Show Time!

Yesterday, I rode in a horse show!  Since Nox is still on rest, my friend (and owner of the new barn we're boarding at) Penny has graciously let me ride one of her horses for fun and for lessons.  Baya is a 4 year old warmblood mare (warmblood means she's part draft horse/part Thoroughbred) who Penny rescued a few months ago.  Back then, Baya was thin, sick, and recovering from having twins too young.  She was in need of some love, attention, and exercise.  Now, she's cute as a button and an absolute joy to ride.  We only started jumping her about 6 weeks ago, and she's a natural.  Penny and my trainer Beth suggested that I show her at the next horse show and after a week of mulling it over, I agreed.

I haven't shown a horse in 14 years.  I remember always being so nervous and feeling enormous pressure to do well for the horse's sake.  That nervousness always transferred to the horse I was riding and I never placed very well.  In fact, the last time I rode in a show class, the horse and I were so out of control that the judge actually had to jump out of our way to avoid being run over.  Needless to say, we came in dead last - I'm pretty sure the judge muttered something about the ring gate hitting us on the ass on the way out.

Over the years since, I lost interest in showing.  I didn't really have any opportunities to show anyway.  I was moving around the country, galloping through sage brush in Wyoming, and riding friend's horses sporadically when I had the chance.  It wasn't until I adopted Nox that I started thinking about horse shows, but I wasn't convinced that I'd have fun doing it again.

Through all the moves (I've lived in 5 states since graduating college), I kept two things with me: my riding dress boots and my stock pin.  My mom bought the boots for me with I was 14.  They fit perfectly and made me feel like a real rider.  I've kept them with me because classic riding boots never go out of style and I always thought I'd wear them with jeans or something.  It turns out that my 14 year old calves were much slimmer than my twenty and thirty something calves and I could never wear them with jeans - but I kept them anyway because just looking at them made me me feel like that 14 year old rider who felt special in her boots.  The stock pin was also a gift from Mom.  I've kept that with me for the same reason - it's a nice memento from my horse days that made me feel better about not having horses to ride.   Who knew that 14 years later, I'd be able to wear them in a horse show once again?

When I decided to show Baya, I pulled my boots out of the closet and my pin out of the jewelery box.  They both needed a good cleaning and shine.  Best Husband Ever offered to do a Marine Corps spit shine on my boots.   They came out perfect and wearing slim riding breeches, I was miraculously able to put them on!  I bought a second-hand show coat, a pair of breeches, gloves, and a show shirt, and I was all set.

Baya has never been in a show before and she's very young, and after my long hiatus from the ring, I went in to the show with no expectations.  My only goal was to stay on my horse, get her over the jumps, and have a good time.  I just smiled and rode for fun.  Once I saw that Baya was calm and responsive, any trace of nerves I had disappeared.  Baya and I placed 2nd in a jumping class - her first show and she earned 2nd!  Best Husband Ever and our barn buddies cheered wildly and clapped when our number and names were called and I couldn't have been prouder of this sweet little horse.

2nd place!

By the end of day, Baya and I earned 6 ribbons - mostly fourth and sixth places, but we beat a few people in most of our classes and frankly, I was just ecstatic to be out there.  I had so much fun and Baya performed beautifully.  We have a few things to work on before the next show in a few weeks - jumping over flowers boxes (she was a little worried about the flowers and hesitated a bit), picking up the right lead at the canter (I had to correct her a few times), and I need to make sure I keep my eyes up and shoulders back.  All in all, it was a great day! 

Best Husband Ever cheered us on and buffed my boots between classes (he really is the best). I received lots of compliments on my shiny boots!

Horse cuddles and more ribbons!

Oh yes, and my trainer volunteered me for an interview with the local news:

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/Horses-Jump--268805381.html

Oh boy. I don't have much to say about that, except the happiness and excitement were real.  And I'm kind of a dork on camera. 

Nox had to stay back at the barn, of course, but he's happy to stand in the sunshine, snort at the pigs, share his grain with Agnes and the chickens, and play with his neighbor Ellie.  After the show, I returned to the barn to unload horses and tack, and spent some time grooming and sitting with Nox. I've got the show bug again, and hopefully in a year or two I can show Nox.  He'll look so pretty all braided and tacked up.

Nox and Ellie