Let’s check in with Kaylin in the latest edition of our Working Students series. As always, thank you for writing this Kaylin and thank you for reading. Previous entries: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
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From Kaylin:
It’s been awhile since my last blog, so here is a quick re-cap. We went to Universal Islands of Adventure on Super Bowl Sunday (our day off). It was great because there was hardly anyone there. We also went to a great “playground” for eventers – Longwood Farm, for cross country schooling. That place is fantastic!! I really wish we had more time to go there again. I’ve also competed at both Ocala Horse Properties and Rocking Horse II.
Ocala was my first competition of the season and it went very well. We finished in 8th place (out of 30 starters). That earned me my 3rd qualification necessary for the T3D I want to do in May at Southern 8ths. I hoped to earn my last qualification at Rocking Horse, but Harley was feeling a bit like a pony on cross country day and was very naughty at fence 14 (four fences from the end of the course). He stopped and I ended up falling off. I tried really hard to stay on, but my right foot touched the ground. I ended up just unbuckling my air vest and getting all the way off. I was so mad because we were jumping so well too! We would have finished in 2nd place. Oh well. We’ll get there and I didn’t stay mad at Harley for long. He’s too cute and he tries really hard all the time for me.
This week, we are heading back home to North Carolina. I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Ocala, but I am looking forward to being home again. I miss my friends, dad, brother (yes, even him), and my dogs. Hopefully the weather at home isn’t too bad because the weather in Ocala has been great!
My time in Ocala has been wonderful. I’ve been able to get a lot of riding done, tons of lessons in, schooling at a variety of places, and I was able to compete at two new venues. I’ve watched the Canadian and USET training sessions at the O’Connor’s farm and I’ve met a lot of great people. All in all, I can definitely say that this has been a great experience and one that I hope to repeat next winter. In the meantime, I head home to The Fork to continue putting together the spring season. Southern Pines II is next on my schedule followed very quickly by The Fork. I will finish the season at Southern 8ths (hopefully), and then go on vacation with my family to the beach before my brother leaves for college this fall.
I have really enjoyed being a guest blogger for EN. I hope to do it more often because my mom counts my blogging towards my English credit for school. I’ll write another post after Harley and I return home and get settled back in at The Fork. In the meantime, I hope wherever you are, you are enjoying your rides.
