Sunday, October 24, 2010

Computer Skills.........and Reining Dreams..........



Lots of rain again here today so I'm still parked in front of my computer watching the US All Arabian National Horse Show. Not that I needed an excuse but at least now my watching is guilt free.

Now that I've finally figured out how to put the feed up on full screen, I can actually tell some of the players now. I don't know how come I've never figured this out before but it sure does change how things look. Now if I could just figure out how to get two monitors hooked up so I could watch both the Ford Truck Arena and the Mustang Arena at the same time, I'd be in hog heaven...........or should that be horsie heaven????

I'd borrow Lindsay's laptop and try that but it looks like it has a virus. I don't want to be the one her computer totally dies on if it's going to crash. Not only that but I'm pretty sure she wouldn't give the thing up without a fight. Lindsay is addicted to Farmville on Facebook and feeding her own addictions are much more important than feeding her mother's. I think I need to talk to that kid and help her adjust her priorties just a wee bit......or maybe I should be bartering with all the the Farmville things my friends send me that I never use..........

For now I must be content switching back and forth between the two arenas on my computer. Luckily the schedule in the Mustang Arena is a bit odd with the reining and tractor drags. I've managed to miss only part of the Purebred Amateur Owner to Ride 40 & over Reining, which would be my class if I had a reiner and I only missed one section of the western pleasure I really wanted to watch. Not bad for being two time zones off and a bit computer illiterate.

I was watching the reining to see a friend of mine go but she wasn't in the rides I saw. I don't know if she's not there or if her ride was in one of the half dozen I missed but I did notice that the 40 & over riders are a bit more cautious than the younger riders. Looking at their rides made reining seem not quite so far out of my reach. That's probably a good thing. With a little inspiration I could actually get there, ya know........before I'm too old to do it anymore.....

Believe me, the wheels are turning. This reining thing is really trying to get underneath my skin. Watching those riders with their stage fright, slow spins and cautious fast circles reminded me you don't have to be perfect to go to nationals. You just have to qualify.

For some, that is the dream, just getting there. I see them every time I go. I've met some here at home over the years too. Their dreams never were to win once they got there, just to get to have the experience of showing there. To have earned the chance to be a part of something bigger than yourself for one brief moment...........how cool is that?

To be continued................

6 comments:

  1. For me, speed is the last thing I am the most worried about, certainly at the spins anyway. I have double vision and don't know how I will even tolerate the spins let alone with any speed. I have been working on galloping with Legs to get him through being afraid to move into the curb, that is helping me with my fear of that, at least but I don't think that going to fast too soon will be one of my problems. LOL

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  2. Take it from me; do it while you have the chance (and quick :o) I'm not a competitive soul but having had a muscle disease annihilate much of my riding ability, I say go for it girl!
    (With gusto *grin*).

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  3. that's very cool. like i tell everyone, i don't know much about reining, but i just kind of assume it's a QH thing, the way most people assume dressage is a warmblood thing, but i bet arabians are amazing to watch. if you find any youtube videos of the show, let me know! i'd love to see some.

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  4. Jen, I know my worst fear is my body will quit before I've done the things I want to so believe me I'm on it still my list of things I want to accomplish continues to grow.

    jme, the Arabian nationals are on live feed now and there are reiners in the Mustang Arena. I think starting tomorrow morning there are finals for most of the reining classes. There are some good horses in that bunch. If you could get a chance to see those I put the link to the live feed up on my blog but you have to follow down the page to switch to the Mustang Arena. If it rains here, I'll be watching.

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  5. One of the BEST reining performances I've eve seen was done on an Arabian horse. Go for it!

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  6. It all sounds very cool. There's no reason you couldn't do anything you want. The thing is to always follow your dream. Even if you never win at least you tried.

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