Show Schedule 2014

I think I'm a little late on the show schedule bandwagon, but this winter was hellish and my pony's only been back to work for a couple weeks, and he has no hair on large portions of his body, so I think I have a good excuse. 

So. Show schedule 2014! 

I want to start with something easy. Like, really easy. Like so easy it's stupid. Like maybe not even involving jumping at all. So, that leaves us with dressage shows and pleasure classes at hunter shows, since I've competed in Level 0 jumpers at rated shows, which makes me ineligible for a lot of the easier stuff. It's not fair for me to compete against kids just learning to jump.They should have an "I Used To Be Awesome But Now I'm A Weenie" Division. 

April 27 - Pleasure at DVHA. Depending on how much hair Dino has grown at that point. I ain't taking him out in public if he's still a baldy mc balderson. 

May 10 - 2' Equitation at Cabin Run. Depending on learning to drive my own trailer in that time frame, or hitching a ride, because Michael is doing some sort of sailing camp or something that weekend. I want to do a show or two at this venue because I decided today that I'm aiming for the 2'3 Hunter Derby there! 

May 17 - .70 Meter Jumpers at Cabin Run. If I've shown at least once before this point in our lives. Although technically this is the first date that we could definitely go anywhere. 

May 18 - Pleasure at Patty Miller Stables, if I haven't shown anywhere else so I shouldn't do jumpers at Cabin Run and if they even offer a pleasure division. Prize list isn't out yet, so I have no idea.

June 1 - Low Jumpers at BuxMont. Maybe. 

June 8 - Itty Bitty Jumpers at DVHA. Also maybe.

June 21 - This date is so up in the air it's not even funny. The bi-annual Riding With Confidence clinic is this weekend, as well as a hunter show at Cabin Run. Plus apparently my husband is going on a backpacking trip? As much as I LOVE the Riding With Confidence clinic, it's so expensive, and I wasn't able to save up over time the past few months, so I'm not sure we can afford it, although if I don't go to any shows beforehand I probably could, but then I wouldn't get to show...!? Very, very undecided about this weekend. Possibly Hunter Derby at Cabin Run, or clinic, or staying home and doing nothing. Or a lesson? I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. Also pretty sure I told Jess I'd watch her cats this weekend.

June 28 - .70 Meter Jumpers at Cabin Run. This is pretty much a go.

July 6 - Combined Test at Bucks County Horse Park. Also pretty much a go. 

July 12 - Hunter Derby at Cabin Run. My goal for this season! 

July 19 - .70 Meter Jumpers at Cabin Run

After that we get into August, and I go down the shore for a week, so that's just floating around in space right now, and then it's fall and depending on how goofy Dino gets with the change of seasons and his ridiculous hormones, that will dictate what we do. I might pro-actively do Estrone again this fall just to keep everything functioning. 

Obviously, every single date is subject to change depending on how we're going at that point in time, or other fun things that come up, or lack of funds, or whatever. But I think it's a pretty good framework. I do also want to schedule a few lessons with Elissa in there. She kicks my ass like none other. Plus XC schooling. Because I promised.

I also had hoped for more dressage shows in this schedule, but apparently every schooling dressage show in a 30 mile radius is scheduled on weekdays. I think that's dumb. While my work schedule is insanely flexible, my trailer driver/groom/personal photographer has to work M-F 9-5, so the whole Tuesday Evening Dressageaganza thing doesn't work for us. 

Also y'all are probably thinking "Where the heck did this whole hunter derby thing come from?! I didn't think they did hunters?!"

I will tell you where it came from. 

So yesterday I got the prize list for Cabin Run's series and I saw that they are offering 4 different height hunter derbies, including a 2'-2'3 section, and instantly the little voice in my head said, "Oooh! That sounds like fun!" And then I argued with the little voice in my head for a while. 

"But... we don't DO hunters. Dino already flunked out of the hunters once in his life. Plus I'm an adult. On a pony. That just isn't DONE."

"You'd get to braid him up all fancy!"

"That's true. I do like to make him fancy. But... the whole hunter thing... I don't know."

"It's on the grass field! Doesn't that sound fun!? And with your crazy EuroJumper style, you can make tighter turns and take the inside options."

"Also true. But, we still aren't hunters!"

"It's a 2'-2'3 local hunter derby. This isn't WEF. You don't need to be riding Rumba to do this. Go for it!"

I talked it over with Amanda and Rachel, who both assured me that I was not crazy and we would not totally embarrass ourselves by doing a derby. They both encouraged me to go for it, with adequate preparation of course. And so that's how I arrived at this year's goal of a hunter derby. 

Putting together this schedule, I realized that it kind of bothered me that Dino and I aren't defined by one specific discipline or another. We dabble. A lot. We aren't super great at any one thing. And while I know that's okay, and fine, and not everyone has to be defined by a single discipline, it still tweaks me a little. What are we?