(“There is a cutthroat world out there someplace.”)

My last blog – the one where I posited that a dressage show is like a grade B movie – drew some reaction:

“Yes that’s all true, and along with all the bad sportsmanship, it’s easy to be turned off by showing all together!”

But wait, that’s not the conclusion I wanted you to draw. The roll-your-eyes predictability of the show world I find amusing. As I said, the scenes repeat themselves year after year.

But at least where we go showing, with an occasional exception, I find manners and good intentions to predominate among all involved. I know there is a cutthroat world out there someplace. I have read anecdotal evidence that mean people climb all over each other to get the slightest advantage. But in person I don’t see it.

Show management, volunteers, and even the workers who drag the arenas are friendly and are treated respectfully. It’s my impression that a true air of good feeling envelopes the shows I attend.

“Good luck”s aren’t only exchanged among friends but to just-met barn neighbors, to whomever is headed in next as your test has ended, and even to casual acquaintances you pass on the way back from the show office.

This is the norm where I come from, and as I judge around the country, I don’t think it’s an isolated occurrence. If it’s not like that where you show, you’re missing out, and you should lead the push to improve the attitudes or the ambience if you find them lacking.

If you thought my last post was grumpy, I apologize. My point was that while showing involves its share of dedication and hard work, it must be taken lightly. As Pat Benatar might observe, “The memes it generates are ‘just an illusion in this passion play.'”