Friday, September 3, 2010

A week to go!

This time next week I will have completed my first class for this season and will hopefully be enjoying a beer and basking in good round happiness lol. I have never felt more prepared going into the season than this year but still it's safe to say I'm feeling pretty nervous. Connie has been jumping super as soon as the fences go up so I can't worry about that. I am a bit worried she is going to go lame on me lol. Kate and Rascal are improving and look to be about a week away before starting work again. Their first show will be Woodhill sands in Auckland.

This season I really want to start to develop a better method for managing my nerves and general show anxiety, while improving my focus. this first show I plan to take a minute before I get on, listen to a song that gets me going and mentally ride my course a few times so I understand exactly what I need to do. I need to trust Connie's scope as well. She has heaps of power for what she will be jumping so it will be all good, I just need to go out there and get the job done. For me completing the classes I'm in for three rails or less will be a success, so needless to say the bar isn't set too high.

Gah it was another long day on the farm again. I'm so locked up between my shoulder blades from work. I would kill for a massage. Thankfully, my friend has a temporary groom who is also an osteopath. Win! Also today I went over to the big city and dropped money on clothes. The first time I have done so in over two years. Silly really to spend all that money on horses while I wear jeans with holes up the inner thigh and a fly that comes undone. So I'm happy to have some new things so I can be less scruffy. Then a hair cut the week after and I will be in top form in my project to get over my beak up. Thats not to say I don't wish every morning that he would text me, but life goes on and I have so much to DO! Not least fixing the buttons on my show coat. Oh it's probably going to be a hellishly wet show. Blerk! I'd like to get another jump in next week, but I don't really like my chances. Still I have done enough. Connie knows her job, she is fit, her schooling is right there and I know what I have to do. No problem right.

6 comments:

  1. I have a friend who tells me when I'm nervous to sing.......So find a nursery rhyme that you like and sing as you jump round the show ring on Connie. Trust me it works( simply because to sing you have to breathe....and to breathe you have to be semi relaxed). Many a time I have been caught out muttering ring a ringa rosie.
    Glad to hear you have been shopping for yourself. Too often as horse owners our horses are better dressed. Its good to pamper you!!!!!.

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  2. Sounds like you're ready!

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  3. Please don't be so hard on yourself about suffering nerves before going in to compete. Many, many riders suffer from nerves. Matt Ryan the international Eventing rider used to throw up before setting out on the cross country course. He's famous for it. I agree with you that what you need is better coping strategies. May your week go well. Cheers.

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  4. I met an aussie guy who was riding at Int/Adv horse trials - and he used to put his ipod on with AC/DC songs (okay, he's an aussie!) and amp himself up that way. Something else to try, though perhaps not with the acca-dacca!

    My boyfriend of 5 years told me a few months ago that he didn't love me (was on my birthday too).. so I fully sympathise with that shitty situation.

    I also find myself wondering - what happened to the 1.05m classes. I miss them! I hate the 'gap' between 1m & 1.10m at the start of the season when I want to have more of those middle-height stepping stones for my team.

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  5. Haha I was thinking more Queen, don't stop me now, but I think thunderstruck could work lol! I'm sorry to hear about your boyfriend they are all bastards.

    Yea the 1.05m only seems to be missing from down here?? Woodhill has them and Te Teko has them so I go to the 1.05m I guess. Oh And Feilding does too.

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  6. Sorry to hear about the boy issues - classic male, never know what they want. Anyways great photo from the flood, saw it on the news and hoped you'd be ok and the horses too. Had a chuckle about bill although i'm sure it was not funny at the time.
    Good luck with the show coming up, were all cheering for ya

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