Final Horse Show of the Season: Recap and Resolutions

This past weekend marked my last horse show of 2015. I've come a long, long way since I started showing again last fall. I've moved back into the Jumper ring, and moved up 2 classes: from the 0.60s (2' Schooling Hunters) to the 0.80s, and finished out my last show at the highest I've shown in the last 3 years.

Friday afternoon, I came out after my disaster of a final (academics- not my thing anymore) for a lesson. I had originally planned on skipping the year-end barn show, and heading home early, but somehow H talked me into hacking Lexie, and coming back in a few hours to show Lexie in the Jumper ring. When I was hacking Lexie, there was a lot of focus on using my seat to lengthen and shorten her stride and keeping my weight in my heels in preparation for that evening.

We showed in the 2'6" jumpers, and 2'9" jumpers against one other rider, and WON both rounds by a healthy 5-10 second lead! It's not much, but it was definitely a high moment to end my showing season on. Not only had I moved up, switched rings, and ridden a difficult horse, the 2'6 ride was the best ride Lexie and I have had as a team.

I made an attempt to show Saturday, but developed a migraine with aura right before my first course; I jumped one fence and asked to be excused. I ended up scratching my other 3 courses. I can't beat myself up too much; I had finished 3 finals, barely slept, and shown the night before; I think my body was just screaming, "I'm done! Let me sleep!".

I need to figure out a new plan of attack for riding + showing, and my mini-mester coming up in the winter. I forgot this semester academics come first, and my grades unfortunately reflect it. I need to refocus so I can hit the ground running in January.

Goals for the upcoming show season:

• First in a 2'9/0.85m Jumper class against actual competition (more than 1 horse)
• Overcome my show nerves
• Quit. WHINING.
• Lighten up and have fun. I put so much pressure on myself to be perfect and win every time- it's not a realistic goal at this point in my life. I need to be grateful to be riding and competing at all throughout vet school.

- K & C