In response to an outbreak of horse herpes virus, the Rodeo Queens of Farmington, Utah demonstrate American ingenuity and can-do spirit by substituting phony ponies for horses and gain valuable experience in riding the stick.

From KLS.com:

Because of the outbreak, contestants at the Davis County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse Junior Queen Contest had to cowgirl up Thursday night without their mares.

Instead of competing on horses, as is typically the case, contestants were asked to trot around the arena with stick horses as their show ponies.

One rodeo queen, Savanna Steed, looked at the bright side:

“It will give you experience for if you happen to have a problem like this later in life,” Steed said with a smile. “You already have the experience of riding a stick horse!”