My usual hunter pace partner, "BP" emailed me yesterday with a conflict of scheduling. Seems her daughter really wants to ride at a horse show on the same day as the pace. It's a show where she'll be with all her barn buddies and they have a sleep over the night before. BP didn't want to disappoint her daughter but she also hoped to find some solution to honor her commitment to me.
She thought maybe I'd change my mind and bring Monty to the show instead. I just don't have my head around horse showing right now. True, I'm still not writing off the dressage show but my biggest reason for not wanting to go to a hunter/jumper type show is that I know I'll be there all day. Waiting. When will my class start? Have my kids driven my husband nutty, yet? Oh, Lord, I really need to be getting home, soon. Whereas, in dressage and at the hunter paces, you get a start time. So you can pretty much plan your day from there.
As a mom, I told her since this was important to her daughter, she should go, that the child will need her there. But I was still bummed about losing her as a team mate and possibly having to cancel the ride. I figured I'd ask around, maybe call the organizers of the event and see if there were any teamless riders wanting to join me or a team of two willing to let us join to make it a trio. By last night I had an alternate plan. I had emailed another friend who usually rides the paces in the fall and has a whole crew of buddies who also like to pace. She asked around for me and sure enough, one of her friends was looking for someone who wanted to go. We connected through email and we are set!
I'm such a passionate pacer that in the past I've even posted an open request for a partner on a local message board. The one and only reply I got turned out to be a great gal with many common horse show acquaintances and we had a lovely ride. I like to be competitive if possible but I will take what I can and if my partner needs to go slower for whatever reason, I'll be happy to oblige. I'm someone who has no problem riding with one friend and all we do is take a leisurely walk/trot trail ride and with another we are hell bent for leather galloping and jumping whatever obstacles we encounter!
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4 comments:
Thats great that you were able to find another friend to go with you! The barn where Genny lives and X is moving to has hunter paces 2 times a year within walking distance so I think I will get to hunter pace someday after all. That doesn't let you off the hook though for writing a good post about yours though! And I am hoping you do enter at A in October...it sounds like you had a lovely last dressage lesson. And it would just be for fun.
Thats great that you were able to find another friend to go with you! The barn where Genny lives and X is moving to has hunter paces 2 times a year within walking distance so I think I will get to hunter pace someday after all. That doesn't let you off the hook though for writing a good post about yours though! And I am hoping you do enter at A in October...it sounds like you had a lovely last dressage lesson. And it would just be for fun.
Ignorance asking here... tell me, what's a hunter pace?
Hi Chris! here's my archived post describing what a hunter pace is:
http://solitairemare.blogspot.com/2007/10/fade-to-gray.html
and OTB, if you get the chance to ride a pace, try it! It's great fun with a good horse and a partner who's riding style compliments your own.
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