Let's Try This One More Time

Unless something catastrophic happens, Dino and I are going to a horse show in two weeks.

It's a really, REALLY tiny schooling show. As in, the last time it ran there were an average of three people per division tiny. I.e. there will be far fewer people to see me royally embarrass myself than at a local circuit show.

Perfect.

I decided to do the 2'-2'3 equitation division, and not the jumpers. I want to be able to focus on having nice clean, smooth, pleasant trips instead of having the timer ticking in the back of my mind. There's also a flat class, which I know I can at least place in, if not win. I want this show to be ultra-positive and confidence-building!

My anxiety about jumping, while not completely gone, is definitely improving each time I jump. I still get a bit of a knot in my stomach when I think about pointing Dino at a fence, but I've been able to shove my negative thoughts aside and ride assertively anyway. We haven't had a single stop in weeks, which is a HUGE accomplishment for us, considering our recent track record! And I think most of that is due to me actually, you know, riding, instead of waffling around up there and hoping my pony will carry my sorry butt over the fences without any direction from me.

We've been schooling solidly at 2'6 with the occasional 2'9 single thrown in, and the "big" fences actually don't look that big anymore. I've figured out that I'm responsible for creating a good canter, telling Dino which fence to go to, and getting him there, and he's responsible for following through and jumping it. This arrangement is working quite well, and when I make the effort to communicate clearly, my pony never says "no".

Let's start the countdown to our show-ring comeback!

He's just too cute for his own good.