It's Horse Show Season!

Woohoo! Horse show season is upon us. I've spent the last two days filling out entries for the first two shows of the year (without an OMNIBUS, thanks Region 1...), but the freaking out over which tests to show which horses at has been a several week-long process. But the biggest issue has not been what to show the horses, but when, and how much, for purely financial reasons. I've always done ok enough to show pretty much whatever and whenever I wanted to, obviously not doing crazy stuff like showing every weekend or driving all over kingdom come. This year, with the future looking so bleak, I'm trying to keep costs down, which means showing smart, and some very frustrating decisions.

Cleo is obvious - I need to do three, and really should do four, Brentina Cup qualifiers, so that takes care of that. If my scores are really good I won't make the trip down to Raleigh, NC, as I can do three up here at nearby Morven Park.

Midge is pretty clear, too. I'm going to take him at 3rd-2 the first horse show - 3rd-3 has a little crisper canter tour, something that's hard for him - but I'm trying to get him out as much as possible, to shows with the most, ahem, "optimistic" judging outlook. :)

Ella's been my toughie. I've gone back and forth and back and forth over what to show her at: we've made it through the entire PSG twice now, but it's really killed her physically. She's just not strong enough yet to do the test the way I want to - it's good enough for a 63-65%, but she's far too special to be screwing around with those scores. The debate is this: take her through the Developing Horse qualifiers, running the risk of either not qualifying or qualifying, going and being an also-ran; or wait a few months and show her in the open PSGs, kick some ass and take some names, but only on a local scale?

I don't really have an answer yet, so I'm putting it off by showing her at Fourth Level and doing a Developing Horse test at a non-qualifying horse show. Closing date for the next qualifier after that show is BEFORE that show, so I'll have to make another big choice in a few weeks, but ultimately, I just want her to do as brilliantly as I know she can, at whatever level she's physically ready for. She gives me 110% every day, and is improving leaps and bounds, and I just want her to have nothing but good showring experiences.

(didn't stop us from a line of super 2s today! eeee!)

The grass is finally starting to turn green, my outdoor is finally rideable, birds are back in the trees, and it's finally above 50*. Spring is on the verge!