Her First Horse Show

We were very surprised when Kiki's teacher invited her to be in a horse show. They have a class called Walk/Trot that is for beginners. But since McKenna is such a beginner we didn't even think about being in a show! We were very excited to experience what a horse show was like for the first time. We imagined sitting in the crowded stands and watching several classes so we could see what was expected of us. Then we thought they might signal for Kiki to get ready for her class where she would mount her horse and walk slowly to the ring to present herself to the judges.

Well. Here's what really happened--

We got caught on the bridge in a traffic jam while the show was quickly whizzing by without us. It was going so smoothly in fact, that Kiki's class came 1/2 hour early. Her teacher Maya, called us in our van and told us they would wait for us. We raced to the arena, where Kiki jumped out and ran to her waiting horse. The other riders had just mounted. We made it just in time!!
It was the last class of the day. So even though Kiki had never seen a horse show, let alone been in one, this is what she did:


This is called a posting trot. She would be judged on how quiet she kept her hands, how tall and balanced she sat, if she kept her heels down, and if her legs were in the correct position close to the girth.
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After walking and trotting around the arena several times, they were asked to come to the middle of the arena for the judges decision. They were 5 participants in Kiki's class. I had prepared her beforehand to just have fun, and not to worry if she got a ribbon or not. I said that since it was her first horse show, she should use it as a learning experience.
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In case you couldn't make out what the judges said in that last video: