One of My Favorite Things: A Story

One of my favorite things about having Friday’s Horse Equine Giftware is the opportunity to meet new people and the many friendships that develop from those meetings. At the 2007 PVDA Ride for Life show in Upper Marlboro, MD, (a wonderful licensed dressage show that benefits the Johns Hopkins Avon Breast Center), I had a new customer come by, Jennifer Tingley. Jennifer was interested in having a custom Bleach Batik Horse Denim Skirt made in celebration of her first licensed show with her young horse, Marvelous Bold Art, a 5 year old Oldenburg/TB from the Art Deco line. In discussing the dressage show scene that Jennifer wanted on her skirt I discovered that she was a current member of the New Marker Chapter PVDA, a chapter that I had helped found many years ago. We also found that we lived quite close in neighboring counties.

When I received the completed skirt Jennifer came to pick it up excitedly telling me that as it turned out the skirt not only celebrated her 1st licensed show with her young horse but also their winning 1st & 2nd placings in the Maiden Training Level classes AND Jennifer being the Overall High Pledge Fund Raiser for the show! Jennifer had come complete with wonderful pictures of the awards presentations. It was very easy to get caught up in Jennifer’s joy and I was happy to know that every time Jennifer wore her special skirt she would be reminded of that wonderful competition. (The Ride for Life raised a total of $45,000 at that show!)

Since that time Jennifer and I have stayed in touch and I have had the pleasure of supplying the year end awards for the New Market Chapter and equine gift items for some of Jennifer’s many friends. I was also able to provide some moral support for Jennifer following a shoulder injury and the subsequent surgeries. Having been through that myself I was able to understand her frustrations.

Jennifer, I am happy to say, is now finally back in the saddle. I look forward to seeing her at upcoming shows as not only a willing volunteer but back to competing also. Best of luck to you Jennifer! 

~Judy Smith, owner