Silly Fun

“Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans.  It is lovely to be silly at the right moment.”

                                                                                                                            -          Horace

Silly Fun, that’s what I was hoping for as I loaded Admiral up for our trip to Longview.  Entering Admiral in the Starter division wasn’t my Plan A for the start of our eventing season.  Heading to Longview with one cross country school, one dressage school, and a couple of hacks up the gravel road was not the best preparation I could have hoped for.  Inches of rain, week after week, plus a surprise snow scattered in here and there to keep things interesting, did not prepare the footing the way anyone wanted.  But that’s what we got and so we made silly fun of it.

Eventing isn’t cheap, but that doesn’t mean it has to be all business.  If at the end of the day you and your horse make it home safely, it’s perfectly acceptable to have a little fun along the way.  Admiral and I did just that.

Keeping it chill before Dressage.

We didn’t even canter in our dressage warm-up, just kept it chill.  We put forth an acceptable test.  It wasn’t grand, but we managed to do our test on the rail instead of on the quarter lines and that was a big improvement from the first test.  I also caught myself being a thinking rider.  Instead of just trotting around the outside of the ring in the well-worn track five feet from the fence, I took the time to move Admiral over right next to the scary white fence before the test started.  Seems pretty straight forward, but it’s something I hadn’t thought of before right then.  Score one for me.  We were still counter bent and above the bit for most of the test, but we had two nice halts, so score one for Admiral too.

Killer Log

Admiral’s confidence was not high in the cross country warm-up.  There was a large and in-charge horse bouncing around that really bothered him.  Can’t say I blame him much and after regaining my balance after every spook, I couldn’t help but giggle and my frisky little guy.  Trying to regain Admiral’s composure, we literally walked out of the start box.  There was no optimum time for the Starter division, so we could have walked the whole course.  My competitive streak kicked in and I tried to trot to the first jump before I really had his brain.  It was a bad call and it resulted in a highly embarrassing refusal.  Oh well, you just have to laugh when your horse thinks a six inch log is going to eat him alive.  We got around the rest of the course, all be it a bit tentatively.  We may have taken a slightly longer route then was necessary.  We were just cooking along at such a lightning speed that I thought I was riding Novice and headed straight for the water jump.  Spotting my tiny little cabin over on the left reminded me I forgot to navigate through the scary tree line, so back we went.  No harm done, after all, there was no optimum time; we were just out for a trot in the park.

Show Jumping was Admiral’s crowning moment.  We trotted to the first fence just to make sure and he locked on and was ready for more.  He cantered around the rest of his course like a trouper.  Our turns could have been more balanced, but he was honest and happy.  We crossed the finish line with a big smile on my face and exuberance in his step.

The weekend was made even more fun with the addition of some very special spectators.  Both the mother-in-law and my mother and father made appearances over the Mother’s Day weekend.  Admiral’s original owner and breeder was able to make it out both days to see Admiral.  I was incredibly proud to help Admiral earn the TIP (Thoroughbred Incentive Program) Award for being the best placed OTTB (off-the-track-thoroughbred) in his division and to have his breeder there made it even better.  Plus we received some fun prizes, beautiful ribbons, and a TIP saddle pad Admiral will wear with pride.
It was a good weekend, a silly weekend, and a great opportunity to just kick back and enjoy a lifestyle that has eluded me for years.  With the husband at home with the dog and my phone beeping no battery, I was able to unplug from my normal life and resubmerge myself in horses, pony club, good friends, and did I mention horses.  Oh how I miss just sitting on my tack trunk, watching Admiral nibble hay, and cleaning my tack.  It’s a good place.  I’m so glad I decided it was okay to be silly. 

 

Christopher Morley said, “Read, every day, something no one else is reading.  Think, every day, something no one else is thinking.  Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do.  It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.”  With all the technology today spatting our thoughts and the thoughts of others at us continuously, it is very easy to just drift along absorbing the constant flow around us.  We feel “connected” when we are really just one of many individuals going through the exact same motions, brainwashing ourselves to believe we care.  It’s time for a Fresh Perspective.  Turn up stream.  Pick up a book instead your phone.  Ponder a thought that is only your own and do something silly.  You’ll feel more alive.  I'm off to spend an entire week being nothing but silly.  The horses will be taking a short holiday and surely making some silliness of their own.