Post event; the retrospective

This past weekend is the first time I feel NO regrets at all on a competitive venture.  Literally EVERY show, schooling or otherwise, I have always had ... something I regretted.  Usually it was the way I rode something; I jumped ahead, I dropped my leg, I didn't use my crop, I didn't make it to the warm up ring in enough time.  For ONCE, I did my absolute 100% best, didn't let my horse down, and didn't let myself down.

I got to look at the pro pics on site, and I am so pleased at how they turned out.  On xc, EVERY pic shows me tight as a tick and in perfect balance; no slipped legs, no jumping ahead, sufficient release, etc.  As a result, Tiki looks confident and is jumping well over all the jumps.  Yay me!:)

I honestly and truly have to thank my support system.  I know all I did was get a yellow ribbon at a USEA Novice event labelled "move up" difficulty level, but I just feel like I hit such a milestone and I'm so excited about it.  I had SO much positive support and good energy leading up, it was impossible to defeat myself, as I have done in the past.  Honorary little sis Nicole as been so important to me in terms of lifting me up and making me feel as though I can do anything:)  She's kicked my butt, she's loaned me tack and bits, and she's even clothed me, lol!  She just doesn't know how much I appreciate her, and I know that without her support I wouldn't have done as well.

My other good friends that are now mommies also have laid the groundwork for me to believe that I CAN do this.  I can take my hunter/jumper background and self teach myself and my horse an entirely new discipline!  They have been there in spirit, they've been there for real, and they've made me believe I'm more than just "mediocre".

Even kids at the barn have gotten into helping me!  I had one of the lovely young ladies that owns a horse at PWF posting pics of Neville on my facebook wall and telling me we're going to KILL IT like Neville.  Sounds silly, but I really do think it helped my mental state.  We ALL know half the game is the mental one, and my brain managed to be in the right place at the right time.

One of A's inspirational photos

I'm so proud of my horse.  He has finally become a bit of a xc machine.  I KNOW that I can tackle another N course, and he will eat it up!  He was just a little freebie; an ottb with an old bow on the front left and a race record of 7 starts and a grand total of $1200 in winnings.  He has become one of my reasons for existing every day.  I get up and work LITERALLY 5 days a week for HIM.  I'm proud to say he's 100% MY retraining project.  It has been SUCH a fun journey, and I can't wait to continue it!

B and honorary sis!  Amazing support system!