Neighborhood News: Halloween with horses

The sun rose over South Run Riding School on a beautiful fall day in Nokesville.

The air was crisp, the leaves showing off their reds, oranges and yellows.

As I walked down the aisle of the barn, it was lined with kids working diligently on their horses and ponies.

But wait - I thought this was a horse barn ... so why do I see bees, jesters, Dr. Seuss characters and, yes, a throwback to the '60s?

It is the annual Halloween costume party and Fun Show at South Run.

As the contest begins, we watch Raggedy Ann and Andy coming into the ring beside a small chef carrying a tray of cinnamon buns.

Here comes Thing One and Thing Two, a princess with a boa and a tiara, a couple of bees and wait ... yes ... that is Harry Potter and Hermione.

The Flintstones are here along with the Fanta Girls, and Superman walking in beside a hippie.

All these costumes and more were the contestants in the riding school's Halloween Costume Contest.

I would not want to be the judge for this event: Too many cute kids leading horses and ponies dressed in such imaginative get-ups.

As I watched all of them march around the ring, all I could do was smile and, yes ... laugh. What a site to behold.

The day continued with bobbing for apples, which resulted not in laughing kids or wet hair and chins and noses, but in wet muzzles and huge horse teeth clenching the last of the apples found floating in their water buckets.

The afternoon ended with more horse fun and lots of great food.