Galloping along

Backblipping like crazy and trying to fill in the gaps so descriptions may be even briefer than normal.

A fantastic day supporting K's niece at a national champs. In the past we've merely watched and given a bit of moral support. This time her Mum and sis were unable to be there so we were there to do some jobs this time. She'd also had a heck of a week with family medical concerns, a schedule that would make most people weep, a 4 hour delay on the way up and sleeping in the back of the car after they finally arrived at the stables just before midnight on Friday. Unsurprisingly, an altogether more difficult event than previously AND being a national invitational event the standard of the competition was fierce. Oh and the horse had changed feeds recently and was going like the clappers. She didn't even do particularly badly. She's just flown through the ranks so quickly in her first season that her expectations are incredibly high.

She learned a lot today about the impacts of external stresses on competition and how to handle what she can control and let go of the things she can't. And that her bad days aren't actually THAT bad. She also got right back on that horse and completed by far the most challenging XC course she's ever seen. Incredibly proud of her.

I (in a possibly selfish, possibly just very self-aware-as-I'm-doing-career-analysis kind of way) rediscovered that I love the sniff of competition and supporting athletes in events even, or possibly particularly, if they're having a not particularly great time. It's why I started doing physio in the first place and it's the bit that I miss now that I'm not physically capable of doing sports physio. Or competing. Or performing. Maybe, just maybe, there are other ways I can use these skills or learn new ones to work in these environments AND get paid for it. If even part of my work could feature the sniff of competition or greasepaint* then I'd be absolutely in my element.

Vx

* Hardly anybody uses greasepaint anymore but you get the drift.