With Father’s Day this Sunday, I figured I would brag about my dad today!

Most non-rider horse show dads act bored, confused, and oftentimes just plain uninterested at horse shows. Not mine. He can watch the hunter ring for hours, not only without a complaint, but with interest and knowledge of what is going on. He has picked the hack winners in 20 plus horse flat classes. He can tell me everything I did wrong and right in my rounds. I think he has always paid better attention to my trainers than I do. He knows when to encourage me, and when to tell me to suck it up.

When I was traveling the show circuit, my dad was the one to take me to most shows. My sister was still in high school, so mom couldn’t always go, and since I was only 18 they did not want me traveling alone all the time – especially since many shows were out of state. My dad hauled my horse in our living quarters horse trailer, and sometimes an extra for the barn I was with at the time. We went to Florida, Kentucky, Colorado, and of course shows here in Texas. He taught me how to haul the trailer. The first time I ever hauled it with a horse in it, we were driving through Memphis. During rush hour. I thought I was going to kill us all. I was freaking out, but he told me to stay calm and that I was fine. We survived, and made it to Kentucky in one piece!

Staying in the living quarters of the trailer for weeks at a time together was tough, but in the end we always had a blast. He was the only dad at my barn that regularly came to horse shows, and all of the other amateur adults and moms loved him! He would fix things for them if something broke on their cars or golf carts, and always just help out.

My horse back then, Espresso, was terrible to hand walk and hold but my dad would always do it for me if I asked nicely.

Shopping for tack and show clothes with him was the best, he would let me buy anything!

The best thing about having him there though was that he just understood it all, and really loved it. I think he loves horses almost as much as I do. I mean he is even going to let me keep horses on his land in the near future! I have a feeling that he will join me when I get back out on the show circuit once again too.

I want to wish a happy Father’s Day weekend to all the dads out there, but especially to mine! Have a great weekend everyone!