Showing off the horses

Leatherwood is a historical farm in the town of Bluefield. The old farmhouse was built in in 1938.  Some of the land has been developed and forms part of the town. The section that is my small piece of heaven is a working horse farm and home to Andre Fourie Stables. Andre, my cousin Cindy and their three children have been here for 12 years and slowly built it up to what it is today…a family run business that makes a personal service the centre of its ethos.

Everyone has their place in the story, their tasks, their little niche area. All 5 family members help with training the saddle-bred horses, providing local riders with lessons, housing and caring for horses, even the retired ones. At the moment, two mares are expecting and the family will grow larger any day. Everyone is an accomplished rider and they attend shows across the country, modern day nomads.

Today I witnessed what it takes to prepare for and participate in a show. It was a small local show, essentially what the horse-loving folk of Virginia and West Virginia do for fun on a Saturday. The horses and all their paraphernalia were prepared a day in advance. This morning, the horses were loaded one by one into the 18-wheeler truck with horse boxes, driven to a small town called Bland and then led out again into temporary stables in wait for their turn to display their skills. Riders need to be cleaned up and dressed up, horses need to be saddled for individual riders, groomed to look their best. All this time there is country music and the Beach Boys blaring over the speakers into every listener’s ear. Cars come in droves, I manage to get a ringside parking spot – essential as it is a rainy day.

The festivities are kicked off with singing of the Star Spangled Banner and a prayer. Then the kids get their chance with the stick horse display. Literally kids are on stick horses and their little legs do the galloping. Every child gets a ribbon for participating, your heart melts at the cuteness.

Then the rhythm of the music changes. Now it sounds like an organ playing Elvis songs and music from Phantom of the Opera. You have to listen carefully to hear the melody but it is distinct to me. Out come horses with riders performing from the walk to the trot and the canter and some movements that I do not know the names of but it is fascinating nonetheless. The coveted Blue Ribbon is on every rider’s mind as the judges weigh up their performance. The winner gets to trot around the arena displaying the glory of the ribbon attached to the horse and flapping in the wind.

Midway through the event we are treated to a dress-up competition…on or with the horse. Princesses, superheroes, Knights,  cowboys and the Good Dinosaur all made an appearance.

The day wouldn’t be complete without some nachos or a hamburger, all on sale at the grounds so you don’t miss any of the action. Every child and second adult walks around with an ice-cream or snow cone, not even the rain is a deterrent. Best part, it was all in aid of charity – Beating Cancer.

I’m certain everyone will sleep soundly tonight after such a fun filled day.