Field-of-Dreams
Well-Known Member
Our first time exhibiting in this parade! It the world's biggest, non-mechanized parade in the world! Over 200 units and 1800 horses!! We went with our local driving group, the North Texas Whip. There were three Minis, a Paint, two QHs and two Arabians, all pulling antique or wooden vehicles. The one Arabian was in english tack with the lady in hunt clothes as our outrider, and we all had western or Victorian clothing on. We looked INCREDIBLE!! I'm driving Sunny and our youth is driving Dunny in her first tme parade driving. Her mom and sister are riding in another wagon.
I harnessed my guys up so we could walk around and see all the chaos and commotion. They were SO good! The carts, stagecoaches, wagons, trucks, trailers, big horses, people EVERYWHERE!! The ONLY time they flinched was at a mule staked out in the long grass- it rattled when the rope moved. Had a lot of big horses spook at US, but we didn't spook at THEM!
We went back to the trailers, as we didn't need to get ready for another hour or so. Then we all got dressed and lined up. That's when the clouds moved in and it got COLD. I was FREEZING!!! We waited for easily an hour and a half. Boys did great, Dunny shies when someone comes up on his right side ( that was from being wrecked into on that pleasure drive- stupid people) so we kept him next to my Sunny. He did fine then.
To get into the city proper there is a LONG, sloping bridge. One of the big horses in our group did NOT want to go up this hill, but between someone leading him and the parade marshalls, we got him up. The lil boys made it up just fine.
Just before we got onto the bridge, we were joined by another woman driving a TINY mini in an easy entry- and his mane and tail were spray painted PINK. She also had on a pink shirt and wig....She was literally FLYING around all of us with this little guy. The NTW members knew her, though. Now, you have to realize our group was dressed very finely and conservately. She kinda clashed with us, I was mortified. All the parade watchers laughed, though. I don't think I would have minded so much if she hadn't been driving like an IDIOT. She came right up behind, so close I was hit by his HEAD. Then, he proceeeded to PAW the floor of my CART! I yelled at her and she backed off. She ran up behind all the carts. I warned her to stay away from Dunny.
We get onto the route- I have NEVER seen so many people at a parade before! It was PACKED. And of course the venders were selling horns... and all the kids had them. After the first toot or two, boys didn't care. It was a LONG parade, over two miles!
We get back to the long bridge to go back. It's covered in manure (I have never seen so much poop in my life!) We carefully walk/slide down the hill. Near the bottom, the end of the parade goes by. At the bottom of the bridge are FOUR street sweepers abreast... with their big, noisy brushes spinning away. Sunny looked, took one step away, and passed them without another look. Pink Lady had booked her Mini down this hill. He almost fell several times. *sigh*
We get back to our trailers- I am so cold I FALL as I get out of my Meadowbrook. Sunny takes two steps and stops. I'm not hurt, just bruised in two places. (Can't lay on THAT side!)
We're DONE! We unharness, put all our stuff away. The sun comes out. Figures. Boys are more than happy to get in the box. I crank the heat up. And away we go!
Yup, hundreds of horses, thousands of people, traffic, vehicles, horns and street sweepers- I am SO PROUD of my boys!
Lucy
***Edited to add*****
Just found out- we won the Chairman's Award!! Best Parade Unit in the parade!!
I harnessed my guys up so we could walk around and see all the chaos and commotion. They were SO good! The carts, stagecoaches, wagons, trucks, trailers, big horses, people EVERYWHERE!! The ONLY time they flinched was at a mule staked out in the long grass- it rattled when the rope moved. Had a lot of big horses spook at US, but we didn't spook at THEM!
We went back to the trailers, as we didn't need to get ready for another hour or so. Then we all got dressed and lined up. That's when the clouds moved in and it got COLD. I was FREEZING!!! We waited for easily an hour and a half. Boys did great, Dunny shies when someone comes up on his right side ( that was from being wrecked into on that pleasure drive- stupid people) so we kept him next to my Sunny. He did fine then.
To get into the city proper there is a LONG, sloping bridge. One of the big horses in our group did NOT want to go up this hill, but between someone leading him and the parade marshalls, we got him up. The lil boys made it up just fine.
Just before we got onto the bridge, we were joined by another woman driving a TINY mini in an easy entry- and his mane and tail were spray painted PINK. She also had on a pink shirt and wig....She was literally FLYING around all of us with this little guy. The NTW members knew her, though. Now, you have to realize our group was dressed very finely and conservately. She kinda clashed with us, I was mortified. All the parade watchers laughed, though. I don't think I would have minded so much if she hadn't been driving like an IDIOT. She came right up behind, so close I was hit by his HEAD. Then, he proceeeded to PAW the floor of my CART! I yelled at her and she backed off. She ran up behind all the carts. I warned her to stay away from Dunny.
We get onto the route- I have NEVER seen so many people at a parade before! It was PACKED. And of course the venders were selling horns... and all the kids had them. After the first toot or two, boys didn't care. It was a LONG parade, over two miles!
We get back to the long bridge to go back. It's covered in manure (I have never seen so much poop in my life!) We carefully walk/slide down the hill. Near the bottom, the end of the parade goes by. At the bottom of the bridge are FOUR street sweepers abreast... with their big, noisy brushes spinning away. Sunny looked, took one step away, and passed them without another look. Pink Lady had booked her Mini down this hill. He almost fell several times. *sigh*
We get back to our trailers- I am so cold I FALL as I get out of my Meadowbrook. Sunny takes two steps and stops. I'm not hurt, just bruised in two places. (Can't lay on THAT side!)
We're DONE! We unharness, put all our stuff away. The sun comes out. Figures. Boys are more than happy to get in the box. I crank the heat up. And away we go!
Yup, hundreds of horses, thousands of people, traffic, vehicles, horns and street sweepers- I am SO PROUD of my boys!
Lucy
***Edited to add*****
Just found out- we won the Chairman's Award!! Best Parade Unit in the parade!!
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