Today was my first show since 1995! I'm so proud that I did it! I got there early and gave Simon a bath and got him looking good, and then it turned out I had 2-3 hours before I would get to ride. Once he was dry, I put him back in his stall, and of COURSE the first thing he does is roll. He laid down twice while I was waiting to take his daily beauty naps. :) But thankfully, the vetrolin shine kept him relatively clean and it was easy to "buff" him up before I rode.
I went shopping yesterday - (who can stay away from a tack shop sale? Oh, okay, so it was my first time to the english tack shop in town!) I bought a new pair of britches (I have two pairs - one with holes in the crotch (no that won't work for a show) and the other the knee pads are starting to fray (again, not quite right for a show). I also got a new show shirt. I am amazed at the changes in the britches over the last 15 years (I have not purchased britches in at least that long). They were thinner, lighterweight, more comfortable, and stylish. Even Kim didn't quite recognize me when she first saw me dressed in my boots & britches and shirt. :) It was fun. She was impressed with how good we looked. I still rode in my schooling helmet - I don't have a velvet one right now, and can't afford the whole wardrobe at one time, but since it was a schooling show, I figured I could get away with it.
After warming up over a few fences, our first course was the warm-up class. I knew that Simon wasn't quite awake yet, but we were also in a hurry to get in the ring. The first 3-4 fences were a little lethargic, but the rest of the course was beautiful! And boy, I was surprised how nervous I still got! I had hoped that after giving birth I wouldn't be so nervous. The "fear" of jumping is definitely diminished, but I still got nervous like I always have. But I think my favorite part of the course was after the first or second line and I heard Christopher's voice yell, "Hi, Momma!" Harlan had just arrived with the kids to watch me ride, and he hadn't had a chance to see me yet. It warmed my heart. I just wanted to stop and wave and say, "Hi, Christopher!" but I was in the middle of the course so we continued :). Thanks to Cliff, Dodie, and Mandy who came to see me ride, too!
Our second course (first course in the Adult Equitation) started off well, and then Simon coughed hard around one of the corners (he has allergies). It really pulls me forward a bit when he does that. He coughed again right before the second to last fence and he was anxious going towards it and we ran out - the first time that Simon has done that with me over the last 11 weeks. I could tell he wasn't right, so I was prepared, but I was also disappointed. We circled and came back around to the fence and finished the course without any further trouble.
We did the Adult Eq. under saddle, and had a few coughs there as well. There were 3 riders in our division, and I got 2 3rd places. :) That's okay. The other two riders are regulars on the show circuit and have very nice horses, so I was neither surprised nor disappointed. I was proud that I completed my first division in 13 years!
Next was the Open Hunters, also at 2'6". Our first course, our only major flub was not getting the correct lead over the first fence. But Simon gave me half a flying change, and eventually the back half as well. He got a little forward a few times and I could feel us "fight" a little bit as I was trying to pull him back. Kim mentioned to just let him go and try not to fight with him over his speed (I normally am bettter about that in our lessons) and use my body instead of my hands. The next course was nearly perfect - I let Simon do his thing and stayed out of his mouth, and we got great spots to the fences and he was calm until to the last fence he started to get anxious (the same fence he ran out on) and lifted his head and got faster and we had a close spot to that one, last fence. But the rest was so beautiful. We placed 5th out of 7 in the first course, and 4th out of 7 in the second course. Not bad! I was pleased that I wasn't last. :)
Under saddle in the Open Hunters, Simon was great! He didn't cough at all (bonus!) and did all of our transitions perfectly. He's so funny - when we're in a lesson, he could not be more lethargic at the trot. But he knew that it was a show, and was just waiting for me to ask him to move up into the trot. I could feel his body being more tense than usual at the walk just waiting and anticipating the request to trot and canter. He even did beautiful transitions from the walk to canter - and we placed 3rd out of 7! The two horses that beat us were the same two that did so in the Adult division - and I was so pleased with him for being so good.
What a day! I am so exhausted I can barely move! But it feels so good to have accomplished that! A few months ago I would not have ever considered showing. I still remember my first lesson where I was worried about jumping at all and whether I would remember how to do it! :)
Yay! What a great day!
I went shopping yesterday - (who can stay away from a tack shop sale? Oh, okay, so it was my first time to the english tack shop in town!) I bought a new pair of britches (I have two pairs - one with holes in the crotch (no that won't work for a show) and the other the knee pads are starting to fray (again, not quite right for a show). I also got a new show shirt. I am amazed at the changes in the britches over the last 15 years (I have not purchased britches in at least that long). They were thinner, lighterweight, more comfortable, and stylish. Even Kim didn't quite recognize me when she first saw me dressed in my boots & britches and shirt. :) It was fun. She was impressed with how good we looked. I still rode in my schooling helmet - I don't have a velvet one right now, and can't afford the whole wardrobe at one time, but since it was a schooling show, I figured I could get away with it.
After warming up over a few fences, our first course was the warm-up class. I knew that Simon wasn't quite awake yet, but we were also in a hurry to get in the ring. The first 3-4 fences were a little lethargic, but the rest of the course was beautiful! And boy, I was surprised how nervous I still got! I had hoped that after giving birth I wouldn't be so nervous. The "fear" of jumping is definitely diminished, but I still got nervous like I always have. But I think my favorite part of the course was after the first or second line and I heard Christopher's voice yell, "Hi, Momma!" Harlan had just arrived with the kids to watch me ride, and he hadn't had a chance to see me yet. It warmed my heart. I just wanted to stop and wave and say, "Hi, Christopher!" but I was in the middle of the course so we continued :). Thanks to Cliff, Dodie, and Mandy who came to see me ride, too!
Our second course (first course in the Adult Equitation) started off well, and then Simon coughed hard around one of the corners (he has allergies). It really pulls me forward a bit when he does that. He coughed again right before the second to last fence and he was anxious going towards it and we ran out - the first time that Simon has done that with me over the last 11 weeks. I could tell he wasn't right, so I was prepared, but I was also disappointed. We circled and came back around to the fence and finished the course without any further trouble.
We did the Adult Eq. under saddle, and had a few coughs there as well. There were 3 riders in our division, and I got 2 3rd places. :) That's okay. The other two riders are regulars on the show circuit and have very nice horses, so I was neither surprised nor disappointed. I was proud that I completed my first division in 13 years!
Next was the Open Hunters, also at 2'6". Our first course, our only major flub was not getting the correct lead over the first fence. But Simon gave me half a flying change, and eventually the back half as well. He got a little forward a few times and I could feel us "fight" a little bit as I was trying to pull him back. Kim mentioned to just let him go and try not to fight with him over his speed (I normally am bettter about that in our lessons) and use my body instead of my hands. The next course was nearly perfect - I let Simon do his thing and stayed out of his mouth, and we got great spots to the fences and he was calm until to the last fence he started to get anxious (the same fence he ran out on) and lifted his head and got faster and we had a close spot to that one, last fence. But the rest was so beautiful. We placed 5th out of 7 in the first course, and 4th out of 7 in the second course. Not bad! I was pleased that I wasn't last. :)
Under saddle in the Open Hunters, Simon was great! He didn't cough at all (bonus!) and did all of our transitions perfectly. He's so funny - when we're in a lesson, he could not be more lethargic at the trot. But he knew that it was a show, and was just waiting for me to ask him to move up into the trot. I could feel his body being more tense than usual at the walk just waiting and anticipating the request to trot and canter. He even did beautiful transitions from the walk to canter - and we placed 3rd out of 7! The two horses that beat us were the same two that did so in the Adult division - and I was so pleased with him for being so good.
What a day! I am so exhausted I can barely move! But it feels so good to have accomplished that! A few months ago I would not have ever considered showing. I still remember my first lesson where I was worried about jumping at all and whether I would remember how to do it! :)
Yay! What a great day!
2 comments:
Congratulations Good job. I had to come check, I knew you'd post.
Pam A
Yeah Liz!!!!
Love ya!
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