Almost exactly a year ago today, my sisters and I went to a WMAHA All-Arabian Unrated Show to watch our neighbors Rachel & Micah compete with their mare Tsetina. We stayed almost the whole day and had a blast. I eagerly watched the saddleseat class, and resolved, right then and there, that in a year I would compete in that very class on my own horse. Back then I was blissfully naive to how difficult riding and showing is and how much work is involved and how much it costs. I had no idea that months and even years of training went into producing show horses, and how much preparation and work was necessary come show day. I had no idea. I just had a dream. A niave, ambitious, perhaps quite foolhardy dream. But it was my dream. And I went with it. And today I lived it. (With all this “I lived my dream” empowerment talk, I feel like I could be the poster child of some sort of motivational organization like The Foundation For A Better Life.)
This morning show day began rainy and early–6:38 AM, to be exact. I had to bring some final things out to the trailer, eat breakfast, do my hair, and bathe Jezebelle. We were ready to go by 8, and our timetable was looking excellent. Of course, Jezzie decided to tell us what she thought of our timetable…and our trailer, too. She would not go in. Just wouldn’t. Front feet yes, back feet, no. It took Dad and I an hour and 45 minutes of pacing and coaxing and telling and whipping and creative thinking. In the end we set up two corral panels in a V shape, right behind her. I led her in and Dad brought the panels closer and closer until she had no choice. So we got on the road at 9:45–behind schedule but still in good shape. Aaron met us at the fairgrounds with my number in hand: I was 163. We unloaded Jezzie and began prep work. My trusty groom and good friend Jen B, a veteran horse showman, arrived shortly. We cleaned Jezebelle up, polished her hooves, and combed out her mane and tail. Everyone kept asking how I was and telling me not to be nervous.
combing mane and blacking feet
I wasn’t at all, until I put my coat on. My custom-made saddlesuit coat has been hanging in the closet for months now and I’ve been itching to wear it. The coat is just so elegant and I feel like a million bucks in it (which is good, seeing as it seems like it cost almost that much). Somehow, putting the coat on was the moment it became real.
Soon we went to the warmup pen. Jezzie was in rare form, very perky and responding well. I felt good. We were going to rock out.
And then it was prime time. Now for the sake of the uninitiated, I should probably pause and explain the basics of the ritualistic practice known as “horse showing”. There are classes all day, sometimes running concurrently in multiple arenas. Class names refer to the type of riding or in-hand showing that they’re for, like “3-year-old geldings in-hand” or “Country English Pleasure” or “Huntseat Pleasure” or our class, “English Pleasure Junior Horse”. You compete in classes that you’re eligible for. People often ask me, “so do you like, jump? Do you run barrels?” No, I say. I ride in circles. “Oh…will you graduate to barrels or jumping someday?” Nope. I’m always going to ride in circles. So then they don’t say it but I know they’re thinking, “Well what in the world is the point of riding in circles?” So. the basic idea behind horse showing is exactly what it sounds like: you’re showing off. You want to be the best-dressed, best-groomed horse out there. And during all that circle-riding, the judge calls for different gaits: walk, trot, strong trot, canter, and maybe a hand gallop. The judge evaluates many things: in a performance class (like we did today) the horse’s attitude and way of moving are paramount. The judge is looking for collection and impulsion, cadence/steadiness/rhythm, high action, proper head position (headset). In an equitation class, the focus is more on the rider: how correct their position is and and how effectively he or she influences his horse. Anyway, today our class went really well. Jezzie was up in the bridle and working solid. We won 3rd place.
There were 3 horses in the class. And yes, I placed 3rd, which in this case could also be known as “last”. Pathetic? Nope. We most definitely WON 3rd place, and we have the ribbon to prove it. We won it with months of hard work and blood, sweat, and tears. (Jezzie bled sometimes, we both sweated like pigs, and I did enough crying for the both of us.) Everyone I talked to said that we were definitely the best pair in the class, and I know it’s the truth. But if that’s so, then why didn’t we win? Well, when the judge called a canter, we took up the wrong lead and I didn’t notice. It’d take a while to explain how leads work, so I’ll just summarize by saying it’s an unforgivable mistake. So we ended up with yellow instead of blue. It’s hard to be disappointed (although I might be, just a tiny bit) when I consider all that we were up against. Green horse. Greener rider. A mere 5 months of solid training. First show. Yellow is nothing to be ashamed of. We were there, and that’s what counts. Next month, we will be back on again. Same time, same place, same classes. Maybe next time, we’ll get blue. But if we don’t, that’s ok too.
Me, my pony, and my trainer. Aaaw.
More pics to come, because I know Suzanne had some great shots.
