We actually got to the show grounds early. Before the show even started! We found a good place to park and went to check in. The show manager was great and right away we went together to the judge to ask for permission for me to be able to show in my clogs. Just as I thought the judge totally understood me not wanting to burst my blisters from my burn and gave me the okay to show in clogs. I was happy to have that out of the way so early and so I went bouncing in excitement over to check out the class list. And that is when I got SUPER excited because my classes only had 6 and 4 people in them respectivly! I WAS GETTING RIBBONS! Well, as long as I stayed in the ring. I was so happy I practically floated back to the trailer to help in getting the clients horse tacked up and ready to go.
They were running early so in no time the clients horse was done and it was my turn. We had about…8 people with us at this point. Three were kids but that still left us with 5 adults, all of whom were horse people. So you would think that I would be swarmed with offers of help, but no. I put Texas’s bridle on in the trailer, unloading him myself and with the help of the Young Rider got him tacked up. She also nicely held him while I finished getting dressed and the Nice Local Trainer (Texas’s Grandma) tied my real stock tie. I was so happy to be using that because I haven’t had anyone that could tie it since college!
So everyone else went to go help Texas’s Owner but the Young Rider so she and I walked down to the ring together. This is when I started to get nervous. What da hell was I thinking showing such a green horse. We were not ready for this yet. I was crazy for leasing him in the first place. He is too green. By the time the Young Rider told me to relax I was already gone into nervous rider mode. The Young Rider walked to the other side of the ring leaving me to get on by myself with NO HELP. I tried to breath and stay calm, but it wasn’t working. There were 8 freaking horses in the warm up ring (3 of which belonged to boarders who just decided to ride then because they were not showing) and I was on my young, green horse who didn’t always have steering.
I started to have a melt down. By the time Speedy’s Mom, the Other Paint Owner, and everyone else had arrived I was FREAKING OUT. Texas was being a total wiggle worm so my steering was not great and he was doing baby horse things like not stepping on the sun beams in the indoor (he is not used to indoors yet, that was only the 3rd time he has been in one, 1st time when it was sunny). By the time his owner got into the ring to warm us up I had only been walking around for 5 minutes and was already in total melt down mode. I wanted to cry, get off and never come back. People were not following the universal ring rules and I just knew the baby horse and I were going to wreck.
Texas’s Owner got after me right away to “just ride”. I was ready to KILL HER at this point. Just ride? How could I just ride? My horse wasn’t listening, I was freaking out, there was no just riding happening. I wanted my other trainer dammit! I need that comfort because I have hardly ever shown without her. She knows how to talk to me. To calm me down. Miss just ride? IF I COULD JUST RIDE LADY I WOULD. Can you tell I was FREAKING OUT (poor Texas’s Owner didn’t know how to handle me in panic mode). My ankle hurt so I couldn’t put my stupid heel down and I was having a hard time riding the baby in general, not helped by the fact that I had to pull up Texas at least half a dozen times because the boarders kept cutting us off or not calling out their intentions. I was totally frazzeled so when they asked if I was ready to go even though it was 10 minutes early I said yes. I wanted OFF the horse, I wanted OUT of the indoor. I just wanted this to be over.
Everyone wished me luck AND point out that I looked nervous. Speedy’s Mom and everyone else were shocked because they have never seen me like that before I g into the show ring. Normally I am calm and happy. There was no smile on my face at this point. So with an entarage of like 15 people (my parents had arrived at this point) I entered the ring in full melt down mode.
To Be Continued…
*Here is a picture of my ankle from last night (Monday Night). So now you all can see how much better it looks after only a week!
LOL! Although I’m sure it wasn’t even slightly funny at the time. I’ve worked with a wonderful horseman, Mark Rashid, and one of his pieces of advice that has stuck with me is that the most important thing is to keep riding – if you’re on the horse and you stop riding that’s when bad things happen. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story!
OMG, I totally feel for you about the young horse at a show. I remember riding a three year old haflinger at her first show when I was a working student for a haflinger trainer one summer. The three year old mare was looking at the other horses with fear in her eyes and I suddenly realized she probably had never seen any breed of horse other than a Haflinger before! It takes a while for young horses to figure out how the world works when you start getting out and doing things.
Sometimes with young horses I feel like it’s an accomplishment just to stay on the horse. And you did! Every time you stay on and ride through something you are closer to your goals (than again if something is really worrying you, OF COURSE get off).
And your burn looks fantastic! I hope it is less painful this week.
So now I have to wait until tomorrow to read more about your show? You’re killing me – I swear!
We all get nervous at times and the best thing to do is just ride through it. Which you did and came out doing really well.
Your blister looks much better.
I used to warm up in a “loping pen” which could be equated to a “human blender”. There were specific rules, but it always irritated me when others didn’t follow the lope on the outside/walk your horse in the center. I also found it dangerous when people would practice their stops in the middle of the loping horses. I was pretty good about weaving through horses who blocked the way and wouldn’t let me around, although looking back I think eeek! I can feel your frustration through the computer about the oblivious riders around who seem unaware of young horses. Maybe they figure they just need to “get over it” but it doesn’t help in the moment, does it?
Ironically, there was a running joke that NO TRAINERS were allowed to lope horses because they were the worst!
I actually found a counselor who worked with bicyclists who wrecked their bikes, and we did something called EMDR. I found him after a horse riding accident and it helped me with show jitters. It is sort of like being hypotized but you are awake. Anyway, I had a riding accident and the more I rode the worse my anxiety got, and the more embarrassed I became because I couldn’t get over it…EMDR was actually a magical fix for me, though I don’t know if it works for everyone. Weird story I know, but if your anxiety is interfering with your enjoyment, it might be worth a least looking into…some insurance will pay for a few visits.
I love your blog. I have an OTTB who is very green so I can relate to a lot of your posts. Good job at your show! I cannot wait until I can take my boy to our first show!
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