Last time I wrote, I told you about the NRHyA Varsity Reining program. So you’ve probably figured out that reining is my choice sport with my horses.

My partner in reining is Craig, my 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding. Craig got his name from his previous owners, who are from Oklahoma. His registered name is Boomin Wave, but they gave a barn name, Craig because it was a simple, to-the-point name, and it fit him well.

Also known as “The C,” Craig is a very interesting horse; he has the most hilarious personality, with a bunch of little quirks. His best maneuvers are his large, fast and small, slow circles. He runs them so nicely and keeps his body in the perfect position the whole time. Sometimes I get nervous about doing my circles, but he helps me stay calm and do them well. I sometimes struggle with his spins to the right, because he tends to drop his shoulder in, which makes it harder for him to gain speed and spin well.

When I first met Craig, I knew he was the horse for me; he just had a fun vibe to him. There’s never a dull moment around him. From grabbing the brush out of my hand to sneaking up behind me while I’m cleaning his stall, he always has something up his sleeve. This year I plan on showing Craig in reining for both the NRHA and the AQHA in youth classes. I also plan to teach Craig cool tricks like lying down and bowing.

I want to hear about your horses! If you don’t own one, tell me about the type of horse you’d like to have someday.