Butterflies flitting around in your stomach,
The food you ate this morning unsettled,
Tiredness creeping into your brain
From all the preparation
Of last night.
Everything has to be perfect
If you want to
WIN.
Many people go to horse shows to win,
That small, three-lettered word, with so much meaning.
It brings so much joy to some people
But sadness to others
Only one can be the winner
It is a fight to come out on top
Every class is important for your division
Flat classes, and jumping classes too
You and your horse have to look
Perfecto!
Let’s see, the horse first...
Mane braided-check
Tail braided-check
Tack cleaned-check
Hooves polished and cleaned-check
Coat shiny and well brushed-check
Bit wiped-NO!
Then you might freak out
You could be next in the lineup,
Your horse having a green mouth
Quick!
Grab a towel
Gallop to the gate
Buckling straps and doing
Last minute cleaning.
Asking “How do I look?”
As long as your jacket is on
And your shirt tucked in
Just pull on your gloves and you’ll be fine.
Trying to calm yourself down at the
Last minute
Wait...do I know my course?
Of course I do
Then they announce your name
And...
Off you go!
Once you get in the ring
You get back into the swing of things.
The butterflies are gone
And you never even notice
The crowd of people
Until it is over
It’s just you and your horse
One unbeatable team
Working together to succeed
As you finish your ending circle
Everyone starts clapping
Only then do you notice how many
People were watching.
Walk out of the ring
With a huge smile on your face
Your horse’s ears pricked forward
While you pat her on the neck
For a job well done
You wait outside for the
Results
The suspense is unbearable
Who will WIN?
And then it comes
“First place goes to number...”
You are ecstatic
Saying to yourself
“I am so proud to know that I just won that class.”
Not every class will go the way you want
Nobody’s perfect.
That’s just the way life goes.
After your division is done
You pack up the truck
And load the horses into the trailer
Collect all your ribbons
The unforgettable memories.
The whole way home
You just think about the day.
How lucky you are to have been there
And to have a wonderful horse.
You realize that even though the mornings
Can be rough
Those pesky, beautiful, butterflies
Churning up your poor stomach,
It is all worth it in the end.
Let the butterflies fly free
But...
Expect them back for the next show
They wouldn’t dare miss it!