"Eighty percent of success is showing up"

Its been just a little over three months since I re-entered the horse world. At the beginning of this journey back, I was pretty sure I was just going to ride for pleasure, feel good on a horse again, and one day convince the sweet hubby that I needed my own. This plan was hatched before I climbed back up into the saddle and saw the view once again from the back of a horse.

Wow how things have changed over the course of a few months... I think the bug has bitten me harder than it did back in my youthful hunter/jumper days! I just committed myself and Gracie to our first show together (not really either of our first, my last one was of course about 20 years ago, and Gracie a respectable 6 years or so ago, but our first together and both of us having taken some "time off") Not only have I signed us up for for some English equitation classes at the regional show barn two months from now, but also we will be testing Intro A and Intro B in April. I'm thrilled, and incredibly nervous.

So for our lesson yesterday, our trainer had us run through a "faux show." Walk, trot, walk , trot, line up in the center. EASY, right? Not so much since we wont be alone in the show ring as we were yesterday. Back "in the day" I won 1st in most of my hunt seat equitation classes. I don't even remember being nervous about showing and competing with other horses. I'm almost terrified about it now. Gracie has a big trot, and being an off track TB, she likes speed. Oh, but did I mention the reason she stopped racing? She doesn't like to pass other horses, she actually will walk a slow walk just to not have to pass...herein lies the problem. How are we going to trot in the ring, a fast trot at that, but not pass other horses? I'm pretty sure a lot of praying is going to be involved that morning. And a lot of work at the barn recruiting other people to come ride with us and then let us pass, over and over and over.

There's more to be nervous about...but I'll describe that scenario another day, after the BIG SCARY TRAILER arrives for some loading practice.