To show or not to show?

Please note:

I wrote this entire goddamn post before double-checking the show date and realizing that I have to work that day so there’s no chance of me going to the show. Awesome. Enjoy my meanderings anyway.

Mostly, lately, my answer to showing has been “meh.” I don’t need the expense, stress, or fuss.

I said I would try and get Tristan out at First Level this year. I’ve been working pretty hard toward that. (Not as hard as I should, as always.)

Pro column: it would be an actionable thing I could do, something to measure our progress outside of a lesson.

Then again, in the last couple of rides the wheels have not just come off the bus they have disappeared to another goddamn county. Like, I’m not even sure we ever had wheels.

Con column: completely embarrassing ourselves.

There’s a home schooling show coming up on the Sunday before Labor Day. It’d be in a ring we ride and school in all the time. Fizzy show atmosphere without the expense of hauling out.

Pro column: easy and relatively cheap (like $50 or so all told)

But what’s the point? What do we even have to prove? I’m in a nasty little mental cycle right now – a lot of people are out and showing and doing cool things and getting better and so on, and I just keep trying to convince my horse to please for fuck’s sake accept the bit and bend.

Con: general life malaise

Though, it’s always nice to find an excuse to wear the fancy show clothes. If I can find them. And get them clean.

Pro and con: show clothes

Decisions, decisions.