My trip back east is sadly over, but it is nice to be back home. The ASPCA Maclay Finals (Ky.) didn’t go as well as I’d hoped for, yet I was happy with my round, and I can’t look back. I made a very silly mistake of adding in the first bending line. The hardest parts of the course were the elements I did best, which was a little frustrating. I was disappointed, but I have learned to deal with not doing as well as I wanted to, and I was able to move on. 

However, on my way back to the barns, I saw a lot of crying. The all-year effort of getting to the finals and then having 2 minutes determine how you will do is a lot of pressure, and to have it not go well can be devastating. I want to stress the importance to riders all over that we ride because it is fun and we love it. While yes, it is disappointing, don’t let one round define you. A lot of times we get too caught up in the competition to remember why we are doing this in the first place. I, for one, am guilty of this way too much. 

Looking back, the trip back east was very successful and one that I recommend all West Coast riders do at least once. Not only is it fun to ride in the finals, but it’s great to see how horse life is on the East Coast. 

Now that indoors is over, it’s back to more horse shows, just on the West Coast. I have definitely learned a lot and will be back to indoors next year!