed and confident. In the ring
there were prancing steeds harnessed with pol- Forward we go Sophie,
ished leather hitched to carts with lots of shining moving fast and true,
brass. Remember my aversion to hearing horses Keep your wits about you,
coming near to me, after my being kicked by a there’s nothing to trouble you.
horse in front of me? Please remember also the Onward we go Sophie,
bad experience, when my pulling a cart had just better than before,
started. That was when the sound of an unseen If we show improvement,
running horse behind me was heard, causing me to who cares what’s the score?
run, resulting in tipping over of the cart. That is still There is nothing out there,
a frightening memory. In the ring, horses kept pass- that you have to fear.
ing me. When the sound of their hoofs pounding Keep calm and collected,
and the carriages rattling was heard I would tense for you I’m always here.
up. My back and neck would stiffen, resulting in Forward we go Sophie,
going “off stride“. Once or twice my galloping was moving fast and true,
almost the result. Eight ribbons were handed out; keep your wits about you,
we didn’t get one. We exited the ring and my co- there’s nothing to trouble you
owner Glenda, who had come along to help, said,
“Well at least she stayed in the ring and didn’t run Later I learned how to relax in strange surround-
over anybody”. That was said as a complement. ings , but on that day we walked and he sang.
Later that year my whip, Glenda’s father, Glenn

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