This is a continuing story so you might want to check out Part 1, 2 & 3 first.
After falling off The Zebrasaurus 2 days in a row.
First in my big “move up” in the Welcome Stakes and then in the 1.10 meter do-over.
And then, to add insult to injury, getting eliminated in my move up on The Zebaysaurus.
I was really doubting my life choices.
I’ve always joked that some other addiction would probably be cheaper and better for my health than this whole horse addiction thing.
I mean. Let’s think about this.
I’ve owned over 100 horses,
yes, really.
And if you want to see a “few” of them, you can check them out here
And I’ve taken more lessons than I could possibly count.
I’ve been in a full time program for more than a decade with multiple lessons on multiple horses every week. I’ve more than paid my “college tuition” in learning how to do this stuff.
I’ve competed all over the country (or at least all over 3/4 of it.)
And I STILL couldn’t get my “unicorn” that I’ve been competing at 1.25 meters with around a 1.10 meter course – over jumps that fall down.
In spite of all those horses, and all those lessons and all those competitions….
I still cannot see a distance to save my life.
Check this video out, where I literally miss at a ground pole no less than 8 times in one lesson.
I’m 50 years old this year. I’ve been riding since I was 6.
And – I – still – can’t – do – this.
And I’m still “Bad” at it.
This was 10 years ago.
This was this week.
I got up in the morning on Sunday, the Zebaysaurus was back in the 1.0 meter and I decided if I couldn’t get him around this time, it was seriously time to give up.
I’ve spent way too many hours, way too much of my “retirement”, ridden way too many horses and taken way too many lessons to be this bad at it. If all that time, energy, investment, and determination can’t get me around a meter on a perfect unicorn of a horse, it really is time to hang up my spurs.
And while “quitting” has never really been in my DNA.
This time, I meant it.
I spoke to my husband and told him if it didn’t go well today, I was leaving Mississippi and going home – TODAY.
That I was done with this. He said something like, “I hate that for you because I know how much you love it.” And I told him there was only so much feeling like a failure that I could take, and maybe it was time to realize I have zero ability and to find something else to do with my time and money.
But……..
I was still going to give it one – last – try.
So I showed up. Warmed up, maybe not quite as perfectly as I had earlier in the week, but good enough. Went in the ring, and jumped around.
Phew.
We did it.
It wasn’t perfect, but we jumped all the jumps and my best rides were to the combinations (which is where we’ve been getting in trouble – if you recall the 2 strides in the 1 stride fiasco….)
I guess BadEventer was going to stay at the show for the rest of the week after all.
Then of course, there was the matter of the Zebrasaurus………
To be continued………………….
