I was told the day was perfect, that the gentle breeze was just enough to take the edge off the heat of the afternoon sun. They said the horses’ coats shone, their tack glistened, and the riders were well prepared. Even our seats were said to be just right. My husband had lined them up in the shade at the edge of the riding rink where we would have an ideal view of everything going on.

But I, personally, didn’t notice.

Darien, our younger son, was warming up Blue in the pre-show area. He would be riding as soon as the current division was finished. Donovan, his older brother, sat with us. He looked calm and composed in his riding helmet and gloves, waiting for his division to be called. My husband was entertaining himself by watching Darien on Blue. Every once in awhile, he would comment on how well he was riding this year, and how much he had improved.

But Darien’s riding style was far from MY mind. His riding helmet was crooked and he was grabbing at dead leaves as he passed under the trees! I jumped up. He HAD to straighten that helmet and stop picking those leaves, and it was MY responsibility to see that he did! But when my task was completed, I couldn’t make myself go back to my chair to watch a division my children weren’t even riding in. I went to their locker instead, to get Donovan’s water bottle.

“Come sit down!” Invited my husband upon my return.

SIT DOWN??? WHEN DARIEN IS WAITING TO GO INTO THE RIDING RINK??? But I forced myself onto the chair. After all, what more could I do?

“I’ve decided to set myself three goals for the summer,” stated my husband.

“Three goals?” I echoed. But my mind was elsewhere. Darien’s helmet was crooked again. “Straighten your helmet!” I yelled over to the pre-show area, then I tried to smile at my husband. “What are your three goals?”

I’m sure that he answered my question, but I don’t remember what he said. Darien and three other riders were entering the rink. They had prepared a musical ride as a special treat for the audience, but THERE WAS NO MUSIC! I jumped up and charged over to where the riding instructor fiddled with a tape recorder. She obviously had it all under control, however, for as I arrived, the music started.

The ride went beautifully, or so I was told. I was too busy watching to see if Blue got a step or two out of line. And when it was over, I still couldn’t relax. Beauja, the horse Donovan would ride in the upcoming division, had acted up throughout the musical ride. Though her experienced rider had kept her well under control, I could tell the riding instructor was worried about putting her in the charge of my less-experienced, distractible son! I wasn’t too surprised when she mounted Beauja herself and cantered her around the rink a few times, just to work off her extra energy.

This, of course, couldn’t happen without me pacing across the entrance to the rink. Until Darien needed my attention, that is. He had to change out of his special musical ride shirt into his regular riding shirt. Someone would have to hold Blue. There were plenty of others around who could have helped, but it HAD to be me. Or so I thought. Besides, it would give me the occasion to do something about that helmet! It was obviously TOO LOOSE!

Donovan was in the rink now. It was his showmanship class, and it seemed that Beauja had replaced her charging and bolting with passive resistance. She would NOT let him lead her around the rink! I could have cried as I stumbled back to our chairs. There was NOTHING I could do to help!

“Sit down,” invited my husband. But I couldn’t. I was too busy “pushing” the mare!

“What do I need to do tomorrow, again?” He asked.

“DO TOMORROW????” My reply was credulous. How could he be thinking about tomorrow when Donovan was having such a hard time???

“Yes. After swimming . . .”

I couldn’t believe it! Didn’t he know he needed to be fretting over Beauja’s badness???

The showmanship was over now, and Donovan had mounted for his equitation class. He would be judged on his riding style, and he and the others were putting their horses through the paces: walk, sitting trot, rising trot, reverse direction, back-up, halt, walk again . . . Beauja had settled down, and I had never seen Donovan ride so well. I was proud of them both. In fact, I was so proud that I jumped out of my seat.

It was several minutes before I sensed my husband staring at me. “What ARE you doing?” He asked.

I was embarrassed to admit I was doing a “rising trot” with the kids-only I wasn’t on horseback!

After an obstacle course and a game, the division was over. Despite the rough start in the showmanship class, Donovan placed 2nd overall for his division, and I was proud of him. But I couldn’t take the time to congratulate him for his excellent performance because Darien was preparing for HIS showmanship class. His division was Walk/Trot and Up! He would be CANTERING in his equitation class, and there was a JUMP in his obstacle course! Blue doesn’t canter well, and lately she has been refusing even the simplest jumps! My attention HAD to be with them!

My palms were sweating and I had started pacing again when I saw my husband stand up and leisurely begin taking pictures. How can he be so calm??? But the division passed without a bobble. Darien rode Blue’s canter very well and even placed 2nd in his equitation class. Then, when Blue didn’t refuse the jump, he took 1st place in the obstacle course. In the end, he placed 2nd for the division. Quite a feat for a 9 year-old competing against more experienced 11 and 12 year-olds!

I should have relaxed at this point. I knew it, and I tried to return to my chair. But both of my boys were riding in the upcoming division: Beginning Jumper! To calm myself, I picked up my water bottle. But I couldn’t drink. Donovan was riding Beauja over the jumper equitation course a course of four jumps. Beauja usually is a good jumper, but she has also been known to run away with a rider or two! I didn’t breathe easily until they finished the course. Then there was Darien on Blue. With Blue’s record of refusals, how would my inexperienced son stay in the saddle if she balked at the jumps? I couldn’t even sip my water until his four jumps had passed without a hitch. Even then, it made me choke.

My husband must have become tired of sitting alone, for he, too, had abandoned his seat. I searched for him over the group of parents. Had he finally realized how much better it would be to pace? But no. He had struck up a conversation with one of the other dads in the audience. I made my way to them. Surely they were discussing the difficulty of the course or perhaps the unreliability of the horses! But they were talking about-G.M.! Yes! General Motors! Both of them had children in the riding rink, risking their necks on unreliable horses, and they were talking about working at G.M! I couldn’t believe it.

The next jumper class-“Gymnastics”-was called. First the riders had to direct their horses through a series of trotting poles. Then they had to take a small jump, and the final stage was a “bounce”-two jumps in a row. The first horse went into a fit of bucking and pitching, and he was led out of the rink without attempting the course. Next came Darien on Blue. She refused the first fence, but Darien stayed on and was successful in getting her to jump it the second time. Then she refused the bounce-three times!

Donovan, the least-experienced of the jumpers, was next, and I started pacing the length of the rink some more. When Beauja refused the bounce, I “pushed”. Three times. Until she finally completed it.

Then it was over. Darien took 2nd place in the jumper equitation class, and Donovan took 2nd in the gymnastics class. I couldn’t have been prouder of them. But I was too hyper to let them know.

Later that evening my husband asked, “Did you enjoy the show?”

“Of course!” I exclaimed. But the question made me think. Had I enjoyed the show? I had flitted around like a bee, sweaty palms, worrying about safety, riding style, whether or not pants were tucked into boots and helmets were on straight, but had I really ENJOYED the show? In all honesty, I realized the answer was no! All of my fretting had served no purpose except to rob me of the joy of watching my boys ride! Meanwhile, my husband had tranquilly lounged in his chair. He understood that there were others who had everything under control. He had faith in the riding instructor, and he knew she wouldn’t match the boys up with the wrong horse or put them in classes they weren’t able to handle. Because of this, he could enjoy himself. How much more pleasant my afternoon might have been if I had taken lessons from him!

Don’t we often live our lives like that horse show? We worry, we fret, we try to “fix” problems out of our control, and life drudges by. How much more pleasant it would be if we would simply follow Jesus’ command to “come to me all you who are weary and heavily-burdened, and I will give you REST!” (Matt. 11:28). There is Someone in control who is more capable than we are! If we would simply yield our life problems to Him, trusting Him to get us through, then like my husband, we could sit back and enjoy the show!

What about it, friends?

Lyn Chaffart