Pacing at the far end of the infield, Honey wants to go.
Like any athlete, it's what she's trained to do - gallop toward the goat at the other end of the Nukko Lake Horse Arena as fast as possible.
"Whoa. Whoa," I kindly tell her from the saddle, gently pulling back on the reins with my right hand. There's no reason to give her a little nudge with my boots from the stirrups. She just wants to go.
Honey's regular mount, 16-year-old Courtney Saunderson, is standing beside her on the ground, also trying to calm the chestnut-coloured 10-year-old quarter horse down.
Parents sitting in the bleachers outside the corral's fences are patiently waiting.
Finally, Saunderson senses Honey is calm enough and she walks beside us toward the goat that's waiting.
Honey suddenly stops.
I grab the piece of orange marking tape from the saddle horn that's tied in a loose knot and dismount.
My left foot gets caught in the stirrup. I learned to ride a horse when I was three, but this is more difficult than I thought it would be.
Safely on the ground, I grab the rope the goat is attached to. (The goat is one of 12 supplied by Soul Ridge Farm in Reid Lake.)
My teacher, 10-year-old Courtney Houchen, a goat tail tying veteran of four years, takes over as the instructor.
I'm a rookie at goat tail tying so I do as I'm told.
Straddle the goat, face its rear end.
Squeeze it with my legs so it doesn't get away.
Tie the orange ribbon around its tail.
Hands up, signaling it's been done.
Walk away. (Don't take the tie off or I'll be disqualified, she reminds me.)
I had just completed goat tail tying, one of four events junior girls and boys will compete in at the Tim Hortons Little Britches Rodeo this weekend.
Action gets underway today at 10 a.m. and again Sunday at 9 a.m. as 72 young cowgirls and cowboys between the ages of five and 15 saddle up to compete in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tail tying, dummy roping, stakes, goat tying, break-away roping, chute dogging and calf tying.
The 12th annual event at Nukko Lake Riding Arena is organized by volunteers from the Lakes Community Horse Club.
"The Little Britches Prince George is one of seven rodeos on the B.C. circuit," said long-time organizer Rick Mills. "Kids are travelling from all over the province - Langley or Merritt - like they would on the pro rodeo circuit.
"They don't wrestle steers, but they do ride steers and must stay on for six seconds instead of the usual eight seconds in the amateur and pro circuits."
Miller said everything is designed to introduce them on a softer level to rodeo events. Goat tying is a precursor to steer wrestling, skills they need for their high school and pro rodeo careers.
A record number of 78 youth from around the province participated in the Prince George rodeo in 2013.
"There are more local kids than six years ago because rodeo is growing in Prince George," said long-time organizer and Little Britches parent Les Jackson.
One of those local athletes is Saunderson, a Grade 11 Kelly Road secondary student who's been involved in Little Britches since she was four years old.
"I've pretty much done it since then," she said. "I like meeting people from all over, not just Prince George. It's done a lot for my confidence and I ride [my horse] every day."
Saunderson has now aged out of Little Britches and will compete in the high school rodeo circuit this fall. She still comes out to practice every Tuesday at Nukko Lake to maintain and sharpen her roping and tying skills.
Lately, girls outnumber the boys when it comes time to compete.
This weekend, 22 girls are registered in the junior girls events (compared to 13 boys), and 21 girls are in the lineup in senior girls (compared to 16 boys).
"Locally there's an increase of girls in Little Britches," said Jackson, whose daughters Abby and Gracie are long-time competitors. "I run into kids all the time participating in the next level up, little girls who cut their teeth on Little Britches in barrel racing."
Miller adds that's also due to an increased interest in horses and horsemanship, rodeo and gymkhana.
Like Saunderson, Abby Jackson, a D.P. Todd secondary student, has aged out and will compete in the high school circuit. Gracie, 14, still has a couple years of Little Britches eligibility left.
The Jackson family, which lives in Prince George and boards its horses outside city limits, has been involved since Abby went on her first trail ride and within 18 months had her first horse.
"We wouldn't change it for the world," said proud mom Lisa. "It's a great lifestyle and keeps them [Abby and Gracie] busy and out of trouble. Abby was very reserved at first, and this [competing in Little Britches] puts them outside their comfort zone. It's taught them to be responsible.
"And this [the Lakes Community Horse Club] is a great little community."
Houchen, 10, who showed me the ropes in goat tail tying, is competing in the senior girls events this weekend which include barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying (a step up from goat tail tying) and break-away roping. She'll be aboard her horse Winston for roping, but on top of Sierra, her sister Kara's horse, for the other events.
"I was a little nervous at first [when I first started competing], but I've had a lot of practice," said the Grade 6 Nukko Lake elementary student.
"The key to goat tying is you have to be able to lift the goat, grab two of its legs and flip it. You have to bend and use your legs a lot."
