Learning Is Hard

Look: round bales

It's been raining for the past 3 days. The paddocks and ring are sodden and I am indoors. This weekend I judged my second dressage schooling show and blew it in the first half: not enough encouragement, not enough feedback. I ate a big piece of humble pie, yanked my game up in a hurry, and I worried about the impression I had made. I have a ton of respect for the ladies that were mentoring me, and realized how lucky I was to get feedback from the likes of them so early in this new judging career, but I'm still feeling a little small.

Last month I presented my handmade lectures on equine nutrition to engage and hopefully entertain some budding young professionals with the Canadian Pony Club. It was a blast. Just last weekend I brought a truckload of new friends to watch one of Canada's best dressage riders teach a clinic and I felt right at home with 'my people'.

I guess I was due for a recalibration. Every new yoga pose looks wobbly and weak at first, but they say 'Life begins where your comfort zone ends', and the 'stretch zone' is where we get better. While today I might feel like hiding, I just got an invitation to a local show club meeting, and have another dressage judging gig lined up. I will take a deep breath and plunge in with a big smile and more wisdom. Let's go forward.