This monthly blog goal was a bit derailed to say the least. But what is there to say during winter that’s any fun to write about or read about? The weather is soul-crushing, having surgery is no fun, and neither are surprise trips to the emergency room. But that was my winter. Time to put it behind me and move on now; it’s time to focus on the things I actually love to do. Riding, training, showing.
To reflect on winter… there was no showing, and there was very little actual training. But there was riding. As soon as I could ride post-surgery, I was on. As soon as the ice melted in the outdoor, I was there. If I had the rare opportunity to take a lesson, I did. But all winter long, it felt like I was spinning my wheels, not really making any progress like I should have been. And then after much encouragement from some very persuasive friends and my very supportive husband, I entered a spring show anyways. I had some craptastic rides following this, and then like magic I had one very non-craptastic ride. I had a mediocre warm up, and daylight was quickly slipping away, but the arena was dry and empty so I attempted to school through a test. My horse does not have particularly fancy extended gaits, and is not so talented with the lateral work, but he knows his job and he tries. We executed a fairly accurate test, which of course made me happy, but the real light bulb moment came during a simple movement, a 10 meter canter circle. I want to pinch myself just typing this, but it felt EASY. He felt balanced, he did not lose rhythm, he actually had some bend, and it was so fluid I actually had a moment to think, “wow this is really happening.”
This tiny achievement may sound silly, but if you have ever met my horse, you know that he has the natural turning radius of a school bus. Once at a clinic with Lauren Sprieser, I rode the, and I quote, “largest 10 meter circle [she] had ever seen”. So as I walked back to the barn with a big stupid grin on my face and promises of many peppermints to sweet Beau, I realized I’d been wrong about not making progress. We didn’t solve the riddle of the half pass or learn any new movements, but we had surely made progress. I have a stronger, more balanced, more uphill horse than I had last year. It may not all come together every single day during every single ride, but our arrow is pointed in the right direction and sometimes that is enough. It certainly may not come together like magic at the horse show, but now I know it just might. And boy, would I be sad if I didn’t take that chance.
I pack up and leave for the first show of 2018 in one week (cue panic) and no, I may not quite be ready. But, if I waited until I felt ready, I would be waiting forever. So off we go! Squash the fears down, put the doubt aside, and just do it. Because maybe, just maybe, things could go right.