Yesterday Spencer and I competed in our first horse show.  It was a schooling show, but still it was judged and prizes were awarded.

I cleaned my horse up the day before (then put him out in the pasture) I got every thing I needed for the next morning and placed it in it's designated areas (car for example) Then relaxed without a care in the world.

I counted strides instead of sheep but somehow, amazingly enough I started finding my spots and drifter off to sleep.  I didn't need to be on my horse until 9am so I leisurely woke, ate breakfast and dressed... a half hour late (because what's a horse show if you're not running late) I arrived, walked to the complete other end of the pasture and caught my ride, that remarkably was still clean!

We warmed up well in a typical crowded hunter warm up arena.  Then I placed Spencer back in his stall with a sheet on him and a flake of hay.

      ....  Thats when the sitting around, waiting in the cold began...

Eventually I decided it was time to dress.  Time wise every thing worked out perfectly.  I grabbed my bag and went up to the big barn to dress because there were so many strange people in our barn I felt exposed.  Next up to the lounge to put my field boots on in comfort and warmth.  Hair net, Helmet, Jacket, Number, Gloves...  I was all set.  I brushed my horse again and saddled. 

It was all old hat ... old Hard hat if you will.  Every thing was just so normal and everyday, it was like I never took a ten year absence.  Concerned the months prior to being in breaches, Julie made me feel better by telling me they made me look slimmer ... there's something you have NEVER heard anyone say about english riding breaches!  But that concern had left me anyways.  My boots were uncomfortable, but that was not on my mind anyomre then it had been the 25 years prior. 

I simply got on my horse and went in the ring! 

We took 3rd in the hunter hack.  But that would be our only ribbon of the day.  That's okay.  My horse rode like a veteran in the crazy open show traffic.  We had trouble with the two stride, but we got through it.  Other then that my courses looked much better then they felt.  But then again, they always do.  

We finished up, put everything away.  I went upstairs to pay and rewarded myself for staying on the 17 hand four year old horsey with a HUGE cinnamon muffin and a nice chat with the judge.  

I went home happy.  Disappointed with myself in some ways, but very pleased with my horse in others.  It was a good day/  Specifics aside... I was in a horse show.  I was showing again,and in a place I call home.  Riding is home.  Riding is the one place that even when I don't know exactly what I'm doing... I do know what I'm doing.  I may not execute things to plan, but I have educated plans and I know I can always improve.  I know I can set goals on horse back and always reach them.  (Well that Jumping in the Olympics one maybe got away from me but... )  Riding is my happy, peaceful place and to be able to show again ... well that's just a place where I feel completely comfortable in my own skin.  

As I stripped down to shower and attempt to thaw out my toes I glanced up at the hamper with my riding clothes piled on top.  My breaches in a ball, my striped shirt wadded up over them, and my shirt collar laying neatly over the top, and it was such a familiar, home like feeling, that I just smiled.  

Maybe you can go home again....  


Video of our first hunter trip -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DVMAHLYlnU