By LAURA OWENS
You didn’t grow up in the horse show ring,
No childhood summers spent learning this thing.
No ponies in paddocks, no barns in your past,
But you gave me a love that will always last.
You saw a spark, a dream in my eyes,
And though you knew nothing of boots or cross ties,
You stepped into this world so foreign, so new,
Because you believed in what I could do.
At first, it was lessons, just one day a week,
You smiled through words that felt foreign to speak.
“Two-point,” “diagonals,” and “inside rein,”
You learned every phrase, no matter how strange.
Next came the shows, driving thousands of miles,
For early alarms and exhausted smiles.
From warm-up rings to walk-the-course stress,
You became fluent in this organized mess.
You didn’t know how to count strides,
Or how it feels with a perfect distance in sight.
But you stood by the rail, my biggest fan,
Learning the sport as you held my hand.
We chased this dream from coast to coast,
Through highs and lows, heartbreaks, and hope.
From Thermal’s sands to Wellington’s trees,
These days truly meant everything to me.
The setbacks came—rails fell, leads were missed,
There are moments of doubt in a sport like this.
But you held me together when I fell apart,
Your strength gave me courage, your love gave me heart.
The first time at Indoors, it all felt so grand,
The lights, the crowds, the pressure at hand.
But as I walked in, ready to ride,
I glanced at the rail and met your eyes.
A tear blurred my vision, but I couldn’t look away,
I saw all the years that brought me to this day.
The early mornings, the drives in the dark,
The rings where you stood, believing in me from the start.
In that moment, the ribbons didn’t matter at all,
Not the glory, the heartbreak, nor the judges’ call.
It was the reassuring smile, the pride in your face,
That reminded me that horse shows are our special place.
Because it’s not just the riding; it’s what we’ve been through —
The best part of my life has been time spent with you.
And as I reflect, it’s so clear to see,
These are the memories that made me… me.
You didn’t need trophies to prove all you’d done,
Your pride wasn’t tied to the rounds I’d won.
But Mom, you’re the reason I found my way,
And because of you, I’m here today.
So here’s what I know, looking back at it now:
It wasn’t just me who learned how.
This dream was ours, through every stride—
And you, Mom, have been the best part of the ride.
