Crunch Time

It happens every year.  (Well this is my third year).  You've spent the winter thinking "oh I've got plenty of time" and then it suddenly hits you:  Oh crap.  Show Season's around the corner!!  When did this happen???

I won't deny, part of me doesn't even want to write this blog post because I feel like I'll jinx it.  In truth, I still don't actually fully know I'll be competing.  I know I will, but I kinda won't believe it till I see it if you know what I mean?

Belle's progress has been in leaps and bounds and it makes me so happy, so grateful that after every ride I just think: thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!  Cause it's all I can think.  Yesterday with the cool weather, she was having a blast!  Cantering (she would manage it in  a small space), bucking, turning and rearing.  I didn't realize the pony knew how!  Never seen her do it!

It was nice to see, but also terrifying.

Every time I ride I'm afraid it'll be too much and that she'll break again.  But I keep reminding myself that this time's different.  It feels different, she feels so good it makes me grin, and I've been praying before and after every single ride.

But, I think partly why I'm afraid is also because around this time last year, things were also going really really well and then it all poofed.

Although yesterday I had a short, but interesting conversation with someone.  My friend was having a jumping lesson while me and another boarder were tacking up and getting ready for a dressage test practice session!  She asked me if I jumped as high as my friend was jumping and I told her than I used to before I stopped jumping.  (Okay, not actually sure what height she was jumping because I didn't actually look, so I could've accidentally lied).

I went on to say that it was partly because Belle can no longer jump and that since then I've come to really, really enjoy dressage.  So I'm quite pleased with the switch (minus the extra memberships).  It made me grateful too, because I don't think I would've ever given the sport a chance had I not been thrust into it.

Things definitely happened for a reason.  And plenty of good has come out of it!  So much so it leaves me speechless.

I still haven't told the pony yet, though I may have accidentally let it slip.  My original plan was to just surprise her when we showed up at a dressage show.  So I'm hoping she didn't hear me.

I realized yesterday too that I'm more nervous about showing dressage than I was about doing the jumpers.  Which, oddly enough, is a relief.  I've been kind of worried that part of me just gave up on jumping and went to dressage because of fear.  But the fact that I'm even more nervous makes me realize that it's what I actually want to do.  Because otherwise, why would I be scared?

So, just have to do my best to be ready for June 9th!  And remember to send in my entry form way earlier than was needed in jumper land.