catembi
Well-Known Member
Just musing, really...
When Catembi was alive (died early 2007), I used to compete BS and BD nearly every w'end, & alternate every week between dr & sj lessons. After a long break (sicknote horses, lots of 'life events') I am now firing on all cylinders again...but seem to have lost the urge to compete. I used to hate all the cleaning & polishing (grey!) & tack cleaning & plaiting beforehand, the stress of the day, all the hanging around, the frustration when it just didn't go right in the heat of the moment... It seems far better 'value' to pop up the road, do a lovely group clinic in a non-stressy environment, pop home & then get on with something else. Dog walking, uni work, housework etc...
Dunno... For the last 12 years, I've been thinking, I can't wait to pick up where I left off (1m 15, getting ready for a crack at Fox...9 or 10 points in BD...) but now it seems such a stressy hassle. I feel sick thinking about BS warm-up arena! Everyone else is tense & stressy, the longer you hang about, the less you want to do it, cold, wet, horse being a d*ck... So far, we've done a v local show, 30 cm & 40 cm class, & had a great time, so maybe as we do more, I will want to go higher. Horse is v new to jumping. I have been trying to work out whether it would be possible to have a non stress sj comp, like Dressage Anywhere...
I have also considered the comps where you do more riding & less hanging around...Le Trec, v lower levels of endurance, maybe just pleasure rides... Or maybe I will stick to my clinics. Or maybe I will get the bug again! Who knows!
Thoughts, anyone...?
When Catembi was alive (died early 2007), I used to compete BS and BD nearly every w'end, & alternate every week between dr & sj lessons. After a long break (sicknote horses, lots of 'life events') I am now firing on all cylinders again...but seem to have lost the urge to compete. I used to hate all the cleaning & polishing (grey!) & tack cleaning & plaiting beforehand, the stress of the day, all the hanging around, the frustration when it just didn't go right in the heat of the moment... It seems far better 'value' to pop up the road, do a lovely group clinic in a non-stressy environment, pop home & then get on with something else. Dog walking, uni work, housework etc...
Dunno... For the last 12 years, I've been thinking, I can't wait to pick up where I left off (1m 15, getting ready for a crack at Fox...9 or 10 points in BD...) but now it seems such a stressy hassle. I feel sick thinking about BS warm-up arena! Everyone else is tense & stressy, the longer you hang about, the less you want to do it, cold, wet, horse being a d*ck... So far, we've done a v local show, 30 cm & 40 cm class, & had a great time, so maybe as we do more, I will want to go higher. Horse is v new to jumping. I have been trying to work out whether it would be possible to have a non stress sj comp, like Dressage Anywhere...
I have also considered the comps where you do more riding & less hanging around...Le Trec, v lower levels of endurance, maybe just pleasure rides... Or maybe I will stick to my clinics. Or maybe I will get the bug again! Who knows!
Thoughts, anyone...?