He started out in the entrance ramp hesitant. He went in and balked a little until his friend Felix (the 3-year-old who gave him a grape the day prior) helped urge him in. He then stopped and saw mommy and grandma in the background and came trotting back.
We convinced him to give it another try and he went out hesitantly at first. Then he broke into a trot and handed the photographer, Jolene, his pacifier. From this point on it turned into the Colton Mallet show. While the other children were performing their moved (walk, trot, canter, back…) Colton did his own thing. He trotted around, then he went and parked his stick horse, Robby, on one of the pylons. The ring master came to talk to him trying to convince him to get back on his pony.
Mommy had to come out and get Robby. I told him that if he wanted a prize that he had to get back on and line-up with the other kids.
He did and was very proud of himself. We told him that if Robby was a good boy that we'd get him ice cream following the ride. This was something he did not forget. He insisted on wearing his number during ice cream eating, in the car ride home and for a large part of the day. He then went home and demonstrated for Grandpa Richard and Great Gramma Ellie how he showed Robby and how Robby was a "good boy."
All in all, his first show was quite successful (and expensive, I think I spent more money on photographs on this show than any of my own).
The entire thing was captured wonderfully by Jolene of Avalon Photography. All photos below were purchased from her website. - http://www.avalonequinephotos.com