Upperville....

I've been torturing myself the past two days. The Upperville horse show is in full swing and, with the technology we enjoy today, I am fully able to watch the action. Well, not fully because I'm only able to see two rings instead of the six or seven that go at once in big shows, but that's alright. The show is held at the Oaks in Upperville, Virginia, approximately 60-90 minutes outside of D.C. It's just lovely there. Big grass rings with little rolls and big trees in all over the place, lovely fences with a natural flair, and some of the stiffest competition you'll see on the circuit.

Yesterday the feed only had the main hunter ring. Today it's that ring plus the main jumper ring. The elegance and grace of the hunters is just so calming and nice to watch. Yet while my roots are in that ring, my heart is in the jumper ring. I don't know if it's because of the technical courses, tougher fences, or the fact the jumpers are more like the foxhunter now than the show hunters are. You still need to have an eye and be able to jump out of hand in the jumper ring. Not so much in the hunters now. Makes me wonder.

So where is the torture? Well, in a couple of places. For one, I am desperately homesick for the East Coast. Place two is the fact I am missing having something to call my own that I can take into the ring and show whenever I feel like it (oh, and that I actually FIT on!). Place three is that I miss my friends back there.

Let's face it, A-Circuit show people are absolute snobs who will stab you in the back in an instant, but those you actually make friends with are the most loyal people in the world and they'll defend you to the death.

I'm also finding myself drooling quite a bit. There were some horses in the Thoroughbred Only classes yesterday that just made me.....well, drool! There are always warmbloods that do that to me, but the Thoroughbreds have become few in my sport. Another clue we're not so close to our foxhunting roots any longer. Besides, unless I win the lottery, there is absolutely no way I'll ever be able to afford a warmblood! I hope to make one some day (find a nice Thoroughbred mare to breed to the stallion I choose for her), but that's a long way off.

The good thing is the Colorado Summer Classic series will be here next month, and you can be sure I'll be there. It's much more brown, a little less prestigious, but still a nice and big A-Circuit show. I'll meet up with a few people I know out here and enjoy the International Hunter Derby, the Hunter Classic, and the Grand Prix of Denver with them. Lucky for me Luke also likes to watch, so we're all set!

Now I must go get dressed so I can ride a few ponies today before the wind gets to whipping.....