Hatching

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg.  We are like eggs at present.  And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg.  We must be hatched or go bad.”  - C.S. Lewis

We made it through our first show together.  We weren’t polished and perfect.  Some would argue we weren’t ready, but we went in the ring, did the movement in the right order and left the ring at the appointed time.  What is better is that each time we went in and came out, we performed a little better.

Ryder found all the great big fancy moving dressage horses quite a bit intimidating in the warm-up, but we worked through it managing some semblance of a trot by the time we headed over to the show ring.  Our first test was hurried and minced, but we didn’t have any explosions or arguments. 

Saturday afternoon Ryder was much more confident in the warm-up.  While not jaw-droppingly floaty, he was at least ridable.  The second test showed a note-able change in our rhythm.  It still wasn’t consistent, but at least the trot was actually a distinguishable two beats most of the time.  I did not have Ryder on-my-aids which became readily apparent in our trapezoidal halts (they are supposed to be square) and butt swinging down the rail.  While test two left plenty of room for improvement, I was still very happy with the progress we made since the morning.

I was hugely optimistic about Sunday’s test.  We had a pretty decent warm-up.  However when we went over to the show ring we lost our concentration.  By the end of the test, which included several whinnies, I was getting a little frustrated.  I have to remember that as a four year old, Ryder is still mentally immature.  He is going to have focus issues on occasion.  How we handle those issues is paramount.  Even with a lack of attention we still made baby steps forward.  We got both our canter leads and again our trot was a little more cadenced.  Progress was made.

When we first arrived at the show, someone commented that it was brave of us to do our first show together at a Recognized Show.  I laughed to myself, because I was using this Recognized Show as a dress rehearsal for the Event this coming weekend.  I understand that most people view shows as a chance to show their very best.  To justify going to a show you must have prepared perfectly for months.  I realized a long time ago that I am never going to be perfect and I will never be as prepared as I think I should be. 

Baby birds love to sit in the nest and flap their wings, but they always need momma bird to shove them out to test their wings.  For whatever reason, we never think we are ready.  That’s why I like having several shows on my calendar each year.  One, it takes the pressure off of “that one big show.”  Two, it creates deadlines.  The shows act like momma bird pushing us out of the comfort of home and letting us test or wings.  I don’t expect to soar the first time out.  It is okay to flutter fairly pathetically to the ground.  But next time we’ll be a little stronger.  Next time, we will flap a little harder and stay aloft a little longer.  And the time after that, we might even look like we are enjoying it a little bit.  Someday, if we keep trying, we will be confident and magnificent.  Someday our Perspective will change.  No longer will be looking out of the next and judging the decent to the ground.  We will be looking to the sky and preparing to dance with the wind.