Okay - so here I was, at the beautiful San Antonio Saddle Horse Association show! I was so excited. It is a horse show that features both American Saddlebreds and Arabians. As many of you know, it is in the Arabian show circuit where you will find most of the sidesaddle classes and it was at this show that I was so excited ..because they added a class just for me! It was the Opportunity sidesaddle class that allowed any breed and any sidesaddle tack. Finally, I was going to get to compete against other sidesaddle riders!!!
..but I had one really BIG problem...ME! I keep getting so uptight and nervous that I became my worst enemy. Here was my weapon..wine. I drank about 2 full glasses of wine before I mounted Oliver! I am a (as my husband calls me) a cheap date, because I cannot drink any kind of hard liquor and wine gets to me pretty easily too.
..so here are some of my supplies by Oliver's stall.
..and if you were ever wondering what I wear under my skirt...here it is. They are kind of a stretchy riding tight with suede knee patches.
This is Erica. She came with Kelli, my instructor, and I to show her gelding Tribulation Force. She is helping me get my skirt on. Can you tell I am a bit 'sauced"? Trust me, my nerves were asleep! Also, take a look at the elegant brown top hat that one of my readers sold me! Thank you again Brita! It fits like it was made for me.
Here I am dressed and ready to mount. Do you like the vest I added to this outfit? I like the way the points show beneath my riding coat.
Kelli and Erica position the latter. You can see how I have picked up the entire skirt and laid it over my right arm before I get on.
..and I get on astride and then transfer the skirt over to my left side.
Then I throw my right leg over to the left side.
Here we are in the practice arena. Trust me when I say that I was feeling no pain and having a BLAST! Oliver was very amped up too, something that usually makes me very nervous.
We stood quietly for a few minutes as we waited for our class to be called.
..and here is a shot from the class. I was a bit disheartened to find out that I was the only one in my class. We did execute all the gaites and even though Oliver did NOT want to flat walk, he made a beautiful presentation and I was VERY VERY proud of my blue ribbon!! I do want to make a note about this picture. I shortened this jacket by 6-8 inches because it was getting underneath me when I showed in it a few months ago (very uncomfortable) and you can see that it was again doing it here, but because it is now so much shorter, it did not bother me.
..and that is the story of my first, first-place sidesaddle ribbon!
16 comments:
A little wine as a nerve equaliser , I have done it too! looks like it worked!
Congrats! I love your brown habit and that vest is a smart choice.
Oh wow Julie you looked GREAT! I love the jacket with the vest underneath. The whole ensemble looks just gorgeous!
Your riding looks like it's improved a ton and hey, if a little vino helps beforehand, then why not! (I'm going to remember that trick! lol)
I think the whole presentation is gorgeous. Who cares how you won the ribbon, you won it!! Guess a glass of wine is the best medicine!
Great riding habit. Especially like the vest. The hat is fabulous. Just enough wine to take off the edge so you can go with the flow instead of tensing up.
The ribbon is icing on the cake when you are happy with your ride.
You looked lovely. I like the vest under the jacket and the shortened jacket looked very nice.
Congratulations on your blue ribbon, you earned it.
B-E-A-U-TIFUL!!!
Can't wait to take Madison to come see you ride in a show.
Love you!
Congratulations!!
Hi Julie;
Saw your ride. Sorry I had to leave immediately afterwards to catch my flight home, so we couldn't meet in person. FYI, the Arabian judge has had multiple national sidesaddle champions, so the two of us got to talk SS center ring.
Well done! You and Oliver looked beautiful!
Very beautiful - all of it!
Hey congratulations! You look absolutely beautiful! I love that skirt.
I take it in days of old that ladies always needed help getting one with that skirt to deal with and all the getting into position.
ow come no picture of you mounting? That's what I'd like to see, or is it too "compromising"? Ha ha.
In the old days, you had a gentleman to lift you into the saddle, so you didn't throw your leg over astride first. I have a perfect candidate now to do it properly (he's 6'4"), but I'll just have to convince him that lifting me is what he wants to do, LOL!
LoL Attafox, that's the true tricky part!
Gorgeous outfit, horse and riding!
LOL...I remember riding in a parade as a young 4-H'er and we all dressed up as school kids "ridin' to school." I rode side saddle in my western saddle...oh to be a kid again!
Thanks for stoppin' by my blog!
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