Five Hundred and Twenty Trot-Ups

This is the third post in our Lauren Kieffer Eventing Blog Series powered by Athletux. In this installment, we hear from Dr. Christiana Ober, who has been Lauren's vet for the past 10 years. Dr. Ober will be moving to the UK at the end of the month spend more time with her husband and son, and we wish her all the best!

Dr. Christiana Ober and Lauren Kieffer watch horses trot up. Photo courtesy of LKE. Dr. Christiana Ober and Lauren Kieffer watch horses trot up. Photo courtesy of LKE.

Five hundred and twenty trot ups. That equates to almost every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. for the past 10 years that I have spent with Lauren Kieffer watching horses jog up and back in the barn aisle. Usually that time during the weekly Tuesday morning appointment includes trotting up, palpating legs, talking about schedules and looking after whatever the horses need.

But to me, even more important than the vet work, is being a part of someone’s dreams and aspirations. Watching a dedicated young woman succeed and start to develop a world-class program of her own and inspiring the unbelievable team that is working hard at home to make it all happen. We at LKE have certainly shared many laughs and high fives, but also a few good hard cries, and it is only the start of this journey.

When Lauren asked me to write this, I just had to smile and reflect on the past 10 years with what is now LKE — what a journey! It is amazing to think how things have evolved in the past 10 years. It all started out with a girl and her half Arab “Snooze Alarm” showing up at the farm after O’Connor Camp.

She was sure that Arab was heading for Rolex some day, and I was just wondering how we were going to keep those fetlocks happy at the Preliminary level. That Arab, of course, did go to Rolex! In the early days, time was spent discussing the likes of the anatomy of the fetlock joint, and now time is spent discussing the schedule for the six upper-level horses headed to the UK for the season.

Dr. Ober's son Luca "rides" Lillian Heard's Share Option. Photo courtesy of Dr. Ober.

Dr. Ober’s son Luca “rides” Lillian Heard’s Share Option. Photo courtesy of Dr. Ober.

The journey for me obviously hasn’t been all (or even mostly) about the veterinary work. It has been about the friendships and the personal investment in a top-notch program that is a joy to be a part of. Lauren is an exceptional horsewoman who is not only a cool competitor but also humble, appreciative and enjoyable to be around. She is one of those clients that almost make a vet even happy to pick up the cell phone on a Saturday night.

As a veterinarian that really becomes emotionally invested in the horses (and the people), the journey in this sport certainly has its highs and lows, and LKE is no different. From the profound loss of losing a most special and exceptional individual in Tigger Too on the cross country course in 2008 at Jersey Fresh to being overcome with pride when Veronica was second and top American horse at Rolex 2014, the emotions go from one end of the spectrum to the other.

But, whether it is the highs or the lows of this sport, the more lasting part are all those other members of the team standing beside you.

As many of you know I will be moving to the UK at the end of this month so that I can spend more time with my husband and young son. It was one of the hardest decisions of my life because of clients and friends like Lauren Kieffer. Being a part of this team for the last 10 years and watching the horses and the program thrive has been a real privilege. Luckily we will get to keep that Tuesday morning appointment for a few more months in the UK.

Best of luck to Lauren Kieffer and LKE at the Pan American Games next week!