Summer Writing Contest Winners

3rd Annual Saddle Up! Magazine Summer Writing Contest Winners Children and teens in 3 different age groups entered our Summer Writing Contest for a chance to win a gift card valued between $75 and $10. Contestants wrote their stories about “My Dream Horse Is...” to enter. Winners were selected for originality and creativity. All winners will recieve a gift card from a location of their choice, and all first place winners will receive a free one year first class subscription to Saddle Up! Magazine. Thank you to everyone that took the time to enter this year!

Cora Lea S., Age 7 – Cardington, Ohio 1ST My dream horse is named Brandy. She is a 39” miniature horse. She is a brown and PLACE white paint. She has a long white mane and tail. She is 12 years old. I love taking AGES 6-8 Brandy to Friday Night Fun Shows at the fair! My favorite thing to do with her is riding bareback around barrels in my backyard by myself. Then afterwards we get soaked with the water hose! Then I lay on her back while she eats grass and we dry off in the sun. She is so funny, she is afraid of the black patches on the road! In the winter she is $30.00 GIFT CARD so fuzzy. She is my best friend and I love her! Thanks for reading, Cora. Sadie Y., Age 8, Van Buren, Ohio My dream horse is an Arabian horse. I just love the bright burgundy red color on those beautiful creatures, as their tails blow in the wind, as well as their manes. I would like to take my dream horse to Van Buren State Park to camp there and trot down the trails. We have a woods at our house and I think it would be fun to trot down the bumpy, hilly trails in our woods. We have a pretty small farm at our house. We have goats, 2ND chickens, rabbits, one dog and one cat. I think an Arabian horse would just fit right in at our mini farm. And I think it would be fun to trot down the little grassy path we have in PLACE our backyard. It is bumpy and is very fun to take a golf cart and bike through it, so that is AGES 6-8 why I think it would be fun to take a horse through it. I am not sure if I would want to take my dream horse to any shows. I would want to get my Arabian dream horse when it is still a foal. I think it would be fun to pick out all the unique saddles and halters. I really like Outer Banks North Carolina $20.00 GIFT CARD beaches and I think it would be fun to take my dream horse there and ride it on the beaches. It would be fun to ride it when the ocean rushes up on the horses hooves and splashes on your feet and legs and sand gets clumped in the horses hooves. I think it would also be fun to take my dream horse to the Smoky Mountains to take it to the trails on top of the mountains and have the cool fresh mountain air blow in your face as you are trotting down the trail.

Arabella Raine B., Age 8, LeRoy, MI 3RD My dream horse is a Thoroughbred. I already have my dream horse and his name is PLACE Stryker. He is seal brown and he used to be a race horse. He is 10 years old. I have AGES 6-8 gotten thrown off of him too and it hurt, but I was ok. He is snugly, he sniffs my pockets for treats. Kids love to ride him. The youngest kid to ride him was three years old. If kids are scared, he walks slower for them. He scares other horses away if they are getting too close to the children. What I would like to learn with Stryker is to learn to jump with $10.00 GIFT CARD him. The thing I like about him is that he loves everybody together as one, as a family.

Congratulations to our 2018 Contest Winners, you all did a great job!

Audrey N., Age 11 – Paw Paw, MI It was December twenty fifth, Christmas morning, the sun had just peeked over the 1ST clouds and my alarm went off. I ran down the hallway, the warm and freshly baked cinnamon rolls were sitting on top of the red table cloth that was spread out on the PLACE table, the cinnamon smell filled my nose. As I went into the living room, Mom and Dad AGES 9-12 looked at me with the brightest eyes. Mom made a quick glance at the barn across the yard, she didn’t see that I saw her, so I pretended that I didn’t see... “what’s in the barn?” I thought. Dad got up off the couch and walked towards the door, my Mom got $50.00 GIFT CARD up too, then turned to me saying: “We have a surprise for you out in the barn… follow us.” The only thing I could think about was that the presents were under the tree and the barn could wait, but that was before I knew what was out there. I followed my parents to the barn, my Dad pulled open the door and me and my Mom followed. “Where are we going?” I asked, but no one answered. My Mom turned back at me and smiled, but that was it. I looked down the narrow hallway of stalls at the very end, there was a stall with the horse of my dreams, a Colorado Ranger with a black and white coat that glowed as the sun shown through the window. He looked at me in a way that his eyes twinkled and danced as he looked at me, it was magical!! I immediately called him Stormy, because of the way his coat marbled. When my Mom and Dad asked me what I thought, I told them that he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! He was gorgeous! I took Stormy out for a ride that morning, I completely forgot about the presents, I didn’t open them ‘till the next day! I won countless jumping awards and got asked to compete all over the country… it was epic. So, because Stormy is a dream, and because Colorado Rangers are the prettiest horses around, I hope that one day when this story comes to life, Stormy will love me as much as I will love him!!

Hanna Maria A., Age 12 – Eaton, OH I hear birds twittering in the trees. I glance around, it is mostly flat, long and perfect for a 2ND gallop! I scoot further up on my horse’s neck. “Come on, now, let’s go!” My horse leaps PLACE forward as if from a starting gate. The wind blows his mane into my face. Trees flash by. AGES 9-12 It’s thrilling! Too soon, we come to the end of the mile long field. “Whoa there, whoa now. Easy there.” I look at the stopwatch on my watch. 1:30. “We need to go faster!” The horse of my dreams is either a Thoroughbred, Arabian or Quarter Horse. My horse is a chestnut with a red tinge to its coat. If it is a gelding, his name is Justice. If it is a $35.00 GIFT CARD mare, her name is Liberty Belle. My horse loves a fast gallop through open fields, but also a long, quiet trail ride through our backyard wood lot. When I trail ride, I’ll ride western. I’ll also “pretend” to round-up some of our animals. But when it’s time for the open field, I will ride with an English saddle. I will shorten the stirrups so I can be “riding high” when we gallop. As we walk to the field my horse’s ears swivel. It knows what’s coming. We’ll walk up to the imaginary starting gate and stop. If I’m riding with a friend, I will wait for her to line-up or “load.” Then... “they’re off!” We’ll both leap forward, the race is on! At the 1/2 mile pole, the horses are neck and neck. If I’m riding Liberty Belle, I’ll whisper in her ear: “Alright Miss Belle, fly Libby girl. Fly to heaven.” My horse will spurt forward. We just passed the 7/8 mile pole! My horse is gaining, inch by inch. Almost there...we won! We won by a nose! Oh wow! Now it’s time to head to the barn and cool off. But first, I’ll turn to my friend “You almost beat us! You’re not supposed to do that! Good job! We’ll both grin. Back at the barn, I’ll be talking to my horse “That was so much fun! You know if all the horses at the county fair are as fast as our competition today, we may actually have a chance!” To put it simply, my dream horse is a horse who can run like the wind. We will race together in county races, but I will also show at our county fair through 4-H. My horse is not simply a project though. My horse is a friend and we are partners. Where ever we go, win or lose, we are together. That is what it’s all about!

Olivia S., Age 11 – Farmington Hills, MI Have you ever wondered what a dream horse is? A dream horse is a horse that you, 3RD and only you love and cherish. A dream horse is a horse that you, and only you adore PLACE and care for. A dream horse is a horse that you dream of having. AGES 9-12 My dream horse is beautiful black Friesian with a little white star on its forehead. But you can’t see it, it’s under a black forelock. His hoof is polished and sparkled. His tail swishes side to side shooing at the flies that get in his way. My dream horse is a black beautiful Friesian. $15.00 GIFT CARD My dream horse is a kind hearted boy, he loves to chat with his friends. He loves apples and sugar cubes, they are his favorite. He is helpful by helping me do my barn chores, and carrying his saddle so I don’t have to carry it. He will run right up to me when I come to the pasture gate. He will let me ride bareback and let me cuddle him when I am sad. My dream horse is a kind hearted boy. My dream horse is a dressage and jumping horse. He is ready to win that gold medal when we reach the summer dressage Olympics. He wants to have fun while he is doing it, and to do his best. We will practice every day in each month, in every year. As we trot, canter and gallop over every jump, and we will trot and walk in the arena, I will be with him. My dream horse is a dressage and jumping horse. My dream horse is a gentle giant. He is kind and helpful to every animal that might think he is a giant. But then once they see how kind he is, they will change their minds. He will stop while we are walking on the trail to let a squirrel pass, and even the birds as they fly above us, he will stop and look up. My dream horse is a gentle giant. My dream horse loves to eat. Just like me! He will eat anything that smells good. He eats hay, alfalfa, sugar cubes, apples, carrots and more! He will graze until we touch the fence. My dream horse loves to eat. My dream horse is awesome! He is a black beautiful Friesian, a kind hearted boy, a dressage and jumping horse, a gentle giant, and he loves to eat! My dream horse’s name is Batman, and he is awesome.

Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do. Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: It was quite a challenge choosing winners this year for our annual writing contest. We had OVER 50 entries in all, and everyone of them were so very good! Many hours were spent reading the stories, and trying to decide how to choose our winners, and also how to be fair in the process. I finally decided to pick from the most imaginative and creative entries. Even finding a criteria that I would be happy with left me with numerous entries in each age division. The pressure was on! All winners this year should be extremely proud of their entries, since the competition was so diverse and numerous in numbers. For those of you that did not place, please do not give up! I know from experience that ambition and perseverance can overcome many challenges. Continue to do what you love throughout your life, try not to settle, always excel at what you do, no matter your task. Thank you to all that took the time from their busy summers to enter. I loved reading all of your stories, for they have enriched my life and left me in awe of all of the creativity and imagination flowing from the pages! Sincerely, Cindy Couturier, owner/editor

Olivia H., Age 16 – Dimondale, MI My paddock boots squish the moist spring grass beneath me as I walk the distance 1ST from my back door to the front pasture gate. There is a low fog hanging in the air, but I PLACE can just make out the form of my horse. His head low while he grazes, his tail swishing AGES 13-16 at the occasional fly. The gate creaks as I open it and Gio’s head pops up from the grass. My squishing sounds are joined by his, as he moves quickly towards me. When he reaches me I pat his neck and scratch him behind the ears, his favorite itchy spot. We begin to practice some of our newest tricks; smiles, walking insync, and bowing. All $75.00 GIFT CARD of these cute, yet important relationship building tricks. I never need food on me to teach a trick, Gio’s reward is to please his best friend. Our latest trick is our best yet. One command and Gio lowers his knees to the ground. I hop onto his strong back and with one last command we start down the hilly green pasture at a peppy trot. Gio’s long black mane ripples in the wind like waves on a sandy shore. His muscles bulge on his black coat as we move into a smooth canter, then a gallop. The squishes become thuds, then scrapes, till they almost subside completely as we get faster and faster, almost hovering over the ground. Gio’s ears flatten against his strong neck as he leans his head forward, cutting into the wind aerodynamically. I put my hands out to the side to embrace the feeling of flight. Human and horse become one as we sweep down the pasture faster then we could have gone, had we been apart. As we near the gate, Gio slows to a walk and we take a moment to cool off. His classic Friesian build and coloring stand out against the vibrant green grass. The barn welcomes us with a few nickers, reminding me it’s feeding time. I put Gio in an empty stall and work on quieting the impatient calls. Once fed and watered, the horses settle down for a morning nap. “You can do that outside I call to them,” while I open their stall doors and direct them to the pasture on the left. “Come on Gio,” I say as I halter him and lead him to the crossties, “A perfect dressage test takes work you know.” If Gio was gorgeous bareback in the pasture, he was just as gorgeous under saddle. His brilliant mind and work ethic made him a dream partner in dressage. His perceptibility, form, and elegance made dressage look more effortless than it was. His movements were soft, yet determined, his neck arched, but flexible. Instead of a well oiled machine, like some dressage horses, Gio more closely resembled a well worn piece of leather, soft, supple, and gentle. After our successful practice, I cooled Gio off and hosed him down. Squeezing a bucket of liniment and water on his especially sweaty areas and most tense muscles relaxed him, and he dozed in the sun while I finished his bath. I applied some much needed fly spray and a fly mask to fend off those airborne pests, and we strolled out to the pasture. This time there were no squishes, for the sun had come up and warmed the morning into afternoon. The fog had also lifted and disappeared into the fluffy clouds above. I un-clipped Gio’s lead rope and slipped off his halter. With a pat on the rump to say goodbye, I turned to head back to the house. A nicker caught my attention and I turned around to see Gio prancing through the pasture proudly. Instead of leaving, I laid down in the soft grass to watch the clouds float by, listen to the horses nicker, and watch Gio playing around the field. I closed my eyes for just a minute. When I opened them the grass was my bed, the clouds were my ceiling, the nickers were the swishing of the water pipes, and Gio was just a poster on my wall. Not all dreams are impossible. I hope someday I can rewrite this story as reality. Until then, I’ll dream on.

At its finest, rider and horse are joined not by tack, but by trust. Each is totally reliant upon the other. Each is the selfless guardian of the other’s very well-being. Author Unknown

©2018 C & C PUBLISHING, INC. • SEPTEMBER 2018 (4) WWW.SADDLEUPMAG.COM Rebekah Audrey E., Age 14 – Rossburg, OH ND My dream horse is a tall, black Thoroughbred filly named Delilah. My dream horse has a long, 2 black silky mane that falls across her long muscular neck. Her tail is long, black and full. Her face PLACE is black with a white star on her forehead. She prances in the pasture eager for me to bring her AGES 13-16 meal. As she eats her oats, I brush her long mane and tail until it is fluffy and soft as silk. She lifts her hoof when I ask her to do it, so I can clean her hooves. Once she is done eating, I slip her $50.00 GIFT CARD bridle with silver decorations onto her head. I drop her reins on the ground, as I brush her body again, flatten a saddle pad on her back, and lift a black saddle across her slender back. I pull myself up across her back and onto the saddle. I take my boot and touch her side urging her to begin trotting to the meadow. We trotted thorough the gate, closing it behind us, and then I urged Delilah to run. Delilah didn’t need any more urging, she began to run, picking up her pace as we passed familiar sights. Delilah ran as fast as she could zig zagging around rocks and jumping across a narrow creek. After riding her for an hour, I bring her back to the barn, cool her down, and brush her shimmering coat before letting her roam free in her pasture. I decided to enter Delilah in the Kentucky Derby and try to win the breeders cup. Every day for two months straight, I raced Delilah thorough our pasture. On the day before the race, I took Delilah to the Kentucky Derby to get her settled in before the day of the race. The morning of the race, I brushed Delilah ten times, picked and oiled her hooves, and rubbed her black coat till it shown. I pulled Delilah’s bridle onto her head and put a racing saddle on and led her to the track. The track was muddy and wet. I pulled goggles over my head and mounted Delilah. I tapped my boots into her side, encouraging her to trot to the starting line. Delilah started pawing the ground impatiently, waiting for the other racers to take their places. When the race started, Delilah broke off into a gallop passing most of the horse. Five horses were in front of Delilah. She gathered her strength and fought to be the lead horse. Only one horse stood between Delilah and the finish line. My goggles were so covered with mud, that I let Delilah run however she wanted to, encouraging her the entire time. She pulled her nose in front of the last horse, but the lead horse wasn’t ready to give up that easily. He pulled his nose in front and Delilah put every last ounce of her strength in trying to get ahead. We crossed the finish line, I pulled my goggles off letting them hang around my neck. It was a close match, but we won first place! I got off of Delilah, who was thoroughly exhausted and covered with sweat. I cooled Delilah down, groomed her coat, and gave her fresh green alfalfa hay with sparkling clean water. The next morning, we went back home and I let Delilah out on pasture. She neighed happy to be home, and I was very proud to be her owner. Who could ask for a better horse? Molly W., Age 14 – Gaines, MI 3RD “To many, the words love, hope, and dream are synonymous with horse.” (Unknown) PLACE When someone wants a horse, they hope and dream for the perfect one with everything they have. I’ve noticed this to be true by experiencing it myself. One’s love, hope, want, and dream for AGES 13-16 a horse is incomparable to anything. Having a horse, in my opinion, is a necessity, and I could never live without one. $25.00 GIFT CARD Stacy Posthumus said, “Once in love with horses, always in love with horses.” Love for a horse, even as a child, is incredible! Since I was little, I’ve always had a great love for horses, in particular paint horses. A beautiful paint horse that I could go trail riding with through the long grasses of our field, galloping bareback on his soft back, and feeling free with the wind in my hair. Riding the ponies at the fair, as a kid, I would always race for the paint pony. Although I’ve never been able to buy one, I still dreamt of a flawless paint horse. “Never lose hope. You never know what tomorrow may bring.” (Unknown). Through the years, we have bought many beautiful horses. About 7 years ago we bought an amazing Appaloosa pony. She was almost everything I could have wanted. Time rolled by and inches taller, I’ve now outgrown my spotted pony. As I look back, I realize I had forgotten about my dream of owning a paint. Forgetting about my dream, in a sense I lost hope. Colin Powell once said, “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” If anyone has truly been interested in a horse or let alone anything, they would find this quote to be quite accurate. Outgrowing my pony, I started looking for a new horse, the perfect chance to get my paint! Buying a horse takes time: long hours searching horse ads, longer hours in the car looking at hopeful possibilities, and vet checks, looking for the unseen. Not to mention, the many odd jobs I worked to fund my dream. It’s a grueling process. The hard work paid off and I finally found my dream horse. He was a big, fast, and beautiful paint gelding. Although my mom always told me to look at the horse before the color, “Apache” met her standards. One day I had lost hope in ever buying my dream horse, the next day he was standing in our barn! He is everything I could have dreamed of. When someone truly wants a horse, their love, hope, dream, and determination for just the right one is hardly comparable to anything. Through experience, I have found this to be true. The attention from my dream was temporarily taken by my Appaloosa pony. Deep down in my heart I still felt the desire of one day owning my own paint horse. I never forgot about it. By finding my paint horse, I have had the amazing experience of living my dream!