What If There Were No Horse Shows?
I’m lucky to have grown up around horses. Ever since my parents bought me my first pony, I was taking lessons and competing regularly at horse shows.
From the first ribbon I won in the poles or crossrails division, I was hooked. I’d found my “thing” – a sport that was based on my bond with a big furry, four-legged animal.
As an adult, not much has changed. I cherish the time I get to spend at the barn with my horse, away from the pressures of everyday life, even if only for an hour or two. But it’s the preparation that goes into competing that really makes my heart sing. I’m a goal-oriented person, and achieving those goals through our training are rewarded most often in the show ring.
This year – 2020 – has been a wild ride for all of us. Earlier in pandemic, I wondered what would happen if horse shows were suddenly gone. Obviously hobbyist competitions are trivial in the grand scheme of things, but I still silently mourned the potential loss of my greatest release – my favorite pastime and my ultimate mental break.
It got me thinking about how I used to interact with horses as a kid. Sure, I still couldn’t sleep the night before a horse show weekend. And I counted down the days – and then the hours – before we’d leave for an event. But most of the time, it was the hours I spent as a barn rat with my girlfriends – mucking stalls, bathing horses, finding ways to get into (mostly) innocent trouble (like the time we used to bury our bodies fully in the feed bins) are the memories I cherish the most now.
We used to ride around the arena bareback, sometimes doubled up, just cause. We’d challenge each other to silly games and races. We’re cry into our horses’ necks over boys and bad grades and divorcing parents. Trail rides felt exotic and freeing, if not just the slightest bit dangerous.
Just being at the barn is enough. I remind myself of this now.
Currying my horse on the crossties, when the barn aisle is quiet in the evenings. Or letting him hand graze for a few minutes after he’s cooled down from a short hack. Feeding him an apple, and feeling his soft lips in the palm of my hand. These are all special moments I’d still crave and cherish, even if there weren’t any horse shows.