Mini Other Projects
     
 
Every once in a while, we have special projects, like taking the horses to a school, parade, library, etc.  We have also had them in plays before, and have an after school program called Thursday Kids where anyone can come to the ranch and learn how to groom, care for, and show the horses.  We also sometimes have special events at horse shows, such as Grand Entries at Greater Houston (GHMHC) shows, etc.  Here are some pictures from our latest mini projects.
   
   
Grand Entries
 
     
   
At most of the GHMHC club shows, we sometimes have a ceremony at the beginning of the first day of the show, which we call the, "Grand Entry"  In this, some of the youth members of the club come out into the arena with a horse.  We have our United States flag, and Texas flag, carried in a cart, and have one at a time drive around the arena while the music for that flag plays.
 
     
       
     
Thursday Kids
   
   
     
     
Other Arena Contests and Therapy Animals
 
   
At the American Miniature Horse Youth Association's World show each year, aside from the regular classes for the horses, they also offer other arena competitions for youth to participate in, that are a lot of fun!  They have essay, art, and photography competitions... photography's my favorite one to do.  Some of my horses have gone to an organization called Hearts and Hooves to be used as therapy animals that can help sick people feel better.  They sometimes like to take the horses to Town Lake for a walk, like in the picture above!
   
     
       
     
Lauren and Dimitri in the musical "Oklahoma!"
 
   
Library and School Visits
       
   
Each year, we take several horses to a local High School to talk to their Equine Science class, and to Westlake Library in Austin for their summer children's program.  We talk about the horses history, color, and show classes for a little over thirty minutes, then answer questions about the minis, then allow everyone to pet the horses.  Everyone always has a BLAST at these events!
   
 
Little America's Miss Dyna Buckeroo