“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.” - John Wayne
I had been riding and practicing almost every day during the summer, getting ready to perform at Scioto County’s 4-H Western Horse Show on Wednesday during fair week. My 4-H group members were supportive and enjoyed me being their secretary. My mom and sisters were major characters in my story. My passion for riding grew deeply in the show ring that day.
The first show I performed in was the Fun Show on Sunday which starts the fair week; it was terrifying because so many people participated in those classes. Adults and youth can participate in any of the classes as long as they stay within the age limit between kids and adults. The next few days after the Fun Show, I spent …show more content…
To follow a pattern to show my horsemanship skills with the horse on lead rope. I put the halter and lead rope on my horse, and I waited for my number to be called to enter the arena. A few people went before me and I watched to noticed their mistakes to help me become more mentally prepared as to how I should do it. The next thing I knew, my number was called to go wait in near the gate to enter the ring.
My heart rate increased as I approached the gate, I was nervous and terrified. I felt singled out with numerous people already looking at me before I even entered the arena. The person in front of me seemed calm and collected and I watched them with so much intent. I watched how the judge moved around their horse and focused and planned each of my moves in advance. As the judge wrote down the person’s score and the person leading their horse to the gate of the side of the arena, I felt tense and unable to move from where I stood.
I looked into the arena as the gate opened and I watched the judge as he looked at me, already judging my first impression on him. I walked and trotted the pattern which was given to me, but my horse did not cooperate when I wanted her to trot. I felt like I was fighting her to try to make her trot, and the judge showed mercy and permitted me to retry the trotting portion. When I finished the pattern, I then had to stop my horse to where her hooves lined up
I had been riding and practicing almost every day during the summer, getting ready to perform at Scioto County’s 4-H Western Horse Show on Wednesday during fair week. My 4-H group members were supportive and enjoyed me being their secretary. My mom and sisters were major characters in my story. My passion for riding grew deeply in the show ring that day.
The first show I performed in was the Fun Show on Sunday which starts the fair week; it was terrifying because so many people participated in those classes. Adults and youth can participate in any of the classes as long as they stay within the age limit between kids and adults. The next few days after the Fun Show, I spent …show more content…
To follow a pattern to show my horsemanship skills with the horse on lead rope. I put the halter and lead rope on my horse, and I waited for my number to be called to enter the arena. A few people went before me and I watched to noticed their mistakes to help me become more mentally prepared as to how I should do it. The next thing I knew, my number was called to go wait in near the gate to enter the ring.
My heart rate increased as I approached the gate, I was nervous and terrified. I felt singled out with numerous people already looking at me before I even entered the arena. The person in front of me seemed calm and collected and I watched them with so much intent. I watched how the judge moved around their horse and focused and planned each of my moves in advance. As the judge wrote down the person’s score and the person leading their horse to the gate of the side of the arena, I felt tense and unable to move from where I stood.
I looked into the arena as the gate opened and I watched the judge as he looked at me, already judging my first impression on him. I walked and trotted the pattern which was given to me, but my horse did not cooperate when I wanted her to trot. I felt like I was fighting her to try to make her trot, and the judge showed mercy and permitted me to retry the trotting portion. When I finished the pattern, I then had to stop my horse to where her hooves lined up