I’ve ridden with enough upper level riders to recognize the symptoms.

At some point, roughly 2 to 6 weeks before a big event they become

insane.

They start acquiring some weird facial ticks

and start exhibiting all kinds of odd behaviors

excessive irritability or just down right crazy stuff

like ripping their saddle off and jumping the sunken road bareback to see if the saddle was somehow inhibiting their ideal form.

So when I started fretting about…………

pretty much everything a month or so before THE BIG EVENT, I recognized the symptoms.

This was really happening.

I had 4, yes FOUR horses entered in upper level divisions. It wasn’t like they were loping around at Novice. The Zebrasaurus was doing our first Intermediate since I became even MORE bionic than I already was.

At our last Intermediate I had added some arm plates and screws to the ones I already had in my face.

Two of the newer horses were competing in the FEI divisions. Long courses, formal jogs…..

shadbellies…..

Tail braids…..

quartermarks……

And I was doing my very first Preliminary with Poison Ivy.

You know, the one that used to drop me at the first fence – no worries there right?!

Let’s just say a month out…….

I had some concerns.

The one thing I definitely can’t do when the big event finally comes around

is eat.

Possibly the funniest thing anyone said to me all week was on cross country day.

I had jumped around my first two courses

with two to go…….

and the BadEvent Husband asked if I wanted a chicken sandwich.