Bowdoinham Christmas Festival Pony Parade 2012

Today was the day of the Bowdoinham Christmas Festival Pony Parade. I did have to work today but had time before work to make it to this event. Yesterday, I went out shopping for things I could use to decorate Luke, Marie and myself with. I hate to shop but if I'm shopping for an equine, I can tolerate it. I happened to run into Pam and Cierra at Wal-Mart and they were also shopping for decorations for the event. Cierra was riding my horse Marie. When I got home last night, I did go out in the barn and put some of the decorations on Luke to make sure he would tolerate them. he was fine with it all as I suspected he would be.

It was cold today, only in the high 20's. But, not much wind so dressed properly, it was tolerable. I arrived at Susie's house, where we were all meeting, at 10:00 am. Pam and Cierra arrived just after I did. I took my riding boots into Susie's house to keep them warm. Cierra, Pam and I groomed Luke and Marie and had a lot of fun decorating them. Though Luke did clamp his tail down pretty hard when I put the big bow and garland in his tail. David went around with a cattle marker and put numbers on all our equines hindquarters. This would be for the costume judging at the Town Landing. Luke did NOT like David drawing on his butt and danced around a bit before submitting to this further indignity. Joanie had dropped off gifts for some of us for this event. They were Santa hats made for horses!!! They were fabulous. I had customized a hat for Luke already but Marie didn't have one so she was now all set.

Just before heading out, many of us went into the house for a quick warm up and then we were ready to ride. Marie made a point of sniffing and squealing at each of the gelding so they would undersand their place in this world. There were 7 of us to start with Maura and Meri coming as soon as they could.

Cindy dressing up Luke

Pam and Cierra dressing up Marie

Marie saying, "you aren't really taking me in public looking like this are you?"

The crew, Cindy with Luke, Pam, Ann on Corazon, Cierra on Marie, Susie H on Ollie, Diana on Dixie, Kate, Susie R. on Bayzen, Mary Ann on Suri with Callie (dog) and Cody in background.

Susie H. on Ollie

Mary Ann Wilson on Suri

Cindy on Luke and Susie on Bayzen ready to go!

We headed out for our first stop which was the Bowdoinham Library.  From Susie's house we headed down Main St. with David, Kate and Pam following in a car with flashers for our safety. It had started to snow lightly adding to the Christmas feel for the day. As we passed a small open field, Susie led it into it to keep us off the road for a short distance. The open field got a few of the horses excited and we had a brief and minor rodeo. Luke was quite excited to start with and the sight of glittering, jingling, antlered horses leaping and jumping near him cause him some concern. But, he didn't seem to know if he ought to get outta' Dodge or join in the fun. He settled for a bit of dancing in place. We got out of the field and back on the road and all equines settled down.

First stop the Library. Diana on Dixie, Cindy on Luke, Ann on Corazon, Susie H on Ollie and Kate passing out gifts

Diana on Dixie, Cindy on Like, Ann on Corazon, Susie H on Ollie

Susie R. on Bayzen, Cierra on Marie. Joanie and Kate passing out gifts

Our second stop was at the Long Branch School and general store . Luke was a bit fidgety but nothing serious. He just was not sure what this was all about and was still a bit excited. Marie was looking for grass to eat. We sang Christmas carols at all of our stops.

Our 2nd stop, Long Branch General Store and school.

Susie R. on Bayzen, Diana on Dixie, Cindy on Luke, Mary Ann on Suri and Cierra on Marie

Cindy on Luke, Susie R. on Bayzen, Diana on Dixie, Cierra on Marie, Kate, Susie H. on Ollie and Ann on  Corazon

Cindy on Luke, Susie R. on Bayzen and Cierra on Marie

Our 3rd stop was at the Town Landing Restaurant. It was here that the restaurant owner came out to judge our costumes. My brother Dennis and his wife were here just leaving the restaurant. Marie was disappointed there was no grass here. From the Town Landing, we rode to the Bowdoinham Country Store. Just as we were leaving the store, a wagon with a team of horses, giving rides between the store and the school, was coming down the hill towards us. Luke and Marie payed no attention to the wagon. Marie was still wondering where the grass was..... but then I heard a commotion behind me. Susie's new horse Dixie, who was being ridden by her friend Diana, came unglued at the sight of the wagon. Dixie bolted out of my line of vision towards the back of the store with Susie following. Susie yelled for us to all keep going fearing that the other horses might get upset at Dixie's antics. So, we kept going and went around the corner towards the elementary school. Then, we heard Susie calling for us all to come back. Diana had Dixie under control (and a fine bit of riding she did I must say) but Bayzen came unglued over all the other horses leaving him. Susie then got to show off her riding skills as we came back to get her. No one made any involuntary dismounts so all was well and we then headed for the school.

Our 3rd Stop was the Town Landing Restaurant and store.

On the way to the school, we made a quick stop at the house of a friend of Susie's. Unfortunately her friend wasn't home but a neighbor came over and enjoyed our visit. Susie H and her friend Ann left us at this point as they were getting very cold. Marie snuck a few bites of grass on the lawn.  Maura and her daughter Meri caught up with us here.


5th stop at a friends home. Cierra on Marie, Susie R. on Bayzen and Cindy on Luke

Pam Young with gift bag helping to pass out gifts

Our last stop was at the Bowdoinham elementary school. There were some festival activities going on here and quite a few people to enjoy the sight of our pony parade. The wagon came by here also so we retreated to the playground until it left and all was well. Marie just wanted some grass.......... From the school we rode back to Susie's house where we took care of the horses and mule and then went into the house to sit by the fire and warm up with hot chocolate and cookies. Susie called the Town Landing to find out the results of the costume judging. Cierra and Marie won funniest costume. Susie and Bayzen got best Santa. Mary Ann and Suri won most elegant. Luke and I won most embodied the Christmas spirit. Ummmmmm, I can't remember any of the others. Anyway, a very good day was had by all! It was so much fun having Cierra along riding Marie and her mother, Pam, was such a big help on the ground passing out gifts and helping with keeping kids safe around the equines. And I am so blessed to have such a wonderful horse that I can trust to take care of Cierrra on her first Christmas parade. And grateful also to Kyle, Luke's owner, for sharing his wonderful mule with me.

Our final stop was at the Bowdoinham Elementary School

Cierra on Marie and Merri on Cisco