Hmm.. what to write about first... Hmm... Want funny for my first entry back? I've got funny.
As many of you know, it's horse show season! And that means things are bound to get a little crazy. But even crazier, guess who is back in the saddle? ME! Libby and I were trying to think of when was the last year that I showed a full season. It was a while ago. Maybe 5 years? 6? And it shows, believe me, it shows. But I've made a little progress this summer and I have a good safe horse to ride who challenges me at every show. So I'm having a blast.
So, with that as my defense, and please forget that even though I haven't been showing I have attended hundreds of shows in the last 6 years, I will tell you about my "duh" moment a couple weeks ago.
There I was, in the sloppiest arena I had ever ridden in. Giant puddles, literally when we loped we splashed around the arena. In English Oscar wouldn't even pass off the rail and broke gait whenever I tried. It was a mess. This is also the show where the pleasure is after the games. And Libby being the worrier she is, did NOT want to be late so we had gotten to the show around 10:00 and waited for hours for pleasure to start. And it is finally the last class of the day. In I go.
We are splashing around and the announcer calls for a stop. Right in the middle of the largest puddle on the rail. And all I could think was that Oscar would not want to turn around in that mess. And the announcer gives the call "Reverse your horses". Now you non horse people are going to probably think I was perfectly sane when I started to back my horse up. Literally I was so relieved because I got to back first and get out of the puddle before we would have to turn around. The announcer says "Reverse your horses". Again. And I was thinking that it was odd that they would make the call to reverse again, but we backed up again. And Oscar backed so nicely. I was so proud. Thinking to myself that things are going pretty well, the announcer says again, "Reverse your HORSES". So I look around wondering what the heck is going on and see everyone facing the other way and then the light dawns on my dim mind. OH yeah, reverse means go the other way.
I started laughing, the other people in the ring were laughing, the judge was laughing and even the announcer comes on to thank you for the laugh at the end of a long day. In fact she came by the trailer after my class to thank me as well. It truly was hilarious. I was even laughing at myself and don't mind sharing my story one bit!
But then... there was another show a week or so ago when the judge called for our class to reverse on the diagonal. I even knew what to do. I waited for the corner, cut across the arena and suddenly realized I was still going the same direction. How did I manage to attempt to reverse and STILL not get reversed. Apparently, I still have a few kinks to iron out. But when I figure out how to go both ways, well, you all had just better watch out!
Happy to be back in the show ring -
Melissa
No comments:
Post a Comment