Busy but great weekend

Busy week and weekend!   Lots of work on the Idaho Dressage Festival Silent Auction, and it's not quite done yet.  Still need to follow up with a couple people and write thank you notes.   I think it went well, and I learned some things about how to set up bids and what kind of information people need.   I've got a good start on next year's list already!  It'll be better than ever.

In between IDF things, I got to have a couple of lessons on Saturday, one jumping and one dressage.  The jumping lesson didn't start out well -- I was having a strange bout of anxiety, and Rev was kind of a pain, so our first set of jumps in the sand arena didn't go well.   MT had to jump on and get Rev moving and submissive, and when he'd gotten her going, he took her out into the xc field to run her around there too.  I felt ... conflicted about this.  On the one hand, I was anxious and not giving her the ride we needed.  On the other, I felt kind of ashamed that I couldn't get it together.   But after MT got on, I got back on and we continued with the xc lesson.

And yknow, by that time my worry/fear/anxiety had gone away.  I was ready to just do it.  So we rocked around!!   Like bosses.  Or at least more boss than we had started out.  We jumped a coop type thing that would have seemed huge at the beginning of the lesson, but it jumped like it was nothin'.   Like a lesson partner said, it's so cool to look around and realize that the BN jumps seem small.   (Granted, that coop and the drop were the only true BN fences we did; the rolltop and the little A-frame are Intro/Grasshopper.  Still.)   It was a good feeling.  :D

And I officially love the Airowear Outlyne.   Right when I put it on, I feel like a linebacker or a Marine, but once I'm in the saddle and it's warmed up, I barely notice it.  It's not riding up on the back of my neck or my shoulders, it stays where it's supposed to be, and it covers just right.   SO happy with it.

I cannot WAIT until the clinic Friday and Saturday -- and I want to chomp on the course at the show.  *evil grin*   I think I might have gotten the hang of defeating anxiety.

Plus, strategic use of my crop is a huge benefit.  Smacking her 3 strides out gets her a little more on her feet and over.  

Two things to add to my position:  Remember to take a bridge -- it helps me release her face some.   And remember to flex at the hips more.

Woot!!