Nice braids!

Had to laugh the other day. Was chatting w/ an epitomic AA (that'd be adult amateur :) rider the other day about her show season. She's doing schooling level H/J and forever happy there. Just wants a nice safe horse that she can go out and have some fun on and the shows she attends are far more about the social environment than the actual competition. But I thought it was so perfectly summed up by this: "Why am I here? Well I put these braids in his mane. And I did a really good job. And he looks beautiful. So I wanted other people to see him." hahaha end of story. But I just thought it was sooooo perfect and so far from my own mindset that I could really appreciate it. It reminded me of N and I watching some kid riding across the finish line on XC @ Checkmate cheering and her telling me "now you should be doing that when you cross the finish line" -- n it was a great reminder of hey, this is a baby level not the Olympics and by the way, it's supposed to be FUN! Every once in a while I think we do have to step back from the competition side of things and remember why we started... And for the record -- I was grinning ear to ear by the end of the run :) Also have to say I will never again consider "nice braids" from a dr judge the kiss of death -- it will forever more translate to "have fun jumping!" hahaha