We had taken Libby with us to the POA sale in 2012 to help us find a pony for Sophie. When we started looking, we sure weren't looking at a 3 year old for our youngest. We also weren't looking for anything in the white category. We had kind of skipped right over his description in the catalog but I believe it was my good friend, Lisa, who said we should at least go take a peek at him. We did and even had Libby do a test ride. You guys, a bird flew into his head and he just kept loping around. A BIRD FLEW INTO HIS HEAD. In case you're not a horse person, ponies just don't handle that well. Especially not a 3 year old pony. Needles to say we bid and brought that very white pony home with us.
So...here we were. For the fourth year in a row, Sophie was starting over with a new pony. This time the pony was a green, snaffle bit pony, but he was the bestest boy. We could never say enough wonderful things about Cotton. He was the pony that put up with everything that Sophie asked of him from games to trail to pleasure to bareback rides in the pasture. He was there to be patient with her through her anger over her parents' divorce. He was there to be the steady eddy she needed when she felt pulled in two directions. He didn't do anything wrong, except that one time when the pile of hair rolling along on the ground scared him. He did jump that one time. Oh and there was his name... who names a kids' pony, One Night Stand? Yikes. That was a tough one to explain to your 9 year old. What does Cotton's name mean? Sigh.
From his first show with Sophie where we duct taped a cone to his head and called him a unicorn to his last outing at Champ Show where he took home the trophy for pony western pleasure, Cotton never let his little rider down.
There were many happy memories of our year with Cotton. He's the pony that taught me about whitening tricks, but he is also one of a long line of ponies that made Sophie a better rider. So much so that we took them to the Central Classic. A huge show. Due to a family emergency I had to beat it out of the show grounds and race to check on a family member who had been flown with a medical emergency to a local hospital. The girls were great for a friend who stepped in to "show mom" them. I got back just in time for Sophie to go in for western horsemanship. As she was going in she told me she was "riding for Alex". Of course that sweet girl kicked butt in that class and as it turns out, she was "winning for Alex". One of the many times I was so proud of this team that I shed happy tears.
It was a bit of a surprise when towards the end of the season Sophie informed me that she was done showing. Between the divorce and other sports interests, she needed a break. We found Cotton a home and they were planning to pick him up at Champ Show. This would be the Champ Show where Sophie hid from me before showmanship so she wouldn't have to practice, while her sister practiced and practiced in the warm up area. Then they both went in at almost the same time. Cotton was perfect and Rye acted like he had never done showmanship in his life. Sophie was not kind when she was announced in sixth and her sister didn't place. I think Libby is still waiting for karma to kick in on that one.
Sophie handed off the lead rope to Cotton and we thought that we had seen the end of Sophie in the show ring, but as it turns out it wasn't the end. Just a hitting pause for a couple of years. She would be back and she would be a force to be reckoned with.
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