Butterflies for Breakfast: A Typical Day at the Show

Last weekend, I competed in a show at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. It reminded me how much I love showing. I love dressing up, I love the excitement, but most of all, I love spending the whole day at the barn.

Despite my pre-ride jitters,
I always do my best to pose for my mom's pictures.

My typical show day starts early. I wake up and walk to the fridge, but I can never get myself to have any breakfast. I'm too nervous. I'll drink a couple sips of water, pack up, and get in the car.

I always make one stop before the barn, though, and that's my local Vons. I pick up the same thing every time: two vitamin waters (one dragon fruit and one lemonade flavored) for each day of the show. It's something I started a while back, and has become more of a superstitious thing than anything.

So, once I have my vitamin waters, I head for the show.  I say hi to my baby, Esso, and sit down in my trainer, Kristina Harrison's, tent. It never takes long before my hunger triumphs over my nervousness, and I eat a muffin, some chips, or whatever other delicious and unhealthy treat I find sitting around on our table. I spend the morning lunging, watching rides, braiding Esso, and dressing myself up for my ride.

About half an hour before I get on my nerves really kick in. I sit down, sip on my vitamin water, and go over my tests again and again, until I am absolutely positive that I'm not going to forget where I'm going half way through my ride. That half hour tends to fly by pretty fast, and, whether I'm ready or not, it's showtime.

Making a Comeback

Last weekend, Esso and I had our debut into first level. We competed at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on Saturday and Sunday.

Rison and I inbetween rides at the horse show
Photo By Barbara Bella

On the first day, Saturday, I rode twice and both of my rides were very conservative. I ended up getting good scores but my trainer, Kristina Harrison, wasn't happy. She said it was boring, she wanted me to really go for it. She wanted me to "wow" the judge. I went home that evening feeling disappointed. When I woke up the next day, though, I just felt determined. Krisi always says that if you want to do better, you have to ride better, and that was exactly what I was going to do. I was going to ride harder than I had ever ridden before, and deliver my best performance yet.

After I finished my first ride on Sunday the judge (I had the same judge on both days) yelled out to me from her booth that my ride had been a great improvement from the day before. Even Krisi was more than happy with it. I ended up getting a 77.5%, by far the highest score I have ever received. I couldn't have been more excited. Did I already feel like my legs were going to fall off halfway through my ride? Yes. But it paid off!

Krisi and all of her clients also did very well at the show. I was especially happy that my friend Rison  and her horse Etsie, who rode the Prix St. Georges for the first time, did great in all of their rides. More than that. They killed it. Congratulations Rison!

I will post a video of my ride as soon as I have it!