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| Getting comfortable together again |
In 2008 I entered Cruz in the PVDA Ride For Life, a huge two day, breast cancer benefit show at the Equestrian Center in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
But a month before we had our terrifying incident at the New Jersey Horse Park. So I switched horses, and took my husband’s grey Irish Sport horse instead. Thanks to sweet C.D. I was able to compete, and some of my self-confidence returned.
My goal continued to be to take Cruz to the Ride For Life, but for the next four years I was too chicken to even try. Licensed shows had always ended badly for us.
Then, this year, a friend recommended Shen-Calmer to me. It is perfectly legal for horse shows, and ‘takes the edge off.’ I ordered some and entered Cruz in the competition, at First Level.
You cannot buy Shen-Calmer in stores or online. You need to find a TCVM practitioner to order it for you. TCVM stands for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, and you can find a list of practitioners online.
It turned out that my horse chiropractor, Dr. Ruth Stokes, is on the list, and she was able to get the powder to me within 24 hours!
Shen-Calmer is not cheap, and I would recommend it only for situations where other herbs are ‘illegal.’ You also cannot keep your horse on it indefinitely, which is another reason for using some other calmer as long-term help for your horse.
I use Daily Calm from Springtime Inc. if Cruz ever needs help in other situations. It contains the ‘forbidden’ herb ginseng, so I have to stop using it at least 7 days before a licensed show.
Pre-Show Stress
The ride times were published a week before the show, and I discovered that I would have to ride in Ring 1, the huge indoor arena.
The problem was not the actual arena, it was getting into it. You have to walk down a long ramp, and through a short tunnel between the roar of massive air conditioning machines to reach the cool interior. Cruz was gonna freak!
Just to make matters worse, he was in stall number 13....
The Big Day
It was now Saturday, and time to ride him in that inside arena. I am ashamed to say that I was crying as I put on his bridle.
Here’s the sequence of events:
Friend (poking head over stall door): “What’s wrong?!”
Me: “I don’t know how Cruz is going to behave, and I’m so scared!”
Friend: “You don’t have to ride in there, you know.”
Me: “Yes, I do. I’m in a team competition here in two weeks. What if I have to ride in the indoor again, and I didn’t use this opportunity to get him used to it? I’ll have let my team down.”
By now other friends were gathering round and witnessing my meltdown.
Them: “Group hug?”
Me (sniveling): “Yes, please!”
Group hug.
Now I’m sitting in the saddle.
All my friends: “Group hug again?”
Me (still sniveling): “Yes, please!”
Group hug (including the horse).
Then Hallie Ahrnsbrak offered to lead me into the arena. Hallie is a member of our local PVDA chapter, and rides Grand Prix on the stallion Feintsje, aka Emmitt, the only Baroque Friesian competing at the top FEI levels.
She is wonderfully calm and talked sense into me as I warmed Cruz up. Afterwards she walked beside me down the ramp and through the scary tunnel between the monster AC units. Cruz was totally unconcerned, even when we had to wait by all that noise for the previous competitor to exit the ring.
Hallie kindly read my test for me. Cruz behaved like a pro, and when we left the arena, I was hugging and patting his neck like crazy.
The Results Are In
I felt like a million dollars. I had faced my fears head-on, and come through triumphant. I was also in love with my horse again.
P.S. We won the class!
