CattleRme, that problem has existed forever. It is just something everyone has to deal with. There really isn't anything that can be done about it either. Sometimes the kids can't ride the expensive horses and get beat anyway...and you feel like justice is done. But that doesn't always happen either.
Just this past summer I helped judge the Queen Contest at our local fair. One girl was dressed to the nines and had a pretty fancy horse, which she could not ride very good. In the interview, we asked her some things and come to find out, Gramma did everything with the horse that needed done. Worming, feeding, shoeing etc. Needless to say, this girl lost and she or anyone in her family was not very happy.
On the other hand, we had a little ranch girl in the contest and her bit maybe wasn't quite right and she wasn't dressed up enough to be a queen contestant, but you could just SEE that she and her horse were partners. They did really well in the horse part of the competition. When we interviewed her, I asked her, "you ride your horse alot don't you?" She smiled a special smile and said, "yes I do. He is my best friend."
So it didn't matter if she won or not, she was happy and so was her horse. That to me, is the very most important thing of all. Being happy with what you have. That is what kids need to be taught and some of them already know. Competition can be tough, but it isn't what life is all about.
