I’m showing again this year and have been thinking about all the things that go into that: Gangster’s training, my mindset and confidence, all of the uncontrollable factors. I found this piece I had written a few years ago and never posted. I think it fits perfectly with what I’m thinking about going into the show season. It’s focused on the dirt whiners, but the message is for all of us when we think about our rides and attribute the bad ones to reasons beyond our control. . . The gamers throwing their poles into metal barrels, the sound of the ropers thundering down the arena, the owls swooping low. . . all things that have occurred in the last couple weeks. . .but is the blame game the best we can do?
I board at a large facility, the arenas are dragged at least once per day at around 4-6 inches (I’m estimating here). But you would think the facility staff are moving the heights up and down with the amount of complaining I’ve heard over my six years there. One day it’s too deep. The next day it’s too packed. Both complaints are followed up with how the riders will not ride their horses on such a surface.
A few summers ago at a barrel race I was helping with, a horse and rider went down around a barrel. The rider was 5th in the order of go after a water and deep drag. The rider complained that the facility overwatered the arena and didn’t work it enough after the water. The rider posted her complaints to the facility’s public Facebook page. Many people said they were glad she was okay, which everyone is glad for, as there was a brief moment where her foot was caught in the stirrup and she was dragged for a few feet. However, some people were asking how come the 4 riders in front of her didn’t slip. She indicated that those riders went wider around the barrel, that she came closer in to the barrel. I watched the video a few times. To me, in my honest to goodness opinion, she looked to be on the same tracks as the other riders.
In addition to publicly posting her discontent with the facility, she desired a re-ride. There was some debate about if it was fair for her to have a re-ride. I don’t have an opinion on the re-ride. It’s up to the facility. I’m sure the worry is, if you give one re-ride for a fall, you’ll be challenged to give more re-rides for other falls.
The fact is, no matter what discipline you’re in, it’s luck of the draw. Literally and figuratively. In reining, I could complain about packed dirt if I’m the 10th go and blame that as the reason for my lack of fluidity in the flying lead changes, or I could complain about the dirt being too deep and that’s the reason for our sluggish circles. The fact is, when you’re in the equestrian sport, you get what you get, and your decision making has to be part of your horsemanship.
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I have always been mystified by the dirt whiners at the facility. If the dirt’s too deep, then don’t work your horse as hard, if it’s sticky, don’t practice your sliding stops, if it’s too packed then don’t be pounding out your hand gallop. And work with your facility to improve the dirt (or any number of other variables) that you believe can be fixed. I once had a reining class in which Gangster came into the center, we paused to nod at the judge, and for some reason in that moment, the judge and scribes sitting in the arena became giant scary monsters at which my horse spooked. I’ve seen little kids playing in the stands cause horses to spook at shows. You get what you get. It’s up to you to navigate it.
We do ourselves a disservice when we put the “blame” on someone or something else. That judge didn’t like me, that kid spooked my horse, the ground was too deep/too shallow/too wet/too dry/too sandy/not sandy enough. It’s never ending. You can’t control the external factors. You can only control what goes on between you and your horse. And sometimes, shit happens. I would say that fall around the barrel counts as shit happening.
I’m of the opinion that the biggest predictor is always going to be my horsemanship and navigation of whatever obstacles present themselves in a show (or go). What do you think? Do you disagree? Are you a dirt debater?
Follow me on Facebook. I promise to never complain about the dirt. And if I do, you can push me down in it.