First off, thanks for posting this. I love reading about other's horsey adventures. I can somewhat relate to the whole ICHS thing, although I rode english rather than western. They didn't have the stock seat classes at my college, just hunter under saddle and over fences classes. I would much rather have learned western at the time. ;-)

I loved the opportunity to show without having to own a horse. I learned to ride in college, so my only concern was to get anything but last place. :) My college was never competitive, as our team consisted of anybody who wanted to show. That usually consisted of mostly beginner riders. The one show I remember the best was a W-T-C class, and I spent THE WHOLE CLASS cantering. I could not get the horse to walk, nor could I get him to even trot. I remember the coach on the rail mouthing SLOW DOWN to me every time I went by. That was embarrassing. Probably my best memory of these shows was the home show when I actually drew the horse I rode in class! What luck! I had no idea what I had won (hadn't paid attention to what my number was), but I got third! Sam probably remembers that show. :) I have some great memories of those days, like standing in the dark on a cool fall morning waiting for the van to pick me up. I didn't care that it was stupidly early. Another time we got to stay at the coaches house... I swear she lived in a mansion. I was up half the night gabbing with the one girl I had become friends with. She was a much better rider than me, but she didn't treat me any different. Those were the days. Ok, enough blabbing from me. :) CONGRATS!!!

-Darleen