University Equestrian Competitions

Photo credit, left: Kiera

I wasn't meant to compete in the university Equestrian competitions this year, but I've ended up doing half of them anyway! My friend had a fall and her injury has meant that I've been called as a reserve (wear your body protectors riders! It saved her injury from being a whole lot worse...)

Anyway, maybe it's because I've gone along with a different, more relaxed attitude, maybe it's because I didn't particularly want to compete after I'd settled with reserve in my head, but regardless of the reason I'm actually doing well this year! 

We had our second competition on Wednesday and we came second as a team again which was a fantastic result. I also placed individually! I've done this before, but typically, it's been 8th which is just out of the rosette awards- but not this time! I got sixth which meant I got myself a new rosette to add to my now growing collection, yay! And what's more, it's pink- me, a girly girl? Never.

I was chuffed, the team was chuffed, and our A Team even came away with first at another competition. Faaaaab day.

It's taught me that I need to change the way I think. I lack a bit of confidence. Okay, okay- a lot of confidence. Not because I've had some sort of horrendous childhood or anything. In fact, I honestly couldn't tell you why. I just know that I can never, ever accept that I've done well. I'll always put down anything good with something like, 'Oh yeah but I could have done this better...' or 'it could have been this grade...' 

Frankly, that's sad. And I've had enough. I'm not the best rider in the world but The result from the last competitions clearly proves that I should have more confidence in my abilities so that's exactly what I'm going to do! Even though it'll be ridiculously hard to break the habit of a lifetime (evidence above!), I feel that it will probably lead me to a better state of mental well-being... i.e make me chirpier in the long run. Who doesn't want that?

Confidence- what you feel on the inside, you wear on the outside right? Let's do thisssss.