The Race

Here we were again, Taz and I
Having cantered the course ,
One half mile from start to end.
Now standing beside the trailer
Waiting for the flag to drop,
I intently watching the hand
The hand that held the flag.
Taz pawing anxious inside.
Then the flag was drop,
And our time began to run.
Opening the trailer door,
Taz walked out onto the ground.
Putting my foot in the sturp
I swung onto her back,
And without urging
Taz jumped into the canter
Which we held as we crossed
the wooden platform 30 foot long.
Slowing to the trot just long enough
To grab the proffered rope which
I dallied to the horn as Taz Jumped
Into the gallop, not even slowing down
As I drop the rope dragging the log
And charged to the first turn.
Barley loosing speed we turn right
And headed as fast as Taz could go
To the jump strait ahead.
Unhesitating over and on down
To the next turn, we passed the judges
At a full run to the next turn.
And there they were, three small
High, but not to wide hills in a row.
Taz was as eager as I and we went
Into the first one way too fast.
As Taz came across the first one
At the top she jumped and I lost my seat
As Taz started down I was still going up
And when she hit the ground I was slammed
Hard into the saddle and bounced
Bounced right over her head
Landing flat of my back on the ground
Right in front of Taz.
Taz is 16 hands, and the hill was over
Eight feet high, a real long ways
To the ground, but I never let go of the reins
But I did loose my hat.
Taz, excitated by the race, drug me around
A while before calming down.
After she came to herself, I stood
And remounted and continued on.
Taking the second and third hill
At an appropriate speed.
Then down into the water ditch for 40 feet,
Out of the water, we made the next turn
And started the last quarter mile.
A hard sprint with two more right turns
As hard as we could we charged to the finish
It was a beautiful fall I was told,
But I only finished 9th out of 22 riders.