Besides delighting my readers with scintillating stories (we writers like to use words like "scintillating" because we think it makes us sound writerly), my main purpose for being at Sport Horse Nationals here in beautiful, damp Kentucky is to help out (in other words, provide slave labor for) my good friend and mentor, Patience Prine-Carr.
This means that I get a lot of mane pulling and braiding practice every day. While it's good for me to get the practice, it's frustrating because I'm really not that good at it. Actually, in point of fact, I'm some kind of braiding savant. Sometimes, I do really great braids, like the ones pictured to the right. Other times, I can't seem to do them AT ALL. Both Patience and my boss back home, Sandy, have told me repeatedly, "they have to be tight."
"I know," I say airily. "I do get them tight. Then, they...somehow...get untight."
This is usually met with a raised eyebrow and an admonition to practice some more. I do seem to be getting better, and my forelocks are downright fantastic, but the manes are still pretty unpredictable.
One thing I really like about braiding is that it's often a quiet time that you get to spend with the horse, and it's kind of a bonding thing. People tend to leave me alone when I braid (do people bother you while you braid? Try cursing and mumbling under your breath. That usually helps.) I take that time to contemplate various things, talk to the horse (no, he doesn't talk back. I'm not that crazy), and daydream about the day when I can afford to pay someone else to do the braiding so I don't have to.
The horses often seem to like it, too, relaxing into a sort of trance. Either that, or they shake their head and act like complete jerks and you want to smack them. Luckily, most are of the former variety. I think they like the gentle pulling of their hair and the soothing timbre of my voice (OK, my voice is so bad that I'm not allowed to do karaoke or even sing in the shower, but I digress).
Sometimes, a horse likes it so much that I think they fall in love with me a little. No, really...take Susie McArthur's horse, Artesan VS. He loves me. In fact, while I was braiding his forelock today, he made a pass at me-you can see in the picture on the left. I called Susie and told her that her horse was molesting me, so naturally she took a picture.
"Seriously, Artesan," I told him. "I like you, but I don't like, like you. Besides, I'm married."
This afternoon, Susie rode Artesan in the Arabian Show Hack ATR. This is Susie's favorite class, and she was Reserve Champion last year. She had a very nice ride, and none of us were surprised when she made the Top Ten. We all cheered when Artesan's name was announced as last year's Reserve National Champion...how cool is that?
However, sadly she did not make Champion or Reserve this year (she was "only" Top Ten. I really feel sorry for her). Instead, Reserve Champion went to a fellow arabianbreeders.net member, Jennifer Fry aboard Tempting Fate (by A Temptation, owned by Barbara Johnson) and Champion was Haley Patterson with Star Kalyber, owned by Kimberley Patterson. It was a very tough class, and everyone who made it to the Ten should be proud!
One of the things I love about any championships is the smiles of the people who made the Top Five or Ten, as appropriate. Especially in the amateur classes...the trainers are all jaded, but the ammies are always so excited when they make it, smiling from ear to ear and patting their horses over and over. It's a lot like when I sneak away from Patience, a health food nazi, and dig into a piece of cheesecake. Yes, it's that good.
Tomorrow will be a busy day for us, and I'm going to have to get up ridiculously early--7:00. Gross. I told you I was spoiled!