Gooaaal!

That's me as a fearless rider in last year's show.

It was a little bittersweet attending the home show at the barn today. In last year's home show I proudly placed third and fourth in the walk/trot flat classes. (My lofty goal was simply to not finish in last place.) This year I sat on the sidelines as a spectator. Far from having improved as a rider in the past year, I'm now much worse. Due to my lack of confidence and fear of breaking more bones, I've developed a slew of bad habits: hunched posture, timid commands, and improper hand and elbow positions, to name just a few. I wasn't ready for the show this year.

I haven't even tried cantering in the arena since the accident. I did lope (which is the same as cantering, but in the western saddle) a little on the trails in Montana last month, but it doesn't really count when you're gripping the saddle horn for dear life. If I'm going to progress, I have to canter again sooner or later. I was hoping that it will be much, much later than sooner, but the Wrangler is encouraging me to set a goal.

"When do you think you're going to try cantering again?" he asked, as we watched nine-year-old riders skillfully change leads at the canter in the flat medal class today. "It looks like a lot of fun."

"Well, you know, I'm just going to do it someday when it feels right," I answered. "No sense in rushing anything, right?"

"I don't know. You seem to do really well when you set a specific goal." In truth, I don't necessarily do "really well" when I set a goal, but I do accomplish more when I set one than when I don't.

"How about you set a goal and, when the time comes, if you haven't met the goal, you can just set another one?" the Wrangler suggested encouragingly.

Eghh, all right. I'll take the bait. My goal is to be ready for the walk/trot flat classes in the fall home show in November and to compete in the flat medal class (which includes cantering) at next year's home show in June. I guess it feels good to have a goal.