Once again, it is time to meet a fellow member of our Eventing Nation. To see previous rider profiles, click on “Rider Profiles” in the Categories sidebar. These features have been interesting and insightful– I am continually impressed and humbled by our readers as the emails keep pouring in. You guys rock!
If you would like to be featured in an upcoming profile, please fill out the Questionnaire and email it to [email protected]. Thanks again to all our participants…there are many profiles to post, and hopefully we will get to yours soon!
Name: Erin
Age: 40
Location: Durham, NC
Primary horse’s name: Codachrome (Cody)
Age, breed, pertinent info: 18 year old Paint/QH Gelding
Level currently competing: BN & N
Short term goals this spring/summer:
Goals for this summer are to live through the heat in NC, and gear up for Novice events in the Fall. We were able to complete one BN and one Novice event early this year, but were sidelined from our first recognized novice by a wrist injury (not horse related).
Year-end goals: To complete at least one recognized Novice event.
Overall goals?
I have had Cody for 2 years now, he’s only been eventing for 3 years, and while the dressage is a work in progress, his SJ is great, and he’s a machine on XC. I have yet to find a fence he isn’t willing to jump, and he’s smart and brave on top of that. I just started evening 5 years ago, after a 10 year break from riding. I grew up riding jumpers in Northeast Ohio, with a few hunter paces thrown in, but had never heard of eventing till a friend introduced me to the sport here in NC. My first horse decided XC wasn’t for him, and Cody started out as a lease, but quickly proved to be my perfect horse so I bought him. This year I was lucky to be able to attend Denny Emerson’s Adult Rider Camp in March, and we rode BN at Deep Run HT after that. We would have been in 2nd place except for an unfortunate wrong jump mistake by me in SJ. We will continue to compete at BN and Novice and enjoy learning new things together!
What’s the best thing you’ve learned recently?
We had two great moments so far this year. At camp in March, we finally learned to halt and stand, a very bid deal for a horse who would never stand still once mounted. Our dressage lesson that day consisted of 30 minutes of walk-halt transitions, but boy has it paid off since! He will now stand in lessons, to have his girth tightened, and when I adjust my stirrups. Our second light bulb moment came recently in another flat lesson when I was finally able to feel him stretch over his back and round up from my legs INTO my hands…what a fabulous moment! We have continued to work on that feeling, and it’s really coming together! It’s taken a lot for an older rider and horse to learn these new techniques, but we have had so much fun doing it together.
Favorite eventing moment/story?
Our dressage test last year at BN Deep Run HT. He was just foot perfect the entire test, and when we were done, I had tears in my eyes, and the hair on the back of my neck was standing up! We finished that day on our dressage score with a fabulous SJ round and a clear XC to win the blue ribbon and a pretty silver platter…best day ever!!
