Essay Contest: Announcing International Lesson Horse Day, April 26!

The first annual International Lesson Horse Day will take place on April 26, and we’re partnering with Absorbine to produce a mini-essay contest celebrating the greatest lesson horses in the land.

A very young managing editor Kristen aboard lesson pony “Knotty”, aka Who’s the Boss, one of her first great loves. Photo courtesy of Kristen Kovatch.

We’ve declared a new holiday all across Horse Nation, stretching to all corners of the earth where the patient, the untiring and hardworking lesson horse can be found: April 26, 2016 is hereby declared as the first annual International Lesson Horse Day! Join us in honoring the lesson horse all day long on Tuesday, April 26.

All of us as equestrians, whether we’re riding the Grand Prix or meandering down a sun-dappled trail, all started our journey the same way: on the backs of lesson horses, those careful old schoolmasters who taught us as much about persistence, responsibility and other life skills as they did about actual horseback riding. On International Lesson Horse Day, we celebrate those tireless troopers working steadfastly day after day to bring up the next generation of equestrians, whether they’re turning circles on the lunge line in the humble dusty arena of the local lesson barn to schooling upper-level riders in advanced maneuvers in the greatest schools in the world.

Do you have a special lesson horse in your life, past or present? Now is your chance to share his or her story: we’re partnering with Absorbine to produce a mini-essay contest to celebrate the greatest lesson horses in the land, with the overall winner taking home a prize basket full of Absorbine goodies (estimated value around $400):

Note: tack trunk is NOT included! Photo courtesy of Absorbine.

How to enter:

• Write a 200-word mini-essay describing your favorite lesson horse and what makes him or her so special
• Take or find a photograph of your lesson horse, including full photographer’s credit (any entries without photographer’s credit will be deemed ineligible).
• Email your essay and credited photo to [email protected] by midnight on Tuesday, April 19.

We will read each mini-essay and select our favorites to share on Horse Nation. A reader poll will select the most deserving lesson horse in all of Horse Nation, with the winner announced on International Lesson Horse Day on April 26!

We cherish the lesson horses of our past and present at Horse Nation, and hope you will join us to honor the special lesson horses in your life. Go lesson horses, and go riding!

Cohn Livingston and Kristen Kovatch on old schoolmasters with Lynn Palm at Fox Grove Farm. Photo by Marie-Frances Davis.