The day before a competition is always the most nerve racking.
You have time to think about everything that could go wrong, contemplating every possible scenario. Sometimes it is worse when you think about the chance of winning.
This leaves the biggest room for error, and failure. All that hard work gone to waste.
Of course it never really goes to waste, every step is a lesson for both myself and my horse, Moment (Mo). I just have to keep telling myself that. So, with qualifiers coming up and high expectations I diligently clean my tack and prepare the horsebox ready for a very early start.
The day starts for me at 5.30am leaving enough time to get everything together and feed the horses by 6am. This is shortly followed by packing a few remaining items, one last check and locking up. I then have the task of getting the horsebox out of the drive.
Although this may seem easy, if you knew the width and angle of the driveway and the little country lane it backs on to you would understand this is the first mammoth task of the day.
Once finally out (after moving and returning all the other cars off the drive) the box has to be reversed up the lane, too narrow to turn around in, and the horses get in. With my eyes still half closed Mo’s travel boots are thrown on, along with a thin rug and bandaged tail and we head off to the competition.
I arrive late, as usual, and because my first class is just going in I take the time to walk around and find where everything is (and enter of course). The atmosphere is busy and tense; everyone seems to be rushing around, probably because they are also late.
Mo is brushed, sprayed, polished and painted; a huge change from the muddy thing I brought in from the field less than 2 hours ago and we head off to our first class. Every ring is really full and although this means less chance of getting placed I am pleased for the organisers as the weather has been so bad this year it has been hard for organisers to rustle up enthusiasm.
Although many may think showing is boring, there is an art to it. You have to make your horse look as nice as possible, move as nice as possible, and know every little flaw (to hide as much as possible) and the strengths (to try and distract from the flaws). After each person shows their horse to the best of their ability the judge and steward quietly discuss who should be picked.
It is tense while everyone waits in silence and eye up their competition to try and figure their chance of winning. Then the winner is announced (followed by runners up to fourth) and rosettes are handed to the chosen few. A lap of honour breaks the silence and a loud variety of applause and cheers come from the audience.
In the end I competed in four classes, only managing to place 5th in one of them. Although at first it appears a rather disappointing day, Mo went better then she has ever gone before with some absolutely gorgeous moments (also some pretty bad ones too) but, all in all, she is improving. I also got that all important qualification for Equifest 2013 in the ridden show hunter class.
What next? Qualify for the working hunter classes (that’s jumping followed by flatwork for all the non-horsy people out there).
Hopefully in the next show we shall come away with a few more placing but until then its practice, practice, practice!
Hannah x
