Parade again

Another Forest Festival, another parade.

Q was even calmer about this one than all previous parades. In our Sit Around and Wait time this year (2 hours despite me deliberately showing up 90 minutes late!) she ate the WHOLE time. It was sunny. She ate. It was windy. She ate. It was rainy. She ate. It was sleeting she ate. It snowed. She ate. It was sunny again. She ate.

And then we did the parade.

And she was completely at ease with the whole thing...even with muzzleloaders firing in front of us! (She'd tense up but not spook beyond that, and I don't blame her. The shots fired had no rhyme or reason and seemed to come right as you were coming to grips with the fact that maybe you wouldn't hear any more.)

She made lots of children and adults smile - the main reason I do parades with her, I used to be that kid that gushed about the parade horses and then thought about them for days on end. Anything I can do to return that sounds good to me.

AND - this is a big And - she peed half way through the parade. Just took one of our momentary stop-go pauses and let loose in the middle of the street! Spectators and general public were appalled, but I was thrilled. I stroked her neck and told her good girl, very good endurance pony.

The mini was acting up at this point. He seems to have the same attitude problem as Griffin re: things not being on His Agenda = cue for minor meltdown. He'd stomp his front feet into the ground just like Griffin does!

This colt is only 6 months old...he was a good 2" taller than Q.
Owners/breeders say he'll likely reach 18-19hh; potential to be their
biggest foal ever.

People watching. It's okay, Q, I think a lot of people are weird, too.

Post-parade mash. Because pre-parade would have defeated all of my efforts to keep her looking nice!

Q: Parade Pro

Firetruck? With sirens and horn and flashing lights? No problem.
Obviously Arabians are CRAZY.

Seriously. She's a parade pro now.

The parade we were in this weekend was our first parade last year. Q and I were the only ones in English attire this year.

I Frenched her mane instead of doing the hunter braids, as well. SO MUCH EASIER. I can respect a pulled mane for the showing disciplines, but gah, braiding that nonsense? Eff that noise. This was so much nicer.

For the first time, I hair sprayed her mane and tail with a "light" hold spray to help keep things tight. It was perfect! When I took out the braids post-parade there was no lasting sticky residue like a lot of hairsprays leave. Wonderful!

Several of the other horses riding toward the front half of riders had issues with the firetrucks honking this year. The lights weren't of great concern, nor the sirens. The occasional fog horn-like honking though? That was too much for a few of the horses.

Q plowed ahead like a pro when the others were balking away. I could barely hear myself clucking and speaking to her, "walk", "trot", "whoa" because the whole atmosphere was SO LOUD. But Q could hear me. She responded beautifully to all my requests. Such a great mare.

I'm so proud of how far she's come and the trust she has in me in these away-from-barn situations I throw her into. This event was the first I'd pulled her solo in the trailer and the first time I'd trailered myself to an event without help. (This weekend at the endurance ride where we will sweep ride will be the second.)

I love doing these parades and bringing huge smiles to kids' faces. The wonder of horses is still strong in kids despite the fact that many sit inside playing video games and watching TV.

Love my little mare!

Not quite dry from her impromtu bath - all braided though.

Wondering why in the hell I had to go and braid her forelock

Q the giraffe

She was sort of snuggling pre-photo

In pink JUST BECAUSE

Waiting...waiting...waiting...on the five-lane

Q: But I don't WANT to stand by the firetruck
Me: But you need to for a photo!
Q: But those lights are scarier when I see them closer!
Me: You'll be fine, now pivot and back up beside the truck!