Page 37 - SophiesPonyTalesJuly10C

CHAPTER 17 GOING OFF COURSE

One of our favorite events was in Vermont in line where it appeared, we were to cross a stream.

the fall. It had a class entitled “Country Errands.” Without hesitating I trotted down the steep stream
The errands included such tasks as putting a letter in bank, splashed through the water and trotted up the
a mailbox, and stopping to talk to a neighbor who is other side.
leaning on a fence. For that errand you had to stop We finished well within the time allowed.
and stand quietly while your whip answered a ques- During the show all had gone well up that point. I

tion such as, “What day of the week is it?”, and then had become a little less apprehensive about other
leave at brisk trot as soon as your whip asks you to horses being nearby in the ring, so were even
go forward. The turn outs went through open fields, awarded a fourth place in a pleasure ring class. A
woods, and streams. While trotting along we per- first and a second place in cones classes meant
formed the “errands.” The class included six enough points to be a possible over all show cham-
“country errands” and was a mile in length. All the pion.

tasks had to be completed and the turn out return A high score in the Country Errands class
to the finish line within nine minutes. We were the would mean a championship. When the scores were
first turn out to leave in the morning. posted there was a red E behind our number. That
The grass was covered with dew. We did all signified “eliminated.” The notes read, “off course.”
the errands without error. I stood still at the fence, Closer inspection of the markers showed we had

so my driver could tell the questioner the day of the crossed the stream off the intended route. There
week. I stopped right at the mailbox so he could mail was a second crossing fifty foot nearer the posted
the letter without adjusting the carriage. We picked signs. Some other competitors had followed our
up a basket of eggs and delivered them unbroken to wheel tracks in the dew and were also eliminated.
a person down the road. On the way back we had to Among those following our tracks in the wet grass
cross a stream. were top competitors also in line for becoming

My driver had neglected to walk the entire Champion.
route the night before, because he instead went to I was the Large Pony Champion that day, be-
the whips party. He assumed it would be simple to cause others followed my wrong tracks. Be careful
follow the way marked with red painted arrows. We about who you are following. They maybe going the
followed the arrows that were on a fence row on wrong way

the side of a field and headed for a break in the tree

37