Horse Show? No Go!
(Shayla getting the horse ready for lessons, July 2005, age 6)At the grocery store yesterday morning, I ran into the woman we are leasing Skeeter from. She asked if we were going to the Mounted Meeting at 6:30 so she would have enough trailers ready. I reminded her that's why we came home from vacation a day early and that at 4:00 I was meeting with Kelsey to borrow a show outfit, since I only recently learned Shayla needed to actually have show clothes for Saturday's event. She looked shocked and said, "Shayla's not going to the show. Julie and I decided after the last Mounted Meeting that since I cannot be there myself, and we are not comfortable with you being with Skeeter." Of course I was ruffled and said, "That's not how Shayne explained it to me. We have my aunt and uncle lined up with their trailer since you can't transport Skeeter." She went on and told me it was not going to happen. I kept my mouth shut about paying $375 PER MONTH to lease the horse, etc. but called Shayne as soon as I was out of the store. He told me it wasn't a done deal and he'd talk with Claire at the barn at 5 when they would start getting Skeeter ready. Well, my heart was heavy all day. 
(Christi, August 2005, age 8, at the other place we took horse lessons from, about five miles from home)Shayla has really been looking forward to this, her borrowed outfit from Kelsey (gold and black) is GORGEOUS and fits like it was made for her. She did a great job at the meeting last night, but Claire told both of us horses are unpredictable and she's not comfortable with us taking Skeeter without her being there. I could tell last night when I told Shayla, she was crushed. She blinked away tears. She's not had the best of weeks. She's in "Keyboarding Camp" this week, just in the morning and she's not very happy about it. (Claims it's boring, a word she rarely uses while I claim our school teaches it entirely too late so she needs to learn now.) She's typing at 12 words a minute and isn't very pleased with that either. OK, I'm done venting now! Back to my grant application I'm writing!
posted by the Thomas team @ 2:35 PM
12 Comments:
I'm so sorry, sweet Shayla, that you are dealing with disappointment with your 4H event.
As far as keyboarding camp goes, later on, when all the kids at school are typing slower than you, you'll be so glad you went!
Chin up, better days are always ahead...
I'm sorry Shayla. What a BUM deal!! NO FAIR!! I'm sure your wonderful parents will make the weekend spectacular for you and make it up to you.
Amy Brown, Gleason WI
p.s. I sign as anonymous cuz I can't remember my log-in info :)
I'm in the horseless horse thing for 4h and I was supposed to show my coach's horse at a 4h show last weekend but I didn't get to show either. I was disappointed, too.
Sending Hugs and much love to Shayla, I'm so sorry honey.
I'm sorry you're not having the best week.
Lots of love,
Heather
I can't believe they didn't let you know this before. They had to have known Shayla was making plans to attend. Sometimes people just don't think as hard as they need to. Hopefully, she can be a part of the next show. I agree with you about paying so much and not getting to use the horse. How frustrating, especially as a parent and that you had to be the one to break the news to her. My heart goes out to her. Best wishes...
That's grim - I hope things work out. I know Shayla's safety is the most important thing - but it feels like she just does not deserve this blow! Hope a solution is found!
Best of luck with those new questions!
Irene
OH MY WORD!!! That just boils my blood. BIg hugs to Shayla!! I sure wish my Uncle lived closer to you, he trains horses & I am sure he would help Shayla out.
Lisa in MI
What a huge disappointment for Shayla. And those tears are certainly understandable. However, the horse's owner should have been communicating with you about all of this all along when there is an event coming up. It is true, at least from my years of experience with horse shows, events, etc. that the owner of a horse being leased is at the event along with the rider. If the owner can not be there, then the rider's trainer or a trainer from the barn where the horse is stabled is there to make sure that the rider and horse are safe and comfortable and not spooked by all the surroundings and emotions of a show. Horses can be unpredictable, especially when you take them out of their familiar surroundings and they get excited by the show atmosphere and the riders are more emotional and nervous and the horses react to that - it takes years and many, many events to get a rider and horse comfortable together in those situations. I completely understand the disappointment and frustration at spending all that money to lease a horse and then not be able to go to a show that meant so much to Shayla but it may have been in her best interest and safety for it to happen this way. I just wish for all of you that the owner's decision not to go had been communicated to you so that Shayla would have not been so ready and then crushed by the news. It will get better, Shayla, keep on going with the horse, save your pennies to help mom and dad with the cost and Hug Your Horse.
Mary Hussman, St. Louis MO
Oh, Shayla has worked so hard toward being in the horse show. And we all know how excited she is about it!
Well, you've all invested way too much time and effort....if this person can't be there, she should make an effort to find someone to take her place. That's the least she can do. Hope it works out!
Shirley
NJ
375 a month?!?!?!...you could buy your own horse and pay boarding for less than that a month!!
Poor Shayla! How disappointing.
Keyboarding class sounds like no fun either, but in hindsight - it was probably the most useful class I took in high school. What other high-school-skills do I use everyday for hours and hours and hours?!
Hang in there Shayla!!
I am so sorry for this disappointing news. It was extremely incosiderate of them to have done this at the very last minute.
Shayla, sending many, many hugs to you!
Love,
Olivia
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