Courtesy Audrey Pavia
Milagro , my Spanish Mustang , was a real comic during the Trail Trials .
Horses that live in urban environmentshave a very different modus vivendi from those in rural areas . Urban equine have to deal with all kinds of crazy stuff that country horses will never see .
I ’m guessing this is the reasoning behind some of the obstacles that appear inCalifornia State Horsemen ’s Association Trail Trials . These three - hour competitory trail rides require gymnastic horse to negotiate a number of obstruction that they might only see when being ride on metropolis trails .
I be intimate to compete with my Spanish Mustang , Milagro , in Trail Trials . It ’s a fun way to spend a day out on the trail with a buddy . Most of the sentence , my track buddy is Kathy T. , who tantalise a jumbo Belgian cut named Bob .
During a recent Trail Trial , we came face - to - nerve with an obstruction only an urban trail rider could sincerely apprize : a lemonade stand . Our task as riders was to go up the lemonade fend one at a time , give up , invite a cupful of lemonade from the justice , drop a centime into a Tupperware container on a board and deposit the empty cup in a nearby trashcan . No sweat , I think . Milagro is dependable about approaching things like table , and will turn back and stand politely until I ask him to move forrader .
Kathy and I decide Milagro would go first on this obstruction . As she and Bob waited nearby , my gymnastic horse and I approached the lemonade stand .
Milagro stop obediently when we add up up next to the mesa . The judge greeted me and handed me a cup . Just as I raised it to my lips to drink , Milagro spied the Tupperware container , which was half - full with pennies . Before I could do anything to turn back him , he seize the edge of the container in his backtalk and started tossing his head . penny were wing everywhere , landing on me , on the knight and in the dirt .
The judge reach for the container and try out to take it from Milagro ’s mouth , but my knight would have none of it . As the judge struggle to get the container by from him , Milagro continue to sky the container until all the pennies were on the ground .
As I sat there in helpless horror , I discover Kathy laughing hysterically behind me . The Trail Trial unpaid worker who stand nearby were titter until the evaluator managed to writhe the empty container out of Milagro ’s mouth .
After everyone had regained their calmness , I offered to get off and piece up the pennies , but the jurist recount me not to worry about it . I then proceeded to the empty Tupperware container , dropped in my penny , rode to the trash can and deposited my empty cupful .
Milagro and I wait nearby for Kathy and Bob to complete the obstruction . Kathy was stifling her giggles as she effortlessly perform the necessary steps , and then lost it once again after the guess give thanks her and told her she could move on .
Later that day when I looked at my scores , I expected to see pretty downhearted gull for “ lack of horse control . ” Surprisingly , the evaluator give me a good account and we handle to pull a 5th place in our division out of quite a few competitor . I suspect Milagro secretly got an extra point or two for providing comedic relief .
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