First post

Yesterday, we spent the early part of the day in Talbott, TN at Megan's first horse show held at Walnut Grove Stables. We have tried 2 or 3 times before but something (illness, lost horse shoe, changes of plans, softball) has always interfered.

But finally we got the opportunity to leave our house at 5:45 am (actual departure time was about 6:04 am) all dressed up to ride. She was entered in 7 classes (3 beginner hunter over fences and beginner hunter under saddle and 2 beginner equitation over fences and beginner equitation on the flat). In the hunter classes, the judge looks more at the horse to see how she is making it around the course, and in the equitation portion, he looks more at the rider.

Megan's trainer had Megan's favorite horse, Bella, all shined up and ready to go. All we had to do was help tack her up.

Megan was quiet and (I think) a little nervous when we first got there. But after schooling (warming up by riding Bella in the ring where they were to compete later), she seemed much more relaxed.

We had quite a wait until it was Megan's turn to go, plenty of time for her cheering section to arrive.

Finally, we headed up the hill to her first competition.

She seemed exhilarated following her first round. Gail (the trainer) complimented her on a good first go, and had some areas in which she wanted her to improve (she cut her corners). But when Bob, Gail's husband and trainer to the older riders, showed up he didn't mince words.

"She's cutting her corners! She came in sideways in that far corner! I don't know how Bella made it! She ought to kiss Bella for jumping that jump." (Then to Megan.) "You've got to go deeper in that corner. That was the worst corner I've ever seen and the horse still make the jump."

Now Gail teaches the younger kids for a reason. She has a way of letting you know what you did wrong and what you need to do to fix it, while still making you feel good about what you did. But Bob, well, let's just say that Bob is more direct. Megan's face fell a bit after his tirade. I was afraid she would fall apart. But instead, she just went out and rode better than before. She got a second place on that first round and a first place on the next one! Unfortunately, in her third round Gail accidentally told her the wrong course so she was disqualified :(. Megan learned a valuable lesson from this though, and she made sure HERSELF what the course was for the rest of the rounds. She got a third in the under saddle portion of the beginner hunter division.

Despite the (admittedly mild) adversity in her first few rounds, she finished strong in the equitation division, with a fourth on the flat and two firsts in the over fences. And, in her very first show, she got Grand Champion in the equitation division!

She was all smiles for the rest of the day.

Following the show we all went to my parents' house for my dad's 65th birthday. (Happy birthday, Dad!) Mom made a great spaghetti dinner followed by a delicious chocolate cake. All in all, a great day.