Ride With Arrogance

Arrogance/sense: a manifest feeling of personal superiority in rank, power, dignity, or estimation


Okay so what does Arrogance have to do with my ride today at the Four Seasons Horse Show?? Not too much, right? We shall see... besides, it was the 'phrase of the day' that seems to now be ringing in my ear.

Marty, a trainer and rider I've known for two years now, told me 'Welcome to the real world' when he realized I dropped my Amateur Status with USEF. That being said and with a hearty chuckle, might have been enough to let you sink into your boots and think, what have I gotten myself into! However, I didn't say it then, according to Jimmy I have a 'long row to hoe', but I really had a lot of fun today. I felt energized and excited. How great is it to ride with Marty, and Kevin Babbington, Hugo Hesca, Helen Goddard, Devin (I forget his last name)... I don't know about you but from where I was sitting along the rail today and in the ring, I was having a great time! So today for me, was a great day in the 'real world'.

I suppose I forgot to add my results in all this, I'm sure your dying to know! I took Baggie in the Meter 1.20 and he was 3rd, Ganowe went in the Meter 1.30 and was 6th. I also took both horses in the $7,500 Jumper Class at Meter 1.30. Baggie was 8th and Ganowe 5th!! Baggie felt great today, I think that was one of the wonderful feelings to me. He was double clear in the 1.20 but I didn't go for time in the jump off...geez! what was I thinking? Ha ha, it was okay in my mind. I know whats in there! Baggie did act a little worried in the Classic, the first fence was a lime green and white square oxer, about the biggest fence on the course and he seemed a bit taken back with the width once we were in the air. I almost feel like I could hear him thinking, 'whoa who put this here!' But he had a lot of inner confidence and that just makes me feel great. It wasn't too long ago that when he got nervous he would drop back to a trot and trot over such fences blasting me almost out of the tack! I'm really hoping we are over that now. So anyway we ended up having a couple rails down which wasn't ideal. It was what it was, and like I said before we now have 14 more fences of 'experience' under our belt. Ganowe aka Super Nova, was great too. I just have to learn his stride and 'coil' him up more from behind. I kept getting into the combinations with a lot of horse and I really had no idea until it was too late. His stride opens up almost without you knowing because the whole time your out there you just feel like your floating. Super Nova is a really special guy to me and I'm really, truly grateful that I get to ride him and be a part of his life. I have A LOT to learn from him.

So what did 'I' learn today...

I suppose I learned that I have to trust the feelings I get from the horses, and no matter what rails you have, no matter what turns you make, no matter WHAT, you have to trust yourself! But there is a price to pay with this trust... (aka Arrogance), you better darn toot'n be ready to stand behind them when you walk out of the ring. Your the one on the horse. Your the one in the drivers seat. You make the rules once the buzzer goes off. And like I heard today (after I was done riding), 'Sit up and ride the horse. Ride right down to the bottom and own the place'. So there it is, my thoughts about trusting yourself. You trust yourself, you trust your horse and you can come down to any jump as arrogant as you want! Sounds easy huh? Ha-ha... That's all for now, off to bed!