Why do you want this?

A few months ago, an experienced judge asked me why I wanted to be accredited.  At the moment, I was more in 'sponge mode'; I wasn't expecting the question and many things flew through my head while I considered a response.  I thought about my ambition to achieve new levels and learn new skills, I thought about how hard and expensive it is to keep a horse seriously competing year after year, especially in 'the boonies', I thought about how much I love to go to the shows and see the gorgeous creatures going around, I thought about how the timing was right this year since I'm 'in between' show horses and need to build a new network of contacts, I thought about my resume as a coach and trainer and how a judge's perspective would help me become better....I think I stuttered out a jumble of all of the above.

 I've been thinking about the question ever since, and another answer might have been "Well, I really like how when I wear this ribbon, I magically become more beautiful to everyone around me and everything I say becomes witty and funny!  And who doesn't love a free lunch?"

Note: This magic only works on the showgrounds, on that day.  Many thanks to the organizers of the Canadian Pony Club National Dressage Championships for letting me keep this souvenir anyways!

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