Ribbons ARE important to me

Why, yes I do show for ribbons. Yes, it is important to me. Yes, I do care what color it is. And lastly, yes, I work very hard and put in the hours so that I can win that blue ribbon. 

I don't understand two specific camps of reward. 

1. Everyone should come away from a sporting event with a ribbon/trophy, etc.

2. It's not about what color your ribbon is, it's about the journey.

Let's discuss #1. 

The point of sport competition is just that, competition. There's a winner and there are those that didn't win. Period. The End. If you wanted to win but didn't, work harder. If you wanted to go and at least come home with some kind of prize, work harder. Life doesn't hand out 'you didn't win but you are still awesome' prizes. Life hands you hard crap you have to deal with and sometimes you come out a winner and sometimes you scrape by - and you're still happy about that! 

#2.

I do agree it is a journey to get to a milestone in a sport. I do agree how you get there is just as important as getting there. I don't agree that nowadays it's frowned upon if someone wants to actually win something. People around me are all like, I just want to go and have fun. Fine. Me too. I just hope I don't fall off. Fine. Me too. 'I don't care about ribbons'. I DO! A ribbon, specifically a blue one, doesn't define that I've met a particular goal (because sometimes I win with a less then perfect round - usually actually). And it doesn't say I'm best in the world either. But it is something tangible that I can touch and feel that allows me to provide credibility that what I've accomplished.

At the beginning of last show season, I came home with mostly red ribbons. But over the summer, my riding improved and so did my results. The first June show and the October show were the same classes/venue. The last November show I finally moved out of the 12" altogether and managed to finish strong. 

First show, June 2012, 9 classes - 5 seconds, 1 third, 1 fourth, 2 fifths, 12-18"

Aug 2012, 7 classes - 6 first, 1 second, 12-18"

October 2012, 9 classes - 6 firsts, 1 second, 2 thirds, 2 Division Champions, 1 Medal Class Champion, 12-18"

Nov 2012, 4 classes - 2 first, 1 second, 1 third, Green Rider Division Champion 18-23"

I've already had my first show this year, and most of the 6 classes I was in only gave clear round ribbons (which for me is a non-event since my horse rarely takes a rail). And we didn't place as high in the flat EQ class because Sam and I were very tired (last class) and the judge had use sitting trot/two point, etc MUCH longer then we are used to going around and he had a little outburst at the very last right canter pickup. I was not upset with me or my horse as I'm sure he was as tired as I was, but I was upset that I wasn't as prepared for the class (that I was confident I could win) and therefore didn't bring a blue ribbon home. THAT is why it's important to me.

I want a blue ribbon?! I better get our butts in gear and work harder in case we get another really hard judge that makes us go round and round for a good 10mins. It also told me that we barely made it through 6 classes (5 were jump classes) so our overall fitness needs a boost before the next show.

When I'm not at the barn, I have a daily reminder at my desk of what awesomeness I've accomplished with my partner and why I keep working so hard. We're not talking Olympic dreams or killer workouts. We're talking about maintaining a level a riding to accomplish our goals... which for this season are local schooling shows and hopefully showing 2' jumps by June.

But every time I show, I will be riding for blue.

The top of my desk where I work from home - keeping an eye on the prize

And climbing

Wednesday, I rode about a half an hour. We worked on a steady rhythm and because I had sleepy Sam, I got brave. We jumped the black box with rail to the brown gate with rail. Trot in, jump 25" then canter the line to the 22" gate. Easy breezy. I normally do that combination without any rails. I definitely need to keep getting reps in, but it's a little bit easier every time. I was very pleased with myself.

black box with rail (left),  25" to the brown gate with rail and orange flowers (right),  22"

Today I had an extra lesson and because it was raining pretty hard, we stayed indoors and worked on flying changes. We figured out a really good figure 8 exercise that I am able to execute to really apply my leg aids correctly and timely. Sam has an auto change one direction, but can't seem to get his stiff side (left to right) to switch, even when asked. We can do really clean and fast trot changes, but we can't do those forever.

In the beginning there was no balance

Still looking back, I've come a long long way. Here's how I started jumping:

In this video, I'd had Sam for about 3 weeks and this was my 3rd time jumping with him... which was also my 3rd time jumping ever, if you don't count the 8 week camp in 5th grade. Up to this point other then some random riding scattered about in the previous 8 years, I'd had almost 2 solid years of 3x/wk riding up to this point, all dressage and on a previous horse.

I have to laugh at my stirrups in the first ten seconds, hehe. Then I play it again and watch how high I post. Hehe. And then my dressage-y canter halfway through. And my kid videoing and cheering me on. What a fun journey so far.

Looking back, moves me forward

I was looking back at some videos from shows last summer and realized that while I was doing two divisions most of last season, the lower one for warmup since most of the places didn't have warmup rings, even from my very first show I was already jumping 18" from the start.

I'm glad to have done 18" at my first show this year, but I guess I forgot that I was competing that all last year. I knew I had not made my goal of 2'3" at the end of the summer, but I didn't realize how far off I was from it. Need to push more since the only thing holding me back is mental. My riding is ready to move up. And secretly, I think my horse wants me to move up since he tends to just keep trotting right over the 12"ers now.

So, my trainer and I have started incorporating 2' verticals...UGH. Visually they are intimidating for me. Jumping them, they are easy. But even though it's all super smooth, afterwards I'm always like, 'whew, that was scary'. Sometimes I say it out loud too :)

Here's a short video of me from Friday, no lesson, by myself (hubbie videoing) and it's my second pass at it since he missed shooting the first one. I usually only have enough guts to take it once. Glad I went again, as it was a perfect distance to the vertical. No way I was going to go a third time ;)

Looks so easy watching on video... good picture to keep in my head. I've done it, it was easy.

A new schedule

Today in my jump lesson my trainer and I discussed a plan to incorporate some longline days into Sam's schedule (my least favorite activity) to help his fitness.

Of course there will be days off, as the bullets at the bottom suggest it's only a 5-6 day work week. But I've put what I am able to do on each day, longline on the days I have less time. If life gets in the way, that will be day off and I'll just pick back up on the next day. If I fill the week with every day at the barn, then we'll take the next Sunday off so we max out at 6 days for that week.

October 2012

Schedule

Sunday          ride

Monday         longline/lunge

Tuesday         jump lesson

Wednesday    ride

Thursday        longline/lunge

Friday             ride

Saturday         jump lesson

Minimum Requirements

•    Longline/Lunge 1-2x week

•    Jump lessons 2x week

•    Flat/jump rides 2x week 

A wee foray into jumpers

This past weekend Sam and I entered a low key jumpers schooling show. We jumped an easy 18" and had clean rounds. We got to try gamblers in which I learned I should circle tightly to the left on Sam, not to the right, his stiffer side because otherwise we overshoot the next jump.

I knew going into the weekend that we were not in top form having reduced our ride days these past 3 months of winter. But we went well until class 6 which was a W/T/C Equitation and the judge was vicious by making us trot forever posting, then sitting and right into 2-point, each several large arena laps - in both directions. My legs were both burning and jello at the same times. By the time we got to the canter segment, of which we had a break since they divided us into two groups and my group got to rest first (THANK GOODNESS) I was wiped and so was Sam.

We cantered his easy way first to the left, including a few laps of extended canter (at noobie rider level?!). When we went right, a few strides after I asked, Sam put up a little fit and tried to run out left in the big curve while humping a bit nearly pinning a large grey horse and his rider into the wall. Sam was breathing quickly and loudly... I didn't blame him, I was too! We managed to regroup and finish, but I knew we definitely were going to have be penalized for the outburst. We took 4th out of 10 riders.

Sam was sweaty around his ears (he rarely ever sweats) and we were both kaput. We scratched our last 7th class which was a gambler round at a larger height.

We had fun, was late for the first time to a class (Sam had a muddy potty escapade) and I managed to feel in control even though Sam was strong to all the jumps. :D

Here's a video of one of our rounds. I thought we were going a pretty good clip while I was riding but watching the video, I can see why we do hunters and not jumpers :)

I'm too sexy for my boots

Tredstep Donatello Field Boot
Available @ SmartPak

Show season is nearly here and this year I've finally invested in tall boots. I seem to have short legs from knee to ankle but wider calves, so based on measurements I could never find anything off the shelf. But recently, based on outstanding reviews, I ordered Tredstep Donatello Field Boots.

At most, I thought they might be too tall. But with the lifts that come with them and some breaking in that will drop them a bit, I think they might be just fine. :D  So don't be afraid to take a chance, esp with SmartPak's awesome return policy. I never would have guessed an 18" tall boot would work on my measured 16.5" - so something's not perfect about the system. I thought maybe they measured from the spanish top, but it's 18" from the inside.


I plan to start riding in them this week since my first show is only 2 weeks away. They are fabulous walking around in my house. The leather is very nice and I'm a leather snob. I can also tell they will break in very easily which must have something to do with that flex area build into the ankle. Love them already - but riding will be the real test :)

Kensington SmartBlue® Boot Bag

Best part is I used a gift certificate I got for Christmas to help defray the cost. But even so, they seem well worth the price point. Two boot bags should arrive this week. I'm hoping the Kensington SmartBlue® will be tall enough, reviews weren't specific on the exact height but it should be a close fit.

Update: The Kensington bag was a perfect fit for my boots, which was awesome because it matches the rest of my 'travel bags' for shows.