2020, it's been a year of ups and downs, panic and fear, suffering, trepidation, patience, kindness, happiness and that is just from horse back riding. I learned new skills, techniques and got out of my comfort zone which gave me excellent foundation for the two shows I participated in the latter half of the year. I spent the first half of the year on injured reserve. I tore my Achilles tendon on my left foot at the 2019 End of the Year show and spent about 4 months recovering from that. Instead of riding Silver bareback I rode him in my dressage saddle without stirrups. I wasn't going to give up actual riding for 4 months. So i "schooled" dressage for about 6 weeks, mainly sitting trot. I got brave and cantered a few laps.
it was time well spent as I just got to fool around with my horse and watch my kids ride. My daughter had to sit out the last couple of horse shows in 2019 because of "growing pains", it's a real thing. Her muscles and tendons/ligaments had not caught up with her bones, so she was in a lot of pain.
We were lucky our state and county considered horse back riding exercise. We were able to go to the barn several times a week. We got exercise but most importantly we got human contact from outside our family. We got to socialize! Very important for everyone to socialize. Horse people know how to distance socially especially around horses, if you don't maintain proper distance, there is a fairly good chance your horse is going to kick another horse. Maintain at least one adult horse space, or two ponies space from each other.
I was released for riding in June, yay! Just in time for hot weather. I still had to be careful with not over stretching my left leg. It's not easy remembering not to put your left heel down while riding especially when it has been so ingrained over a lifetime, but pain was a quick reminder. I used my 3 foot tall mounting block to get on and off the horse while injured. And now my horse now walks over to the mounting block at the end of the ride. It helps both my aching knee and feet not to slam down on them.
AFter slugging, er, I mean riding through the hot, humid summer, I was ready to start competing. But my trainer does not like to show in the summer, too hot and humid. It's hard on both horse and rider. My husband decided to go to his second competition this year in October. Everyone in my family was riding in the competition but me. I didn't bring any show clothes because this was my hubby's time in the show ring, not mine. Well, I regretted not bringing any show clothes because the division he was in didn't have enough riders in it, so I got up early Saturday mornin, drove to Dallas from Tyler and returned to the Tyler Rose Horse Park late Saturday morning, so I could ride in the division. It was well worth it, the fences just came so easily. We got all our strides and even our lead changes. Silver was like point me in the right direction and I'll make everything happen. And it did. It was a two day show but it was the best ride I had ever had over fences in that division. We didn't do as well on the flat. My husband beat me on the flat! But I won Champion of the Rusty Stirrups division.
The end of the year show proved to be a bit more challenging for Silver and I. Even my husband had trouble with Scout. Scout seemed to decide that he was going to go fast over the course. I'm proud of my husband for staying the course and not giving up on his horse or the show.
the last day of the show, my husband and I entered the 18" equitation classic. I was scared to death. My earlier hunter rounds were terrible in the Rusty Stirrups division. I could barely get Silver to move faster than a tranter and he practically crawled over the fences, even the judge was telling me to use more leg - true story. I pushed through my anxiety about the Classic and ended up third, true I was beaten by an 8 year old but I had a lot of fun in the ring. I got Silver off my leg and I was determined to make every fence and lead change work. No trantering and crawling over fences for us, baby!
So after analyzing myself this year, I realize the longer I wait for a show, it seems the worse I do. My trainer will enter me into a division on a lark and I usually do well. I believe I am over thinking it and scaring myself. I won the Rusty Stirrup division because I wasn't there to win, only to help fill up the division. The end of the year show, I was there to win and the pressure I put on my self caused me to not do as well as I could. Perhaps I should drink a couple of sips of whiskey before I enter the show ring. I'm not sure how to relax during a competition. If showing is about having fun, why do I want to barf?
When Silver is balanced, collected and uphill, all our spots to the jumps become effortless. I have to remember to sit back, half halt when necessary and wait for the jump. I like to jump ahead and "help" Silver jump. I need to remember it's his job to jump it, it's my job to get him to the right jump and patiently wait. And my helping him, actually hinders him. Sunday told me to work on getting him off my leg and not get behind it. which is really a nice way of saying, stay in rhythm with your horse. Be connected, be one.
