Going to the Schooling Show

Hats off to my trainer who was able to work with the show management and push for us to get two stalls, even though the official word was the stalls were completely filled for the weekend. Knight is en route to the site of the two-day hunter/jumper schooling show as I type this.

Good News

I found my show saddle pad and it’s already in my car (unlike that one unfortunate show) and I’m borrowing a girth that fits.

We had a lesson last night that went smoothly as well. We’re going back to Xs and Os. Not hugs and kisses but circles and crossrails. This due to my recent trend of being unable to sustain a nice non-racehorse canter after the second fence of a line. I have been riding longer than some of you bloggers reading this have been alive, and I’m now back at the crossrails stage of the game. Lovely.

You know what this means???

If all goes well I will most likely be the oldest competitor entering the crossrails class at the schooling show. How awesome is that?

And if it doesn’t go well (i.e., Knight is wild, I’m wild with nerves), I will simply do the flat classes where at least I can pray to blend in to the crowd.

My Little Jumper?

Regardless of Knight’s antics and my butterflies, my trainer will be riding him in the two foot jumpers division. She said not to win, but to get him around new jumps at a new environment. The only hunter class options for someone of her experience would be 2’9″ class and she didn’t feel that was an appropriate challenge at this point.

So off I go to crossrail glory or humiliation. Either way, it will be a defining moment for my relationship with my horse. We are benchmarking our progress together as a team. And there is no deadline for our relationship and journey.

Special Thanks going out to fellow bloggers who have been sooooo encouraging as I share my equestrian dorkiness in the blogosphere.

A grateful shout out goes to Nicole from Zen and the Art of Baby Horse Management who offered to overnight a girth for the show!

All of you ladies are amazing and I hope someday to get to meet each one of you in person. Thank you for your support. Because of your kindness I feel understood. That is a gift.

Your Turn: Have you ever had to take a step way, way back in riding or another passion you love for whatever reason? Start over almost from scratch?

I am going to try to live Tweet and Instagram from the show. I’d love to have you follow along. Or check out our Facebook page.

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