Everyone Loves A Parade

While Steven has ridden in a few parades, it was to be a new experience for Sage. The first opportunity was missed, the Brewster in Bloom parade....for forgotton reasons....although I am quite sure Steven will recall....but then he's not doing the blog then, is he???

That was in May. I had read on my favorite horsie bulletin board ( fondly named "Code Yellow" by my children.... code words for "Don't disturb Mother when she is reading that site or you will be grounded")...years ago. I read that horses were being sought for a parade in Middleboro MA for Memorial Day....I mentioned it to Steven..."Yes!" before I finished explaining we would have to email for details...

With that complete....realizing I was having company for that weekend, a HS friend from NH, Liz and her friend, Kay. We decided to incorporate the parade into weekend activities for the amusement of my guests....I invited Liz to ride Dazzle in the parade.

Dazzle and Caly are rock solid in parades having done several in the past, and Dazz is just rock solid at anything...including Rock Solid at refusing to move on occasion....Sage was the unknown...the 'wild' card.....

We trailered up to Middleboro in 2 vehicles as Liz and Kay were headed back to NH afterwards. Totally uneventful. We tacked up alongside the only locals who were gutsy enough to participate. A Tennessee Walker, a Quarter Horse and a Paso Fino....Who did manage to break free during the tacking up process and was a rather easy catch...just pranced around a bit with those typical sticcatto steps as Pasos do...the fairies of the equine world...

Off we go to join up with the parade, the 3 locals leading the way thru side streets and the 3 Cape Codder implants taking up the rear: each carring a flag...and Sage had the BIG one!

I don't think I have any photos of the parade, but I did find it on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_yk1TGSQRM

The horses are near the very end....See? Calm as can be! The parade committee had decided to divert us off the route before the ceremonial shooting began.....boo hiss...we were actually looking forward to that! But Sage had one more adventure ahead of her....

Safely back at the trailer, horses eating grass and untacked we waited for Kay who had driven Liz's car to parts unknown to view the parade to return with the car...and we waited and waited and waited....Finally, Steven's figitiness got the best of him....he put Sage's bridle back on, jumped on bareback and retraced the route...backwards.

Off thru Middleboro he goes, to the delight of onlookers...a busckskin horse with a freezebrand and a guy astride bareback with eyes bright with the excitement of another adventure is certainly NOT something you'd see in downtown Middleboro....they got LOTS of applause....and finally found Kay too, just where we saw her on our way thru the parade the first time.

I guess she is a bit gullible as she told Steven she had learned that the parade was coming back! and she was waiting!!! Ha ha ha, Kay extends a hand to Steven to get on Sage....what??? Um, don't you have a car to bring back? I think she was disappointed that Prince Charming was not there to rescue her...( Kay was now part hombre as she had taken a short trail ride with Liz and I the day before: on Dazzle)

Back at the trailer, around the corner comes Steven on Sage.....with Liz's car not far behind...

How's that for a round up?