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Thursday, September 16, 2021

Prepping For Our Final Exam

As I sat out in the barn cleaning harness last night I thought back to the spring when a friend and I were cleaning and polishing harness for a silly little online benefit horse show.  We sure didn't need to do all that work.  It was going to be videoed with a phone and uploaded to Facebook.  No one would ever have noticed if it was clean or dirty.  We did it because that's what we did when we used to go to horse shows.

The online show was definitely a silly little show.  I never even received the ribbon Frankie won.  Still, I thought if I pushed myself to do this monthly online show series, at the end of the summer I'd have an encouraging series of videos hopefully showing how much improvement we'd made through the season and in the fall maybe we would be ready to go to a small Standardbred show.  

What wasn't silly about the show was that it clicked something in my head, or maybe my heart, to pull up my big girl pants and Go Do Something.  I was already feeling guilty enough about having a nice horse and good equipment and a supportive husband and doing nothing.  How much worse would I feel in ten years looking back...wishing I could have a do-over.  There could be so many better endings to this story.

Frankie and I worked hard all summer.  Very hard, especially considering it was summer.  After our positive experience with the Lexington Carriage Classic in June, I decided to focus on trying to get him us ready to go to a full Combined Driving Event in the fall.  It's fall...and we ship out tomorrow morning!  We are going to the Indiana CDE.

While I'm hoping most of the event will be just as I remembered from almost 20 years ago, much of the required equipment has changed.  In the olden days we could trot out wearing ball caps on the marathon (cross country) section.  Now we need helmets and safety vests and medical arm bands.  "Added to cart."  

I've been using Handy's old green harness pads for training and kept trying to pick a new color that better suited Frankie for his own set.  Nothing really struck me and as I've mentioned before, I am horribly sentimental.  We will be headed out on the marathon course on Sunday with all of our new safety gear...and Handy's vintage pads.  I bet they're going to have as much fun as we will!


13 comments:

janejmtl said...

Sounds exciting! And fun! Frankie is sure to return with stories to tell Lancelot, and I can’t wait for the stories you’ll have to tell us. Best of luck and safe driving!

Camp said...

so good to hear you are off to a show..leaving the farm is skeery but sometimes it is totally worth a little time away to do something with your favorite horse. best of luck! and don't change those pads for anything..they are filled with love and luck.

debbie

Shirley said...

Oh bravo!
So many of us don't do enough with our horses, myself included. Although I used to, back in the day....
The green will look perfect on Frankie.
Have fun! And don't forget to breathe!

ineedorange said...

Wishing you and Frankie a perfectly wonderful time! Rooting for you!!!

KP said...

Have a wonderful time - both of you!!!

Michelle said...

You're spot on; put all your cards on the table NOW! Travel safe and kick rump (others', not Frankie's 😉)!!!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Have a blast! I am thrilled you are going!! Rock on!

Sandy said...

You know we are all living vicariously through you and your adventures! So, get out there - have fun - and know that Team Equinox is cheering you on!

Terry and Linda said...

OH! So exciting! Good Luck and HAVE FUN!

LannieK said...

What fun!
Best of luck, you guys will do great!!!

MarmePurl said...

Wishing you happy trotts!

bobbieliz said...



Frankie and Sara! I will be thinking of you and can't wait to hear about all the adventures and fun. Best wishes for a great weekend!

Delrene said...

This will be a wonderful event. I'm very sentimental too and I think its wonderful that you are using Handy's equipment. He will help guide you and Frankie to an incredible showing. Much luck, have fun and I'm sure looking forward to hearing all about it on your blog.
Hugs

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