This is a three day work-weekend as they run the festival on Labor Day Monday. I drop her off just after 7:00 AM each morning and pick her up around 7:30 PM. They have to get there extra early as they drive the horses about a mile and a half to get to and from the festival grounds, and Sydney has fun with that, too. There are quite a few people and only two trucks, so some people hop on the truck bed for the bumpy gravel ride. Sydney and her cohort, Madi, have taken to not just riding on the back of the truck, but stand up - surfing into and out of the festival.
So far Sydney has ridden four horses. Each time I see her it amazes me at how big they are. We went to pick her up on Tuesday after riding and I couldn't even touch the horse's saddle horn unless I stretched on my tip toes. The horses's mid back, at it's lowest point, was about 5' 8".
In addition to riding and taking care of the horses she helps give War Horse Rides between jousting events. People pay to hop on and someone walks the horse up and down the jousting field. When she's not walking she's lifting little kids on and off the saddles. (They have a platform to stand on so they're at least the right height.). She just crashes at the end of the day.
Andy and Holden and I are all going out tomorrow to enjoy the festival together and see Sydney. We're sad though... This will be the first time we won't have her hanging out with us.
