Well, at the last minute, the parade folks find us a place to park.
So we get up at the crack of dawn to get horses and tack ready to be presentable in this parade.
Did I mention Kieran was a mudball and I didn't think I was going to have to bathe him (or I would've done so last night)?
Uhm. Yes. Now imagine we had seven horses to get ready in various stages of not-very-clean. Plus six sets of tack and a harness for the carriage. Luckily, we had LOTS of people.
So...we drive down, we find our spot. It is right next to a group of people having a "dog wash". None of the horses even flicks an ear at these constantly yapping dogs tied up right nearby. Nor the little girls in step dancing outfits (all shiny) with their bouncy curly fake hairpieces (noooot kidding). Random people (with small children) would randomly wander by and want to pet the horsies. Nobody got stepped on! We managed to get all tacked up and ready, finagled with the lineup, then got Manhattan hitched to the cart and away we went!
Except no. Actually....we had to wait. And wait. And wait a bit more. We were number 30 something in a 100 something lineup. A few spots ahead of us were some folks from a local foxhunting group. They had a really nice looking draft cross that the Master was riding but...said draft cross was wigging out something fierce during all the waiting and by the time we actually got in the lineup, the Master was nowhere to be seen, nor his horse. Guess they figured actually going in the parade...wasn't a good idea.
Kieran, for his part, was pretty good. He did not approve of having to stop and stand. And wait. And walk two steps. And stand. And walk two steps. And stand. He was not good in the keeping-clean department. I bathed him (quickly) this morning. Then he came off the trailer with gross stuff all down his back legs. Uh...apparently they just got new hay and everything coming out that end of Kieran? Very green and very wet. So luckily we brought water along and I scrubbed his back legs down. Several times. He managed to look presentable. (until he pooped several times during said parade. And apparently nothing phased Molly [who was behind us] except for Kieran pooping in her direction.)
Anyway, we made it past an ambulance, bicycles, lots of screaming children, lots of people in general, a monster truck, dogs, golf carts, a big tractor, and a giant American flag hanging from a crane over the road. Plus the bands we could hear at all times (Though luckily, we were not situated beside one). Plus the two announcers (one at each end of the parade) telling a little bit about everyone over the loudspeaker as we came by. Then we had to go back through the residential bits of town to get back to where the trailers were and get the horses untacked (and wait until the road was opened up again until we could leave).
All in all, a good day! We had a lot of people ooh and aah at the big horses (I heard lots of, "look at the white horse!!!!") and did some nice public-relations work, I s'pose.
And yes, you can haz pictures!
Getting ready
Waiting to join the lineup.
More waiting
This is Molly. I wanted her SO BADLY when she was at the rescue but as you can see, she's got a great Mom now.
Manhattan, the wonder-former-NYC-carriage-horse. We thought after the fact we shoulda brought some candy to throw from the carriage.
Just what the sign says.
David, for all of his fans.
OMG TERRIFYING BICYCYLE. (funny, there were several of these and I remember thinking "but they closed the road...why are they riding on it?")
Coming up to the end of the parade.
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