It’s Show Time!
Mom named me Trinity because I’m her third horse, but most of the time she calls me The Meenster, short for mini-monster. I’m not mean, but I am mischievous. If I get bored, look out!
I belong to a breed of horses called Morgans who can all trace their ancestry back to one special stallion named Figure. Born in Vermont in 1789, he belonged to a man called Justin Morgan–which is how we got our name. Figure was a remarkably talented horse with amazing genes. Over 200 years after his birth, all his descendants resemble him and are just as talented.
My wimpy friends are afraid to go to horse shows. Not me! I thought I’d explode with excitement when Mom brought me to my first show. I screamed as we pulled into the entrance to let everyone know that The Meenster had arrived. I may be small, but I have the thunderous voice of a huge stallion. I flew out of the trailer and pranced in a circle to psyche out the competition.
Mom warned me to “cool my jets” as we joined the other competitors for our first class. Soon there were 25 horses and riders walking around this huge field. All of a sudden, a voice boomed through the air. “WALK, ALL RIDERS, PLEASE WALK.”
Yikes! I almost jumped out of my fur. Mom patted my neck and said, “It’s okay Meenster. That’s just a loudspeaker.”
“Is a loudspeaker some kind of creature?” I wondered. “It can yell even louder than me!”
When The Voice said, “CANTER, ALL RIDERS PLEASE CANTER,” I tucked my chin and took off. The pounding of one hundred hooves awoke the wild horse inside me. I forgot to canter politely and broke into a gallop, speeding past all those thoroughbreds like they were standing still.
The Voice crackled through the air again. “WALK, ALL RIDERS PLEASE WALK.” I remembered to obey Mom and The Voice and immediately slowed to a walk. We lined up in the middle of the field and waited to be judged. I was sure I’d get first place, but I was destined for disappointment. Can you believe I didn’t win a single ribbon? Didn’t I do everything The Voice asked me to do? Wasn’t I the fastest horse there?
Mom hugged me and said, “Yes, Meenster. You had perfect manners and yes, you were fast, but this was a Pleasure class, not a race.”
Like millions of youngsters, Nancy Di Fabbio was infatuated with horses and never gave up dreaming that one day she’d be riding one of her own. She eventually realized her dreams and got her first horse, followed quickly by her second, third, fourth and finally fifth. Passionate about sharing her love for this amazing animal, she’s written Saddle Up! – And Live Your Dream, a comprehensive how-to for the budding equestrian which will be released this fall. She also writes a children’s column about the exploits of her herd, but the stories are informative, funny and touching enough to appeal to everyone. You can share their adventures on TheExaminerNews.com website under the heading: NEIGH-borhood Tales.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.