I DID THE 3FT YESTERDAY!!!

Hi everyoneI don't want to make too big a deal about this, but...I DID THE 3 FOOT YESTERDAY!!! Nancy agreed to let me just school with the 3 ft since I was the only low adult entered yesterday so it was canceled. (What happened to the days with Best Chance alone could fill the low-adults division??) I watched when they were setting up the course. My eyes got wider and wider. I was standing next to Ellen, and I asked her, 'Those jumps look big, don't those jumps look big? I think those jumps look big.' Ellen smiled and gave me a polite, sympathetic shrug. Oh boy. Ok, no big deal. Pete will jump them, I just have to hang on for dear life. Not hard, right? Went into schooling. Warming up. The horse who needs 2 inch spurs to trot is moving briskly today. Ok. No problem. Then Nancy says, 'just jump this outside line.' Wait a sec... no warm up cross rail?? No poles on the ground? A small gate perhaps? No? We are just going to start right off with a 3 ft line, is that right? Am I understanding this right? Ok, no problem. Do the sign of the cross, pet Pete's neck, look up, heels down, grab mane. I do it, stop at the end of the ring, and exhale. SHIT! That was so scary!! But I did it. I'm done. Good night, everyone. All I have to do now is explain to Nancy that I have had enough, there is no moisture left in my mouth, it has all gone to my pits and my crotch. She will be happy that I tried, right? Wait, no, that is not what will happen. She will talk me into doing another line. Let's face it, I have to do another line before I will be allowed to get out of here. This God-forsaken ring with those damn traffic cones covering the holes in the ground to avoid that I cant stop staring at and aiming for. Damn Wits End. It's not enough that my nose is full of dirt/sand? Nancy: 'Ok Cherry, see if you can let go a little. He's not going anywhere. Now do the diagonal line to the outside line.' Crap - that's 4 jumps. Ok. Look up, heels down. Wow, that was a LOT of air between me and the saddle. I don't think is supposed to feel that way. I am in over my head. Look over at the BCF group by the rail. Debbie is holding her heart, and she not watching Kristen. That does it. I better get out of here. For Debbie's sake. A dog barks. Sounds like my dog. Maybe she needs me. 'I'm coming Sweetpea. Nancy, I would love to stay, it's been fun, but my dog just called and... what's that? You want me to do it again?? Are you sure? I mean, DID YOU SEE THE LAST ONE?' Ok, no problem.It got a better... a little. Very little. But I persevered. I stayed in there. Then, the moment of truth. Nancy: 'Do you want to show?' It's uncanny the faith this woman can have. I mean, she saw me school right? She saw EMT actually get out of his car and hang on the fence staring only at me, with his defibrillator charged and at the ready, right? Didn't everyone see all that? Or was I delirious?OK, tell ya what, because you actually believe in me, I'll do one class. Just one. It has to be easier than schooling with all those other people in there (yes, the ones who knew exactly what they were doing.) Ok, no problem.One class. Whew. Glad no photographer this time gang. It was not pretty. But, I got around, and never broke, fell off, circled or cried. Nancy even cheered. (Not quite a whoop, but come on! You have to earn those.)Somehow, I did all the classes. And didn't fall off. It was a hot-mess, but I did it! And you know what, I am looking forward to doing it again! It will improve. And if not, maybe we can distract Debbie when I go from now on to save her poor heart! Thanks to everyone who stayed so long to watch and support. Today I really feel like I killed a bear. ARRRGHHH! Lv,Cherry