My Last Practice at Westernaires :(

Despite my best efforts the day had arrived. I sat in my car for  few minutes once I arrived going, this is really it. Then I headed to the trailer and got Reno ready for Red Liberty. I had a bunch of blue ribbons and stickers because his tack color and sports boots are blue. He looked very fancy, especially with his swirly face jewels. Just as I'm getting comfortable on the team it's time to leave. But I wouldn't have traded it for the world. Although my positions weren't fantastic for my last practice Reno seemed to know it was special and he was a rockstar :) I'm so thankful he was able to help me achieve my dream of red liberty. I don't think it will feel real until I'm at annual in costume. After class I took off his decorations and spent the next few hours getting September and Bo decorated since Red Ropes was at 12 and Royal's walkthrough was at 1, so it was now or never. I used Royal colored ribbons and stickers ( I will attach photos below because they both looked so gorgeous) I also brought a sparkly red saddle pad cover that I used at my second interclub for Bo. He also got to wear his brand new angel tack set that I got him. It made me cry. I had so many people helping me and I made it to ropes on time. We solidified our drill and made sure we were okay on time. Then we went to walkthrough, we did all of the saturday drills and we practiced graduation lines, I cried because it started to hit me. The team got close enough together so we could high five them all as we ran out :) Gosh I'm gonna miss those girls :( Then we all raced to get our horses ready. September really doesn't like having stickers put on but after the application she tolerates them very well. She was PHENOMENAL for my last practice ride and my last ride on her. (I rode Jack last week - who I will be riding at annual, his other leaser has been riding him in crimson which is why I've been using September). I was offered to take her to annual but I really wanted to use one of my leaser's horses since she's done so much for me this year and I know her expectations at shows. I smiled and had the most fun I've had in a ride in a long time. When we exited into the white arena after the third drill, I moved up to the front to get ready to call one more time. I could barely choke out the words who we be? I started crying so bad, I'm not ready to be done but at the same time I need the time back for college. The last drill was so surreal and we ran a really good one too. We really pulled our drills together today and I feel ready for annual. At the end of the drill when we formed graduation lines, I steered September back towards the gate, where my friend was leading Bo in....all decorated out and ready for one last run for the both of us. (This is the little surprise I mentioned last week) Since Bo wasn't able to come to annual show my instructors allowed me to bring him at the end of the last drill so we could do my graduation run together. I had made it through the whole ride without completely loosing it, but seeing Bo come into the arena made my crack. I was shaking so bad and I just held his head and sobbed. I managed to climb on and take my flag and with very little prompting he ran up the arena to take our place. They had me run out last and while the other graduates were leaving I could barely keep Bo from following them. He's definitely not as fast as he used to be but he still has the heart and he wanted to run so badly. He could hardly wait his turn. I leaned down and gave him a big hug while sobbing into his neck. Man I've missed him, I don't think I had realized how much until that moment. After what seemed like an eternity my instructor announced, "And we also have a double congratulation today the first goes to (my name) and this is the last time Bo gets to run out of our arena" My heart shattered. I had NO idea that they were going to honor Bo with his own announcement. Through the foggy glasses, and the tears, I trusted Bo to run out that gate. It definitely wasn't a fast graduation run but it was so perfect beyond words. It was the closure that I needed to finally let Bo go. I'm honestly glad that we got to do it at practice instead of at the show because it made it so much more special. It was so poetic and meaningful. Bo had been in westernaires for almost his whole life, and he had carried so many girls through so many different teams. It was an indescribable honor to be the one to graduate off him and take him into retirement. You could tell he enjoyed it too :) At the trailer I took out his decorations, helped clean up, and left the fairgrounds as a rider for the very last time.

On a side note :) Thank you to all of you who have followed this blog since I first started it back in tenderfoot. It has been so much fun to document my westernaires career and I hope it'll help you as you advance through the ranks :) Do you all want me to continue it for when I do the adult ride program?

Heading up to line

Reno's decorations

Bo's Butt

I adore this photo

Bo

Where I broke down and cried

Entering the arena

One last assembly at the crows nest

Bo's decorations

September being a model

Spending our last saturday together

Royal seniors 2017

The graduation/retirement run!

You can see he new tack set :)

Bo's Mane (lots of Bows)

September's Decorations

My last red liberty practice