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Finally, Horseshow Finals - Part 1

JoAnn Shannon

Finals at Hunter's Run

When I arrived at the Michigan Hunter Jumper Association Finals in the second weekend of September, I remembered all my tack, riding clothes, brushes, lotions, and potions. What I forgot was to mentally prepare myself. Maybe after showing all season long, I thought I had “cured” myself of nerves.


A bit of nervousness goes a long way. I’ve read that getting a little nervous before a game or competition is normal. It’s our body’s way of gearing up to compete. But without the hard work of meditation and visualization, I’d ramped nerves into anxiety.



Friday, as soon as I entered the schooling ring, my stomach started doing summersaults. Captain, my level-headed horse, tried to help. He sent me telepathic messages like, “Calm down, already,” and “I’ve jumped courses like this a million times.”


The next day, I was nervously pacing before our division began. Then I remembered how a girl who used to groom for me described my pre-show jitters.



“You’re like the thoroughbreds. After running around, you need to go in the stall and chill out.”


That memory made me smile. I took a deep breath. It felt good. I took two more.

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