Sunday, September 20
Sep. 20th, 2026 10:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
Surviving another fun end of season horse show at the barn.
We didn't clean up for high ribbons, but we did get a first for an equitation class (which mattered more to me anyhow) and a second for our "special talent".
We made an absolute mess out of our first class of the day, which was a complicated obstacle course at liberty, and River tripped fairly dramatically while trying to get around a barrel (I was not mounted).
I'm a little concerned, as he also tripped dramatically a week ish ago. It's concerning, because a horse should be more sure-footed than that.
I ended up with a different person in the "fun human obstacle class", as several people didn't come after all, there's a bug going around. The young woman did go around with R, and that was fine. I also found that I sincerely WOULD have been fine doing that with her, and not worried about placing low in the class. It makes a difference knowing that there was not a "high points" element to the show, not that I would have achieved that this year after all.
Anyhow, it's nice how relaxed River was at the event, and I can remember a time when that would not have been the case. He was happy to stand around with all the commotion, paid attention in the arena and not thinking about his buddies or the strange horses just outside the rail, and he did his best all the way through. That's a pretty big deal to me.
We really do have a great group of people, very supportive of each other, and no snarkiness. That makes it easier to TRY things, when if it doesn't work out you don't feel like everyone's going to be judging you.
Nice to see all the younger people grow in their abilities, and to see the huge improvements in so many horses that came to the barn needing help.
It's still amazing to me to remember how many of those horses were full of fear and anxiety be calm, steady horses now for the kids.
Of course it did feel like it was dragging on though. R loves to have a show, and wants to have ALL THE CLASSES, and inevitably they end up running far, far behind, and there is a point when you'd just like to go home.
It was also fairly hot and dusty, and you're just standing around outside waiting your turn all day.
Anyhow, it's done, and all is well (though River might be sore from tripping).
My Sweetie showed up right at the end, and he did help with some of the clean up, and to chat with people.
He was working with Dan today (no helper Brandon) taking the forms off of the concrete, and he returned a fair amount of unopened concrete bags in town, and brought back bedding shavings for the winter.
We came home, and chatted, and just had a quiet rest of the evening. We were both pretty pooped.
After a while we ate and watched an episode of "The Witcher". We're on Season 2. I never did bother to watch any of the seasons after Henry Cavill left the show.
Surviving another fun end of season horse show at the barn.
We didn't clean up for high ribbons, but we did get a first for an equitation class (which mattered more to me anyhow) and a second for our "special talent".
We made an absolute mess out of our first class of the day, which was a complicated obstacle course at liberty, and River tripped fairly dramatically while trying to get around a barrel (I was not mounted).
I'm a little concerned, as he also tripped dramatically a week ish ago. It's concerning, because a horse should be more sure-footed than that.
I ended up with a different person in the "fun human obstacle class", as several people didn't come after all, there's a bug going around. The young woman did go around with R, and that was fine. I also found that I sincerely WOULD have been fine doing that with her, and not worried about placing low in the class. It makes a difference knowing that there was not a "high points" element to the show, not that I would have achieved that this year after all.
Anyhow, it's nice how relaxed River was at the event, and I can remember a time when that would not have been the case. He was happy to stand around with all the commotion, paid attention in the arena and not thinking about his buddies or the strange horses just outside the rail, and he did his best all the way through. That's a pretty big deal to me.
We really do have a great group of people, very supportive of each other, and no snarkiness. That makes it easier to TRY things, when if it doesn't work out you don't feel like everyone's going to be judging you.
Nice to see all the younger people grow in their abilities, and to see the huge improvements in so many horses that came to the barn needing help.
It's still amazing to me to remember how many of those horses were full of fear and anxiety be calm, steady horses now for the kids.
Of course it did feel like it was dragging on though. R loves to have a show, and wants to have ALL THE CLASSES, and inevitably they end up running far, far behind, and there is a point when you'd just like to go home.
It was also fairly hot and dusty, and you're just standing around outside waiting your turn all day.
Anyhow, it's done, and all is well (though River might be sore from tripping).
My Sweetie showed up right at the end, and he did help with some of the clean up, and to chat with people.
He was working with Dan today (no helper Brandon) taking the forms off of the concrete, and he returned a fair amount of unopened concrete bags in town, and brought back bedding shavings for the winter.
We came home, and chatted, and just had a quiet rest of the evening. We were both pretty pooped.
After a while we ate and watched an episode of "The Witcher". We're on Season 2. I never did bother to watch any of the seasons after Henry Cavill left the show.
no subject
Date: 2026-09-21 03:33 pm (UTC)The equitation classes always meant more to me, too. After all, anyone can buy a really excellent horse and look good on them. But it takes a lot to ride really well!
no subject
Date: 2026-09-21 06:28 pm (UTC)Since River isn't always a very quick or agile horse, we tend not to do as well in classes that showcase those talents. He's not flashy, but he's generally calm and steady which is what I wanted.
So, it's nice to do well in a class that is about being correct.