Tidbits From my Mind: Stepping Back Into the World of Horse Showing

If you have not done so yet, take a look to your right and you will see a photo of me on my horse, Chelsea. Putting everything aside, riding horses is my passion and has been since I first began riding at 9 years old. As a kid, and then throughout high school, I lived for riding with the goal of competitions in mind. For years, I spent my entire summers horse showing practically every weekend. It was my life. Well, until I went away to university that is. As hard as the decision was to stop showing when I went away to school, the decision also came VERY easy to me. I had two choices - sell my horse and not really do any riding at all while in university, OR keep my horse, but not have the extra money to show her. I obviously chose to keep my girl. I rathered having the option to keep riding when I could over not being able to ride at all.

Throughout my four years at university, I managed to fulfill my passion by going home most weekends to get a few rides on Chelsea. Then, on winter and summer breaks, I was in my normal schedule of riding 5-6 times a week again. I still really missed the competition aspect of my riding though and that is when I looked to the good ol' world wide web and discovered the IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Association) in the USA. After several emails back and forth with the head of the IHSA zone nearest us, and organization on my end at my school (University of Guelph), I, along with a couple other girls, managed to get the University of Guelph signed up with the IHSA. So for my final 2 years of university, I was privileged enough to get to compete on this team down in New York. It was a great experience that I will never ever forget. **here's a photo of me competing at Cazenovia College; I won 2nd place in this class!**

It has been 3 years now since I completed university and I have not been to a horse show since my last one with the IHSA team in New York. Until now! :)

This Saturday, I finally get to compete at a horse show! Not with my horse unfortunately, but with an absolutely ADORABLE pony that I have been training over the past 9 months. We bought her from an auction (so basically rescued her) and we quickly gave her the name Daisy Duke. She has been an absolute joy to train and is one of the most affectionate little ponies I have ever met. She seems very appreciative too, which is fantastic. It's not much, but I will be showing her in two little classes on Saturday and couldn't be more excited! She's just a completely different pony from the one that was brought home last fall, so I'm looking forward to showing her off. Wish us luck!