That One Time

That One Time

Something very weird happened to me at the show this weekend. I’ve been showing for over 15 years, and the following has never happened:

I signed up classes appropriate for my horse and my riding level. I brought a well trained, seasoned horse to the horse show. I listened to what my trainer said, didn’t go off course and rode competitively… and I pinned well in every class.

Not only did I pin well, but I picked one of my two divisions and said “I will shoot for a tri-color in this division.” I didn’t scratch classes because I was too tired to make it through another round. I brought my A-game to those classes, and I straight up won Reserve Champion because I deserved it.

Not because the points were split all over the place. Not because there were only three horses in the class and one of them was a three legged donkey. Because I rode well, my horse listened and stepped up like a bad ass when I asked him to. Basically, we did really, really well.

I don’t write all of that out to sound like a braggart, although I realize that it does look like I’m very thoroughly patting myself on the back here. Instead, I need to let y’all in on a little secret about me.

I’m not a very good rider, and I’m an even worse horse shower.

My whole entire show experience has been strung together with duct tape. When I showed Elvis at all of those open shows and hunter schooling shows, I won ribbons because I took a lot of short cuts or the classes were so small and low quality that just getting over 12 jumps in the right order could get you a champion. Plus, I used to get so nervous that I couldn’t eat, talk or really even ride until it was over. Over used to be the best part of showing.

Showing Simon has been better, but marginally. When we won before, it was because the division was small or pretty much set up for beginners. In the hunters, any low ribbon was usually a gift from the judge for trying hard and having a horse that jumps cute… not because I nailed my distances, strides and lead changes. We have had so many shows where I came back and wrote to you all about the amazing learning experience and strides towards improvement we made. All of that was true. Each show was a huge learning experience, and we did improve.

If I pinned in the jumper ring on him, it was by the skin of my teeth. Either the classes were super small, or I narrowly escaped falling off because my horse always has my best interest at heart and will never buck if I’m unsteady in the tack. He not only takes a joke, but he takes an entire standup comedy routine. We usually got ribbons when we entered the jumpers, but it was rarely pretty.

There were some not so nice moments this weekend and times where I leaned and chipped (videos tomorrow!), but honestly… I was pretty damn solid. When my trainer yelled, “HEY MAYBE SIT UP AND TRY GOING STRAIGHT SOMETIME” we came back the next course sitting up and going straighter. I didn’t do my trademark Lauren move, stand-up-in-my-stirrups-in-a-rollback-and-balance-on-my-hands, and I didn’t come close to getting turned off my horse. Which is saying something, because I’ve been turned off my horse more than once at a horse show.

Tomorrow I will share all the nitty gritty details with y’all about the courses I entered, our placings and the places where we did well or need to improve. As always, there is room for improvement. That’s how riding is. It’s never complete.

But damn y’all, I actually showed up and performed and did really well. Today, I just want to soak that in a little bit.

50 thoughts on “That One Time

  1. HELL YEAH! I’m am over the moon happy for you, and so, so proud that you not only ride well but had fun!! You deserve it, you’ve worked hard!! Congratulations 😀

  2. Lauren, you ARE a good rider. That’s the thing with being devoted to a sport, you’re always striving for better. I wrote a whole post once about putting myself down in a class while waiting for ribbons, I told the girl next to me I probably wouldn’t place due to my atrocious riding. I placed ahead of her. I felt like such a jack ass. I saw your video, you looked great! You deserve to be proud of yourself!

  3. HELL YES!!! I so completely understand where you’re coming from. Anytime I actually do well, it’s usually a fluke or I got lucky or literally everyone else fell off or went off course or had a million penalties or I was riding against a beginner rider in a hack class that couldn’t get their horse to canter. So the joy you are feeling, the pride, the excitement – you have every right to revel in that!! Congratulations girl!! This is a massive accomplishment!

  4. Soak soak soak! It is more important to focus on what and why you did well. Congrats! I am glad you had fun and did well!I think this marks a change for you. Keep up the great work!

  5. Hell to the yes! It’s always such a loooong journey to get to this point and it’s kind of amazing when it happens. Bask in the glory!

  6. You totally need to pat yourself on the back. Brag. You rode well. You showed up and rode your horse into the ribbons. You COMPLETELY deserve a huge pat on the back. My trainer is always telling me after a good round and I pat and praise Cosmo, “Give Carey a pat on the back, too.” It’s ok to brag a little when you do a good job. 🙂 Congrats!!

  7. Girl, you bask in the glory all you want. You fuckin’ deserve it. Solid riding all the way around by the looks of the media you’ve shared on instagram!

  8. I’m so happy for you! It’s about damn time all the pieces came together for you. I heart the you and Simon partnership and I hope this is just the start of great things for you both!

  9. This is a great post. Your happiness and excitement are palpable! You and Simon deserve every bit of your successful show!

  10. This is the first time I’ve read your blog. My friend sent it to me because you described so perfectly how I feel at shows. You are an inspiration and give me hope! Congrats on a wonderful show!

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