And girls can be girls.
And mother muckers can just be moms – or at least taxi driving within the “city limits” so-to-speak.

It is that “reflective” season for me – when the show season has ended. The horses are set out to just run free in the pastures, and we settle into our new schedule of school, volleyball, soccer, basketball, and otherwise “normal” activities.

But something about this eventing season seemed much too fast … despite the LONG journies we took to Maryland, Virginia, Western New York, Vermont, Western Massachusetts – just to name a few.

Perhaps it was my NEW TOY that distracted me … the video camera, with which I taped alot of or shows this year – including this one:

Maybe it was the show in Virginia last may – where we traveled 13 hours to reach the most gorgeous place to be at an event. And despite an interruption by error of the judge during dressage which put her in last place, she pushed through it to go DOUBLE CLEAR (no jump or time faults) on cross country and DOUBLE CLEAR in stadium jumping to end 8th (and get a ribbon).

Or was it the show in Massachusetts where she went up to a ½ level and again, was near last in dressage, but jumped to 10th after cross country and 4th after stadium jumping (and the 3 above her were adult professional riders).

Perhaps it was the fact that I finally bought my own horse trailer and felt a freedom to go where no mother mucker has gone before! (ok, that was a little over dramatic, but it really was great!)

But I think why it really seemed to fly by was because my daughter worked all summer to attend one special event at the end of August known as the Training 3-Day Event, held at the Green Mountain Horse Association in Vermont. And I mean she worked …

• She rode everyday (one day off a week) to make sure she and the horse were fit for the long endurance phase at this special show.
• She took extra dressage lessons because that is her weak point.
• She was willing to go to shows even if her coach wasn’t there to get the miles in before the big event.

It was an event to remember – and could be the subject of it’s own blog. But the best part of all – the very best for this mother mucker – was at the end of the 1 hour endurance phase, after being released from the vet box, my daughter looked at me with tears in her eyes and said:

“We did it.”

“Yes, honey – you did it!” I said all choked up “You completed your first long-format endurance phase.” (by the way – this phase was comprised of a 6 minute trot, followed by 3 minute full gallop steeplechase, followed by another 20 minute trot/canter, before going into the 5 minute cross country phase.)

But wait …. At the end of the entire show, when they gave out awards, the vet awarded my little girl and a very special award. It was the award for the BEST CONDITIONED HORSE.

Her efforts throughout the season were paid off in that one moment. That one special moment.

And so now, as this fabulous show season comes to a close and I rest my road-weary body, our dreams are already jumping ahead to our first outing – planning the training in January, so we can make a trip to Aiken, SC where our friends have invited us to come event for a week with “the big guys” – the Olympians and professionals. You see, my daughter received the nod from her coach. Next year she’ll be stepping up a level – Preliminary.

(deep breath)

I hope I’m ready.

Debbie Horses