Oct. 15, 2018–After a full year of showing and preparing, it was finally time to head East! Pineapple and his buddy Danny trailered on Tuesday from Stonewall Farm in Ixonia, WI, to Hunter’s Glen in Pennsylvania to lay over. On Wednesday, they both came to the Pennsylvania National Horse Show and went for hand walks and hacked around before heading back to the layover. Pineapple and Danny spent the night out in the paddock playing and getting as muddy as they possibly could. Thursday morning post-breakfast meant full baths for both filthy ponies before heading back to the horse show.
Pineapple and Lexi competing. Photo by Al Cook
On Thursday, Pineapple and Lexi were able to hack around and jump a few jumps in the schooling ring. He always jumps a cooler to warm up—it helps him get out his show-ring jitters. He started to settle in and nap a lot. In fact, every time we all came back to the barn on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, we had to wake him up to groom him and braid him and for him to eat. Afterwards, he was always laying down quickly again—completely tuckered out from the excitement.
Pineapple resting up before competition. Photo courtesy of Piper Klemm
Friday was finally show day. Pineapple woke up and was braided with his lucky Pineapple braid on his forelock. He went for a morning hack and was calm about the traffic and all the nervous energy around him. People asked for selfies with him on every trip to the ring and he dutifully posed for posts and stories of people we’ve never met. The excitement for this young pony is so much fun!
Pineapple and Lexi. Photo by Al Cook
In the first trip, he got a little bit surprised by the two-stride, but was brave and confident and had his trusty best friend Lexi right with him and came out of the ring a better young pony than he went in. The second round on Friday, the handy round, he relaxed even more and jogged 11th!
Saturday morning, Pineapple hacked in the warm-up ring with about 60 equitation horses. Since he generally believes he is the biggest animal he’s ever seen at 12.2 hands, you could really see his mind churning about his size and role in the world. We kept losing him in the crowd watching him flat around all the huge horses.
Pineapple and Lexi all smiles after showing. Photo courtesy of Piper Klemm
He went and did the Small Pony Under Saddle, earning 10th place. Every time he trotted by, you could hear a buzzing in the crowd: “There’s Pineapple!” The final round, the Small Pony Hunter Stake, came with some more nerves, but a great experience for a green pony becoming a made pony. It was a great first step at indoors.
Lexi flew home to go back to school, so Pineapple will have turn-out with Danny and wait for her to get back before final preparation for the Washington International Horse Show next week!
