ANOTHER BLOG RIGHT?

So, I came into the barn last night after XC schooling and as is customary in the City Barn, a barn peep asked how we did.  And like any eventer, I retold the tale of a windy day, and the ride on a bossy/pissy/make-me mare...  you know, every stinking detail.  And as any good barn peep, she listened, commented, nodded and ended by saying wryly, "I'm sure you'll be blogging about this one...."

Off to rule the world!
Photo by Jeff Phaneuff

Oh no, have I become that person who writes every detail of her life out for the world to read? {{{Not really, wink-wink-nudge-nudge, I do have some secrets!}}}

"What doesn't kill me, makes me strong!"

 I swear Sugar thinks I live a simple, easy... maybe even a gifted life.  And, I sometimes think that maybe she figures she was put on this earth to let my dreams run wild , to believe that all of the possibilities are endless and that fame and glory are right there in front of me.  Yet, in any given moment, she also sees it as her job to make me want it sooo bad that I will work HARD to achieve it...  'cause my lil' Pinto Pony can really wreak havoc on my expectations.

Running XC on Sug is an amazing experience...  kick her on and she is unflappable...  Get her revved up and forward and she attacks this phase as if she was running Rolex.  XC schooling?  Not so much...  I am absolutely certain that she sees no reason to leave her new found (and inseparable) friends.  Every effort is a spook, scoot and bouncy quick turns... around blades of grass.  And the bolting to be back to the group is really not a part of my pre-show training.

Sug makes me earn every fence.  I watch the others in my group... gallop away, do their courses, work on their problem areas and I yearn for that ease.  And, in all that yearning, I find that by watching and seeing their sense of fun and accomplishment, I learn, adapt and then marry my Inner Cowgirl with my Inner BAHB.

Photo used with permission
www.dexterpix.com

This XC school started out frustrating, hard and the "I" in QUIT felt insurmountable.  You know what?  The middle got good and then I wanted to stop while we were ahead.  I said to the folks around me, "I think I'm good for the day."  And, in support, they agreed.  My trainer did not.

It takes a good trainer to know when to hold them and when to fold them.  She gave me one more course with bigger jumps allowing me options to go lower, "if I wanted to".  And off we went... nailing everything until we came to the table...  Sug stopped...  not because she was naughty but we were going down hill, she was on her forehand and unbalanced (um, and I leaned).  And we had to do it again...  better than ever!  I felt so good that I added two more bigger jumps.

The final rider went and as we were about to walk back to the trailers, I brightly added, "I felt great!  I was gonna jump the Chevron!"  Then my Eventing Trainer said, "OK, do it then!"  What?  What?  Oh no, I'm done, you said we were done!"

So, not the Chevron...  but she gave me another slightly bigger course...  and, I went and did it!  EXACTLY what I needed to own the day!

I left the XC course feeling like a ROCK STAR!  And, Sugar was my most spectacular Princess!  Life is indeed good!