Plans in contact with reality ...

Like battle plans and the enemy, my plans for today didn't survive contact with reality.

Instead of getting up early to go watch lessons, I overslept.
Instead of stopping at PetSmart on the way home for dog food and cat litter, I was wiped out and didn't want to stop for anything but Powerade Zero.
Instead of also going to the store for people food on the way home, I was wiped out and didn't want to stop for anything but Powerade Zero.

The scribing went as planned, and the post-scribing crash when I got home went as planned, but that's about it.

Alas ... but the grocery store is open 24 hours. It'll still be there when I'm ready to go. And the dogs don't mind a dinner of cat food -- on the contrary, they would LOVE that. So I am just going to enjoy laying here in my jammies, in the nice cool house, with cold electrolytes (electrolytes that plants crave!), and happy corgis while I recover a little bit of wa.

And the show was a lot of fun. I always like getting to scribe! I feel like it's a privilege, not a chore -- I feel like I should thank the show organizers for the opportunity to sit with the judge, rather than be thanked for volunteering. I get great insight and vouchers for free lunch or for future show entries -- how does that not translate into sweet deal? :)

I had a wonderful experience with both judges, Dorie Vlatten Schmitz and Mary Grace Davidson -- especially Judge Davidson. She was a real class act, and she was a more old-school dressage sort, interested in correct riding and not DQ-ish at all.

She was also willing to talk to me during breaks about what she looks for and why, and how to achieve it. Accuracy and correct lines are one of the main things she looks for, not overshooting turns, keeping straightness and balance, and understanding the real goal of a movement within a test. I get the feeling that not too many people stop to think about those goals -- like in Training 3, you ride one loop along the long side. The goal is to achieve correct, smooth changes in bend on a shallow loop before you move to First level, when you're required to show correct changes in bend on two 10-meter circles. If you don't master it at T-3, 1-1 (or whenever that comes in) is going to throw you.

Everyone should volunteer doing something for their local show organization!! It's fun, and you get to see and learn a lot that you might not get to see or learn if you just ride and never help out. (The lunch is often pretty dang good, too. ;) )

Thanks to the Idaho Dressage and Eventing Association for another great show!