Rider, calm thyself!

I'm planning on taking Obe to simply school at a dressage show in Tryon this coming Saturday.  I haven't entered any classes (partially because it's so expensive!  Only $15 to go school all day...I can even school in the competition rings during breaks and after all the rides...THAT'S a deal!).  So, why am I already getting kind of worked up?  When I think about Saturday (and doing the laundry I'll need, making sure I pack my nice helmet, clean up my boots, etc.), I get that little flutter at the base of my ribcage that makes me breathe a little shallower than normal. 

Seriously, JB...get aholt a yerself!

I know it's just a vicious cycle.  I expect Obe to be tense and perhaps interested in schooling the airs above the ground when I take her off campus.  Past experience has shown that she has a proclivity towards this.  My expectations build the tension in me.  My tension then transfers to Obe, which pushes her closer and closer to that cliff edge.  Which makes me tense.  Which transfers to Obe.  You get the picture. 

A couple of months ago, I went with Michele to school Obe at the last dressage show.  While we went to check in at the show office, we left our mares on the trailer with the doors and windows open.  They happily munched their hay.  Once we had our numbers in hand, we pulled the girls off, leisurely tacked up, then hacked around the warm up areas.  We managed to get into the performance rings...AND, I worked Obe in one ring while Michele took her girl to another ring.  Obe wasn't sure about that, at first, feeling a strong desire to keep track of where Adora was and what she was doing.  But, I got some good schooling done.  On the drive home, I was elated!  You would have though I had just won my first FEI class.  I was so proud of my girl...and, let's face it, of myself!  We had a calm, positive experience off campus! 

So, I'm working on making this weekend a repeat of that one.  I just want to hack around, school in the warm ups as though I were going to show.  The show is even offering a schooling show jumping round for various levels, so Obe will be seeing other horses galloping and jumping.  A good thing...we hope.

One of these days, I'll have my own truck and trailer.  Then, Obe is going to get VERY used to trailering off for rides in various places...we're going to go EVERYWHERE.  Or, maybe I just need an old ratty convertible!