Attended my second HWRA Event this past weekend at Wheeler Stables and competed in Barrel Racing and Pole Bending.  Well, if you can call it competing.   I’m always amazed when I watch the seasoned riders go in and do the patterns.  They are all so aggressive and show no fear at the speed they travel at. 

We arrived a little later than we had planned because we tried to get to the stables the way you would have years ago.  Apparently, one of our last big rain falls had washed out the road and after traveling for about 15 minutes on winding dirt pot holed roads we realized the road was closed and we needed to turn around and find another way in. 

I have to say.  I was pretty impressed with myself when I realized I had to do a U-turn in a relatively small space and actually did it without much difficulty.  Of course, the butterflies in my tummy were a flying but I had to make the turn there was no other choice.  Well, there was I could’ve asked Berta to switch places with me. I’m sure for her it would have been no problem. 

When we finally did get to the arena I had about 30 minutes to tack up and warm up before the event started.  Not recommended.  I like to arrive early, warm up and get comfortable with the surroundings and take my time.  Good exercise though.  I learned I can adapt and Ellie is just fine if she has to do it all so quickly.  No bad behavior being rushed and warmed up so quickly.  Thank goodness she is so easy going.  How I lucked out I don’t know. 

I do know that because I didn’t have a lot of time to visualize what was about to happen and what I would need to do that I did not do the barrel pattern as well as I know we could of.  We participated in the practice run, the novice, and the amateur races.  The first really sucked, the second was alright, and the third I can’t even remember.  I tried to focus on what needed to happen and to go faster.  That is the funny thing.  I thought I was going faster but according to Berta I wasn’t. 

Something that amazed me was how the seasoned girls started running into the arena through the gate.  This sort of freaked me out.  First off, there was a bar above the gate and a bar at the base.  I could see the horse jumping forward and the rider hitting her head or worse the horse miss stepping and tripping on the bottom bar.  Either way, I thought scary not for me. 

I proceeded as Berta said to circle wide in the arena and then go.  I felt like a grandma doing it this way but I thought what the heck better safe than sorry.  Listen to your instincts.  Thank goodness no issues arose with the way the other riders approached the races. 

It also surprised me at the times the girls were able to get.  They were pretty good for horses that had room for improvement in how they approached the turns and their bends.  If they could get their horses correct they would shave time off their runs.  It’s ironic… I have a horse that is getting the pattern correct with bending and entering the turns but no speed because the rider is chicken and then there are these other riders who have the speed but not the correctness… If there were a way to blend the two we would all be so much better at what we are doing.  Of course, that would make it even harder for me to compete and possibly place but who cares.  I’d sure like to see what they are capable of. 

Pole bending was a crack up.  We went in on the first run and I went fast (again I thought I was going fast) got to the end pole and blanked and thought “where’s the barrel”.  OOPS   this is pole bending sorry Ellie.  I could feel her hesitate and say “what the heck are you doing?… let me go I know the pattern.”  I realized at that point how important it is to have your head in the game and focus.  I thought I was focused but obviously I wasn’t. 

The next run was a little better and I tried hard not to hold her back and let her go but again I failed.  The good news was she was correct.  The last run I guess I got more speed on the run in and run out but I still held her back going through the poles.  I need to let her go and not worry about being correct… or am I?  That is the question. 

I’m at the point where I’m still schooling her.  The goal is to go to these events and do everything correctly this season and slowly add speed so in September at the all girls rodeo hopefully I can let her go and trust her and maybe get the best times of the year.  I’m not so worried about placing or winning although that would be nice but lets face reality… there are girls who have been doing this for years with horses that were bred to do this.  I’m just along to improve my riding and give Ellie something to do.